From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Tue, Jul 26, 2016 7:08 pm Subject: It's my intention to compensate you with 20% of the total money Hello, I am writing this mail to you with tears and sorrow from my heart. With due respect , trust and humanity, i appeal to you to exercise a little patience and read through my letter i feel quite safe dealing with you in this important business having gone through your remarkable profile, honestly i am writing this email to you with pains, tears and sorrow from my heart, i will really like to have a good relationship with you and i have a special reason why i decided to contact you. I decided to contact you due to the urgency of my situation. My name is Miss Mirian Kipkalya Kones, 27yrs old femaleand i am from Kenya in East Africa. Light in complexion, single, never marriedbut presently i am residing here in Dakar Senegal refugee camp.My father late Dr Kipkalya Kones was the former Kenyan road Minister. Him and Assistant Minister of Home Affairs Lorna Laboso had been on boardthe Cessna 210, which was headed to Kericho and crashed in a remote area called Kajonga, in western Kenya. The plane crashed on the Tuesday10th, June,2008. You can read more about the crash through the below site : http://edition.cnn.com/2008/ WORLD/africa/06/10/kenya. crash/index.html After the burial of my father, my stepmother and uncle conspired and sold my father's property to an italian Expertrate which they shared the money among themselves and live nothing for me. One faithful morning, I openedmy father's briefcase and found out the documents which he have deposited huge amount of money in one bank in Scotland with my name as the next of kin because when he was alive he deposited some amount of money in a leading bank in Europe which he used my name as the next of kin. The amount in question is $3.8m (Three Million eight Hundred Thousand Dollars). I have informed the bank about claiming this moneyand the only thing they told me is to look for a foreign partner who will assist me in the transfer due to my refugee status here in Senegal.They also told me that my late father's instruction to the bank is that the money would only be release to me when I am married or present a trustee who will help me and invest the money overseas. I am in search of an honest and reliable person who will help me and stand as my trustee so that I will present him to the Bank for transfer of the moneyto his bank account overseas. I have chosen to contact you after my prayers and I believe that you will not betray my trust. But rather takeme as your own sister or we can get married immediately i come to your country. My dearest, thing are very bad for me here in the refugee camp where i am living today. People are dying here day after day because of lack of food and poor medical treatment. Even one of us died last night and was buried today. I am afraid of what i am seeing here. I don't know who it will be her turn tomorrow. I was first year student in the university studying law before the ugly incident that killed my parents that put me in this horrible place i found myself toady. This place is like a prison as we are only allowed to go out on Monday and Friday of the week as given by the united nation rules and regulation here in Senegal. It's just like one staying in the prison andi hope by God's grace i will come out here soon. in this refugee we are only allowed to go out two times in a week. Its just like one stayingin the prison and i hope by God's grace i will come out here soon. i don't have any relatives now whom i can go to and the only person i havenow is Rev Chris Johnson who is the pastor of the Christ for all Churches here in the refugee he has been very nice to me since i came here but i am not living with him rather i am leaving in the women's hostel because the refugee have two hostels one for men the other for women. Please i want you to call me with our Pastor's phone number +221-766-883-786 if you call, tell him that you want to speak with me he will send for me in the hostel to come and answer your call. As a refugee here i don't have any right or privilledge to any thing be it money or whatever because it is against the law of this country. I want to go back to my studies because i only attended my first year before the tragic incident that lead to my being in this situation now took place Though you may wonder why I am so soon revealing myself toyou without knowing you, well I will say that my mind convinced me thatyou may be the true person to help me. More so, I will like to disclose much to you if you can help me to relocate to your country because my stepmother have threaten to kill me and that is why I stop my studies and run away before I finally find myself in the united nations camp here in Senegal where i am living now. You will also help me to place the money in a more profitable business venture in your country. However, you will help by recommending a nice University in your countryso that I can complete my studies. It's my intention to compensate youwith 20% of the total money for your services and the balance shall be my capital in your establishment. As soon as I receive your positive response showing your interest I will put things into action immediately. In the light of the above. I shall appreciate an urgent message indicating your ability and willingness to handle this transaction sincerely. AWAITING YOUR URGENT AND POSITIVE RESPONSE. . Please do keep this only to your self for now until the bankwill transfer the fund. I beg you not to disclose it till i come over because I am afraid of my wicked stepmother who has threatened to kill me and have the money alone ,I thank God Today that am out from my country,Kenya, but now In Senegal Refugee Camp.I thank God for the life of Rev as he has been helpful to me since i became close to him after his visitation to the clinic when i was sick in the camp. He has assisted me in several ways sending emails from his office. I have the documents for the claims. Yours sincerely Mirian Kipkalya Kones. From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Wed, Jul 27, 2016 9:10 pm Subject: My love, I want you to help me to transfer my money, contact My Dearest, good day, How are you ? hope fine, for me I am well with all hope to meet you after transfer ! My dearest, I prayed and fasted when I got your contact before it was revealed to me God, that you are the right man for me, which I love and appreciate our baring, without difference, and I know you will not disappoint me. God will bless and reward you for every effort you are making to help me come out from this prison called refugee camp as we are many here in this refugee camp. My love, I want you to help me to transfer my late fathers money to your account and in it you will be able to send me some money so that I will use it to secure my traveling documents and my air ticket to come over to your country and to live with you for a better life. Please, my love, I want you to contact bank so that they can advise us the possibility to transfer my money to your position. My dear, I want to come over to meet with you for the rest of my life as I have seen that you are the right man for me and I will like you to help me and the transfer of my $3.8 million dollars Honey, I love you so much, and I can wait to meet with you for the rest of my life, and I am looking towards that lovely day when I will be meeting with you for the rest of my life after the transfer of my money to your position. My dear, I would like you to send an e-mail to the bank today about the possible transfer of my 3.8 million dollars deposited ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND, which my name appears as the next of kin due to my refugee status here in Senegal. I have informed the bank about you and they are waiting for your e-mail address, so that they can use this money in their position for our meeting. Here are the contact details of the bank in Scotland, where the money was deposited by my late father is as follows, The contact information of the bank is as follows : ROYAL BANK of SCOTLAND. royalbanksemail@scotlandmail.com ROYAL BANK of SCOTLAND. royalbanksemail1@yahoo.co.uk roya.lbankes@aol.co.uk Telephone contact numbers +447907957459 Fax contact number +447031880876 The account information are as follows: Account name :. . . . . . Dr.Kipkalya Kones. Amount:. . . . . . . . . $3.8 Million US Dollars Account number:. . . . . 87423006 Next of kin:. . . . . . . Mirian Kone. Already, I have informed the bank about my intention to clam my late father deposit of which my name appears as the next of kin. The only thing the bank told me is to look for a foreign partner who will assist me in the transfer due to my refugee status here in Senegal, as a refugee I am not allowed direct claim on the money, but through an appointed representative as the united refugee law governing refugee all over the world state. Based on this information, I will like you to send an e-mail to the transfer department of the bank today with this : Attentioned Mr.Ron Teerlink the transfer of the foreign officer of the bank telling him that you are my representative and that you want to assist me transfer my $3.8 million dollars deposited by my late father of which I am the next of kin. The account information are as follows. ACCOUNT NAME DR KIPKALYA KONES AMOUNT 3.8 MILLION DOLLARS ACCOUNT NUMBER 87423006 NEXT OF KIN MIRIAN KIPKALYA KONES Darling, I will like you to keep in touch with me as soon as you hear from thisbank so that we can know the possibility to help transfer my money to your own account, please try let me know immediately after you contact the bank for transfer. Mirian. From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Aug 1, 2016 8:44 am Subject: Oh my beloved sweet Darling, Oh my beloved sweet Darling, Honey how are you today and how was your night together with your precious health which is very very important to me ? I hope you have a wonderful night over there and you are in good health and healthy, as for me honey my night was only thinking about you because I so much love you with all my heart and I can not stay with out thinking of you every day and i know that very soon I will be with you for ever. Honey I couldn't write to you since then due to the power failure here in the camp just as I was all thinking and dreaming of you so much last night together with the situation of things which is why I really need your lovely help so that I can come out from this prison called refugee camp as soon as possible. Darling, have you contacted the bank ? please send me what you received from them, if you have not please send them an email now tell them that you are my partner that want to help me in doing the transfer so that they will advice us on what to do. I am waiting to receive your favorable reply soon. Take good care of yourself for me and remember that you are my happiness and my life Kisses. Mirian From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Wed, Aug 3, 2016 10:29 am Subject: WAITING FOR YOUR REPLY Hello Darling. My darling, I have forwarded your email to the bank as my partner who will assist me in the transfer. The only thing i need from you is to inform me whenever the bank contacts you about transferring my money to your position as i am suffering here with all hopes to be with you for a better life. God bless you, my love, Yours in love, Mirian. royalbanksemail@scotlandmail.com > Telephone number 00447 - 031 - 882 - 113 Gogarburn, Edinburgh, EH1 21 HQ, UK Scotland Registered Office, 36 St Andrew Square EH2 2YB. royalbanksemail@scotlandmail.com ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP PLC HEADQUARTERSTelephone number 00447 - 031 - 882 - 113Gogarburn, Edinburgh, EH1 21 HQ, UK ScotlandRegistered Office, 36 St Andrew Square EH2 2YB. Transfer Departmen t Sir, I have been directed by the director of Foreign Operation/Wire Transfer to write you in respect of the mail we received today. Actually, we have earlier been told about you by the young lady Miss Kones that she wishes you to be her trustee/representative for the claim of her late father's deposit with our bank. Late Dr Kipkalya Kones is our late customer with substantial amount $3.8 Million Dollars of deposit with us. Hence you have been really appointed as a trustee to represent the next of Kin. However before our bank will transact any business concerning the transfer of the fund with you , we will like you to send the followings items together with your full bank information where you want us to transfer the money : 1.A power of attorney permitting you to claim and transfer the funds to your bank account on her behalf. This document must be endorsed by a Senegalese resident lawyer which she can help you to get one. 2.The death certificate of late Dr Kipkalya Kones (Her deceased father) confirming the death. 3.A copy of statement of account issued to Dr Kipkalya Kones by our bank Note that the above are compulsory, and are needed to protect our interest yours, the next of kin after the claims. These shall also ensure that a smooth, quick and successful transfer of the fund is made. We promise to give our customers the best of our services. Should you have any question(s), please contact our foreign transfer officer. Mr. Ron Teerlink on telephone number Tel Fax for more directives/clarifications. Yours Faithfully, Mrs. Shirley Eracleous. For Accounts Dept/Transfer Dept Mr. Ron Teerlink on telephone numberTel +447031882113 Fax +447031880876 for more directives/clarifications.Yours Faithfully,Mrs. Shirley Eracleous.For Accounts Dept/Transfer Dept On Wed, Aug 3, 2016 at 9:43 AM, royal bankofscotlandwrote: From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Thu, Aug 4, 2016 9:17 am Subject: My love, we have to transfer my late father's money in your position first. . How are you ? hope fine for me I'm good with all hope to meet with you in my next dream land. Remember you can call me with our Pastors Tel number +221-766-883786 if you call, tell him you want to speak with me he will send for me in the hostel to come and to answer your call. My darling, I prayed and fasted when i got your contact before it was revealed to me by God, that you are the right man for me, which I love and appreciate our Baring, without distinction, and I know you will not disappoint me. God will bless and reward you for everything you do to help me get out of this prison called refugee camp, which many of us here in this refugee camp. My love, I want you to help me to come over to your country to live with you for the rest of my life, we have to transfer my late father's money in your position. Darling can you help me in my passport, as I already told Rev. Pastor to go and ask the embassy for my new passport, so I can be with you over there in your country by the end of this week. I hope to hear from you as soon as possible today. yours in love Mirian. From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Aug 8, 2016 11:48 am Subject: THIS IS THE COST OF MY PASSPORT : EURO 280euro Honey good morning, how are you over there in my next dream country ? Hope everything is well with you? Darling as i told you that my Rev father promised to help me to go to embassy office to discover the cost of my new passport, when i meet Rev. this morning in his office and he told me that my passport will cost EURO 280euro Honey please help me and send me the money with this information here. Honey please send me the money through money gram or Ria / western union money transfer so that my Rev. father will help me get it immediately you will send the necessary informations. Please send me the control number that you use, send it immediately. important thing is question and answer and control number. . . . the name of sender like your name. . . . . . . the name of receiver Sunny JOHNSON. . . . . . My love, all i need from you is to help me get the passport, I was talking with the Reverend what and what documents do i need to go out from here. The Reverend told me that once i get passport that the United Nations will give me Certificate that will allow me move to any country of my choice. Darling i believe with the help of the Reverend i will come to you easy once i get the passport. Please darling send me the money to get the passport. I really need to meet you for a better life together. Hope for good news from you soon. Yours in Love Mirian From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Aug 15, 2016 11:22 am Subject: 280euro, THIS IS THE COST OF MY PASSPORT Honey good morning, how are you over there in my next dream country ? Hope everything is well with you.Darling, as i told you that my Rev father promise to help me go to embassy office to discover the cost of my new passport, when i met Rev. this morning in his officehe told me that my passport will cost 280euro Honey please help me and send me the money with this information here. Honey please send me the money through money gram or Ria / western union money transfer so that my Rev father will help me get it immediately send the necessary information. Please send me the control number that you use send it immediately. important thing is question and answer and control number. . . . the name of sending like your name. . . . . . . the name of receiver SUNNY JOHNSON. . . . . . My love all i need from you is to help me get the passport, I was talking with the Reverend what and what documents do i need to go out from here. The Reverend told me that once i get passport that the United Nations will give me Certificate that will allow me move to any country of my choice. Darling i believe with the help of the Reverend i will come to you easy once i get the passport. Please darling send to me the money to get the passport. I really need to meet you for better life together. Hope for good news from you soon. Yours in Love Mirian. From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Mon, Aug 22, 2016 11:14 am Subject: Dear friend, I signed a cheque of $ 500,000 in your name, Dearest friend, This isMirian that contacted you some time ago about the transfer of funds to your account as previously mentioned in my proposal, I am sending you this email to remind you of how I concluded with the said money transfer while knowing full well that you showed concern by offering the necessary help you could. I am thanking you very much for minimal assistance you gave me and for that, I intend to pay you well for good. I am very successful with the transfer of the funds that I contact you for assistance. I am happy to announce to your hearing that my husband and I are residing in the Netherlands as the transfer is completed. Because of your help and love you showed me I am giving you the sum of $ 500,000,00 I signed a cheque of $500,000,00in your name, as I am successful with this transfer. I want you to contact the Rev. Chris Johnson for the collection of this cheque. It is my desire to fulfill my dreams in life and for humanity, so take this compensation that came from my true heart. Contact him through his email below : Name : Rev. Chris Johnson revchris29@gmail.com +221.767536965 My dear, I can not take the chance of sending you mail again as my husband is watching my movements. All should be between you and the Reverend Chris Johnson. You can send me an email to tell me what he said when you contact him for the cheque. Thanking you once again. five hundred thousand US dollars showing concern. Please, I want you to accept this as a gift from my heart, I would have sent you this email before, but due to how quickly my trip with my husband was to Holland and since then he has been monitoring my movement,, as I am successful with this transfer. I want you to contact the Rev. Chris Johnson for the collection of this cheque. It is my desire to fulfill my dreams in life and for humanity, so take this compensation that came from my true heart. Contact him through his email below :Name : Rev. Chris Johnson+221.767536965My dear, I can not take the chance of sending you mail again as my husband is watching my movements. All should be between you and the Reverend Chris Johnson. You can send me an email to tell me what he said when you contact him for the cheque.Thanking you once again. God bless you and the whole family. Sincerely, Mirian. From: roya.lbankes < roya.lbankes@aol.co.uk > Sent: Mon, Sep 5, 2016 4:23 pm Subject: ROYAL BANK of SCOTLAND Telephone number 00447 - 031 - 882 - 113 Gogarburn, Edinburgh, EH1 21 HQ, UK Scotland Registered Office, 36 St Andrew Square EH2 2YB. roya.lbankes@aol.co.uk Transfer Department ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP PLC HEADQUARTERSTelephone number 00447 - 031 - 882 - 113Gogarburn, Edinburgh, EH1 21 HQ, UK ScotlandRegistered Office, 36 St Andrew Square EH2 2YB.Transfer Department Sir, I have been directed by the director of Foreign Operation/Wire Transfer to write you in respect of the mail we received today. Actually, we have earlier been told about you by the young lady Miss Kones that she wishes you to be her trustee/representative for the claim of her late father's deposit with our bank. Late Dr Kipkalya Kones is our late customer with substantial amount $3.8 Million Dollars of deposit with us. Hence you have been really appointed as a trustee to represent the next of Kin. However before our bank will transact any business concerning the transfer of the fund with you , we will like you to send the followings items together with your full bank information where you want us to transfer the money : 1.A power of attorney permitting you to claim and transfer the funds to your bank account on her behalf. This document must be endorsed by a Senegalese resident lawyer which she can help you to get one. 2.The death certificate of late Dr Kipkalya Kones (Her deceased father) confirming the death. 3.A copy of statement of account issued to Dr Kipkalya Kones by our bank Note that the above are compulsory, and are needed to protect our interest,yours, the next of kin after the claims. These shall also ensure that a smooth, quick and successful transfer of the fund is made. We promise to give our customers the best of our services. Should you have any question(s), please contact our foreign transfer officer Mr. Ron Teerlink on telephone number Tel Fax Yours faithfully , Mrs. Shirley Eracleous. For Accounts Dept/Transfer Dept 2.The death certificate of late Dr Kipkalya Kones (Her deceased father) confirming the death.3.A copy of statement of account issued to Dr Kipkalya Kones by our bankNote that the above are compulsory, and are needed to protect our interest,yours, the next of kin after the claims. These shall also ensure that a smooth, quick and successful transfer of the fund is made.We promise to give our customers the best of our services. Should you have any question(s), please contact our foreign transfer officerMr. Ron Teerlink on telephone numberTel +447031882113 Fax +447031880876 Yours faithfully ,Mrs. Shirley Eracleous.For Accounts Dept/Transfer Dept roya.lbankes@aol.co.uk Van: "benjaminchristian1@yahoo.com" < benjaminchristian1@yahoo.com > Aan: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Verzonden: dinsdag 6 september 14:17 2016 Onderwerp: BARRISTER BENJAMIN LAW FIRM BARRISTER BENJAMIN LAW FIRM Telephone +221766544795 Email ATTENTION IN RESPECT OF YOUR MAIL WE RECEIVED TODAY IN OUR NOBLE LAW FIRM, ON HOW TO PREPARE AN AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT AND POWER OF ATTORNEY IN YOUR NAME FOR YOU TO STAND ON BEHALF OF YOUR FRIEND MISS KONES TO TRANSFER HIS LATE FATHER MONEY FROM THE (ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND) TO YOUR ACCOUNT. OUR NOBLE LAW FIRM WISHES TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS SERVICES WE WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION TO OUR LAW FIRM IMMEDIATELY . YOUR: 1) NAME; 2) ADDRESS ; 3) TELEPHONE NUMBER; 5) E-MAIL; 6) DATE OF BIRTH 7) COUNTRY: 8) OCCUPATION ALL THIS INFORMATION LISTED ABOVE WILL APPEAR IN THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF OATH SO THAT I WILL GO TO THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT HERE IN SENEGAL TO ASCERTAIN THE COST OF THE AUTHENTICATION OF THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF OATH BEFORE IT BECOMES VALID FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AFTER WHICH OUR LAW FIRM WILL CONTACT YOU BACK WITH THE REQUIRED COSTS BEFORE ACCEPTING TO RENDER THE REQUIRED LEGAL SERVICES. I WILL SEND YOU THE EMAIL COPY OF LATE DR KIPKALYA KONES STATEMENT OF HIS ACCOUNT AND HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE WHICH YOUR PARTNER MISS KONES GAVE TO ME. I WILL SENT IT TO YOU IN MY NEXT MAIL. OUR PRIORITY IS TO RENDER THE BEST AND EFFICIENT SERVICE TO OUR CLIENTS. THANKS FOR YOUR DECISION TO WORK WITH OUR LAW FIRM IN THIS TRANSACTION. . . REGARDS, BARRISTER BENJAMIN CHRISTIAN BARRISTER BENJAMIN LAW FIRMTelephone +221766544795Email benjaminchristian1@yahoo.com ATTENTIONIN RESPECT OF YOUR MAIL WE RECEIVED TODAY IN OUR NOBLE LAW FIRM, ON HOW TO PREPARE AN AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT AND POWER OF ATTORNEY IN YOUR NAME FOR YOU TO STAND ON BEHALF OF YOUR FRIEND MISS KONES TO TRANSFER HIS LATE FATHER MONEY FROM THE (ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND) TO YOUR ACCOUNT.OUR NOBLE LAW FIRM WISHES TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS SERVICES WE WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION TO OUR LAW FIRM IMMEDIATELY .YOUR:1) NAME;2) ADDRESS ;3) TELEPHONE NUMBER;5) E-MAIL;6) DATE OF BIRTH7) COUNTRY:8) OCCUPATIONALL THIS INFORMATION LISTED ABOVE WILL APPEAR IN THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF OATH SO THAT I WILL GO TO THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT HERE IN SENEGAL TO ASCERTAIN THE COST OF THE AUTHENTICATION OF THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF OATH BEFORE IT BECOMES VALID FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AFTER WHICH OUR LAW FIRM WILL CONTACT YOU BACK WITH THE REQUIRED COSTS BEFORE ACCEPTING TO RENDER THE REQUIRED LEGAL SERVICES.I WILL SEND YOU THE EMAIL COPY OF LATE DR KIPKALYA KONES STATEMENT OF HIS ACCOUNT AND HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE WHICH YOUR PARTNER MISS KONES GAVE TO ME. I WILL SENT IT TO YOU IN MY NEXT MAIL.OUR PRIORITY IS TO RENDER THE BEST AND EFFICIENT SERVICE TO OUR CLIENTS.THANKS FOR YOUR DECISION TO WORK WITH OUR LAW FIRM IN THIS TRANSACTION. . .REGARDS,BARRISTER BENJAMIN CHRISTIAN From: royal bankofscotland < royalbanksemail@scotlandmail.com > Sent: Tue, Sep 27, 2016 10:33 am Subject: ROYAL BANK of SCOTLAND about transfer ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP PLC HEADQUARTERS Telephone number 00447 - 031 - 882 - 113 Gogarburn, Edinburgh, EH1 21 HQ, UK Scotland Registered Office, 36 St Andrew Square EH2 2YB royalbanksemail@scotlandmail.com Transfer Department Sir, I have been directed by the director of Foreign Operation/Wire Transfer to write you in respect of the mail we received today. Actually, we have earlier been told about you by the young lady Miss Kones that she wishes you to be her trustee/representative for the claim of her late father's deposit with our bank. Late Dr Kipkalya Kones is our late customer with substantial amount $3.8 Million Dollars of deposit with us. Hence you have been really appointed as a trustee to represent the next of kin. However before our bank will transact any business concerning the transfer of the fund with you , we will like you to send the followings items together with your full bank information where you want us to transfer the money : 1.A power of attorney permitting you to claim and transfer the funds to your bank account on her behalf. This document must be endorsed by a Senegalese resident lawyer which she can help you to get one. 2.The death certificate of late Dr Kipkalya Kones, her deceased father,confirming the death. 3.A copy of statement of account issued to Dr Kipkalya Kones by our bank Note that the above are compulsory, and are needed to protect our interest,yours, the next of kin after the claims. These shall also ensure that a smooth, quick and successful transfer of the fund is made. We promise to give our customers the best of our services. Should you have any question(s), for more directives/clarifications,please contact our foreign transfer officer. . Mr. Ron Teerlink on telephone number Tel Fax Yours aithfully, Mrs. Shirley Eracleous for Accounts Dept / Transfer Dept. 1.A power of attorney permitting you to claim and transfer the funds to your bank account on her behalf. This document must be endorsed by a Senegalese resident lawyer which she can help you to get one.2.The death certificate of late Dr Kipkalya Kones, her deceased father,confirming the death.3.A copy of statement of account issued to Dr Kipkalya Kones by our bankNote that the above are compulsory, and are needed to protect our interest,yours, the next of kin after the claims. These shall also ensure that a smooth, quick and successful transfer of the fund is made.We promise to give our customers the best of our services. Should you have any question(s), for more directives/clarifications,please contact our foreign transfer officer. .Mr. Ron Teerlink on telephone numberTel +447031882113 Fax +447031880876 Yours aithfully,Mrs. Shirley Eracleousfor Accounts Dept / Transfer Dept. Van: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > > Verzonden: dinsdag 27 september 15:23 2016 Onderwerp: CONGRATULATION This is the Mirian that contacted you some time ago about the transfer of funds to your account as previously mentioned in my proposal , I am sending you this e- mail to remind you of how I concluded with the said money transfer while knowing full well that you showed concern by offering the necessary help you could. I am thanking you very much for minimal assistance you gave me and for that, I intend to pay you well for good. I am very successful with the transfer of the funds that I contact you for assistance . I am happy to announce to your hearing that my husband and I are residing in Holland as the transfer is completed. Because of your help and love you showed me I am giving you the sum of ( $ 500,000,00 ), five hundred thousand United States dollars showing concern. Please, I want you to accept this as a gift from my heart, I would have sent you this email before, but due to how quickly my trip with my husband was to Holland and since then he has been monitoring my movement, I signed a cheque of $ 500,000,00 . dollars in your name, as I am successful with this transfer. I want you to contact the Rev. Chris Johnson for the collection of this cheque. It is my desire to fulfill my dreams in life and for humanity, so take this compensation that came from my true heart. Contact him through his e - mail below. Name : Rev. Chris Johnson Email : Phone : +221767536965 My dear I can not take the chance of sending you mail again as my husband is watching my movement. All should be between you and the Reverend Chris Johnson.You can send me an email to tell me what he said when you contact him for the cheque. Thanking you once again and God bless you and the whole family. Sincerely, Mrs Mirian. Dearest Friend,This is the Mirian that contacted you some time ago about the transfer of funds to your account as previously mentioned in my proposal , I am sending you this e- mail to remind you of how I concluded with the said money transfer while knowing full well that you showed concern by offering the necessary help you could. I am thanking you very much for minimal assistance you gave me and for that, I intend to pay you well for good. I am very successful with the transfer of the funds that I contact you for assistance .I am happy to announce to your hearing that my husband and I are residing in Holland as the transfer is completed. Because of your help and love you showed me I am giving you the sum of ( $ 500,000,00 ), five hundred thousand United States dollars showing concern. Please, I want you to accept this as a gift from my heart, I would have sent you this email before, but due to how quickly my trip with my husband was to Holland and since then he has been monitoring my movement, I signed a cheque of $ 500,000,00 . dollars in your name, as I am successful with this transfer.I want you to contact the Rev. Chris Johnson for the collection of this cheque. It is my desire to fulfill my dreams in life and for humanity, so take this compensation that came from my true heart.Contact him through his e - mail below.Name : Rev. Chris JohnsonEmail : revchris29@gmail.com Phone : +221767536965My dear I can not take the chance of sending you mail again as my husband is watching my movement. All should be between you and the Reverend Chris Johnson.You can send me an email to tell me what he said when you contact him for the cheque.Thanking you once again and God bless you and the whole family.Sincerely,Mrs Mirian. From: Lone Star National Bank < lonestarnationaban@hotmail.com > Sent: Wed, Sep 28, 2016 12:13 am Subject: Lone Star National Bank, Pharr Texas Lone Star National Bank Address: 206 W Ferguson Ave, Pharr, TX 78577, United States Tel: +19406033789 lonestarnationaban@hotmail.com ATTN: We the staffof Lone Star National Bank, Pharr Texas want to confirm the receipt of your mail to our bank,the young lady miriannlove@gmail.com have informed us about you and we have been waiting for your mail, her father deposited this money long ago before his death, it was her father's lawyer that informed us about the young lady 's parentsdeath and we sympathize with the young girl for the death of her parents because her father is a good man and oneof our big costumer.We want you to get back to us with Your bank account details where you want us to transfer the funds to and please sir, make sure you handle the money very well for her and God will bless you as you do so. Please we also need thebelow stated certificate from you andthe young lady before we will transfer the funds to you.You have to contactthe young lady and tell her to get a lawyer in Beninthat will help you people secure the following documents as soon as possible so that we will transfer the funds to you without any further delay. 1). POWER OF ATTORNEY 2). AFFIDAVITY OF CLAIM You need to bear in mind that the lawyer that will issue you people this two document most come from Beninso you need to contactthe young lady immediately you receive this mail so that both of you will put heads together and know how you are going to secure the documents, immediately you get back to us with your bank details and the documents the funds will be release to you without any further delay. We wait to hear from you as soon as possible. Yours f aithfully Mr. Rene Lopez Jr Lone Star National Ban k. Tell: +19406033789 From: Revandrew Kuma < revandrewkuma@gmail.com > Sent: Tue, Oct 4, 2016 2:20 am Subject: SEND YOUR CONTACT DETAILS FOR POSTING YOUR CHECK Hello and God bless you, YES I AM REV FATHER ANDREW KUMA THE COORDINATOR AND CONTROLLER OF THE REFUGEE CAMP HERE IN DAKAR SENEGAL, ACTUALLY YOUR PARTNER MISS KONEH HAVE TRAVEL WITH HER NEW PARTNER AND SHE LEFT WITH ME A CHECK DRAFT WITH THE BEARER NAME, SO I WANT YOU TO SEND ME YOUR CONTACT WHICH WILL ENABLE COURIER SERVICE TO SEND YOUR DRAFT TO YOUR DESTINATION YOU ARE REQUIRED TO CONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION WHERE THE DRAFT WILL BE SEND TO YOU, YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER IS ALSO NEEDED FOR EASY COMMUNICATION AS SOON AS I CONFIRM YOUR INFORMATION I WILL SEND THE DRAFT TO YOU THROUGH COURIER SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. THE DRAFT WILL BE SEND TO YOU THROUGH DHL COURIER SERVICE TO YOUR COUNTRY SO YOUR INFORMATION IS NEEDED FROM YOU FAST, 1:YOUR FULL NAME. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:YOUR ADDRESS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3;YOUR PHONE NUMBER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:YOUR COUNTRY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:ATTACH COPY OF YOUR IDENTIFICATION. . . . . . . . . . . THANKS AND GOD BLESS REV . FATHER ANDREW KUMA From: revchris johnson < revchris29@gmail.com > Sent: Tue, Oct 4, 2016 2:56 am Subject: Send your informations May the peace of God Almighty be with you. How are you today ? i hope you are very fine over there. If so glory be to Almight God. My brother in Christ my name is Rev. Chris Johnson of Christ The King Church, Dakar Senegal. Miss Kones once living in the refugee told me about you and how she saw your profile and liked you to help her to come out from the camp and you tried very well to help her but you did not meet up . later contacted another person who give her the kind help she needed and now is no more living in the refugee camp. The person that helped her take her to his country. Before she traveled,she dropped a message for me. She told me to give you some amount of money and the money is in our care now .The amount of the money is usd$ 500.000 I will send the money to you. But you will send all your information to me including your address and your full name to avoid mistake. Once you send this information i will definitely send the money to you immediately.You can also call me with this phone number for more information. . . +221767536965 God bless you as i wait for your mail. Yours in Christ From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Fri, Oct 7, 2016 2:53 pm Subject: Darling, the money is only needed for the DHL office. . Hello darling, hope you are doing well over there. I wrote to the Reverend Chris now and ask him why must you pay for the check, and he explains many things to me, why you should pay. He said that the money is only needed for the DHL office. And you know that Reverend is old man and he also a man of God, and he can never lie to you. Just follow his instruction so that the DHL will send you the check. Just do inform me as soon as you received your check. I wish you the best of life. Mrs Mirian. From: revchris johnson < revchris29@gmail.com > Sent: Tue, Oct 18, 2016 3:01 am Subject: SEND YOUR INFORMATION : revchris29@gmail.com May the peace of God Almighty be with you. How are you today ? i hope you are very fine over there. If so glory be to Almight God. My brother in Christ ,my name is Rev. Chris Johnson of Christ The King Church, Dakar, Senegal. Miss Kones once living in the refugee told me about you and how she saw your profile and liked you to help her to come out from the camp and you tried very well to help her but you did not meet up . later contacted another person who give her the kind help she needed and now is no more living in the refugee camp. The person that helped her take her to his country. . Before she traveled,she dropped a massage for you. She told me to give you some amount of money and the money is in our care now. The amount of the money is usd$ 500.000.00 I will send the money to you. But you will send all your information to me including your address and your full name to avoid mistake. Once you send this information, i will definitely send the money to you immediately. You can also call me with this phone number for more information. . . +221.767536965 God bless you as i wait for your mail. Yours in Christ From: revchris johnson < revchris29@gmail.com > Sent: Tue, Oct 18, 2016 4:04 pm Subject: DHL fees about your $500,000 cheque delivery Sir, May the peace of the Lord be with you and your family, amen ! Today i hereby have no other option that to send you the money which Miss Kones miriannlove@gmail.com left for you in my care becauseleft for me here as evidence to prove that you are the right person and your delivery address is noted to send the cheque to your house. As soon as i went for the delivery/shipment enquiries DHL on how to post the cheque in regards to your destination and the Korea company I visited them and they gave me different charges based on the weight and country of destination and it is left for you to choose preferable one following the face value of your cheque being $500,000 (five hundred thousand dollars) and needed diplomatic attention it will arrive in three days. C harges are as follows : Diplomatic House Delivery Care : 210 $ Immunity Yellow Tag: 45.$ 10% vat :78 $ Total :. . . . . . . . 333 $ My dear, try your possible best to see that you send this money to me as soon as you get this mail so that i can go to the DHL office to send you the cheque before any other things. The total amount is three hundred and thirty three dollars you are to send the money through WESTERN UNION with .Please send me the information you use to send the money to western union through my email address for easy collection. Use this information and send the money. Address :No. 265 Parcel, Dakar, Senegal. First Name. . . . .John Last Name. . . . . . Chris Question. . . . . ok Answer. . . . . ok From: miriann love < miriannlove@gmail.com > Sent: Wed, Oct 19, 2016 2:12 am Subject: My dear friend, send this money to the pastor My dear friend, what you have to do now is to try and send this money to the pastor revandrewkuma@gmail.com so that he can send your check to you, as soon as you receive this gift you will use the money and take good care of yourself, so try today. Mirian 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.... Mobile Wallet Market Will Witness Growth Based On Rising Demand For Enhanced Government Policies And Security Issues Till 2024: Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/mobile-wallet-market The global mobile wallet market() is expected to reach USD 7,581.91 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Growing mobile penetration with improved payment infrastructure and data connectivity are expected to offer the significant opportunity of the mobile wallet market. Increasing application of mobile wallet which includes Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay with the growing capability of paying through mobile phones, is expected to drive the market demand.Increasing demand for enhanced government policies and security issues is expected to drive the market growth. Enterprises across the industries are developing and deploying the new products for improving the productivity with increasing security. The increasing need for lowering cost of ownership and increased convenience need will continue to dictate the market development.Growing development in NFC has encouraged the consumers to use the mobile devices for making small and large payments. Proliferation and adoption of mobile payments including digital wallets and usage of apps has encouraged the non-payment technology firms to enter into payment landscape such as American Express and Jawbone. According to the U.K. Cards Association, contactless payments in the region have surged to 184% high with 179.6 Billion of transactions.Further key findings from the report suggest: Banking entities, payment gateways, businesses and payment processors are expanding with the emerging payment technologies. Proximity product type is expected to have maximum CAGR over the forecast period owing to the increased penetration of NFC enabled mobile phones. The public transportation application segment is expected to have significant growth over the forecast period, owing to changing industry trends the transit system operators are moving away from traditional payment of parking fees, displaying interactive route maps, sounding alarms in case of emergency, real time service information and service schedules. The restaurant application is expected to witness a CAGR of over 38% over the forecast period. Restaurants have started upgrading terminals for accepting the various payment methods. The technology has enabled the customer to use a mobile app to check in, pre-order, order online and make reservations. Developed regions such as North America have a well-established NFC market, owing to the high adaptability of the consumers for the new technology. Three wireless carriers, T-Mobile USA , AT&T Mobility (U.S) and Verizon Wireless (U.S) are working in collaboration with Barclaycard U.S. and Discover Financial Services to analyze and implement the NFC technology in the product list The key players in the mobile wallet market include Google Inc (U.S), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (South Korea), VISA Inc (U.S). Companies are focusing on developing new services and secure payment platform to enhance the market share.Grand View Research has segmented the mobile wallet market on the basis of product type, application, and region:Mobile Wallet Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2024) Proximity RemoteMobile Wallet Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2024) Retail Vending Machine Public Transportation RestaurantsMobile Wallet Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2024) North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America MEAAbout Grand View ResearchGrand 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.Press ContactSherry James - Corporate Relations Specialist28 2nd Street, Suite 3036San Francisco, CA 94105United StatesPhone: 1-415-349-0058Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Global Baby Food Market size will grow at a CAGR of around 6.2% between 2016 and 2021. http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/baby-food-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/baby-food-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/baby-food-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/buynow/su/baby-food-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com Zion Research has published a new report titled Baby Food Market (Bottled baby food, Baby food cereals, Baby food snacks, Baby Food Soup, Frozen baby food): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2015 2021. According to the report, the Global Baby Food Market accounted for USD 53.31 Billion in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 76.48 Billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of around 6.2% between 2016 and 2021.Get a copy of free Sample Report @Baby food is either a total or partial substitute for breast milk for infants or toddlers of under two years. It is a soft food, which can be easily consumed by infants and babies. To meet the nutritional requirements of the baby, baby foods are specially designed by the manufacturers. Generally, baby food is prepared with required amount of proteins and iron, so that it properly helps in the babys growth and initial body development. The baby food market is classified into various segments which include product, health benefits and basic ingredients.There are mainly three forms of baby food, which are liquid concentrate, powder, and ready-to-feed. The powder is the least expensive form and it is used by mixing with water before feeding the infant. In the case of the ready-to-feed form of baby food, there is no need of addition of any liquid and mother can feed this directly to the baby. Furthermore, subcategories of baby foods include dried baby food, milk formula, prepared baby food and other baby food such as baby snacks and beverages. Cow milk-based formulas are gaining large adoption in emerging economies in the past few years. Increasing population base, rising disposable income level of individual and growing urbanization, are some of the major reasons, which are expected to be driving the baby food market in all across the globe. The decline in the birth rate in developed countries can act as a major challenge for the growth in baby food market within the forecast period.Growth in the baby food or formula market is also driven by an increase in numbers of women working outside the home. As many working mothers return to their jobs shortly after giving birth, prepared baby foods and formulas provide the tempting substitute for working mothers, bridging their desires for nutritious, healthy food with their need for convenience. Hypermarkets, supermarkets, small grocery retails, and health & beauty retailers are the key distribution channels serving in the baby food industry. Among all supermarkets are the primarily preferred distribution channel followed by health and beauty retailers. However, in developing countries like India, small grocery retailers and health and beauty retailers are among the most preferred sales channels. At present, small grocery retailers hold a relatively smaller share of the global market. Other sales channels in this market include discounters, non-store retailing and non-grocery retailers.Browse detail report with in-depth TOC @Asia Pacific market is prominent and one of the fastest growing markets for baby food among various regions due to population growth in China and India. Hence, in Asia-Pacific region, China and India hold an extensive share in the baby food market. Nestle India Ltd maintained the lead the market accounting for a major share in the market in 2015. The company has continued to leverage the reputation of its leading brands including Cerelac, Lactogen, Nestum, Nan and Nestogen. The company is focusing on enlarging its penetration to smaller cities of India.North America was the largest markets for baby food in 2015. In North America region, the U.S. accounted account the largest share in the baby food market. However, the market for baby foods in North America is expected to witness stagnant growth due to the low birth rate and less demand for baby food. The debate over legislations regarding food labeling and its advertisements are poised to exhibit challenges for baby food products sales. Parents are opting for natural ingredients and no additives containing food with major attraction on organic baby food products.Some of the main companies operating in global baby food market are Abbott Laboratories, Bledina SA, Danone SA, Hain Celestial Group, H. J. Heinz Company, Ellas Kitchen Group Ltd, Nestle S.A., Semper AB, Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.Know more before buying this report @This report segments the global baby food market as follows:Global Baby Food Market: Product Segment AnalysisBottled baby foodBaby food cerealsBaby food snacksBaby Food SoupFrozen baby foodGlobal Baby Food Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilThe Middle East & AfricaPurchase a direct copy of report with TOC @About Us:Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Yeast Market will hit USD 4.86 Billion By 2021 http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/yeast-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/yeast-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/yeast-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/buynow/su/yeast-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com Zion Research has published a new report titled Yeast Market by Form (Instant, Fresh and Dry Yeast), by Type (Brewers, Bakers, Bio-ethanol, Wine, Feed and Other type), by Specialty Yeast (Yeast Autolysis, Yeast Extract and -glucan) for Food and feed: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2015 2021. According to the report, global yeast market was valued at over USD 2.96 billion in 2015, is expected to reach above USD 4.86 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of above 8.6 % between 2016 and 2021.Get a copy of free Sample Report @Yeast is the single-celled eukaryotic organisms classified into fungus kingdom. Yeast is aerobic, anaerobic or facultative in nature and can grow in acidic conditions. It is present in all living cells including small intestine. Edible yeast is nontoxic and has properties like rising which help in fermenting and resulting in great taste. Some of the major applications of yeast are baking, brewing, fermentation, bioremediation, industrial fuels and nutritional supplements.Increasing demand for yeast from the bakery due to high consumption of bakery products drives the yeast market. Other factors contributing to the growth of yeast market are surging use of specialty yeast in the processed and packed food. Also, high demand of bio-ethanol as fuel stimulates the growth of the market. Growing demand for alcoholic beverages has led to the high production of wine and other beverages, in turn, increase the demand for yeast. Though, yeast based products have a low shelf life and allergies caused due to consumption of some yeast species may hinder the growth of the market. Specialty yeast contains MSG; therefore stringent regulations are led by the government on its use. Nevertheless, untapped opportunities for the use of yeast in various industries are likely to open new avenues for the yeast market in the coming years.Based on yeast form the yeast market can be segmented as instant yeast, fresh yeast, and dry yeast. Fresh yeast is considered to be the potential segment owing to the high use of fresh yeast in bakery product mainly in bread and puffs due to great taste and high rising properties. Further, the yeast can be segmented on the basis of the type that are brewers, bakers, bio-ethanol, wine, feed and other types. Bakers and brewers are the leading segments due to high use of yeast in this industrial sector. Yet, wine and feed are likely to show high growth prospects in the coming years.Know more before buying this report @Specialty yeast is product originating from natural food yeast, which is used for nutrition, health, and taste. Some of the key specialty yeast are yeast autolysis, yeast extract, and -glucan. Yeast is majorly used in food and feed industry. Food segment is the most prominent market segment due to high use of yeast in food industry such as bakery, wine, and breweries.The yeast market was dominated by North America in 2015. This was mainly contributed to high consumption of bakery products along with the majority of shares in wine and brewery industry. However, North America and Europe are anticipated to experience sluggish growth in forecast period due to saturation of yeast market. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market owing to rising discretional income and changing preference over the conventional foods towards fast and processed foods. The yeast market in Asia-Pacific is projected to maintain its market in the coming years due to growing bakery and wine industry.There has been tremendous growth of wine industry in Brazil; this is likely to augment yeast market growth in Latin America. The Middle East and Africa is expected to show sustainable growth in the next years owing to rising living standards along with increasing disposable incomes and presence of abundant raw resources.The presence of various vendors in the market forces the companies to focus on R&D for innovative and cost effective products. AngelYeast Co., Ltd, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Synergy Flavors, Leiber GmbH, Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, Associated British Foods plc, Lallemand Inc., Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., Alltech and Lesaffre Group among others are some of the major players in the yeast market.Browse detail report with in-depth TOC @This report segments the yeast market as follows:Yeast Market: Form Segment AnalysisInstant yeastFresh yeastDry yeastYeast Market: Type Segment AnalysisBrewersBakersBio-ethanolWineFeedOtherYeast Market: Specialty Type Segment AnalysisYeast autolysisYeast extract-glucanOtherYeast Market: Application Segment AnalysisFoodFeedYeast Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaUSEuropeGermanyFranceUKAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilThe Middle East and AfricaPurchase a direct copy of report with TOC @About Us:Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite: Identity and Access Management Market Growth, Trends, Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 |The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/identity-and-access-management-market http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000169 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000169 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/discount/TIPTE100000169 The Identity and Access Management Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Industries, Services 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 Identity and Access Management Market to 2025 @Identity and access management solutions provides ability to manage electronic identity for accessing information and resources System security and providing secure environment is emerging as one of the top most priorities for organization, considering the increasing incident of insider threats, which may result into loss of critical information and financial losses. Increasing compliance adherence requirement is also pushing the adoption for advanced identity and access management solutions.Rising adoption of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trends, increasing usage of mobile devices for work, complex web applications threats are hindering the traditional solutions and models of Identity and access management, and pushing the innovation envelope for further development of advanced models and solutions which can cater according to todays dynamic requirements.Request Sample Copy @Increasing focus of enterprises towards compliances management, increasing security concerns among data sensitive industry like telecommunications, and banking, insurance and financial industry services and high mobility adoption trends are some of the factors that are driving the Identity and access management market. Low trust factor on cloud services for providing identity assurance is one of the reasons that may slow down the growth of Identity and access management solutions among various industry verticals. Increasing BYOD and mobility trends and providing solutions via hybrid model are among the factors that are expected to provide high opportunities for various Identity and access management market players that are operating in this particular market.The Identity and access management market is segmented on the basis of component into password management, audit, compliance, and governance, single sign-on., directory services and provisioning Further, on the basis of deployment type the Identity and access management market is segmented into cloud and On-premise. The Identity and access management market is also divided on the basis of end user type into small and medium enterprise and large enterprise. The Identity and access management market is bifurcated on the basis of industry vertical into telecom and IT, public sector and utilities, BFSI, retail, education, energy, manufacturing, healthcare and life sciences and others. The global Identity and access management market is also bifurcated on the basis of regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.Make an Inquiry @North America holds one of the largest share in the global Identity and access management market. High technical adoption trends and high awareness among end users in North American region has fueled the growth of the Identity and access management market. Asia Pacific is one of the fastest growing Identity and access management market and provides lucrative opportunity for various solutions vendors, due to increasing regulatory compliances and increasing number of connected devices.Some of the key players operating in the global Identity and access management market are. EMC Corporation, Centrify Corporation, Sailpoint Technologies, Inc., Hitachi ID Systems, Inc., Okta, Inc., Netiq Corporation , Dell Software , Microsoft Corporation , Oracle , CA Technologies and IBM Corporation among others.Inquire about discount on this report @Some of the key points covered in the report: Identity and Access Management Market Landscape Identity and Access Management Market Key Industry Dynamics Identity and Access Management Market Five Forces Analysis Identity and Access Management Market Competitive Landscape Identity and Access Management Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025 Component Identity and Access Management Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025 End-user Type Identity and Access Management Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025 Deployment Type Identity and Access Management Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025 Industry Vertical Identity and Access Management Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2025 Geographical Analysis Identity and Access Management 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 Global Military Smart Weapons Sales Market 2016: News, Report & Application https://goo.gl/4hXiWq http://www.bigmarketresearch.com/global-military-smart-weapons-sales-report-2016-market http://www.bigmarketresearch.com Global Military Smart Weapons Sales Market 2016:This report studies sales (consumption) of Military Smart Weapons in Global market, especially in USA, China, Europe, Japan, India and Southeast Asia, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringThe Boeing CompanyDenel SOC LtdKongsberg GruppenLockheed Martin CorporationMBDAOrbital ATKRaytheon CompanyTextron IncDownload sample PDF copy of this report @Table of Contents1 Military Smart Weapons Overview2 Global Military Smart Weapons Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application3 USA Military Smart Weapons (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 China Military Smart Weapons (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 Europe Military Smart Weapons (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Japan Military Smart Weapons (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 India Military Smart Weapons (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 Southeast Asia Military Smart Weapons (Volume, Value and Sales Price)Get Full Report Information @About Company:With the arsenal of different search reports, we help you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Big Market Research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.With the window of opportunity getting open and shut at a speed of light, it has become very important to survive in the market and only the fittest and competent enough can do so. So, we try and provide with latest changes in the market that can suit your needs and help you take decision accordingly.Contact Us:5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect :+ 1-503-894-6022Toll Free : + 1-800-910-6452Email: help@bigmarketresearch.comWeb: GALERIE SUPPER at Art San Diego 2016 Andreas Wachter: Ebbe, 2016, mixed media on hird fibre, 40 x 55 cm http://art-sandiego.com/ www.galerie-supper.de With great pleasure GALERIE SUPPER announces its first participation at Art San Diego from 3 to 6 November 2016. In Booth 624, works of Rayk Goetze (*1964, Stralsund), Andreas Wachter (*1951, Chemnitz), Monika Thiele (*1966, Erfurt) and Andreas Lau (*1964, Karlsruhe) will be presented.The compiled positions oscillate between painting and drawing, between surface and line. What brings them together is their reflection on the human body and to the space in which it is moving. While the works of Monika Thiele capture portraits in motion through lines drawn by threads almost rather as a moment than as a portrayal Rayk Goetze breaks the imagination of man as a unity through skilful fragmentation and a masterly understanding of colour and surface. Andreas Lau explores media spaces and the shift in the perception of men. This shift, within the alienation of images through mass reproduction plays a significant role, is the translated by Lau into a disturbing and impressive imagery. Conversely, the works of Andreas Wachter tempt us into projecting the real world into them. However, in these pieces, a place is becoming a scene, a building a protagonist. Wachter creates oil paintings, which suggest a mysterious relation between figure and architecture, between body and space.ART SAN DIEGONovember 3-6, 2016Opening: November 3, 7 - 9 pmOpening Hours: Fri - Sat noon - 8 pm; Sun noon - 5 pm---GALERIE SUPPER is specialized in contemporary art.Founded in 2002 it opened in Baden-Baden in 2012 with its current profile. The gallery promotes young, emerging artists with an unique signature. It is the intention to correlate them with renowned artists. Their positions should complement and stimulate each other, whereas every artist keeps his own characteristics.GALERIE SUPPERKreuzstrae 3D - 76530 Baden-BadenMo - Fr: noon - 6 pmSa - So: noon - 4 pmand on appointmentPhone + 49 (0) 72 21 - 37 30 450Fax: + 49 (0) 72 21 - 37 30 451mail@galerie-supper.de Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Market size $23.65bn by 2024 Global Market Insights, Inc. http://bit.ly/2dzlrWw http://bit.ly/2esSKJW http://bit.ly/2erkgpT https://www.gminsights.com Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Market size was USD 8.8billion in 2015, with 11.7% CAGR estimation from 2016 to 2024.; as per a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.Growing geriatric population, rising prevalence of chronic disorders, and increased demand in home healthcare institutions are the major factors slated to drive therapeutic respiratory devices market size. Technological advancements and presence of untapped opportunities in countries such as India, China, and Japan are expected to be key opportunity areas for industry participants over the forecast timeframe.Request for a sample of this research report -Global therapeutic respiratory devices market size is predominantly driven by the PAP devices. Rising prevalence of sleep apnea coupled with growing geriatric population are the key contributing factors. Furthermore, rising preference of this equipment owing to easy portability and rapid relief are responsible for expected growth. PAP devices was followed by the oxygen concentrators market owing to rising demand in home healthcare and growing demand for oxygen therapy among patients. Product innovation has led to application in the treatment of chronic as well as acute respiratory conditions, thereby propelling growth.Respiratory monitoring products utilize software applications for ensuring data collection and analysis from ventilators equipped across the healthcare system. However, the number of users tends to decline with the increase in use duration owing to the ambiguity regarding usage and side effects such as morning headaches. In case of oral appliances, a similar pattern has been observed. Use of this equipment causes excess saliva build up and muscle soreness thereby leading to reduce in patient compliances.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @North America was the largest regional segment, with revenue estimated at over USD 3 billion in 2015. This was mainly due to U.S. therapeutic respiratory devices market share, which contributed more than half of the North American revenue on account of high respiratory disorder prevalence and promising regulatory scenario. India, China, South Africa, and Brazil should witness lucrative growth in the forecast years owing to advancing healthcare infrastructure, favorable political and regulatory scenario, and advent of new companies in these regions.Browse key industry insights spread across 126 pages with 60 market data tables & 11 figures & charts from the report, Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Market Size By Product (Nebulizers, Humidifiers, Oxygen Concentrators, Positive Airway Pressure, Ventilators, Capnograph, Gas Analyzer), By Technology (Electrostatic Filtration, HEPA Filter, Hollow Fiber Filtration, Microsphere Separation), By Filter (Nebulizer, Humidifiers, Positive Airway Pressure, Oxygen Concentrators, Ventilators), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2024in detail along with the table of contents:Key insights from the report include: Global therapeutic respiratory devices market size was USD 8.82 billion for 2015, with revenue forecast to reach USD 23.65 billion by 2024, at 11.7% CAGR. Electrostatic technology will continue to dominate overall revenue throughout the forecast timeline, and was pegged at USD 3.1 billion in 2015. Large patient pool of COPD, asthma, and sleep apnea along with high level of awareness regarding the treatment of respiratory diseases will drive the U.S. therapeutic respiratory devices market share. Germany and France together contributed around 47% to the European revenue in 2015. The therapeutic respiratory devices industry is characterized by stringent FDA regulations, and huge capital investment in launching new products. India, Japan, and China therapeutic respiratory devices market share will drive demand in Asia Pacific. Japan has largest number of geriatric population, LATAM growth was driven by Brazil and Mexico. Key companies include Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Covidien, Invacare, Smiths Medical, Care Fusion, etc. Mergers, acquisitions, and R&D investments represent the major strategies practiced by incumbent players.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.Corporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1 888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: Global E-Commerce Logistics Market to grow at a CAGR of 9.69% during the period 2016-2020. https://goo.gl/XAZJ4d http://www.bigmarketresearch.com/global-e-commerce-logistics-market https://goo.gl/vWdtq0 http://www.bigmarketresearch.com About E-commerce LogisticsE-commerce logistics has evolved substantially worldwide over the last few years. The key areas driving e-commerce are ICT, electrical, and fashion goods. Four different types of logistic functions evolved with the evolution of e-commerce is mega e-fulfilment centers, parcel hubs, delivery centers, and integrated technology, where, for example, transportation management systems are connected with shopping carts.To reach strategic locations, even e-commerce giants like Amazon and Alibaba are looking for third-party logistics providers. Small firms are not able to afford their logistics, but their growth rate is high, which makes the e-commerce logistics market even more attractive.Acquire Sample copy of this report @Global e-commerce logistics market to grow at a CAGR of 9.69% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global e-commerce logistics market for the period 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from different types of transportation and different geographical regions.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeNorth AmericaROWGlobal E-commerce Logistics 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.Full Report Information @Key vendorsAramexDeutsche Post DHL GroupFedExInnotracS.F. ExpressKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?Apply For Discount on this report @About Company:With the arsenal of different search reports, we help you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Big Market Research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.With the window of opportunity getting open and shut at a speed of light, it has become very important to survive in the market and only the fittest and competent enough can do so. So, we try and provide with latest changes in the market that can suit your needs and help you take decision accordingly.Contact Us:5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect :+ 1-503-894-6022Toll Free : + 1-800-910-6452Email: help@bigmarketresearch.comWeb: New Release | Global Molecular Diagnostics Market with Focus on Infectious Diseases (HPV/Chlamydia) & Genetic Testing: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2016-2020) http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=827476 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=827476 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Molecular Diagnostics Market with Focus on Infectious Diseases (HPV/Chlamydia) & Genetic Testing: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. It involves two different types of testing method: in vivo and in vitro diagnostics. In vitro diagnostics (IVD) are the medical tests which are intended to perform diagnoses from sample of body fluids in a controlled environment outside a living organism. In vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests are performed to conduct diagnoses from assays in a test tube, or in a controlled environment outside a living organism.Molecular Diagnostics is a technology used in the process of in vitro diagnosis. Molecular diagnostics involves the measurement of DNA, RNA, proteins or metabolites in order to detect genotypes, mutations or biochemical changes in the body. Molecular diagnostics market is escalating beyond the identification of infections. It is becoming an essential part of disease management and therapy. The variety of technologies used in molecular diagnostics has transformed clinical laboratory medicine. The market is further expected to see a robust growth with increased research and development.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The global molecular diagnostics market is expected to see innovation driven growth. With recent outbreak of infectious diseases like Ebola and swine flu, they would require accurate diagnostics, which will instigate the growth of the molecular diagnostics technology in the future, thereby posing tremendous growth potential for the market. Asia-Pacific is expected to register the highest growth rate in expansion of molecular diagnostics in the coming years.The key factors driving growth of the MD market includes fast approvals for companion diagnostics reagents, increase in emergence of infectious disease, innovation and technical development, rising ageing population, and escalating global healthcare expenditure. However, there are certain factors hindering the growth of the market like high initial cost, obligation of skilled labor, and lack of proper healthcare infrastructure. The major trends featuring the market includes increasing clinical microbiological laboratories in developing nations, next generation sequencing, and increase in sale of point of care devices.The report offers an in-depth analysis of the Global Molecular Diagnostics Market with focus on Infectious Diseases (HPV/Chlamydia) & Genetic Testing. It covers the regional and global aspect of the market. Competition is concentrated in the hands of few major companies, of which Roche Holding, Abbott Laboratories, Hologic Inc., and Qiagen have been covered in the report.Table of Content1. Market Overview1.1 Diagnostics1.2 Molecular Diagnostics1.3 Purpose of Molecular Diagnostics2. Global In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Market2.1 Global IVD Market by Value2.2 Global IVD Market Forecast by Value2.3 Global IVD Market by Segment2.4 Global IVD Market by Technology3. Global Molecular Diagnostics (MD) Market3.1 Global MD Market by Value3.2 Global MD Market Forecast by Value3.3 Global MD Market by Application3.4 Global MD Market Forecast by Region3.5 Global MD Market by Test Type3.5.1 Global HPV Market by Value & Volume3.5.2 Global HPV Market Forecast by Value & Volume3.5.3 Global CT/NG Market by Value & Volume3.5.4 Global CT/NG Market Forecast by Value & Volume3.5.5 Global Genetic Testing Market by Value3.5.6 Global Genetics Testing Market Forecast by Value4. Regional Market4.1 North America4.1.1 North America MD Market by Value4.1.2 North America MD Market Forecast by Value4.1.3 North America MD Market by Application4.2 Europe4.2.1 European MD Market by Value4.2.2 European MD Market Forecast by Value4.2.3 European MD Market by Application4.3 Korea4.3.1 Korean MD Market by Value4.3.2 Korean MD Market Forecast by Value5. Market Dynamics5.1 Growth Drivers5.1.1 Fast Approvals for Companion Diagnostics Reagents5.1.2 Rising Emergence of Infectious Disease5.1.3 Rise in Medical Check-up Participation Rate5.1.4 Innovation and Technical Development5.1.5 Clear Guidance by FDA5.1.6 Rise in Global Ageing Population5.1.7 Rising Global Healthcare Expenditure5.2 Key Trends and Developments5.2.1 Increasing Clinical Microbiology Laboratories in Developing Nation5.2.2 Next Generation Sequencing5.2.3 Targeting Anti-Biotic Resistance5.2.4 Growth in Point of Care Diagnostics5.2.5 Booming Medical Device Industry5.3 Challenges5.3.1 High Initial Cost5.3.2 Obligation of Skilled Labour5.3.3 Urgent need for Proper Infrastructure6. Competitive Landscape6.1 Global IVD Market6.1.1 Market Share Comparison6.2 Global MD Market6.2.1 Market Share Comparison6.2.2 Market Cap Comparison6.2.3 Competitive Position by Segment7. Company Profiles7.1 Roche Holding7.1.1 Business Overview7.1.2 Financial Overview7.1.3 Business Strategy7.2 Abbott Laboratories7.2.1 Business Overview7.2.2 Financial Overview7.2.3 Business Strategy7.3 Hologic Inc.7.3.1 Business Overview7.3.2 Financial Overview7.3.3 Business Strategy7.4 Qiagen7.4.1 Business Overview7.4.2 Financial Overview7.4.3 Business StrategyMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz 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.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Router and Switch Market Global Industry Analysis Report, Share, Size, Growth, Price Trends and Forecast, 2022 http://bit.ly/2dzlRwc http://bit.ly/2djuFne The global router and switch market volume is predicted to cross $ 41000 million by end of the forecasted period. It is predicted to register CAGR of 2.9 % during the projected period. Wi-Fi hotspots & Wi-Fi enabled stations, broadband highways and tech-savvy campuses are predicted to contribute towards the growth & expansion of global router and switch market.The global router and switch market is witnessing substantial expansion due to factors like convergence of business & residential networks, video and Ethernet carriers. This trend is predicted to persist in future. Growing rise in use of bandwidth and Ethernet technique is one of the main factors promoting the growth of global router and switch market.The growing demand for utilization of wireless technology in day to day network communication applications like mobiles, internet & personal banking is predicted to promote the growth of the global router and switch market in future. Further, the rising demand for enterprise wireless local area network device is predicted to enhance the demand and growth of the global industry.Request for a sample of this research report @Growing demand for internet enabled equipments, development of cloud networks, growing use of cloud computing solutions and growing acceptance of virtual technology are few of the factors predicted to promote the growth of the global router and switch market.Rising demand for rigorous research & development activities has resulted in manufacture of modernized high end user friendly products that meet process needs. This has significantly enlarged the extent of bandwidth of advanced IP routing activities and this is predicted to boost the growth of the router and switch market in future.Based on the product, the global router and switch market is bifurcated into Ethernet service edge router, internet exchange router, multiservice edge router, ATM switch, service provider core router and network termination equipment. As the information/data carriers become growingly dependent on Ethernet service to transfer IP traffic in their systems, demand for these Ethernet service edge products is predicted to grow during the estimated period. Depending upon service, global router and switch market is divided into broadband aggregation service, Ethernet access service, internet data centre service and Ethernet aggregation service.Growing preference of firms demanding rapid network services at reasonable costs for connecting workers, data centres and branch offices is predicted to stimulate the Ethernet access service growth and demand during forecasted period. Based on the geographical locations, global router and switch market is bifurcated into North American subcontinent, APAC zone, European continent and rest of the world.The subcontinent of North America contributed maximum share to the total share of the global router and switch market in 2014. The reason behind the growth of the market in the subcontinent is due to the backhaul investments in mobile technology growing significantly in US as service providers buy the products for fulfilling the data demand though different LTE enabled equipments/tools.Further, the growth of the market in North America can be attributed to factors like growing broadband and mobile data traffic forcing service providers to upgrade their mobile backhaul, broadband aggregation, core network and broadband access in regions of US and Canada of North America.The enhanced growth of the router and switch market in China due to large scale growth of data and video for residential customers and firms in China is predicted to contribute towards the demand & growth of the router and switch market in APAC zone.The growth of data and video in China is due to growing demand for high definition content, multiscreen delivery and growing use of tablets & smartphones along with growing acceptance of cloud applications.Softness in public sector vertical in Europe acts as a key inhibitor hampering the growth of the router and switch market in Europe. Lower end equipment replacements are predicted to inhibit the growth of the router and switch industry in Europe.Browse key industry insights spread across 187 Pages with 58 market data tables & 52 figures from the report, Router And Switch Market Size By Service (Ethernet Aggregation, BRAS, Ethernet Access, Internet Data Center/Hosting), By Product (Service Provider Core Router, Internet Exchange Router, Multiservice Edge Router, ATM Switch, Ethernet Service Edge Router) Industry Outlook Report, Regional Analysis, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2015 2022 in detail along with the table of contents:Key industry players involved in the business and supporting the growth of the global router and switch market are as follows: ADTRAN Incorporation Alcatel-Lucent ECI Telecom Extreme Networks ZTE Corporation Hatteras Networks Incorporation Tellabs Incorporation Huawei Technologies Corporation Limited RAD Data Communication Networks Juniper Networks Actelis Networks ADVA Optical Networking SE Cisco Systems Ericsson Force10 Networks MRV Communications Incorporation Telco Systems Avici SystemsFractovia.org is one of India's leading in-house and free news portal. It is fully automated, and operates on a constant premise, interfacing with news sites and offering redesigned breaking features to readers across the globe. Our mission is to offer individuals opportunities for connections with news writers and distributors which they can pursue. We operate by mapping articles pertaining to breaking news, constantly and progressively, against a pre-determined word-based theme, offering important connections to readers and clients, as well as distributers.29L Atlantic Avenue,Suite L 105, Ocean View,Delaware 19970United StatesPhone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@fractovia.org Algoworks Witnessed The Behemothic Event Dreamforce 2016 http://www.algoworks.com/ Dreamforce 2016, held annually and organized by Marc Benioff (salesforce.com) inviting businesses from around the globe, has come to an end one more time in its thirteenth edition. The four day event was packed with breakout sessions, hands-on training networking, selfies with Astro, keynote speakers and never-ending parties. The Algoworks team made it to Dreamforce for the fourth consecutive year this time and had a successful showing yet again at Dreamforce.Dreampark, the area in Moscone Centre designated for the event, experienced nothing less than professionals brainstorming, dreaming, chatting, exchanging business ideas and working. More than 170,000 individuals registered bringing to the event the same goal: to innovate business, sharpening acumen and moving ahead towards future.Pratyush Kumar, Director Salesforce from Algoworks witnessed this four-day event which was being held in San Francisco, CA. He termed the mega event as Most Epic enthralling technology session. I am privileged to be a part of an awesome journey of phenomenal technology sessions and inspirational speakers. This is a magnanimous extra-marital affair laughed Pratyush. From thousands watching the keynote from Moscone, this Dreamforce included something for everyone.This October fest happened from 4th to 7th, 2016, brought together technology pioneers, thought-provokers, industry torchbearers and many renowned trendsetters. Parties abounded at night and bars overflowed with attendees. Thousands of professionals and innovators from across the globe added superfluous excitement, inspiration, and networking to the grandeur.Mr. Kumar also cherished the thoughtful sessions taken by inspirational icons like Melinda Gates, Marc Benioff, Meri T. Barra, Christy Turlington. He was thrilled to observe the worlds largest cloud ecosystem. With so much happening in the event he left no stone unturned to connect, learn and grow. He was happy that his team joined him once more and summed up No matter what size, role or industry is, there was something to grab for any creative mind or any attentive mind attendingAn Indian headquartered B2B IT service firm. Algoworks operates chiefly in the United States from their California Office besides having a good hold on the European and Asian markets.The headquarters is based in the Delhi NCR region of Noida City, India. The US delivery center currently is based at Montecito Avenue, Mountain Views. Algoworks has expertise in key areas of ECM, CRM, mobility and Software Product Engineering.For more information please visit our websiteAlgoworks Inc.1902 Montecito Avenue, #12, Mountain View, CA 94043+1-877-284-1028 (Toll Free) Global Technologies for Cell and Tissue Analysis Products Market 2016 to 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1767 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cell-tissue-analysis-products.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com https://tmrresearch.blogspot.com/ Cell and Tissue Analysis Products Market: OverviewGreat strides made in the cell and tissue analysis products market have revolutionized many aspects of modern healthcare and treatments, noteworthy among which are diagnosis of different types of cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Cell and tissue analysis products find takers in industries, namely pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research. They have a wide variety of uses stem cell research, drug discovery and development, cell biology, and other research practices.Get Sample Research Report with ToC:The report provides helpful insights into the cell and tissue analysis products market after thorough research. From a basic definition of cell and tissues and what cell and tissue analysis entails to the more sophisticated SWOT analysis, bringing to the fore strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats influencing the segments of the global market the report covers everything. It also provides distinctive graphics and segments the market based on geography. Additionally, it also uses a Porters five forces analysis that helps in determining the threat of new entrants, bargaining power of buyers and suppliers, and the intensity of the competitive rivalry.Further, the report delves into each product segment based on underlying technologies, its current market, and growth prospects. It endeavors to keep you abreast of the changing competitive landscape by furnishing details of historical developments and current market scenario and size. The researchers combine the two to predict growth prospects of the market a seven-year forecast of market growth patternCell and Tissue Analysis Products Market: Trends and OpportunitiesIncreasing medical awareness among people, government support for healthcare and growing number of diagnostic centers are the main market growth drivers for cell and tissue analysis products. Besides, increasing spend on research and development, new technologies, new product launches and rise in lifestyle associated diseases, and growing incidence of cancer, has driven demand in the market for cell and tissue analysis products. Many modern industries trying to deploy cell and tissue analysis products in their production and process leads, has also provided a fillip to the market. Increasing competition and patent expiries, however, are proving to be a drag on companies performances. Given the high capital requirements to start a business in the domain and advanced stage of technology, newcomers find it a difficult market to break into.Apart of growth drivers and restraints, the report also covers the key product segments based on their underpinning technologies. They are: bio specimen technologies that include DNA microarray and tissue microarray; cell and tissue separation products which include enzymatic dissociators, magnetic separation, laser micro dissection, and flow cytometry; and cell and tissue characterization products which comprise research antibodies, high content screening, and cell-based assays.Cell and Tissue Analysis Products Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the cell and tissue analysis products market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the rest of the world. Of them, North America is the prime consumer of cell and tissue analysis products. Countries in Asia Pacific such as Japan, India, and China, are also driving up demand in the market on account proliferation of research activities in various areas such as cancer and HIV and also on account of increasing diagnostic centers to cater to their peoples rising medical awareness. The market for cell and tissue analysis products, however, is highly fragmented with the presence of many large, medium-sized and small manufacturers that supply diagnostic products. Competition is stiff, with vendors constantly trying to form partnerships to guard their market share.Key Players Mentioned in the Report are:The key players operating in the global cell and tissue analysis products market are Beckman Coulter, Millipore, Thermo-fisher Scientific, Abcam, Sigma-Aldrich, and TGA Sciences.Browse Research Report on Cell and Tissue Analysis Products Market:About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Browse market research blog: UV Disinfection Equipment Market : EPA Regulations and Government Initiatives Adding to Market Scope http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1869 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ultraviolet-disinfection-equipment.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The UV disinfection equipment market is thriving due to the benefits associated with it including its residue-less functioning, low installation and operation cost and ease of maintenance. Where the government initiatives for providing safe drinking water to citizens are further increasing the scope of UV disinfection equipment, the fast growth of healthcare and chemical industries is offering opportunities for the air and surface segments of the UV disinfection equipment market.In many places, the combination of ozone and UV disinfection is being used to create multiple barriers for Cryptosporidium (a disease causing gastrointestinal illness and diarrhea) and Giardia (the protozoan parasites causing Giardiasis). Where the average capital cost of Cryptosporidium inactivation by ozone is USD 8.1 million, it is USD 4.6 million for the combination of ozone and UV. Similarly, the annual operation and maintenance cost for water disinfection set-up of ozone is USD 460,000, while the same is USD 60,000 in case of disinfection set-up comprising a combination of ozone and UV. While chlorine takes around 15-20 minutes of treatment time in the contact tank, UV treatment takes only 6-10 seconds. Being cost effective, UV treatment technique is gaining attention from users, which is increasing its market demand.PDF Sample For Latest Advancements with Technological breakthroughs is @One of the rules of EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in relation to drinking water treatment is Long Term 2 (LT2) Surface Water Treatment Rule under which all public water systems in the U.S. that use surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water, are required to reduce source water Cryptosporidium levels by 2-logs (99%). Cryptosporidium microorganisms are resistant to chlorine, which is giving an opportunity for microfiltration, ozonation and UV disinfection.However, the declining growth rate of the food and beverages segment of the UV disinfection equipment is one of the major concerns for the market. But with the improvement in the global food and beverages industry, the growth of this segment of UV disinfection market is expected to improve.A new publication released by Transparency Market Research (TMR), presents a comprehensive analysis of the global UV disinfection equipment market. The market study talks about the current market scenario and its impact on the future of the UV disinfection equipment market across the globe.The report is titled UV Disinfection Equipment Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019.Browse the full UV Disinfection Equipment Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019 report atTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Mobile Payment Consumer Survey in Taiwan Market Research Hub http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=770627 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/mobile-payment-consumer-survey-in-taiwan-intention-analysis-of-demographic-groups-report.html http://www.marketresearchhub.com Albany, New York, Oct 19, 2016 Driven by the efforts made by international giants to capitalize on mobile payment, a considerably large number of firms in Taiwan are jumping into the bandwagon by providing corresponding services. In a report, titled Mobile Payment Consumer Survey in Taiwan: Intention Analysis of Demographic Groups, recently added to the repository of Market Research Hub, a comprehensive analysis of the mobile payment penetration in Taiwan is provided. It analyzes the various factors having impact on the market such as the latest technological advancements and the influence of government initiatives.Request a Sample Report:The penetration of the mobile payment industry in Taiwan was possible due to the high awareness about the same across all generations in the country. According to the report, awareness about mobile payment services exceeds 70% across all age groups in the country. As consumers demonstrate increasing preference towards mobile payment options, the future of the industry in Taiwan seems promising. The report has found that nearly 20% of millennial have used mobile payment gateways. Furthermore, over 55% of mobile payment users from millennial and baby boomers prefer using mobile payment as the primary payment method option in Taiwan. The report also states that over 60% of them prefer mobile payment over cash credits.The report mainly focuses on providing a holistic mobile payment consumer survey for the market in Taiwan. For the purpose, it thus elaborates the development of the Taiwanese mobile payment market in detail. To begin with, the report has mentioned the research methods adopted and the participants of the survey. Hence, for the purpose of the study, the mobile payment market in Taiwan has been segmented based on the preferred mode of payment by traction, mobile payment distribution by age, consumer preference in terms of security identification methods, and preferred payment methods.Besides the aforementioned parameters, the report also studies in great detail the various factors influencing consumers towards opting for mobile payment. To present a 360 degree overview, it proceeds with providing an in-depth user experience analysis.On the basis of meticulous survey, the report has found that consumers perception with regards to mobile payments is going strong in Taiwan. Millennial consumers are likely to be the major influencers of the countrys mobile payment market. According to the report, millennial display the highest NFC adoption rate of nearly 40%. Despite witnessing favorable growth opportunities, persisting security concerns have been posing threat to the mobile payment market in Taiwan.This mode of payment is considered highly vulnerable to cybercrimes since it exposes confidential consumer data to cloud. According to the report a considerable 70% of the non-users in Taiwan are concerned about security of their personal data. Moreover, about 30% of millennial users attach prime importance to security and personal financial management. Therefore, for vendors to enjoy sustainable growth making their mobile payment gateways more secure is imperative. Nevertheless, with the latest advancements, the technology is not considered utopian anymore. Furthermore, with core users constituting a major percentage of the Taiwan mobile payments market, players operating therein will have ample opportunities to capitalize on in the near future. As per the report, over 60% of baby boomers and millennial will continue using mobile payment as their primary payment method in the forthcoming years as well.Browse info with TOC in a PDF Format:To study the vendor landscape of the market, the report also profiles the leading companies such as Tenpay, Alipay, and others. Strategies adopted by these companies are analyzed, besides which the report also studies their strengths and weaknesses. It includes the threats and opportunities that these market will witness in the forthcoming years as well.About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State StreetAlbany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free : 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel : +1-518-621-2074Email : sales@marketresearchhub.comWebsite : Loway Switzerland announces presence at GITEX 2016 Dubai www.gitex.com Loway, leading provider of solutions for Asterisk call-centers, has great pleasure in inviting its customers to GITEX 2016 edition for the professional solutions portfolio presentation.GITEX is the annual consumer computer and electronics trade show, exhibition, and conference that takes place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates at the World Trade Centre. The GITEX Shopper & Consumer Electronics Expo attracts IT professionals, technology enthusiasts and consumers as well as traders from all over the world.This year Loway official channel partner DVCOM Technology has worked to ensure a varied program of demonstrations and conferences about the new QueueMetrics call-center suite for Asterisk and the new predictive dialer: WombatDialer.The DVCOM team of experts will be at booth Z-C10, Zabeel Hall, World Trade Centre.For any information about GITEX please visit the official website atAbout LowaySince 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 Global PVC Market: Explores New Growth Opportunities By 2020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/pvc-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3405 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is the third-most widely produced polymer, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is one the most widely used plastics and is produced by polymerization of the monomer vinyl chloride. PVC has an amorphous structure with polar chlorine atoms and has fire retardant properties and oil/chemical resistance. PVC is widely used in construction, packaging, automotive and electrical industries due to the various properties such as light weight, good mechanical strength, abrasion resistance and toughness associated with it. PVC can be bifurcated into two basic forms: rigid and flexible. The rigid form of PVC can be used in manufacturing of pipes, doors and windows and plastic bottles. The flexible form of PVC can be used in plumbing, electrical cable insulation, imitation leather and signage.Checkout full Report:On the basis of product type, PVC market is classified as wire and cable, pipes and fittings, bottles and others. Based on the application, PVC market is divided into two segments: rigid polyvinyl chloride and flexible polyvinyl chloride. The PVC market is also segmented on the basis of their end-users: automotive, electrical, construction, packaging and others.Asia Pacific is the largest market for PVC market accounting for more than 50% of the global PVC market. Asia Pacific region is expected to show a good growth rate over a forecasted period due to high growth potential of building and construction industry. China represents the largest market for PVC in the Asia Pacific region. Europe is the second largest market for PVC, followed by North America.The market of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is expected to witness a double digit growth rate in the coming years. Some of the major drivers contributing the overall market growth of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) market include high growth in the building and construction sector, high growth in the automobile industry and growing medical devices. Some of the major restraints for PVC market include increasing competition from steel and concrete pipes and prohibited use of PVC in the construction of green building.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:Some of the major companies operating in the PVC market include Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Solvay S.A., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., Formosa Plastics Group, Ineos Chlorvinyls Ltd, Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Co. Ltd., Mexichem S.A.B., KEM one and Axiall Corporation.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 Talc Market: Set to Grow Exponentially During the Forecast 2015-2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/talc-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4609 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Talc is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate and is an important industrial and commercial mineral. It has broad applications as an industrial mineral due to its resistance to heat, electricity and acids and oil and grease adsorption. Talc has extensive commercial use because of its luster, softness, purity, fragrance retention, softness and whiteness. It is the softest known mineral and has a rating of 1 on the Mohs hardness scale. It can be scratched by a fingernail and is also sectile that means it can be cut by a knife. It has a specific gravity of 2.5 -2.8 and has clear luster. Talc is slightly soluble in dilute mineral acids and insoluble in water. It is a metamorphic mineral and occurs due to metamorphism of magnesium minerals such as olivine, amphibole, serpentine and pyroxene in presence of water and carbon dioxide. Talc is a tri-octahedral layered mineral and has a similar structure to that of pyrophyllite.Checkout full Report:Talc can be used as an ingredient in paints, roofing materials, ceramics, insecticides, rubber, talcum powder and insecticides among others. It is also used by the cosmetics industry, pulp and paper industry and food industry. Talc is often used to manufacture laboratory countertops and electrical switchboards due to its resistance to heat, acids and electricity. It is used by the cosmetic industry as a lubricant and as a filler by the pulp and paper industry. Talc is extensively used to make astringent baby powders that prevent rashes covered by a diaper. Talc is used by the pharmaceutical industry as a glidant (a substance that is added to powder to improve its flow ability) and by the food industry as an additive. In the European Union the additive number is E553b. In medicine, talc is used as a pluerodesis agent to prevent pneumothorax or recurrent pleural effusion. Talc is also an effective dispersing agent and anti caking agent and helps fertilizer plants and animal feeds to function efficiently and can be used for fertilizers.The paper and pulp industry remains the largest global end market for talc and is the key driving factor for the talc Industry. The automotive industry, ceramics industry and the paint and coatings industry are the other major consumers of talc. The use of talc as a filler in the paper industry is declining today but the use of talc for the manufacture of under the hood automotive parts is substantially increasing that has further lead to surge in demand for talc by the automotive industry.Asia Pacific is the largest market for talc with China, India, Japan, Bhutan, and South Korea being the key markets in this region. The Indian talc industry is the worlds third largest and continues to grow due to increase in domestic consumption. North America and Europe are other regions with a substantial market share of talc. Austria, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and United Kingdom are the major consumers of talc in Europe.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:Some of the major companies dominating the talc market are Imerys talc, Mondo Minerals, Golcha Group, American Talc, IMI FABI, Nippon Talc, Minerals Technologies Inc, the Jai Group, Aihai Talc, Behai Talc, Shuiquan Talc, Xin Talc, Haumei Talc, Guiguang Talc and Xin Talc among others. Imerys talc is the worlds leading producer of talc followed by Mondo MinAbout 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 Industrial Explosives Market: Latest innovations and key events (2015-2021) http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/industrial-explosives-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4319 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Industrial explosives are blasting explosives with significant hazards, which are majorly used in construction, quarrying and mining industries. To enter into the industry, manufacturers require an explosives license to sell as well as sore industrial explosives or in some cases, they are exempted by the Explosives Act and Regulations. Various types of explosives and their accessories are manufactured in the industry such as safety fuse, detonating fuse, detonators, gun powder, nitro compound, ANFO (Ammonium nitrate Fuel Oil) based explosives, cartridge explosives, bulk explosives and nitrate mixtures. Asia Pacific dominated the global industrial explosives market in terms of production with more than 30 key players involved in industrial explosives industry. Some of them include Indian Oil Corporation, Hubei Kailong Chemical Group Co., and Solar Industries India Limited among others. Europe accounts for the second largest manufacturer for industrial explosives, followed by North America, particularly United States and Canada.Checkout full Report:The global industry for industrial explosives has been witnessing significant growth due to growth of its end user industries such as mining and construction. Emerging economies such as India serves as a huge opportunity for the industrial explosives industry and its accessories. The industry in India has noticed a major shift from complete dependence on imports over the past few decades to increased production and exportable surplus currently. The industry for industrial explosives comprises the activities such as selling and producing the explosives in bulk, catridge, gun powder, and ANFO based explosives of the nitrate mixture, nitro compound including boosters and PETN as well as explosives accessories such as safety fuse, detonating fuse and detonators. The mining industry accounts for the largest market share in overall industrial explosives market with coal mining dominating the mining industry for explosives, due to increasing demand for coal. This growth can be mainly attributed to the increasing demand for coal, cement and electricity in the country thus driving the market. The global market is largely driven by bulk explosives. In addition, accessories such as detonators are also leading the market due to its strong governmental policies and regulations coupled with growing usage in initiating an explosive charge. The industry for these explosives remains concentrated with various companies such as Solar Industries India Limited being one of the prominent players on account of the companys thriving record of project execution as well as a strong brand name in the field of industrial explosives.Rising construction activities as well significant growth of the mining industry is expected to boost the demand for various materials such as coal, electricity and cement. This factor is expected to drive the demand for industrial explosives which are to be used in the mining and construction activities. However, price variations in explosives are expected to slow down the growth of the market. Increasing focus towards product innovation and technological advancements as well as focus on market expansion in developing and emerging regions is expected to provide new opportunities for the industrial explosives market.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:AEL Mining Services Ltd., Enaex, EPC Groupe, Gulf Oil Corporation Limited, Guizhou Panjiang Chemical Plant, Hubei Kailong Chemical Group Co., Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, and Solar Industries India Limited are some of the major players present in the industrial explosives industry.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: MENA Infant Milk Formula Market to account for US$ 4,219.3 Mn by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/9001 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/mena-infant-milk-formula-market/toc According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Market Study on Infant Milk Formula: Driven By Increasing Consumer Awareness of Healthy Nutrients, the mena infant milk formula market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,976.3 Mn by the end of 2015 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 13.5% from 2015 to 2021, to account for US$ 4,219.3 Mn by 2021.View Sample Report @Currently, the infant milk formula market in the MENA region is mainly driven by factors such as increasing number of working women and rising popularity of infant formula, coupled with the rapid economic growth witnessed in the region. However, factors such as rising per unit prices of infant formula and high volatile raw material prices, coupled with changing consumer preferences towards local brands that manufacture cost effective products, are some of the major factors expected to restrain the growth of the market during the forecast period. The MENA infant milk formula market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 13.5% in terms of revenue from 2015 to 2021, to account for US$ 4,219.3 Mn by 2021.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:The infant milk formula market is segmented on the basis of the region into GCC, North Africa and the Rest of Middle East. The GCC market is expected to be the highest contributor to the overall MENA market in terms of value share, followed by North Africa, by 2015 end. GCC is expected to be the fastest growing market over the forecast period (20152021). The growth of the GCC infant milk formula market is primarily attributed to the high presence of foreign infant milk formula manufacturers and rapid economic development in the region. Moreover, the rise in the number of drugstores is also expected to support the growth of the infant milk formula market in the MENA region. The GCC market is expected to account CAGR of 13.8% in terms of value over the forecast period. The rest of the Middle East market is expected to witness moderate growth over the forecast period, accounting for 14.1% value share of the overall market, and is expected to register a moderate CAGR of 13.5% in terms of value over the forecast period (20152021). An increasing number of working women and rapid economic development are the major factors expected to drive the growth of the infant milk formula market in the region.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, Tech-nology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Elec-tronics, 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 deci-sions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solu-tions, 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 Allcroft Winthorp Charitable Issues First Grant from Sustainable Calamity Recovery Fund http://www.allcroft-winthorp.com Allcroft Winthorp Charitable recently issued the first grant from our Sustainable Calamity Recovery Fund (SCRF)Sustainable Calamity Recovery Fund is a field of interest fund designed to provide a source of long-term funding for recovery efforts in areas impacted by calamities.The grant is supporting its "pooled fund" that supports relief in the years to come after the local calamities that occurred. The five main projects supported by this pooled fund include [1] shelter; [2] water, sanitation and hygiene projects; [3] food security, livelihood and local development; [4] reproductive health and protection against gender-based violence; and [5] psychosocial and education support.Allcroft Winthorp Charitable is very experienced with disaster relief and rebuilding efforts, especially with those that are impoverished, and focuses its work on those that are marginalized (often women).Allcroft Winthorp Charitable's SDRF was created this year and it is overseen by the Board of Trustees of Allcroft Winthorp Charitable. Donors may contribute directly to SDRF and earn a tax deduction by making the charitable contribution. The Board makes all decisions about potential grants.Allcroft Winthorp actively supports charitable causes within its business area. Allcroft Winthorp engages in charitable donations, contributions, sponsorships and promotional donations. Donations are made to registered non-profit organizations. Other donations are also undertaken, generally to build and maintain goodwill among clients, prospective clients, suppliers and other stakeholders.In its donations, Allcroft Winthorp supports registered non-profit organizations operating in our market area. We typically will not support national charitable fundraising efforts.About Allcroft WinthorpAllcroft Winthorp offers comprehensive investment management capabilities that span nearly all segments of the global capital markets. Our investment solutions, tailored to the unique return and risk objectives of clients in more than 40 countries, draw on a robust body of proprietary research and a collaborative culture that encourages independent thought and healthy debate. As a private partnership, the firm believes our ownership structure fosters a long-term view that aligns our perspectives with those of our clients. Allcroft Winthorp combines the resources of a large, global, diversified multi-asset manager with the small-company feel of an independent, privately held partnership.Almas Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Automotive Sensors Market to Reach US$33.3 bn by 2021 as Demand for Safety Increases http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=230 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-sensor-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com According to the research report, the global automotive sensors market was valued at US$20.2 bn in 2014 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.7% from 2015 to 2021 to reach an estimated value of US$33.3 bn by 2021. The significant growth of the global automotive sensors market in the coming years will largely be attributable to the strict government regulations pertaining to emission norms and safety of the driver.The global automotive sensors market is segmented on the basis of type, component, and geography. The types of automotive sensors sold in this market are pressure sensors, temperature sensors, motion sensors, gas sensors, and MEMS sensors. The components of the global automotive sensors market are body electronics, powertrain, chassis, and safety and control. Geographically, the global automotive sensors market is divided into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.PDF Sample For Technological breakthroughs is @Out of all the types of automotive sensors in the market, the micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) sensors segment held the biggest share due to growing demand for electronic stability programme (ESP), vehicle dynamic control (VDC), and anti-lock braking system (ABS) in emerging economies of Asia Pacific. Amongst the components, the powertrain segment held the dominant share in the global automotive sensors market. Automotive sensors are also used in climate control, airbag restraint systems, engine management systems, power steering systems, crankshaft position sensors, and camshaft position sensors.Geographically, Europe led the global automotive sensors market in 2014. This growth was mainly driven by the proliferating logistics industry, along with rising awareness about safety. The Europe market is also being led by the introduction of low-emission zones (LEZs) in the European Union, which is encouraging the usage of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Analysts also predict that Asia Pacific will be an attractive market for automotive sensors as governments in several countries are pushing for driver safety features to be installed in automobiles.Some of the important players in the global automotive sensors market are Infineon Technologies AG, Continental AG, Denso Corporation, Sensata Technologies Inc, Robert Bosch, Autoliv Inc., and Freescale Semiconductor Inc. The report offers an insightful take on the competitive landscape of the global automotive sensors market. By assessing the financial status, research and development activities, product portfolio, and business and marketing strategies of these companies, the report presents a fair case of the intensity of competitive rivalry in the global automotive sensors market.Transparency Market Research has published a research report about the global automotive sensors market. The research report, titled Automotive Sensors Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2021, observes the trends and dynamics in the global automotive sensors market and presents a case study with accurate figures and statistics. The research report includes a SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis to identify and describe the factors influencing the global automotive sensors market.Browse the full Automotive Sensors Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2021 report atTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Transparent Conductive Coatings Market is Expected to Witness a Steady Growth by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/transparent-conductive-coatings-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/7274 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com In recent years, the transparent conductive coatings industry has experienced many changes in. due to emerging applications and materials such as heat able glazing solutions, antistatic surface and transparent electrodes for displays and solar cells. Transparent conductive coatings are used in wide range of industries such as organic electronics markets and the touch screen markets.Checkout full Report:The glass is one of the most important industrial materials. The properties of glass can be changed by depositing transparent conductive coatings on their surface that leads to different mechanical, chemical, electrical and optical properties. Transparent conductive coatings cab be deposited on glass substrates by vapor and wet chemical deposition methods. As there are new technologies being witnessed in the market, this market is expected to show considerable growth in the near future.Transparent conductive coatings are commonly used in electrical and optical applications to enhance the visibility as they block unwanted reflections from various types of surfaces. They are used for effective glare and reflection reduction. The eyeglasses with transparent conductive coatings make it possible to see the wearers eyes clearly. Telescopes, riflescopes, binocular lenses, kiosk displays, and video glasses are the other applications transparent conductive coatings market.The global transparent conductive coatings market is mainly driven by the growing demand of these coatings from eyewear as well as the electronics industry. Solar PV modules is also another sector that holds great potential in the transparent conductive coatings market. Increasing demand for comfortable and high light-transmitting lenses and eyeglasses will provide great opportunities for the growth of transparent conductive coating products and technologies. Above mentioned factors are expected to drive the growth of the transparent conductive coating market for the forecast period (2015-2025).The global transparent conductive coating market is estimated to witness a considerable growth for the forecast period (2015 to 2025). North America region is the leading market for transparent conductive coatings due to rising demand for transparent conductive coatings for lenses, eyeglasses, and smartphone displays in this region. According to FMIs forecast, the transparent conductive Coating market in Asia-Pacific is expected to demonstrate the fastest CAGR over the forecasted period. European demand for transparent conductive coatings is mainly driven by automobile and solar industry. FMI forecasts the Asia-Pacific region to be the fastest growing region for transparent conductive coatings market for the forecast period.Key players in the global transparent conductive Coating market are a focus on product innovations and mergers and acquisitions, in order to outperform competitors. Companies in this market are focusing on finding newer applications and newer technologies for transparent conductive coatings, to grow their market and expand their reach.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:Some of the major players of the global transparent conductive Coating market are PPG Industries Inc., Royal DSM, Hoya Corporation, Rodenstock GmbH, Optical Coatings, Essilor International S.A, Janos Technology LLC, JDS Uniphase Corporation, Honeywell International Inc, and 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 Payroll And HR Software Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2014 - 2020" available at ResearchMoz http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=222477 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=222477 http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG The Payroll and HR (Human Resources) departments in organizations coordinate various functions like salary hikes, bonus payments, recruitment, benefit deductions, firing employees and vacation leaves. They also need to maintain data that is confidential in nature like employee information, home addresses, financial data and social security numbers. They need to take care that such confidential information is not accessed by unauthorized companies or individuals. The payroll and HR software is a fully integrated functionality that enables the payroll and HR department to operate, access, manage and process organizations various payroll and HR functions. It also helps decision makers to gain a clearer insight of organizations resources even in turbulent situations. The various modules in the software are customized depending upon the needs of organization and minimizes the amount of time spent on the administration work by the staff members. It helps manage everyday tasks more effectively, reduce duplication in work and make reorganization changes quickly and effectively.Each organization has its own specific needs. The payroll and HR software market can be segmented depending on the size of businesses as small size, medium size and large size organizations. In small businesses, where the employee size is up to 50, every employee plays an important role in contributing to the companys revenue. Even one unproductive employee can have a huge impact on the bottom line of the business organization. For this purpose, payroll and HR department need to be properly managed to avoid any unpredictable circumstances.Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:The payroll and HR management software is customized to cater to various small business functions like performance measurement, time and attendance tracking, and compensations and retirement plans among others. In medium size businesses, the employee size ranges from 50 to 500 employees. The requirements in these organizations are similar to small size businesses but the software is customized to perform additional functions like recruitment which includes hiring and retaining potential talent, and securely streamlining administrative load by simplifying payroll administration. For business organizations with employee size greater than 500, the software is customized to manage risks and contain related costs, production and distribution of pay statements and banking services.As the global economy is improving, companies are looking for latest software solutions that can cut down costs of upgrading systems every year. New user interfaces like mobile applications which enable carrying out operations outside office premises and other features like integration with the existing systems in the organization is driving the market for payroll and HR software market. Also, the payroll and HR is a data driven function and the need to create talent analytics for taking talent related decisions and workforce planning is driving the market for payroll and HR software market. Another driver is the ability to provide customized solutions considering the current workforce dynamics. Companies prefer to invest in these customized solutions as these are affordable and improve various functions like hiring and retaining talent. However, challenges like understanding the technical requirements of organizations and integrating various modules of software to perform various functions are some constraints affecting the growth of this market.Some of the prominent vendors in this market include Taleo Corporation, SuccessFactors, Halogen Software Inc, Kenexa Corporation, PeopleAdmin and SumTotal Systems Inc.This research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report include- North America- Asia Pacific- Europe- Rest of the WorldEnquiry at:Reasons for Buying this Report- This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics- It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth- It provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow- It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future- It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors- It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segments- It provides distinctive graphics and exemplified SWOT analysis of major market segmentsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Global 1,4 Butanediol Market: Set to Grow Exponentially During the Forecast 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/14-butanediol-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/7559 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com 1,4 Butanediol, also termed as Butane-1,4-diol or 1,4-Butylene glycol, is an organic chemical compound which finds a wide-scale industrial application in production of fibres, plastics, solvents etc. among other applications in the chemical industry. 1,4 butanediol is colourless and viscous chemical compound with a relatively high boiling point is derived from Butane. The organic chemical compound is one of the stable forms or isomers of butanediol. One of the most widely used process, the Reppe Process, for manufacture of 1,4 Butanediol involves reaction of acetylene with formaldehyde. Alternatively, it is also manufactured by means of a process termed as Davy process with maleic anhydride used as raw material. Other modes of manufacture involve use of biological routes or the use of propylene oxide as a raw material. Major areas of application for 1,4 Butanediol include manufacture of Poly Butylene Terephthalate (PBT), Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), Tetrahydrofuran, Polyurethanes, among the others.Checkout full Report:1,4 butanediol market is slated to register a steady year-on-year growth throughout the forecast period. The growth of end use industries is expected to emerge as the major growth driving factor for global 1,4 Butanediol market during the forecast period. A moderate single digit growth is projected to be registered by the market over the forecast period. The industrial growth in developing regions of the globe namely of countries in Asia Pacific region is expected to further drive the demand for Butanediol during the forecast period. The relatively volatile nature of prices of 1, 4 Butanediol raw materials is likely to act as an impediment to the growth of global 1,4 Butanediol market during the forecast period. China has emerged as a major producer of 1,4 Butanediol and houses the largest production capacity for the chemical. Thus, the growth in end use industries, the economic and industrial growth in developing regions of the globe, are expected to drive the growth of global 1,4 Butanediol market during the forecast period.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @:On the basis of geographic regions, global 1,4 butanediol market is segmented into seven key market segments namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among the aforementioned regions, Asia Pacific is expected to witness a relatively faster CAGR as compared to that of other regions of the globe during the forecast period. The mature markets, namely those in Europe and North America are slated to exhibit relatively slower growth in demand for 1,4 Butanediol during the forecast period.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 Online Recruitment Industry 2016 Market Overview, Growth, Analysis And Development http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=832480&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-online-recruitment-market-professional-survey-report-2016.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/category/ict-market-reports-96.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com Global Online Recruitment Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.The research report on the global Online Recruitment market provides an in-depth analysis of the industry, taking into consideration the historical development trajectory and its current and projected size. The future projections of the global Online Recruitment market are provided for the period from Online Recruitment to Online Recruitment. Furthermore, the report analyzes factors that drive and restrain the growth of the Online Recruitment market. The report also discusses prevailing market trends, prospective growth opportunities, and key strategies resulting in the growing demand for Online Recruitment.The research methodology used includes primary and secondary research. While the primary research comprises the bulk of research efforts by analysts, secondary research includes referring to company websites, annual and financial reports, industry trade journals and other technical journals, statistical databases, and news specific to companies operating in the market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report studies the effect of Porters five forces on the growth of the market. This includes, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of new entrants, threat from substitutes, and degree of competition. The report assesses the impact of various regulations on the market. Tables, charts, figures, and statistics have been used wherever required.The study provides the market estimates and forecasts for all the segments covered. In addition to this, it gives the market positioning of key players in the global Online Recruitment market. Competitive strategies adopted by leading players are included so as to give enterprises a clear idea on how to expand their business and earn profits. The business and financial overview of each of the companies profiled in the report are included. Additionally, the recent developments by key players are also included. The report also gives information regarding collaborations, mergers, and partnerships between companies.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsChapter One Online Recruitment Industry Overview1.1 Online Recruitment Definition1.1.1 Online Recruitment Product Pictures & Product Specifications1.2 Online Recruitment Classification & ApplicationChapter Two Online Recruitment Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 Online Recruitment Raw Material & Equipments Supplier and Price Analysis2.2 Online Recruitment Labor & Other Cost Analysis2.3 Online Recruitment Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.4 Online Recruitment Manufacturing Process AnalysisChapter Three Online Recruitment Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Online Recruitment Capacity and Commercial Production Date3.2 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Online Recruitment Manufacturing Plants Distribution3.3 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Online Recruitment R&D Status and Technology Sources3.4 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Online Recruitment Raw Materials Sources AnalysisChapter Four Online Recruitment Production by Regions, Technology and Applications4.1 2010-2016 Online Recruitment Production by Regions(such as US, EU, China and Japan etc)4.2 2010-2016 Online Recruitment Production by Product Type & Application4.3 2010-2016 Online Recruitment Price by key Manufacturers4.4 2010-2016 US & China Online Recruitment Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.5 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Online Recruitment Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.6 2010-2016 US and China Online Recruitment Supply Import Export Consumption4.7 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Online Recruitment Supply Import Export ConsumptionChapter Five Online Recruitment Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions5.1 2010-2016 Online Recruitment Sales by Regions (such as US, EU, China & Japan etc)5.2 2010-2016 Online Recruitment Sales Revenue by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.3 2010-2016 Online Recruitment Sales Price by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.4 2010-2016 Online Recruitment 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 Agriculture Equipment Market to register a healthy CAGR for the forecast period, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-523 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-523 www.futuremarketinsights.com Agriculture equipment are the machine tools used in the various stage of agriculture such as harvesting, planting, threshing and agro processing. Agriculture equipment are replacing traditional tools: for traditional practice in land development, tillage and seed bed preparation plough and blade harrow were used but current practice includes tractors, mould board plough and power tiller.Agriculture Equipment Market: Drivers & RestraintsGrowing population at faster pace is the main driver for agricultural equipment market as it spurs the need of food which aggressively demand for better equipment for agriculture. Though agriculture equipment help in the cultivation but farmers are in having financial issues to replace the old equipment with new machinery, which hindered the growth of the global agriculture equipment market. Asia Pacific is one of the major user of tractor.Agriculture Equipment Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, agriculture Equipment market is broadly segmented as:TractorCombine HarvesterThrasherRotavatorRequest Free Report Sample@Self-Propelled Vertical Conveyer ReaperZero Till Seed DrillMulti Crop PlanterPower TillerLaser Land LevelerRice TransplanterPower SprayPower WeederDrip Irrigation EquipmentSprinkler Irrigation EquipmentOn the basis of process, the market is segmented into:Land Development, Tillage, Seed Bed PreparationSowing & PlantingWeed Inter CultivationPlant ProtectionHarvesting & ThreshingPost-Harvest & Agro ProcessingAgriculture Equipment Market: Region Wise OutlookAsia Pacific region is expected to dominate the market during the forecasted period aided by China and India the fastest growing agriculture equipment market. Growing population will increase the demand of food in these countries, which in return increase the demand of better harvesting machinery. Europe and North America agriculture equipment market is expected to show a moderate growth. With rapid technological advancement and growing population agriculture Equipment market is expected to increase at a double CAGR during the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Agriculture Equipment Market: Key PlayersSome of the players in the market we identified includes, CNH Industrial NV, AGCO Corp, J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited, Iseki & Co. Ltd, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Deere & Company and Kubota Corporation.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: Combined Heat And Power CHP Systems Market Growth with Worldwide Industry Analysis to 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2000 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2000 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/combined-heat-and-power-chp-systems-market www.futuremarketinsights.com Cogeneration (also known as combined heat and power systems (CHP)) is a cluster of technologies primarily used for the concurrent generation of electricity and useful heat. This combined generation of heat and electricity is much more effective than separate generation of electricity and useful heat in a way that CHP systems offers improved energy efficiency, reduced managing cost, low CO2 emission and others. Growing data center capacity as business operate more processes, handle complex analytics with increasing storage requirements for customer data and employing rich media. Handling of such large data requires continuous supply of reliable power making cogeneration systems of primary importance. Efficiency level for cogeneration systems can reach up to 80 % against separate generation of heat and electricity which provides combined efficiency of 40-50 %. CHP systems for data centers are gaining traction in the market as using such plants as source of data center power leads to energy efficient and substantial cost reduction benefits. However, another technology commercially available for powering data centers includes fuel cells. Although CHP systems are less efficient than fuel cells but requires lesser fuel to generate the same amount of power and has a win when its ability to supply chilled water is factored. Some of the major benefits offered utilizing CHP systems for data centers are limited reliance over external power supply, increased energy efficiency, low site carbon emission and others.Request Free Report Sample@Global CHP System market for Data Centre: MarketDynamicsRegions with high electricity cost are readily adopting CHP systems primarily to save on their energy cost to provide base load power and using such systems to provide absorption cooling for the facility. Moreover, government initiatives to install CHP systems in data center facilities due to low CO2 emissions is also expected to increase its adoption rate thereby increasing the adoption of CHP system in data centers.Low economic life of data center IT equipment results in consumer reluctance towards adoption of CHP systems for data centers since these systems have equipment life of around 10-15 years in comparison to economic life of IT equipment which is only 2-3 years.Visit For TOC@Global CHP System market for Data Centre: SegmentationThe global CHP system market for data center can be segmented on the basis of data center types, facility size, installation type and region. By Data center types the market can be segmented into Telecoms, ISPs (internet Service Provider), CoLos (Co-located server hosting facilities), server farms, corporate data centers, university/ national laboratory and others. Based on facility the market can be segmented into less than 200 sq.ft, 200-700 sq.ft, 700-1,200 sq.ft, 1,200-6,000 sq.ft and more than 6,000 sq.ft. Based on installation type global cogeneration systems market for data center can be segmented into newly installed systems and retrofit systems. By region global CHP system market for data centers can be segmented into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa and Japan.Global CHP System market for Data Centre: Key PlayersSome of the major players identified across CHP system market for data center includes ENER-G, Korea Electric Power Corporation, National Grid plc, Exelon Corporation, NextEra Energy, Inc., Chubu Electric Power Company, American Electric Power Company, Inc. and others.Full Report Analysis@About Us:Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Automotive Battery Market Expand Their Businesses With New Investments http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/automotive-battery-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/2836 Automotive batteries are rechargeable batteries that supplies electric energy to automobiles, most essentially for automotive SLI (starting, lighting and ignition) system. Automotive batteries also provide power to automobile accessories such as radio, music players, air conditioners, wipers and charging plugs. Furthermore, the battery also serves as voltage stabilizer by absorbing abnormal transient voltages in vehicle electrical system. Based on the chemical composition the automotive battery market is broadly categorized in five different market segment, lithium ion (Li-ion), nickelmetal hydride (Ni-MH), nickelcadmium (Ni-Cd), gasoline and lead-acid. The energy density per unit weight (Wh/kg) is highest in Gasoline batteries followed by Li-ion and Ni-MH and is least in Lead-Acid batteries. Lead-Acid batteries are an aging automotive battery technology. Due to its simple or mature technology coupled with fluctuating lead prices in last few years, much of the automotives batteries research is focused on drifting away from this technology.Browse through the full Report @On the basis of application automotive battery market can be broadly categories as: two/three wheelers battery, car and light vans battery, heavy motor vehicle (HMVs) batteries and electric or hybrid vehicles battery. The automotive batteries capacity is defined by size, numbers of plate and strength and volume of electrolyte. Some of the most commonly used battery current rating standards are cold cracking amperes (CCA), reserve capacity (RC), Amp-Hour (AH) and power (Watts).Automotive battery market is expected to witness a moderate but steady growth in coming years North America is the largest automotive battery market followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The growth rate is highest in Asia Pacific and is expected to be even higher during the forecasted period. Such high growth rate is attributed to the emergence of China as a global hub for automobile industry and increasing demands of vehicles from some of the other Asian countries such as India Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines. The increasing demand in these countries is attributed to the growing infrastructure and rising disposable income of middle class. Ni-MH segment is expected to experience highest growth rate followed by lead acid and lithium-ion segments.Fuel cell technology based automobile batteries are expected to gain wider acceptance in global market mainly due to their increased output efficiency and reduction in the pollutant bi-products. This is due to the fact that these batteries use harmless product such as oxygen and hydrogen as fuel and hence acceptance of this technology by the vehicle makers is expected to drive the global automotive batteries market.Increasing research and development in the field of battery technology for fuel cell based automobile and development of nano technology based lithium batteries along with government initiatives for electric vehicles around globe are some of the major drivers for automotive battery market, whereas constant fluctuation in the cost of raw materials such as nickel and lead, pose significant challenge for the industry.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @Some of the major players operating in the automotive battery market include Camel Group Co. Ltd., Douglas Battery, East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc., Exide Technologies, Fengfan Co. Ltd., Johnson Controls Inc., THE FURUKAWA BATTERY CO., LTD., Zhejiang Haijiu Battery Co. Ltd, Zhejiang Narada Power Source Co. Ltd., FIAMM S.p.A., Chaowei Power Holdings Ltd., Hitachi Ltd., Shandong Sacred Sun Power Sources Co. Ltd., GS Yuasa Corporation and Shandong Sacred Sun Power Sources Co. Ltd.Key points covered in the reportReport segments the market on the basis of types, application, products, technology, etc (as applicable)The report covers geographic segmentationoNorth AmericaoEuropeoAsiaoRoWThe report provides the market size and forecast for the different segments and geographies for the period of 2010 to 2020The report provides company profiles of some of the leading companies operating in the marketThe report also provides porters five forces analysis of the market.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.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Automotive Fuel Tanks Market Explores New Growth Opportunities by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/automotive-fuel-tanks-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3548 Fuel tank is a storage tank for fuel and a safe container for flammable fluids. In the past, steel fuel tank has been the mainstay for automotive fuel tanks, whereas in the recent scenario, plastic fuel tanks are mostly used by automobile industry. The main factors behind the drop in the steel fuel tanks are permeability, weight, packaging, safety, and cost associated with it. Around 95% of fuel tanks in Europe, 85% in U.S. and 40% in Asia are made of plastic. Some of the major factors contributing to the increasing use of plastic fuel tanks are its resistance to corrosion, light weight and ease of molding into unusual shapes.Browse through the full Report @Plastic high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fuel tanks are made by blow molding and metal (steel or aluminum) fuel tanks are welded from stamped sheets. Blow molding technology is increasingly used as it shows its capacity to obtain very low emissions of fuel. Plastic high-density polyethylene can be converted into complex shapes, allowing the tank to be mounted directly over the rear axle, saving space and improving crash safety. On the other hand, the technology used in metal fuel tank is very good in limiting fuel emissions. In the event of crash or an accident plastic fuel tanks are safer than steel fuel tanks. Unlike metal fuel tanks, many can bend and flatten, rather than tearing, rupturing and spilling gasoline, thereby safely eliminating fuel leakage as a cause of a fire or explosion. Due to the plastic fuel tanks car designers can optimize the space that is available for the fuel tank since they can be produced using very unusual shapes. Plastic can be molded around specific parts. In addition, plastic fuel tanks are corrosion resistant, whereas steel tanks require stainless steel to provide a similar level of corrosion resistance, which also means a greater cost.On the basis of type automotive fuel tanks market is divided in two broad categories: plastic fuel tank and steel fuel tank. Based on the technology automotive fuel tanks market is divided in three broad segments: Multilayer technology, barrier technology and others.North America is the largest market for automotive fuel tanks, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. APAC region is expected to be the fastest growing market in terms of sheer volume. China and India hold the key for future market trends in automotive fuel tanks market owing to large population, increase in living standards due to higher disposable income and high growth rate of automotive industry in these regions. Germany, France and Italy are hub for some of the major automobile manufacturers in Europe where as the U.S. is the largest market in North America.Some of the major drivers contributing the overall market growth of automotive fuel tanks include high growth rate of automotive industry, government regulation and increase in environment friendly fuel tanks.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @Some of the major companies operating in the automotive fuel tanks market include Kautex Textron GmbH & Co KG, Benteler AG, Fuel System Solutions, Inergy Automotive Systems, Magna International Inc., TI Automotive Ltd., YAPP Automotive Parts Co Ltd, Kongsberg Automotive, Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. and Visteon Corporation.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 Automotive Fuel Tanks market dynamicsLatest innovations and key events in the industryAnalysis of business strategies of the top playersAutomotive Fuel Tanks 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.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Cognitive Computing Market Expand Their Businesses With New Investments (2016 - 2024) http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/cognitive-computing-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/9749 In the ever changing world of information technology, business organizations are left with humongous amount of data with them. This data includes very critical information for business use, but business organizations are only able to utilize 20% of whole data available with them with the use of traditional data analytics technology. To process and interpret the reaming 80% of the data that is in the form of videos, images, and human voice (also called as dark data), there is a need of cognitive computing systems.Browse through the full Report @Cognitive computing systems are typical combination of hardware and software that constitute natural language processing (NLP) and machine language, and have capability to collect, process, and interpret the dark data available with business organizations. Cognitive computing systems works exactly the phenomena of how a human brain works. These systems can process natural language, unstructured data, and can learn from experiences in similar way a human being do.In todays distributed, dynamic, and disrupted business environment requires full awareness about information that is generated from past data set available with organizations. This immensely help business organizations to control the risk associated with their business. So, the main driver of global cognitive computing market is the need to process unstructured and complex dark data set. Cognitive computing systems process and interpret the data in probabilistic manner unlike conventional big data analytic tools. However, to cope with the continuously evolving technology and data safeguarding are two biggest challenges cognitive computing market is facing.Segmentation of Cognitive Computing market on the basis of technology:Natural Language Processing (NLP):Natural language processing is used to process the human language in such a manner that a computer system can understand and interpret it. Natural language processing automates the translation process between computer and human.Machine Learning:Machine learning is subset of computer science that encompasses the study of pattern recognition and computational learning theory of artificial intelligence. Machine learning enables computer program to learn from past data and can teach themselves to do modification when exposed to new data.Automated Reasoning:Automated reasoning is the sub-discipline of computer science and mathematical logic, which is used to understand the different aspects of reasoning. Automated reasoning assists in producing computer programs that facilitates computers to reason perfectly or near perfectly.North America is expected to the largest market of global cognitive computing market. Majority of cognitive computing service providers such as IBM Corporation, Microsoft, and Google are based in North America region itself and they are also investing in the field of cognitive computing of local market. For instance, to accelerate the adoption of Watson cognitive computing system, IBM Corporation invested in Modernizing Medicine, a provider of cloud-based, specialty-specific electronic medical records (EMR) systems.Establishment of several cognitive computing startups such as Cognitive Scale is taking place in Europe region. Asia-Pacific region is expected to have moderate growth rate for cognitive computing market as rapidly rising trend of cloud based services, in small and medium enterprises, is paving the way for growth of cognitive computing market in this region. Latin America and Middle East and Africa regions are yet match the pace of global cognitive computing market.Request for Sample Report and Table of content @IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Google, Palantir Technologies, Cognitive Scale, Enterra Solutions, and Numenta are some the leading players of global cognitive computing market.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Cognitive Computing Market SegmentsCognitive Computing Market DynamicsHistorical Actual Market Size, 2013 - 2015Cognitive Computing Market Size & Forecast 2016 to 2024Cognitive Computing Current Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedCognitive Computing Market Drivers and RestraintsRegional analysis includesNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East & AfricaReport Highlights:Shifting Industry dynamicsIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current and projected industry size Recent industry trendsKey Competition landscapeStrategies of key players and product offeringsPotential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective towards market performanceAbout 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.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Global Transplantation Clinical Trials Industry 2016 Market Outlook 2021 http://www.reportbazzar.com/product/global-transplantation-clinical-trials-industry-2016-market-outlook-2021/ http://www.reportbazzar.com/request-sample/?pid=554821&ptitle=Global+Transplantation+Clinical+Trials+Industry+2016+Market+Outlook+2021&req=Sample http://www.reportbazzar.com/discount-form/?pid=554821&ptitle=Global+Transplantation+Clinical+Trials+Industry+2016+Market+Outlook+2021&req=Discount http://www.reportbazzar.com/ Global Transplantation Clinical Trials Industry 2016 Market Outlook 2021ReportBazzar has announced a new report titled Global Transplantation Clinical Trials Industry 2016 Market Outlook 2021 to their offerings.Browse report summery with TOC:This report studies the global Transplantation Clinical Trials market, focusing on the market development, technology, market competition, status and outlook, the data statistics includes the revenue, cost and margin by regions, by end users, by key players, from 2011 to 2016, and forecast from 2016 to 2021.This report focuses onMarket segment by product type, coveringType 1Type 2Type 3Market segment by regions, coveringUSAEUChinaJapanRequest Sample Report:Market segment by players, coveringNovartis AGAstellas Pharma IncPfizer IncSanofiBristol-Myers Squibb CompanyAmgen IncAlexion Pharmaceuticals, IncParexel International CorporationTable of ContentsGlobal Transplantation Clinical Trials Market Outlook 20211 Industry Overview1.1 Market Overview1.1.1 Market Status (definition and market size)1.1.2 Market Outlook (market potential)1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.3 Market Analysis by End Users1.4 Competitive Analysis1.4.1 Development Trends1.4.2 New Entrants1.4.3 Exterior Environment Opportunities1.4.4 Exterior Environment Threatens2 Industry Chain and Cost Analysis2.1 Industry Chain Analysis2.2 Cost Analysis2.2.1 Administrative/Communication Cost2.2.2 Labor Cost2.2.3 Cost of Rent and Utilities3 Global Market Size 2011-2016E3.1 Global Revenue of Transplantation Clinical Trials3.2 Global Revenue of Transplantation Clinical Trials by Regions3.3 Global Revenue of Transplantation Clinical Trials by End Users3.4 Global Revenue of Transplantation Clinical Trials by Key Players3.5 Global Revenue of Transplantation Clinical Trials by TypesGet Discount:About Us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors.ReportBazzarUnited States30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.US: +1 (212) 389-6363India: +91 20 66528525Email Id: sales@reportbazzar.comWebsite: Non-Destructive Testing Equipment Market 2021 Projection with Top 10 Companies Reviewed https://goo.gl/An4BBz http://www.mrrse.com/nondestructive-testing-equipment Global non-destructive testing equipment market was valued at USD 3.21 billion in 2014, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2015 to 2021. Non-destructive testing equipment are used to evaluate or inspect the materials, assemblies or components for discontinuities in characteristics without tearing down the serviceability of the part or system. These tests are often used to determine the physical properties of materials such as ductility, ultimate tensile strength, impact resistance, fatigue strength and fracture toughness. The non-destructive testing is used to ensure product reliability and integrity to control manufacturing processes. In addition, non-destructive testing equipment also lower the cost of production and sustains a uniform quality level. Stringent government safety regulations for quality control, ensure safety and reliable performance of the machines, and increasing demand to improve quality and longevity of the machines are the major factors responsible for growth of global non-destructive testing equipment market globally.The global non-destructive testing equipment market is segmented by region into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (RoW). North America led the global non-destructive testing equipment market in 2014 and is also expected to maintain its dominance in 2021 as well in this market. The growth in North America is primarily attributed due to huge investments in energy verticals such as oil and gas. Europe held the second largest share of the global non-destructive testing equipment market in 2014 followed by Asia Pacific and RoW respectively. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing regional market for non-destructive testing equipment.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The global non-destructive testing equipment market is segmented on the basis of technology into ultrasonic testing, radiography testing, electromagnetic testing, visual testing and others (including magnetic particle testing and liquid penetrant testing). Ultrasonic testing is holding the maximum market revenue share in 2014. The wide usage of ultrasonic testing in several industries such as steel and aluminum construction, manufacturing, aerospace and defense and automotive sectors are spurring the demand for this segment.Read Complete Report @The global non-destructive testing equipment market is further segmented by end use industry into power generation industry, oil & gas industry, aerospace and defense industry, automotive industry and others (including plastic and polymer, and medical). The global non-destructive testing equipment market is majorly dominated by power generation industry due to increasing number of nuclear power plants and the subsequent increasing demand for machines used in power plants. Automotive is expected to be the fastest growing end use industry in non-destructive testing equipment market followed by oil and gas 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.Corporate Office State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207,United States Global Nano-Enabled Packaging Market Will Reach $15.0 billion in 2020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/nano-enabled-packaging-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/2809 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The global nano enabled packaging market for food and beverages industry was worth USD 6.5 billion in 2013 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.7% during 2014 to 2020, to reach an estimated value of USD 15.0 billion in 2020.The global progress in technologies is making lives simpler and safer. Nanotechnology is one such field which is dynamically progressing and is contributing to the development of several industries, including food and beverages packaging. Nano-enabled packaging gives longer shelf life to food and beverages as compared to traditional plastic packaging. Food and beverages packaging is done through two different technologies under nano-enabled packaging-active and intelligent packaging. Active packaging has a comparatively larger market than intelligent packaging.Browse Complete Report @Intelligent packaging is growing at a faster rate as compared to the active packaging. Customers prefer traceable food and beverages packaging, since it offers information such as expiry date and best use period, present state of the consumables. The radio frequency identification (RFID) tags keep customers informed about the state of the food within the packaging. Intelligent packaging is mostly used for fruits and vegetables, meat products, and beverages. Stricter regulations associated with active packaging have been stimulating the use of intelligent packaging in Europe and North America.Intelligent packaging in the U.S. is growing mainly due to the increasing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. Americans are shifting their breakfast preference from junk foods to fresh alternatives. The U.S. is one of the largest producers and exporters of cherries globally. With the ease in trade regulations, fruit exports of the U.S. have increased. In September 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that after ten years of negotiations, U.S. cherries can be exported to Western Australia, one of the most important markets for cherries. The increasing demand for intelligent packaging in international trade (especially in fruits) is laying out opportunities for this technology in food packaging.The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) proposed by FDA in 2011 is another growth indicator for intelligent packaging wherein the fresh produce, including fruits and vegetables, are required to be scientifically grown, harvested, packaged, and stored. The farm products that come in the acts domain are lettuce, spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, sprouts, mushrooms, onions, peppers, cabbage, citrus produce, strawberries, and walnuts.Nano-enabled packaging finds its application in several industries, including bakery, meat, beverages, fruit and vegetables, prepared foods, and others. The increasing demand for meat products, beverages, vegetables, and prepared foods is expected to drive their respective nano-enabled packaging markets, while the market share of bakery products is expected to decline on account of the rapid growth of other application segments.Nanotechnology is at a nascent stage and, therefore, usage of nano-enabled packaging is low in the food and beverages industry. Limited numbers of buyers have more leverage to negotiate with nanotechnology companies. On the other hand, there is a plethora of companies providing nano-enabled packaging solutions to the food and beverages industry.Download Report Sample @Nano-enabled packaging market for food and beverage is very competitive with a large number of players offering an array of patented products. The major players in this industry include Amcor Limited, Bemis Company, Inc., Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, L.L.C., Klockner Pentaplast, Sealed Air, and Tetra Pak International S.A.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.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: 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.... By MICHAEL UPCHURCH When he hit his 30s, Portland writer Casey Jarman - former music editor for Willamette Week - grew preoccupied with death to an almost debilitating degree. It displaced all his anxieties about "earning money, going gray, and making some grand contribution to the world," he writes in the introduction to his new book. "Why worry about any of that stuff? Why even get up in the morning? Death always wins. ... It's a reality that not only is out to steal my future but is actively souring my present. It begs me to withdraw further from friends and family, so it doesn't hurt too much when they're gone." Recognizing that he had a problem, he reached out and talked to people, including his mother, uncle, friends and fellow writers. He also tracked down workers in death-centric fields: a hospice volunteer, a former death-row warden, a consumer-rights advocate focusing on the funeral industry. "Death: An Oral History" (Pulp, 352 pages, $22.99) is the result, and while its balance between anecdotal rambling and experience-grounded insight seems a little out of whack, there are some powerful stories here and some informative takes on our approaches and attitudes toward death. Some of Jarman's interviewees couldn't be more thoughtful. Jana DeCristofaro, coordinator of grief services at Portland's Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families, explains why she thinks a peer-support approach to bereavement works better for kids than traditional counseling. She also notes with irony that she, like Jarman, has held back from certain intimacies in her life (no spouse, no kids, no pets) because she doesn't want "the heartache that would come when someone or something dies." Jarman catches people at raw and recent stages of bereavement and in deep-seated, decades-long anguish. Gabriel DePiero's reaction to the disorienting loss of his twin brother at age 13 is captured in a single sentence. "Here's the new planet you live on," DePiero remembers thinking. Several interviewees take comfort from the philosophy behind green funerals. "I like the idea of my body falling apart," social worker Anna Urquhart says, "and nourishing a tree." Katrina Spade - founder and executive director of the Urban Death Project, which builds "urban facilities for human composting" - echoes that thought: "There's meaning in knowing that I'm part of a larger ecosystem and knowing that I could be part of the natural world again." In asking his interviewees their thoughts on death, Jarman often elicits entire life stories that can feel digressive. But their detail usually pays off as it leads to moments of head-on confrontation with mortality. Focusing on death can sometimes mean focusing on societal ills. Black Lives Matter activist Teressa Raiford's account of growing up in Northeast Portland is an outraged litany of drug-death, child-abuse and gang-violence devastation. Another African-American testimony - Frank Thompon's explanation of how, as the superintendent of the Oregon State Penitentiary, he became an anti-death penalty crusader - is as cool and measured as Raiford's is accusatory and furious. Josh Slocum, national executive director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, registers a different kind of protest as he lambastes the pricey bells and whistles of the undertakers' profession. "Somehow over the past 130 years," he fumes, "a form of burial that includes chemical preservation, cosmetics, field-manufactured caskets - all sorts of things that have no history in any religious tradition or in the foundations of any society - have come to be regarded as a Christian burial. It's a complete triumph of the marriage of capitalism and religion." What's missing in "Death: An Oral History" is testimony from any mainstream funeral directors or church clergy. Jarman clearly leans more toward alternative funeral practices, and his bias gets in the way of a fuller exploration of his subject. It would help, too, to get input from trained medical personnel - doctors, nurses - on their dealings with death. Hospice volunteer Andre Coberly comes close when he touches on the controversies surrounding the measures taken to prolong the lives of the dying. But it would be useful to have a professional explain the clinical process of dying - how the body actually shuts down in a slow illness - that makes forced feeding and hydration a bad idea. In the end, Jarman achieved what he was after. "I haven't 'gotten over' death," he admits. "But in talking to people who have found ways through, under, and around it, I'm measurably less terrified than I used to be." --Michael Upchurch, for The Oregonian/OregonLive *** Casey Jarman What: The author of "Death: An Oral History" discusses his book with Jana DeCristofaro of The Dougy Center and Holly Pruett of PDX Death Cafe. When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 Where: Powell's Books on Hawthorne, 3723 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. Admission: Free Right of Return North Williams Avenue (shown here) along with North Vancouver Avenue in late fall 2015, once home to black businesses and clubs, are now the site of construction cranes and trendy restaurants. Portland's affordable housing crisis hasn't improved, despite construction cranes throughout many central city neighborhoods. (Kristyna Wentz-Graff) Israel Bayer, executive director of the Street Roots newspaper, admits the city's chamber of commerce may not seem like a natural political partner for his homelessness and advocacy organization. In 2013, the Portland Business Alliance lobbied to give Portland the power to ban homeless people from sitting or lying on sidewalks. This year, Clean and Safe, a nonprofit managed by the PBA, paid for a controversial billboard that suggested panhandlers are addicts. But the strange bedfellows are walking hand-in-hand this fall -- backing a $258.4 million affordable-housing bond on the Nov. 8 ballot that would mark an unprecedented gusher of construction cash for the region and cinch a rare moment of unity in an often-fraught discussion over homelessness and housing policy. They're not alone. The chamber and weekly newspaper are two of the disparate groups backing Measure 26-179. The campaign pulled in close to $400,000 in the past few months from politically connected developers, nonprofit housing agencies, union groups and elected officials. The measure would fund some 1,300 affordable units, set aside for some of the poorest Portlanders. It comes one year after the City Council declared a state of emergency over homelessness -- heading to voters amid the crescendo of a statewide housing crisis. "If Street Roots and the PBA can be working together on something," Bayer said, "then you can be sure that it's a good thing and that we're going in the right direction." While no opponents have rallied to fight the measure, it has faced criticism. The number of units expected to be preserved or built pales in comparison to the city's 24,000-unit housing shortfall, and an estimated cost of nearly $200,000 per unit has raised eyebrows. Plus, the number of new units accommodated under the plan is less than 1,300. That's because hundreds of low-income residents who use housing vouchers to subsidize rents in private housing will be shifted to public housing. Eric Fruits, an economist who fought the city's 2014 street fee proposals, says officials should go back to the drawing board. He said other cities have raised less money but promised more units. Fruits cited Denver, which expects to preserve or build 6,000 affordable units for just $150 million. "They're doing something different that costs less and helps more people," he said. Bayer said Portland's bond is "a matter of life and death" for the roughly 3,000 people who could be housed or stay in existing housing as a result of the bond. Units will be affordable for those earning less than 30 percent of the median family income, or about $22,000 for a family of four. Backers say the 20-year plan would cost about $75 annually for a home assessed at $178,000. That's roughly the cost of Portland's arts tax for two adults. Related: Don't Portland homes cost more on the open market? Yes, but that's not the calculation used to levy property taxes. Curious about your assessed property tax value? Check out our reporting on the issue, or plug in your home address on PortlandMaps.com and see for yourself. "The cost of doing nothing is 10 times more expensive than the cost of being able to deliver this bond to the community," Bayer said. Commissioner Dan Saltzman, who oversees the city's Housing Bureau, said the bond is the culmination of "substantial investments" in recent years by the city and Multnomah County. The City Council voted to direct $67 million in additional urban renewal money to affordable housing projects in the next decade. It approved a construction excise tax this summer that's expected to bring in millions of dollars more for housing projects. The city is also spending tax revenue from short-term rentals on affordable housing. Saltzman said local government is doing its share, with an estimated 2,000 affordable units already under construction or in development. "Now it's time to ask voters to step up," Saltzman said. Fruits agrees that the city has taken action. But he called the city's $200,000 per-unit subsidy "bizarre." "There's a lot of bucks, and not much bang with this measure," he said. Although city officials have said the bond would pay for 1,300 units, their proposal would expand Portland's affordable housing reach by only 900 net units. That's because Home Forward, the housing authority that serves Multnomah County, has pledged to redirect some of its existing resources serving low-income families. About the bond: Inside the numbers $258.4 million over 20 years $75 - Average cost per year to Portland homeowner (with a home valued at $178,000) 1,300 - Number of units expected to be built or preserved 600 - Number of units targeted to the poorest Portlanders who earn less than 30 percent of the median family income $0.42 - Tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value for Portland homeowners Home Forward plans to shift 400 vouchers from its existing Section 8 program to buildings owned by Portland. Those 400 vouchers would no longer be used by families seeking housing in the private market. Instead, the city would set aside 400 units for families within the voucher-program -- and receive an estimated $3.15 million a year from Home Forward to cover costs. Saltzman said the city needs Home Forward and its vouchers to meet its goal of having roughly half of the units funded by the bond serving people earning less than 30 percent of the median family income. Sandra McDonough, the PBA's president, said the organization of more than 1,850 businesses didn't take its endorsement lightly. "We know that housing and homelessness is the number one issues in Portland right now," she said. "It's what we hear from voters and what we from our businesses." Housing costs for median renters in Portland rose 30 percent in the past 15 years while income rose just 7 percent, according to the voter's pamphlet. More than 100 groups of businesses and organizations support the initiative, and that bears out in the voter's pamphlet. A dozen groups filed letters in support of the plan, while no organization or individuals wrote in opposition. McDonough argues the public sector must step in and support seniors and others on poverty wages. "To get them into housing you're going to need a public subsidy. The market on its own is not going to develop the very low income housing, so you need a public subsidy," she said. If the bond passes, the City Council will appoint a five-person oversight panel to monitor spending and individual projects. Bond proceeds will also pay for buying land to build new housing. McDonough said the business alliance will stay involved and watch spending if the bond passes. "We think there are places where they can save money," she said. And while other measures on next month's ballot might cause angst on Election Night-- like Measure 97, a proposed $3 billion-a-year gross receipts tax on large corporations -- backers of Portland's affordable housing measure say they're confident. Everyone can agree, argued Street Roots' Bayer, that the city's most vulnerable residents need help. He said he's cautiously optimistic voters will "rise above the noise and vote their values." "This is not just a statement about today," Bayer said, "this is a statement about tomorrow." Saltzman cited the measure's broad support along with polling results showing its popularity. "I think we're going to win," he said. The Oregonian/OregonLive's Brad Schmidt contributed to this report -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen As hundreds of staff and alumni gathered Tuesday at the University of Oregon to celebrate a $500 million pledge from its best known grad to build a science complex, the head of Oregon Health & Science University had the first word. That was by design. Though Phil and Penny Knight's seismic gift is directed at Oregon, the gathering in Eugene emphasized that closing the gap between scientific discovery and "real world" impact will require the collective efforts of peer institutions in Portland and Corvallis. The state's most prominent public universities are, in the words of one official, "better together." UO President Michael Schill has made clear he sees the school's $1 billion vision to create an applied science research complex from scratch as a win for all of Oregon. He said the new campus will "reshape the state's public higher education landscape" by training new generations of scientists. His counterparts, and a state higher education official appear to agree. "We couldn't be happier," OHSU President Joseph Robertson told The Oregonian/OregonLive. "It's a great day for the University of Oregon, and for the state." Ben Cannon, executive director of the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, said the gift "creates significant opportunities for collaboration" across the state. "This is very exciting," he added. Phil Knight graduated from UO in 1959 and ran track for Bill Bowerman, his future business partner. The two built Nike into one of the best known brands in the world. By the time Knight stepped down as chairman of the company's board this June, Nike had a market value of more than $84 billion. The Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact will belong to UO, but it will have a broad reach across the state, school officials said. Upon full buildout in a decade, the three-building complex along Franklin Boulevard in Eugene is envisioned to be a hub of research activity and innovation that will lead to new products, ideas and discoveries that better humanity and the world. Upon completion, an estimated 750 people will work at the new center, and 550 students of varying levels will conduct research. What that will mean in practical terms is yet-to-be determined, but UO envisions bringing in new experts in robotics or engineering or other disciplines to brainstorm and team up with the school's biologists, biochemists, microbiologists and other researchers. Robertson said the uncertainty is exciting. "Science is unpredictable." In Corvallis, Oregon State University President Ed Ray described the gift as "fantastic," and added he's been advocating for greater cooperation among the universities since he arrived in the state in 2003. "I told people that unless the public universities in Oregon learned how to behave as a virtual mega-university," Ray said, "we could never do what [the University of] Michigan could do for Michigan, what [the University of] Wisconsin could do for Wisconsin." "We really need to collaborate and figure out how to leverage all of the capabilities we have." The Knights' most recent half-billion-dollar gift to an Oregon institution is evidence that collaboration is starting to take root. "The three of us working together is a pretty awesome thing," Ray said of the OSU, OHSU and UO. Oregon is, in some ways, still a bit player in the national higher education picture. Oregon State and OHSU brought $336 million and $376 million in research dollars respectively into the state during the last fiscal year. UO accounted for just $117 million. Throw in Portland State University's $65 million, and Oregon's largest schools collectively still fall short of the University of Washington's $1.3 billion in research activity. Research brings more money, but also prestige to a university and a state. Ray said the Knights' gift positions UO to become a "major player" in the applied sciences world nationwide. That, in turn, has a significant effect on the school and the state's reputation. "I think it will help all of us," Ray added. Schill called his counterparts at other Oregon universities in the past few days to let them know the announcement was imminent. For Robertson, who sat on the UO search committee which hired Schill in 2015, the idea of teaming up was old hat. Collaboration between the two schools was a conversation point during Schill's job interview. Partnership between schools in a close-knit area is not new. In North Carolina, the Research Triangle consists of a number of private and public universities that flex their collective muscle. Robertson says what makes Oregon unique is the distance between the campuses. "It takes establishing a culture," he said, "not only of willing, but wanting to collaborate." In the past decade, OHSU in Portland has tried to establish a culture of teamwork with other schools. OHSU and PSU's new School of Public Health is just underway, and OSU and OHSU team up on a pharmacy program. The teamwork is doubly important as construction continues on the new home of the Knight Cancer Institute at OHSU, another project backed in part by $500 million from Phil and Penny Knight. Robertson said that "tremendous infusion of capital" at both schools in such short order raises the stakes. "I think the faculty will be more motivated to do that [collaborate], than ever before." On Tuesday, university leaders announced the Knights' gift before a packed audience of faculty, students, staff, trustees and some elected officials. Gov. Kate Brown gave brief remarks and threw up the Oregon "O." The Knights did not attend. During Schill's speech, he swept his arms back and forth swiftly, grinning ear to ear about the "simply extraordinary" commitment from the Knights. The president, who is entering his second year on the job, said the gift will play a role in transforming the state's economy. In a separate interview, he said that Oregon has been outpaced by the Silicon Valley and Seattle in economic growth for years. UO officials revealed the $500 million commitment from the Knights on the school's website Monday evening. The Knights are giving the money in $50 million increments during the next decade. The school wants to raise another $500 million from donors who have shown an interest in science in the past. The university plans to open the first building within three years, but is depending on $100 million from the state Legislature to help make the deal possible. Lawmakers approved $200 million in bonds to finance the cancer institute at OHSU previously. State support, Schill told The Oregonian Editorial Board, is crucial in achieving the vision of the $1 billion plan. "It says that the state is behind us," he said. But the Knights' gift is not contingent on state support. Oregon's higher education commission will meet in November to discuss the $100 million request. The volunteer board will face competing interests as it makes recommendations to Brown. OSU alone is asking for $69.5 million in state bonds to help pay for expansion to its Bend campus. Cannon said if Oregon approves the $100 million request in addition to other capital projects, that would represent an "unprecedented level of state support." -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Colleen and Dave.jpg Dave Luhr, Wieden+Kennedy global president and Colleen DeCourcy, global chief creative officer, are credited with crafting the agency's latest management restructuring. (Grace Rivera photo) Wieden+Kennedy, the Portland-based global agency known for clever ads for the likes of Nike and Old Spice, has made a major management shift. The agency expanded its roster of stakeholders, or partners, from 9 to 24, more than half of them representing agencies from locations other than Portland. In a statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive, the agency said the decision to expand its leadership roster was made with an eye toward its 35th birthday next year and to position the agency for its future. "Our current nine-person partner group is based on a model we've outgrown," agency global president David Luhr said in the statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive. "That group doesn't reflect the breadth of perspective and skills we want to see in the next generation of leaders, and the next, and the next. Given the size and complexity of the agency, we need more decision-makers representing more offices, more disciplines and different voices. Our leadership needs to be a bigger and better reflection of the agency we have become." The agency credited Luhr and Colleen DeCourcy, global chief creative officer, with crafting the new management structure which also jettisoned the title partner for stakeholder - several of the new "stakeholders" formerly were called "partners." "We're proud of this moment," DeCourcy wrote on the website Medium, where the agency broke the news on Monday. But DeCourcy, who works in the Portland office, used the platform for an unflinching assessment of the state of leadership and diversity at one Portland's best-known businesses. "While this change is a step in the right direction, it is still not an accurate reflection of the make-up of our agency, and the wider world," DeCourcy wrote. "We need more racial diversity and women at the top. We selected this group from a pool of agency leaders that wasn't diverse enough. What that tells us is that we have to continue to get real about why this is the case. "It's on us to support, promote and retain a much more wide-ranging group than we have over the past 35 years. We accept responsibility for making sure this leadership team grows to include that talent. We've got miles and miles to go before we sleep. This is a start." While partnership terms vary for an advertising agency, or any business, the status of partner at an ad agency typically conveys a built-in share of profits as well as a greater say in creative and management direction. A statement from the agency sent to The Oregonian/OregonLive, noting that the agency is approaching its 35th birthday, said its stakeholders "have a shared focus and role in making the agency a strong and creative leader into the next era. These people were selected because they have made consistent and significant contributions to their offices and the network." Eleven of the partners are based in Portland, where W+K was founded on April 1, 1982, and where it keeps its headquarters. Dan Wieden, who co-founded the agency with David Kennedy, who is no longer with the agency, is one of the 11. In addition to Portland, the agency's other offices are in Amsterdam, Delhi, London, New York, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Portland remains the biggest agency, with 600 of its 1,500 total employees. W+K last made a major management shift in January 2013, announcing several key appointments, including Luhr as president and two new co-executive creative directors -- DeCourcy and Mark Fitzloff. At the end of 2011, the agency announced the addition of four partners, for a total of 11. While the agency handles a variety of accounts, it is best known for its work with Nike, a client for the past 34 years. The agency, which has prided itself on saying it would remain independent forever and not follow others into corporate ownership, did not directly answer a question from The Oregonian/OregonLive about whether its headquarters would always be in Portland, saying, "Portland is our founding and biggest office. We are a global agency with eight offices around the world and we will always have an office in Portland." Wieden had the last word in the agency's news release, with this statement: "I am so damn proud of this place. We started as a ship of fools, and that, I quite firmly believe is why we have succeeded for almost 35 years. But I really never thought we would be talking about the next 35. The hope is always that the next generation does better than the one before them. I think under the leadership of Dave and Colleen, and this inspiring group of new stakeholders, we just might be onto something." --Allan Brettman 503-294-5900 @allanbrettman Eggs, almond milk, cumin, a plastic baggie of diced tomatoes... These are not the usual items brought into a prison. But once a week at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, a group of volunteers unloads a large tote of food items for a guard's inspection. They aren't allowed to bring in metal cans, so the women with the Food As Medicine Everyday cooking program for inmates pour tomato sauce and beans into sealable plastic bags. If you are what you eat, the cooking course wants to make the women of Coffee Creek whole. Specifically, the course shows inmates how to cook with whole food ingredients that haven't been highly processed and don't contain additives. "When they're incarcerated, the focus is on rehabilitation," said Julie Briley, a naturopathic doctor who teaches the program at Coffee Creek. "This is a way to get their lives set on the right track." The cooking course is immensely popular at the prison. At the moment, there are more than 100 women -- that's about a sixth of the prison's population -- on the wait list. The program is coordinated through the National University of Natural Medicine and paid for through private donations. Up to 15 inmates at a time can enroll in the eight-week course. Each Wednesday, they spend about 30 minutes preparing a meal and another 30 minutes in a nutrition lesson, followed by time to enjoy the food together. "I can cook in the microwave but that's about it," inmate Geri Olson said, as she chopped peppers with a kitchen knife tethered to the table. "Both my parents are diabetic and I want to be able to cook better food for them when I go home." Susee Davis signed up because, "I'm nervous to cook for my kids when I get back." Davis will be released in about 10 months after serving a six-year sentence at Coffee Creek. Her son and daughter will be 11 and 10 years old when she gets out, and she'll need to relearn what they like to eat. She's been reading Food Network Magazine in prison to get ideas. "I just can't wait to cook at home again," she said. Last week, the women cooked cornbread and vegetarian chili, topped with avocado and cilantro rather than sour cream and cheese. It was the first time Davis had eaten avocado in nearly six years. The cooking program offers healthy takes on traditional foods: Their veggie chili also includes cooked spinach. Another goal is to introduce inmates to new foods like kale chips, quinoa wraps and hummus. Inmate Kari Brough experienced her first sip of almond milk last week. Her face made clear she wasn't impressed, but she wants to keep trying new things. She was diagnosed in prison with a chronic health condition and is learning about nutrition after a lifetime of eating mostly fast food. She's "55 days to the gate," she said, and wants to stay healthy on the outside. The classes are also the first time many of the women have gotten answers to their nutrition questions. Briley said some of the inmates are diabetic or pre-diabetic and "no one has ever explained it to them" in a way that makes sense. Lest you assume these women signed up just for the hot meals, the inmates were engaged and asked questions during last week's lesson on understanding food labels. One woman gave a description of partially hydrogenated trans fats as something that "causes heart disease and plaque build-up and it's bad for your body." Another was able to name the parts of a grain: bran, germ and endosperm. This is either evidence that they retained far more from middle school science than most of us or - more likely - that women who previously took the course are sharing what they learned about nutrition. Every woman I spoke to had signed up for the course on recommendation of a fellow inmate. Years ago, I served on the board of a food bank in rural Eastern Kentucky. We noticed the people who came for help - most often women with children - would skip over bags of rice and flour and instead grab frozen pizzas. It wasn't because they were lazy. It was because no one had ever taught them how to cook rice or use the flour. That was a light bulb moment, and the board worked with the local extension agency to develop cooking classes for the pantry's customers. Such programs are important as fewer students take home economics (or family and consumer sciences as it's known today) and obesity rates rise. If you didn't learn cooking and nutrition at home growing up, where will you ever learn it? The prison course is, potentially, a gift that keeps on giving. When they go home, Olson can share these recipes with her parents and Davis can cook with her children. It sets in motion a wave of awareness that can have a long-term impact on families' health. -- Samantha Swindler @editorswindler / 503-294-4031 sswindler@oregonian.com Honky Tonk Taco, the tequila-fueled taco bar from Clyde Common's Nate Tilden and chef Carlo Lamagna, has closed. "The food wasn't where we wanted it to be," Tilden said by phone Tuesday. "We feel like it's a really great space, and we want to execute at a higher level." Honky Tonk Taco opened in Andy Ricker's former Sen Yai on Southeast Division Street in July with a menu of "deliciously inauthentic" tacos, quesadillas, salads and more. The restaurant quietly took a "pause" on Monday, according to Tilden and Lamagna. Tilden, the force behind Clyde Common and a co-owner of a half-dozen Portland restaurants and bars, has been on a tear lately, opening Honky Tonk Taco, a second OP Wurst location in Oregon City and Bar Casa Vale, his wood-fired pinxtos bar, all in the past three months. Honky Tonk Taco is his first restaurant to close. "I didn't have the time to right the ship," Tilden says. For Tilden, "all options are on the table" regarding the space, including reopening Honky Tonk Taco with a revamped menu, or selling the lease. Lamagna plans to refocus on Clyde Common and his upcoming Filipino pop-up, Twisted Filipino, which will debut at the beginning of December in Southeast Portland's Holdfast Dining space. "We want to show Filipino food and all its iterations," Lamagna said. "I don't know why Filipino isn't getting that here in Portland." -- Samantha Bakall sbakall@oregonian.com Follow @sambakall The Oregonian's Michael Russell contributed to this report Astor.jpg (Google Maps) A teacher at Astor School has been put on leave in connection with an ongoing police investigation. Police went to the North Portland school Tuesday "to investigate the report that a teacher was behaving inappropriately in class and with students," said Portland Police spokesman Peter Simpson. Simpson said the teacher has not been arrested, but "preliminary information given to police indicates the behavior could be considered criminal conduct." Karl Newsome, the K-8's principal, sent out the following note to families, which is scant on details: Dear Astor Families, I wanted to let you know that we immediately placed a teacher on administrative leave today while the police are investigating a matter. While this is difficult, this is all the information that we can share right now as we cooperate with the police and their investigation. Thank you, Principal Newsome The district refused to provide more details. A message left with a Portland Police spokesman was not immediately returned. -- Bethany Barnes The air will be scented with free bouquets of flowers on Wednesday, Oct. 19, during the Petal It Forward event in which people on the street will be handed two bunches of blooms, one to keep and one to give away to a stranger. The event, held in more than 225 cities including Portland, is sponsored by the Society of American Florists to call attention to the range of floral products grown in the U.S. and the positive, instant impact of giving and receiving flowers. Studies conducted by Rutgers University and Harvard University found that flowers brighten moods, decrease stress and bring people together. In one study, 80 percent of Americans said that receiving flowers makes them feel happy. Even more people -- 88 percent -- said that giving flowers gives them a boost, according to the florist association. "That's why florists across the country are sharing happiness and spreading joy and goodwill, two bouquets at a time," says Jennifer Sparks of the Society of American Florists in a news release. "We anticipate a lot of smiles today." Tyler Meskers of Oregon Flowers in Aurora has donated more than 1,000 stems of calla lilies, Casa Blanca lilies, hybrid lilies and Asiatic lilies in assorted colors to be given away at Oregon and Washington florist shops on Wednesday. "Oregon Flowers supports the local Petal It Forward movement 100 percent because of the positive emotional benefit flowers give to people," says Meskers, whose family-owned company was started by his parents, Martin and Helene Meskers, more than 30 years ago and has grown to become Oregon's largest cut flower nursery. "Our company is proud to be a part of the coordinated effort to promote happiness." Portland-based Frank Adams Wholesale Florist collected the donations from growers, as it did at last year's debut Petal It Forward event. The title was inspired by the movie and the movement to "pay it forward," that is, respond to a kindness by doing a favor for someone else, who then does something nice for another person, and the acts of kindness spread. Wendi Day, owner of Old Town Florist in Portland's Pearl District, just heard about the event Monday but instantly jumped on board. "We want to spread flower love around Portland," she says. Day and her staff are making bouquets. Each person who comes into the shop at 404 NW 10th Ave. on Wednesday can have two. One has a tag to be given away. Day is hoping the flowers are given to people who have never received a bouquet before. "It will be fun to see what happens," she says. "It also helps to spread the word to buy local and in-season flowers. There are so many flowers grown here." Here is a list of florists participating in the flower giveaway: Bend: Donner Flower Shop Brookings: Always in Bloom Florist & Gifts Corvallis: From the Heart Floral Design Dallas: Heartstrings Florist & Artisans Eugene: Dandelions Flowers and Gifts Forest Grove: OK Floral of Forest Grove Hillsboro: Flowers by Burkhardt's Lake Oswego: R Bloom's of Lake Oswego Portland: Botanica Floral Design; Broadway Floral; Floral Sunshine, Goose Hollow Flowers, Old Town Florist and Solabee Flowers and Botanicals Sandy: Sandy Country Florist Tillamook: Sunflower Flats Castle Rock, Washington: The Flower Pot Longview, Washington: Banda's Bouquets Vancouver, Washington: Awesome Flowers, Mountain View High School floral students -- Janet Eastman jeastman@oregonian.com 503-799-8739 @janeteastman -0f8ebc571ee29b83.jpg Access was limited to portions of City Hall on Oct. 12 during a City Council vote in favor of a new police contract opposed by many residents. (Brad Schmidt/Staff) 'A SAD AND ANGRY DAY': No, Mayor Charlie Hales was not right. He won't accomplish his hiring goal, and if we actually have a crisis, he made it worse than if he did nothing at all. Commissioner Amanda Fritz was ignorant to think the public outcry was worth the 3 percent raise to hire more officers in the short term. Commissioner Nick Fish is a tool that just follows the leader. Hales is a flounder; his practice of keeping out stakeholders from their decisions is notorious, and everything he does is wildly ineffective. I'll be watching the police department's hiring numbers in the coming months to see if they get a boost. Even if -- could this not have waited six months? We have an excellent opportunity to become a leader in policing reform. I would like a community engagement platform at neighborhood levels dispersed throughout the city -- a regular neighborhood forum to discuss crime, punishment, and the job of policing. It is essential for the police department to build public trust, and the best place to get started is to listen to the communities they serve. I believe we could achieve revolutionary reform where officers are the heroes of their communities again. That is what is going to help hiring, not a 3 percent raise. I admit it is necessary to have competitive officer salaries with other cities our size, but it wouldn't have hurt to wait six months. It was a sad and angry day for Portland last Wednesday. Michael O'Connor, Northeast Portland * HALES UNDERMINES GOOD FAITH: While the public may not be legally entitled to direct input on the police contract, Mayor Hales' decision to hold a closed-door vote undermines the show of good faith made in previous attempts to hear the concerns expressed by protesters. What the mayor views as a success may consequently become a long-term source of suspicion and hostility. Given that the issues raised by protesters relate to what has become a social crisis in the national spotlight, citizens are justified in expecting city officials to set aside agenda-driven expediency in favor of deliberate and empathetic conversation -- especially if the city intends to move forward from its history of racism. Such a course of action will necessarily (and frustratingly, for many) require patience. But patience is the hallmark of any true democracy. Jacob R. Evers, Beaverton * WRONG TO HOLD CLOSED-DOOR VOTE: Members of the community made it known that they wanted their voices heard about some defects in the contract, especially around officer accountability. They arrived at City Hall for a public hearing. I was not able to be present, but I was glad to know my fellow concerned Portlanders were there, and I trusted their voices would be heard. I was shocked, disgusted and ashamed of my city when I learned they were excluded and pepper sprayed. Unaccountable police killings, particularly of African Americans and the mentally ill, have become too well-documented to ignore in this country. Portland should be different! We should be holding our officers to the highest level of accountability and setting an example for the rest of the country. To put it another way, when you have to employ officers in riot gear to keep citizens away while you approve your new police contract, you know you have a problem. Even if Mayor Hales doesn't value citizen input, I would have imagined the optics alone would have given him pause. Apparently not. Shameful. Jessica N. Bentley, Northeast Portland * THERE'S ALREADY ENOUGH SECRECY: Having retired from local government, I know that elected officials often hold executive sessions for personnel matters and union contract discussions. These sessions are announced in advance. However, Portland's City Council seems to thrive on impromptu closed-door meetings, especially on topics that citizens are concerned about and would like input into. Such actions do not represent the best interests of the public and do nothing to encourage transparency within Portland's troubling commission form of government. Decisions over issues of importance to the public such as police actions, street maintenance and safety, affordable housing and density should be publicly vetted. Otherwise there can be no public trust in the decision-makers actions. Yes, the contract vote and discussion should have been done openly and in keeping with public meeting laws. The public gets enough secrecy from the feds and state. We don't need it at the local level, too. David Krogh, Southeast Portland * BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE: Public servants should be transparent with the people they serve. Given local and national police violence on its citizens, cover-ups, and systematic corruption, matters with the police should be subject to additional scrutiny, not less. Letting the police cover their tracks and develop excuses and alibis by not immediately making body camera footage available violates at least the spirit of the freedom of information act. As digital as Portland is, why can't body cam footage be streamed live? This closed-door vote seemed to move the police away from accountability rather than towards it. Citizens should not fear their own police departments. John E. Brennan, Northeast Portland * 'A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION': The entire process of negotiating this police contract has been devoid of public input and transparency, so in some ways it was only fitting for the final vote to be conducted in a location where the public was forcibly denied a voice. Although it may have been predictable, the mayor's decision to hide and force a hasty vote on an ill-considered contract was not a good decision for our city, especially not for the communities of color who are most likely to be affected by reductions in police accountability. As a current candidate for public office who believes strongly in racial justice, governmental transparency, and police accountability, I am disheartened by the mayor's decision to force this contract through despite enormous community opposition. This contract ties the hands of Mayor-elect Ted Wheeler and removes one of the best leverage tools we have to make police reforms in Portland. More importantly, this decision reiterates to communities of color -- particularly young people of color (who showed up in large numbers to each of the protests) -- that their suggestions and concerns are not valued in a meaningful way in City Hall. Our mayor should be leading the way for our city to have the challenging, often uncomfortable, discussions about the effects of structural racism and how we as a city -- one of the whitest in the United States -- can embrace diversity and live up to our progressive ideals. Last week's decision to curtail and run from those conversations was a step in the wrong direction. James Ofsink, Southeast Portland Ofsink is a candidate for Oregon Senate District 21. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Tots trick-or-treat around Downtown Midland As trick-or-treating begins tonight from 6-8 p.m., the Daily News welcomes parents to send us... Midland man pleads no contest to three felonies Midland man pleads no contest to felonious assault and intent to do great bodily harm less than... Michigan AG announces 1st conviction in Boy Scouts investigation As a result of an ongoing investigation into allegations against adults in the Boy Scouts of... In an effort to boost a local hospitals chance at enhancing the care of its littlest patients, Frankenmuth Credit Union is encouraging people to vote for Covenant Kids in a nationwide video contest. The Love My Credit Union Campaign is a nationwide video contest that invites credit unions and credit union support organizations to create a short video showcasing their good deeds and charitable work. To the editor: Much has happened over the last couple of generations in our country. We have allowed abortion, calling it pro-choice which is actually the killing of innocent babies. Now recently the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed same-sex marriages. The family is no longer the family as we knew it growing up, and it has broken down. Years ago, Mother Teresa saw abortion as the greatest poverty and the cause of other social problems, including violence. We now see so much violence all over the world and in our own country. We have so much division in the United States concerning what is right and what is wrong. Mother Teresa called for withholding our votes for any pro-abortion candidates. We see and read what ISIS (Islamic terrorists) is doing by killing many innocent people all over the world, and we think that it is so terrible. Well it is! But since we are killing millions of innocent babies each year, arent we even worse? Think about it. Mother Teresa called abortion the greatest destroyer of peace. So this country will not have peace until we turn away from our wicked ways, and turn back to God. Our president and Hillary Clinton support abortion, forcing us to pay taxes for Planned Parenthood. They do not want to recognize radical Islamic terrorism, and Obama says Islam is a religion of peace. Obama is very biased when speaking about Islam and Christianity. He defends Islam and he condemns Christianity. Just look at what has happened in our country prayer was taken out of school and our freedom of religion (especially Christianity) is being attacked relentlessly. Former Atlanta fire chief Kelvin Cochran was unjustly fired because of his religious beliefs. Five pastors in Houston, Texas, had their sermons subpoenaed as part of a campaign by the mayor to silence them on moral issues. I could go on and on with more examples. What has happened to religious freedom in our country? I ask people to pray and ask God to guide them to the truth. LARRY ADAMCIK Midland Air force leadership from nations throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region gathered here Oct. 12 through 14 to discuss how their militaries can partner together and leverage airpower to confront regional challenges. The symposium, hosted by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, invited Gen. Terrence J. OShaughnessy, Pacific Air Force commander, as a guest speaker for the forum and he started off by commending the U.S. and Japan relationship. This indeed is a momentous year for our two nations as it marks the 65th anniversary of our strong alliance and allowing us the opportunity to share our thoughts in a gathering of such distinguished fellow airmen from so many partner nations, OShaughnessy said. 2030 is only 14 years away and while we cant predict with great detail what the future will look like, we all certainly are shaping that future as leaders in our air forces. The decisions we make today will have lasting impacts on our air and overall military capabilities well into the future. Our partnership and collaboration are fundamental to the future of air power and its contribution to regional security. Our gathering here today is a great testament to the fact that, despite the diversity and vastness of our Indo-Asia-Pacific region, as airmen, we have much in common. While in Tokyo, the air chiefs also attended the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition. With 792 Japanese and international companies, the event displayed commercial and military technology, from new air turbine components to a life-sized display of the first F-35A that JASDF recently received. A couple weeks ago, I was privileged to be with General Sugiyama in Fort Worth, Texas, where he accepted Japans first F-35, OShaughnessy said. The rollout ceremony in Fort Worth was a symbolic start to our collaboration in a new dimension, the 5th generation arena. Together with other F-35 coalition nations, this is the beginning of a new era in air power. According to OShaughnessy, regional security and prosperity are all goals that the nations share together; that the nations should work together to deepen interoperability. From working level airman to larger multilateral exercises like Red Flag-Alaska or Cope North and everything in-between, our air forces learn valuable lessons from each other, OShaughnessy said. Exercises and engagements like these not only build capability and understanding among us. It also sends a strong message to our adversaries and potential adversaries. The Indo-Asia-Pacific is our home. Its success will ultimately come from how we work together, how we leverage our individual strengths to achieve our common aspirations. Just like sports, everyone on the team brings a unique capability or talent. LYONS, Colo. How to set a tone of woodsy chic at a four-course candlelight dinner served under the stars in the Colorado foothills: Live musicians and flowers, check. Award-winning cuisine, check. Beer and wine pairings with each course, check. Marijuana pairings? Oh, yes. The 100 diners at this $200-a-plate dinner smoked a citrus-smelling marijuana strain to go with a fall salad with apples, dates and bacon, followed by a darker, sweeter strain of pot to accompany a main course of slow-roasted pork shoulder in a mole sauce with charred root vegetables and rice. And with dessert? Marijuana-infused chocolate, of course, grated over salted caramel ice cream and paired with coffee infused with non-intoxicating hemp oil. The diners received small glass pieces and lighters to smoke the pairings, or they could have their marijuana rolled into joints by professional rollers set up next to a bartender pouring wine. Welcome to fine dining in Weed Country. The marijuana industry is trying to move away from its pizza-and-Doritos roots as folks explore how to safely serve marijuana and food. Chefs are working with marijuana growers to chart the still-very-unscientific world of pairing food and weed. And a proliferation of mass-market cheap pot is driving professional growers to develop distinctive flavors and aromas to distinguish themselves in a crowded market. "We talk with the (marijuana) grower to understand what traits they saw in the marijuana ... whether it's earthy notes, citrus notes, herbal notes, things that we could play off," said Corey Buck, head of catering for Blackbelly Restaurant, a top-rated farm-to-table restaurant that provided the meal. The grower of one of the pot strains served at the dinner, Alex Perry, said it won't be long until marijuana's flavors and effects are parsed as intently as wine profiles. But that's in the future, he conceded. "It's still looked down upon as a not-very-sophisticated thing," said Perry, who grew a strain called Black Cherry Soda for his company, Headquarters Cannabis. Holding his nose to a small jar of marijuana, Perry said, "If I asked my mom or my dad what they smell, they're going to say, 'skunk,' or, 'It smells like marijuana.' But it's like wine or anything else. There's more flavor profile there." But chefs and pot growers trying to explore fine dining with weed face a legal gauntlet to make pot dinners a reality, even where the drug is as legal as beer. Colorado's marijuana retailers can't also sell food, so guests at this dinner had to buy a separate $25 "goodie bag" from a dispensary for the pot pairings. The bags came with tiny graters for diners to shave the pot chocolate onto their ice cream themselves; the wait staff could not legally serve a dish containing pot, even though the event was private and limited to people over 21. Diners were shuttled to and from the event by private bus, to avoid potentially stoned drivers leaving the dinner. Marijuana dining may become more accessible in coming months, though. Denver voters this fall will consider a proposal to allow marijuana use at some bars and restaurants as long as the drug isn't smoked, with the potential for new outdoor marijuana smoking areas. NORMAL A Bloomington man charged with eight counts of sexually abusing several teenage boys in Bloomington and Normal has been arrested in California. Bloomington police said after four months on the run, Deondre Watts, 24, was arrested Monday in Sacramento by members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force. Watts was wanted on a McLean County warrant for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor boy while serving in a position of trust or authority between June 1 and July 31, 2015 in Bloomington. A second victim was allegedly abused by Watts in Normal between April 1 and Nov. 30, 2015, according to the charges. Watts was charged with eight counts of sexual abuse on June 17 in McLean County, but authorities were unable to find him. At that time, authorities asked the public for help in locating him and also possibly identifying other victims. Bond has been set at $500,000 in the sexual abuse case, meaning Watts must post $50,035 to be released. Normal Police Lt. Paul Smith told The Pantagraph previously that the investigation started in February when an adult reported the alleged abuse to Bloomington police. Watts is currently awaiting extradition back to McLean County. BLOOMINGTON The lawyer for murder suspect Kirk Zimmerman has asked a judge to seal documents and close the courtroom to the media and public for arguments on whether certain evidence should be barred from his trial. Zimmerman is charged with first-degree murder in the November 2014 shooting death of his former wife, Pamela Zimmerman. She was found by police with multiple gunshot wounds in her east Bloomington office. In his motions filed Monday, St. Louis defense lawyer John Rogers described certain potential evidence as "sensitive, private, and/or inflammatory information about defendant and about others who may be called as witnesses or who are otherwise connected to defendant." Disclosure of the information, which may be barred from trial, "would irreparably taint the jury pool for this case," Rogers argued in his motion. In a companion motion, Rogers asks that the courtroom also be closed to the media and public during arguments on the potential evidence. Because the information has not been introduced as evidence and may never be deemed admissible, "the media and public have no right to the information at this time," the defense argued. Opposing the closure motions, Springfield media lawyer Don Craven cited a 4th District Appellate Court ruling related to the 2003 DeWitt County murder case of Maurice LaGrone, who was convicted of drowning three children in a car submerged in Clinton Lake. A judge granted a defense motion to close pretrial hearings, but the ruling was reversed in the appellate court. "There is a presumption of access to such hearings, and that specific factual findings must be made to close the hearing," Craven said. "A general fear that a jury pool will be tainted is not enough." McLean County State's Attorney Jason Chambers said Tuesday that "at this point we will let the judge address these issues" related to the requests to seal records and the courtroom. Rogers gave Judge Scott Drazewski and First Assistant State's Attorney Adam Ghrist advance notice during a Sept. 27 hearing that the petitions to keep the potential evidence secret would be filed. Rogers denied that the state wants to move Zimmerman's trial outside of McLean County. Zimmerman "does not desire a change of venue, and a change of venue at this point would hamper the efforts of both parties and consideration of judicial economy, and would result in prejudice," said the motion. In other recently filed pretrial motions, Rogers asked that statements made by witnesses about Zimmerman's relationship with his 53-year-old former spouse be excluded. Statements gathered by police during their investigation from people who knew the couple are potentially damaging to Zimmerman, according to the defense. Among those who talked to police was Scott Baldwin, the man who had become engaged to Pam Zimmerman days before her death. He told police Kirk Zimmerman did not want his ex-wife to be successful or happy. Zimmerman's lawyer also is seeking to exclude the opinions some witnesses may have about Zimmerman's personality and his alleged capacity to commit murder. Those opinions were solicited by Bloomington police detectives during their witness interviews, Rogers argued. One woman who knew Pam Zimmerman described the suspect as "quiet, very strange and a distant, odd bird," according to court records. In another example cited by Rogers, Zimmerman was described as anti-social, spending most of his time in the basement playing video games. The 57-year-old suspect has apparently maintained a strong base of support, with his three children and his girlfriend beside him since his release a year ago after posting $200,035. His two teenage daughters reside with him at his home where he is confined under the terms of a pretrial release order. A Nov. 21 hearing is scheduled for arguments on defense motions. BLOOMINGTON Around 2,500 District 87 students were granted access to the shelves and databases at Bloomington Public Library this week as a way to boost literacy appreciation and learning opportunities. Through a partnership with the Bloomington school district, any student without a library card received a student card. With the card, students can check out up to three print items at a time, use the BPL computers, have access to all online library resources and use the librarys teenZone area. Were really excited about this partnership (with District 87) because it gets cards into the hands of students who havent necessarily had them before, said library Director Jeanne Hamilton. Sometimes the library is the best-kept secret in town. Hamilton said District 87 teachers will promote BPL resources historic databases, eBooks, newspaper archives and reference collections in classrooms. There are teachers who use the school media specialist as a go-between with the public library to bring more books and resources into the classroom, said Bloomington Junior High School library media specialist Jessie Nicoson. By having their own library card, students can go and pull books themselves, which can lead them to see something else theyre interested in. Nicoson said the initiative sends a message that reading is important, even outside of school. A lot of students dont have the opportunity to check out books unless its during the school year, said Nicoson. And its not just about books; there are a lot of programs they have access to like databases, online tutoring and incentivized reading programs. She hopes to see the library connection expand with frequent field trips to BPL. A library is like a shopping center, said Nicoson. Students can explore and find books themselves outside the classroom. There is a whole world of shopping to be done in a library." Students can upgrade to a full-access library card, which increases the limit of checked-out items and allows students to check out video games, DVDs and CDs. To upgrade, students must visit the library with a parent with photo ID and proof of Bloomington address. Finland's Forest and Paper Industry Continues Structural Change Oct. 19, 2016 - According to a forecast released in early October by the Finnish research firm PTT, Finland's forest industry investments will increase the export of pulp and paperboard this and next year. However, the average export prices will decline. The diminution of the production and export of paper in Finland will continue strong. High demand in China maintains a positive outlook for the export of sawn timber. Demand is growing also because of activation of the construction industry in Finland and in Europe. Pulp and paperboard exports on the increase The production and export of paper in Finland will reduce by 57 per cent this year and 34 per cent next year. This is explained by downward trend in demand, already realized by the conversion of paper machines into paperboard machines and other capacity closures. No significant change in the average export price of paper is expected. A more significant increase would require more closures of machines in Europe and a pronounced rebound in the economy. Despite diminishing production, the paper industry still produces about 40 per cent of the export revenue of the Finnish forest industry. In Finland, the production volume of paperboard will rise this and next year significantly because of expanding production capacity. However, the average export price will decrease. Decrease in export prices of pulp Pulp exports from Finland will grow both 2016 and 2017 due to increase in production capacity. There's increase in capacity in other countries as well, and especially the supply of eucalyptus pulp will be higher than before. Increase in the supply of northern softwood pulp (NBSK), important to Finnish forest industry, is quite moderate in the forecast period. However, the overall increase in supply will lead to lower prices in NBSK as well. The export price in Finland in 2016 will be 7-8 percent lower than last year. The new Metsa Group bioproduct mill in Aanekoski will start production in autumn 2017 and therefore its effects considering Finnish exports or global pricing of pulp are not fully realized in the forecast period. Also, the forest industry company UPM will increase its production of pulp in the forecast period. New records in sawnwood exports Sawnwood exports from Finland will increase significantly in 2016 compared to 2015 and will reach new record levels. The increase in demand is especially due to the positive trend in Chinese markets for spruce sawn softwood. The production of sawnwood will increase by 5 percent this year. Increasing construction activity will also raise demand for sawnwood in the domestic market. Downward trend in Finland's average sawnwood export price, already two years ongoing, will reverse only in 2017. Growing demand for wood products in main export markets as well as domestic market will increase the production of sawn softwood next year by 3-4 percent. SOURCE: PTT (www.ptt.fi) A class-action lawsuit against Michigan state and the Flint school district was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) at the federal court on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Fifteen plaintiffs have been named in the case, with the ACLU representing 11 families and over 30,000 children. It claims that the state and school districts violated three laws on education. The filing of the lawsuit comes nearly a year following the expose on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. It alleges that the local government was liable for exposing school children to lead poisoning. It also alleges that the school districts didn't properly provide students with the right tools to counter learning disabilities brought by lead poisoning. ACLU cites that school districts in Michigan should have considered these kids for special needs education and have allocated the resources. Instead, the kids were either suspend or expelled, which has led to a high number of incidence in Flint school districts. "There isn't anything being done to help kids," Kary Moss of ACLU said, according to CNN. "We have parents asking for their kids to be assessed and that's not being done for months. There's not vision or hearing screening," the director of ACLU added. Specifically, ACLU said that the Michigan state and school districts violated laws like Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. It is asking the courts to let Michigan school districts halt suspensions and expulsions because these are illegal. It is also asking the state to come up with remedies and special monitoring for the children, especially for ages 3-years-old to 5-years-old. The full details to the lawsuit is found at the ACLU site. The state nor Michigan's Department of Education has not commented on the lawsuit. However, a spokesperson said that the governor's office has been coordinating with schools with regards water safety and has allocated a budget for this. Three teenagers, all from Oshawa, disguised as clowns ended up in Oshawa police station after being reported to have been causing trouble and scaring people in the area of Taunton Road and Simcoe Street North, Durham authorities said. Now, the three clown teens are charged with attempt to scare the public and reckless driving. Police said that on Friday, around 3:30 p.m., they received reports about a suspicious car in the area of Simcoe Street and Taunton Road, as of CP24. Immediately they went to the area. They found one female teenager, 18, and two male teenagers, both 19, who were accused by witnesses causing a nuisance in the area. "Witnesses called police after observing a grey Saturn with three occupants, all of them wearing clown masks, stopping near other cars and pedestrians in a dangerous manner," police said according to Toronto Sun. According to the witnesses, the two masked passengers in the car were spotted opening the car doors and attempting to scare others and leaning out the car windows while the car was moving, the Toronto Sun also noted as per the Police. After hearing the stories of the witnesses, the authorities right away stopped the grey Saturn and charged the three teen clowns. The 19-year-old male teen is charged with reckless driving and attempt to scare the public, while his two companions, an 18-year-old female teen and a 19-year-old male teen are charged with attempt to scare the public, according to Global News. Durham authorities announced that they have already responded to 31 calls of creepy clown sightings since the beginning of October, according to Global news. The craze involves people disguising as clowns to scare innocent people. Threatening, scary clown sightings have been increasing over the last couple of weeks, according to Heavy.com. In fact, at least 40 U.S. states have had odd clown sightings so far, and the number keeps increasing, the report added. This is not the only time it happened in Toronto. Here's a video showing another prank that took place in Toronto School. Photo: (Photo : Dustin Campbell) The National Home Education Research Institute reveals that there are many other countries practicing homeschooling all around the world. When homeschooling started to take off in the 80s, it was mostly religious families leading the way. Things have changed, though. There are now many different families homeschooling their children for different reasons. When we lived in the Philippines, we found a preschool that we really enjoyed. Our kids had a blast and learned a lot. We had built personal relationships with our children's teachers and the school's administration. Then our eldest daughter was about to enter into first grade. So we started looking for a school. In the Philippines, it seems if you want a quality school, you are thinking of a private school. The truth is we were willing to pay for it. We visited different schools and learned about our options. Nonetheless, we never found a school we felt comfortable with. That is when we started to consider homeschooling. In the city where we lived we didn't know anyone who homeschooled. We did some research and learned about different curriculums out there. We found one we liked and we started out. From there we learned about all of the other advantages we gained. What are the advantages of homeschooling? I do a lot of travel for my work. Sometimes I can be gone for weeks. With homeschooling we are not tied down to a school. If it works out I can bring my family, then they come. Also due to a lot of circumstances outside of our control, my family has had to move 11 times in the past 15 years, three times internationally (I do not advice this). Since we did homeschool our kids, their schooling was not affected as it could have been. Actually, in spite of all the moving, all of our kids had advanced at least one whole school year. Now for us, homeschooling works. I don't see us changing that any time soon. Homeschooling, though, is not for everybody. I was talking to a friend of mine who used to have his kids homeschooled. Many days when he would get home, he would found his wife and daughters crying. His daughters were falling behind and his wife was stressed. After discussing this over with his wife, they decided to put their girls in a private school. They were processing which school to enroll their girls, and he asked them which school they would like to attend. They answered, "Any school but homeschool." After they started attending a private school they excelled and did well. So let's get to the big question -- Is homeschooling right for you? You may be considering homeschooling for a list of different reasons. I don't know what your reasons are, but here are some things you need to consider: 1- Start with proper time management. If you are going to homeschool your child/children, you are going to need one parent to be at home overseeing and teaching. That means you can't have two parents working a job, unless you are going to hire someone. 2- Do your homework. Find out what are the laws for homeschooling in your area. In the United States, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but they all have different laws regarding it. Find out what they are. Also learn about any homeschooling programs happening in your area. Does the public school have a program for your child to join sports? Find and talk to other parents who homeschool in your area and learn from them. 3- Be ready for the challenge. Do you (as a parent) have the temperament for it? Your patience will be tested, I promise. 4- How does your child learn? Every child is different. Some children will learn better at home with a custom curriculum than they ever would in a school. Others do better in a school environment. Learn your child's strengths and weaknesses. Find out their learning style. Also if you are considering homeschooling, there is a wide range of cost out there. Some states have programs that cover or offset some of those cost. So it will help to do some research. Homeschooling could be good for you. But learn as much as possible before you decide. For more information, please check out these sites: Facts on Homeschooling How Homeschooling is Changing America Homeschool Laws in Your State Simple Homeschool Dustin Campbell is a proud father of three active children. As a family, they lived in the Philippines, Thailand, and currently the United States. Dustin has been speaking and teaching internationally on a wide range of topics for the past 20 years, including on relationships and marriage. Dustin and his wife Haydee, with their beautiful kids, currently reside in North Carolina. Save The twin boys conjoined at the head from Ohio but are now in New York City were successfully separated via a 27-hour operation. They are now recovering but it is a long way of recovery. The parents or the twin boys, Nicole and Christian McDonald, said in a recent statement that they are relieved but still hoping for the best. In a recent interview with Nicole and Christian, they told CNN that one of the 13-month-old twins, Jadon, was able to move his left arm up to his mouth. Nicole said that it was a wave of relief for them and is a kind of relief they have never experienced in the past. According to Nicole, after Jadon got out of surgery at 7 A.M. on Friday until 2 P.M. on Monday, he was only able to move his right side. Although it was just normal for Jadon to not feel anything on his right side, his parents were concerned that he would not regain movement. Jadon has also shown more progress the next day. He reportedly started to grab at his breathing tube on Tuesday morning as he tried to pull it off. He has also smiled as his parents when he saw them. The other twin, Anias, however, has more recovery to do. He reportedly continues to have more seizures and is being treated with the medication Keppra and Ativan. These are used for seizures that last longer than 30 minutes. Anias' surgery lasted six hours longer than that of Jadon due to breathing problems and heart issues. The father of the twins, Christian, said that they are taking it one day at a time and dwell more on the positive things. Nicole also said that if she stays patient, she will see the same type of progress for Anias. Anias was able to open his eyes since the surgery. Doctors also said that the heart rate and blood pressure of Anias calms whenever his mother is near. Morning Ledger reported that Jadon and Anias were born in Chicago in September. The head doctor in charge of the operation told the parents of the boys that the children will have to go back to being a month old and re-learn a lot of things such as walking and rolling around. A GoFundMe page for the twin boys now has more than $260,000 in donation. Nicole and Christian are now asking other people who want to donate to give the money to a friend of theirs instead whose child needs kidney transplant. Obesity has long been a problem in the society, affecting more kids and teenagers. In the United States, one in six children and adolescents is reportedly obese. In a recent epidemiological study published online in Childhood Obesity, researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine found that children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to be obese during adolescence compared to non-ASD kids. Based on the email sent to Parent Herald, the study was spearheaded by Morton A. Madoff professor and Boston's Tufts School of Medicine public health and community medicine Dr. Aviva Must. In the study, experts found the rate of obesity remains steady with children ages 10 to 17 who are suffering from ASD versus the decreasing rate in children who are not suffering from autism. It was also revealed that there was no significant increase in the prevalence of obesity prevalence children with ASD. Unfortunately, the prevalence of obesity in non-ASD children was reduced by 50 percent. The Tufts University School of Medicine research also highlighted obesity discrepancies by gender and by race. Researchers observed that obesity in kids with ASD is more prevalent in boys than in girls over their adolescent stage. In connection with race and ethnicity, obesity is more predominant in white, non-Hispanic children with ASD. Childhood obesity may have long term health effects for people suffering from ASD. Experts stressed several factors should be tested for their potential role in maintaining the obesity rate observed with the school. According to Linda Bandini, Ph.D., associate professor at UMass Medical School's Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center and department of health sciences, Boston University and director of the HWRN, these factors to consider with obesity in children with autism are: sensory sensitivity, the need for routine or sameness, behavioral rigidity, use of food as a reward, mealtime and parental stresses. Bandini also added that "exercise for many teens comes in the form of competitive sports, in which children with developmental disabilities are less likely to take part." Meanwhile, further research and qualitative approaches could be done to better understand the influence of behavioral and sociodemographic factors on the prevalence of obesity among children with ASD. The latest study came after initial reports show that children with developmental disabilities, which include ASD, have higher risk of being obese. "Children with developmental disabilities face unique challenges and are not always served by health interventions aimed at those without disorders such as ASD," Must said. "The complexity of their medical needs is both why particular attention should be paid to their circumstances and why it is difficult to do so." What are your thoughts about the prevalence of obesity in children with autism? Sound off below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates. The five-state search for abducted 4-year-old Rebecca Lewis came to an end after a hospital assistant in Tennessee helped rescue the child. Kaytlin Brown, a clinical assistant at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, saw Lewis and her alleged kidnapper, West Hogs, while she was walking down a hallway at the hospital on Oct. 10. Lewis went missing from her bed in her Lakeland, Florida home on Saturday, Oct. 8, People reported from a news release from the Polk County, Florida, Sheriff's Office. Brown, 23, told People that she saw Lewis' photo in an AMBER Alert poster via Facebook moments before seeing the child with Hogs. Brown walked by the two one more time before informing her father Carey McIllwain, a board runner at the hospital, of what she had seen. Brown and McIllwain approached Lewis and Hogs together. Brown recalled that Hogs was holding the toddler's hand while keeping his head down to hide his face. Afterward, Brown and McIllwain informed security and contacted Memphis police. Authorities arrested Hogs without incident just as he and Lewis were exiting the hospital's parking lot, according to CNN. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee had all issued Amber Alerts about Lewis' abduction. Brown said that Lewis "didn't seem too fazed" about the whole thing. "I don't know if she really knew what was going on. That makes me even happier that she was so unfazed, because it's such a terrible memory to [live with]," Brown further told People. Luther Lewis and Melissa Schell, Rebecca's parents, told police that they hadn't seen Hogs in the past two years before he surprisingly visited their home on Oct. 7, NBC reported. Luther and Schell told reporters at a news conference that they grew up with Hogs and that they considered him as part of their family. The two, however, claimed that Hogs' nature changed after he went through brain surgery a number of years ago. Hogs' family told authorities that he has depression and bipolar disorder, according to Donna Wood, spokeswoman for the Polk County, Florida, Sheriff's Office. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said that Hogs has no criminal history and does not appear to be violent. He also lived with the Lewis family in the past - a time when the young Rebecca was just an infant - but he took out a gun on the family "so the mama ran him off," CNN added. Lewis was sent back to Florida and reunited with her parents on Oct. 11. Hogs was extradited from Tennessee to South County, Florida on Oct. 13, with burglary and kidnapping as his charges. He has a $100,000 bond. George Clooney and wife Amal Alamuddin pregnancy rumors have been a hot topic online recently. However, things quickly turned sour after new reports started to claim that the actor's barrister wife has started to be a diva once again. This time, the alleged incident happened in a meeting with a UN Ambassador. If rumors are true, George Clooney and wife Amal Alamuddin should learn how to be careful with their actions since they are both public figures. As Celeb Dirty Laundry reported, Amal reportedly disrespected Iraqi UN ambassador Ali Alhakim. The international human rights lawyer used a very "dismissive" and "lecturing" tone at the ambassador all while she reportedly brought in her own camera crew without any permission. The publication continued to share that Amal even demanded to meet the prime minister. After the ruckus, sources claimed that Amal was escorted out of the event because of the trouble that ensued because of her. This was not the first time George and wife Amal landed in boiling water for the barrister's attitude. While no one really knows if these rumors are true, sources claim that all the speculations about the Clooneys should be taken with a grain of salt. Meanwhile, it was previously reported that George Clooney and wife Amal have purchased a new home in an upscale Manhattan. As Page Six noted, the couple bought a lush Manhattan condo worth $65M. Their new 6,760 square feet property allegedly has four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. While it was not disclosed why the couple purchased a new property, many have started to think that this could be their first step to start their own family. As Celeb Dirty Laundry previously noted, Amal is not really comfortable living in L.A. Stay tuned for more George Clooney and wife Amal Alamuddin pregnancy updates here! This service is a courtesy for our print subscribers to give them access to our online edition at no additional cost. If you haven't registered on the new site, you must do it now before you do anything else. Samsung has already agreed to compensate their Note7 component partners so that they don't lose financially for Samsung's battery issues. Well, in part at least. A new Korean report today states that "Samsung Electronics is planning to compensate for all of its partners' Galaxy Note 7 components that are in stock in order to lessen and minimize any financial loss for rear-end industries due to discontinuation of Galaxy Note 7. Its partners are welcoming compensations since they will be able to lessen financial burdens. Samsung Electronics made the announcement yesterday that it would be compensating for all of Galaxy Note 7's finished and half-finished components that are in stock and subsidiary materials that were prepared to produce such components. Samsung Electronics is going to check how much components are in stock and compensate its partners as soon as possible. It is heard that there are about 70 businesses that are associated with compensations from Samsung Electronics, and about $267 million (300 billion KRW) are going to be compensated to them." Team Leader (Vice-President) Park Jong-seo of Samsung Electronics Wireless Business Department Purchasing Team said in a statement that "We are sorry that we have caused financial trouble for our partners due to discontinuation of Galaxy Note 7." But that doesn't resolve the larger problem with some suppliers. The report further noted that sales of the Note7 were expected to snowball going forward as the product reached foreign markets. Even though Samsung's suppliers invested a huge amount of time and effort into development of components, business opportunities for them disappeared due to its discontinuation. Especially businesses that have prepared to produce components such as iris-recognition cameras or digitizers for Galaxy Note 7 are now facing a problem regarding what they should do with facilities that are supposed to produce such components. One of Samsung's suppliers said that "Even if businesses reinforce their production lines and employees, they are going to have financial burdens if major source of sales for them disappears." To ease some of that pain, Samsung Electronics announced that it would actively examine into assigning supplies of other Smartphones for its partners that are suffering due to reduction of sales. It also added that it will prepare separate measures for facilities that were set up just for Galaxy Note 7 so that they can be used for other models. While the discontinuation of Samsung's Galaxy Note7 has caused havoc and financial headaches for many of their manufacturing and component partners, customers who trusted Samsung seem to have gotten the short end of the stick. Many Samsung customers are bitterly complaining that Samsung is far too slow in assisting them in getting properly compensated for fires the Note7 caused in their homes. We covered this aspect of the ongoing Samsung crisis in our first report today titled "Compounding Problems for Samsung Could Escalate into a Wider Disaster." We noted in our earlier report that "Jonathan Bernstein, an expert in crisis communications criticized Samsung's handling of the debacle by saying that "Samsung's recall crisis management has been as defective as its product." He believes that the South Korean company needs to be far more compassionate and responsive towards affected customers. Bernstein added that "Sticking to the letter of insurance cover and doing what's right are two different things. They need to do what's right." That's certainly a measure that most think will never be accomplished. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. Republican Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky made these comments at the Values Voter Summit just over a week ago: Somebody asked me yesterday, I did an interview, Do you think its possible, if Hillary Clinton were to win the election, do you think its possible that well be able to survive, that wed ever be able to recover as a nation? And while there are people who have stood on this stage and said we would not, I would beg to differ. I do think it would be possible, but at what price? At what price? The roots of the tree of liberty are watered by what? The blood of who? The tyrants, to be sure, but who else? The patriots. Whose blood will be shed? It may be that of those in this room. It might be that of our children and grandchildren. I have nine children. It breaks my heart to think that it might be their blood is needed to redeem something, to reclaim something that we, through our apathy and our indifference, have given away. Dont let it happen. Bevin sounds like my father, and like so many other homeschool fathers I grew up knowing in the conservative evangelical community in which I grew up. And thats not a coincidence. Bevin is a homeschool father. The first thing I notice is the insistence that we are are living at a turning point, a moment of high drama and extreme crisis which will determine whether our nation can survive. They say this every election. Do they think we dont remember their dire predictions in 2008? A psychologist would likely have a heyday with this. Theres something there in their desire to believe they live in critically important times. It allows them to see themselves as heroes and as patriots, standing up courageously against the forces of evil. As a quick aside, the heroes in stories like these usually get carted off to jail, watch their friends killed, or otherwise suffer consequences. Whats interesting here is that Bevin (and others like him) create a hero-narrativeand enjoy the rush it gives themwithout actually running the risks faced by those in hero-narratives. Oh, they do think they face consequences. But lets be real. No one is being jailed for being politically conservative, or for being evangelical (and no, Kim Davis doesnt count). The next thing I noticed was the invoking of his nine children. In evangelical homeschool circlesin the circles in which I grew upchildren become politicized and weaponized. In this case Bevin assumes that his children will grow up to share his beliefs and political views, that his children will grow up to fight for his cause in the war he believes may be coming. But they may not. Bevins children may grow up to be LGBT-supporting feminist progressives like me. God help them if they do, because Bevin will not be happy. And yes, I do remember being taught that we might someday need to engage in a literal war against an out-of-control government. What did you think all the guns were for? My family didnt support the second amendment because we liked to hunt. We didnt hunt. We didnt support it for our protection against muggers or murderers either, not really. No, we supported the second amendment so that we would be able to defend ourselves against the government once it had become inimical to our rights. That was why we believed the second amendment had been written (which is odd, now that I think about it, because that is definitely not why it looks like it was written). No matter. We were ready. I should note that this is usually just rhetoric, rhetoric that is recycled again every election. Weve never seen a full-scale uprising like what Bevin describes, butand this is an important butfor decades now there have always been some who take the rhetoric seriously and resort to bloodshed. Timothy McVeigh, for instance, but others that are less known too. Armed militia groups became an increasing problem under Obama, and have grown only further this year. Just last week a Kansas group was caught making bombs intended to blow up local Somali immigrants andthey hopedignite a religious war. Hopefully Bevins words will remain just thatwords. But even words are dangerous. I have a Patreon! Please support my writing! Six-Year Prison Sentence Against Teachers Union Leader Upheld After Pressure by Revolutionary Guards 10/19/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court has upheld the six-year prison sentence against Esmail Abdi, the chairman of the Iranian Teachers Trade Association, confirmed Abdi in an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Esmail Abdi, the chairman of the Iranian Teachers Trade Association Abdi said he believed the Appeals Courts decision was influenced by several alleged violations added to the indictment by the Sarallah Headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards. The alleged events, which took place while he was free on bail, were purely professional and not political in nature, said Abdi. According to a ruling delivered to my lawyer on October 7 (2016), the six-year prison sentence issued by the preliminary court has been upheld on appeal, he said. I have been given the maximum punishment for two charges: one year for propaganda against the state and five years for collusion against national security. Screenshot of document on Judiciarys site listing additional accusations against Abdi to influence Appeals Courts verdict On June 1 (2016) my lawyer and I appeared at Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court. At the end of the trial I asked for sentencing to be postponed so I could have a chance to show that our activities were purely professional and not political in nature. The Sarallah Headquarters, as the detaining authority, has had the wrong impression of our activities and has claimed that they were political in nature and directed against the state, Abdi told the Campaign. The labor rights leader was arrested on June 27, 2015 by the Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Organization, a week after being barred from leaving Iran to attend an international teachers conference in Canada. In his preliminary trial, Abdi was sentenced in February 2016 to six years in prison by Judge Abolqasem Salavati of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court for propaganda against the state and collusion against national security. Abdi said the Revolutionary Guards had petitioned the Appeals Court alleging he had broken the terms of his conditional release by visiting fellow labor activist Jafar Azimzadeh in the hospital. The Sarallah Headquarters added a statement to my case that after my release on bail I did not stop my trade union activities. As examples, they mentioned my visits with Mr. Azimzadeh and my interviews with domestic and foreign media, he said. Abdi was detained four times by security forces between 2006 and 2009 for his peaceful activism, and in 2011 he was given a 10-year suspended prison sentence by the Tehran Revolutionary Court for propaganda against the state and revealing information about security matters. Labor activism in Iran is seen as a national security offense; independent labor unions are not allowed to function, strikers are often fired and risk arrest, and labor leaders are consistently prosecuted under catchall national security charges and sentenced to long prison terms. In addition to Abdi, several senior members of the Teachers Trade Association of Iran have been arrested, jailed or sent into exile, including Mahmoud Beheshti Langroudi, Ali Akbar Baghani, and Rasoul Bodaghi. Samsungs problems with lawsuits from alleged victims of overheating batteries in the Galaxy Note7 smartphone could get compounded by consumers suing for compensation of carrier charges. The three plaintiffs in a proposed class action lawsuit in a New Jersey federal court are not suing for compensation for personal or property damage from the at times overheating and even exploding Note7 smartphones. Instead, they are asking the South Korean phone maker to compensate users for the time it took Samsung to replace and eventually discontinue the Note7s, which resulted in users having to pay for device and plan charges to cellular operators for phones they could not safely use. Samsung initially introduced an exchange program for the Note7 on Sept. 2 and eventually withdrew the product on Oct. 10 after problems were found in the replacement phones as well. The company has tried to retain Note7 customers by offering bill credits of up to US$100 to users exchanging their phones with its own smartphones. It also offered users of the phone a refund or an exchange for a Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, besides the option of a replacement with a new Note7. Interestingly the lawsuit does not refer to the bill credits and the option of a refund, which was introduced under a recall announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Sept. 15. The consumers discontinued using their Note7s only to find that Samsung did not have replacement smartphones available, according to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Newark division by users John Waudby, Robert Spuntak and Mohamad Ibrahim. Samsung instead informed consumers that they would have to wait several days, and even weeks in many cases, before receiving a replacement smartphone, the complaint said. It was not until September 21 that Samsung announced that it would begin the Note7 exchanges nationwide. And even on that date, only an estimated 500,000 replacement devices had arrived in the United States, according to the complaint, which claims that as of Sept. 27, about 40 percent of the unsafe Note7s sold in South Korea and the U.S. still had not been replaced with new devices. For about three weeks or more, consumers were left without the safe use of smartphones that they had purchased, during which period they continued to incur monthly device and plan charges associated with their Note7s, the complainants state in the filing. By Oct. 10, Samsung announced that it was discontinuing the Galaxy Note7 and a few days later announced an expanded recall of all Note7 phones. The plaintiffs are seeking to represent a nationwide class of persons and entities in the U.S. who purchased or leased a Samsung Galaxy Note7, or in the alternative separate state sub-classes of users in Nevada, Pennsylvania and California, the three states of which the plaintiffs are residents. The complaint, which seeks an unspecified damages award from the court, charges that Samsung made material misstatements and omissions about the availability of replacement Note7s, and as a result the three plaintiffs and class members were fraudulently induced to continue incurring and paying monthly charges and fees for their Note7s, which they could neither use nor replace. Samsung did not immediately comment on the lawsuit. Yahoo is asking that the U.S. government set the record straight on requests for user data, following reports saying the internet company has secretly scanned customer emails for terrorism-related information. On Wednesday, Yahoo sent a letter to the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, saying the company has been unable to respond to news articles earlier this month detailing the alleged government-mandated email scanning. Your office, however, is well positioned to clarify this matter of public interest, the letter said. The scanning allegedly involved searching through the email accounts of every Yahoo user and may have gone beyond other U.S. government requests for information, according to a report from Reuters. However, Yahoo has called the Reuters report misleading. The mail scanning described in the article does not exist on our systems, the company said. A separate report from The New York Times suggested the email scanning was done on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice and meant to probe for signs of code belonging to a foreign terrorist group. The recent news stories on the email scanning have provoked broad speculation about Yahoo and U.S. government activities, the internet company said in its letter. Although Yahoo respects the need for confidentiality, the company is urging more transparency over how the U.S. government goes about legally obtaining users private communications. Transparency underpins the ability of any company in the information and communications technology sector to earn and preserve the trust of its customers, the letter said. Yahoo has agreed to be sold off to Verizon as part of $4.8 billion deal. But the internet companys value may have diminished on news of the secret email scanning and a massive data breach publicized in September. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. UPDATE: Turns out the attorney general will be helping out Democratic Assembly candidate Abigail Medina prior to visiting Corona. Harris is scheduled to stop by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 12, 1647 W. Lugonia Ave. in Redlands, at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Medina campaign. ORIGINAL POST: California Attorney General and if the polls are right future U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris will be in Corona on Sunday, Oct. 23 to show support for Democratic Assembly candidate Sabrina Cervantes, the Cervantes campaign announced in a Facebook post. Harris, a Democrat, will be at the Cervantes campaign headquarters, Suite 111, 1411 Rimpau Ave., at 2:30 p.m., the post read. For additional information or to RSVP, email cervantesforassembly@gmail.com or call 760-501-5388. Cervantes, the district director for Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, is running against Assemblyman Eric Linder, R-Corona, in the 60th Assembly District, which includes Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley and part of the city of Riverside. A win by Cervantes would put the Democrats one step closer to re-gaining the two-thirds legislative supermajority in Sacramento needed to pass tax increases and other measures without GOP support. Cervantes could get a boost from the district having about 4,400 more Democratic voters than Republicans, and higher voter turnout in presidential election years tends to help Democrats. Linder enjoys the support of Sheriff Stan Sniff, District Attorney Mike Hestrin, public safety unions, four of Riverside Countys five supervisors and in a twist, Service Employees International Union, which had not endorsed a GOP candidate in more than 20 years. The city of San Bernardino entered the final stage of its bankruptcy case in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, with a confirmation hearing that the city and its thousands of creditors have awaited for more than four years. A hearing Friday was the first in a series that city officials expect will culminate in the city exiting bankruptcy by about March. A plan that includes paying certain creditors only 1 cent for every dollar theyre owed was for the most part tentatively confirmed. This is a momentous day, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Meredith Jury said Friday. Jury ruled the city had met most of its requirements and added that she does not think the city should worry that she wont confirm the rest at a later hearing. Jury reserved judgment on two substantial issues, which are related. One regards a major dispute between the city and the Big Independent Cities Excess Pool, which provides liability coverage for the city, and the other concerns possible lawsuits involving individual employees such as police accused of excessive force. Those issues will be addressed beginning Nov. 15. Paul Glassman, the citys bankruptcy attorney, took a moment at the beginning of the hearing to mark the milestone of the first confirmation hearing. The very first hearing in this case back in August of 2012, I told the court that the day that the city entered Chapter 9 (bankruptcy) was a solemn day, he said. But since that day, the city has come a long way down a difficult path and has made great strides forward, thanks to the efforts of a number of people, many of whom are in the courtroom today. I can now say that today is a promise and hope for a better future for the city, Glassman said. Jury praised the city for its progress and said she was convinced by the citys financial models and declarations to show it could not afford to pay more than 1 percent of its debts to unsecured creditors, and she quickly ruled that the plan was feasible since no one submitted arguments objecting to that. Surprisingly, your honor, the aspect of a bankruptcy case thats most often disputed is not disputed in this case, Glassman said. The 1 percent payout didnt sit well with attorney Duane Folke, who appeared in court Friday for the first time on behalf of Paul Triplett. Another court determined that Triplett was entitled to $7.7 million after San Bernardino police in 2006 broke Tripletts jaw, arm, ribs, leg, ankle and foot, leaving him comatose for three days, Folke said. As an unsecured creditor, Triplett would get $77,000 under the plan. My client, unfortunately, given the fact that hes facing blindness, cannot accept the settlement as it stands, Folke said, showing the judge a poster-size photo of Tripletts wounds. Jury said she sympathized with Triplett but saw no legal reason to argue he didnt belong in the unsecured class of creditors, which overwhelmingly voted in favor of the plan. That leaves only the option of showing that the experts the city hired were wrong when they argued, with extensive documentation, that the city couldnt afford to pay more than 1 percent to its unsecured creditors. Other civil rights creditors, with different attorneys, have reached settlements for more than 1 percent but less than 100 percent of the amount they would be owed. San Bernardino filed for bankruptcy protection Aug. 1, 2012, swamped by a deficit of more than $45 million equivalent to 40 percent of the $112 million in revenues the city expects this year and fearing it wouldnt be able to make payroll unless a bankruptcy judge stopped creditors from collecting their debts. Contact the writer: rhagen@scng.comTwitter: @rmhagen Several years after residents began raising health concerns about a contaminated property in Riversides Arlanza area, state and federal health officials will investigate whether the land poses a public threat. The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry announced it will advise the California Department of Public Health on an inquiry into the roughly 60-acre parcel known as the ag park, according to an Oct. 10 letter to Riverside officials. The property between Crest and Rutland avenues was once part of Camp Anza, a World War II troop staging area, and for more than 20 years it was the site of a sewer plant, which closed in 1965. A 2003 sewage spill led to the discovery that the land was contaminated with cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, and it halted plans to build homes. The state Department of Toxic Substances Control is overseeing a second environmental cleanup of the property that is now underway. HEALTH CHECKS This spring, Riverside officials asked the federal disease agency to look into residents fears that contaminated dirt from the sewer plant site has blown into the neighborhood and caused rashes, cancer and other illnesses. Officials with the federal and state health agencies could not be reached for comment Tuesday, Oct. 18. The disease registry agencys letter said it would oversee an investigation by the state public health department. It was not immediately clear whether health officials would request blood or other tests or health records from residents near the site, but neighborhood activist Marilyn Whitney said she and others are willing to provide samples and share their medical histories. Whitney has been using a neighborhood map to track health complaints and deaths of people and pets. She said residents are concerned that the health investigation wont be thorough. If theyre going to give us a line and just say, Were going to give you a general physical, thats not going to cover anything, she said. City Manager John Russo said state and federal health officials havent explained how theyll conduct the study, but he hopes it will determine whether neighbors health issues are out of the ordinary based on age and other demographics, and whether theres evidence of a link to the ag park contamination. In light of residents persistent concerns, Russo said, An objective, dispassionate scientific analysis of the concerns can only be good. State Department of Toxic Substances Control officials have said the site does not currently pose a public health threat. Spokesman Sandy Nax wrote in an email that the agency will share any data it has on the site with state health officials. NEXT STEPS When a health analysis might take place is unclear. The federal agencys letter said it would begin after state environmental regulators finish testing homes near the contaminated site. Toxic Substances Control officials have said theyre working with state air regulators to figure out where dirt from the site might have blown, and that will help them decide which homes to test. Whitney said shes afraid state officials, who have acknowledged mistakes in the first site cleanup several years ago, will abandon residents once the final cleanup is done sometime in 2017. A work group that includes residents and state toxics officials has meetings scheduled in December and February, but its unknown when an offsite testing plan might be ready or who would pay for the tests. In August, an Inland environmental group filed a lawsuit alleging the final plan to clean the ag park site is inadequate and doesnt do enough to protect residents. Contact the writer: 951-368-9461; arobinson@scng.com; @arobinson_pe Menifee city leaders have called a special meeting Wednesday in the wake of disclosures that Mayor Scott Mann is being fined for misuse of nearly $45,000 in campaign funds. The move comes amid calls for Mann to step down as both mayor and chairman of the Republican Party in Riverside County something Mann said he will not do. The meeting to discuss Manns situation and hear public comment is in response to the California Fair Political Practices Commissions announcement Friday concerning a proposed settlement with Mann in which he will be fined $60,000 for spending campaign money on personal expenses, including a trip to Malibu for a family wedding several years ago. The commissions board is scheduled to formally act on the settlement when it meets Dec.15. State Sen. Jeff Stone, R-Temecula, issued a statement pushing for Mann to quit both the council and as party chairman. Given the recent findings of financial malfeasance , I believe the best thing he can do is resign his position on the City Council as well as his position with the Riverside County Republican Party, Stone said in the release. The people need to be able to count on their elected leaders to exercise good judgment and Scott Mann has failed his constituents. His actions have shown he is not worthy of serving those who entrusted him with great responsibility. Stone endorsed Mann for mayor in the 2012 election. State Sen. Mike Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga, whose district encompasses Menifee, said he was disappointed to learn about the mayors actions but did not ask for his resignation. It is up to the Fair Political Practices Commission and the voters of Menifee to decide what the appropriate discipline and outcome should be regarding this matter, Morrell said in an emailed response. Neil Winter, Manns grassroots opponent for mayor in the Nov. 8 election, believes Mann should give up the post. He really should step down and let the city move forward so we can start clean and people can feel good about having an honest government, Winter said. Theres just no way he should stay in office. Mann said in an interview Tuesday he will not step aside either as mayor or party chairman, whose term expires in December. I have no intention of resigning from my positions nor suspending my campaign for mayor, he said. I am content to let the voters decide on Nov. 8. According to the FPPC in Fridays release, Mann admitted using $44,894 in campaign funds for personal use and of committing campaign record-keeping violations. He has reimbursed $17,152 to his campaign committees, state officials said. In the agreement with the commission, Mann must pay the $60,000 out of his personal funds before Dec. 1. Councilman Matt Liesemeyer who said Mann should take a leave of absence until the FPPC matter is concluded noted he was unsatisfied with Manns statement that the commissions action reflects a settlement negotiation thats over three years old. I dont know that I really agree with his passive responses that, oh, it happened three years ago, its not a big deal anymore, said Liesemeyer. It was a big deal then, and its a big deal now. Councilwoman Lesa Sobek said she has rescinded her endorsement of Mann for re-election, but otherwise wants to see what happens in the special meeting before deciding on any course of action. Its an embarrassment to our city, she said. Im just so extremely disappointed. Contact the writer: 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@pressenterprise.com Ashley Ippolito, a student at Temecula Valley High School, is one of fourteen students selected nationwide to attend the Frances Hesselbein Student Leadership Program Oct. 24-28 at the United States Military Academy at West Point. A news release says the 14 students were selected among hundreds of Student 2 Student members. The selections were based on commitment to the Student 2 Student program, extracurricular activities, volunteer and work experience and leadership potential. SANTA ANA Minutes before he shot and killed his live-in girlfriend, a prosecutor said, a Costa Mesa man was drunk and listening to a Guns N Roses song with the lyrics: I used to love her, but I had to kill her. Trial began Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court for Thomas Michael Wilhelm, 52, who is accused of shooting his girlfriend, 45-year-old Christine Marie Murray, in 2012 after their relationship and business partnership soured. Prosecutors accuse Wilhelm of plotting to kill Murray as revenge for taking over his long-time sprinkler business, while the defense says Wilhelm suffered from mental-health issues and was clouded by alcohol and extreme emotion over the loss of his business. He is charged with first-degree murder and faces 50 years to life in prison. Jurors must decided what his mental state was at the time of the shooting. Wilhelm had owned his business, Wilhelm Sprinkler Co., for more than 20 years. When his business began faltering he asked Murray to step in and take part-ownership, Senior Deputy District Attorney Jim Mendelson said. After two years, the couple began arguing intensely and Wilhelm grew distraught when Murray refused to give up the business and move out of their home in the 2900 block of Redwood Avenue in Costa Mesa. They both wanted the other person out of the house, Mendelson said. He told her on multiple occasions that he was going to arrange her to see God. On the night of July 8, 2012, Wilhelm broke into his neighbors home and stole a 32-caliber pistol, Mendelson said. Eleven minutes before the shooting, he sent a text message to a friend saying that he was listening to a song: Used to Love Her. He locked the couples three Great Danes in a bedroom and then shot Murray six times, Mendelson said. Her niece, who also lived in the home, arrived back from the drugstore just in time to hear her aunts last words: Tom shot me, call 911. Im dying. Murrays 8-year-old son ran next door for help. As police arrived, Wilhelm tried to shoot himself with a shotgun but the gun misfired. Police found him splashed with blood but uninjured. Please tell me shes dead, police say he said as they led him away. Murray was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Wilhelms attorney, Doug Meyers, said Wilhelm was drunk and devastated over the thought of losing his business. Wilhelm suffers from mental-health issues and self-medicated with alcohol and prescriptions pills, he said. Drunk and upset, he lost control and acted impulsively, Meyers said. Mr. Wilhelm did not have the mental state required to be guilty of murder, Meyers said. The evidence will show in those final moments he was not thinking clearly or rationally. Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com Rapid population growth has become a global concern especially in developing countries due to the lack of corresponding qualitative growth in the lives of people. The 2014 State of the World Population Report by the UNFPA, discussed the enormous potential for economic growth and social development for countries with large populations, given that the right investments in human and social capital for youth development are made. The results from the 2010 Population and Housing Census (PHC) show that the demographic characteristics of Ghanas population are changing.Ghanas population growth rate of 2.5 per cent in 2010 shows that the countrys population is growing rapidly and the youth group constitute the majority of the population. The results also indicate that the age structure of the population is dominated by young people, with about 40 per cent under 15 years of age. The old adolescent (15-19 years) and young adults (20-24 years) increased from 3.5 million in 2000 to 4.9 million in 2010. Similarly, the proportion of the population up to 35 years has been high and has accounted for more than two-thirds of the total population of Ghana recorded in each of the last three censuses: 69 per cent in 1984, 75.9 per cent in 2000 and 75.3per cent in 2010 (Ghana Statistical Service, 2013). This has great potential for socio-economic growth when this youthful resource is harnessed effectively, it can result in actual energy for socio-economic change.Young people have substantial energy and resilience, and the power to induce change. This is an opportunity that must be harnessed now for great gains. This rapid growth has, however, implications for the development of the country. This population group represents a time bomb, risk or burden if neglected. Experiences from the role of the youth in civil wars and political upheavals have taught us the lesson that when not educated, empowered and gainfully employed; young people can be used to wreak havoc. Ghana faces a lot of socio-economic problems but the issue of unemployment especially among the youth of this country is hitting it all time high and leaving a lot of youth in a state of hopelessness and despondency. While many of the youth have had access to secondary and tertiary education, the expanded access to education has not correspondingly given rise to job opportunities and job creation in the country. This chronic graduate unemployment and general unemployment situation being experienced in Ghana is alarming. The disturbing issue is that though this social canker stares us in the face as a nation, the kind of actions, policies, programmes and urgency required to tame these problems has not been so effective. The policy makers continue to disregard the fact that unemployment and for that matter graduate unemployment is frighteningly real and desperately needs to be addressed. The government of Ghana cannot pretend to be unaware of this growing menace and sweep it under the carpet; the real threat for this country is not terrorism but rather unemployment. Unemployment, poverty, and inequality are very real in Ghana and all these are grounds for crimes, social chaos, conflicts and instability. The opportunity to participate in decision making process has been a major hurdle for most young people even though there have been recent calls on young people to actively participate in their countrys development since they constitute the majority of the worlds population. Adults undeniably have more experience than their younger counterparts but the experience of the adult is gained through learning and participation so until young people are given the opportunity they will not get any experience. It is through giving the youth opportunities to participate in leadership roles that they can learn and grow from their experiences. Therefore, ensuring that young people are empowered and are able to live a purposeful life is a major step in their development. Furthermore, young people should have correct information on sexual and reproductive health, for instance. They need to be protected from unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections like HIV. It is absolutely vital that young people have universal and unhindered access to sexual and reproductive information and services. This is essential to ensure that they fulfil their potential and are able to contribute to the development of the country. There is the need to recognise that the demographic dividend is no guarantee, and neither will it occur by itself. It calls for investing in the most populous group of the country the youthful population. It also calls for putting the youth at the centre of development in order to ensure that their potential is fulfilled. Also needed is the development of adequate policies that put youth issues such as education, skills development, youth entrepreneurship and employment at the centre of national development. Source: The Ghanaian Times Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video More than 300,000 students are studying in Ghana, with 10,398 of them being international students, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Education, has said. He said at the continental level, Sub-Saharan Africa's higher education sector had expanded massively over the past two decades; with student enrolments across all levels growing from about 200,000 some 40 years ago to an estimated 10 million today. Mr Ablakwa announced this, in Accra, at a two-day international symposium for Harmonisation Initiative and Third General Meeting of the Turning Joint Africa-European Union (EU) Strategy in Higher Education. The two-day conference, which brought together 130 participants, was organised by the University of Ghana in collaboration with the Africa Union Commission (AUC) and the Association of African Universities (AAU), under the auspices of the EU. The African Higher Education Harmonisation and Tuning Pilot initiative has been instrumental in addressing key areas of skills and competences for employability and transparency of curriculum, the development of a common academic credit currency, teaching, learning and assessment related to the achievement of learning outcomes, skills and competences, quality assurance and enhancement. He said Ghana, like most African countries, was at the stage of processing from low productivity agricultural economies to industrialised economies with focus on manufacturing and services; therefore a strong focus on human capital development was needed. We need highly skilled technicians, engineers, health workers, agricultural scientists and researchers; particularly in the rapidly growing sectors of extractive industries, energy, water, environment and infrastructure, he said. He said Africa needed to produce future leaders who would promote better governance and management in all sectors, and facilitate innovative solutions to societys problems. Mr Ablakwa said harmonisation when fully achieved, would among several benefits, offer adequate instruments to help institutions of higher education assess and understand their performances through meaningful comparisons among universities in a given country and among similar institutions across countries at the same stage of development. He noted that Ghana, like many other countries, was working to develop a standardised national qualification framework in line with best practices across the world. A uniform qualification framework is required to facilitate qualifications transfer across Africa, he said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Boundaries and borders barricading African countries into sovereign states as in present day Africa is no doubt a legacy borne out of colonialism and neo-colonialism. Many Africans believe that unrestricted movement of people and goods is a catalyst for accelerated progress and development of the continent. Thus, free movement in Africa for Africans has become a burning desire in the heart of good thinking Africans, especially pan-Africanists, who have made this great issue their mission and vision. In June this year, the famed editor Baffour Ankomah who is now editor at large of the London-based New African magazine wrote extensively on this important matter in both New African and the US-based Africawatch magazine. His article can be accessed at Humanitas Afrikas African Information Centre website through the following link: http://centrum.humanitasafrika.cz/en/index Humanitas Afrika is an African-Czech and pan-African organisation based in Prague, which works to advance and enhance the interest of the global African family. The organisation has deemed it necessary and timely to recognise, appreciate, celebrate, and honour African leaders, institutions, and individuals whose policies and initiatives give greater freedom and progress to the African people and advance the course of African unity and development, by instituting an AFRICAN LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE AWARD scheme that recognises, rewards, inspires, motivates and honours African leaders, individuals and institutions whose endeavours enhance greater freedom, development and unity of the African people and the mother continent. In this regard, and specifically within the last two years, Presidents Paul Kagama of Rwanda and John Dramani Mahama of Ghana have instituted policies and enacted laws in their respective countries that enhance the African unity project. They have launched commendable visa-on-arrival policies in their respective countries that allow easy access and free movement of Africans into Rwanda and Ghana. These noteworthy policies have attracted the attention of Humanitas Afrika, which has decided to honour the two presidents with the AFRICAN LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE AWARD as a way of encouraging them to do more and also highlighting their example to the rest of Africa so that the banner they have raised will be emulated by other African presidents and countries. It was in this context that the head of Humanitas Afrika, Afrikatu Kofi Nkrumah, travelled to Ghana recently to present the first ever AFRICAN LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE AWARD to the President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, at the Flagstaff House in Accra, the seat of Ghanas government. Kofi Nkrumah presented the award in the company of Mr Baffour Ankomah and his wife Mrs Elizabeth Ankomah (a Zimbabwean national), and Mr Emmanuel Hayford, the coordinator of Humanitas Afrika in Ghana. President Mahamas chief of staff, Mr Julius Debrah, received the award on his behalf. Also at the ceremony was Mr Antwi Bosiako, a senior staff member at the presidency. In addition to the award-citation, Kofi Nkrumah presented to the President a copy of one of Chancellor Williams greatest books, The Destruction of Black Civilization which he hoped the President would enjoy immensely. Chancellor Williams was an African American scholar and historian, one of Black Americas best authors and teachers, whose books, and particularly The Destruction of Black Civilization, have opened many eyes in global Africa. In 2017, the second-ever AFRICAN LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE AWARD would be presented to President Paul Kagama of Rwanda. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to deepen collaboration with its Ghanaian counterpart especially in capacity building for analysis of environmental data. Ms Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the US EPA, speaking during a site visit of the Ghanas EPAs air quality monitoring sites, the premises of Friends of the Earth Ghana, said there was the need for increased capacity building in the country to develop options for resolving environmental problems. She noted that the challenge in air pollution was analysing the data and coming up with actionable items to mitigate the problem. She pledged her offices commitment to support Ghana by sharing its data analysis tools to enable the country to look at costs and benefits of different options and articulate them in an effective way to make the reductions in emissions that were necessary. Ms McCarthy, who visited Ghana to explore deeper avenues for collaboration between the two countries stated: We will continue to work together and expand our ability to share data, share best practices and look at our work together, because as the President Barack Obama has made clear; what happens in Africa is important to the world. She added that it was also important for the public to be actively engaged in decision making and addressing environmental issues. The EPA and its US counterpart have been collaborating over the past years to address environmental issues. The US EPA, in 2004, supported Ghana to revamp its air quality management role by selecting Accra as one of two cities in Africa to benefit from an air quality management programme. Ms McCarthy described Ghana as a stable and wonderful partner of the US, adding that the US EPA was happy to expand its work with Ghana. Mr John Alexis Pwamang, Executive Director of Ghanas EPA said the country had been able to set up eight air quality management monitoring sites in Accra under the US sponsored programme. We owe a lot of our successes to the US EPA collaboration and we are so grateful for that, he stated. Mr Pwamang said Ghana had achieved some successes in the area of environmental protection including phasing out lead in gasoline under the World Banks clean air Initiative for sub-Saharan Africa. He noted that US EPA support with capacity building to analyse the data collected from its monitoring activities would enable them to better interpret the data for the information of the public and policy makers. He also asked the US EPA to assist its Ghanaian counterpart to acquire sustainable power source and equipment to ensure continuous monitoring and data collection. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President John Dramani Mahama has assured citizens that the government is poised to transform Ghana into a country that will be held in high esteem on the African continent. Mr Mahama explained that his administration had laid the foundations for infrastructural development in his first term as president pending further growth if Ghanaians renewed his mandate. In the next four years, we are going to transform this country into a country that the whole of Africa will respect, he promised on Tuesday, October 18 as he addressed party supporters at Nkwanta in the Volta Region on the second day of his five-day tour of the region. President Mahama said he was not surprised at the way his opponents were attempting to downplay his efforts at building a strong country since the same treatment was meted out to Ghanas first president Dr Kwame Nkrumah. He refuted allegations that he was misapplying the countrys resources as he insisted that investing in the infrastructural sector was key to spurring development and economic activities. According to him, infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and schools remained very key to improving the conditions of citizens and felt it was rather wrong for his opponents to label them as money wasting ventures. But the chairman of the Infrastructural Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Joe Ghartey, did not agree with Mr Mahama. Mr Ghartey argued that the erstwhile John Agyekum Kufuor administration invested in the sector to spur development but the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had failed to build on that feat and rather reduced investment in the sector. According to him, in real terms, the country has seen a decline in infrastructural expenditure from an average of 11.5 per cent of GDP between 2001 and 2008 to 5.7 per cent of GDP between 2009 and 2015. He revealed this at a news conference in Accra on Tuesday, October 18, to emphasise the NPPs resolve to reverse the downward trend in government expenditure in infrastructure. Even though the Mahama administration touts various achievements of investment in that sector, Mr Ghartey maintained that it is estimated that this year [2016] it will only be 4.2 per cent of GDP. According to him, the NPP had devised a comprehensive plan which would revive the sector. He indicated that the plans include a national asset protection project, an interconnected roads, railways, ports and harbours and aviation hub, a water-for-all programme, and flood control and coastline protection. Others include mainstream ICT and an affordable housing programme. He maintained that the weakest link in Ghanas development remained under-developed roads, railways, ports and harbours and aviation. Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM Source: citifmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Disqualified presidential nominee for the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Henry Herbert Lartey described as petty, claims by former President Jerry Rawlings that the GCPPs petition for investigations for fraud is being sponsored by detractors of the Rawlingses. Mr. Lartey petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate the former president over some $2 million he received from the late Nigerian leader, General Sani Abacha. Rawlings, who have said that the money was not a bribe but was used in organization of an upcoming election. Rawlings recently called the bluff of Mr Henry Lartey saying he was ready to subject himself to various tests to prove his innocence. Why are people worried about the level of integrity weve tried to maintain? We say we are Christians; we swear on the bible, Muslims on the Koran; Id like to invite people like him (Lartey) that we go traditional as well [Let us] invite the white mans technology (lie detector) to also come and verify the truthfulness, the integrity of my word. And for him [Henry Herbert Lartey] to be simply asked who paid him to do what he did?, he said when some queen mothers paid a courtesy call on him earlier this week. He further alleged that Henry Lartey was being sponsored by some political elements to tarnish his image but at a counter media briefing today [Tuesday], Mr Lartey said his actions were based on his desire for the truth. He said he had submitted more evidence against Rawlings to CHRAJ and was ready to reveal more damning information about the former President Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings on the matter. There is a lot to say about him and his wife, the corruption that has gone on in this country If hes got those facts he should come out and tell us who has paid me, my father left me a lot of assets and nobody can pay me to do what hes claiming, he said. Source: citifmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A leading member of the the NDC and former Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Prof Kwamena Ahwoi has urged the electorate to vote massively for President Mahama in the December 7th election to extend his mandate to govern the country for more development. He made the appeal today when addressing the traditional leaders and people of Yefri in the Nkoranza North District in the Brong Ahafo region as part of a 6- day campaign tour of the region by the Chief of Staff Mr Julius Debrah. Accompanying the Chief of Staff on the tour were the Regional Minister Hon Eric Opoku and some national and regional executives of the party. Prof Kwamena Ahwoi said unlike the NDC which has a clear objective of developing the country and the strategy to achieve such development the the NPP has no objective and development strategy for the country . He said the late President Mills and President Mahama involved the youth in their government because the present is for the youth not the future. According to him the youth have a lot to contribute towards national development. Worth Of A Bird In Hand Addressing the gathering, the Chief of staff, Mr Julius Debrah urged the people to vote massively for President Mahama whose wife Lordina Mahama hails from the region stressing that a bird in one's hand is better than thousands of birds out of one's hand. The Chief of Staff also asked the people of Nkoranza North to vote for Hon Kwadwo Agyei Dwumor MCE for Nkaranza North and NDC Parliamentary candidate for the constituency. The Nkosuohene of Yefri Nana Kwame Owusu said commended President Mahama for the numerous development projects he has provided to them such as schools and roads and said the people of Yefri will vote massively for the NDC on December 7th. Source: Emmanuel Akorli/PeaceFM Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video One hundred and forty-seven (147) parliamentary candidates from five political parties and eight independent candidates are contesting the 34 seats in the Greater Accra Region in the 2016 elections. Out of the number, 119 are males and 28 females. Ablekuma West Constituency recorded the highest number of contestants - three males and three females from five political parties and an independent candidate. Six constituencies also recorded the lowest number of three candidates each - Weija Gbawe, Amansaman, Ablekuma North, Dadakotopon, Tema Central and Sege. The Weija Gbawe constituency stands out as gender active constituency as all the three Parliamentary Candidate representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) are women. Mr George Kwame Amoah, Greater Accra Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said Gbawe Weija and Ablekuma West constituencies registered three women each, the highest in terms of women who filed their candidature to contest. The analysis formed part of GNA Tracks Election 2016 project, which sought to sensitise the electorate on the various issues raised by political parties, elections management body (EC) and other governance institutions. The project also sought to ensure gender and social inclusion in national politics, provide voice for the youth, vulnerable groups, opinion leaders and the broader spectrum of the society, to achieve a peaceful poll on December 7. It also aimed at creating a platform to dissect the manifestoes of all political parties and provide in-depth analysis of each thematic area to the electorate to enable them to make an informed judgment. Mr Amoa said 10 constituencies namely: Domeabra Obom; Anyaa/Sowutuom; Okaikwei Central; Korley Klottey; Dadekotopon; Ledzokuku; Tema Central; Ashaiman; Adentan and Ada registered a woman each, representing the least. He said no female has filed to contest in 16 constituencies. Those constituencies are Bortianor/Ngleshie Amanfro; Amansaman; Madina; Ayawaso East; Ayawaso North; Ayawaso Central; Ayawaso West; Okaikwei North; Ablekuma South; Odododiodoo, Tema East ; Tema West; Kpone Katamanso; Shai- Osudoku; Ningo Prampram, and Sege. Mr Amoa said the NDC and the NPP filed parliamentary candidates in all the 34 constituencies; Convention Peoples Party (CPP), which filed 30 candidates; Progressive Peoples Party, 24 candidates; eight independent candidates; the Peoples National Convention (PNC), six candidates, National Democratic Party and All Peoples Congress filed four candidates each. He said Great Consolidated Peoples Party, Democratic Popular Party and United Progressive Party filed a candidate each, while the United Front Party, Independent Peoples Party and Ghana Freedom Party did not file any candidate in the Region. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The people of Diaso have conferred on President John Mahama Nkosuoo Hene to wit Development Chief of Diaso in appreciation to the transformation the people of Diaso have witnessed under his leadership. This was made known when the Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur visited the area and was welcomed by a massive crowd. The Vice President who is on a four day campaign tour to the Central Region stormed the Upper Denkyira West Constituency to continue with trumpeting on the NDCs Changing lives and Transforming Ghana agenda message. In an address to the gathering, the Vice President said continuity is key for the development of Ghana and this sums up the reason President Mahama must be given another opportunity to continue with the massive development that Ghanaians are witnessing in the education, road and other sectors. He said the NDC is a party that cares for all and is not discriminatory when it comes to sharing of the national cake. The Vice President used the occasion to introduce the NDCs parliamentary candidate for the area who also doubles as the DCE for the area, Hon Ambrose Amoah Ashyiah. Mr Amissah-Arthur said for development to continue there's the need to vote for the President Mahama and the NDCs parliamentary candidate in order to bring more development to the area. On his part the chief of the area Nana Agyei Ameyaw 11 lauded the NDC for its development projects under the President John Mahama. He said the projects that he has witnessed are unprecedented and are one that they never dreamt of. Source: Maxwell Okamafo Addo/ email: [email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The new Miss Malaika queen will be crowned over the weekend in Accra after several weeks of intense competition, grooming and numerous activities. Come Saturday October 22nd 2016, the National Theatre will come to a standstill as the 10 Final Malaika Delegates battle it out against each other to determine who wins the ultimate crown, Car and Cash. Special performances will be dished out by Joey B, Miss Vee and many other artistes. Trust these artistes to treat you to the very best of rich musical performances that will move you to dance all night long. Ten ladies will be appearing at the finals as six of these beautiful and courageous ladies were evicted at different points in the competition. Meet the 10 final delegates who will be pitching for the Malaika crown on Saturday; Dromeryda , Boahemaa , Edem, Delsey, Asiedua, Yvonne, Gyeduwaa, Martha, Hassana, Leah. For nearly 13 weeks, the ladies have gone through an intensive journey of rediscovery and grooming in preparation for the finals where one will emerge winner and gain the title of Miss Malaika Ghana 2016 and begin a new journey as a National Youth Ambassador for the campaign against the spread of Malaria. Text your favorite delegates name to 1757 to push her to the top. The 14th edition of Miss Malaika Ghana airs every Sunday @6pm on E-TV and at 7pm on GHONE TV. It is produced by CH Live with support from RENAULT from Premium Motors, Kenya Airways, Abbeam Institute of Technology, GTP Nustyle, Lydia Contraceptives and Media Partners. So who among the top 10 ladies below do you think deserves the enviable crown. Dromeryda Yvonne Edem Boahemaa Delsey Asiedua Martha Leah Gyeduwaa Hassana 0 Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Lindsay Lohan recently went to Turkey in order to try to do her part and take part in some humanitarian work, helping Syrian refugees. She visited a refugee camp in Gaziantep and did the whole Angelina Jolie shebang, even putting on a medical coat and assisting doctors with paediatric checks. She received excellent reception due to her genuine enthusiasm, plus she did a press conference wearing a headscarf and told press shed studied the Quran (adding, they crucified me for it in America). The Turkish Daily Sabah reported that she had become increasingly interested in international politics and had, expressed support for Ankaras call for a change in the structure of the international body for countries outside the five permanent members to have more of a say on international issues. News site Al-Monitor reported that Lohan recited one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans worthier mantras: The world is bigger than five, which is a major critique of the UN Security Council. Lohans compatriot Angelina Jolie has visited the same refugee camps along the Syrian border several times, but she never elicited the gushing enthusiasm afforded Lohan. While thats really cool and its good seeing celebs give a damn, more recent news is a bit weirder. Page Six is reporting that Lohan has been organising another method of assistance for the refugees in the Turkish camp shes sending them energy drinks. According to an inside source, Lohans gonna be sending the the same energy drink that she uses in her nightclub, Lohan, to the camp. Its a German energy drink called Mintanine. Their website describes them as a blue caffeine lemonade with the tag line Blue tastes woohoo. The statement Your Life Style Drink is plastered down the side of the cans, which will enhance the lifestyles of refugees living in camps after being forced to flee their homes. Healthwise, the site says that the drink doesnt contain synthetic flavors or caffeine, no taurin, no aspartam, no inosit, but it does use natural guarana. A source told Page Six: Theres hardly food, water or anything, so at this point sending anything is helpful. This is all part of Lindsays mission to help refugees. Alllllllllllrighty then. Source: Page Six. Photo: Andolu Agency / Getty. NSW police have confirmed the Sydney family of four died as a result of murder-suicide, likely from air-borne gas. The bodies of Colombian family Fernando Manrique, 44, Maria Claudia Lutz, 43, and their two children Elisa, 11, and Martin, 10, were found on Monday morning after police forced entry into their Davidson home. St Lucys primary school, where both the children attended and Ms Lutz helped out, raised the alarm on Monday when the kids failed to turn up to class and Ms Lutz didnt arrive to run the canteen. Both children were deaf and lived with non-verbal autism. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined, but police confirmed that the family likely died from the introduction of an air-borne gas delivered via pipes rigged throughout the roof, in what they described as an extensive, elaborate and well-planned operation. Whilst the cause of death will be a matter for the Coroner to determine, police are looking at the possibility the family members died from the introduction of an air-borne gas, they said in a statement. News Corp reports that neighbour Ofik Thomassian, 72, who lives directly across the street, saw Mr Manrique working on the roof on Saturday. He was right up the roof replacing tiles and using power tools of sorts, she said. He was cutting and banging and making all sorts of noise and pulling up tiles but I dont really know what he was doing. The familys dog was also found dead. Photos: Facebook. If youre going through a rough time, the best thing you can do is reach out. To speak to someone about mental health, or for 24/7 counselling, call BeyondBlue on 1300 22 4636. If you are in crisis or distress, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. If it is an emergency, call 000. After news broke earlier this week that 25-year-old rapper Azealia Banks had had an altercation with 52-year-old actor Russell Crowe at his hotel suite in Beverly Hills, every single person who read the story had one major question: Whaaaaat? Its a pretty bizarre little story; both of their stories are completely ruddy different, *PLUS* both of them have varied but lengthy histories of anger issues and erratic, threatening behaviour. Los Angeles Police Department have already spoken extensively to Banks, who claims Crowe choked and spat on her while calling her the N-word. They are now preparing to speak to Crowe. Banks has now given a detailed account of what happened that night, for the very first time. And her recount is pretty dang scary. She told The Sun that Crowe was drinking a cocktail of whisky, vodka and moonshine, as well as smoking weed. Russell had moonshine on the table, and then Russell calls for whisky, so then they just start mixing them up. You know, moonshine, whisky, vodka, and smoking cigarettes and smoking weed. Russell and I get next to each other. Hes talking to me, Im talking to him, and we start flirting. Were having a really good time. Hes got his knee on my knee, hes touching my leg, Im playing him my music, he tweets my song The Big Big Beat. Hes like, I love this, youre beautiful, this is great. So the party goes on. But there was one girl who I guess was his girlfriend. She gets next to me and I guess this is just her chance to try and size me up and see what Im about. And shes in my ear and shes like, Yeah, Russell thinks youre so hot. And I was like, Oh, really? Well thats on you girl. You know, Im not here for that. Banks goes on to say that she lightly mocked another guest shortly after, and Russell just kind of switched: He was like, Well you know what? Youre young and youve never done anything in your career so you dont know what youre talking about. Im a little offended but I was still keeping it light. I was like, Your best days are behind you. She says when this happened, a woman stood up and defended Russell. I said, Girl, this is not the right time or place for us to be fighting, like what would happen if I got up and I slapped the s*** out of you, or I took a glass and f***ing threw it at you and you were bleeding all over the place? I would be wrong and wed all be wrong, and the party would be done. Then Russell turns to me and he goes, Well, you wouldnt even get close enough to get the chance, n*****. And he says the word n***** so, like, quietly, under his breath. He calls me a n*****, and then grabs me, picks me up, he chokes me by the throat, picks me up, throws me out of the room and then spits on me. Russell ardently denies using racial slurs or physical violence against Banks, saying he grabbed her in a bear hug and escorted her out of the suite after she became violent and threateningly told guests, You would love it if I broke my glass, stabbed you guys in the throat, and blood would squirt everywhere like some real Tarantino shit. Guests in the suite at the time include director Ridley Scott and Aussie comedian Jim Jefferies, who has since tweeted this: This is 100 percent the truth. I was there, she was out of control . Russell did absolutely nothing wrong. https://t.co/9ySHgz5MGs jim jefferies (@jimjefferies) October 17, 2016 Azelia Banks is a complete liar. I was in the room. Russell Crowe is completely innocent. I would take a lie detector. jim jefferies (@jimjefferies) October 18, 2016 Azealias final comment about the incident to The Sun was: I think hes a racist, misogynist pig. This is a stain on me. My femininity feels stained. I feel stained as a woman. I feel mishandled, I feel mistreated, I feel dirty. I feel very fucking low. Well update you as more information arises. Source: The Sun. Photo: Chelsea Lauren & Ernesto Ruscio / Getty. With the Iraqi army battling to free Mosul from the clutches of ISIS, the coalition forces supporting the effort are hoping that this time will be different. In the past, the Iraqi army undertrained and poorly led -- has faltered in the face of this enormous challenge. As the battle of Mosul rages, the U.S. military may learn the hard lesson soon: You cant fabricate a good army general. You get one only after decades of proven and tested experience in battle. Related: Factbox: Once-tolerant Mosul Site of Iraq Push Against Islamic State The commander in question is Major General Najim Jabouri. In April 2015, Jabouri was named the head of Nineveh Operations that will oversee the liberation of Mosul. Jabouri, a 60-year-old Sunni, is a former Iraqi air defense brigadier general from a town to the south of Mosul. To the Americans, Jabouri is a hero and patriot. To the Iraqis, Jabouri is unqualified for his high-profile military position. Still, this man will soon lead the most critical mission against ISIS: the battle to retake Mosul. Mosul In June 2014, ISIS captured Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city in the north. The fall of the city sent shockwaves throughout the world. Within days, ISIS controlled one-third of Iraq. Four Iraqi army divisions and police forces in four provinces collapsed, and a new civil war broke out. Millions were displaced. Christians were forced to leave. Within a month, ISIS gained control of one-third of Syria as well. An Islamic caliphate, the dream of every Islamic fundamentalist, was declared. Soon ISIS was threatening Erbil, the capital of Iraqs Kurdistan region, provoking the United States to launch air raids to protect the city. ISIS massacred and enslaved thousands of Yazidis in addition to beheading Western journalists and aid workers. In the wake of its stunning success, approximately 40,000 terrorists from more than 100 countries traveled to Syria and Iraq to join ISIS. ISISs propaganda machine produced no less than 100 videos a month and controlled tens of thousands of social media accounts. ISIS continues to make tens of millions of American dollars in Syria and Iraq. Its ground operations expanded to Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Nigeria, Cameron, Niger, Chad, Yemen and Afghanistan. Story continues Related: U.S. Helped Clinch Iraq Oil Deal to Keep Mosul Battle on Track Nothing since 9/11 has had worse consequences than the fall of Mosul. The city remains the largest ISIS-controlled population center, numbering roughly one million people. Mosul is strategically vital. It is close to Syria, Turkey and Kurdistan. It also home to half of the former Iraqi army officers and produces more grain and livestock than any other province in Iraq the military and commodity resources from which ISIS draws its strength. Without retaking Mosul, ISIS will never be defeated. If the city can be taken back, ISISs demise will be at hand. The Commander Jabouri has a speckled history in both military and civilian roles. As police commander in Tal Afar, west of Mosul, he worked with American Colonel H. R. McMaster, then commander of U.S. Army 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and now a lieutenant colonel, to defeat a counterinsurgency operation in Iraq in September 2005. Three years later, while serving as the city mayor, General Jabouri vanished from Tal Afar. It turns out Jabouri and his family were in Washington, D.C., where he had applied for asylum while working at the United States Defense Department's Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies as a Distinguished Research Fellow. Jabouri told a McClatchy reporter in October 2008 that he fled Iraq because he was afraid al-Qaeda would kill him and kill his family members. Although he was living in Tal Afar, he claimed he moved his family from their home Baghdad to the Kurdistan region after his second house in Mosul was blown up. After most of the Americans withdrew from Iraq, and Jabouri was offered a job at NESA, he seized the opportunity and took it. Graphiq David Lamm, deputy director of NESA, gave another explanation for Jabouris escape from Iraq. What happened is that Najim is a Sunni and when the government (in Iraq) changed politically later on and became Shiite, there was a security issue for both him and his family, said Lamm in a phone interview. This is not a credible explanation since every government in Iraq after 2003 has been led by a Shiite Prime Minister. The Iraqi government had not changed in 2008, the year Najim left Iraq. Related: U.S. General Says Will Not Support Shi'ite Militia I\in Mosul Campaign Ali Abbo, who headed a human rights organization in Tal Afar during the mayorship of Jabouri, told me that his disappearance in 2008 remains a mystery. The Distinguished Research Fellow? As a fellow at NESA from 2008 to 2015, Jabouri appeared in many Middle East-related seminars after the Arab Spring. He wrote several papers about the situation in Iraq and also wrote op-eds for several major publications, including The New York Times and The Guardian. Jabouri seems like a strange choice for the U.S. military and the NESA center, if only because many Iraqi military officials speak fluent English, and Jabouri is not fluent. U.S. universities and think tanks employ dozens of Arab-American scholars who are experts on regional issues addressed in his material. The Arab Spring, which occurred during Jabouris tenure at NESA, happened in six Arab countries, but not in Iraq. Jabouri had little experience outside of his country, and even his region. How did a small town mayor end up at NESA? Lamm explained, He was recommended by a friend of mine: General H. R. McMaster[Jabouri] was instrumental in setting up the Arab Awakening and working with the Americans in that province where H. R. was. He came to the United States and General McMaster contacted me and told me that [Jabouri] was a general in the Iraqi army before the American intervention there. The Awakening that Lamm referred to was a tribal anti al-Qaeda movement that appeared and spread in the central region of Iraq. It did not have a strong presence in Nineveh or Tal Afar in the far north of the country. However, that Jabouri and McMaster had a close relationship is indisputable. Tarnished Brass After his tenure at NESA, in April 2015, Jabouri was recommissioned in the Iraqi army to oversee the liberation of Mosul, which did not sit well the Iraqi military. Jabouri limited military experience and his request for asylum made him something of a pariah with Iraqi brass. Related: Iraq's Traumatized Minorities--A Test of Unity After Mosul Offensive Jabouri pretended to be a high-ranking military officer, but was instantly exposed; he also claimed master degrees in art and science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Instead, he was awarded an honorary degree a few weeks ahead of his arrival in Iraq from that college in those subjects. It had been pre-dated to allay Iraqi protests against the appointment of a non-general staff officer in the war against ISIS. Troubling Past If true that careless titles and a questionable research record masked his modest qualifications, what Jabouri lacks in merit could be explained as realpolitik. In April 2006, Jabouri revealed more about his past in a New Yorker article on Tal Afar. The writer reported, The Mayor had once been tempted to join the insurgency. He lost his military career in 2003, when L. Paul Bremer III, the administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authoritythe American occupation governmentdissolved the old Iraqi Army. This turn of events in 2003 was critical for Jabouri. Admitting that his dashed hopes within the legitimate Iraqi military drew him to the brink of defecting to the dark side, where he would have had the chance to assume leadership, revealed Jabouris motivation as practical rather than ideological. Perhaps most troublesome is that many of Jabouris former colleagues in the Iraqi army are now working for ISIS. Jabouri explained in The New Yorker article that Bremers dissolution of the Iraqi Army implied that army leaders who did not offer support to the U.S. would be killed. He said, Bremer gave the order that whole families die. I decided that if my children died, I would pick up my gun in revenge. I thought before that all Americans, like Bremer and the people we saw on TV, were killers and turned guns on Iraqis. Despite admitting he would have rather joined the insurgents than ally with the U.S., Jabouri was chosen as the commander of the most important battle against ISIS. The Battle Shortly after being appointed and returning to Iraq, Major General Jabouri declared in June 2015 that the long-awaited operation to liberate Mosul had begun. Two days later, he received official pushback when it was clear that only the Iraqi prime minister had the power to make such a statement. In the same month, The Daily Beast interviewed Jabouri and described his plan to liberate Mosul as fantasy. Related: For U.S. and Obama, Mosul Campaign Is Calculated Risk In March 2016, Jabouri announced another operation to retake Mosul. Despite the support of the U.S. air force, the U.S. Marines artillery and Kurdish forces, Jabouris troops made little to no advancement. For several weeks, the Iraqi army battled ISIS over the control of some insignificant villages nearby. Most telling, Iraqi soldiers were reported fleeing the liberated villages in the wake of ISISs counterattacks. General Ziryan Shekhwasani, the commander of the Kurdish troops in Makhmour, complained to the Al-Monitor in March 2016 that Jabouris Iraqi army units didnt seem to be up to the task. Remarkably, in the time that Major General Jabouri assumed his command in April 2015 until now, Iraqi forces not under his command have performed well. Government forces, Kurds and Shiite militias have liberated the cities of Tikrit, Sinjar, Ramadi, Beiji and Fallujah, and ISISs area of control in Iraq has been reduced to less than half of its former area. Jabouris press office did answer a question regarding his weak performance. Mosul in not Tikrit nor Ramadi. We dont want to liberate Mosul the way other areas were liberated. When I asked David Lamm, deputy director of NESA about Jabouris performance since he was named the commander of the Ninevah regions operations, Lamm avoided answering the question directly. But he mentioned two points: He has ties in the U.S. obviously, and he can talk to military commanders. He has a lot of credibility on the American side. It is important to Americans that he also is seen to be legitimate to Iraqis. The Jabouri tribe is one of the largest in Iraq, with one-half Sunni living in the Mosul area and the other half Shiite, located to the south of Baghdad. In fact, many of Iraqs tribes have both Sunni and Shiite branches, making the political landscape very complicated. While Jabouri is Sunni, his wife is Shiite, which allows Jabouri, according to Lamm, to bridge the gap between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq to accomplish his mission. Related: Ministers to Meet in Paris This Week to Discuss Mosul's future The Recent Successes In July 2016, the Iraqi army pushed ISISs defense lines from the north of the city of Beiji and captured Al-Qayyarah Airfield to the west of Jabouris forces. With Iraqi forces winning ground, Jabouri had a strategic advantage to finish the job. In August, the Iraqi army and the Kurdish forces squeezed ISIS further. The Kurds captured about a dozen new villages to the east of Mosul, and the Iraqi forces controlled the town of al-Qayyarah, 40 miles to the south of Mosul. While the town was part of Jabouris area of operations, the Iraqi government used another general to lead the Iraqi forces in battlea sign of disrespect and lack of confidence in Jabouri. Today, with the Iraqi army about 40 miles from Mosul, the real battle to retake Mosul is beginning. Jabouri, who deserted his position as a mayor because he was terrified, who had not set foot in Iraq for seven years, who inflated his qualifications, and most concerning - who has no formal tactical military training to defeat ISIS, is leading the most decisive battle against ISIS in Mosul. Who Is Behind Jabouri? Given the shallow accomplishments and sketchy biographical details of the commander, why has Jabouri been given such an important responsibility? And by whom? The appointment of Jabouri has never sat well in Baghdad. The first to object to his appointment was the Iraqi minister of defense Khaled al-Obaidi. In a TV interview with an Iraqi channel after the appointment, al-Obaidi, a former Iraqi air force officer from Mosul himself, was asked by the interviewer if al-Obaidi had brought major general Jabouri from the U.S. Related: U.S. Expects Islamic State to Wield Chemical Weapons in Mosul Fight Dont ask me about this issue. Because I have nothing to do with it Go and read [Jabouris] appointment order to know how he was appointed, al-Obaidi said. When the interviewer asked him why he disowned the matter, the Iraqi minister sighed. Nevertheless, the interviewer pressed the minister further. It was not my decision, al-Obaidi clarified. But you are the Iraqi defense minister! the interviewer interrupted him. There are other parties who are higher than the defense minister, al-Obaidi replied. When the interviewer requested to see Jabouris appointment order, the defense minister said that he didnt have it because Jabouri wasnt on his ministry staff. Lamm, the deputy director of NESA, says that he was directly involved in the discussions of Jabouris appointment because, at the time, Jabouri was Lamms employee. Careful to put distance between American military leadership and Jabouri, Lamm said, We never went to the American ambassador in Iraq nor did the American ambassador in Iraq pressure anybody inside the Iraqi government to take Najim back in any capacity. It was essentially the government of Iraq reaching out to Najim. Lamm also said that Jabouris time in the United States, specifically his Master of Science in military strategy from the Command and General Staff College and from the National Defense University, was decisive. Those [degrees] were key essentials, I think, in the decision of the prime minister. We now know that the titles were honorary degrees. Lukman Faily, the Iraqi ambassador to the U.S. at the time of Jabouris appointment, told me that the decision to name Jabouri was made by the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi. Faily said he was not involved in the matter. Ismael Alsodani was a brigadier general and the Iraqi military attache to the U.S. until November 2009. He affirmed that Jabouri never graduated from any command and general staff college which qualifies him to serve as a commanding general of fighting forces. The way he was appointed [as commander of Nineveh operations] was foggy and very questionable. He never served in the current Iraqi army nor held any position at it. I was expecting him to name a well-known officer -- one that completed the qualifying courses of military command. Alsodani told me that the Iraqi ministry of defense has a system for appointing and promoting commanding officers. There are also plenty of qualified Sunni officers from Mosul. I like other Iraqi officers was surprised that Jabouri was named. His service timeline and C.V. dont qualify him for this sensitive position. The uncomfortable interview with Iraqi defense minister al-Obaidi hinted at details to which everybody close to the matter is already privy. What seems plausible is that the U.S. military establishment convinced the Obama administration to push Jabouri back to Iraq at a strategic moment by selling him to the Iraqi prime minister. The American embassy in Baghdad has denied any American interference in the matter. Suspiciously, the individuals responsible have left without a trace, and it is the Iraqi prime ministers signature alone that sealed the appointment of Jabouri. The Iraqi prime ministers press office did not respond to our inquiry over this issue. Related: Malaysia on Alert as Mosul Offensive Stokes Fears of Militant Influx Those individuals are most likely the U.S. Army colonels who worked with Jabouri a decade ago in Tal Afar. They are now generals with much more influence in Washington politics. Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster, who is now the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, is said to be planning the future of the American army. He recommended Jabouri to David Lamm at NESA. When McMasters 3rd armored cavalry regiment tour in Tal Afar was over in 2006, he was replaced by Colonel Sean McFarlands 1st brigade combat team, 1st armored division. McFarland was until recently the commander of the U.S. led coalition against ISIS. Abbas Kadhim, a senior fellow at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University who specializes in the Middle East, summarized the Jabouri affair: It is clear for anyone who listens to Major General Najim Jabouris talks, and reads his published writings that these writings dont suit his very humble linguistic and scientific capabilities, which are best demonstrated by his public talks. Kadhim told me that the Iraqi prime minister made two grave mistakes by appointing Jabouri in his current position. First, he brought a former officer who wasnt in Iraq for years and gave him the most important military position in the fight against ISIS. The second mistake is that the prime minister passed over some highly competent and qualified general staff officers who have been continuously involved in the war against ISIS. This is not a professional decision that we expected from the commander in chief. A Fabricated Hero In their pursuit of a reliable Iraqi Sunni general, both the Bush and Obama administrations have fabricated a hero. But Jabouri is more a bumbling stooge than a local hero. President Bush praised him in public. News articles quoted American officers calling him a hero. They boosted him from police chief to mayor and then took him to WashingtonD.C., bestowing him with an undeserved fellowship in a Pentagon think-tank and granting him an honorary degree that he couldnt otherwise earn. Finally, he was sent back to Iraq to lead the most important battle against the worst terror group ever known. Although he still might appear to many as a magical solution to an expected post-liberation struggle in Mosul -- among the Iraqi government, the Kurds, the former governor of Mosul who brought a Turkish army battalion to the north of Mosul, and the Iranian-backed Shiite militias -- the hapless Jabouri is the U.S. choice. I will tell you if that (the battle to retake Mosul) doesnt work out, he is always welcome back here in NESA adds Lamm. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: WikiLeaks Internet FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2016 file photo, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange participates via video link at a news conference marking the 10th anniversary of the secrecy-spilling group in Berlin. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File) QUITO, Ecuador -- Ecuador's government acknowledged on Tuesday that it cut off WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's internet access at its embassy in London after the whistleblowing site published a trove of damaging emails from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. The foreign ministry said that while it stands by its 2012 decision to grant Assange asylum based on legitimate concerns he faces political persecution, it respects other nations' sovereignty and doesn't interfere or support any candidate in foreign elections. "The decision to make this information public is the exclusive responsibility of the WikiLeaks organization," the foreign ministry said in a statement. The recognition of the reprimand comes less than 24 hours after WikiLeaks tweeted that Ecuador had cut off Assange's access to the Internet on Saturday after the publication of Clinton's speeches to Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs. In follow-up messages posted Tuesday, the group claimed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had personally intervened to ask Ecuador to stop Assange from publishing documents about Clinton. Citing "multiple US sources," WikiLeaks said the request was made on the sidelines of a visit by Kerry and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa last month to Colombia to show their support for a peace deal with leftist rebels. The State Department denied the allegation and Correa's leftist government said it was acting on its own and not ceding to foreign pressures. The foreign ministry didn't specify the extent of the "temporary restrictions" on Assange, saying only that they wouldn't affect WikiLeaks' ability to carry out its journalistic activities. "While our concerns about Wikileaks are longstanding, any suggestion that Secretary Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down Wikileaks is false," U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in an email. Speaking to reporters later, deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Kerry never even raised the issue or met with Correa during his visit to Colombia. "There just was no meeting," he said. "They didn't discuss any of this stuff." Assange has been holed up at the modest embassy suite at No. 3 Hans Crescent for more than four years after skipping bail to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex crimes allegations, a position which -- until now -- hasn't prevented him from continuing to play a pivotal role in exposing state secrets and backroom trade deals. WikiLeaks said unspecified "contingency plans" were in place and the site and its Twitter feed appeared to be working as usual. On Tuesday it released another tranche of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, suggesting that the group's ability to publish has yet to be compromised. The disclosure was the 11th installation in a series of leaks that have captured the workings of Clinton's inner circle. Those leaks themselves are part of a wider cascade that have embarrassed the Democratic Party and which the American intelligence community has recently described as an attempt by the Russian government to interfere in the U.S. election. Staff at WikiLeaks and the embassy either declined comment or didn't return messages. Assange fled to the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012, after a drawn-out and ultimately unsuccessful legal battle to being sent to Sweden, where he remains wanted over an allegation of rape. Ecuador granted him asylum, but British authorities have made clear they would arrest him if he tried to leave. London's Metropolitan Police used to maintain a visible presence outside the building, although officers were nowhere in sight when an AP journalist visited on Tuesday. Assange has carved out a life at Hans Crescent, dining on delivered food, welcoming famous well-wishers and even occasionally addressing the media from the embassy's balcony. On Saturday, former television star Pamela Anderson paid a visit. But evidence of mutual suspicion with his hosts surfaced after BuzzFeed News drew on leaked documents to detail tensions between Assange and Ecuadorean embassy staff. In targeting Clinton, Assange may have run afoul of Correa's own preference for the Democratic candidate and a renewed effort to repair strained relations with Washington. The president recently said that while a Trump victory would energize Latin Americans to reject overhanded U.S. policies in the world much in the way George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq did he personally would like to see Clinton prevail. "For the good of the United States and the world, and for my personal appreciation of her, I'd like to see Hillary win," he told the Moscow-backed RT broadcaster last month. Assange isn't likely to submit to the internet ban quietly. Over the weekend WikiLeaks released three lines of code it described as "pre-commitments," labeling them "John Kerry," ''Ecuador," and "FCO" -- an apparent reference to Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Pre-commitments are cryptographic functions that can be used to verify the integrity of material released subsequently. Thomas White, a U.K.-based security researcher and transparency activist, saw the posts as a warning to the named parties that WikiLeaks had ammunition in reserve if Ecuadorean authorities "do not continue to offer him political asylum." Donald Trump Rally at Ambridge High School Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pumps his fist at the end of his speech during a campaign rally at the Ambridge Area High School on October 10, 2016 in Ambridge, Pennsylvania Justin Berl, For PennLive.com (Justin Berl) Donald Trump was widely criticized for trotting out Bill Clinton's sexual assault accusers ahead of the second debate. But that's not deterring the Republican nominee from taking President Barack Obama's Kenyan-born half-brother, Malik, to the third and final debate Wednesday. Malik -- an American citizen who splits his time in Washington, D.C., and Kenya -- told the New York Post he will be a guest of Trump, who he is supporting for president. "I'm excited to be at the debate. Trump can make America great again," Malik told the Post. Malik said Trump is right about the mainstream media being biased and doesn't believe the GOP nominee kissed or groped women without their permission. "I don't believe them," Malik told the Post. "Why didn't they come forward before?" Trump is rewarding that loyalty with prime seating at the third presidential debate Wednesday night. "I look very much forward to meeting and being with Malik," Trump said. "He gets it far better than his brother." Trump is also taking Patricia Smith, who is best known as the grieving mother of Benghazi victim Sean Smith. During her speech at the Republican National convention, she accused Clinton of "murdering" her son. Sean was a foreign service information management officer, killed among U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and two CIA contractors in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the American consulate in Benghazi. The attack occurred while Clinton was secretary of state. Smith told CNN she's "heard rumors" that she'll be the front row. "I would like to have Hillary tell me what happened," she told CNN. "I know she murdered him ... I do hope she will tell me something. I don't think she will because I don't think she's got the guts to tell me what happened (in Benghazi)." WILLIAMSPORT -- An accused heroin dealer allegedly used the phones available to inmates at the Clinton County Correctional Facility to continue to coordinate his drug operation. U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann Wednesday cited that allegation when he refused to reconsider a magistrate judge's ruling detaining Shakeen Taylor until he is tried. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel, in a brief opposing any modification of the detention order, alleged Taylor has used recorded prison phones to provide instructions on changing cell phones for the purpose of continuing drug operations. "In the prison calls, he has also directed individuals to move assets suspected of being acquired with drug distribution proceeds, including a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, motorcycles, belts, gold chains and other jewelry items," he wrote. Taylor, 21, of Philadelphia, is accused in an indictment along with Jarrett Craddock of being part of a heroin distribution network in the Williamsport area using multiple cells phones to receive customer orders. "By some witness accounts, cell phones managed by Taylor generated approximately $10,000 per day in heroin sales," Rocktashel alleged. Taylor is accused of traveling between Philadelphia and Williamsport in rental vehicles and using motels as his base of operation. "Taylor operated the drug trafficking network in a mobile and stealthy manner" Rocktashel charged. He was arrested Aug. 3 following police surveillance of alleged drug transactions between Williamsport and Danville. One of the sales was 50 bags of heroin to a confidential source, the charges state. State police said they found 53 packets of heroin the car with Taylor and Craddock. Through bank records, according to Rocktashel, the FBI identified approximately $88,000 in deposits made by Taylor between April 2014 and last October although there is no record of him being employed during that period. It is anticipated a superseding indictment will be sought against Taylor and Craddock linking them to 19 other individuals already charged with drug activity between Philadelphia and the Williamsport area, a court document states. Citing comments made by prosecutors during guilty plea proceedings in the other case, Brann wrote in his order refusing to reconsider detention for Taylor: "The hallmark of that drug distribution network at the center of these cases was the ability to quickly respond to heroin orders and deploy throughout the region, a core set of cell phone numbers well known to loyal drug customers..." The judge also referenced Taylor's penchant for firearms, noting on Feb. 20 he purchased a box of ammunition for an AR-15 rifle. Taylor and Craddock are charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of controlled substances. Students support striking faculty.jpg Students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) show support for striking faculty members on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Photo by Colin Deppen. INDIANA -- Hours after helping to initiate the first strike in the history of Pennsylvania's state university system, faculty and union members at Indiana University of Pennsylvania took to the picket line on Wednesday morning, joining their colleagues across the state in a push for a new contract. Elsewhere on campus, students wandered about in confusion, unsure if classes were being held, and, if not, what it might mean for them, and the semester's credits, if a deal isn't struck soon. Junior Cynthia Sopko said students received an email from university administrators at around 7:55 a.m. on Wednesday. "It said 'A faculty union strike has been called,' but that 'IUP was open for business,'" Sopko explained. "It said 'Faculty members are not required to strike, and classes will still be held.'" But with a large portion of the faculty now on the picket lines outside, it's unclear how many of those classes are actually taking place. Non-faculty employees of the university, who declined to be identified, told PennLive that while some students were showing up for classes Wednesday morning, they weren't aware of one that had actually been held. Vincent Lopez, former president of the university's student body, said there was also talk that if the strike wound on for long enough, and if more than 45 hours of instruction time were missed, the semester and any accumulated credits could be rendered null-and-void. State System of Higher Education spokesman, Kenn Marshall, couldn't say at what point it would become impossible to completely cover the courses' required material, but conceded that cancelling the semester and refunding tuition would be a worst-case scenario. David Downing, an English professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) stands on the picket line after faculty at IUP and 13 other state universities moved to strike early Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. Photo by Colin Deppen. David Chambers, chair of IUP's political science program and IUP's spokesperson with the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), the labor union which voted to initiate the strike early Wednesday, said faculty and union members at IUP are aware of student concerns. But Chambers and his colleagues place the blame on the state university system officials, whom they're calling on to get "back to the table to make a deal." He added: "There's a lot of good will from the students, but also a lot of anxiety. The students are concerned that they've invested a good deal of work and a good deal of money, and they're understandably concerned about what will happen to those credits." But students, like Sopko, said they would continue to support the faculty members at IUP, as well as striking faculty at the 13 other state universities. "I feel it's as important to me as it is to the faculty," she said. "I pay a lot of money to be here, and I expect a quality education and quality faculty." As Sopko spoke, her striking faculty members stood nearby, just outside the university gates. Many held picket signs, including one reading "Honk for Higher Ed," a request passing motorists gladly fulfilled. By noon, the sound of car horns, and chanting and cheering picketers, had begun to swell across the campus' north end. At one point, the school's marching band joined in. Lopez said students were also planning an afternoon sit-in on campus in support of the faculty. This after he claims a similar demonstration was broken-up by campus police that morning, over the use of an unpermitted megaphone. Lopez said they hadn't obtained the necessary permit ahead of the second protest, either, adding, "We're gonna chance it. ... We support our faculty." THORNBURY TWP. -- In the unseasonable midday heat, about a dozen faculty held up protest signs outside of the entrances of Cheyney University in Thornbury Twp. on Oct. 19, 2016. The number had been much larger earlier in the day (and included students), according to the chapter union representative, but as time had passed and temperatures increased the crowd had dwindled. The faculty were protesting the breakdown of contract negotiations between their union, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty, and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The APSCUF members, which include faculty at 14 universities, have been operating without a contract from the government for more than 470 days. On Oct. 18, 2016 both groups met to share final offers, only to walk away from the negotiating table. As the strike continued, groups had not met to continue talks and an agreement had not been reached as of 5:30 p.m. It is the first time the PSSHE has had a strike in 33 years. Ivan Turnipseed, chair of hospitality and recreational management program at Cheyney, was leading his group of striking faculty in chants on Wednesday afternoon. "We're concerned about not having a contract because we think that diminishes the quality of education in the commonwealth," he said. "You can't put students first if you put faculty last." Turnipseed emphasized that the faculty want a fair contract and that the strike is a last resort. "We have absolutely no interest in going on strike," he said. "I love my students, I love what I do - but it's important for me to stand here for the quality for future education." "We want quality education for our students, and quality educators deserve a quality contract." His thoughts were shared by B. J. Mullaney, a librarian at Cheyney and the chapter president for the union. For her, the strike is also a learning opportunity for students. "The reality is, if someone learns there is value in standing up for yourself, it's an excellent lesson," she said. At Cheyney, which has a undergraduate enrollment of a 686, faculty and students have a close relationship. That's led to the student body being well informed about the strike, according to Mullaney. "We have students who feel that have a good understanding of the issue," she said. "They understand why we had to do this." The few students hanging around Cheyney campus on Oct. 19 were decidedly upset about the strike. "I feel terrible about it," said Azie Faison, a sophomore at the school. "Some students are here paying for an education but we're not getting an education because they want to go on strike." Still he placed the blame on the government, not the faculty - as did freshman Camron Jones. "It's the government's fault for not paying our teachers," he said, adding later "They get paid to teach us so we can grow up and make money and make the economy better." Turnipseed and Mullaney both expressed frustration that negotiations have ended up in a strike. "No one has time for this," Turnipseed said. "I don't have time for this. But we're going to make time if the state system refuses to negotiate in good faith." Mullaney put the blame on PSSHE chancellor Frank Brogan. "Frank Brogan has to agree to negotiate again, that's the problem," she said. "It isn't the faculty and it isn't us being on the line." This story has been updated to correct the status of contract negotiations. Park Avenue detour.jpg Park Avenue detour (PennDOT) Park Avenue at the bridge over Spring Creek will be closed for about a month for utility work starting Oct. 24, PennDOT says. Closure of the road, which is also Route 743, will allow Verizon and Pennsylvania American Water Company to relocate utilities in advance of bridge replacement scheduled to start in January. Park Avenue will be closed just north of Trinidad Avenue to the south side of the bridge. Drivers will be able to get to ZooAmerica from Route 422, and from Hersheypark Drive, drivers will be able to get to Tanger Outlets. The detour route is to take Routes 743 and 422 and Hersheypark Drive. Park Drive carries about 11,500 vehicles per day. The road should reopen by Thanksgiving, PennDOT said. PennDOT has contracted with J.D. Eckman Inc. of Atglen to replace the superstructure of the bridge, at a cost of $2,995,254. For more traffic information, follow live traffic updates, accident reports and road closures below from PennDOT, Total Traffic Network and other Twitter sources. Get a look at conditions on local roads -- via PennDOT traffic cameras -- anytime here on PennLive. For Pennsylvania Turnpike updates and possible travel delays visit the Turnpike website here. Tweet us at @pennlive with any incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com. WEST CHESTER -- The picket lines outside of West Chester University began around 5 a.m. on Oct. 19, 2016. Striking faculty, protesting the breakdown in negotiations between the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, held up signs that read "This is a school, not a business" and "Keep politics out of public education" outside the main entrance of the school on High Street. The faculty at West Chester were not the only ones striking, 14 different state universities joined their efforts, including Millersville University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. It is the first time in 33 years that the State Sytem of Higher Education has experienced a strike. "I hope it gets resolved by the end of today," said Chris Przemieniecki, assistant professor of criminal justice for West Chester University. "We want to be in the classroom, we want to teach and we want to educate," he continued. "But there comes a point in time where enough is enough." "I feel bad for the students," said Jackie Butler, an adjunct professor in chemistry at West Chester. "That's who I really feel bad for - they're the one's getting the shaft. "Every day we miss, they're missing classes that we have to make up," she continued. "It's not like it's from a natural disaster... this is totally manmade and if I were a student I'd be really, really mad." Butler spent part of class on Oct. 18 giving her students the email addresses for the PSSHE chancellor, Frank Brogan, as well as Governor Tom Wolf. She urged them to contact their state representative too. "We're their constituents and they need to fix this thing," she said. Faculty were joined by students around 11 p.m., who staged their own walk-out of more than 50 students to show solidarity with the union. "I didn't expect that much support from the student body, but I'm really happy to see it," said senior Shane Lynch as he marched along. "It just goes to show how important the faculty is. That's really what a university is - the faculty. "I think [Chancellor Frank Brogan] needs to get out of bed right now and start talking," he said, his voice getting louder. "Come on, negotiate!" His sentiments were echoed by Elena Hoffman, a fellow senior at West Chester. "We really just want to get fair contracts for the professors, because if the professors don't have benefits than we're not benefited because they won't be here to teach us," she said. "And if you press them to take on more classes, then there are things that are sacrificed - like they're research... so it's really a loss for all students and professors." Lilah Saber, a junior, helped recruit students for the protest. "I'm here today just to support our professors," she said. "They deserve a fair contract, they deserve fair wages and we deserve a better education than the PASSHE system is offering us." As the students and faculty patrolled the picket lines, the Habanero Latin Band played upbeat music to keep spirits high. The band is made up of West Chester University students who felt it was important to show support with their instruments. "[We're here] to motivate people, to educate them about the issues that our teachers face," said Ian Sadock, a senior at West Chester and band member. "Hopefully we can bring our passion through our music into the negotiation table." Live coverage: This story has been updated to correct Chancellor Frank Brogan's title. Millersville strike.jpg Hundreds of students gathered at Millersville University in support of faculty who began a strike at 5 a.m. Wednesday. (Wesley Robinson | PennLive) MILLERSVILLE -- Students and their professors weren't in class Wednesday, but Millersville University was abuzz as the faculty strike at statewide universities commenced. Hundreds of Millersville University students joined thousands of students across the state in support of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties strike that began at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Both groups were out in full force for the first day of a strike across Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education -- the first in its history. The day culminated with a protest that began in front of Millersville's library at 11 a.m. and moved across campus. Barry David, president of the Millersville chapter of APSCUF, said students understand faculty are on strike to protect the quality of higher education across the state university system. He added that the matter should have been resolved before faculty had to strike had state officials been more willing to listen. "Frankly, I'm not sure they wanted to resolve it," David said of negotiations with PASSHE. Several Millersville faculty questioned whether this matter would have come to a strike if faculty at schools like Penn State and Pittsburgh were involved. David noted that PASSHE agree to contracts with other faculty unions in saying Chancellor Frank Brogan and PASSHE have pushed too far. David also called Brogan anti-union, referencing the chancellor's statements to legislators. David pointed to several issues, including pay and responsibilities for adjunct faculty, faculty health care costs and the state's commitment to higher education funding when explaining why faculty decided by an overwhelming majority to strike. Millersville faculty spread out at three points on campus, with a fourth group picketing at the Ware Center in downtown Lancaster. Organizers provided signs, water and sunblock as a temperatures exceeded 80 degrees during the picketing and student demonstrations. In addition to students, current faculty were joined in support by retired colleagues, staff and community members who believe in the educator's cause. Millersville University police and an assistant Lancaster County district attorney were on hand, but only as observers to the peaceful protests went on into Wednesday afternoon. Millersville juniors Rachel Hentnick, Dominic Hernandez, Jantje van der Veken and Ben Zwolan said they support the faculty in the dispute, as do many of the students on Millersville's campus. "We wouldn't be who we are without them," van der Veken said. "It just seems like they care more about us than the state." Hentnick referenced the fact state faculty worked 400-plus days without a contract in explaining why students do not fault their professors for the strike. Zwolan agreed, adding that the state system could have gone back to the negotiating table before the strike but refused to listen to the faculty union. Hernandez joked that it was a nice secondary fall break before explaining that he planned to continue to study independently and try to operate normally in the midst of the uncertainty. As for the uncertainty, Zwolan said he was told to show up for his 8 a.m. class Wednesday, only to find class had been canceled. Not all students were in support of the faculty, and some voiced frustrations with the academics for going on strike and interrupting the semester. The university held an open forum and took student questions Oct. 17. Answers to questions ranging from whether to go to class and how the strike affects the end of the semester can be found here. Millersville University President John Anderson issued the following statement in response to the strike: Our students are our first priority. While it is unfortunate that APSCUF and the State System could not come to an agreement on the contract negotiations, we are hopeful for a positive resolution to this work stoppage. The State System and the faculty union concluded five days of negotiations Tuesday without reaching agreement on a new contract. As of 5 a.m., Oct. 19, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties has called for an immediate work stoppage at all 14 universities in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education, including Millersville University. At Millersville our students are our top concern. We are hopeful that an agreement can be reached between APSCUF, the union representing our faculty, and the PA State System of Higher Education to minimize the impact to our students. We want to remind you that participation in the strike is an individual faculty member's decision, so students should report to scheduled classes unless the university indicates otherwise. During this time, our campus will remain open with regular hours of operation. This includes: housing, dining, the Student Memorial Center, McNairy Library, IT, Health Services, Mail Services, Campus Police, Registrar's office, etc. Please contact the respective department or office for specific operating hours. Any changes to the schedule will be communicated via email and social media. Rob Spicer, a communication professor and committee member for the campus APSCUF chapter, paused from protests to encourage a Penn Manor student to look into studying media at Millersville. Spicer noted how hard it was for his fellow academics to stop working during the strike, but believes it is the right thing to do. Public faculty strike at Millersville University Posted by Wesley Robinson on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Nazli Hardy, a professor of computer science, stressed that the strike isn't about money or any of the issues the state bringing up. She and Lexi Hutto, a marketing professor, said they both could make a significant higher amount of money working in the private sector but would rather teach and build meaningful relationships with students. Both were heartened by the support from students and their willingness to support their efforts to provide a quality education over the state's plans. Chris Hardy, a biology professor, criticized the state for using email to falsely communicate the union's message to students as the impasse worsened to the strike. Pointing to APSCUF signs addressing quality education, he emphasized that the union has conceded greatly on salary, health care and the other issues. Where the faculty are unwilling to budge, Chris Hardy said, is in time, research, professional development and the other aspects that ultimately benefit the student. For now, faculty are working in shifts, with student support, to demonstrate their protest is for the sake of the students and their education beyond the labor deal. David said the group of more than 350 faculty members at Millersville are prepared to strike as long as necessary, but he hopes both parties can arrive at a resolution soon. "We want this done," David said. Vigil for rights of immigrant families An anti-immigration bill headed for the state Senate would lead to racial profiling, immigration rights advocates say. House Bill 1885 would extend immigration enforcement rights to local officials. In this file photo from June, immigrant communities hold a vigil in Harrisburg in reaction to a recent Supreme Court decision relating to the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program. (Daniel Zampogna, Pennlive) The head of a statewide immigration rights advocacy group is denouncing a proposed immigration bill modeled after one of the most fearsome anti-immigration measures in the country. Sundrop Carter, executive director of the Pennsylvania Immigration & Citizenship Coalition, on Wednesday urged members of the Senate to strike down House Bill 1885, which she said will lead to racial profiling in Pennsylvania and incur adverse economic consequences. "It should not pass," Carter said. "It's bad public policy. It should not be brought to vote and the Senators should recognize that it's bad public policy and should not be brought to vote but if it's brought to vote, it should fail." HB 1885, a "Sanctuaries Cities" bill, passed the Republican-controlled House on Tuesday by a 136-55 vote. One of about three introduced in this session aimed at curbing illegal immigration throughout Pennsylvania, the bill would extend to local law enforcement agencies new broad powers to enforce immigration law, including permitting and requiring municipal law enforcement officers to question individuals about their immigration status. Moreover, local law enforcement agents would be permitted to stop someone whom they suspected lacked legal immigration status. Police would be required, under the law, to report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials anyone they suspected lacked legal immigration status. "This is basically opening up to rampant racial profiling," Carter said. "You can't tell someone's legal status by looking at them. The question becomes how law enforcement would establish that someone isn't document. Are they going to be asking everyone with an accent or anyone who looks Latino? That's a very problematic provision." The bill was sponsored by Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia), after Mayor Jim Kenney declared Philadelphia a "sanctuary city". A sanctuary city by definition grants sanctuary and shelter to undocumented immigrants. HB 1885 is markedly similar to a largely failed legislation in Arizona - Senate bill 1070. Last month, amid lawsuits and threats of boycotts, Arizona announced it was ending its practice of requiring police officers to demand the papers of people suspected of being in the country illegally. The move largely stunts what was once considered one of the country's most fearsome immigration law. Arizona's decision to dismantle the law came as part of a settlement with the National Immigration Law Center and other immigrants' rights groups - all of whom sued after the bill passed. In addition to raising the ire of immigration activists, Arizona's measure engendered calls for boycotts of Arizona, including from liberal cities. Carter said Pennsylvania's bill would open municipalities up to liability, in the instances where law enforcement officials released an individual who had no immigration status and that individual proceeded to commit a crime. "It's a broad bill that opens municipalities to a pretty broad range of potential lawsuits and damages," she said. HB 1885 has been denounced by Philadelphia Councilman At-Large David Oh, who this week expressed concerns that the bill would have dire implications for his city. The proposed measure stipulates that state funding would be withheld from sanctuary cities - which in the case of Philadelphia amounts to $2.7 billion. The Philadelphia City Council last month passed a resolution introduced by Oh opposing the measure's language. Philadelphia and 32 counties, in fact, have in place local policies holding that local law enforcement agencies will not hold people in custody longer than they would anyone else. The policies generally state that agencies will release someone in temporary custody unless ICE officials give the local law enforcement agency a warrant for that individual. Carter said she was disappointed at the number of Democrats in the House who voted in favor of the measure. The anti-immigration push in Pennsylvania - as in much of the country - has been widely supported by Republicans. "Democrats hold themselves out to be supporting of immigration rights but by this vote they are showing that is not true," Carter said. "If you don't take the time to look at the bill and think about what it means...people will say 'yes I'm for public safety' but this is not what it's about. It's a racial profiling bill." Norma Chase.jpg Attorney Norma Chase is pictured inside her downtown Pittsburgh office on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. Photo by Colin Deppen. PITTSBURGH -- On Sunday, Oct. 9, attorney Norma Chase made the short walk from her downtown Pittsburgh office to a nearby university where she gathered with a small crowd for a communal viewing of the second presidential debate. Chase walked inside the hall, grabbed a seat and fixed her eyes on the screen. It wasn't long before she caught sight of a familiar face projected upon it, one that immediately grabbed her attention. Speaking to PennLive from her Grant Street office on Tuesday, Chase said she had recognized the face as that of Kathy Shelton, in an instant. Shelton has for years claimed that current Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, subjected her to a battery of tests, derision and humiliation while serving as a court-appointed attorney for the man Shelton says raped her when she was just 12-years-old. Shelton anonymously detailed her claims in a 2014 Daily Beast article titled: "Hillary Clinton took me through hell." And on Oct. 9 she returned to the spotlight, no longer shrouded in anonymity, to restate those allegations in a pre-debate press conference hosted by Clinton's current political opponent, Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump. Most of the people watching at Point Park University with Chase that evening likely had no idea who Shelton was. But Chase did, and says she was surprised, if not shocked, to see her there on the screen. "I thought 'Oh my God,'" she recalled on Tuesday. And then her phone rang. 'Archive rat' Chase likes to refer to herself as an "archive rat." In other words, a lawyer who prefers the behind-the-scenes work of libraries and filing rooms to the center-stage action of courtrooms. Her office is a claustrophobia-inducing crush of loose leaf, books, binders and folders, all arranged in precarious-looking, floor-to-ceiling stacks. As an "archive rat," it is perhaps fitting then that her involvement with the Shelton case began there, with a virtual trawling of the paper records attached to the now 40-year-old case, in a courthouse some one-thousand miles away. On Sept. 2, Chase says she phoned the court archives in Washington County, Arkansas, where the Shelton rape case was filed in 1975, and where Shelton's attacker, then 41-year-old Thomas Alfred Taylor, later pled guilty to a lesser count of fondling of a minor. Taylor was sentenced to 10 months in jail. He died in 1992. "The phone was answered by an actual human being who turned out to be the right human being," Chase recalled. "And she said, 'Make your request by email.' And so I did, and within 15 minutes of the phone call I had a PDF." What Chase found in the docket filings contained therein surprised her. While Shelton had claimed that Clinton had subjected her to psychiatric exams and forced her to undergo multiple polygraph tests where she was "asked explicit sexual questions," the documents uncovered and made public for the first time by Chase showed otherwise. Taylor Docket Entries by GlennKesslerWP on Scribd The Washington Post, in a fact-check published the day after the Oct. 9 debate, credited Chase with unearthing the documents, which it said show that while Clinton requested a psychiatric exam of Shelton, the request was subsequently denied by a judge. While media outlets had previously reported on the case and published related court filings and motions, all had somehow failed to note the judicial rulings that followed. The Post article offers this summary of the rulings uncovered by Chase as they pertain to Shelton's psychiatric evaluation claims: "The court docket for July 28 says Clinton filed her motion for an exam. On July 29, it states: 'Hearing on Motion for Psychiatric Examination -- Motion denied. Defendant objects.'" The Post also said there is "no evidence that Clinton was responsible for arranging Shelton's polygraph test." Soon after, the author of that article, Glenn Kessler, wrote that Shelton's gofundme.com page had been altered to remove all references to "an alleged psychiatric exam and the polygraph test." Candice Jackson, the Washington State lawyer currently representing Shelton and informally advising three separate accusers of Clinton's husband, former president Bill Clinton, told PennLive on Tuesday that after independently reviewing paperwork filed in the case, Shelton admits she may have misremembered the psychiatric exam and conflated memories of law enforcement interviews instead. Jackson said some confusion was to be expected, with Shelton only a sixth grader at the time of the attack, one that also left her in a coma. "Her best recollection currently is that she was threatened to undergo a psychiatric exam, but didn't go through with it," Jackson said. But Jackson is adamant that Clinton's request for the exam speaks to her general demeanor as defense counsel, saying Clinton accused a 12-year-old Shelton of lying about the rape and even went so far as to blame the victim. "Kathy has always been consistent and clear in how she felt dragged through the process under the pressure of 'You're lying and making this up,' and that 'It didn't happen, but if it did, you wanted it to happen,'" Jackson said. Jackson said Shelton also stands by claims that she was subjected to intense questioning under polygraph testing, but is no longer sure if Clinton requested the tests or not. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Chase says it is the criticism of Clinton's actions as defense attorney that prompted her to get involved in the first place. After all, she explained, this was less about defending Clinton and more about defending their shared profession. Unearthed Chase began her legal career after being paroled from the Duquesne University School of Law in 1978, three years after the Shelton case was opened and two years before it officially closed. Chase was admitted into the bar in October of 1978, and went on to focus on appellate and family law. She continues to do so now, while sharing a third-floor office space in downtown Pittsburgh with several other attorneys, some of them former public defenders. Chase refers to herself as the den mother, and says her interest in the Shelton case is well-known among her peers. It is also the latest chapter in a legal career spanning nearly four decades. In that time, Chase has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court and also done the occasional criminal defense job, she explains. She recalls one such case, a felony matter which she refused to discuss further, that saw her criticized for representing the accused. It was that experience which helped drive her interest in the Shelton accusations, she added. "I get upset when attorneys are being attacked for handling a criminal case," she explained. Chase says it was sometime after the Pennsylvania Primary in May when she first noticed such criticism cropping up in response to a Facebook meme detailing Shelton's claims against Clinton -- "You know, the one with the crying girl," she said of the accompanying image. It was at that point that Chase says she decided to investigate for herself. She began by scouring news reports, and located a Snopes.com fact-check titled "Hillary Clinton freed a child rapist." She also reviewed the court records already released with those previously published news reports, the same which failed to note the judicial rulings that Chase herself later dug up. She says the originally published court records did include a reference to Shelton's mother, however. All references to Shelton had been scrubbed from the court documents upon their release, almost certainly because of her age at the time of the incident. State of Arkansas V. Thomas Alfred Taylor by Washington Free Beacon on Scribd Using an online background-check tool, Chase says she was able to work backwards from Shelton's mother to find Shelton herself. "I punched in [the mother] Nellie Slaten's name and up came Kathy Shelton," she recalled. In the ensuing months, Chase did nothing with that information except occasionally enter Shelton's name into search engines to see if anything new about her or the case came up. And then, one day in mid-summer, it finally did. On Aug. 9, Shelton's identity was confirmed once-and-for-all with the publishing of a Daily Mail "Exclusive." The article was the first to publicly identify her, and rehashed many of her claims about the case, including those about having undergone a psychiatric evaluation at Clinton's insistence. The article also served to further fuel Clinton's critics, and prompted new calls from the right to make Shelton, now 54, a "household name." But where many of those critics saw Clinton's handling of the Shelton case as ruthless and abusive, Chase simply saw a defense attorney doggedly doing her job. And while she does not deny that Shelton was a victim, Chase does dispute whether Shelton was a victim of Clinton's. Spokespeople for both Clinton and Trump declined comment for this article when reached by PennLive. Clinton has previously stood by her handling of the case, while Trump, in the Oct. 9 presidential debate, said of it: "The client [Clinton] represented, she got him off, and she's seen laughing on two separate occasions, laughing at the girl who was raped. Kathy Shelton, that young woman is here with us tonight." Politifact, a Pulitzer Prize winner, rates Trump's claim as "false," saying that while Clinton did laugh about the case in a recorded interview with a reporter in the mid-to-late '80s, her laughter was not directed at the victim but rather at the reliability of polygraphs and a crime lab's accidental destruction of DNA evidence. This is unlikely to appease her critics, though, some of whom argue that given the context, any laughter was inappropriate. Back on the subject of the docket filings, Chase says the documents also disprove claims that Clinton stonewalled the admission of evidence related to the Shelton case. Chase argues that the filings she obtained on Sept. 2 show no trace of suppression efforts by the defense. Her extensive blogging on the case and this subject can be viewed here. Meanwhile, the allegations made by Shelton and other Clinton accusers linger as a particularly contentious election season winds its way through the homestretch. Jackson said Shelton is stunned by all the attention she and her case have received, adding, "It's overwhelming in a lot of ways. She never wanted the spotlight but is proud of herself for telling the truth." Jackson notes that Shelton was discovered by reporters in 2014, before deciding to come forward with her claims. For Trump's part, his resurfacing of the accusations against Clinton and her husband continues to be overshadowed by similar claims dogging his own presidential ambitions. And on Chase's end, she says it appears that public opinion about the Shelton case is shifting now, whether due to her own efforts or news reports and fact-checks like The Washington Post and Politifact's. Shelton now walking back some of her claims could also cast further doubt, if not on her intent, than on her ability to recall details from four decades ago. "I tend to see more people piping-up now to say Clinton was doing her job and innocent until proven guilty and that the psych evaluation order never happened," Chase said on Tuesday. For that, she feels vindicated. And while she'll be voting for Hillary Clinton in November -- Chase describes herself as somewhere between Bernie Sanders and Clinton on the political spectrum -- Chase said her decision to support Clinton has nothing to do with the Shelton case. She also scoffs at characterizations of her as the person who cracked it. In response to those who claim she was the one who unearthed key discrepancies in Shelton's story, Chase quips, "There wasn't a lot of earth covering it." It's not clear, however, why no one else had bothered to do so before her. Also unclear are the implications for either campaign, as a result. At the debate watch party near her office on Oct. 9, Chase said while she was taken aback by Shelton's presence on the screen, she had believed it likely that the case would re-emerge at some point in this presidential race, especially given the tone of the campaigning. But even then, Chase said she was startled by how surreal it all seemed, with Shelton seated there alongside three Bill Clinton accusers on prime-time television. It was also reaffirming, she added, noting that soon after she spotted Shelton, her phone rang with the arrival of a message from a once skeptical coworker. "One colleague thought I was obsessing with this matter for no reason, and as I'm sitting down at Point Park [University] watching the debate, I get this text from him: 'It looks like your issue will be brought up at the debate tonight," Chase recalled. "I didn't say 'I told you so,' or anything," she added. Parrish Valentine.jpg Parrish Valentine (submitted) A Williamsport man is headed to Lancaster County court on charges he took nine guns from Trop Gun Shop in Mount Joy Township in May. Parrish M. Valentine, 25, was bound over for court by District Judge Janice Jimenez on nine felony counts of theft, felony counts of burglary and conspiracy, and misdemeanor criminal mischief. Police accused Valentine and co-defendant Shawn R. Prim, 29, of taking the guns in 12 seconds then fled, according to evidence presented at the hearing. They are accused of smashing a glass front door and display cases before taking the $4,200 worth of weapons. Surveillance video from the burglary which showed one of the thieves wearing Nike Air Jordan sneakers, which police found a few days later in the trunk of a vehicle occupied by Valentine during a traffic stop in Williamsport, police said. One of the stolen handguns was also found in the trunk. Valentine, who was charged Aug. 12, is in Lancaster County prison on $150,000 bail. Prim, of Maryland, waived a preliminary hearing on the same charges as Valentine in August. Lena L. Griffith, accused getaway driver, is awaiting court action. state senate.jpg HARRISBURG -- Legislation approved by the Pennsylvania state Senate would let police departments refuse public requests for copies of audio or video recordings by officers, unless a court orders its release. The bill was approved 45-5 on Wednesday without debate. It goes to the House of Representatives with just a few scheduled voting days left in the legislative session. The bill's wording was made public a day ago and covers recordings from body cameras and dashboard cameras. It is supported by law enforcement organizations, but opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The sponsor, Sen. Stewart Greenleaf of Montgomery County, says it'll encourage more police agencies to outfit officers with cameras. But the ACLU says it'll be nearly impossible to obtain video that's in the public interest, even if the requester is in the video. Philadelphia Generic Philadelphia skyline from the South Street Bridge. Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com (Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com) Philadelphia Police on Wednesday continued their search for a shooting suspect who injured a Good Samaritan along an iconic Center City park. According to Philly.com, police have an idea as to who shot the "courageous" 39-year-old man who on Tuesday night, attempted to stop a robbery in Rittenhouse Square. The victim remains in critical but stable condition at Hahnemann University Hospital, the report indicates. Philly.com reports that Chief Inspector Scott Small says investigators have his nickname of one of the thieves involved in the robbery, who is known as a regular in the square. Detectives also are checking cameras inside the park and business surveillance cameras. The incident began just after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when police responded to multiple calls about a shooting in the square. Police found the victim on a walkway with four or five gunshot wounds to his chest, his torso, and a shoulder. The victim was rushed to Hahnemann University Hospital. Small described the victim as "very courageous, very brave." The victim is expected to survive. The victim was riding a bicycle when the robbery got underway. Police said he tried to stop the robbery. One of the perpetrators opened fire and both ran off. One of the suspects was described as about 5-feet-11, wearing a gray shirt with "Nike" in green letters. The second was a pudgy man, 5-feet-8, wearing all-dark clothing. LOCK HAVEN -- The Renovo man who admitted to killing his wife and then reporting her missing has asked a judge to shorten his sentence imposed Oct. 7. Clinton County Judge Michael F. Salisbury Tuesday scheduled an Oct 31 hearing on the motion filed on behalf of William J. Snyder, who is serving a sentence of 20 years, 1 month, to 52 years in prison. Snyder's lawyer, David I. Lindsey, claims in the motion for reconsideration that the judge abused his discretion by ordering consecutive sentences for third-degree murder and abuse of corpse convictions. Lindsey claims the court improperly ignored Snyder's expression of extreme remorse, his acceptance of responsibility and his understanding of how his mental health altered his judgment. He also contends the judge placed undue emphasis on the punishment and retributive aspects of the sentence. Conversely, the defense attorney claims minimal emphasis was placed on Snyder's military service that included being wounded in Iraq, his post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis and his lack of a criminal record. The court placed significant emphasis on Snyder's temper, but Lindsey says it is uncontested his client never had been involved in a physical altercation before the incident that left his wife dead. He also contends Salisbury failed to consider the effect the minimum term of 20 years, 1 month, will have upon Snyder's children. Lindsey claims a lesser period of incarceration followed by a supervision tail would have been a more appropriate sentence. The state attorney general's office, which handled the sentencing phase of the case, opposes Snyder's motion, spokesman Jeffrey Johnson said. William J. "B.J." Snyder Snyder pleaded guilty last December to charges of third-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and making unsworn statements to law enforcement. He admitted that on April 5, 2015, which was Easter, he and his wife, Kelly Jo, argued. She threw a bottle of hair spray by his head and punched him in the chest, they grappled, and they fell to the floor, with him straddling her and with his hands around her neck. When he realized she was dead, he placed her body in a sleeping bag in the cellar and later disposed of the body in the Halls Run area. He reported her missing, gave police false information and prepared a fake $60,000 ransom note. Her body was found following an extensive search on April 11, 2015. An autopsy determined she had been strangled. The plea agreement would have allowed Salisbury to sentence Snyder to as little as six years on the murder charge. Hillary Clinton A bill in the Pennsylvania General Assembly that would place further restrictions on abortions has drawn the ire of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (Andrew Harnik) A bill in the Pennsylvania General Assembly that would place further restrictions on abortions has drawn the ire of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The bill up for a vote in the Pennsylvania Senate would limit abortions to cases of medical necessity after 20 weeks of pregnancy rather than the current 24-week ceiling. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette earlier this week that the bill could be up for a final in the near future. Maya Harris, Hillary for America senior policy advisor, affirmed Clinton's opposition to the legislation in a prepared comment. Harris said Clinton remains adamantly opposed to the "dangerous" bill that puts women's health at risk. "This bill is another example of how Republicans want to roll back the progress we've made on women's reproductive rights. Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence believe that Pennsylvania women should be punished for their health care decisions," Harris said. "In contrast, Hillary Clinton has spent her entire career as a strong advocate for women and their families, and will continue to fight to protect women's reproductive rights." House Bill 1948, sponsored by Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren County, passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in June and was sent to the Senate. After it was first considered in July, the bill laid dormant until late September when it went through second consideration. The Senate could vote on the bill this week. PennLive did not receive comment from the Office of the Majority Leader by the time of publication. Pat Toomey may not be ready to say whether he plans to vote for Donald Trump, but he was unequivocal on one talking point that has dominated the Republican presidential nominee's recent speeches. "People have to believe the election reflected the wishes of the American people," Pennsylvania's incumbent U.S. senator said Wednesday. "I am confident it will and we should not be propagating any notion that it won't." On the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly said that he believes November's election will be "rigged" against him. That, in turn, has raised concerns of a constitutional crisis if Hillary Clinton's polling advantage results in a win on election day. Toomey, who faces a tough reelection battle against former state environmental secretary Katie McGinty on Nov. 8, answered questions about a wide range of issues during a PennLive editorial board meeting. Here are several highlights from the interview, the entirety of which can be streamed via PennLive's Facebook page. 1. Will Toomey vote for Trump? Ask again later. Toomey, who has never formally endorsed Trump, continued to eschew questions about whether he planned to vote for his party's presidential nominee. He did, however, say Clinton is an unacceptable choice for commander in chief. "I can't believe these are the choices we have," he said. During Monday's Senate debate with McGinty, Toomey was asked when he would tell voters whether he planned to vote for Trump. His response was "At some point, I probably will." Toomey has less than three weeks to do that and, on Wednesday, he said nothing has changed in the last two days. 2. The elections are not rigged. Toomey's stance was firm and clear: "We have been able to build the greatest republican in the world that has thrived for 240 years, in part, because the American people have had confidence in our electoral system. It has not been perfect and it will probably never be perfect, but it works. And it is legitimate and it has integrity and everybody needs to recognize that fundamental integrity and legitimacy and respect the outcome of the election. It is really the very essence of the Republic is at stake, in this respect, and the very practical matter of healing some very deep wounds and bringing people together after Nov. 9th. In order for that to happen, people have to believe that the election reflected the wishes of the American people. I am confident it will and we should not be propagating any notion that it won't." 3. Pro-life, pro-death penalty. During the editorial board meeting, Toomey emphasized that he is "pro-life" when it comes to abortion rights but that he recognizes the need for exceptions in certain cases. He said he holds the middle ground on the issue, advocating for a ban on late-term abortions (although he couldn't define that term in specifics) as well as a ban on taxpayer funding to support them. Like many social conservatives, he also supports the death penalty. "There's a difference between innocent human life and someone who has wantonly taken human life." When asked if he believes the death penalty has been fairly carried out, he replied: "I think the answer is yes." 4. Reintroducing background check bill. One of Toomey's legislative priorities, if he's reelected, will be reintroducing the bill he sponsored with West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin. That 2013 bill would have mandated criminal and mental health background checks at gun shows and on Internet sales. "The most painful meeting I had since I got to the senate was with the parents of the Sandy Hook schoolchildren," Toomey said, expressing frustration at the lack of movement on any new gun laws in the wake of numerous mass shootings. That said, Toomey emphasized the need for a middle path. He does not, for example, support bans on high-capacity magazines and other proposals that he believes would never garner enough support to pass. "If you don't look for common ground, you won't make any progress on this," he said. 5. Are you tired of all the attack ads? So is Toomey. "It's not really much fun to watch TV in the Toomey household," he said, in response to a question about outside spending on attack ads in the Senate campaign. Pennsylvania's race is currently the most expensive nationwide, with outside spending currently over $140 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, in addition to the $20 million spent by the campaigns. A lot of this is a result of the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates for unlimited corporate contributions. Toomey said Wednesday that he's not opposed to spending by corporations, but he would support legislation to make it more transparent. For him, that would involve all contributions being funneled directly to the campaigns and not outside groups that are exempt from disclosing their donors. Toomey said he would introduce legislation to that effect, but he's doubtful it would ever garner enough support to pass Congress. FILE - This Saturday, May 31, 2014, file photo, shows the Starbucks logo at one of the company's coffee shops in downtown Chicago. Starbucks is pushing ahead with its expansion into China and said it is on track to having about 5,000 stores there by 2021, more than doubling the number of coffee shops it currently has in the country. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Downtown Petoskey celebrates Halloween in style with annual parade The sun was shining on Saturday morning as hundreds of trick-or-treaters took to the streets of downtown Petoskey for the annual Halloween Parade. Big oil will focus on Brazil & Mexico deepwater projects LONDON Petroleumworld.com 10 19 2016 The deepwater oil industry is not dead, even after the brutal drop in oil prices in recent years, but activity will focus on regions such as Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico where resources are large and costs low, executives said on Tuesday. Sanctioning of multi-billion dollar projects, that take years to develop and which drove oil supply growth earlier this decade, ground to a near halt since the oil price collapse in mid-2014 as companies dealt with a sharp drop in revenue. U.S. shale oil production has been able to sharply reduce its development costs in recent years to stay profitable at $50 a barrel in some cases, John Hess, Chief Executive Officer of U.S. independent Hess Corp told the Oil & Money conference. "You will need prices in excess of $60-$80 a barrel to get the long-cycle projects running," Hess said. "We are not investing enough today to provide the projects for long-cycle that the world is going to need." "Not all deepwater is equal," Andrew Gould, board member of Saudi Arabia's state-run oil company, said. "There are really only three areas that have the critical mass to allow economies of scale. These are the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, particularly the Norwegian area, and Brazil," he added. "These areas have the engineering and supply supporting proximity that can mobilize resources in a way that is impossible in remote areas," Gould, former chairman of BG Group, which Royal Dutch Shell acquired earlier this year, said. Gould gave the example of Statoil's Johan Castberg field development in the Norwegian North Sea where costs have been reduced from an original estimate of $16 billion to around $6 billion due to cost deflation and simplification of construction plans. Similarly, BP's Mad Dog project in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to be developed at nearly half of its original costs of $20 billion. BP Chief Executive Officer Bob Dudley told reporters at the conference that a final investment decision (FID) on the Mad Dog project might be made over the next six months. Dudley said Mad Dog II will "probably" be sanctioned this quarter or in the first quarter of next year, depending on agreement with its partners. "There will be FIDs. Investments are back but only the best ones," Dudley told reporters on the sidelines of the conference. Dudley expected oil prices to remain within a range of $50 to $60 a barrel next year and not exceed $70 a barrel by the end of the decade. "Good deepwater in areas of critical mass will be developed and it is encouraging to see operators already reacting to reduce developing costs," Gould said. The world will require around 40 million barrels per day of new oil production over the next 10 years to meet annual demand growth of around 1 million bpd and a natural field decline of some 30 million bpd, Hess said. Oil majors such as Chevron are increasingly focusing their smaller budgets production growth on short-cycle plans such as shale and shallow water projects in order to benefit from faster income. Ali Moshiri, President of Chevron's Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production said that mega projects such as heavy oil and extra heavy oil developments in Canada and Venezuela, as well as some deepwater production, will be "very difficult" to develop unless prices reach $60 to $80 a barrel. "From a practical point of view, certain projects will be pushed into the future," Moshiri said. By Anthony Esposito SANTIAGO/LA SERENA, Chile, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Unionized workers at Chile's state-owned copper miner Codelco are mulling going on a company-wide strike, possibly by mid-November, if the government does not make progress on a number of demands, union leaders told Reuters on Tuesday. Codelco, the world No. 1 copper producer, returns all its profits to the state and is funded by a mixture of capitalization and debt. The recent sharp downturn in the copper price has hit it hard when it needs to invest in new projects to keep output flowing, forcing it to scale back ambitious expansion plans. The Copper Mining Federation (FTC), which serves as the umbrella organization for Codelco's unions, will ask Chile's government for permanent capitalization for the company and to overturn a law that requires that 10 percent of Codelco's revenues support Chile's defense budget. "By (mid-November) we could be organizing a strike if we don't have a response from the government," said Marcelo Perez, director of the Caletones union at Codelco's underground El Teniente mine. Codelco declined to comment. According to Perez, the unions have not decided how long the strike could last. However, Liliana Ugarte, who heads one of the unions at the open-pit Chuquicamata mine, said on Friday that if workers were to go on strike it would likely last 24 hours. "We're going to get in touch with the Senate, Finance Ministry and the President of the Republic and following all those conversations we will again meet no more than 15 days later and see if our demands have been met. If not we will call for a 24-hour national strike, as a warning," said Ugarte. Codelco produced 843,000 tonnes of copper in the first half of the year. (Reporting by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Bernard Orr) DailyFX.com - Whats inside: Top-side parallel overcome, but other resistance stands in the way Trading conditions remain choppy, leaving trading best for those with short-term holding periods Techs on the 2-hr chart examined On Monday, we discussed slope resistance running off the 9/8 swing high. Yesterday, the DAX managed to close above it for the first time since it came into play, but hasnt yet recaptured the trend-line off the June lows. Resistance in the 10640/700 vicinity also stands in the way of the market continuing the recent advance. DAX: Daily DAX Tech Update: Short-term Trading Levels Amidst the Chop Created with Tradingview Overall market direction is lacking, which means trading at this time is best left to those willing to operate off time-frames of only a few hours to a couple of days. Dialing in on the 2-hour chart: A pair of trend-lines is extending lower. The first trend-line, which is immediately having influence on the DAX, comes in off the 9/22 high. The second trend-line, ~20 points above the first, goes back to the 8/15 swing high. There are also a couple of small swing highs in the current area from early in the month. Immediate resistance presents the first hurdle for the market to overcome if it is to move higher, and until it does we will not view the market through a bullish lens. It doesnt mean we are aggressively bearish, but we know all too well that buying into resistance (just as shorting into support) is generally a losing endeavor. A move lower will bring in the trend-line off the big Deutsche Bank-induced gap-down day low on Sep 30. We will use that as initial support should it trade down there. The convergence of trend-lines discussed brings to light the possibility of a wedge pattern reaching maturity with a little more time spent bouncing around between the upper and lower trend-lines. This would be a welcomed event given the nature of such patterns often times leading to sustained moves one way or another. For now, we will continue to keep expectations of large price swings tempered and utilize the current short-term landscape to shape our trading bias. Story continues DAX: 2-hour DAX Tech Update: Short-term Trading Levels Amidst the Chop Created with Tradingview Check out our Q4 forecasts for FX, commodities and indices. ---Written by Paul Robinson, Market Analyst To receive Pauls analysis directly via email, please sign up here. You can follow Paul on Twitter at @PaulRobinonFX. original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. By Nathan Layne Oct 18 (Reuters) - A lawsuit by an Ecuadorean bank alleging that Wells Fargo & Co is liable for authorizing the transfer of $12 million stolen in a 2015 cyber heist can go forward, a U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday. The decision by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan was in response to Wells Fargo's motion to dismiss the lawsuit by Banco del Austro, which sought to hold the U.S. bank responsible for failing to halt the transfers made via the SWIFT network. The 2016 lawsuit took on new importance in the wake of this year's heist at the Bangladesh central bank, in which cyber thieves used the SWIFT global messaging system to swipe $81 million from an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In addition to highlighting potential security risks inherent to such interbank transfers, Banco del Austro's lawsuit was also seen by legal experts as a key test of whether a so-called correspondent bank - in this case Wells Fargo - could be held liable for authorizing authenticated SWIFT transfer messages. In Tuesday's ruling Kaplan threw out breach of contract and negligence claims against Wells Fargo but denied the U.S. bank's bid to dismiss alleged violations of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, which governs whether fund transfer security procedures are "commercially reasonable." Kaplan said the court could not "rule as a matter of law that use of the SWIFT system, with nothing more, constituted a commercially reasonable security procedure in the context of this particular customer-bank relationship." Wells Fargo, which has previously maintained that it properly processed the wire instructions via authenticated SWIFT messages, could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday's ruling. Banco del Austro could also not be reached for comment. The $12 million was stolen in January 2015 when unidentified hackers secured a Banco del Austro employee's SWIFT logon credentials, Wells Fargo said in a February court filing. Story continues Court filings and judicial rulings show that the cyber thieves routed most of the stolen funds through 23 companies registered in Hong Kong, some of them with no apparent business activity, Reuters reported in May. Banco del Austro submitted criminal reports to police in both Hong Kong and Ecuador about the transfers, according to Hong Kong court filings. It is not clear if any progress has been made by the authorities in finding the stolen funds. (Reporting by Nathan Layne; Editing by Bill Rigby) Richie Says... The region with the green overlay is that of the Vancouver Coast and Mountains. Some of the Best Photos from the Sunshine Coast: Wedged between the ocean and the mountains is the Sunshine Coast. Image by Christoph Laue. Look at that dark dirt making up the amazing single track. Image by BCBR. The forest on the Sunshine Coast is beautiful. Image by the Coastal Crew. It doesn't get much better than the Coastal forest for getting yourself lost in the moment and your surroundings. Image by BCBR. Do you like your singletrack to be tight and twisty? Image by BCBR. Coast Gravity Park might just be the most beautifully sculpted bike park around. Image by the Coastal Crew. Bring your friends so that you can all enjoy the trails over here. Image by Paris Gore. Leave us in this forest for a week and we'll never stop exploring. Image by Paris Gore. Videos that represent the Sunshine Coast: Check Out The Trails: Other Useful Links: The Vancouver, Coast, and Mountains region offers diversity at many levels; the interface between urban and wilderness, accessibility of metropolitan lifestyle with trails right out your back door, difficulty ranging from gnarly to family friendly, a mix of old school and new, and the birthplace of the North Shore style of freeride. Its a place where any self-respecting mountain biker will feel at home.Did you know that there is a year-round bike park on the Sunshine Coast?:Curtis Robinson takes us through some amazing gravity and enduro style riding in the Roberts Creek area:The world class singletrack is what attracts the BCBR to the Sunshine Coast year after year:More goodness from recent BCBR events:While there are hundreds of miles of XC singletrack on the Sunshine Coast, don't forget to take the time to check out Coast Gravity Park:Here's a look at how the whole Sunshine coast is taking a focus from industry to tourism:Images by BCBR, Paris Gore, Christoph Laue and the Coastal Crew. Must-Read Travel Guides EAST ASIA SOUTHEAST ASIA Featured Articles Contact Copyright Disclosure If you wish to contact me for questions, collaboration inquiries, comments, suggestions, reviews or just about anything, please send an email to. I will try my best to reply quickly! Unless, of course, I'm on a trip! :D All rights reserved. All photos and content in this blog are owned by(unless otherwise stated). Parts of the articles may be excerpted (a link to this site should be provided), but not reproduced as a whole. Photos may not be used without permission. Thank you very much!Unless otherwise stated, I personally write my blog posts and it expresses my own thoughts and opinions. I pay for all the expenses of my trips (unless otherwise stated). I welcome collaborations and reviews as long as they are beneficial to my readers. All reviews on collaborations contain my own views and opinion and were not influenced by anyone. For inquiries, you may contact me here . Thank you very much! Illustration: Giuseppe JO Cafaro Every issue of POLICE Magazine this year bears a special 40th anniversary burst on the cover. That's because this magazine was launched by a San Diego police officer named Rodney Dornsife back when Jimmy Carter was the Democratic nominee for president and this grizzled 57-year-old scribe was a junior in high school. Now what we would normally do to celebrate this occasion would be a retrospective about what it was like to be a cop in the days when wheel guns were in duty holsters and in-car radios were state-of-the-art police tools. And we'll do a little bit of that in the last two articles of this special feature section. But we decided it might be more interesting to look forward instead of look back. Predicting the future is dangerous business. And it's an especially bittersweet business for those of us who went to elementary school back in the 1960s, which for all of its flaws and disasters was a time of immense optimism and crazy theories about what life would be like in the 21st century. Back then we were presented with visions of flying cars, paper clothes, colonies on the moon and Mars, tunnels across the oceans, and jetpacks for everybody. But some 50 years later we don't have any of that stuff. What we do have, however, is just as amazing. We may not have left Earth orbit with manned flights since Apollo 17 back in 1972, but we've sent a probe past Pluto. We don't have flying cars (thank God because the average person can't drive safely, much less fly), but we are soon to have self-driving cars. And well, to be honest, paper clothes and tunnels across the oceans were insane ideas anyway. The one thing many of the people who looked forward into the future from the 1960s and 1970s did get right, however, was computers. Back in their time computers took up whole floors of buildings with their tape memory systems and punch card user interfaces. Now, the average American walks around with more computing power in a cellular phone than NASA had available for the moon shots. Like I said, predicting the future is dangerous because you are pretty much guaranteed to be wrong. And that is true in any field. If you had asked law enforcement officers back in 1976 what police technology would look like in 2016, they might have talked about flying patrol cars and robot partners and handheld laser weapons. They couldn't see the wonders that would really be part of your day-to-day operations: things like license plate readers, body cameras, practical less-lethal weapons like TASERs, e-citation tools, and all the marvels of this age. So knowing we are going to be proven wrong by the time our 80th anniversary rolls around, POLICE Magazine presents this look at the future of policing and police technology in America. Illustration: Giuseppe JO Cafaro Any discussion of the future can quickly turn into talk of heavenly utopias or hell-on-Earth dystopias. Or it can lead to conjecture about things we now believe are impossible like faster-than-light travel or quantum teleportation of living organisms. However, the best way to gain real insight into what might happen in the future is to examine how we got where we are now from the past. Back in 1976 when POLICE Magazine was born, the first handheld mobile cellphone was three years old. Which means people looking forward from 1976 toward our present might be able to look at that fledgling cellular phone technology and at least make an educated guess that it would shape the future. So that's what we are going to try to do in this article. Rather than create a wish list of police gear we would all like the future to bring, we're going to try to show how the technologies in development and the events of today will affect the law enforcement officers of the future. Flying to the Scene Self-driving cars are already a reality in 2016. Two decades from now this technology will be in widespread use in law enforcement, as officers will be able to work on reports and perform other duties while their cars drive them to their destination. The self-drivers will have manual overrides for emergency situations. Thirty and 40 years out from now, we may finally see practical flying cars. However, the idea of a flying car for the masses is probably better in concept than it would be in reality. Car crashes kill thousands of people each year. Imagine the carnage if each of those car crashes slammed into a home, a business, or a school from an altitude of say 100 feet. Does that mean it isn't possible that some massive technological breakthroughs in self-driving vehicle technology, automotive engines, and aeronautical engineering won't yield a practical flying car by 2056? No, not necessarily, but it just illustrates one of the problems that must be addressed before the public starts flying around above the highways instead of rolling over them. That said, flying vehicles for first responders could be a reality in 40 years, as depicted in the movie "Blade Runner." The kinds of flight technologies seen in the Marine Corps V-22 tiltrotor aircraft or the Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) engines of the Harrier fighter jet may in the coming decades be miniaturized to the point they might be practical for emergency vehicles. Such a flying emergency vehicle would probably have a very limited ceiling of operation, say 50 feet, and the drivers would have to be very well trained, but the possibilities are intriguing. Emergency vehicles such as patrol cars, ambulances and EMT rigs, and maybe even fire trucks could have the ability to fly and hover over the road or in off-road areas. This means emergency personnel could avoid traffic and arrive much faster to emergency calls. From a police tactical point of view, a flying patrol vehicle would give officers a much better view of any scene before engaging with the public. This could be a boon to officer safety. Of course flying patrol vehicles would have to be marked and equipped much differently than today's cars. In addition to having lights on the roof of the vehicle, the underside would have to be fitted with emergency lights as well as large floodlights. By 2056 it's unlikely that patrol vehicles, whether airborne or earth-bound, will be running on fossil fuels. Twenty years from now they will probably all be electric, or at least the newest models will be. And out toward 2056, hydrogen fuel cells may be the engine technology of choice. In-Vehicle Technology Today, patrol cars are crowded with computers, radar systems, controllers for lights, radios, and the list goes on and on. In 20, 30, and 40 years into the future a lot of that clutter will probably disappear or be replaced with new equipment that we can't even imagine. By 2056 all of the information officers currently receive from in-car computers will be on a heads-up display or visible on a special helmet visor that allows the officer to see the road and detect threats. These displays will be driven by tiny computers that receive input from hundreds of sensors. They will connect with the outside world via signals from quantum computers running the cloud. And officers won't need keyboards. They will speak commands to the vehicle and the vehicle will not only understand these commandsunlike today's Siri, Cortana, or Alexait will act on them instantly. A decade or so from now, some patrol vehicles will carry small unmanned aircraft. These mini drones will deploy at the command of the officers during every police stop or call. They will be equipped with small high-definition cameras with low-light capability that will capture the entire scene from a bird's-eye view. This video will not only be captured as evidence, it will be streamed back to big data systems that will alert other officers to provide backup if the analysis indicates a threat. The drones will also have high-intensity lights the officers can turn on when needed to mark the location for incoming public safety assets, warn fellow officers that something bad is happening, or just light up the scene. The high-intensity lights from the drones could also be used to temporarily reduce the vision of suspects. As drone technology and imaging technology improves, these unmanned aerial systems will offer enhanced officer safety features such as holographic projection. A lone officer could be joined by a lifelike holographic partner to discourage an attack. These drones will also be equipped with sensors that can detect narcotics, explosives, and firearms inside vehicles. Patrol vehicles in 2056 will be equipped with front, rear, and side scanners. These cameras will read license plates and other legally mandated information motorists are required to display as the officer patrols. Patrol vehicles driving at high speeds will have the ability to scan other cars from all directions even at long distances and the system will store this data in the cloud until it is deemed no longer valuable. By 2056, the car chase will be a thing of the past. The new self-driving cars will not permit drivers to flee from police, and drivers still tooling around in older cars will also find it much harder to run from the cops. Technology will have advanced to the point that patrol cars have engine disabler systems. They are used to prevent motorists running from the police. Uniforms and Armor The officers of 2056 won't just wear uniforms; they will wear sensor arrays. Sensors sewn into their uniforms will monitor a host of biological functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and body temperature. If the officer is experiencing distress, the sensors will send an alert to headquarters to check on the officer's well-being, which will be done remotely via surveillance cameras and other devices. GPS senders sewn into an officer's shirt have been in use for decades. They are smaller than a cellphone SIM card and can detect where the officer is located within inches. This permits agencies to pinpoint officers during emergencies, track their movements at scenes, and facilitate collaboration between officers. Armor technology is constantly evolving and improving to meet new threats. Officers in 2056 will need armor against projectiles, energy weapons, and old-fashioned blades. So future body armor will evolve from the woven and non-woven fabrics of today into a lightweight combination of fabrics, carbon nanotubes, and energy-absorbing, non-conductive gels. This combination will protect officers from rifle and pistol bullets and energy weapons. The new armor will be extremely light and made out of a breathable material that is neither hot nor cold to wear. Officers will be required to wear head and body armor at all times on duty. Today, scientists are conducting experiments with invisibility using projected images on thin reflective sheets. By 2056 these experiments will have yielded new types of shields and tactical uniforms that can cloak an officer as he or she makes a potentially dangerous approach. Tactical teams will use these cloaking tools during critical incidents. Some agencies will also provide them to patrol officers, but because they will be expensive and fragile, most agencies will restrict their use to tactical teams. Robots on Patrol The most common uses for robots in law enforcement operations today involve surveillance and hazardous device disposal. These robots travel on tracks or wheels and are actually remote-controlled by officers. But bi-pedal robots are in development. And with advances in computing power and developments in artificial intelligence, by 2056 bi-pedal semi-autonomous robots may be in service with police agencies. These robots of the near future will probably be used in two ways. They will accompany officers on patrol and help respond to dangerous situation,s or they may even supplement or replace some of the more common duties performed by law enforcement officers today. In the same way that Air Force drones are now executing missions that would in the past have to have been flown by combat pilots, it's possible that 40 years from now robots controlled remotely by officers working in a central control room may take over some of the law enforcement duties now performed by humans. On-Officer Technology Police officers today carry multiple communications and information devices, including portable land mobile radios, smartphones, and tablets. In the coming years we are going to see these devices merge into one, and by 2056 an officer will be able to receive calls for service, details about suspects and locations, and other critical information either through a worn device such as eyeglasses or an armored visor. Body cameras are the hottest law enforcement technology of 2016. In the coming decade just about every officer in the United States will carry a body cam, and this presents a major problem in terms of data storage that will have to be solved. So in the next 10 years or so, new video compression techniques will be developed to reduce the volume of data agencies will have to store. By 2056 high-definition images of almost every police encounter will be captured from numerous angles by camera systems on officers, on drones, on buildings, and even on the public. Computerized film editing will be used to compile all of this video evidence into a seamless documentary-style film of the incident. Officers will also carry drug and alcohol detection devices in the future that are much easier to use and more sensitive than current blood or breath tests. These devices will be able to determine whether a person is impaired through a quick read from the person's skin. Such alcohol and marijuana stick sensors will be carried on the officer's belt. By simply asking a driver to hold the stick, the officer could determine the exact amount of alcohol in the driver's system and any presence of marijuana. When the presence of alcohol or marijuana is detected, central dispatch will be automatically notified to monitor the situation via vehicle, on-officer, and drone cams. Facial, fingerprint, and eye scanners on officers' belts will have been in use for more than a decade by 2056. They will pull up data about a driver's history, arrest record, and warrants in seconds. Small devices will scan a person's face or eyes without physical contact. Fingerprints will also be detected by the suspect touching the device. The speed of accessing databases like NCIC will be almost instant because scans of legally mandated information tags on the driver's car will have already preloaded information on that vehicle and its owner. When a hit is detected, backup officers nearby will be automatically notified. Electrolasers and Smart Bullets The conducted energy weapon (CEW) is currently the most effective less-lethal tool in the law enforcement arsenal. But it has limitations, particularly in terms of range and follow-up shots. Current CEWs require two wired probes fired from the device to make impact with the subject to connect the circuit, and the probes spread as they leave the cartridge. That means the farther away the subject is from the officer, the harder it is to hit that subject with both probes. So one advance we can expect in the near future is a CEW that offers expanded range perhaps by minimizing the spread of the probes. But decades from now officers will have true electric guns that can fire a stream of non-lethal current at a subject at ranges of as much as 100 feet. The current will be conducted through a stream of plasma or other conductive material and follow-up shots come with each pull of the trigger. Experiments with these so-called electrolasers are already in progress. Guns that fire bullets using gunpowder are not going away any time soon. And they will likely still be in use in law enforcement for the foreseeable future, but the use of such lethal force will be heavily restricted by 2056. Because of better armor and better less-lethal weapons such as electric pistols, officers will be required by law and policy to use less-lethal tools on threats, even deadly threats, at close range. Outside the effective range of such tools, officers will still be allowed to defend themselves with lethal force. By 2056 state-of-the-art lethal weapons may include small, portable railguns that use electromagnetism to fire their projectiles. Hand lasers are also a possibility, since scientists are hard at work now on the problem of reducing the size of laser weapons. Guided bullet weapons are also likely to be available in 2056. Sandia Labs announced in 2012 that it had developed a "smart bullet" that could change directory in mid-flight to follow a laser. One sobering thought about future weapon technology is that any man-portable weapon developed for law enforcement or the military is going to be adopted by criminals and terrorists. Virtual Reality Training Contemporary law enforcement training is a combination of classroom, hands-on, and simulator instruction. As we move deeper into the 21st century, technology will play an even greater role in police training. The next generation of simulators will feature fully immersive virtual reality, which is now in its infancy with devices like Oculus Rift. Forty years from now police training may involve scenarios conducted with robots as the subjects officers must interact with. Police training in the next few decades will also expand to include much more education before officers hit the streets. Language skills in Spanish will be a nationwide requirement for all officers. Other languages in demand will include Arabic and Pashtun, as refugees from the Middle East and East Asia war zones will have established enclaves in many American cities. By 2056 high school will have become more career oriented, and in every state, there will be police high schools. Students will study general education, public service and protection, and language courses to obtain a Justice High School Diploma. These students will then be able to attend a university or college for an additional year to earn a bachelor's degree in justice studies. Most departments will require this training or the equivalent before a prospective recruit can apply to the police academy. Police academy training will have a higher percentage of basic training focusing on communication skills, cultural diversity, and conflict de-escalation training. "Intercultural police" training will now be the norm for most progressive departments. Weapon and use-of-force training will be minimized. Many hours of academy training will focus on how to use police technology. The training will include practical hands-on exercises in which students must demonstrate proficiency. The emergency vehicle operations side of academy training will be more intense and involved if recruits seek qualification for using flying vehicles. They could also be substantially less involved if officers are to be assigned self-driving patrol units. Law and Policy Both the laws officers enforce and the laws and policies that regulate officer actions will change substantially in the next 40 years. The first big change is in the area of drug enforcement. Marijuana usage will most certainly be legal nationwide by 2030. It's not difficult to imagine what that will be like. Marijuana laws after 2030 focus more on underage use and driving after use. The sale of marijuana is highly regulated and the legal farming industry is big business. But weed bootleggers are still a problem, as some violent outlaws try to avoid state and local taxes. Movement of illegal aliens into the United States from Mexico has greatly diminished as a result of development of the manufacturing industry in border towns. Yet, terrorists still come to the U.S. by the southern and northern border. Police departments along the northern and southern border go through special training on federal immigration laws, which have become more strict in order to counter the terrorist threat. As we progress toward the middle of the century, federal law will mandate that every person arrested in the U.S. will be processed with metric facial print, eye scan, and DNA samples. DNA samples are now are taken from oils or sweat from the palm of hands. They are entered into a data bank, which is accessible within seconds by law enforcement officers nationwide. All vehicles in the U.S. are now required to have front, back, and side information tags that can be read by law enforcement scanners. Failure to display a plate results in the impoundment of that vehicle at the owner's expense. Perhaps the greatest change in American policing by 2056 will be that officers in the field will receive immediate legal guidance on their actions. Officer-worn cameras and other cameras as well as sensors will send all officer actions to analysis systems that will use artificial intelligence to judge whether the officer's actions are in-policy or lawful. If the action is unlawful or out of policy, the officer will be warned with a verbal or visual alert. Officers who continue with the action will be disciplined and perhaps prosecuted. Future Shock Looking at some of our thoughts on the future, today's officers reading this article may find some of what lies ahead exciting, some of it disturbing, and some of it scary. But the goal of this article was not to present you with an ideal vision of the future where all is well for officers and nothing has changed. It was to get you thinking about the future and how it will be derived from the present, both good and bad. The one thing we know about the future is that change is inevitable and new technologies and new ways of thinking bring pain to many people. You won't like everything about the future but you can't change it once it happens because the future is being born now. The way we live and work in 2056 will grow out of all the challenges we face in 2016, and how we react to them. Christopher Kuch holds a PhD in criminal justice. He has taught for more than 25 years and has written about a variety of police issues. Kuch served as a deputy sheriff in Ohio and is on the adjunct faculty of Galatasaray University in Istanbul, Turkey. Officer Candace Bisagna and Officer Brandi Madrid of the Albuquerque (NM) Police Department (Photo: NLEOMF) The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has selected Officers Candace Bisagna and Brandi Madrid of the Albuquerque (NM) Police Department as the recipients of its Officer of the Month Award for October 2016. On May 29, 2016, a man climbed over a security fence on an overpass over I-40 in Albuquerque, NM. After he threatened to jump, the police were called to assist, but he refused to speak with the male officers who arrived first. Officer Brandi Madrid arrived at the scene next; this was her first experience in a situation like this. I started to build that rapport with him, Officer Madrid said. He just seemed like he had a lot he was holding within. He seemed to be very upset so for most of that time, I really just listened. Officer Candace Bisagna volunteered to help with the call because of her experience helping distressed individuals who were at risk of suicide. Upon arriving at the scene, she recognized the man as someone she had talked off a bridge just one month earlier. The officers used their Crisis Intervention Training to gain the mans trust, but then, angry drivers below began shouting for him to jump. Their shouts distressed the man again and the officers had to work to calm him down again. For us, thats frustrating because [the shouts were] amplifying his emotions, Officer Bisagna said. Wed make a little bit of headway, and someone would yell that, and wed have to go back and build it back up. Finally they blocked off the exits from where we were so no one could yell at him, and it was a lot more helpful. But the whole time, youre just kind of praying he doesnt jump. After three hours in the sweltering heat, Officers Bisagna and Madrid were able to talk the man back over the fence, and he peacefully surrendered. The Crisis Intervention Team was told to keep a closer eye on the man and get him the medical attention he needed. We are required to take whats called a Crisis Intervention Team Course where they set up scenarios, such as people who are on the edge of a bridge or are feeling like hurting themselves, Officer Madrid said. They give you the tools to successfully make a good outcome of it. Because of that, I was able to use those tools for that incident, and it really paid off. I think all of the training were provided helped us be successful, added Officer Bisagna. Just two days later, Officer Madrid helped save the life of a female who attempted to jump off another bridge in the city. Officer Bisagna and Officer Madrid expertly displayed their dedication and commitment to serving the citizens of Albuquerque with this outstanding example of service, said Sgt. Ric Ingram of the Albuquerque Police Department. Officers Candace Bisagna and Brandi Madrid are a prime example of how crisis prevention training is important for all law enforcement, Memorial Fund President and CEO Craig W. Floyd said. The devotion they showed in those extreme circumstances is honorable and deserving of the October 2016 Officer of the Month Award. Located in the nations capital, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of Americas law enforcement officers. The Memorial Funds Officer of the Month Award Program began in 1996 and recognizes federal, state, and local officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary law enforcement service and devotion to duty. Officers Candace Bisagna and Brandi Madrid, along with the other Officer of the Month Award recipients for 2016, will be honored during National Police Week at a special awards ceremony in Washington, DC, in May 2017. For more information, visit http://www.nleomf.org/officers/month/. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print The Clinton campaign just came out with a brilliant new fundraising tool that is likely to raise loads of money for the Democratic nominees candidacy and probably empty the bank accounts of anyone that signs up for it. The new tool, appropriately named Troll Trump, automatically donates money to Hillary Clintons presidential campaign whenever Donald Trump tweets something outrageous. Basically, money would continuously be flowing out of the participants accounts for three straight weeks until the election concludes. Hillary Clinton tweeted this out on Tuesday explaining the new fundraising program: Automatically donate every time Trump tweets something offensive with our new tool: https://t.co/XcTt51uKsd https://t.co/WPM1I9yeVv Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 18, 2016 As Trumps campaign continues to unravel with just weeks until Election Day, its likely that the desperate Republican nominee will only ratchet up his activity on Twitter and become more likely to as he so often does throw tantrums in the wee hours of the night. Now, when he chooses to unleash a stream of 3 a.m. tweets attacking a fallen soldiers family or a former Miss Universe, to name a few examples, itll be directly helping Hillary Clintons campaign. Its a genius new tool, but you should probably make sure your bank account is stocked with a sizable amount of money before signing up. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print While campaigning in Grand Junction, CO, Donald Trump unleashed a new bizarre conspiracy theory that the protesters at his rallies are paid Democratic plants. After complaining that the media doesnt report on his good poll numbers, Trump said, Oh and these people here. Theyre getting $1500 to do that. Fifteen hundred dollars. You see how professional they are. Look at the guy. Now, hes just walking out. So, yesterday there was a story that the DNC, Democratic National Committee, is sending protesters in here, paying them fifteen hundred dollars. Look at that guy! Hes like a pro. They got him out. Now, hes just walking. You know, its disgusting. It just came out yesterday, and I thought so. Versions of the story that Trump repeated all over the conservative media echo chamber, which is sourced to James OKeefes latest bit of nonsense. We now know where Trump gets his news. He reads it on right-wing Internet sites. Democrats dont pay protesters to object to Donald Trump. The Republican nominees own words and behavior have done plenty to organically trigger protests. Trump is badly trailing on the evening before the final presidential debate, but is he thinking about how he can win the election? Nope. Trump is feeding conspiracy theories about how the polls arent real, and the protesters arent real. Donald Trump isnt trying to win. Hes preemptively building an excuse file for his defeat. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Melania and Donald Trump have threatened to file several lawsuits in response to allegations of sexual assault made against the Republican nominee, but six people have come forward to corroborate former People writer Natasha Stoynoffs allegations against Trump. Melania Trump threatened to sue over the PEOPLE article, so the magazine responded with witnesses that corroborate their published story: Six colleagues and close friends who corroborate former PEOPLE writer Natasha Stoynoffs account of being attacked by Donald Trump in 2005 are now coming forward. Among them is a friend who was with Stoynoff when she ran into Melania Trump later in N.Y.C. The wife of the Republican nominee denies meeting Stoynoff after the attack, but Stoynoffs friend Liza Herz remembers being there during the chance meeting. They chatted in a friendly way, Herz, who met Stoynoff in college, says. And what struck me most was that Melania was carrying a child and wearing heels. The New York Times responded to Trumps lawsuit threat by virtually begging him to file it, and now PEOPLE has responded by siding with their former writer and providing evidence that both of the Trumps appear not to be telling the truth. The Trump threat to sue has been called out and exposed as more bullying hot air. Donald Trumps presidential campaign has already sunk, but there may be little left of Trumps brand after voters cast their ballots on November 8. Trumps bullying tactic has backfired, as the press wont be silenced by threats of lawsuits that arent likely to come. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Sen. John McCain breaks into a full sprint when he sees a reporter who was trying to ask him about his vow to block Hillary Clintons Supreme Court nominees. Video: Well this isn't going well: McCain literally flees a reporter asking about his comments that he'll block anyone Clinton appoints to SCOTUS. pic.twitter.com/hsbOsQb8bm Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) October 18, 2016 McCain sees the reporter and cameraman, yells, Sorry, Im late, guys, and breaks into a full sprint. Years and years of obstruction and ignoring the will of the American people have turned Congressional Republicans into track stars. Republicans have mastered the art of running away from the press. John McCain is eighty years old, but he still got to stepping, because he knows that his vow to block Hillary Clintons Supreme Court nominees is both unpopular and indefensible. The 2016 election year can be summed up by the fact that a man who survived torture as a POW in the Vietnam War has to run away because he cant defend his partys behavior. Such is the sad and sorry state of the current Donald Trump led Republican Party. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In a press release, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemns anti-Semitic harassment of journalists on Twitter. The press release details the ADLs Task Force on Harassment and Journalisms new report detailing a troubling, year-long rise in anti-Semitic hate targeting journalists on Twitter. What is remarkable is that you dont even have to be Jewish to be the recipient of anti-Semitic attacks on Twitter. You only have to be critical of Donald Trump. Somehow, apparently, that automatically makes you Jewish. Which says a lot more about Trumps supporters than his opponents. According to the ADL, More than two-thirds (68 percent) of the anti-Semitic tweets directed at those journalists were sent by 1,600 Twitter accounts (out of 313 million existing Twitter accounts). These aggressors are disproportionately likely to self-identify as Donald Trump supporters, conservatives, or part of the alt-right, a loosely connected group of extremists, some of whom are white supremacists. The report explains, There is evidence that a considerable number of the anti-Semitic tweets targeting journalists originate with people identifying themselves as Trump supporters, conservatives or extreme right-wing elements. The words that show up most in the bios of Twitter users sending anti-Semitic tweets to journalists are Trump, nationalist, conservative, American and white. This finding does not imply that Mr. Trump supported these tweets, or that conservatives are more prone to anti-Semitism. It does show that the individuals directing anti-Semitism toward journalists self-identified as Trump supporters and conservatives It is no surprise that Trump supporters are prominent among the offenders, given the composition of his base. And Trump himself has not only declined to rebuke the anti-Semitism of his followers, but has himself used anti-Semitic tropes in alluding to Hillary Clintons alleged collusion with international banking. Its not surprising Trump doesnt like banks much. No American bank is dumb enough to do business with him. But that does not excuse his appeal to Nazi imagery. And we have seen how Trump supporters have singled out journalists for attack, proposing they be killed to teach them a lesson and, apparently through fear and intimidation, toe the Trump line. Katy Tur, who has been singled out for abuse by Trump, of NBC News tweeted just yesterday that, Man starts aggressively yelling "crooked press" at our enclosure. Trump security and police officer rush the man and tell him to back off. Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) October 18, 2016 Awful as Turs experiences are, the ADL draws attention to the fact that, The top 10 most targeted journalists all of whom are Jewish received 83 percent of those 19,253 tweets. The top 10 includes conservative columnist Ben Shapiro, Tablets Yair Rosenberg, the Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg and The New York Times Jonathan Weisman, and CNNs Sally Kohn and Jake Tapper. The ADL report identifies the cause of the normalization of anti-Semitic language: The report, the first of its kind, presents findings based on a broad set of keywords (and keyword combinations) designed by ADL to capture anti-Semitic language on social media. Using this metric, a total of 2.6 million tweets containing language frequently found in anti-Semitic speech were posted across Twitter between August 2015 and July 2016. Those tweets had an estimated 10 billion impressions (reach), which ADL believes contributed to reinforcing and normalizing anti-Semitic language particularly racial slurs and anti-Israel statements on a massive scale. ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt says, The spike in hate weve seen online this election cycle is extremely troubling and unlike anything we have seen in modern politics. A half century ago, the KKK burned crosses. Today, extremists are burning up Twitter. We are concerned about the impact of this hate on the ability of journalists to do their job and on free speech, which is why we established this Task Force. We hope this report hastens efforts to combat the surge of hate on social media. We look forward to working with Twitter, media companies, and other online platforms to limit hate and harassment and preserve freedom of speech. Trumps base doesnt view their racism as actual racism, on the grounds that if its a fact it cant be racism. Never mind that their facts are anything but. The anti-Semitic tropes raised by Trump and his surrogates are just the most recent examples of an age-old anti-Semitism fueled by the bogus Protocols of the Elders of Zion. This document, a product of the Russian Tsars secret police, based on older material, at the end of the 19th century. It supposedly describes a Jewish plan to rule the world, and is based on attitudes dating back to the Crusades, when Crusaders would slaughter Jews (and other Christians) along their route, on the way to slaughtering Muslims at their destination. It is profoundly sad that such attitudes should not only persist today, but be championed by a nominee for President of the United States. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print We have seen that educated white males support Hillary Clinton rather than Donald Trump. This is apparently true of educated people generally. We have just seen a group of Constitutional originalists come out against Trump, declaring that, Trumps long record of statements and conduct, in his campaign and in his business career, have shown him indifferent or hostile to the Constitutions basic features including a government of limited powers, an independent judiciary, religious liberty, freedom of speech, and due process of law. Now Scholars and Writers Against Trump, a group of self-described Republicans who are writers, academics, critics, historians, and authors more than 140 of them are asking you, if youre Republican, please dont vote for Trump: Given our choices in the presidential election, we believe that Donald Trump is the candidate most dangerous to our nations founding ideals. He is a unique and dire threat to the political principles, liberties, and cultural values of justice, fairness, honesty, and decency we have long defended. We urge you to vote, as we will, for someone else. The group was organized by Cherie Harder, Thomas Mallon, and Andrew Hazlett. Harder is a writer, a former Senior Counselor to the Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities and former White House staff; Mallon is a novelist and critic, a former Member, National Council on the Humanities and former Deputy Chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities; and Hazlett is a writer and former Chief of Staff, National Endowment for the Humanities. Another member, writer Bruce Bartlett, a former aide to Ron Paul, Jack Kemp, Ronald Reagan & George HW Bush, and who now thinks the GOP needs to go the way of the Whigs, tweeted his own appeal to Republican voters: I urge all of my Republican friends who can't vote for Trump or Clinton to stay home on election day. Perfectly respectable action. Bruce Bartlett (@BruceBartlett) October 18, 2016 One other easily recognizable name on the list for readers of PoliticusUSA is Warren Throckmorton, Professor of Psychology, Grove City College, who did so much to thwart fake-historian David Bartons Jefferson Lies, and who has steadfastly refused to let ideology get in the way of fact. As Throckmorton tweeted, #EvangelicalTrump Turn the other cheekso I can grope it. Warren Throckmorton (@wthrockmorton) October 18, 2016 Political satirist P.J. ORourke, who has rejected Trump, saying Clinton is wrong but at least its within normal parameters, is another member of the group, as is another novelist and satirist, Christopher Buckley. Trumps base demonstrably fails to think, preferring to feel. Intelligent, educated people understand the threat Donald Trump represents. This election is increasingly less an effort to put a Democratic in the White House rather than a Republican, and more a group effort to save our country from a reckless demagogue. These people can see where Trump would take America, and they want no part of it, and would save their fellow Republicans if they can, from the the candidate most dangerous to our nations founding ideals, Donald Trump. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print *The following is an opinion column by R Muse* American politics have become so bizarre, so upside-down crazy that its a challenge to even feign shock and awe any longer at whats happening on the right. There is a non-issue Republican standard bearer Donald Trump is screaming about regarding an already rigged election against him although it is still three weeks away. What is particularly odd is that over the past decade, if not longer, there has been a manner of election-rigging going on; but it has been unique to Republican-controlled states in the thrall of the Koch brothers legislative arm ALEC. Over the past few months, several Federal courts have ruled against those stinking Republican election-rigging efforts comprised of obscene voter disenfranchisement laws that primarily affect communities of color, the elderly and students because they typically do not support Republicans. On Sunday, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled against what he said were existing rules that are obscene disenfranchisement and ordered Florida officials to remedy what he cited was not only a bizarre double-standard, but an unconstitutional law. Judge Walkers ruling dealt with a practice among Florida canvassing boards that immediately rejects a ballot if a voters signature doesnt match the one on file. The ruling ordered Florida officials to immediately provide voters with a method to fix or affirm their signatures. The Judge noted the double-standard in the Florida law that allows voters who forget to sign their mail-in ballots ample opportunity to fix the problem, but it does not extend that same opportunity and courtesy to voters with mismatched signatures. The ruling is another Federal Court beat-down of Republican-led states attempts to rig elections against Democrats, and they have all ruled that the various and nefarious machinations are unconstitutional and created to disenfranchise voters. Judge Walker followed suit and emphatically ruled the bizarre double-standard unconstitutional. In part the Judge said: It is illogical, irrational, and patently bizarre for the State of Florida to withhold the opportunity to cure from mismatched-signature voters while providing that same opportunity to no-signature voters. And in doing so, the State of Florida has categorically disenfranchised thousands of voters arguably for no reason other than they have poor handwriting or their handwriting has changed over time. In our democracy, those who vote decide everything; those who count the vote decide nothing. Then the Judge made a reference to a ruling in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case about oscenity: I know it when I see it. Likewise, this Court knows disenfranchisement when it sees it and it is obscene. It is noteworthy that it was also Judge Walker who ruled in favor of democracy late last week and ordered Florida to extend its voter-registration deadline due to the devastating events surrounding Hurricane Matthew. The Judge must be losing patience with Floridas top election official, Secretary of State Ken Detzner, because on Saturday he rebuked Detzner in a separate scathing ruling connected to the same case. Judge Walker accused Detzner of stonewalling on a hearing on the lawsuit so that he could use every second available to run out the clock so there wouldnt be enough time to address problems raised in the lawsuit. Walker also alleged the Republicans actions amounted to an undeclared war on voting rights in Florida; the biggest swing state prize in the election. Republicans have been on a tear to rig elections in their favor for years, but particularly since 2008 saw an explosion of voting from people of color. The only reason the conservatives on the Supreme Court got an opportunity to gut the Voting Rights Act was because Republican states passed voter obstruction and suppression laws specifically targeting people and communities of color. Since the High Court disemboweled the VRA, Republican states have been frantically disenfranchising voters to rig elections against Democrats; something Judge Walker rightly labeled obscene and an undeclared war on the right to vote in predominately Republican states. There will be no rigged elections against Donald Trump, no matter how often and loudly he claims otherwise. However, Republicans have attempted every hateful means possible to disenfranchise a specific demographic that typically votes for a specific political party. It is election rigging and like everything untoward in American politics, it is Republicans in service to the Koch brothers and American Legislative Exchange Council who are guilty. image: Kelly Caminero/DailyBeast Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print A new poll of Kentucky reveals that Donald Trump has nearly blown a 12 point lead in Mitch McConnells home state, and now leads Hillary Clinton within the polls margin of error. A LEX 18 poll of Kentucky found that Trump is dropping like a stone in the Bluegrass State. Trump has gone from a lead of 35%-23% to a lead of 31%-28% with 29% of the electorate undecided. What is encouraging for Democrats in Kentucky is that Hillary Clintons gain in support (+5) was larger than Trumps loss of support (-4). The Kentucky poll is a good reminder that Trumps slide isnt only occurring in national polls. Donald Trump is in decline in solid Republican territory. So far, Trumps slide hasnt harmed down-ballot Republicans in Kentucky, but Republican incumbents in swing states might not be so lucky. The nation is less than three weeks away from election day, and there are serious questions about whether Donald Trump will win deep red states like Arizona, Utah, Kentucky, and Texas. Election day could be more than a Democratic victory. The 2016 election could be a landslide rejection of Donald Trump, and everything that the Republican Party has come to stand for over the past eight years. What is unfolding is nothing less than the destruction of the far-right led Republican Party. Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Wesley Moore grew up in Summerville and, except for college, lived in the Lowcountry all his life. He taught English at Porter-Gaud School for 34 years, six as department chair, and began an active retirement in 2018. He and his wife Caroline live on Folly Beach, where they are celebrating p Read moreQ&A: Wesley Moore on his debut novel Today, Oh Boy EL Education CEO says a hotel employee recorded audio of an employee for the nonprofit that works in several SC school districts, mentioning both Lexington County and critical race theory, but someone spliced together the audio in a deceptive way to create a false political controversy. Read moreFox News used 'false and crudely edited' audio to target SC schools, nonprofit CEO says face recognition technology police A coalition of civil liberties groups are calling for a Department of Justice investigation into police facial recognition databases, after a damning report released Tuesday found that roughly half of American adults appear in the unregulated databases. On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union, along with 51 other advocacy groups, wrote a letter decrying the technology which is being used by a growing number of law enforcement agencies across the country for its lack of oversight and potential to disproportionately affect communities of color. So far, no state has passed a comprehensive law regulating police departments' use of the technology, according to the report by the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University's law school. The report also noted that police departments' use of the technology poses privacy and free speech concerns especially when photos are taken surreptitiously or via public surveillance at protests or demonstrations. "Face recognition technology has enormous civil liberties implications and its use must be closely examined to ensure that it is not violating Americans' civil rights," the ACLU's letter said. "The safeguards to ensure this technology is being used fairly and responsibly appear to be virtually nonexistent." Technological bias Although some police departments tout their technology as being free of racial bias, African Americans are particularly vulnerable to racial profiling as a result of the technology. Previous studies have found that facial recognition algorithms tend to be less accurate on African Americans than Caucasians, and the report noted that African Americans are typically overrepresented in mugshot databases anyway. "If the suspect is African American rather than Caucasian, the system is more likely to erroneously fail to identify the right person, potentially causing innocent people to be bumped up the list and possibly even investigated," the report said. Story continues The lack of both internal and external input on police departments' use of the technology also stood out; of the 52 local and state law enforcement agencies evaluated, just one of them had been reviewed and approved by elected officials, and just four had created use policies that are available to the public. "With little to guide them, most though not all police departments have not taken adequate steps to rein in this surveillance technology," the report argued. "Face recognition can and should be used to respond to serious crimes and public emergencies. It should not be used to scan the face of any person, at any time, for any crime." NOW WATCH: Here's how Paul Ryan can become the next president More From Business Insider William "Bill" Kelso, Director of Research and Interpretation for the Preservation Virginia Jamestown Rediscovery, stands next to the church where the four sets of human where found in Jamestown, Va. A team of scientists and historians announced Tuesday, July 28, 2015, that Jamestown archaeologists have identified four sets of human remains buried in the chancel of the historic settlement's first church, including Jamestown's first Anglican minister and Capt. Gabriel Archer. (Joe Fudge/The Daily Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Electric vehicles arent a panacea. They dont reduce traffic congestion or the need to spend billions of dollars repairing and expanding our highways, the way mass transit, ride sharing and more walkable and bicycleable communities can. To the contrary, they make it more difficult to pay for the necessary upgrades, because despite some modest steps, politicians here and elsewhere have been unwilling to change our tax laws to ensure that vehicles using little or no gasoline pay their fair share for those improvements. Read moreEditorial: SC electric vehicle expansion helps state in multiple ways Dodge County EDA discusses Main Street building WEST CONCORD Members of the West Concord EDA discussed the future of the 207 W. Main St. building at its Nov. 7 meeting. The EDA chose to table any discussion on moving forward with the sale of the building. The potential buyers of the space will wait until the issue is discussed at next month's EDA meeting, according to members of the body. Houston County ADVERTISEMENT Clinic grand opening set for Saturday CALEDONIA Gundersen Lutheran will host a grand opening for the new orthopedic clinic Saturday at 8 a.m. It is at 405 S. Highway 44/76. Fillmore County Service focuses on 'Beauty of the Earth' LENORA The historic Lenora United Methodist Church will hold a Thanksgiving worship service Sunday at 4 p.m. It will focus on themes in the hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth." Attendees are invited to bring nonperishable food items for the food shelf. Refreshments will be served at the Lenora Fellowship House after the service. The church is on Fillmore County Road 24 in Lenora. ADVERTISEMENT Mower County Three blood drives planned AUSTIN There are three upcoming blood drives in Mower County. The first is 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Southland High School in Adams. The second is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Riverland Community College in Austin. The third is 1 to 7 p.m. Nov. 29 at Mower County Senior Citizens Center in Austin. To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-REDCROSS. Wabasha County Black and Orange Gala will be Saturday LAKE CITYThe Lake City Education Foundation will hold the Black and Orange Gala on Saturday at St. Mary of the Lake. ADVERTISEMENT There will be hors d'oeuvres, drinks and dessert. Tickets cost $50 and are available at lakecityeducationfoundation.org or by calling 225-993-6706. Goodhue County Levee Road construction underway RED WING Concrete work on Levee Road from the Jackson Street Roundabout to Broad Street is ongoing this week. To facilitate the concrete repair work in the roundabout, the Levee Road/Jackson Street Roundabout will be closed until Friday, depending on weather and site conditions. Levee Road will be open from Broad Street up to the roundabout (including access to boat houses and the parking lot east of the roundabout) during the concrete repair work. Access to Bay Point Park also will be open using Levee Road and Withers Harbor Road west of the roundabout. Winona County Cabin Coffee celebrates anniversary ST. CHARLES Cabin Coffee in St. Charles is celebrating its nine-year anniversary Thursday. Coffee will be 90 cents, fresh-roasted beans will be 20 percent off and all drinks are 20 percent off between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. There also will be door prizes and free samples all day. Cabin Coffee is on U.S. Highway 14 in St. Charles. WINONA Too much class space, yet too many students. That's the paradox of overcrowding Winona Area Public Schools seems to face every fall. This fall, a time when the school district is considering options to close as many as three of its five elementary schools, was no different. The district's 1,054 kindergarten through fourth-grade students again are spread unevenly across the five school campuses. "Each year, we just have to look at the numbers," said Jefferson Elementary Principal Arthur Williams. Jefferson, along with Madison and Washington-Kosciusko elementary schools, are the ones initially targeted for closing, under a proposed option put forward by a hired architectural firm to a Winona citizen task force that will lead an effort to develop a consensus plan for the elementary schools. The first option being considered not only would close three schools, but would include remodeling Goodview Elementary and building a new elementary school on the east side of Winona. The two schools would be able to handle a combined 1,200 students. ADVERTISEMENT 'Hot spots' The plan would do away with "hot spots" that raise new organizational problems for the school district each year. For example, in terms of this year's enrollment, Jefferson was one of the "hot spots." The school started the year with 52 first-grade students and two sections of first grade, meaning 26 students per class. But the district-recommended first-grade class size is 19-24 students. In terms of managing a classroom, 26 students is just too many for teachers. The solution: Jefferson added a first-grade teacher and classroom. "The two first-grade teachers (at Jefferson) are so strong in their classroom management," Williams said. "But one of the things we really focus on is grouping the kids by reading level at that age. For the teachers, finding the time to meet with each group is a challenge." After Jefferson opened a new section of first grade, the school was left with three classes with 17, 17 and 18 students. Smaller class sizes make it simpler to connect with students, says first-grade teacher Sara Fellman. "It's easier to have smaller numbers because I can give more one-on-one attention," she said. That means better overall classroom communication and a better ability to differentiate what each individual student requires. "I can better meet their needs," she said. Part time to full time ADVERTISEMENT Other schools found different solutions to their class-size challenges. At Goodview and Madison, fourth-grade classes with 36 and 35 students, respectively, initially were covered by two teachers each in the morning and by one in the afternoon. That meant, in effect, class sizes below the recommended 25-29 target of students in the mornings but well above that range in the afternoons. Both schools opted to turn the morning part-time teacher into a full-time teacher, which left class sizes of 17-18 students. A similar solution was found at Rollingstone, where the first and second grades 12 students and 14 students, respectively were separated in the mornings but combined in the afternoons. There, too, a part-time teacher was extended to full time, which means the classes are now split for the whole day, except for classes taught to both by a specialist. The combined cost of all of the above changes the new teacher at Jefferson and the upgraded part-time positions at Goodview, Madison and Rollingstone was about $148,000. "Hot spots" such as these are found every year, and they're hard to predict. No matter where enrollment ends each June in a particular school, the numbers by fall can rise or fall unexpectedly. For example, last June, Jefferson had 48 kindergartners heading to first grade the perfect number to maintain two classes, Williams said. But by fall, four more students had been added to the mix. "Near the end of the summer, we had people almost daily coming in to register," Williams said. Once the school year started, he said, he was in almost daily contact with superintendent Stephen West and the district's human resources department. Smaller classes Each solution the district found this fall converted a potentially overcrowded classroom to one with fewer students than the district's desired range for class sizes. The situation is most starkly drawn at Rollingstone, which has 12 first-graders and 14 second-graders two grades with a target range of 19 to 20 students and there are 69 students altogether in a school building built for 110. ADVERTISEMENT "I think we're at a point where our enrollment overall is declining, and we need to see how best to use our resources," said Rollingstone Principal Dawn Lueck. Lueck and Williams say fixing hot spots is a yearly exercise that likely won't go away until a permanent solution with the district's facilities and boundaries is found. "We go through this every year," Williams said. Rochester City Clerk Aaaron Reeves will soon transition to a newly created position in the administration office and assume new responsibilities as an intermediary in the city's development process. After a city interview process, Reeves was selected from 73 applicants for the Assistant City Administrator I position, according to City Administrator Stevan Kvenvold. Reeves' start date in the new position is Dec. 8. "I'm really happy to get back into administration and really looking forward to it," Reeves said. Prior to becoming city clerk in Rochester in January 2014, Reeves had been city administrator of Cannon Falls for six years, and had been city administrator of Kenyon for six years before that. Rochester's administration requested in August that a new position be added to the office. The Rochester City Council approved the request. ADVERTISEMENT As Assistant Administrator I, part of Reeves' new responsibilities will be to improve the city's development and permitting processes by working closely with the business community and city department heads. "Development will be a part of this job, along with a lot of other things that are going to come along with it," Reeves said. "I think my work that I've been doing with development so far, as well as some of the special projects I've been working on I think all of that has set me up nicely for this new position." Reeves' move is considered a lateral transition and he will maintain his current compensation of $127,500. City administration will recommend to the council on Dec. 5 that Deputy City Clerk Valori Langseth be appointed interim or acting city clerk, according to an email from Kvenvold. Administration will also recommend changes to the clerk's job description to add communications and public affairs responsibilities to the position's existing role. 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? It has been widely reported on conservative news outlets that the brand new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. has virtually no room for Justice Clarence Thomas. According to this report, it treats Justice Thomas like a mere footnote while heralding the woman who accused him of sexual harassment. Mark Paoletta discusses the slight here. He argues that the story of Justice Thomas rise from poverty in a small town in the segregated south to the Supreme Court should be made known to all Americans. Absent left-wing bias, the new museum would be doing its part to make that story known. After all, as Paoletta points out, the museum has room for the candy-red Cadillac driven by Chuck Berry and the uneven-bar grips used by Gabby Douglas in the 2012 Olympics. O.J.s Bronco and Rodney King also feature. But not Justice Thomas. The point isnt only that Clarence Thomas made it to the Supreme Court, though that alone should merit his inclusion. Paoletta reminds us that even left-leaning observers like Tom Goldstein and Prof. Mark Tushnet concede that Thomas has made a strong contribution to the Courts jurisprudence. Goldstein says he can be considered our greatest current Justice. Moreover, as Paoletta explains, Thomas jurisprudence has strong ties to African-American intellectual history: A 2005 law review article by Professor Angela Onwuachi-Willig, who describes herself as a liberal black womanist, found that Thomas views are deeply grounded in black conservative thought, which has a raced history and foundation that are distinct from white conservatism. She explains that Justice Thomas voice is raced in a way that exhibits significant concern for black people. . . . Indeed as I was researching and learning about black conservative ideology, I found myself (surprisingly) nodding in agreement with some of its concepts and understandings about the issues facing the black community, even though I disagreed with the ultimate route proposed for addressing these problems. Plainly, Justice Thomas accomplishments and distinctive voice should compel his inclusion in a museum that claims a commitment to exploring what it means to be an American and how American values are reflected in African American history and culture. What is the museums explanation for excluding Thomas? Its spokesperson stated: There are many compelling personal stories about African Americans who have become successful in various fields, and, obviously, Associate Justice Thomas is one of them. However, we cannot tell every story in our inaugural exhibitions. Naturally, the museum cant tell the story of all successful African-Americans. But I doubt it can point to any African-American as successful and important as Justice Thomas who has been excluded. And lets consider other successful African-Americans whose story the museum declines to tell: Cora Brown, first African American woman elected to a United States state Senate, winning a seat in the Michigan State Senate in 1952. Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr., who served in the Georgia state legislature and is a pro-life advocate with Priests for Life. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), first African-American senator from the state of South Carolina, the first black Republican elected to the United States Senate since the election of Edward Brooke in 1966, and the first elected from the South since 1881, four years after the end of Reconstruction. Michael Steele, first African-American chairperson of the Republican National Committee, who served from January 2009 until January 2011. Kenneth Blackwell, mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980, the Ohio State Treasurer from 1994 to 1999, and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. Thomas Sowell, American economist, social theorist, political philosopher, and author. Shelby Steele, American author, columnist, documentary filmmaker, and a Robert J. and Marion E. Oster Senior Fellow at Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution. Walter E. Williams, American economist who is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University. What do they have in common? All are, to one degree or another, conservative. I had looked forward to visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture. But since the Smithsonian apparently has decided to exclude black conservatives from museum exhibits, I think conservatives should exclude themselves from being museum visitors. MarketWatch If you really want to rev up your retirement savings and minimize income taxes, the best thing to be is a late-career professional in private practice. When youre making a lot of money and are close to retirement age, you have savings options that go way beyond the levels of the typical workplace 401(k) plan. As long as you can handle a little extra paperwork and some fees, you can set up a solo retirement plan and enjoy higher limits than most employees. Dabiq is the Syrian village that ISIS promised would be the scene of an apocalyptic showdown, an Armageddon, in which Muslims would win a great battle against the infidels, consisting of 80 nations each ten thousand strong. But recently, as I noted here, ISIS had to abandon Dabiq under pressure from Free Syrian rebels backed by Turkish and U.S. air power. ISISs occupation ended not with an apocalypse, but a whimper. ISIS has an explanation, though. Will McCants of Jihadica reports that ISIS says the conditions for its apocalyptic prophesy were not present in Dabiq just now. For one thing, the Mahdi, a messiah figure, did not appear to lead the battle (the reason for his no-show is unclear). Not only that, the expected 80 infidel armies did not turn up to be defeated. Prophesy is a difficult racket. Just two years ago, ISIS was saying, We are waiting for you in Dabiq,; try to come and we will kill every single soldier. Its a long way from that talk to We said wed crush 80 eighty nations, each ten thousand strong; we didnt say anything about defeating a band rebels backed by two nations. I doubt that ISISs fall back position will be persuasive to even the biggest loser surfing the web in his parents basement looking for somewhere to act out his psychopathic fantasies. Patrick Kennedy, the State Department official who tried to get the FBI to change email classifications in exchange for helping the FBI meet its staffing needs in Bagdhad, is what they used to call a fixer. A fixer is not quite the same thing as a henchman. Cheryl Mills played that role at the Clinton State Department. Kennedy has been a fixer in both Democratic and Republican administrations. But until Hilary Clinton came to Foggy Bottom, theres no evidence that Kennedy needed to fix things corruptly. The Clintons corrupt everything they touch, so its not surprising that as Hillarys State Department fixer, Kennedy went to corrupt lengths. In the case of the FBI negotiations, the Bureau either needed extra personnel in Baghdad or it didnt. If it didnt, Kennedy should not have offered to help the FBI. If it did, he should have helped the FBI unconditionally. [Note: Though Kennedy disputes tying FBI manpower to classification of documents, the chief of the FBIs records management division says the deal was presented to him, via his colleague who spoke to Kennedy, as a quid pro quo]. Baghdad is not some way station; it is at the center of American foreign policy and national security concerns. For Kennedy to condition his assistance in obtaining extra U.S. personnel in that hot-spot on a favor for a presidential candidate is deplorable. And, as argued below, its clear that he did this in concert with Hillary Clinton. The FBI negotiation is just one example of Kennedy trying to fix things for Clinton. Steve Hayes reminds us of another. It was Kennedy who helped Cheryl Mills select Clinton-friendly members and staff for the State Departments Administrative Review Board (ARB). Clinton would later use the findings of the ARB as the key component of her defense on Benghazi. However, as Hayes says, the in-house State Department investigation of those attacks was hardly independent: The chairmen acknowledged under congressional questioning that they had advised Clinton and her team about potentially problematic witnesses before congressional hearings, provided an advanced copy of their final report to several top Clinton staffers, allowed [Cheryl] Mills to edit the report, and even briefed Clinton for two hours on their findings before they were made public. In this instance, Kennedy wasnt just fixing things for Hillary, he was fixing them for himself. Kennedy was at fault for the poor security at Benghazi. Gregory Hicks, the State Departments charge daffaires in Libya, testified before Congress that given the decision-making that Under Secretary Pat Kennedy was making with respect to Embassy Tripoli and Consulate Benghazi operations, he has to bear some responsibility for the Benghazi terror attack. As Clintons fixer, it was only natural that Kennedy assist the Clinton Foundation. The Washington Examiner reports that Kennedy was involved in pushing plans for a new $177.9 million embassy in Norway in 2011 over the apparent objections of diplomatic officials in Oslo. Norways government has donated between $10 million and $25 million to the Clinton Foundation, donor records show. Yes to $177.9 million for an diplomatic officials didnt want; no (absent help for the Clinton campaign) to two agents in Baghdad the FBI wanted badly. And no to beefed up security in Benghazi. Kennedy also helped fix it so that Brian Pagliano, the man in charge of Hillarys home-brew email server, got a job at the State Department. A State Department official told the FBI: Around the time of Clintons onboard transition, Patrick Kennedy, Undersecretary of State for Management, suggested [redacted] interview Brian Pagliano, who served on Clintons. . .presidential campaign. [Redacted] and [Redacted] interviewed Pagliano, who had an MBA form the University of Maryland. After interviewing Pagliano [Redacted] agreed he would be a good fit for [Redacted] team. Pagliano was subsequently hired on to DoS in a Schedule C position, and was tasked with assisting mainly with cost recovery planning and researching DoS technical enhancement opportunities. (Emphasis added) Kennedy claims he had no knowledge that Clinton was using a private email server. However, he exchanged dozens of emails with Secretary Clintons private email address. In fact, he emailed Clinton at two private addresses: [email protected] and [email protected] Kennedys official job at the State Department isnt fixer, it is Undersecretary of State for Management. As such, he oversees the departments compliance with federal records laws. Clintons use of a private email server undermined the departments ability to comply with federal records laws. Kennedy knew from his own correspondence with Clinton that she was using private email for State Department business. All of this is clear. The remaining question is whether Kennedy sought to have the FBI help Clintons position in the email scandal on his own or, instead, at the behest of Clinton. It seems unlikely that Kennedy would do this something this risky the FBI could have gone public immediately with Kennedys quid pro quo offer without sign off from the party he was serving. However, we need not speculate. The timing of events demonstrates Clintons involvement in Kennedys efforts. As John pointed out, quoting FBI memos, prior to the end of the conversation between Kennedy and the key FBI man on the classification issue, KENNEDY asked whether the FBI or STATE would conduct the public statements on the matter. The FBI man advised KENNEDY that the FBI would not comment publicly on the matter. Safe in the knowledge (dutifully provided by Kennedy) that the FBI would not be commenting, Hillary Clinton promptly met the press, a rare event, to deny having sent classified emails on her private email server. Thus, when Kennedy tried to influence the FBI, via a quid pro quo, to help the Clinton campaign, he was no rogue fixer. He was a fixer working closely with Hillary Clinton, as he had in the past. As President, Bill Clinton needed not just an ordinary fixer but a Secretary of Sh*t (John Podesta filled that job for a time). As President, Hillary Clinton will need at least one. Patrick Kennedy is perfect for the role. When I posted part 2 in this series yesterday morning, I did not have a comment from the prominent historian John Earl Haynes on the Rosenberg spy case story broadcast on 60 Minutes this past Sunday evening. Dr. Haynes added his comment in the responses to the post. Dr. Haynes is the co-author with Harvey Klehr of the most important books on the history of American Communism that either didnt write separately. Dr. Haynes too participated in the outstanding 2015 panel on the Rosenberg case at the National Archives that I included in that post along with comments by other participants. I am grateful to be able to include Dr. Hayness comment here: John Earl Haynes 60 Minutes interviewed me for the program. I went over in detail the evidence in Venona and Vassilievs notebooks that Ethel was a knowing and active participant in Juliusa work and recognized as such by the KGB (predecessor to be exact). They seemed to want me to say the evidence was ambiguous but it wasnt. I sent to them the complete texts of the passages in Venona and Vassiliev. They believed Julius recruited only one atomic spy, but I pointed out that Greenglass was Juliuss second atomic recruit. The first, Russell McNutt, was even directed by Julius to try get a job with the contractor building uranium separation facilities at Oak Ridge. McNutt, a civil engineer, got the job, worked as part of the design team for Oat Ridge, and provided the Soviets with key design details for the facility. They also interviewed Ron Radosh, Steve Usdin, and Harvey Klehr, who told them much the same. It appears to me that 60 Minutes had a melodramatic story line and werent going to be swayed by evidence that interfered with the pathos of their innocent wife and mother executed for husbands crimes story line. Carefully, 60 Minutes doesnt say Ethel was innocent, they let the Meeropol brothers say that repeatedly and emphatically, dont present the documentary evidence of Venona and Vassiliev, and then try to cover themselves with a tiny snippet from Radoshs interview. The program provides partial, distorted, and inaccurate history. Ever since Speaker Ryan declined to appear with Donald Trump after the Billy Bush tape became public, Trump has been attacking Ryan. His latest claim is that Ryan has backed away from Trump in order to facilitate a 2020 presidential bid. The claim is absurd. Ryan backed Trump for months when it looked like Trump might win. Now that its almost certain Trump wont win, Ryan doesnt improve his presidential prospects by backing away from the Republican nominee. Trump supporters will hold this against Ryan; hard-core NeverTrumpers will remain angry at Ryan for his initial support of the tycoon. Its unseemly for the Republican presidential nominee and the Republican Speaker of the House to be feuding just weeks before the election. But Im glad they are. Heres why. If Trump loses but the GOP maintains control of the House a highly likely scenario Speaker Ryan will be in a position to make deals with President Hillary Clinton. History suggests that he will want to make them. Recall the budget deal he struck with Patty Murray in 2013. Recall that Ryan has reached out to Democrats for infrastructure talks. Recall that Ryan favors amnesty-style immigration reform. Recall that he favors more lenient federal sentencing for felons. Recall his chumminess with left-wing Rep. Luis Gutierrez. Ryan wants to get things done. He wants to shed his Partys reputation as obstructionist. He either doesnt understand or doesnt care that obstructionism is whats preventing, or at least slowing, the lefts takeover of America. He either doesnt understand or doesnt care that nothing can get done with Democrats that doesnt include some of their core left-wing agenda items. Donald Trumps denunciation of Ryan wont alter the Speakers ambitions. But if he works with Clinton in meaningful ways, he will reinforce Trumps critique of him and alienate not just the hard-core Trumpers but also hard-core conservatives. If the 2016 GOP primaries are indicative, thats most of the Republican Party. And speaking of the 2016 primaries, perhaps Ryan will put two and two together and realize that it was the eagerness of Republicans like him to work with Democrats on amnesty-style immigration reform that fueled the rise of Trump. In sum, Ryans feud with Trump leaves the Speaker with a choice. He can wear the goat horns Trump is trying to place on his head or he can resist his desire to work with Clinton and, with Trump on the sidelines doing whatever, establish himself as the leader of the fight to block Clintons leftist agenda. If Ryan chooses to wear the horns, he wont be the Republican nominee for president and he may find his position as Speaker in jeopardy. One of the strongest arguments in favor of Trump is that if he won it would represent a stunning rebuke to the governing class in Washingtonof both parties. That is one reason why Trump is essentially running as an independent, attacking both parties after having effected a hostile takeover of the Republican Party. Ill have more to say about this starting Friday, but for now it is important to take in a story the Washington Posts Wonkblog reported a couple weeks ago that has not received the attention it ought: Washingtons governing elite think Americans are morons By Jeff Guo Recently, Johns Hopkins University political scientists Jennifer Bachner and Benjamin Ginsberg conducted a study of the unglamorous D.C. bureaucrat. These are the people who keep the federal government humming the Hill staffers, the project managers and all those desk workers who vaguely describe themselves as analysts. As Bachner and Ginsberg argue, civil servants exercise real power over how the government operates. They write and enforce rules and regulations. . . For all their influence, though, nearly all of these technocrats are unelected, and they spend most of their time with people who are just like them other highly educated folk who jog conspicuously in college tees and own a collection of NPR totes. . . In their new book, which is part ethnography and part polemic, Bachner and Ginsberg argue that Washingtons bureaucrats have grown too dismissive of the people they are supposed to serve. Bachner and Ginsberg recently sent around an informal survey to selected members of this technocratic class, and the results, they say, were shocking. Many civil servants expressed utter contempt for the citizens they served, they write in their book, What Washington Gets Wrong. Further, we found a wide gulf between the life experiences of ordinary Americans and the denizens of official Washington. We were left deeply worried about the health and future of popular government in the United States. This is not rocket science: if our public servants disdain the public they are supposed to be serving, then they not serving the public interest but their own. Thats why a lot of people are supporting Trump. (Theres quite a bit of poll data showing that Trumps stances on trade and immigration are not the big draws for his candidacy.) Whether Trump, if elected, is the right person to do something serious about this (term limits, yesterdays Trump gimmick, is not serious) is another question. Stay tuned for that. Donald Trump has waded into a quagmire of sexual groping allegations and faces doubts about his vengeful and mercurial personality. Hillary Clinton is parrying criticism for deleting public record emails and allegedly favoring Clinton Foundation donors while she was secretary of state. The latest surrogate to make a forceful case was Michelle Obama, who blasted Trump last week for allegations concerning his treatment of women. Obama won widespread attention for the speech at Southern New Hampshire University in which she cited the personal cost of Trumps remarks. CNN called her The Clinton surrogate that could finish off Trump, and the Los Angeles Times said she delivered what may be a defining moment in the presidential campaign. USA Today said the first ladys speech made shock waves for its strong and emotional condemnation of Donald Trumpall without saying his name. Leading talent agency and event firm, Temple Management Company, has officially unveiled a grand legacy concert in honour of Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye popularly known as King Sunny Ade. The concert is tagged Sunny On Sunday. The event was unveiled to the media at a press briefing, which held in Lagos on Tuesday at Four Points By Sheraton Hotels. At the event, KSA revealed that his colleagues Jimmy Cliff, Youssou NDour and Awilo Longomba would join him at the world-class concert scheduled for December 11 at Federal Palace Hotel and Casino, Victoria Island, Lagos. Speaking about the event, Idris Olorunnimbe, CEO of Temple Management Company, stated that the company was proud to shoulder the responsibility of celebrating a Nigerian music icon on a big scale that has never been witnessed before. For us at Temple Management Company, this is a national assignment that has been long over-due and we are glad to shoulder this responsibility. We want to assure fans of King Sunny Ade of a truly world-class concert. We are working with partners in South Africa and other parts of the world to deliver a befitting celebration of a legend, Mr. Olorunnimbe said. Also speaking about the coverage of the concert, Martin Mabutho, General Manager Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, said We are excited to broadcast the celebration of a musical legend, King Sunny Ade, whose music transcends generations and borders. We realize the impact he has had on many who love good music and we are glad to partner with Temple Management Company to bring this historic celebration to our customers. DStv and GOtv subscribers can catch the legacy concert live on channels 199 and 29 respectively, on December 11,2016. King Sunny Ade who turned 70 on September 22, 2016 has been performing for over 50 years. The veteran musician who has been dubbed the King of Juju Music has been nominated twice for the Grammy Awards. His illustrious career has produced a lot of albums featuring international collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Manu Dibango, Youssou NDour and Salif Keita among others. Nollywood actor turned lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, has called on his colleagues to assist ailing Prince James Uche, who has been down with kidney failure for the past one year. Elliot made the announcement on his instagram account on Wednesday. He posted a photo of James, a Nollywood actor, in the hospital on Instagram and captioned, When God blesses u, remember others, Prince James Uche Nollywood actor has been in hospital struggling to live for over one year now (kidney failure), my fellow artists, great people & friends pls support him, he needs dialysis, medical care & food to survive. Prince James Uche, WEMA bank PLC 0232151677, or Zenith bank plc. 1001063788. Back in July, the National President of Filmmakers Welfare Organisation of Nigeria, Sunday Awoji, had raised an alarm over Uches health. He was quoted as having said in an interview with the Tribune Newspaper in Abuja that, Prince James Uche has been very sick and incapacitated for some years now, and it has become obvious that he cannot provide the required funds to have the necessary medical attention. He is currently hospitalized in Lagos due to kidney related ailment, and urgently needed to be taken to Indian for a transplant that will gulp N11 million. A former Vice President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, not a few fans are aware that Uche has been struggling to survive a strange illness that has kept him off the screen for eight years. In an interview he granted last year, he was said to be battling with an undefined heart disease, memory and sight loss. It was also reported that he had been served an eviction notice by his landlord, ordering him to vacate his residence at 45, Yetunde Brown Street, Gbagada, Lagos. The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, continued its crackdown on tax defaulting companies, Wednesday, as its enforcement teams shut firms in Abuja, Sango-Otta and Lagos over outstanding debt of about N306.82 million. In Abuja, the FIRS team sealed Bolingo Hotels and Towers at the Central Business District for an outstanding tax of N24,422,572.84, which accumulated from 2002. But the enforcement team, led by Bukar Umar Gana, could not locate Etat Consulting Limited in Abuja, which has a liability of N32,448,510. The amount includes company income tax, withholding tax and education tax. In Lagos, FIRS sealed the offices of the Nigerian German Chemicals Limited, located at Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja, over a tax debt in excess of N146.6 million. Also affected was Trident Marketing Limited, Ajao Road, Ikeja, which is indebted to the tune of N90.8 million. In Sango-Otta, Ogun State, the enforcement team shut Allied Atlantic Distilleries Limited, which owes over N45 million. The companys operations manager told the team he was not aware that the company owed such a debt, an explanation that was dismissed by FIRS officials, who shut its offices. Industrial products and equipment manufacturer Illinois Tool Works Inc. ITW is set to release third-quarter 2016 results on Oct 20, before the market opens. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $1.49 per share. Illinois Tool Works better-than-expected results in the last four quarters resulted in a positive average earnings surprise of 2.63%. The earnings surprise was highest at 4.29% in the last quarter, with reported earnings of $1.46 per share exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.40. Let us see how things are shaping up for Illinois Tool Works Inc. prior to this earnings announcement. Factors to Influence Q3 Results Illinois Tool Works is exposed to several headwinds in the near term. This is likely to suppress its growth momentum derived from its organic and inorganic growth tactics, long-term Enterprise Strategy and sound capital allocation schemes. Among many, the prevailing uncertainties in the global economy, especially in some major developed and emerging nations, are likely to influence the companys trade relations with them. Also, forex woes are still playing spoilsports for its international businesses. Coming to the micro issues, a challenging demand environment in the Welding segment might impact Illinois Tool Works top-line results in the quarter. Also, industry rivalry and volatilities in input price & supply are major concerns for the company. Earnings Whispers Our proven model conclusively shows that Illinois Tool Works is likely to disappoint earnings in third quarter. The company lacks the two key ingredients for a possible earnings beat a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy) or #3 (Hold). Zacks ESP: Illinois Tool Works has an ESP of -0.67%, with the Most Accurate Estimate of $1.48 lagging the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49. Zacks Rank: Illinois Tool Works currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). ILL TOOL WORKS Price and EPS Surprise Story continues ILL TOOL WORKS Price and EPS Surprise | ILL TOOL WORKS Quote As it is, 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 a negative estimate revisions momentum. Stocks to Consider Here are some companies in the machinery industry you may want to consider, as they have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter, according to our model. AO Smith Corp. AOS, with an Earnings ESP of +2.22% and a Zacks Rank #2. Caterpillar Inc. CAT, with an Earnings ESP of +2.70% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. SWK, with an Earnings ESP of +1.24% and a Zacks Rank #3. Confidential from Zacks Beyond this Analyst Blog, would you like to see Zacks' best recommendations that are not available to the public? Our Executive VP, Steve Reitmeister, knows when key trades are about to be triggered and which of our experts has the hottest hand. Click to see them now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report STANLEY B&D INC (SWK): Free Stock Analysis Report CATERPILLAR INC (CAT): Free Stock Analysis Report SMITH (AO) CORP (AOS): Free Stock Analysis Report ILL TOOL WORKS (ITW): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The Senate has begun investigation into the alleged repatriation of $13.9 billion by MTN with hiring of international forensic lawyers, accountants and other experts to assist in the investigation. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Rufai Ibrahim, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday. Mr. Ibrahim said that the experts had arrived Nigeria and were already working with other local forensic experts to uncover any hidden details from the documents that had been submitted. The Senate sees this as very important, it is a weighty allegation and we are going to deal with a lot of documents spanning 16 years. Based on that we got the approval of the leadership of the Senate and we have engaged international and local forensic experts, accountants and lawyers. The team has been fully assembled and they have started working; this is not going to be a normal periphery investigation because it involves a lot of documents. We will be starting the investigative hearing tomorrow, we will listen to each one of them and we will take it from there, he said. The chairman also disclosed that many private individuals and government agencies had been invited to brief it on Thursday. He said that some of those invited had already submitted requested documents and had indicated their willingness to be at the hearing. Among the invitees are MTN, Diamond Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic Bank which had submitted their documents as well as Ahmed Dasuki and Sani Bello who did not submit any document. Others expected to appear before committee are Minister for Industries, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah; Paschal Dozie, a former Chairman of Diamond Bank, and the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria. Others listed to appear are Gbenga Oyebode and Victor Odili. Dino Melaye, who blew the whistle on the alleged repatriation, expressed happiness that the Senate had taken the matter seriously. I can tell you that even preliminary investigations have revealed that the $13.9 billion is far lower to what the outcome will look like. We have realised from these preliminary investigations that it is actually outrageously higher than the $13.9 billion, he said. Mr. Melaye said that the committee showcased sincerity in its approach and he was confident in the committee and the Nigerian Senate in investigating the matter. He assured that at the end of the investigation, the alleged money would be returned to the countrys foreign reserves. PREMIUM TIMES had an exclusive chat with Mavin Records First Lady, Tiwa Savage, at an event in Lagos on Tuesday. In the interview, the pretty mother of one spoke about her career and controversies. P.T: How have you handled all the controversies that trailed your marriage in April? TIWA: Its been the grace of God and I think I have been able to pull through by simply immersing myself in my work. PT: And the bad press and nasty things written about you? TIWA: Generally speaking all that has been written about me doesnt really affect me anymore. When I got into the industry initially, it was very difficult for anybody to realise this. But now, I have come to the realisation that the hard work you put in and the positive things that you do as an artiste always outweighs the negative. Whether youre in the media, a banker or a nurse, youre going to have people talk about you. Not everyone loves Jesus Christ so who am I to talk about people saying things about me? You cant make everyone happy. I dont try to waste time on people that dont love me, so I just spend time with people that love me so I dont disappoint them. P.T: How do you handle embarrassing moments? TIWA: I dont really think that I have had embarrassing moments like that. But I did have one recently while performing on the stage; where my cloth ripped off. I grew up around boys and my brothers teased me a lot. So, I am used to people making fun about me. I dont take life too seriously and also, Mavin Records comprises of men; Dija and I are the only females. My male colleagues are all fun to be around. So when something embarrassing happens, I just take it laugh off and never take it to heart. P.T: What is next for Tiwa Savage? TIWA: The next stage is how to work and break into the international market. I definitely dont want to forget my Nigerian roots. I think that when you sign international deal, there is this tendency to forget home. We artistes also tend to forget that the main reason they signed you is because you were doing very well at home, so you cant forget that. So, I am basically just trying to strike a balance with both audience and market. My dream is to grow the Tiwa Savage brand at home and abroad. PT: Tell us how you got signed on with Jay Zs Roc Nation? TIWA: Theres a guy called Briant Bee-High Biggs; he is Jay Zs cousin. He also doubles as Roc Nations current director of mobile strategies. He had been visiting Nigeria for few months to scout for fresh talents in Africa. The aim was to get these artistes and Jay Zs label into the global market. I guess Brian had been monitoring my music and my career through the years before deciding to go with me. I guess he went with me because I am female while his other partners/remaining scouts were getting male artists. He wanted to strike a deal with a female artiste because the biggest artistes in America like Rihanna and Adele are all females. So, he really believes that there is a market for talented female artistes. P.T : Are you not bothered by the fact that something similar crashed Mohits? TIWA: Oh no. I really dont think the international deal is what broke up Mohits and I dont really think any of us can actually talk about that issue. This is because only the two of them-Don Jazzy and Dbanj, really know what happened. But mine is a blessing and I am not going to allow what happened in the past affect me. PT: How did you feel when you met Jay Z? TIWA: It was an incredible feeling but when you meet with him, you will realize that he is human afterall. He was very chilled, very relaxed and he made us feel comfortable. It happened so fast that I didnt have time to really feel nervous. He spoke a lot about his experience and shared a lot of wisdom. Meeting him is such a great achievement but the work really starts now so we can really prove to the world that the partnership is successful. PT: Regardless of all that that has happened in your life, are you truly happy? TIWA: Of course I am very happy and I am blessed; I have a loving family, my career is getting stronger by the day. I recently signed an international deal so why wont I be happy? PT:Is acting something you want to explore? TIWA: Yes, I really want to explore acting. I starred in Shuga and Jenifas Diary. But it has to be the right role. I also think that acting takes a lot of your time and it also takes a few months out of your calendar. PT: What role would you want to play? TIWA: I wouldnt want to play a role that is similar to whom I am in real life i.e. a celebrity, musician or whatever people perceive as Tiwa savage. I will actually love to play the role of a market woman. When an American journalist and author, Anya Schiffrin, was working on her book, Global Muckraking: 100 Years of Investigative Journalism From Around the World, she thought it was expedient for her to exclude from it an investigative series from Nigeria on alleged corrupt practices of the then petroleum minister in the country, Diezani Alison-Madueke. The book, published in 2014, showcases the outstanding works of investigative journalists in different parts of the world. The series on Mrs. Alison-Madueke was published in 2011 by the rested NEXT newspaper. They were republished last year on PREMIUM TIMES, with permission from NEXT. Today, Mrs. Schiffrin, who is also a journalism professor at Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs, expresses regret for her decision on Mrs. Alison-Madueke, who remains one of the most controversial public officers in Nigeria, since she left office more than a year ago. Mrs. Schiffrin, 54, said she took the decision because the then minister threatened her with a lawsuit. (We) got a series by a terrific, highly respected Nigerian journalist named Musikilu Mojeed saying that a government official, Alison-Madueke, was corrupt, Mrs. Schiffrin said in an interview with Guernica magazine, last year. I Googled (Madueke) and found an article by a British journalist saying that she was working to clean up corruption. So I contacted him and asked, Do you realize that this extremely well-respected Nigerian journalist said (Madueke) is corrupt? The British journalist was not at all defensive and said, Ill get back to you. In the meantime, I began asking people I knew in Nigeria. I started getting these very guarded and cryptic emails and messages. I think no one wanted to commit themselves in writing, but they said things like, (Mojeed) is really reliable. They didnt say, That woman is corrupt, but rather, The newspaper is reliable. Someone I knew also contacted Maduekes office. But the next thing that happens is I get a letter from her lawyer (asking not to publish these stories) because they are libelous. Meanwhile, the British journalist got back to me and said he did not stand by his original story anymore. Mrs. Schiffrin said by the time they had a rethink and decided to include the series on Mrs. Alison-Madueke, there wasnt any more space in the book. It was a tough call for her, she said. Once I got the lawyers letter, of course, I regretted the decision not to include the series even more, she said. Mr. Mojeed, who is currently PREMIUM TIMES Editor-in-Chief, was working with NEXT then, and co-authored the series on Mrs. Alison-Madueke. The series portrayed Mrs. Alison-Madueke as corruptly enriching herself and her cronies through suspicious, and sometimes secret, multi-million dollars oil deals at the countrys expense. In one of the reports, the then minister was alleged to have violated Nigerian laws and regulations, and awarded multi-million dollars oil-lifting contracts to briefcase companies owned by her U.S-based jeweller, Christopher Aire. Mrs. Alison-Madueke was arrested late last year in London by the UK National Crimes Agency for offences related to bribery and corruption, but was later released on bail, alongside four other persons arrested with her. Back home in Nigeria, the former minister has been under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Another Nigerian judge caught in the State Security Service crackdown on senior judicial officers has written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, stating how the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, allegedly tried to manipulate him. Inyang Okoro, a Supreme Court judge, whose home in Abuja was amongst those raided by masked SSS operatives on October 7 and 8, said security agencies came after him because he turned down pressure to help influence the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling on Akwa Ibom gubernatorial election. In a letter dated October 17, 2016, and addressed directly to Mr. Mohammed, Mr. Okoro said operatives lured him to open his gate late at night using President Buharis name. On Friday, October 7, 2016, at about 9:00 p.m., I received a phone call from an unfamiliar caller. He introduced himself as an official from the presidency. He told me he had a letter for me from Mr. President. I immediately left my study room and went to open the door. Upon the door being opened, I saw so many heavily armed men with an inscription DSS on their uniform. One of them who was in mufti told me they were to search my house. I requested that I be allowed to inform the Chief Justice of Nigeria but they rebuffed, rather, they seized my phone from me, Mr. Okoro said. The letter, first published by Sitippe.com, is the latest in the emerging fallout of the SSS raid, which was conducted between late Friday, October 7, and early Saturday, October 8. The raid saw scores of SSS operatives swoope on the premises of the judges arresting some of them. The move, which the SSS described as a sting operation in a statement, was conducted in Abuja, Enugu, Gombe, Kano and Port-Harcourt. Seven allegedly corrupt judges were arrested in the raids while attempts to arrest more were frustrated. Mr. Okoros letter came a few days after his junior colleague, Adeniyi Ademola, wrote a similar one that was also addressed to Mr. Mohammed. In his, Mr. Ademola blamed the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, for his own ordeal and said the SSS operatives frightened him with their firearms. After narrating the initial tactics of the officer, Mr. Okoro went on to detail the items taken from his premises which he said included a unit of iPad, three phones, $38,800, N3.5 million and four chequebooks. He said he signed the items declaration form presented to him by the SSS after the raid. Unlike Mr. Ademola, he did not say he was forced to sign at gunpoint. Mr. Okoro, however, said the operatives refused his appeal to allow him sleep in his home and visit their office in the morning, adding that the guns they were holding also made it difficult for him to argue with them. Mr. Okoro said they asked him to explain the source of funds found in his home. I told them that having received the sum of $24,000 and 10,000 a year for the past three years of my sojourn in this court as annual medical and vacation allowances. And having spent more than 5,000 on each of the three trips I have so far made abroad, I was entitled to have more than the amount recovered from me. Put differently, my Lord, the money was the balance of my estacode received from this court for the past three years. Mr. Okoro said all the money was quite outside the estacodes he had received for the international conferences he attended since joining the Supreme Court. He told Mr. Mohammed that up till when he was writing his letter on October 17, exactly 10 days after the raid, the SSS has not confronted him with any petition or complaint from any quarters. Rather, they have grilled me asking questions on some non-existing properties around the country. They have also doubted the age of my children alleging that they are toddlers, Mr. Okoro said. This is sad and unbelievable. Specifically, Mr. Okoro accused Mr. Amaechi of being behind his ordeal. The senior jurist recounted how Mr. Amaechi allegedly visited him in the run-up to the Supreme Court decision on the appeal about the outcome of the Akwa Ibom governorship poll in 2015. The election pitted incumbent Emmanuel Udom of the Peoples Democratic Party against Umana Umana of the All Progressives Congress, who also allegedly visited the judge. Mr. Udom won the election held on April 11, 2015, and the Supreme Court upheld it on February 3. Mr. Okoro said the outcome would have been different if Mr. Amaechi had had his way. The judge said he strongly believed that this his travail is not unconnected with a verbal report he had informed the Chief Justice about on February 1, 2016, to the effect that Mr. Amaechi visited his official residence. Mr. Okoro said Mr. Amaechi approached him and said the president of Nigeria and the APC sent him to plead with the judge that they must win their election appeals in respect of Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State and Abia State at all costs. For Akwa Ibom State, he alleged that he sponsored Umana Umana, the candidate of APC for that election and that if he lost, Akwa Ibom appeal, he would have lost a fortune, Mr. Okoro said. Mr. Amaechi also said that he had already visited you and that you had agreed to make me a member of the panel that would hear the appeals. He further told me that Mr. Umana would be paying me millions of naira monthly if I cooperated with them. Mr response, as I told you on that date, was that it does not lie within my power to grant his request and I would do all within my power not to be in the panel for Akwa Ibom State. My Lord, graciously left me out of the panel for Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Okoro said. But Mr. Amaechi flatly denied the allegations on Wednesday night. In a message to PREMIUM TIMES by his media adviser, David Iyofor, Mr. Amaechi said Mr. Okoros allegations against him were baseless and spurious. He threatened to take legal action against the judge. This accusation from Justice Okoro against Amaechi is a figment of his imagination, Mr. Iyofor said. It was concocted to obfuscate and politicise the real issues for his arrest and SSS investigation of allegations of corruption against him. The claims by Justice Okoro against Amaechi are blatant lies bereft of any iota of truth or even. This is a cheap attempt, albeit political move, to drag the name of Amaechi into something he knows nothing about, Mr. Iyofor said. Justice Okoro should face his issues and leave Amaechi out of it. He will be hearing from our lawyers. Mr. Okoro also detailed how Mr. Umana allegedly paid him a separate visit in an attempt to influence the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling, adding that he was there with a clergyman. My Lord will recall that I also reported that Mr. Umana Umana visited my residence before Amaechis visit. He also made the same request of assistance to win his appeal at the Supreme Court. Mr. Umana talked about seeing the justices who would hear the appeal. Pastor Ebebe Ukpong who led Mr. Umana Umana to my house intercepted and said that the issue of seeing the justices was not part of their visit and that as a pastor he would not be part of such a discussion. Mr. Umana apologised and I advised them to go and pray about the matter and get a good lawyer. That was how they left my house, Mr. Okoro said. Notwithstanding, Mr. Okoro said members of the APC in Akwa Ibom continued to assume that he was the one responsible for their loss at the Supreme Court. Could I have resigned from the court simply because people of Akwa Ibom had a matter before it? Mr. Okoro queried rhetorically. Mr. Umana could not be reached for comments Tuesday night. Mr. Okoro told the Chief Justice he had never been involved in corrupt practice. The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described the voluntary return of ex-minister Musiliu Obanikoro to Nigeria as dramatic and compromised, following the latters alleged confessions to the anti-graft agency, EFCC. Mr. Fayose said he will not be distracted by Mr. Obanikoros reported confessions that he transferred N2.3billion to the Ekiti leader from the Office of the National Security Adviser to fund his 2014 governorship election. The governor, in a statement on Wednesday signed by his Special Adviser on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said the report was a plot by the Federal Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to implicate him at all cost. Mr. Obanikoro, who turned himself in to the EFCC on Monday, has been in EFCC custody since then facing interrogation on allegations of corruption and receipt of funds from the Office of the National Security Adviser without contract awards. The former minister of state for defense arrived Nigeria on Monday after leaving the country in 2015 amid the corruption allegations. He was alleged to have facilitated the disbursement of the funds to Mr. Fayose in the build up to the 2014 election in Ekiti through Biodun Agbele, an associate of the governor. A report by Punch Newspaper on Wednesday said Mr. Obanikoro had owned up to the EFCC on the transfers. A source close to the former minister also confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Obanikoro was cooperating with the anti-graft commission and had written at least two statements to that effect. But Mr. Fayose dismissed the report, saying it was the commissions usual media trial. This project Fayose must be implicated at all cost will definitely not put food on the tables of Nigerians and for all I care, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its collaborators can keep running from pillar to post while I keep delivering good governance to Ekiti and its people, he said. We have gone past this stage of media trial, EFCC should rather keep its gun powder dry, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. They said more than this in the 2006 poultry scam blackmail, despite that, I am the governor today. While noting that his reaction to the report was only to fulfill all righteousness, the governor said those who arranged the dramatic and compromised return of Senator Obanikoro to Nigeria obviously did so in continuation of their project Fayose must be implicated at all cost. He however said he was not bothered because his election was legitimately funded. As far as I am concerned, I am busy here in Ekiti attending to the welfare and well-being of my people. I wont be distracted, the governor said. He said the EFCC should also beam its searchlights on the funding of APC elections. Since we are now in the era in which financial assistance from Nigerians to fund elections is being criminalised, the international community, especially those funding EFCC must insist that the commission probes the funding of APC elections before further funds are released to the commission, he said. Nigerias Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has charged clerics to do all within their powers to delegitimise all apostles of hatred and bad creed in the world. He gave the charge while addressing World religious leaders at a dinner to usher in a conference of faith groups with the theme Faith Works Africa: Partnership for Peace and Prosperity. Mr. Osinbajo noted the myriad of problems facing the world, including poverty, terrorism and armed conflicts, and attributed many of them to bad religious doctrines. It is crucial that we delegitimise all apostles of hatred and bad creed, he said. The Vice President noted that religion was meant to foster togetherness and ensure progress of societies. According to him, the Federal Government believes in the sanctity of all human beings and their right to belong to any religion. He added that government would do everything possible to protect that sanctity. Mr. Osinbajo expressed gratitude that no fewer than 40 religious bodies had sought to build consensus on problems besetting humanity and urged it not to relent. Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, noted that the country had its problems and was fully aware of them. The Sultan noted that Nigeria is the only country in the world where with equal Christian and Muslim populations, the worshipers co-existed in peace most of the time. He said the citizens had to work with the President to salvage the country because a stable Nigeria is a stable Africa and a stable world. Mr. Abubakar also urged the clerics to condemn what was happening in different parts of the world in the name of religion and to help in proffering solutions to other global problems. We have problems in Nigeria but in the shortest time possible we shall overcome them, the Sultan declared. The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, added that the group wanted to make religion to work for peace and progress in the country. Mr. Onaiyekan said there were persons giving bad name to religion for some inordinate reasons, but said their moves would be made unpopular by the faithful. We are willing to make religion to work for peace and progress in Africa and the entire world. Nigeria is still an ideal nation to experience how Muslims and Christians lie together and share spiritual values, he added. The Secretary-General of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa, Grace Kaiso, observed that Africa is a continent of faith, yet its people remain brutal to one another. He noted that Africans live along political and ethnic lines, thereby making it difficult to nurture political stability in many countries. As we think of the future of the continent, how do we restore confidence in the institutions that work for the people? We have this challenge of nurturing national solidarity so that people will think about who they are as nationals before thinking about their ethnic groups, he said. Mr. Kaiso said people had abandoned dialogue in managing their differences, adding that dialogue would eliminate the culture of guns. According to him, Africa is a continent that is badly wounded and needs leadership that is nurturing and healing. Every generation has its calling and our generation has been called to make sacrifices for the future, the cleric said. The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Samson Ayokunle, represented by Testimony Onifade, expressed thanks to the body for converging on Nigeria at this time and pledged to support its peace initiatives. The CAN president called for fervent prayers and united action in the continent to ensure enduring peace, so that Africa would join others in the world to achieve global peace. Mr. Ayokunle noted that faith works and the importance of faith cannot be undermined in any circumstance. (NAN) Award winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie, has reacted to the state of Nigerias economy under President Muhammadu Buharis administration. Ms. Adichie described Mr. Buharis economic policies as outdated and his view of Nigerians as infantile. His intentions, good as they well might be, are rooted in an outdated economic model and an infantile view of Nigerians. For him, it seems, patriotism is not a voluntary and flexible thing, with room for dissent, but a martial enterprise: to obey without questioning. Nationalism is not negotiated, but enforced, she wrote in an opinion for the New York Times, published on Tuesday. According to the Purple Hibiscus writer, although Mr. Buhari has good intentions by believing rightly that Nigeria needs to produce more of what it consumes and he wanted to improve local production, this could not be willed into existence if the supporting infrastructure was absent. Banning goods has historically led not to local production but to a thriving shadow market. Governmental controls had mangled the economy. Many imported goods were banned, scarcity was rife, black markets thrived, businesses were failing and soldiers stalked markets to enforce government-determined prices, she added. Ms. Adichie also touched on violent clashes in the country which had become even more intense in recent times. She blamed this on Buharis aloofness and absence of sensitive leadership. Since Mr. Buhari came to power, villages in the middle-belt and southern regions have been raided, the inhabitants killed, their farmlands sacked. Those attacked believe the Fulani herdsmen want to forcibly take over their lands for cattle grazing. It would be unfair to blame Mr. Buhari for these killings, which are in part a result of complex interactions between climate change and land use. But leadership is as much about perception as it is about action, and Mr. Buhari has appeared disengaged. It took him months, and much criticism from civil society, to finally issue a statement condemning the killings. His aloofness feels, at worst, like a tacit enabling of murder and, at best, an absence of sensitive leadership. Most important, his behaviour suggests he is tone-deaf to the widely-held belief among southern Nigerians that he promotes a northern Sunni Muslim agenda. He was no less opaque when the Nigerian Army murdered hundreds of members of a Shiite Muslim group in December, burying them in hastily dug graves. Or when soldiers killed members of the small secessionist pro-Biafran movement who were protesting the arrest of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, a little-known figure whose continued incarceration has elevated him to a minor martyr. President Buharis administration faced yet another backlash when the president was responding on Friday to his wife, Aishas claims that his administration had been hijacked by a cabal. Responding to the claims, Mr. Buhari had said, I dont know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room. His comment immediately went viral on the internet. The comment made big headline in almost all the major newspapers in the country, and Nigerians were quick to push to the back burner, the release of the 21 Chibok girls, as people got talking about the impropriety or otherwise of the comment. Mr. Buharis comment was made in faraway Berlin, Germany, while standing next to his host, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel who, as one foreign newspaper noted, seemed to glare at him. Reacting to the war on corruption, Mrs. Adichie said, Nigerians who expected a fair and sweeping cleanup of corruption have been disappointed. Arrests have tended to be selective, targeting mostly those opposed to Mr Buharis government. The anti-corruption agencies are perceived not only as partisan but as brazenly flouting the rule of law. In her recommendations, she urged the government to prioritize infrastructure, create a business-friendly environment and communicate to a populace mired in disappointment as there are no easy answers to Nigerias malaise. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested two persons for allegedly smuggling 325,640 and $30,000 ( making a total of about N175 million) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Nicholas Edos and Prince Hallowell, returning from Austria and Greece respectively, were intercepted during an inward screening of passengers on a Turkish airline flight. The NDLEA in a statement on Wednesday said the suspected laundered money was hidden inside envelopes and shoes. While Mr. Edos was caught with 279,190, Mr. Hallowell was found with 46,450 and $30,000. But the suspects said they received the money from their Europe-based friends to give to their different families and relatives in Nigeria. Muhammad Abdallah, Chairman of NDLEA, said the arrest was a suspected case of money laundering, adding that it had been handed over to Victoria Egbase, the Director of Assets and Financial Investigation of the agency, for further investigation. Criminal groups seek to conceal the origin of illegally obtained money, said Mr. Abdallah, a retired colonel. It is pertinent therefore for us to trace the origin of the money and prevent the introduction of criminal funds into the economy. Consequently, I have directed that the case be meticulously investigated. Preliminary investigation, according to the NDLEA, showed that both suspects are frequent travellers who are the target of International Drug Trafficking Organisations. Besides, their sources of income must be verified, the agency said. Mr. Edos, who said he was working in a bakery in Austria, said the money found on him did not belong to him. I was given by different people in Europe to give to their relatives. I have been living in Vienna Austria for over 15 years, the NDLEA quoted Mr. Edos, who hails from Edo State, as saying. The agency also quoted Mr. Hallowell as saying the money belonged to people sending money to their families back in Nigeria. I live in Athens and I work in an African shop, Mr. Hallowell said in the statement. I have lived there for 12 years. The money belongs to many people and some of them are my friends. Mr. Abdallah said the cases would be thoroughly investigated and necessary action taken as laundered funds could be used to finance terrorism and distort the economy among others. President Muhammadu Buhari has joined his predecessor, former president Goodluck Jonathan, and some groups in Ogoni land in mourning the death on Tuesday of Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr., the eldest son of late Ogoni and environmental rights activist. Mr. Saro-Wiwa Jr., 47, was adviser to three presidents, including Mr. Jonathan. He had slipped into coma on Monday after suffering a stroke on Saturday. He was placed on life support, but he died on Tuesday evening in a London hospital. President Buhari, through a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina, sent his condolences to the Saro-Wiwa family as well as the government and people of Rivers State. The President also commiserates with the people of Ogoni Kingdom over the passage of their illustrious son, author and environmental activist, who was an ardent believer in the unity, progress and stability of his community, the statement continued. President Buhari, who has initiated the process of cleaning up the Niger Delta region, urges family, friends and associates to honour Saro-Wiwas memory by making his dream of an environmentally safe, secured and prosperous Ogoni land a reality. In a post on his Facebook account, Mr. Jonathan said: A bright star has been prematurely plucked from the Nigerian firmament. Ken Wiwa, like his father was a patriot. Adieu great son of Nigeria. Also, commiserating with the family, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said Mr. Saro-Wiwa Jr.s death was a major loss to the state, Nigeria and humanity. The governor said the deceased devoted his life to humanity. He added that his passage has left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill. The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, co-founded by the deceaseds father, Ken Saro-Wiwa, to press for the rights of the people and resist exploitation of their environment, also expressed shock through a statement by its publicity secretary, Fegalo Nsuke. We are deeply pained by this tragic incident, the loss of our dear Ken Jr. son of our celebrated hero, Ken Saro-Wiwa. We express our deepest condolences to the family of Wiwa in particular and the Ogoni nation in general, the group said. The President of Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority, OCIA, Goodluck Diigbo, in his reaction said the sudden news of the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jnr. shook the people of Ogoni tonight, October 18. We do not know the details. We are upset. He was such a bright reminder of the brightness of his father, Ken Saro-Wiwa, who sacrificed everything to try to lead the Ogoni people out of the woods. The perspective of Junior, as he was popularly addressed by the Ogoni, was that every problem and every conflict has a solution. This belief guarded his own quiet approach in tackling the dilemma of the Ogoni people, Mr. Diigbo said. Saro-Wiwa Jr., who served as aide to ex-presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru YarAdua and Mr. Jonathan, had his education at Stancliffe Hall School and Tonbridge School in England. He then proceeded to the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, also in the United Kingdom. He would have been 48 on November 28. The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom State in the 2015 elections, Okon Umana, on Wednesday dismissed as baseless allegations by Justice Inyang Okoro that he and his party attempted to induce the judge to swing the ruling of the Supreme Court in their favour. Mr. Okoro, caught in the State Security Service crackdown on senior judicial officers after being accused of corruption and abuse of office, wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, narrating how Mr. Umana visited him, along with the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and a clergyman, Ebebe Ukpong, in an attempt to induce him to manipulate the ruling on the Akwa Ibom governorship election petition in their favour. The security operatives had visited Justice Okoros home in Abuja to conduct a search on October 7 and 8 as part of its investigation in the case of alleged corruption and abuse of office levelled against him. At the end of the operation, the SSS said they found $38,800 and N3.5 million in cash as well as other documents pertaining to its investigation. But Mr. Okoro accused the SSS of working for the government in power to harass and intimidate him apparently for resisting pressure to help influence the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling on Akwa Ibom gubernatorial election. Specifically, he accused Mr. Amaechi of being behind his ordeal, citing a verbal report he said he made to the Chief Justice on February 1, 2016 about the former Rivers State governors visit to his official residence. Mr. Okoro said Mr. Amaechi had approached him to say President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC wanted him to plead with the Supreme Court judges, to ensure the outcome of the election appeals in respect of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia States were in their favour at all costs. Mr. Amaechi has since denied the allegations, describing it as baseless and spurious and blatant lies bereft of any iota of truth. However, Mr. Umana in his reaction on Wednesday accused Mr. Okoro of making the allegation without any evidence, saying the alleged meeting was fiction. No such meeting to discuss how to bribe judges took place between him, Mr Umana Okon Umana and Dr (Pastor) Ebebe Ukpong as alleged, Mr. Umana said in a statement by his spokesperson, Iboro Otongaran. If we assume, without conceding, such a meeting took place, for a man of Justice Okoros standing and knowledge of the law, he ought to have known the legal implications of such a visit, and should have reported to appropriate authorities immediately. He did not do that, but only reacting after the authorities have established a case against him, Mr. Otongaran argued. He said Justice Okoros claim in his letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria was not only false, it is diversionary and an afterthought. Justice Okoro should address himself to the facts of the case, which is between him and the State, and leave Umana out of it. Contrary to Justice Okoros claim, Mr. Otongaran said, Mr. Umana had no appeal before the Supreme Court from any court judgment on the 2015 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, having won his case at the tribunal and Court of Appeal. Mr. Umana was therefore confident of victory at the Supreme Court, because of the concurrent judgments of the lower courts. But, the Supreme Court judgment had ignored the concurrent judgments at both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal. It also totally disregarded the reports of the international observers, including those of the United States government and the European Union that the elections in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states were marred by widespread violence and irregularities. Mr. Umana had issued a statement expressing disappointment at the verdict, and has since moved on and left everything in the hands of God. Justice Okoro should therefore leave Mr. Umana alone, Mr. Otongaran said. katy perry With fewer than three weeks left until Election Day, Hillary Clinton's campaign is launching a star-studded concert series aimed at mobilizing voters in swing states and big-name artists like Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, and Bon Jovi are on board to help. The Democratic nominee's campaign announced the Love Trumps Hate concert series to energize our supporters and encourage them to turn out to vote on Election Day or to take advantage of early voting options in their states, the campaign said in a statement. The choice in this election is clear," the Clinton campaign said in a statement. "We can either come together to tackle the big challenges facing the country or let Donald Trump keep tearing us apart with his divisive rhetoric and dangerous ideas. Thats why millions of people are coming together to support Hillary Clinton and send a clear message that love trumps hate. Bon Jovi and and Perry are both vocal supporters of Clinton. Perry performed at the Democratic National Convention in July. Bon Jovi will be performing in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27 and in Tampa on Nov. 5. Jennifer Lopez will perform on Oct. 29 in Miami. Performances from more artists will be announced soon, the campaign said. NOW WATCH: David Cay Johnston: 'There's no evidence Donald Trump is a billionaire' More From Business Insider Two bills aimed at protecting whistleblowers and witnesses directly involved in the prosecution of certain criminal cases scaled second reading for committee level consideration at the Senate on Wednesday. The Senate harmonised the two bills on the ground of similar intendment, following the Senate Leader, Ali Ndumes advice. Isiaka Adeleke (APC-Osun) originally proposed the bill for an Act to provide for the establishment and operation of a programme to enable certain persons to receive protection in relation to certain inquiries, investigations or prosecutions (SB. 157). The second bill, one for an Act to protect persons making disclosures for public interest and other forms reappraisal, 2016 (SB. 158) was proposed by Abiodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti). In his lead debate, Mr. Adeleke said a law protecting witnesses was usually required in the prosecution of organised crimes like terrorism. In such trials, Mr. Adeleke said the witnesses would be allowed to wear masks, bear pseudo names and receive protection from authorities. On her part, Mrs. Olujimi said this is a cardinal bill in the fight against corruption. She said fighting corruption hung on effective protection of whistleblowers. She mentioned three instances at the Ministry of Aviation, Women Development Centre and the Police Service Commission where whistleblowers were fired. Similarly, Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the appropriations committee of the House of Representatives, was just recently suspended for 181 legislative days on the ground he breached members privilege. Mr. Jibrin had hit Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other lawmakers with wide ranging accusations of abuse of office and corruption in the 2016 budget process. Dino Melaye, APC-Kogi, expressed support for the harmonised proposed legislation. Mr. Melaye said a similar bill was presented in the sixth and seventh Assemblies, but that paucity of funds and lack of political will prevented the passage of the bill. The ritual of presenting and representing this bill will end with this Assembly, Mr. Melaye said. Although Messrs. Adeleke and Olujimi said the proposed bill did not have financial implication, Senate Whip, Sola Adeyeye, said it was impossible to protect whistleblowers and witnesses without funds. Those who step out to speak in good conscience should be protected, Mr. Adeyeye said. Only two persons Messrs Adeyeye and Melaye contributed to the debate before Senate President Bukola Saraki called for voice vote. There was unanimous support, and consequently, Mr. Saraki ruled the ayes have it! He referred the two bills to Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for harmonization and review. The committee should report back in two weeks, Mr. Saraki ruled. President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday restated his administrations commitment at ensuring all the kidnapped Chibok girls are released. The president stated this when he played host to 21 of the girls who were freed last week by the Boko Haram after over two years since they were abducted by the terror group. Mr. Buhari, who indicated that about 197 of the Chibok girls could still be in Boko Harams custody, also congratulated the parents and family of the released girls. Read the presidents full statement below: My dear children. This is a happy moment for me and for all Nigerians. I welcome you back to freedom. It is a moment your parents, the nation and the International Community have been eagerly waiting for, since your abduction on April 14, 2014. We must from the onset, thank Almighty God for this day that 21 of the Chibok girls have again breathed the air of freedom and are reunited with their parents. We are equally prayerful, that God in his infinite mercies and benevolence, will see to it that the girls remaining in captivity will be freed and returned to us soonest. All Nigerians recall, sadly the night of 14th April 2014, 276 young female Nigerian students were abducted from the Government Secondary School in Chibok Borno State by the Boko Haram. Fortunately, 57 of the kidnapped school girls were able to escape, leaving 219 in captivity. One of the abducted girls, Amina Ali was found in May 2016. And today we are here celebrating the freedom and return of another 21 girls that regained freedom on Thursday 13th October. We are equally as hopeful as we are praying, that the remaining girls will be freed and returned to us without further delay. The release of these 21 girls followed a series of negotiations between Government and the Boko Haram group, brokered by our friends both local and International. Since this Administration assumed office, we have been working towards the safe release of the girls. The Nigerian DSS, military and other security agencies have spared no effort to secure our girls. These 21 girls are the manifestation of our doggedness and commitments to the release and return of the Chibok girls. While joining their parents to rejoice and praise the Almighty, we shall redouble efforts to ensure that we fulfill our pledge of bringing the remaining girls back home. Already, the credible first step has been taken and Government will sustain the effort until all the remaining girls return safely These 21 girls will be given adequate and comprehensive medical, nutritional and psychological care and support. The Federal Government will rehabilitate them, and ensure that their reintegration back to the society is done as quickly as possible. Aside from rescuing them, we are assuming the responsibility for their personal, educational and professional goals and ambitions in life. Obviously, it is not late for the girls to go back to school and continue the pursuit of their studies. These dear daughters of ours have seen the worst that the world has to offer. It is now time for them to experience the best that the world can do for them. The Government and all Nigerians must encourage them to achieve their desired ambitions. The Federal Government appreciates the patience and understanding of the parents of all the abducted Chibok girls. We equally thank Nigerians and the International Community for their support and prayers, and for never losing confidence in our ability to secure the safe release of our girls. Once again, I congratulate the 21 released girls, their parents, the Chibok Community the security agencies and all Nigerians on this day of delight and rejoicing. The Kaduna State Government on Wednesday officially released a Gazette on Ibrahim El-Zakzaky led Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, that has been declared unlawful society. The government disclosed that it did not and cannot ban any religion, but it has a duty to declare unlawful any group that threatens peace and security. Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, Governor Nasir El-Rufais spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, said government upholds religious freedoms and all constitutional rights of every resident to practice the religion of their choice. Mr. Aruwan noted that it is fundamental obligation of the government to preserve security and uphold the rights of all citizens both to practice faith and not be imperiled or be distressed by the way others exercise their faith. It would be recalled that the Judicial Commission of Inquiry chaired by Justice Muhammed Lawal Garba, along Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, Special Adviser on Legal matters under late Gen. Sani Abacha; Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; former minister of Foreign Affairs; Afakriya Gadzama, former Director General State Security Service, among others recommended the proscription of the IMN. Mr. Aruwan stressed that: It solemnly declared unlawful a specific group that continues to threaten public order in the state. The IMN was never a registered organization and it refused to conduct itself with full adherence to the laws of this state He added that IMN blithely ignored the law and neglected the obligations of civility. According to him: Other groups in the Shia tradition are active in Nigeria. Like adherents of all other faiths, they are free to practice their creed without injuring the rights of others Kaduna state has suffered and endured too many calamities, triggered by persons and groups that insist on foisting their faith or political preferences on others. It is a hallmark of civilization that every assertion of rights by a citizen is done with full acknowledgement of, and respect for the rights of other citizens Speaking on the released of the gazette, Mr. Aruwan said: Kaduna State Gazette No.21 of 7th October 2016 has declared the IMN an unlawful society. The Gazette noted that: The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the clashes between the group with the appellation Islamic Movement in Nigeria(IMN) and the Nigerian Army in Zaria between Saturday 12th and Monday 14th December 2015,found as facts inter alia that: The Islamic Movement in Nigeria is an unregistered society and recommended that immediate steps be taken by the Kaduna State Government to proscribe it. The members of the movement have over the years engaged in acts of aggression and violence against individuals and communities resulting in clashes with security agencies which culminated in the recent deaths of at least 347 persons The movement has constituted itself into a parallel government with a uniformed paramilitary wing in complete disregard to the constitution and laws of Nigeria The movement has overtly continued with unlawful processions, obstruction of public highways, unauthorized occupation of public facilities including schools without regard to the rights of other citizens and public peace and order of the state the gazette said. Mr. Aruwan added: Gentlemen of the press, these are the facts. There is a common law in Nigeria, and it serves to protect everyone. The law courts are the appropriate platform for any citizen to challenge any legislation or order they consider improper. No citizen or group of persons can decide to disobey a valid law, without expecting that law enforcement will do its work We have warned that mob action will not be permitted under any guise. The duty of every citizen is to report every illegal action or suspicious activity to the security agencies he maintained. The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged to take care of the upkeep of the 21 Chibok girls released recently by the Boko Haram terror group. President Muhammadu Buhari stated this when he hosted the girls and their parents on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The 21 girls were released last week following negotiations between the sect and the Nigerian government. The International Red Cross and the Swiss Government played some mediatory roles in the negotiations. Aside from rescuing them, we are assuming the responsibility for their personal, educational and professional goals and ambitions in life. Obviously, it is not late for the girls to go back to school and continue the pursuit of their studies, Mr. Buhari said on Wednesday. The Girls were part of the 276 female students of Government Secondary School Chibok who were abducted by Boko Haram in their hostel on April 14, 2014. A total of 57 of them were able to escape, leaving 219 in captivity. One of the abducted girls, Amina Ali, was found in May 2016. And today we are here celebrating the freedom and return of another 21 girls that regained freedom on Thursday 13th October. We are equally as hopeful as we are praying, that the remaining girls will be freed and returned to us without further delay, Mr. Buhari said. The President also said the released girls will be given adequate and comprehensive medical, nutritional and psychological care and support. The Federal Government will rehabilitate them, and ensure that their reintegration back to the Society is done as quickly as possible, he said. Mr. Buhari described the girls freedom as a happy moment for me and for all Nigerians. It is a moment your parents, the Nation and the International Community have been eagerly waiting for, since your abduction on 14th April 2014. Mr. Buhari said since his administration assumed office, it has been working towards the safe release of the girls. The Nigerian DSS, Military and other Security Agencies have spared no effort to secure our girls. These 21 girls are the manifestation of our doggedness and commitments to the release and return of the Chibok girls. While joining their parents to rejoice and praise the Almighty, we shall redouble efforts to ensure that we fulfill our pledge of bringing the remaining girls back home. Already, the credible first step has been taken and Government will sustain the effort until all the remaining girls return safely, he said. The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has disbursed N1 billion interest-free loans to 517 farmers associations, under the states Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme, CACS. About 4,000 farmers across the state benefitted from the disbursement. Mr. Ganduje, who launched the scheme on Tuesday at the Government House Kano, said the fund was secured from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for promoting commercial agricultural enterprises. The governor said the loan, which would be disbursed to small and medium scale farmers groups, is part of efforts by his administration to diversify agriculture, reduce poverty, create more jobs and enhance food security. Agricultural commodities included in the value added chain to be covered by the loan are dairy production, fishery, cotton, maize, wheat and rice, he said. He also said that in order to actualize the initiative and fast track development of agricultural sector of the economy, the need arose to reduce the credit on agricultural production to enable farmers benefit from the potential of the sector such as to increase output, generate employment and diversify the revenue base of the state. Describing agriculture as the way out of the current economic recession, Mr. Ganduje said a workshop would also be organized to train beneficiaries of the scheme on efficient management of the funds. Consequently, the governor urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the loans, warning that a special mobile court would be constituted to prosecute any beneficiary who defaults in re-paying the loans at the end of its tenor. The representative of the CBN at the occasion, Abubakar AbdulKadir, who made a presentation titled CACS Fund: Accessibility, Distribution and Recovery, explained that the loans were repayable in two years, to enable as many farmers as possible benefit. On her part, the state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Zubaida Abubakar, who presented a paper on How to Run a Successful Agricultural Enterprise, was of the opinion that farmers should imbibe the attitude of bookkeeping, sourcing raw materials at cheaper price and maximizing time of production to ensure accountability. Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Sani Yadakwari, a cattle breeder, whose association received N5 million assured that they would use the loan prudently. The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has refuted a story that he attacked his Katsina counterpart, Abdulmumini Usman Dikko, over the alleged abduction and forceful marriage of a 14-year-old girl, Habiba Isa. The story went viral on social media that Mr. Sanusi had expressed his outrage online at the involvement of his fellow emir in the controversial affair involving the teenage girl in Katsina. However in a quick response to the story, the Kano emir, through one of his officials, Munir Sunusi Bayero, described the story as baseless and unfounded. He said it was a callous and uncharitable move to cause disaffection between the two royal families. Mr. Bayero said the emir has no twitter or Facebook handle, and could not have commented publicly on an issue he knew little about. He said because of the respect and mutual understanding between the two monarchs, they would never use the social media if there was something between them to talk about. His Highness has no social media handles and does not even know about the issue of any teenager in Katsina or anywhere. The matter is a creation of mischief-makers aimed at causing disaffection between the royal houses, Mr. Bayero said. The official, who holds the traditional title of Danburam of Kano, noted that Mr. Sanusi had had cause in the past to condemn the mischievous use of his names on social media to comment on public issues or government policies. That was how they used the name of the Emir to say he was against governments economic policies and to make false accusations against the government of (President) Buhari. So this is not the first time they are targeting the revered Emir with mischievous and unfounded speculations, Mr. Bayero said. The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Federal and Kaduna State Governments to declare security emergency in Southern Kaduna senatorial district following recent attacks allegedly by Fulani herdsmen. The call followed a motion under matters of urgent national importance by Simon Arabor (PDP-Kaduna) and five others, which was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote. Leading debate on the motion, Mr. Arabor noted that since 2011, various communities in Southern Kaduna senatorial district had been consistently attacked allegedly by Fulani terrorists. He added that the attacks resulted in deaths, injuries, loss of properties and displacement of the communities. The lawmaker also noted that the suspected Fulani herdsmen had occupied some of the displaced communities. He therefore urged the federal government to replicate what it did in Zamfara when it declared a security emergency at the wake of similar terrorist attacks, as well as set up a military strike force. Mr. Arabor said that the attacks on the communities indicated a pattern of deliberate desire to annihilate such communities, decimate their population, occupy their lands and generally create an atmosphere of terror. The lawmaker, who said that general atmosphere of insecurity pervaded the communities, also alleged that some security personnel were on ground, when the recent attacks took place. However, Mr. Arabor noted that though the state and federal governments were making efforts to restore peace in the area, the efforts were not enough. The House urged security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend and bring to justice all persons involved in the attacks. The House also called on the federal government to set up a military strike force in the Southern Kaduna senatorial district. (NAN) The police in Rivers said they have arrested three suspected fraudsters in the state for circulating fake naira notes. The suspects, including a woman named Helen Okeke, were said to have been arrested, Tuesday, by operatives from the Rumuepirikom Division of the State Police Command. The other suspects are one Andrew Ogah and Ozoemena Okeke. The suspects photocopied N500 and N1000 denominations of the Nigerian currencies and were arrested when one of them, Mr. Ogah, attempted to deposit the money in a bank, the police spokesman in the state, Omoni Nnamdi, said. Mr. Nnamdi, a deputy superintendent of police, said the suspects would be charged to court when the police conclude their investigation. Mr. Nnamdi said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Francis Odesanya, has advised members of the public to be alert about the activities of fraudsters and other criminals in the state. The Academic Staff Union of Universities has faulted President Muhammadu Buharis dissolution of the governing council of the Obafemi Awolowo University following a leadership tussle in the institution in July. ASUU said the dissolution of the council and the removal of Ayobami Salami as vice chancellor contravened an agreement reached between the union and the federal government. The unions position was based on the report of its visitation committee set up by its National Executive Council (NEC) and submitted at a meeting of the union at the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, last Friday. The committee said the council, which was dissolved, was duly constituted and should not have been tampered with. The Governing Council followed the process of selection of Vice Chancellor to its conclusion, it noted. The committee also recommended the condemnation of the action by the national headquarters of ASUU stating that the action of President Buhari breached the university autonomy agreement reached between the federal government and ASUU. The committee headed by the national vice president of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, had eight members, including two zonal coordinators and three immediate past zonal coordinators. The Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU, had approached a Federal High Court in Osogbo in the wake of the crisis, demanding that the processes that led to the emergence of Mr. Salami as vice chancellor be discarded and deemed illegal. The ensuing protests and legal battles led to the intervention of the federal government and subsequent dissolution of the institutions governing council on July 1, 2016 after Mr. Salami was asked to step aside pending the determination of the suit at the court. The Public Relations Officer of the University, Olanrewaju Abiodun, disagreed with ASUU, arguing that the institution is owned by the Federal Government. Federal Government owns the university and has the right to determine the vice chancellor of the university, he told PREMIUM TIMES. The same ASUU was in OAU when President Buhari ordered the appointment of an acting vice chancellor; only the federal government can determine who is the vice chancellor of the university. However, the Federal High Court Osogbo on October 10 transferred the case involving NASU and OAU to the National Industrial Court, Ibadan, after declaring that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. The decision by ASUU has pitched the other unions against it as NASU and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, have rejected the report and its recommendations. NASUs chairman, Wole Odewumi, said the decision of the Federal High Court in Osogbo was in the unions favour, vowing to resist any effort to restore Mr. Salami as vice chancellor. The Chairman of ASUU, OAU branch, Caleb Aborisade, said he would not add further comments on what had been stated in the report. But his SSANU counterpart, Ademola Oketunde, rejected the report, saying ASUU had no right to determine who becomes vice chancellor of the institution. What right does ASUU have to say a particular Prof Salami should return as the vice chancellor? Are they the Federal Government? he said. We would fight this to the last, I am daring ASUU national body, we also have national bodies. Obafemi Awolowo University cannot receive Prof. Salami again, we would rather fight it out. I am also a stakeholder in the university and the statement of ASUU holds no water. Another member of NASU who spoke under anonymity, said Prof Salami can never set his foot on Obafemi Awolowo University Senate Building, we would rather shut down the University, it is impossible. Prof. Salami has however hailed the position of ASUU, saying he had been vindicated. I am still studying the decision ,I am studying it, he said when asked by PREMIUM TIMES how he felt about the report of the visitation committee. Forty years is a long time to do the same thing over and over again. But for photographer Scott Griswold, its been a pleasure. Frankly there are not a lot of people who have been in this profession for 40 years, he says. And it occurred to me as I was looking through my older work (and) I realized that I did this or that 40 years ago. Its startling to say Ive been doing this that long. Fortunately, its something Ive loved doing for 40 years. Thats why Griswold, 64, has decided that now is the time to display a carefully curated exhibit of 180 of his works from the past 40 years in a month-long retrospective with a two-night opening from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21 and 22. The colors of Cuba come to Cape May in a photography exhibit Birders are a patient bunch. Rising early, often while its still dark, they sit for hours, Many may recognize Griswolds work from his former galleries in Cape May and Ocean City. However, Griswold says that this exhibit is not like what you would have found at either gallery. Those (photos) were more decorative art things to match your walls or your sofa. This is all the good stuff, he chuckles. Its not just three seashells on the beach. The images in the show may challenge you I think theyre very sophisticated. A good portion of the images in the retrospective were taken during Griswolds extensive travels to New England, the Caribbean, the Canadian Rockies, Alaska and California, as well as a few shot locally. The running theme throughout is the form of the subject whether in nature or of a nude. There is an interesting series of images that show sand dunes in Death Valley and snow banks in Alaska taken years apart, but both with serpentine designs, that look like that they could have been taken at the same place, he says. Its interesting to see how my eye has stayed consistent. All (my photos) have a simplistic form thats the consistency. He likens good photography to good writing or good painting all of which have conciseness in common. Its like (Edouard) Manets work or early Picassos its just a line here and there. And if you move one, you realize thats where it should be. Its about knowing where something should be and where it shouldnt be just like writing or music. Art of all disciplines shares a common thread of simplicity, and its much harder to show and express a complex emotion with fewer notes or fewer lines, he continues. Everybody likes fireworks bright lights and boom, boom, boom. But not a lot of contemporary photography is like that its overdone. Having an eye for form instead of colors, an attraction for some novice photographers, was something that Griswold was taught by his father Scott Griswold Sr., a famous painter, who told him that you cant just throw things together. It can be like a symphony where everyone plays loud, but its all the wrong notes. To me, color has to make sense in the composition, Griswold explains. Many (photographers) use color to hide ... an awful lot of stuff that might not be good for the picture. Griswolds solution for knowing if its good or not? If you turn the photo into black and white and it looks good, its good. While his retrospective is open to the public in general, Griswold thinks that photographers specifically would be interested in it. I guess Im hoping there are still some photographers out there who would enjoy seeing the transition from handmade black and white photos to digital images and digital paintings all by one person spanning 40 years. I think that makes it unique. Its rare to see a work of 40 years as it developed. It will be interesting to see the flow and see how Ive managed to do it over 40 years. As pumpkins become jack-o-lanterns and ghosts emerge from the shadows, South Jersey comes to life with some frightastic fun. So get ready to pick your pumpkins, brave a haunted cornfield, hunt for some local apparitions and much more. Just be sure to come back with your head. Haunted attractions Atlantic County Cornfield of Terror at R&J Farm: Friday through Sunday, Oct. 21 to 23; open from dusk to 10 p.m. on Friday and Sunday and dusk to 11 p.m. on Saturday. Take a terrifying walk through a haunted cornfield, or for the less brave, a regular corn maze that you have to navigate through using only a flashlight. Adult tickets are $14 or $19 for the combo which includes the corn maze. Tickets for kids 10 and under are $10 or $15 for the combo. 723 W. Hershel St. in Egg Harbor City; CornfieldofTerror.com. Terror in the Junkyard: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through October. Get your scare on at one or both of the haunted attractions hosted by the Scullville Volunteer Fire Company. Walk the spooky maze for $5 or ride the ultra-scary hayride for $10; $13 for a combo ticket. They also have Zombie Paintball for $5. Flemings Junkyard, 353 Zion Road, Egg Harbor Township; ScullvilleFire.org. Southern Ocean County The Haunted Seaport at the Historic Tuckerton Seaport: Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 20 to 22; open from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 3 to 9 p.m. on Saturday. Pirates and sea captains lost in the briny deep join monsters of all kinds for some frightening fun. Admission is $8 for all ages and $5 for the haunted hayride. 120 W. Main St. in Tuckerton; TuckertonSeaport.org Family-friendly hayrides Cape May County LeGates Farm Market: Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. Pumpkin hayrides, corn maze, scarecrow making, pumpkin painting and more await you at LeGates Farm Market. 3400 Bayshore Road in North Cape May. For more information call 609-886-8500. Atlantic County Birch Grove Park: 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 20 to 22. Birch Grove Park invites families to enjoy the fall weather with their family-friendly hayride. Tickets are $5. 1700 Burton Ave. in Northfield; CityOfNorthfield.org. Sahls Father Son Farm: Open 4 to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays through Nov. 5. This farm is perfect for the entire family, with plenty of activities and chances to get lost in a corn maze, take a hayride, pick a pumpkin and more. 420 W. Pestalozzi St. in Galloway; FatherSonFarm.com. Cape May County Ghost tour of Ocean City: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21 and 22. Take a 90-minute candle-lit walking tour based on the book Ghost Stories of Ocean City, New Jersey. Hear true tales of mysterious encounters on the Flanders Hotel, the Jersey Devil, pirate treasure and more. Tickets must be purchased in advanced, $15 per person, or $10 for kids ages 4 to 12. Tours depart from 9th Street and Asbury Avenue in front of City Hall; GhostTour.com/OceanCity. Cape Mays haunted happenings: As Americas oldest seaside resort, this town is full of things that go bump in the night. Ghost writer and psychic medium Craig McManus has done the research and set the stage for some exciting and possibly frightening ghost tours A Walk with the Ghost Writer: 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 and 6 and 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. Join Craig McManus as he recounts his paranormal experiences through the historic streets of Cape May. Tickets are $25. For more information go to CapeMayMac.org. Physick Estate: Friday through Sunday, Oct. 21 to 23. Are you brave enough to enter this historic 18-room mansion after the sun goes down? Various tours are offered. Tickets are $12 to $15 for adults and $8 to $12 for children 3 to 12, depending on the tour. On Friday, Oct. 21 there is a special midnight event with Craig McManus. The famed medium will recount his experiences and may even channel a spirit. Event starts at 11 p.m. and tickets are $50. Located at 1048 Washington St. in Cape May. CapeMayMac.org. Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour: Friday through Sunday, Oct. 21 through 23. Leaving from Physick Estate, the 30-minute trolley ride will take you through the darkened streets of historic Cape May. During the tour your guide will recount tales of Cape Mays most famous spirits. Tour times vary. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 3 to 12. Combo tickets for the Physick Estate and Cape May Trolley Tour are $22 for adults and $14 for children. CapeMayMac.org. Ghost of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour: 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. Take a walk down a notoriously haunted path that leads to the Cape May lighthouse and climb the 199 steps to the top, while listening to frightening yarns of local hauntings. Tickets are $22 for adults or $15 for children ages 3 to12. Purchase tickets at the Washington Street Mall information booth at Ocean Street where tour begins. Located at 401 Washington St. in Cape May. CapeMayMac.org. On the road again (and again) with Gary Allan When their time comes, many seasoned entertainers have to be dragged kicking and screaming o Parades Cape May County Sea Isle Citys annual Halloween Parade and Dance Party: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. The parade will march along Landis Avenue starting at 45th Street and finishing at 40th Street. Decorated floats and costumed participants will compete for best costume. Following the parade the annual family dance party will take place at the Excursion Park Band Shell. Landis Avenue and 40th Street. Excursion Park is located at JFK Boulevard next to the Promenade. Go to VisitSICNJ.com. Cape May Halloween Parade: 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23. Cape Mays annual Halloween Parade gives families the chance to sneak in some early Halloween fun. The parade begins at Perry Street and Carpenter Lane and ends at the Emlen Physick Estate (1048 Washington St.). Before the parade, from noon to 2 p.m., kids can trick or treat at the Washington Street Mall. The Washington Street Mall is located at 401 Washington St, Cape May; DiscoverCapeMayNJ.com. Atlantic County The Historic Smithville Costume Pet Parade: 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. Smithville is calling all pets to come in their best costumes and strut around the Village Greene. 1 N. New York Road in Smithville; HistoricSmithvilleNJ.com. Trick or treating Atlantic County Downtown Hammonton: 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. Downtown Hammonton will host its 11th annual trick-or-treat event. Put on your best costume and hunt for candy at the shops in Downtown Hammonton. 10 S. Egg Harbor Road in Hammonton. For more information call 609-567-9014. Cumberland County NJ Motorsports Park Trunk or Treating: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. Load up your cars, decorate the trunks, dress up the kids and head to the Motorsports Park in Millville for the annual Trunk or Treat, held at the NJMP Finish Line Pub. Car participation is not mandatory, but highly encouraged. Vehicles must be pre-registered by emailing info@NJMP.com. 8000 Dividing Creek Road, Millville; NJMP.com. Family fun Cape May County Wildwood Boardwalk Pumpkin Run: 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. The 5k, family fun 1 mile walk and kids 1 mile run will take off from the Wildwood Convention Center. This years race will benefit 6-year old Joey Povio, as he undergoes treatment for eye cancer. Registration takes place from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. for $10. There will be a costume contest with categories for babies, students, adults and groups. 4501 Boardwalk in Wildwood.; BoardwalkPumpkinRun.com. The East Lynne Theater Company: 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. ELTC actors will read Edgar Allan Poes macabre work by candlelight. Tickets are $12 for adults. 500 Hughes St. in Cape May at the First Presbyterian Church; EastLynneTheater.org. Ocean County Childrens Halloween Party: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. Kids can dance till drop metaphorically that is at the LBI Foundations third annual childrens Halloween party. The party will include a DJ and dancing, a costume contest, dance contest, raffles and refreshments. BYOB for adults. Admission is $5 per person. All the proceeds will benefit Stafford Teachers and Residents Together (S.T.A.R.T.).120 Long Beach Blvd., Beach Haven; LBIFoundation.org. Atlantic County Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. The Adrian Phillips Theater at Boardwalk Hall kicks off its Halloween season with a showing of the first-ever vampire flick Nosferatu, accompanied by the Kimball Organ played live by Steven Ball. Tickets cost $20. 2301 Boardwalk, Atlantic City; BoardwalkOrgans.org. VINELAND An Ohio-based company is the new owner of a local enterprise with links to one of the regions favorite sandwiches. AdvancePierre Foods of Cincinnati recently bought Allied Specialty Foods Inc., which produces raw and cooked beef and chicken Philly steak products. The $60 million cash purchase comes at a time when Allied is expanding its operation. The company will eventually move from its 20,000-square-foot facility in the 300 block of Hickory Place to a new 70,000-square-foot operation here in the first quarter of 2017. AdvancePierres Chief Financial Officer Michael Sims said the company plans to add more employees to Allieds workforce. The company has 130 full-time and 60 temporary employees, he said. City economic development documents put the construction cost of the new facility, located at Forest Grove Road and Freddy Lane in one of the municipalitys industrial parks, at $13.4 million. City Economic Development Director Sandra Forosisky said Allied will move into a building whose shell was built before the national economy tanked in 2008 and remained vacant. City documents also indicate Allieds temporary employees will be made full-time workers. The company plans to increase its workforce by about 30 employees, the documents show. Forosisky said the companys expansion and promised new hires are good news for the city. This is good stuff, she said. AdvancePierre officials are also enthusiastic about the Allied takeover. We are pleased to add Allieds synergistic product platform and unique capabilities to our existing portfolio and network, said John Simons, AdvancePierres president. The Philly steak category is primed for growth, and this acquisition strengthens our position, brings us additional products and production capability, and expands our geographic reach. Former Allied owner Steve Zoll will not be involved moving forward, Sims said. According to AdvancePierre, Allied was founded in 1956 and became an innovative leader in the manufacture of raw and fully cooked Philly steak products. Allieds customer base is predominantly in the food-service industry. Allieds current facility has two cook lines, three raw slicing lines and one breakaway steak line. The new facility will have seven raw slicing-breakaway lines and four cook lines, according to AdvancePierre. AdvancePierre is a national producer of ready-to-eat sandwiches that include Philly steaks, hamburgers and peanut butter and jelly. Some of its other products include stuffed entrees, chicken tenders and cinnamon dough bites. AdvancePierre said it posted $1.6 billion in revenue in 2014 and has more than 4,000 employees. The addition of Allied further expands AdvancePierres market-leading position in the Philly steak platform, said Dean Hollis, chairman of AdvancePierres board of directors. This transaction is a great example of AdvancePierres strategy of strengthening and growing its core business through disciplined acquisitions. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey has filed lawsuits against a charter school and four school districts, including Port Republic in Atlantic County, for what the group claims are discriminatory practices that place barriers to children of undocumented immigrants from enrolling. The ACLU-NJ charges Port Republic requires parents or guardians to show a drivers license as a requirement for proof of identity and residency in school registration. Undocumented immigrants cannot obtain licenses in New Jersey. Port Republic school Superintendent John Davis said in an emailed statement Tuesday afternoon they have been informed of the lawsuit and it appears to be based on an outdated page on the district website that does not represent what they request when parents or guardians seek to enroll their children. The lawsuit does not allege that anyone has been turned away from enrollment, Davis said. We believe our registration practices are consistent with the guidance provided by the NJ Department of Education. It truly is unfortunate that in our small community our severely limited taxpayer dollars will have to be spent on responding to the lawsuit, when a phone call could have resolved this non-issue. A review of the district website shows it does ask for a drivers license as part of student registration. Davis did not say if or when the website would be updated. The lawsuits came after years of ACLU concerns nationally that families were being thwarted in their attempts to register their children for school. In 2008, the ACLU-NJ cited 139 New Jersey school districts for requiring parents to provide a Social Security number or other proof of citizenship as part of student registration. In 2010, the state Department of Education issued guidance to districts making clear that practices that could discourage enrollment of immigrant children are forbidden. In 2014, the ACLU wrote letters to 138 school districts in New Jersey addressing the issue of drivers licenses and other practices that could identify immigration status and discourage families from enrolling their children. Port Republic was not in that group. The current lawsuits ask the courts to halt unconstitutional school-registration requirements immediately. The group also asks the DOE to monitor districts and take swift action against those that violate the law. The ACLU of New Jersey cant play a perpetual game of whack-a-mole with New Jersey school districts, and we shouldnt have to, said ACLU-NJ Senior Staff Attorney Alexander Shalom. Its the job of the Department of Education to make sure New Jersey school districts are following the Constitution, and they must take that duty seriously. A 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Plyler v. Doe, forbids school districts from excluding children from enrolling based on their or their parents immigration status. New Jersey has two requirements that families must meet when attempting to enroll a child in public school: proof of age and proof of in-district residency. Both federal and state law and regulations dictate schools cannot ask about a students immigration status or discriminate based on national origin or immigration status. SOMERS POINT When St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church was looking to participate in Make a Difference Day, the day of service celebrated Saturday by churches and groups around the U.S., the list of worthy ways to serve seemed endless. Volunteers from various states have raised thousands of dollars for everything from Hurricane Sandy relief to beds for homeless teens on Make a Difference Day, according to the movements website. Laurel Marchesini, director of Lifelong Faith Formation, said a parishioner came up with the idea of participating in Dress a Girl Around the World as the service event that will take place at the church Friday. The all-day sewing event uses instructions and sewing templates to provide new dresses for girls in need of them in dozens of countries, including Thailand, India, Haiti, Brazil, the U.S. and Afghanistan. Dress a Girl Around the World dresses are new dresses made a specific way, Marchesini said. In some of the countries they will be sent to, if a young girl looks as though shes not being cared for, it makes them more susceptible to traffickers. So far, the list of participants for the event is growing. The more people who are willing to participate, the more dresses will be completed. Marchesini said at least 26 people with sewing machines are set to participate. A team of second- and third-graders will be runners to bring materials back and forth. The event is open to all ages and skills levels. So many people have donated fabric. Weve given it to people to work on and cut at home, Marchesini said. Marchesini said she got in touch with a Dress a Girl ambassador in New York who has taken trips to some of the countries to which the dresses are delivered to ensure girls are receiving them. Kids can help run back and forth, and we need people to help with the donated food, she said. Marchesini said if the event goes well this year, the church would like to continue with more events. With the materials and templates, volunteers can continue to make dresses at home. The Dress a Girl Around the World project operates year-round. Some people dont know how to sew, and thats OK, Marchesini said. There will be two different dress styles to work on. Were going to knock out as many as we can and go until 2 or 3 p.m. or until everyone gets tired or we run out of fabric. Marchesini said participants are encouraged to continue to make the dresses at home throughout the year. Instructions to make the dresses according to the specifications can be found on the Dress a Girl website. The website gives guidance on pockets and sizing and provides tutorials those participating at home may find useful. When enough dresses are turned in to St. Joseph, Marchesini will send them off. Well try it and see what happens, Marchesini said. Im sure this wont be the last time. South Jersey dog owners need to look no further than their own backyard for the best beach for their beloved canines. The Wildwoods Dog Beach was recently named one of the top 10 Best Dog Friendly Beaches for 2016 in the 10 Best Readers Choice travel award contest through USA TODAY. Only shy of the number one spot, Wildwoods Dog Beach came in second place behind Chicagos Montrose Dog Beach. Its an honor to be named among the best in the nation in anything, said John Siciliano, executive director and chief financial officer of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) in a press release. Marked by a 25-foot, red fire-hydrant, the dog-friendly beach on Poplar Avenue boasts a 190-yard-wide area where dogs can frolic in the surf. Many families consider their four-legged friends family members and insist on traveling with their pets," Siciliano said. "So the Wildwoods make it possible for the entire family to vacation together by offering a number of pet-friendly hotels-motels and a designated area of beach just for them." The beach was the only in the top 10 line up from the New Jersey area, although multiple beaches from California and Washington state made the list. Bellow is the full list of winners: 1. Montrose Dog Beach - Chicago 2. Wildwood Dog Beach - Wildwood, New Jersey 3. Bald Head Island - Bald Head Island, North Carolina 4. Rosie's Dog Beach - Long Beach, California 5. First Landing State Park Beach - Virginia Beach, Virginia 6. Long Beach Peninsula - Long Beach, Washington 7. Huntington Dog Beach - Huntington Beach, California 8. Cannon Beach - Cannon Beach, Oregon 9. Double Bluff Beach - South Whidbey Island, Washington 10. Jupiter Dog Beach - Jupiter, Florida A Cape May commercial fisherman charged with killing a pilot whale in 2011 has gotten a federal order prohibiting federal agents and a defense investigator from speaking to informants in the case. Defense attorney Bill Hughes Jr., of Cooper Levenson in Atlantic City, said in court documents the informants told his investigator they were threatened and harassed by federal agents. And in its submission, the U.S. Attorneys Office alleged the defense investigator misled the informants while interviewing them. The order follows an Oct. 17 teleconference between U.S Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor, Hughes and lawyers for the U.S. Attorneys Office. There was no finding by the court at all about any wrongdoing, said Will Skaggs, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office in Newark. This is simply an order by the judge binding both parties. The order says people who previously had contact with the informants, including federal agents, federally deputized state agents and the defense counsels private investigator, cannot have further contact with them. The attorneys and other representatives can speak to the informants but must keep records of all conversations, the order said. We requested it after a confidential informant indicated (to the defense investigator) he had been threatened and harassed by certain individuals during the course of the investigation, Hughes said. According to court documents, Daniel Archibald is a commercial fisherman who lives in Cape May and was employed on the fishing boat Capt. Bob, a tuna boat out of Sea Isle City, in 2011. Archibald was indicted in 2015 on two counts, one of conspiracy to take marine mammals on the high seas, and one count of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Prosecutors said Archibald used a rifle to shoot at short-finned pilot whales feeding on the long-line catch of the Capt. Bob and that he killed a pilot whale that washed up on the beach in Allenhurst, Monmouth County, with a bullet to its jaw. They also said they have tied the bullet found in the animals jaw to a World War II era Mosin-Nagant rifle belonging to Archibald and found on the Capt. Bob. But how the government got the search warrant to seek the gun is at issue. There will be a hearing soon on whether the evidence of the gun should be suppressed. The informants, who had been detained for minor violations in 2014, according to court documents, were offered leniency if they could help investigators with more serious cases. They were involved in leading federal agents to Archibalds rifle, according to court documents. But a brief filed by Hughes accuses the government of using one of the confidential informants to get photos of the rifle through what appears to be an illegal warrantless search by breaking into the Capt. Bob. The photos were then used to obtain a search warrant, according to the document. It is against the law for commercial fishermen to intentionally harm a seal, whale or dolphin unless trying to save human life. But the law is far less black and white when it comes to unintentional killing. A company that designs air traffic control systems will receive as much as $9.3 million in state tax credits over the next decade to move its headquarters from Egg Harbor Township to Atlantic City. Enroute Computer Solutions Inc., which employs 43 people at its headquarters on Fire Road, was considering leasing a facility in Germantown, Maryland, according to the state Economic Development Authority. The EDA approved the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program funding this month. The company has an additional 202 workers at Atlantic City International Airport who were not at risk of leaving the state, EDA documents show. The company plans to lease a 14,360-square-foot facility on the eighth floor at 1300 Atlantic Ave. for management, professional and administrative jobs and the capacity to add 38 more jobs, the state said. Atlantic County's future depends on technology, education Colorful graphics spill across the pages of the Angelou Report, while oversized text trumpet The grant is for up to $931,500 a year over 10 years and includes conditions that the company meets certain criteria over time, including capital investments and employment numbers. The space will feature new offices, a computer lab and a conference room. Enroute designs, develops and maintains air traffic control systems for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense. The company also conducts engineering studies for the federal government. The move is expected to be completed before the end of the year, according to a statement from the company. The end of our lease in (Egg Harbor Township) presented us with an opportunity to explore other options to accommodate our continued growth, Anthony Curatolo, the companys founder and CEO, said in a statement. The Grow NJ Program helped make a move to Atlantic City practical. We are excited to see Trenton supporting the development of South Jersey and look forward to our part in the next chapter of Atlantic City. The company did not respond to additional requests for comment Tuesday. The EDA said the grant played a key factor in keeping the jobs in New Jersey. Egg Harbor Township Mayor Sonny McCullough said the move will hurt the owners of the building that leased to Enroute but that they can reach out to the townships Economic Development Commission for help if they wish. County Administrator Jerry DelRosso said Tuesday afternoon he was unaware of the companys move. In a statement, Enroute said the company has been supporting the FAA and its corporate partners at the William J. Hughes Technical Center and throughout the country since 1994. There have been other times recently the EDA awarded tax credits for companies moving to Atlantic City from elsewhere in Atlantic County. Former residents of the Courtesy Inn in EHT find new places to live EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP Some of the families forced to relocate from the Courtesy Inn found sh South Jersey Gas, a subsidiary of Folsom-based South Jersey Industries, received $12 million in state tax credits to offset the $50 million cost of the new South Jersey Gas building in Atlantic City. That building is part of the Atlantic City Gateway Project that includes a Stockton University campus. The gas companys parent company is remaining in Folsom. WILDWOOD Former Mayor Gary DeMarzo says he is seeking to clear his name as his malicious prosecution lawsuit against Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor heads to mediation. Its very gratifying because it slowly gets my credibility back that was stripped, and that was a huge problem in this digital age, said DeMarzo, also a former city police officer. This tarnishment will now follow me forever. Taylor declined to comment on the lawsuit. DeMarzo was indicted three times in Cape May County all three of which were dropped or dismissed over alleged misuse of $348 in city funds. In his suit, filed in 2013, DeMarzo, represented by attorney Louis Barbone, claims Taylor used his position to seek vengeance after DeMarzo attempted to subpoena tapes of alleged physical abuse of a prisoner by a police officer against whom no charges were ever filed. DeMarzo said he was trying to prove selective enforcement in the case of former Sgt. David Romeo, also charged with abusing a prisoner. Last month, Superior Court Judge Noah Bronkesh dismissed all other defendants in the case, leaving just DeMarzo and former city Prosecutor Samuel Lashmans claim against Taylor, according to court documents and DeMarzo. The case will go to mediation before retired Judge Michael Donio, DeMarzo said Monday. DeMarzo has been a polarizing figure in the Wildwood political scene for more than a decade, as a cop suing the city in 2005 over alleged retaliation, to the legal challenge of his dual posts as a police officer and a city official in 2007, to his 2009 role in the recall effort that led to the ousting of then- and now-Mayor Ernie Troiano. In the indictments, the county alleged it was illegal for DeMarzo a city commissioner at the time to pay Lashman, his attorney, $348 in city funds for work related to a suit filed against DeMarzo by the city over his role as a police officer. In the new lawsuit, Taylor is being represented by attorney Matthew Behr of Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman and Goggin in Cherry Hill. Behr referred all comments on the case to spokesman Leland Moore of the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office. Moore said the state cannot comment on pending litigation. For years, Taylor dragged my family and I through this personal hell, making this ordeal a public spectacle; indictments that will now follow my family and I for the rest of my life, DeMarzo said in a statement. DeMarzo and Lashman are seeking monetary compensation for the negative impact the three indictments had on their professional and personal lives. The first indictment was dropped, and the two others were dismissed by Judge Albert Garofolo. DeMarzo ran for re-election to the City Commission in 2011 after he was indicted and lost. At the time, his opponents used his indictment in political ads against him. He ran again in 2015 and was again defeated. To the many cautionary discussions parents must have with their children these days, add another the clown talk. Its a subset of the social media talk and can be used to reinforce the rules on proper behavior online. Warning kids against trying to scare people with clown references or even threats is needed now that the nationwide creepy clown fad has spread through South Jersey. Boys and girls too young to have reliably good judgment on their own have been charged in clown-related incidents in Hamilton, Lower, Middle and Washington townships, and southern Ocean County. The charges against the 11- to 14-year-olds have included cyber-harassment and making terroristic threats and false alarms. The kids have smart phones, they act on impulse probably after joking with their friends, the possible threat is received and reported, and next thing they know the police come knocking. Sure, in nearly every case the kids meant no actual harm. But since humorously intended threats cant readily be distinguished from potentially harmful ones, all threats must be taken seriously and immediately addressed. This at a minimum wastes police time and resources, so law enforcement will need to take whatever steps needed to bring it to an end. We hope all thats required is a handful of cases with charges, mercifully dealt with by prosecutors and courts, and parents and already informed peers having that talk about scary clown humor not being acceptable. We understand that kids might enjoy making fun of the excessive sensitivities and concerns of adults. However, in a familiar social-media-driven pattern now being repeated nationwide, it goes too far. A 16-year-old in a Philadelphia suburb, for example, has been charged with threatening violence at schools in her district out of hope that school officials would cancel classes. A 15-year-old in Minnesota trying to scare an 11-year-old and others decided his clown costume would be more effective if he brandished a large butcher knife. Police in Reading, Pennsylvania, say a dispute over a clown mask contributed to the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old. The fad seems to be nearing its end. It already has provoked the required reaction in the genuine clown industry, with Ronald McDonald adjusting his appearances and professional clowns protesting discrimination. Halloween, of course, seems sure to bring some additional incidents. The holiday has turned into a play day (and night) for children and adults, but retains a bit of its prior status as the day its acceptable to scare and be scared. (The original sense as the last day for demons to cavort before All Saints Day is nearly a trivia answer.) We hope it marks the end of the clown fad. Until then, we urge parents and caregivers to have the talk with kids, and everyone to try not to overreact. UPPER TOWNSHIP A Corbin City man was fined $1,566 after he was found guilty in court of driving his car through a flock of sea gulls in an Acme parking lot. Warren Colwell Jr., was charged by the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals after a witness said he intentionally injured gulls in the parking lot of the Acme on Route 9 on Sept. 5. Colwell did not return a request for comment. A woman who answered the phone at his home said the family had no comment. A witness said Colwell drove his car through the birds at a high speed and boasted he was doing a good thing. Apparently, they were just sitting there resting, said Sarah Wells, an animal control officer. Wells, an employee of Shore Animal Control, which is contracted by the township for animal-control services, responded to the scene after the witness called about the incident. She said a worker at McDonalds, which shares a parking lot in the Cedar Square Shopping Center, also called animal control about injured gulls in the parking lot. When I arrived, I had to chase a couple sea gulls around, Wells said. She said some of the birds were injured and two died. The woman who called in the incident had taken the mans license plate number. State Police assisted in identifying the man, Wells said. The case was taken over by the NJSPCA, which charged him with animal cruelty, she said. Colwell was in Upper Township Municipal Court on Oct. 5 and received two fines of $783 each for animal cruelty, according to court records. Wells said Shore Animal Control covers 12 municipalities in South Jersey and rarely gets calls for gulls that are maliciously injured. Most of our injured sea gull calls are in Wildwood or Stone Harbor, she said. Either they get hit by a car or some people find them injured in their yard. 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. (Adds info from Pemex exec) MEXICO CITY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Mexican state oil company Pemex approved a joint venture for two shallow water fields in the Gulf of Mexico, the firm said on Tuesday, marking the second time the company will seek partners to boost declining crude oil output. The joint venture will cover Pemex's Ayin and Batsil fields off the coast of Campeche state, which contain 46 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) in proven reserves. The company added that the two fields contain estimated proven, probable and possible (3P) recourses of some 281 million boe. A sweeping energy overhaul finalized in 2014, which ended Pemex's monopoly over exploration and production of oil and gas also permitted the company to enter into joint ventures in a bid to reverse a slump in crude output. "(Pemex) is promoting the formation of alliances as a strategic route to improve its operations and generate profits for the benefit of the country," the company said in a statement. Falling from a 2004 peak of 3.38 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude production, output stands at about 2.19 million bpd so far this year. Pemex's partner in the shallow water joint venture could be announced in March 2017, the company said, at the same time that 15 other fields will be up for grabs in the first installment of a second set of rolling oil auctions. The company will aim to increase production by 70,000 bpd before the end of 2020, and the development of the Ayin and Batsil fields will require an investment of some $4.2 billion in infrastructure, Director General of Exploration and Production at Pemex, Javier Hinojosa, said Tuesday night in a radio interview. The executive added Pemex will use so-called farm outs for exploration and production of the onshore fields of Ogarrio, Mora and Cardenas, which have already been approved by the company's board and included in the bidding round 2.2. The company's first joint venture covers its Trion deep water block in the Perdido Fold Belt near Mexico's maritime border with the United States. Its partner on the potentially lucrative Trion field is scheduled to be announced on December 5. (Reporting by Adriana Barrea and David Alire Garcia; Editing by Andrew Hay and Vyas Mohan) (Recasts, adds context) By Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Bernadette Christina Munthe JAKARTA, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Operations at Freeport-McMoRan Inc's Grasberg open pit copper mine in Indonesia have resumed after a one-day stoppage following a fatal incident at the mine late on Monday. "Today operations returned to normal," Freeport Indonesia spokesman Riza Pratama said. "While investigations are running we will continue production while waiting for further directions." He was unable to comment on output levels at the mine. Indonesia's Coal and Minerals Director General Bambang Gatot denied earlier reports that work could halt for four days while an investigation was carried out into the death of one worker and the injury of another in a bulldozer accident. "That's not right. It stopped temporarily," Gatot told Reuters. Investigators would later make recommendations to the company, he said. Virgo Solossa, an official at Freeport workers union, said the incident was not expected to result in any worker protests or strikes. "This was purely an accident." Relations between Freeport and worker unions have been strained in recent years, partly over safety concerns. Production was brought to a halt in 2015 after workers blocked access to Grasberg for five days. Workers went on strike for 10 days late last month in a dispute over conditions. Freeport Indonesia, which employs around 24,000 workers, said in December it aimed to produce 180,000 tonnes to 200,000 tonnes of copper ore per day this year. A prolonged stoppage at Grasberg could support copper prices but would also deny the Indonesian government of desperately needed revenue from one of its biggest taxpayers. London copper prices have traded flat this year after three years of declines, as a grinding recovery in global demand, driven by China, has been met by a flood of new supply. (Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Bernadette Christina Munthe and Fergus Jensen; Editing by Tom Hogue and Richard Pullin) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Axslogic, a leading provider of Business and Risk Analytics products for financial services, announced that RAKBANK successfully deployed all modules of its flagship product WINNOW. WINNOW is an analytics tool that provides a new early warning system that covers state of the art reporting and analysis at various stages of each financial product's lifecycle. The product, WINNOW, also enables financial institutions to profitably manage and grow their lending businesses while addressing the associated risk issues much more effectively. The analytic tool, WINNOW, improves the overall results by targeting a necessary plan of action early on for each financial product to succeed. This empowers Senior Management to set new standards of business performance, as it is built on the strength of a globally experienced team. Geoff Stecyk, COO of RAKBANK, said "We are pleased to have partnered with Axslogic, as their flagship product WINNOW effectively provides a unique analytical solution that addresses the risks associated with our lending portfolio. By identifying these risks early on, the Bank can now enable quick actions and solutions where our staff may access in-depth alerts and reports in just one click." Hari Baskaran, CEO of Axslogic, said "Axslogic is committed to providing cutting-edge analytics technology solutions across the banking industry. The goal is to help RAKBANK enhance customers' experience and lower costs while increasing customer confidence and improving the overall performance." About RAKBANK RAKBANK, also known as the National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah, is one of the UAE's oldest and most dynamic financial institutions. Founded in 1976, it underwent a major transformation in 2001 as it rebranded into RAKBANK and shifted its focus from corporate to retail and SME. In addition to offering a wide range of retail banking services, the Bank increased its lending in the SME, Commercial, and Corporate segment in recent years. The Bank also offers Islamic Banking solutions, via RAKislamic, throughout its 35 branches and its Telephone, Online, and Mobile Banking channels. RAKBANK is a public joint stock company headquartered in Ras Al Khaimah and listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). For more information, please visit www.rakbank.ae or call +9714 213 0000. For media enquiries, please contact: RAKBANK Geraldine Dagher Geraldine@rakbank.ae About Axslogic Axslogic is a Fintech analytics enterprise software company providing cloud and on premise solutions for financial institutions engaged in consumer and commercial lending. Axslogic's Winnowcreates a new early warning exception management paradigm to manage the challenges and risks associated with such businesses. The solution disrupts the current environment under which such processes are managed using a unique patented architecture and data model. Axslogic is headquartered in Singapore, with offices in India and UAE. With marquee banks and FIs as clients around the globe, Axslogic has shown rapid growth through client satisfaction, repeat client orders and existing client referrals. Axslogic already has multiple partnerships, in addition payment solution leaders, MasterCard, Visa, and technology major, IBM. More information is available at www.axslogic.com or via email at sales@axslogic.com Contacts: Vijay vijay.kb@axslogic.com +6531525205 Related Links http://www.axslogic.com SOURCE Axslogic Pte Ltd ABU DHABI and DUBAI, UAE, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The proprietary platform draws expertise from across DarkMatter to produce this powerful tool for the assessment and prediction of cyber risk DarkMatter, an international cyber security firm headquartered in the UAE, announces the introduction of its Cyber Resilience Platform, a first-of-its-kind city-wide dashboard that helps visualise the readiness of critical entities against cyber threats. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430287 ) The platform succinctly demonstrates the cascading effect of cyber breach on separate, yet interconnected critical entities in a smart city environment, allowing for the first time, a contextualisation of the impact of a cyber breach on entities individually as well as collectively. The Cyber Resilience Platform allows city authorities to predict and react timeously to cyber threats, with the powerful tool acting as a playbook for a city to be able to see how its critical entities are working individually, and as part of a wider interconnected, smart environment. The holistic platform builds on DarkMatter's outlook to add cyber resilience end-to-end in a digital environment and is an extension of DarkMatter's Cyber Security Life-Cycle outlook, which incorporates a four-stage approach to cyber security involving planning, detection, protection and recovery. Using sensors, interconnected services and decision-making algorithms to help entities predict, monitor and manage cyber incidents in near real-time, the platform is also scalable, and transferable so entities of any size, across multiple sectors that can benefit from its predictive capabilities. Commenting on the introduction of the Cyber Resilience Platform, Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of DarkMatter said, "This platform represents DarkMatter's ability to draw expertise from across the organisation and produce tools that assess and predict the level of cyber risk in order for entities to pro-actively act in defence of their digital assets within an interconnected environment." Faisal Al Bannai continued, "Our Cyber Resilience Platform is a KPI-focused, operations-oriented tool, which for the first time looks to bridge the gap between the activities of critical entities and the state of their security. We believe this platform will gain significant traction not just from federal and municipal entities, but for all organisations operating in highly digitised, connected eco-systems where cyber vulnerabilities have knock-on effects." The platform's output from analysing resilience is used to monitor the actual status of systems, so it becomes a tool that produces actionable intelligence rather than offering just theoretical scenarios. The pace of digital transformation, and the instrumented, intelligent, and interconnected nature of modern digital networks means a more interactive and all-inclusive approach to assessing cyber resilience is required, which is what the platform delivers. Harshul Joshi, Senior Vice President and the Chief Architect of the Cyber Resilience Platform said, "Our platform is not just another box-ticking exercise. It offers real and actionable information to allow connected entities to better protect themselves and mitigate against cyber attack individually as well as collectively. I like to view our platform as working like a pain detector in the human body, which draws attention to where a problem may exist, and triggers a series of actions to correct the problem. We are looking to add immunity to digitisation and better equip entities to be able to guard against cyber threats." To see the Cyber Resilience Model demonstrated live, please visit the DarkMatter stand at booth number Z-C30, Za'abeel Hall, GITEX Technology Week, 16-20 October 2016, Dubai World Trade Centre. About DarkMatter DarkMatter is transforming the cyber security landscape. Headquartered in the UAE and operating globally, we're the region's first and only fully integrated digital defence and cyber security consultancy and implementation firm. Our elite team of global experts deliver advanced, next-generation solutions to governments and enterprises across the cyber security spectrum. We help clients simplify the enormous complexity of today's ever-evolving cyber threats. Our vision is to secure the future by protecting its technologies Our products extend to Secure Communications, Public Key Infrastructure, Innovation & Research, and Big Data & Analytics. Our services extend to Governance, Risk & Compliance, Cyber Network Defence, Managed Security Services, Infrastructure & System Integration, Test & Validation Labs, and Smart Solutions. For further details, visit http://www.darkmatter.ae SOURCE DarkMatter BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Strategy Analytics (SA) expands its Consumer Insights Practice with the addition of Dr. Jordan Louviere, inventor of MaxDiff, father of Discrete Choice Experiments, and internationally recognized expert in conjoint analysis. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130207/NE56457LOGO-b With a focus on providing actionable research and insights to its clients in consumer-centric businesses, Strategy Analytics is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Jordan Louviere to its Consumer Insights Practice. Dr. Louviere has a long list of significant contributions to the field of market research that have been extensively applied in the business world. His work on choice-based measurement method, including MaxDiff Scaling, has been widely adopted by research practitioners across disciplines around the world. He has consulted with many private and public sector organizations in technology, consumer packaged goods, transportation, banking and finance, among others. He has authored several books, sits on Board of Governors for the American Marketing Association (AMA) Parlin Award (he was a 2010 recipient of AMA's Charles Coolidge Parlin Award for Lifetime Achievements in Market Research), and is on the Advisory Board of the Journal of Marketing Research. Harvey Cohen, President of Strategy Analytics, says "We are truly privileged to have the world-renowned research innovator, Dr. Louviere join our Consumer Insights senior leadership. It has been three years since we successfully launched SA's dedicated custom research practice and we are excited with our growing relationships with leading firms competing in the consumer space. Dr. Louviere's appointment is a testament to Strategy Analytics' commitment to be in the forefront of innovation in advanced analytics and to provide our clients who are seeking a better way to use research with value added analysis to address their most pressing and challenging business issues." About Strategy Analytics Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com Consumer Insights Practice contacts: Joy Lampe Ganvik, Vice President, +617 614 0753 jganvik@strategyanalytics.com Carlos Salazar-Velasquez, Ph.D. Vice President +617 614 0754 csalazar-velasquez@strategyanalytics.com Arleen Macaraeg-Denque, Vice President +617 614 0755 adenque@strategyanalytics.com Jordan Louviere, Ph.D., Chief Research Scientist +617 614 0726 jlouviere@strategyanalytics.com Related Links http://www.strategyanalytics.com SOURCE Strategy Analytics Faraday's SoC development platform effectively reduces the time-to-market of system products by allowing early software design ahead of chip availability. It offers an integrated environment consisting of mainstream processor core, pre-verified Faraday interface and fabric IP, along with SDK, upon which system software may be built. Further on the premises, Uranus platform demonstrates DVFS power modes management to balance trade-offs between performance and power consumption. In particular, its Turbo Mode alters the trade-off point to enable MCU core achieve 2x performance under given power constraint. "As the driver of ASIC design service innovations, Faraday's SoC development platform series aims not only to help customer's chip design but also its system development," said Steve Wang, President of Faraday. "Satisfying both ultra-low-power and high-performance needs has become the key for next-generation IoT chip design. We proudly present Uranus, the newest member of our platform series, to provide the right tool for achieving that goal." For Uranus (FIE3255) demonstration, please visit Faraday at the following exhibitions: SEDEX, Oct 26-28 in Seoul, Korea in ARM Tech Symposia, Oct 31 in Shanghai, China in Embedded Technology, Nov 16-18 in Yokohama, Japan About Faraday Technology Corporation Faraday Technology Corporation (TWSE: 3035) is a leading ASIC design service and IP provider. The broad silicon IP portfolio includes I/O, Cell Library, Memory Compiler, ARM-compliant CPUs, DDR2/3/4, low-power DDR1/2/3, MIPI, V-by-One, MPEG4, H.264, USB 2.0/3.1 Gen 1, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, Serial ATA, PCI Express, and programmable SerDes, etc. Headquartered in Taiwan, Faraday has service and support offices around the world, including the U.S., Japan, Europe, and China. For more information about Faraday, please visit: www.faraday-tech.com Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161013/428339 Related Links http://www.faraday-tech.com SOURCE Faraday Technology Corporation VICENZA, Italy, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Franco Pianegonda recently announced his intention to discontinue distribution of his designer jewellery to traditional jewellery stores, worth over 36 million USD turnover, and to sell his unique creations to his clients worldwide exclusively through his website http://www.Francopianegonda.net. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161014/428845 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161014/428846 ) Franco Pianegonda, the Vicenza, Italy-based fine jewellery designer, is a favourite of celebrities who love to wear his jewellery on- and off-stage. This is a revolution of the fine jewellery brand that bears his name. In fact, after making his name as a creative talent in the early 2000's by introducing silver to designer fashionable affordable jewellery, he decided to have a closer relationship with his clients. "I am dedicated to helping women to be at their best, professionally and personally. I want to directly present all the creations I made for them. I want to interact directly with them and personally, because my jewellery is like personalized body sculpture and it is full of luminosity and vibrant when worn. Each jewel is designed for a particular kind of woman, when I design my creation I focus on a particular woman's personality, and I make it with the only intention to express that woman's sensuality, elegance, achievements, authenticity and refined sophistication," says Franco Pianegonda, chief creative talent of LA MAISON FRANCO PIANEGONDA. Franco Pianegonda exclusive and unique jewellery can be found now only on the web store reachable by typing his full name. He also personally welcomes his clients in his beautiful creative MAISON, located in Vicenza centre square, piazza dei signori, in a Palladio palace, a location that recalls the pulsing heart of the amazing building where it is located. Press contact: info@francopianegonda.net Tel +39 0444 328927 La Maison Franco Pianegonda Piazza dei Signori, C.tra delle Morette 17 36100 Vicenza, Italia http://www.francopianegonda.net SOURCE La Maison Franco Pianegonda VIENNA, Austria and RIJSWIJK, The Netherlands, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Lexogen, a transcriptomics and next generation sequencing company, announces collaboration with Bluebee, a leading provider of high-performance genomics solutions, for implementation of QuantSeq data analysis pipeline on the Bluebee genomics analysis platform. Lexogen's QuantSeq 3' mRNA-Seq Library Prep Kit has already been recognized as one of the fastest, most cost-efficient, and accurate methods for expression profiling using next generation sequencing. It is also the most preferable alternative to microarrays for this application. The data analysis for QuantSeq is based on counting of the transcripts and therefore is very straightforward and fast. By making the QuantSeq analysis pipeline available on the Bluebee genomics analysis platform the data evaluation can be easily done by any user, including those who do not have any experience with bioinformatics tools. This makes QauntSeq an exceptional tool for gene expression analysis, which is accurate, fast, affordable, and bioinformatically not challenging. "We believe that implementing a ready-to-use data analysis pipeline on the Bluebee platform is an important step forward in making QuantSeq the most easy-to-use and cost-efficient gene expression profiling workflow available," said Dr. Alexander Seitz, CEO and founder of Lexogen. At the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) meeting 2016 in Vancouver Lexogen and Bluebee will present the result of collaboration during several demonstrations at the Bluebee exhibition booth. About Lexogen Lexogen is a transcriptomics and next generation sequencing company, focusing on the development of technologies for complete transcriptome sequencing. Its portfolio includes innovative molecular biology kits, software, and services for RNA-Seq. To learn more, visit www.lexogen.com and follow @lexogen. Contact person at Lexogen: Dalia Daujotyte dalia.daujotyte@lexogen.com Lexogen GmbH Campus Vienna Biocenter 5 1030 Vienna Austria About Bluebee Bluebee (www.bluebee.com) provides high performance genomics solutions, enabling genomic labs to substantially reduce cost and time-to-diagnosis. Bluebee's unique cloud-based accelerated genomics platform enables fast, efficient and affordable processing of large volumes of genomics data. With Bluebee's private-cloud based solutions, labs can run their pipelines orders of magnitude faster without compromising the algorithms and methods used, nor the flexibility required to provide quality, sensitivity and reliability. Contact person at Bluebee: Valerie Morel valerie.morel@bluebee.com Bluebee Laan van Zuid Hoorn 57 2289 DC Rijswijk The Netherlands Related Links https://www.lexogen.com SOURCE Lexogen DUBLIN, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Medical Aesthetics Industry: Injectables, Energy-Based Devices, Cosmeceuticals, Cosmetic Surgery, Facial Aesthetics, Implants, Cosmetic Tourism. Market Analysis & Forecast to 2021" report to their offering. Global Medical Aesthetics Industry Report (Published August 2016) is a most comprehensive analysis on this vertically growing market. This detailed report provides strategic business development information and is supported by 180 tables & figures over 335 pages and is presented as follows: The global market for the medical aesthetics industry is presented by the following categories: - By Segment (Facial injectables, Cosmetic implants, Home-use devices, Physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals, Energy-based skin tightening devices, Skin rejuvenation devices, Body Contouring, Facial Reconstruction/Rejuvenation, Cosmetic Implants, Breast Lift, Liposuction, Abdominoplasty, Male Aesthetics) - By Sub-Market (Injectable procedures, Facelift, Laser resurfacing/Photorejuvenation, Eyelid lift, Dermabrasion, chemical peel, Rhinoplasty, Forehead lift, Lip augmentation, Breast implants, Facial implants, Buttock, calf, pectoral implants, Skincare cosmeceuticals, Skin lightening cosmeceuticals, Eyelash cosmeceuticals, Scar removal products - By Product Segment (Facial injectables, Botox, Dermafillers, Neuromodulators, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen) - By Company (e.g Allergen, Mentor, Galderma, Valeant, Merz, Syneron, Zetiq, Ulthera, Cynosure, Solta/Valeant, Alma/Fosun Pharma) - By Market Leaders and Market Share in Cosmetic Neurotoxins, Derma Fillers, Home Use Devices, Body Shaping and Skin Tightening Devices Business strategy information can be gleaned from the following high impact analyses: - Geographic Share of Cosmetic Surgery Procedures (Top Eight Countries Globally) - Popular Cosmetic Surgeries in the USA, Brazil, Japan, South Korea & Mexico - Top Ten Cosmetic Surgical Procedures in the World, USA, UK, Germany, France, Ireland, Singapore Top Ten Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures in the World, USA, the UK, France, Ireland - Top Five Cosmetic Surgery Procedures in the U.S. - Top Five Countries for Noninvasive Cosmetic Procedures - Top Five Noninvasive Cosmetic Procedures in the U.S. - Price & Number of Botulinum Toxin, Hyaluronic Acid, Calcium Hydroxylapatite & Poly-L-Lactic Acid Injections, Chemical Peel, Dermabrasion, Laser Skin Resurfacing, Laser Hair Removal Procedures Worldwide & in the US, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Germany, France & Colombia - Surgeon's Fee for Various Cosmetic Procedures in the U.S - Comparison of Cosmetic Surgery Prices in Americas (USA, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica) - Comparison of Cosmetic Surgery Prices in Europe (UK Vs Poland & Hungary) - Comparison of Cosmetic Surgery Prices in Asia (India, Thailand, Malaysia) - Detailed review of Cosmeceuticals used to date - Increase in Sensitive Body Issue Procedures (Labiaplasty, Stretch mark removal, Wart removal, Gynecomastia) - Increase in the number of Men undergoing surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures - How medical tourism in Singapore, United Arab Emirates, India, China, Poland, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica is strengthening the market - Demand for Kybella and Fat Dissolving Technologies - Demand for Female Genital Rejuvenation Technology - Leading Brands of Cosmeceuticals for Hyperpigmentation, Acne, Eyelash Products, Scar Care, - Disruptive Tech Driving the Market - Nanocosmeceuticals, Liposomes, Nanocapsules, Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN), Dendrimers, Cubisomes - Current Nanocosmeceutical Patents - Current Clinical Trials for Aging Skin - DNA Tests for Skincare - Personalized Dermatology - Cosmeceuticals: Major Companies and Product Lines by Acne, Collagen Stimulation, Exfoliation, Firming, Peel, Post-Procedure, Scar Reduction, Skin Lightening, Sun Protection, Wrinkle Reduction - Cosmetic Surgery Products and Technologies (Breast, Gluteal, Facial Implants, Fillers, Neurotoxins, Energy Based Devices) - Dominance of Aesthetic Applications for Energy-Based Technologies - Emerging Technologies in Aesthetic Sector (Hydroimpact, BTL Protege Intima, SculpSure, Eclipse Reverse, Eclipse MicroPen Elite, Eclipse Skinfinity RF, Eclipse Firma, Intensif, IntimaLase, FemTouch, INFINI FR, N-532 Laser System, miraDry, INTRAcel, Prima Pico, Rejuvapen Micropigmentation System, Ultherapy) A comprehensive account of company product portfolios are provided for 105 Cosmetic Surgery and Service providers globally including: - Allergen - Mentor - Galderma - Valeant - Merz - Syneron - Zetiq - Ulthera - Cynosure - Solta/Valeant - Alma/Fosun Pharma You will discover a wealth of strategic information throughout this report and find out - Who is leading the market? - Which companies are struggling? - What has the most attractive acquisition potential? - What areas your business should focus on - How to develop your business in the right direction Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Surgical Cosmetic Procedures: An Overview 3. Nonsurgical Cosmetic Procedures: An Overview 4. Physician Dispensed Cosmeceuticals: An Overview 5. Cosmetic Surgery Products and Technologies: An Overview 6. Energy-Based Technologies for Cosmetic Procedures: An Overview 7. Emerging Technologies in Aesthetic Sector 8. Current Clinical Trials for Aging Skin 9. Market Analysis 10. Company Profiles - Aerolase Corp. - Adoderm GmbH - Aesthetic Dermal S.L. - Allergan Inc. - Allied Biomedical - Alma Lasers Ltd. - Amiea Med - Andrew Technologies LLC - Anika Therapeutics Inc. - Anteis S.A. - Apira Science Inc. - Aqtis Medical B.V. - Baby Quasar - Benev Company - Biopelle Inc. - Biotechnique Avance - Breit Aesthetics Ltd. - BTL Industries Inc. - Canfield Imaging Systems - Carol Cole Co. - Chromogenex PLC - Classys Inc. - Contura International A/S - CoolTouch Inc. - Cutera Inc. - Cynosure Inc. - Deka Laser Technologies Inc. - DermaMed Solutions LLC - Eclipse Aesthetic LLC - Edge Systems LLC - Ellipse A/S - Ellman International Inc. - Endymed Medical Ltd. - Energist Ltd. - Envy Medical Inc. - E-One-IPL - Episciences Inc. - Erchonia Corp. - EunSung Global Corp. - Eurosilicone S.A.S. - Focus Medical - Fotona D.D. - Galderma S.A. - General Project S.R.L. - Hironic Co., Ltd. - H&O Equipment N.V/S.A - Home Skinovations Ltd. - Hongkong Spring International Industry Ltd. - Human Med A.G. - Ilooda Co., Ltd. - Iluminage Beauty - Invasix Ltd. - Ispen Biopharmacuticals Inc. - Jeisys Medical Inc. - JeNu Biosciences Inc. - Laboratoires FILORGA - Lasering S.R.L. - Lexington International LLC - L'Oreal International - LSO Medical Groupe - Lumenis Ltd - Lumiere Medical - Lutronic Corp. - Medixsysteme - Mentor Worldwide LLC - Merz Aesthetics Inc. - Mesoestetic Pharma Group - Myoscience Inc. - Nagor Ltd. - Novoxel Ltd. - Obagi Medical Products Inc. - Pantec Biosolutions AG - Pacific Bioscience Laboratories Inc. - PCA Skin - Philips - Photocadmus Technologies Spain Ltd. - Photomedex Inc. - PhytoCeuticals Inc. - Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmetique USA Inc. - Polytech Health & Aesthetics GmbH - Pollogen Ltd - Prollenium Medical Technologies Inc. - Quanta Systems S.P.A. - Radiancy Inc. - Restoration Robotics Inc. - Rhonda Allison Clinical Enterprises - Sciton - SharpLight Technologies Ltd. - Sientra Inc. - Sinclair Is Pharma - SkinCeuticals Inc. - Skin Tech - Solta Medical Inc. - Spectrum Brands/Remington - Spencer Forrest Inc. - Suneva Medical Inc. - Super Grow Lasers Inc. - Surgiform Technology Ltd. - SurgiSil LLC - Sybaritic Inc. - Syneron Medical Ltd. - Tavger Ltd. - TavTech Ltd. - Teoxane Laboratories - The Dezac Group Ltd. - Theradome Inc. - ThermiAesthetics - Tria Beauty Inc. - Ulthera Inc. - Venus Concepts Ltd. - Viora - Won Tech Co., Ltd. - Ya-Man Ltd. - Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc. For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7z6h7w/global_medical Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Semen Indonesia, the nation's largest cement maker, has achieved major savings in its operating costs by replacing coal with natural waste as fuel for electricity generation (husks and shells from tobacco, cashew and coconut production). As a result, Semen Indonesia's costs of revenue dropped 2% year-on-year in the first half of this year to Rp 7.5 trillion - US$ 577.5 million (Source: Jakarta Post). Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20161018/8521606681 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121014/HK92339LOGO-d The resource mix in the country is also changing. Prices for solar power modules have fallen 70% in the past six years. Wind power costs have dropped 58% in the past five years. Battery prices have fallen approximately 14% annually since 2007 (Source: Energy Manager Today.) Therefore, renewable energy has become a concrete, affordable, clean and reliable alternative for corporates and private users in Indonesia willing to secure stable electricity delivery at fixed prices. In fact, unlike historic industry shifts that have been spurred by policy, these major technological advances and savings are occurring largely despite policy, because the transition leads to great improvements in cost cutting, energy efficiency, reliability, and environmental protection. To join the discussion on all developments in this industry in the country sign up for Renewable Energy Indonesia, the only trade show in Indonesia addressing exclusively Renewable Energy, which will be held at the Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran, on 29 to 31 March 2017. The exhibition, organized by UBM plc, aims to be a platform that brings together professionals, investors and stakeholders with a sharp and exclusive focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency in order to exchange knowledge, best practices, resources and information. Conference, seminars, workshops, debates and exhibitors' presentations will add into the mix, and will complement the 3 days together with a business matchmaking platform. ABOUT UBM Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is the largest trade show organiser in Asia and the largest commercial organiser in China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has a strong global presence in 24 major cities with 32 offices and 1,300 staff. UBM Asia was awarded 'Asia's Most Reliable Trade Show Organizer Award' in Hong Kong's Most Valuable Companies Awards (HKMVCA) 2016. Contact Person: Ivan Ferrari Phone Number: +62 21 2930 5959 ext 138 Email: ivan.Ferrari@ubm.com Contact Person: Budi Sutrisno Phone Number: +62 21 2930 5959 Email: budi.sutrisno@ubm.com Related Links http://www.renewableenergyindonesia.com SOURCE Renewable Energy Indonesia - UBM Indonesia DUBLIN, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "The Future of Iran Gas Markets, Investments, Projects and Companies to 2025- Exploration, Gas Production, Gas Pipelines, Storage, LNG and Supply Demand" report to their offering. The report identifies key trends and drivers of Iran Gas markets and provides the SWOT profile of the country. Further, the country is benchmarked with peer markets to compare its position in regional markets. In addition, impact of competing assets in other countries is also evaluated. Effect of current market dynamics including price fluctuations, CAPEX declines and others on Iran Gas markets The impact of recent developments including OPEC decision to cut production at Algiers, US shale production decline, Iran government policy changes and CAPEX reductions on companies across Iran Gas value chain are analysed in detail. The research provides detailed analysis of all major risks and opportunities faced by gas companies in Iran. Short Term Risk Mitigation and Long Term Growth Strategies The research work identifies the key moves being taken by government, companies and investors to cop up with global changes and minimize the risks in current market conditions. Further, the research also identifies the strategies being taken by oil and gas players to ensure growth and beat competition in the long run. Outlook Statements - Marketed Gas supply and demand outlook, 2005- 2025 - LNG Supply and Demand Outlook, 2005- 2022 - LNG Contracted Capacity Outlook, 2005- 2022 - Iran Primary Energy mix, 2015 - GDP, Population and Investment Outlook, 2005- 2025 Analysis across value chain The comprehensive research provides opportunities, risks, infrastructure, trade and competition on exploration blocks, licensing rounds, Gas fields, underground gas storage, pipelines and LNG terminals in Iran. Feasibility study, Current Status and Expected Start Up and Impacts For all planned projects including new LNG terminals, Gas storage terminals and pipelines, feasibility study of new projects, their current status including FID/ FEED/EPC along with expected start up, construction contract details and the impact of these projects on Iran are analysed in detail. Complete Infrastructure Details Iran Gas report provides complete asset by asset details of Iran Gas infrastructure. Key details provided in the research include- - Exploration- Awarded and Available Block Details, Licensing rounds on Offer, Briefs on Successful Exploration operations, Rigs Count - Production- Field wise production information from 2007- 2014; Operational and Planned Gas Field details - Gas Storage- Storage Capacity by Terminal, 2015; Terminal details including- location, start up, operator, owners, stakes, capex and construction partners - Pipelines- Gas transmission pipelines including start point, end point, route, length, diameter, capacity, capex and operators and owners and construction partners - LNG terminals- Liquefaction/Regasification Capacity Outlook by terminal, 2005- 2022; LNG terminal details including- location, start up, operator, owners, trains/ vaporizers, storage capacity, tanks, jetty, capex and construction details Further, LNG exports/ imports, trade patterns, Sale Purchase Agreements, associated Ships, fields and other information is provided. Competitive Landscape The report provides market shares of each of the sector in Iran Gas markets including- - Company wise net weighted Gas production, 2005- 2014 - Company wise LNG capacity, 2005- 2022 - Company wise storage capacity, 2015 - Company wise Pipeline Lengths, 2015 The report also analyses three leading companies in Iran Gas markets. Business operations, SWOT Analysis and financial performance of the companies are provided. For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8llxwn/the_future_of Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets PORTLAND, Oregon, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, "Micro Inverter Market by Type, Connection and End User-Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014-2022," projects that the world micro inverter market would reach $2.7 billion by 2022. In 2014, North America dominated the market and contributed about 45% share of the overall market revenue, followed by Europe. The presence of key market players in the U.S. and rising micro inverter installation activities, primarily in residential sector, have fueled the market growth. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 ) Summary of the Micro Inverter Market Report can be accessed on the website at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/micro-inverter-market Swift rise in demand for greater efficiency of solar energy systems and increased application of micro inverters in residential sector, as it is more cost-effective and space efficient, as compared to central and string inverters drives the market growth. However, high initial investment and tough maintenance could restrict the market growth. Moreover, it is anticipated that the rise in electricity demand coupled with increase in government spending & tariffs on photovoltaic technology would spur the global market growth. The residential segment accounted for about 77% of the overall micro inverter market in 2014. Highest installation of micro inverters in residential photovoltaic systems led this segment to dominate the overall micro inverter market. However, commercial end user segment would grow significantly and is expected to register a CAGR of 30.3% during the forecast period. This is due to the increase in installation of micro inverters in commercial PV systems worldwide as many renowned companies are launching advanced technology products. Moreover, North America has contributed significantly in the residential sector. Among various geographical regions, North America has contributed the maximum revenue share in 2014 and is expected to maintain its leading position throughout the forecast period. This could be attributed to varied factors including increase in the electricity demand due to rising population, and increased government initiatives. Moreover, improvement in renewable energy expenditure has boosted the installation of residential micro inverters in Asian countries, particularly in China, Japan, and India. "MLPE technologies such as micro inverters are swiftly gaining acceptance and market share as their costs have come down. In spite of the global dominance of string inverters, over half of all residential solar systems installed in the U.S. currently using micro inverters. In addition, increased power output of micro inverters, cost-effectiveness and enhanced safety features would fuel the micro inverter market growth in both residential and commercial sector globally. Japan, representing a significant residential market potential, is expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities for top global micro inverter manufacturers in Asia-Pacific market," states Rakesh Singh, Manager, Research, Semiconductor & Electronics at AMR. However, Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region throughout the analysis period. Since, Japan has the highest demand for residential sector power plant PV installation due to government incentives and limited supply of micro inverters in Japan. Moreover, enhancement in solar plant installation capacity and increase in expenditures in the emerging markets (such as China and India) to satisfy the exponentially growing electricity needs in these countries have strengthened the market growth. Technological advancements for cost-effective inverter technologies in these nations offer a lucrative opportunity for the micro inverter market growth. Key findings of the study: In 2014, single phase micro inverter type led the overall micro inverter market revenue, but it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 26.2% during the forecast period Residential segment is expected to exhibit rapid growth, owing to the rising government tariffs and incentives Presently, North America leads the world micro inverter market and it is expected to continue this trend throughout the forecast period owing to the swift rise in electricity demand from countries such as U.S., Canada , and Mexico leads the world micro inverter market and it is expected to continue this trend throughout the forecast period owing to the swift rise in electricity demand from countries such as U.S., , and Japan leads the overall Asia-Pacific micro inverter market with about one-third of the market shares in the region The key players in the micro inverter market are dedicated to expand their business operations in the emerging countries with acquisition and product launch as a preferred strategy. The major players profiled in this report include Enphase Energy, Inc., ABB Group, SunPower Corporation, SMA Solar Technology AG, Delta Energy Systems GmbH, SolarEdge Technologies, Inc., ReneSola, Siemens AG, P&P Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and Involar. Summary of similar reports can be viewed at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/semiconductor-and-electronics/electronic-systems-and-devices-market-report About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: Sona Padmanabhan 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Direct: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1 (800)-792-5285 (U.S. & Canada) Fax: +1 (855)-550-5975 E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com SOURCE Allied Market Research LONDON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, today announced the availability of new research detailing embedded value (EV) results for 23 major insurance companies in Europe. The report examines trends among companies reporting EVs as of year-end 2015. The report compares practises followed by major insurance companies and discusses EV reporting issues given the move toward Solvency II in Europe and the global adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards. "For European insurers the end of 2015 was a watershed with the introduction of the new pan European system of insurance regulation, Solvency II, on January 1st 2016. Some firms have reduced or ceased their Embedded Value reporting whilst others have sign posted that they will be incorporating elements of Solvency II into their future Embedded Value reporting. Embedded Value remains a useful metric for companies to report as it gives consistency with past years' reporting and is not constrained by some of the artificial limitations of Solvency II," said Milliman Principal and Consulting Actuary Philip Simpson. Key insights from the European report include: There has been a noticeable reduction in firms reporting on an embedded value basis in 2015, compared with 2014. The Solvency II directive has been implemented, and companies continued looking into aligning their EV methodologies with Solvency II, mainly those relating to the risk-free curve - there has been a continued trend of using volatility adjustment to the risk-free rate instead of liquidity premia. The CFO Forum members (that disclosed their embedded values at the end of 2015) reported a combined embedded value of GBP 248 billion ( EUR 337 billion ) at the end of 2015 compared with GBP 228 billion ( EUR 294 billion ) at the end of 2014. The majority of companies included in the study experienced an increase, of varying degrees, in their group embedded values compared with 2014. ( ) at the end of 2015 compared with ( ) at the end of 2014. The majority of companies included in the study experienced an increase, of varying degrees, in their group embedded values compared with 2014. Overall, results for new business were fairly positive for the majority of companies in our sample. The total value of new business (VNB) written by the current CFO Forum members (that disclosed their values of new business at the end of 2015) was GBP 9.7 billion ( EUR 13.2 billion ) in 2015, compared with GBP 10.3 billion ( EUR 13.2 billion ) in 2014. Interested parties may obtain a copy of the Milliman studies at www.milliman.com/ev-research or receive further information by telephoning or emailing: Philip Simpson in London at +44 20 7847 1543, philip.simpson@milliman.com; in at +44 20 7847 1543, philip.simpson@milliman.com; Tatiana Egoshina in London at +44 20 7847 1527, tatiana.egoshina@milliman.com; About Milliman Milliman is among the world's largest providers of actuarial and related products and services. The firm has consulting practices in healthcare, property & casualty insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe. For further information, visit milliman.com. Related Links http://www.milliman.com SOURCE Milliman, Inc. PUNE, India, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Healthcare and Life Sciences Market by Component (Technology and Services), Type (Rule-based, Statistical and Hybrid), Application, Deployment Mode (Cloud and On Premise) and Region - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, the NLP in healthcare and life sciences market to grow from USD 1.03 Billion in 2016 to USD 2.65 Billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.8%. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 66 market data Tables and 46 Figures spread through 132 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Healthcare and Life Sciences Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/healthcare-lifesciences-nlp-market-131821021.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The NLP in healthcare and life sciences market is growing rapidly because of the huge surge in clinical data, increase in the use of connected devices, and evolving consumer needs. "Report generation application to grow at the highest CAGR" The report segments the global market on the basis of applications that include machine translation, automated information extraction, report generation, predictive risk analytics, and others including question answering, dialogue systems, email filtering, spelling correction, and search engine. Report generation is expected to witness the highest growth rate. The report generation application is used to extract required specific information from database, XML, or spreadsheets, and use that information to generate the document as per the requirement of users. Health care organizations and clinics are in constant need for high quality clinical data and this can be achieved by using NLP technology. With the help of distinct automated semantic algorithm, report generation application reorganizes the document as per the human needs. "Statistical NLP expected to have the largest market share in 2016" The report segments the global market by type into rule-based NLP, statistical NLP, and hybrid NLP. Among these, hybrid NLP is expected to dominate the market in term of the market share. The statistical based NLP approach is one of the better approaches to generate results when large amount of data is involved. Due to huge volume availability of text and speech corpora, the statistical-NLP has shown remarkable success in the past few decades. "North America to be the largest revenue generator" The report has been segmented by region into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. North America is expected to continue being the largest revenue generator region for NLP in healthcare and life sciences vendors for the next five years, followed by Europe. Major initiatives taken for NLP technologies have their origin in this region. Increase in adoption and usage of smartphones and big data are a few of the major drivers of NLP solutions in North America. The market growth in developing regions can be attributed to the enhancements in technology. Ask for Sample Pages @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsample.asp?id=131821021 Major vendors that offer Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Healthcare and Life Sciences Market solutions are 3M (Minnesota), Cerner Corporation (Missouri), IBM Corporation (New York), Microsoft Corporation (Washington), Nuance Communications (Massachusetts), M*Modal (Tennessee), Health Fidelity (California), Dolbey Systems (Ohio), Linguamatics (Cambridge), and Apixio (San Mateo). These vendors have adopted different types of organic and inorganic growth strategies such as new product launches, partnerships & collaborations, and mergers & acquisitions to expand their offerings in the NLP in healthcare and life sciences market. Browse Related Reports Natural Language Processing Market by Type (Rule-Based, Statistical, and Hybrid), Technologies (Recognition, IVR, OCR, Speech Recognition, Text Processing, Pattern & Image Recognition), by Deployment Type, Vertical & by Region - Global Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/natural-language-processing-nlp-825.html Know More About our Knowledge Store @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets 701 Pike Street, 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/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Through partnerships with travel innovators and airlines, CPM will integrate blockchain-supported products for verified passenger IDs, payments, security and loyalty MIAMI, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CellPoint Mobile, a company that provides mobile-first commerce and payment solutions for global airlines and travel companies, has launched a Travel Innovation Hub to develop and fast-track the application of blockchain technology on travel-related business services and transactions. Led by CellPoint Mobile's Chief Executive Officer Kristian Gjerding and Chief Technology Officer Jonatan Evald Buus, the Travel Innovation Hub and its partners' mission is to create blockchain-supported products and services that generate revenues for the travel sector and make travel easier. "Our goal is to work with partners who are interested in integrating practical, real-life travel solutions into our e-commerce platform," says Gjerding, who will meet with potential partners at the Oct. 23-26 Money 2020 event in Las Vegas. Based on the company's 8+ years of experience with data integration, mobility, and the authentication, verification and security of payments and travel transactions, CellPoint Mobile will work with industry partners, innovators and clients to identify and integrate into its platform key blockchain capabilities and products involving four main travel activities: Traveler/passenger identification and verification Travel security Loyalty program identity and transactions Payments Potential products will include a unified and secure passenger ID created from existing verified data (e.g., passports, visas, IDA, licenses, company and payment data, airline and travel records, loyalty program memberships and more); loyalty products that use blockchain processes to streamline and protect earn-redeem transactions in airline and travel loyalty programs; and payment products that integrate blockchain authentication, digital wallet blockchain payment processors and other services directly from CellPoint Mobile's payment orchestration layer. Mission: Revenue-Generating Blockchain Products & Services for the Travel Sector "Fully functional applications of blockchain processes are still some time away from commercial use, but CellPoint Mobile is staking a claim in the travel market now because of blockchain's potential to make the travel experience easier, more seamless and secure for airlines, travel merchants and passengers alike," says Gjerding. "We invite like-minded partners and innovators to explore blockchain's potential in the travel setting, and we look forward to fast-tracking the deployment of viable blockchain-related products and services to our travel clients." Anchored in Miami, Copenhagen and Pune, the hub invites and encourages participation, collaboration and input from airline merchants, clients and partners whose products and services fall into the four categories - chosen because of blockchain's application to security-, interaction- and transaction-related activities in the mobile environment. "The ability to uniquely and securely identify a passenger or customer opens the door to a variety of activities and transactions that could be incredibly beneficial to the travel industry," explains Buus, who notes that blockchain grew out of a need to verify Bitcoin and cryptocurrency transactions. "The simple ability to have a single, verified passenger identify from start to finish of a trip across borders, carriers, merchants, payment methods, mobile devices, etc. will be a tremendous boon to passengers, airlines and travel merchants alike. That is just one of the innovative ideas we hope to pursue with our innovation partners and collaborators." Integrating Blockchain Capabilities as They Evolve CellPoint Mobile's purpose-built, enterprise-grade, core orchestration layer decreases the massive complexity and effort required for clients to integrate operations into the payment eco-system, travel company subsystems and the mobile ecosystem. By adding public and private blockchain capabilities and products to this orchestration layer which already supports translation, normalization, security functions, operational deployment, and end-to-end, control, monitoring and reporting CellPoint Mobile clients will be able to access the blockchain universe as it evolves. For information about CellPoint Mobile's Travel Innovation Hub, or to arrange interviews contact Vanessa Horwell at +1-305-749-5342 ext. 232, or mobile +1-305-776-8817 or vhorwell@thinkinkpr.com, or Sara Leiter at sleiter@thinkinkpr.com or +1-305-749-5342 ext. 236. Partner, travel company and airline inquiries, sales@cellpointmobile.com About CellPoint Mobile (www.cellpointmobile.com) provides comprehensive and powerful commerce and payment solutions for global airlines, supporting all payment methods, all channels, all currencies and all devices. Since 2007, it has helped clients in transportation, retail and financial service sectors achieve an average 9.5% increase in incremental, direct-channel revenues. CellPoint Mobile has offices in Miami, London, Copenhagen, Dubai, Pune and Singapore. Related Links http://www.cellpoint.com SOURCE CellPoint Mobile DUBLIN, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of SNS Research's new report "The VoLTE (Voice over LTE) Ecosystem: 2016 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts" to their offering. VoLTE (Voice over LTE) technology allows a voice call to be placed over an LTE network, enabling mobile operators to reduce reliance on legacy circuit-switched networks. Powered by IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) architecture, VoLTE brings a host of benefits to operators ranging from the ability to refarm legacy 2G and 3G spectrum to offering their subscribers a differentiated service experience through capabilities such as HD voice and video telephony. First deployed by South Korean operators in 2012, VoLTE is beginning to gain momentum globally. As of Q4'2016, more than 80 mobile operators have commercially launched VoLTE services, and several roaming and interoperability agreements are already in place. Estimates suggest that VoLTE service revenue will grow at a CAGR of 34% between 2016 and 2020. By the end of 2020, VoLTE subscribers will account for more than $200 Billion in revenue. Although traditional voice services will constitute a major proportion of this figure, nearly 15% of the revenue will be driven by video calling and supplementary services. The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report. Key Findings: Estimates suggest that by 2020 VoLTE services will account for over $200 Billion in annual service revenue, as mobile operators remain committed to VoLTE as the long term solution to secure a fully native IP-based telephony experience. in annual service revenue, as mobile operators remain committed to VoLTE as the long term solution to secure a fully native IP-based telephony experience. As the transition to VoLTE accelerates, mobile operators have already begun shutting down their legacy networks in a bid to reallocate additional spectrum to their LTE networks. Japan and South Korea have already shut down their 2G networks, and multiple operators in other parts of the world, including the United States , are in the processing of switching off 2G services. Some operators, such as Telenor Norway, are seeking the closure of their 3G networks as early as 2020. and have already shut down their 2G networks, and multiple operators in other parts of the world, including , are in the processing of switching off 2G services. Some operators, such as Telenor Norway, are seeking the closure of their 3G networks as early as 2020. Nearly all VoLTE operators are integrating their VoLTE services with Wi-Fi calling in a bid to offer voice services in areas where their licensed spectrum coverage is limited. The vendor ecosystem is continuing to consolidate with several acquisitions such as Sonus Networks' recent takeover of IP communications specialist Taqua. Key Questions Answered: How big is the VoLTE opportunity? What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth? How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region? What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow? Which regions and countries will see the highest percentage of growth? Companies Mentioned Include: 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) Accedian Networks Altair Semiconductor Amdocs Anite Anritsu Corporation BroadSoft BT Group CCN (Cirrus Core Networks) Dialogic Corporation DigiTalk DigitalRoute DT (Deutsche Telekom) Ecrio EE Empirix Ericsson Etisalat Telefonica Group T-Mobile USA TNS (Transaction Network Services) Vodafone Turkey Vodafone UK VoiceAge Corporation Voipfuture W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) WBA (Wireless Broadband Alliance) Wi- Fi Alliance WIT Software x-Mobility ZTE Report Structure: 1: Introduction 2: An Overview of VoLTE 3: Collaboration, Standardization & Regulatory Landscape 4: VoLTE Deployment Case Studies 5: VoLTE Industry Roadmap & Value Chain 6: Key Market Players 7: Market Analysis & Forecasts 8: Conclusion, Key Trends & Strategic Recommendations For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/q4zn3h/the_volte_voice Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "The Future of Russia Gas Markets, Investments, Projects and Companies to 2025- Exploration, Gas Production, Gas Pipelines, Storage, LNG and Supply Demand" report to their offering. Effect of current market dynamics including price fluctuations, CAPEX declines and others on Russia Gas markets. The impact of recent developments including OPEC decision to cut production at Algiers, US shale production decline, Russia government policy changes and CAPEX reductions on companies across Russia Gas value chain are analysed in detail. The research provides detailed analysis of all major risks and opportunities faced by gas companies in Russia. The report identifies key trends and drivers of Russia Gas markets and provides the SWOT profile of the country. Further, the country is benchmarked with peer markets to compare its position in regional markets. In addition, impact of competing assets in other countries is also evaluated. The research work identifies the key moves being taken by government, companies and investors to cop up with global changes and minimize the risks in current market conditions. Further, the research also identifies the strategies being taken by oil and gas players to ensure growth and beat competition in the long run. Outlook Statements Marketed Gas supply and demand outlook, 2005-2025 LNG Supply and Demand Outlook, 2005-2022 LNG Contracted Capacity Outlook, 2005-2022 Russia Primary Energy mix, 2015 GDP, Population and Investment Outlook, 2005-2025 Key Topics Covered: 1 Tables & Figures 2 Executive Summary 3 Russia Gas Market Factsheet 4 Investment and Business Expansion Opportunities in Russia Gas Markets 5 Russia Gas Market Outlook and Forecasts 6 Competitive Landscape in Russia Gas Markets, 2016 7 Russia Upstream Gas Market Analysis 8 Russia LNG Market Analysis 9 Russia Gas storage market Analysis 10 Russia Pipeline Market Analysis 11 Competitor Operations and Business Profiles For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/kn7nsj/the_future_of Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets CALGARY, Alberta, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Solium Capital Inc. ("Solium") (TSX: SUM), the leading global provider of software-as-a-service for equity administration, financial reporting and compliance, today announced the grand opening of its operating centre in Barcelona, Spain supporting the Company's growing international customer and participant base particularly in the EMEA region. "We are committed to being the leading global plan administrator in the industry. Barcelona provides a strategic additional location to continue building this promise to our customers and the market," said Marcos Lopez, Solium's CEO. "Solium is the only administrator operating in North America, Europe and Asia on a single technology and service platform - enabling our global customers to leverage support from all of our global offices seamlessly." Solium's Barcelona office is a multilingual client and participant service centre supporting Solium's European and global customers. It is also the hub for the Company's Shareworks Global Compliance product, an online database of legal and tax regulations that spans more than 170 countries. Solium began staffing the client service center in July of 2016. There are presently 20 full time employees operating out of this location. "Over the last year we've seen strong growth in new customers across the EMEA region, in particular Continental Europe, and we expect the momentum to continue," said Brian Craig, Solium's Managing Director, EMEA. "We now have the ability to offer client and participant support in most native European languages, a key competitive advantage that will help us expand our leadership position in the region. In addition, Barcelona is a world class city that attracts world class talent, making it a great location to expand our services." Solium will be hosting a formal opening celebration on Wednesday October 19th at its new office with special invited guests from the Catalonia Government's Department of Trade and Industry. "We are thrilled that Solium has decided to build its facility in Barcelona," said Nuria Betriu, General Director of Industry, Catalonia Government Department of Trade and Industry. "Solium's decision to invest in our region and create jobs in the technology sector is one that we hope other companies will replicate. We look forward to the Company's continued success and the growth of the office in Barcelona." About Solium Capital Inc. Solium Capital Inc. (TSX: SUM) provides cloud-enabled services for global equity administration, financial reporting and compliance. From offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, our innovative software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology powers share plan administration and equity transactions for more than 3,000 corporate clients with employee participants in more than 100 countries. Follow us @Solium and visit us at solium.com. Certain statements included or incorporated by reference in this press release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements or information typically contain statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Specific forward-looking statements in this press release include statements with respect to continued investment in Shareworks, and the growth of international operations and international markets. Such forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including assumptions with respect to the ability of the Company to identify, hire, train, motivate and retain qualified personnel, the Company's ability to maintain or accurately forecast revenue from its products and services, and the competitive environment in which the Company operates. Although Solium believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements or information because Solium can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information are based on Solium's current expectations, estimates and projections, and are subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including general business and economic conditions, actions of competitors and partners, the regulatory environment and product capability and acceptance. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Investor relations, Conrad Seguin, NATIONAL | Equicom, +1-416-586-1951, cseguin@national.ca SOURCE Solium Capital Inc. WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 15, 2016, the Systemic Risk Council submitted a comment letter to the Financial Stability Board (FSB) on its recent Consultative Document, in which the FSB proposed policy recommendations intended to address structural vulnerabilities in the asset management industry. "The Council is encouraged by the Financial Stability Board's focus on the asset management industry," said Sir Paul Tucker, Chairman of the Systemic Risk Council. He stated: "It is important that any risk arising from the structures and practices of asset management firms be identified and understood." "Most important," explained Sir Paul, "where those risks are material, they must be mitigated in a proportionate way before such vulnerabilities are demonstrated by a new financial crisis." In its letter, the Council expressed its support for the FSB's work on potential risks to financial stability arising from asset management structures and practices. The Council offered broad comments and recommendations under the four categories identified in the Consultative Document: (1) liquidity mismatch; (2) leverage within funds; (3) operational risk and challenges in transferring investment mandates or client accounts; and (4) securities lending activities of asset managers and funds. Specifically, the Council recommended that the FSB consider: Minimum Levels of Liquid Assets. Open-end funds invested in illiquid and opaque assets to hold a minimum level of liquid assets, the calibration of the requirement depending in part on whether "swing pricing" applies. Notice Periods for Redemption. Open-end funds invested in illiquid assets to be subject to a notice period for redemption, again taking account of any "swing pricing." Leverage Limits. Irrespective of whether they offer daily liquidity, funds invested in illiquid assets to be subject to leverage limits that become stricter as a fund gets larger, with calibration depending on whether a liquid-assets requirement applies. Stress Testing. Stress testing to be at the level of individual funds and, where relevant, system wide. Equity Requirements for Indemnities. Common equity to be held against indemnities provided by asset managers to funds they manage or to third parties. Disclosure of Asset-Manager Indemnities. Individual asset managers to disclose their aggregate contingent liabilities. In addition, the Council identified and discussed a possible area for further work by the FSB relating to unlevered funds that do not offer frequent redemption opportunities as well as provided an observation on issues that it believes should be covered in the FSB's planned future work on pension funds. The full text of the letter is available here. Systemic Risk Council Membership Chair: Sir Paul Tucker, Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School and Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England Chair Emeritus: Sheila Bair, President of Washington College and Former Chair of the FDIC Senior Advisor: Jean-Claude Trichet, Former President of the European Central Bank Senior Advisor: Paul Volcker, Former Chair of the Federal Reserve Board Members: Brooksley Born, Former Chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Baroness Sharon Bowles, Former Member of European Parliament and Former Chair of the Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee Bill Bradley, Former U.S. Senator William Donaldson, Former Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission Jeremy Grantham, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Strategist, Grantham May Van Otterloo Richard Herring, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Simon Johnson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management Hugh F. Johnston, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, PepsiCo Jan Pieter Krahnen, Chair of Corporate Finance at Goethe-Universitat in Frankfurt and Director of the Centre for Financial Studies Sallie Krawcheck, Chair, Ellevate, Former Senior Executive, Citi and Bank of America Wealth Management Lord John McFall, Former Chair, UK House of Commons Treasury Committee Ira Millstein, Senior Partner, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP Maureen O'Hara, Cornell University, Johnson School of Management Paul O'Neill, Former Chief Executive Officer, Alcoa, Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury John Reed, Former Chairman and CEO, Citicorp and Citibank Alice Rivlin, Brookings Institution, Former Vice-Chair of the Federal Reserve Board Kurt Schacht, Managing Director, Standards and Advocacy Division, CFA Institute Chester Spatt, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, Former Chief Economist, Securities and Exchange Commission Lord Adair Turner, Former Chair of the UK Financial Services Authority and Former Chair of the Financial Stability Board's Standing Committee on Supervisory and Regulatory Cooperation Nout Wellink, Former President of the Netherlands Central Bank and Former Chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision * Affiliations are for identification purposes only. Council members participate as individuals and this letter reflects their own views and not those of the organizations with which they are affiliated. Notes for Editors: The independent, non-partisan Systemic Risk Council (www.systemicriskcouncil.org) was formed to monitor and encourage regulatory reform of U.S. and global capital markets, with a focus on systemic risk. The Council is funded by the CFA Institute, a global association of more than 125,000 investment professionals who put investors' interests first and set the standard for professional excellence in finance. The statements, documents and recommendations of the private sector, volunteer Council do not necessarily represent the views of the CFA Institute. The Council works collaboratively to seek agreement on each of its recommendations. For further information please contact David R. Evanson at devanson@comcast.net or 215.460.8149 or Bristol Voss bristol.voss@cfainstitute.org or 212.705.1738 Related Links http://www.systemicriskcouncil.org SOURCE Systemic Risk Council LONDON, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- At COP 21 it was determined that approximately $19 billion of finance will be provided annually by developed countries for Africa's renewable programme by 2020. In addition, Japan announced $10bn per year in public and private finance also to reach Africa by 2020. New pledges to climate funds, including the Adaptation Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund, and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), added up to more than $1.5bn. In addition, all multilateral development banks have pledged to scale up climate finance in developing countries by 2020, to more than $30 billion per year. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430010 ) The availability of these funds will significantly hasten the pace of decisions being made by energy ministers and governments attending the Africa Renewable Energy Forum to implement renewable projects, IPP Programmes and diversify their energy mix to attract as much capital as possible into their banking and clean energy sector. The protagonists of these policies and the alchemist's of such funding including; JBIC, AFD, Renewable Energy Initiative, Africa50, AfDB, DBSA, World Bank, IFC and the governments of South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, as well as ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) and more will gather to promote new projects and share success stories from across the continent in a collaborative format that will showcase only the most relevant and proactive partners. Some of the developers contributing Mustapha Bakkoury, Chief Executive Officer, Masen Badis Derradji , Regional Managing Director, ACWA Power , Regional Managing Director, Amine Homman Ludiye, Regional Manager, Northern Africa, ENGIE Linda Thompson , Head of development, Africa, Mainstream , Head of development, Africa, Christopher Hornor , President and Chief Executive Officer, Powerhive , President and Chief Executive Officer, Richard Avery , Regional Manager, West Africa, eleQtra , Regional Manager, West Africa, Michele Porri , Head of Business Development, ENEL Green Power , Head of Business Development, Nabil Saimi , Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Platinum Power Some of the investors contributing Jiwoo Choi , Head (Acting) , Green Climate Fund , Head (Acting) , Kohei Toyoda , Director of IPP/IWPPs EMEA , Japan Bank for International Cooperation , Director of IPP/IWPPs EMEA Alain Ebobisse, Chief Executive Officer, Africa50 Fabrice Juquois, Head of Energy Projects, TED Division, Department of Sustainable Development , French Development Agency Lucy Chege , General Manager, Energy Unit, Development Bank of Southern Africa , General Manager, Energy Unit, Yasser Charafi , Principal Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation , Principal Investment Officer, Haje Schutte , Head of Division, Development Co-operation Directorate, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development , Head of Division, Development Co-operation Directorate, Ahmed Baroudi , Director General, Societe d'Investissements Energetiques View the full agenda here and confirm your registration online immediately or contact arf@enargynet.co.uk quoting the code ARF_PR2. Contact: Patricia Carbonell, +44(0)7807756401, patricia.carbonell@energynet.co.uk SOURCE EnergyNet ASCHHEIM, Germany, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- N ew feature for mobile wallet app , Orange Cash Allows parents to control the sums of money Wirecard and Orange, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators, are broadening the range of functionalities available for Orange's mobile wallet app 'Orange Cash' in France. The mobile payment solution that is supported by the German payment expert has been extended to the new 'Orange Cash Jeune' offer, which is aimed at young users. The new feature enables the use of mobile payment for teenage kids up to 18 years under their parent's charge. Teens are increasingly using their smartphones and other devices to shop online. They want to use their smartphones for payments in stores - not cash which can be lost. Yet many don't have any bank account or payment card that they can use for those purposes. With Orange Cash Jeune, Wirecard and Orange have developed a solution to address the needs of the younger generation. The concept is simple: to create an account, parents or legal guardians sign up over the web interface of Orange Cash and install the app on their children's smartphones. Via the web interface, parents are in control of the sums of money, which should be charged on the account and get a real-time overview of the expenses. The entire financial administration is managed through the parent's Orange Cash account. "Especially for the younger generation, smartphones play a major role in their everyday life. Rather than using their parents' credit card, teens would like to use their smartphones and other devices to shop online. By adding the Orange Cash Jeune feature to the app we have succeeded in addressing a younger target group in the field of mobile payments. With this solution, teens have their finances firmly in hand at any time," said Susanne Steidl, Executive Vice President Issuing Services at Wirecard. Nicolas Levi, Director Payments and Mobile Financial Services at Orange, stated: "Our drive and innovative spirit helps us to develop the most useful and advanced services for our customers. With Wirecard on our side, we have a strong partner for shaping the future of mobile payments, while reaching out to the younger generation." Wirecard Group is responsible for processing all technical and financial processes related to the payment app and the added Orange Cash Jeune feature: this includes the development of the Orange Cash Jeune app, including the web interface for parents. Furthermore, the issuing and payment processing of the digital prepaid card is powered by Wirecard Card Solutions. Orange Cash combines contactless mobile payments with real-time loyalty and couponing deals from participating retailers through Wirecard's Card-Linked Offers platform. Since 2015, the mobile payment program has already been launched successfully in France and in Spain. About Wirecard: Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on twitter @wirecard. Wirecard Media Contact: Wirecard AG Jana Tilz Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363 E-Mail: jana.tilz@wirecard.com SOURCE Wirecard AG ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced financial results for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2016. Third-quarter worldwide sales of $5.3 billion increased 2.9 percent on a reported basis and 4.0 percent on an operational basis. increased 2.9 percent on a reported basis and 4.0 percent on an operational basis. Reported diluted EPS from continuing operations under GAAP was a $(0.24) loss in the third quarter, primarily due to an adjustment of $(0.66) per share associated with Abbott's equity investment in Mylan to reflect Mylan's share price as of Sept. 30, 2016 . Excluding specified items, adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.59 in the third quarter, at the high end of the previous guidance range. loss in the third quarter, primarily due to an adjustment of per share associated with Abbott's equity investment in Mylan to reflect Mylan's share price as of . Excluding specified items, adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations was in the third quarter, at the high end of the previous guidance range. Abbott adjusted its full-year 2016 EPS guidance for continuing operations under GAAP to $0.59 to $0.61 , and narrowed and raised at the mid-point its full-year 2016 adjusted EPS for continuing operations to $2.19 to $2.21 , exceeding its initial guidance for the year. , and narrowed and raised at the mid-point its full-year 2016 adjusted EPS for continuing operations to , exceeding its initial guidance for the year. In the third quarter, Abbott received U.S. FDA approval for its FreeStyle Libre Pro system, a revolutionary continuous glucose monitoring system for healthcare professionals to use with their patients with diabetes; submitted for U.S. regulatory approval a consumer version of FreeStyle Libre, to be used by people with diabetes to self-monitor glucose levels; received U.S. FDA approval for Absorb TM , the only fully dissolving heart stent; and received U.S. FDA approval for TECNIS Symfony intraocular lenses for the treatment of cataracts, the first and only extended depth of focus lenses for people with cataracts. system, a revolutionary continuous glucose monitoring system for healthcare professionals to use with their patients with diabetes; submitted for U.S. regulatory approval a consumer version of FreeStyle Libre, to be used by people with diabetes to self-monitor glucose levels; received U.S. FDA approval for Absorb , the only fully dissolving heart stent; and received U.S. FDA approval for TECNIS Symfony intraocular lenses for the treatment of cataracts, the first and only extended depth of focus lenses for people with cataracts. On Sept. 16, 2016 , Abbott announced the sale of Abbott Medical Optics, its vision care business, to Johnson & Johnson for $4.325 billion . This transaction aligns with Abbott's shaping of its portfolio, which has recently focused on developing leadership positions in cardiovascular devices and expanding diagnostics. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. "Strong performance in Established Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices led our sales growth this quarter," said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "We're on track to deliver the financial commitments we set at the beginning of the year. We also had several key product launches and continued to take strategic actions to shape our business for long-term growth." THIRD-QUARTER BUSINESS OVERVIEW Following are sales by business segment and commentary for the third quarter and the first nine months of the year: Total Company ($ in millions) % Change vs. 3Q15 Sales 3Q16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total * 1,645 3,657 5,302 4.5 2.2 3.7 2.9 4.0 Nutrition 755 1,000 1,755 3.5 (5.7) (4.1) (2.0) (1.0) Diagnostics 362 851 1,213 4.1 5.3 6.0 5.0 5.4 Established Pharmaceuticals -- 1,012 1,012 n/a 5.3 9.0 5.3 9.0 Medical Devices 519 791 1,310 6.0 6.7 6.1 6.4 6.0 * Total Abbott Sales from continuing operations include Other Sales of $12 million. % Change vs. 9M15 Sales 9M16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total * 4,831 10,689 15,520 3.5 1.3 5.9 2.0 5.2 Nutrition 2,224 2,942 5,166 3.8 (3.0) 1.6 (0.2) 2.5 Diagnostics 1,062 2,495 3,557 3.6 3.9 7.1 3.8 6.1 Established Pharmaceuticals -- 2,880 2,880 n/a 1.6 9.8 1.6 9.8 Medical Devices 1,520 2,359 3,879 2.8 4.1 5.6 3.6 4.5 * Total Abbott Sales from continuing operations include Other Sales of $38 million. n/a = Not Applicable. Note: Operational growth reflects percentage change over the prior year excluding the impact of exchange rates. In order to compute results excluding the impact of exchange rates, current year U.S. dollar sales are multiplied or divided, as appropriate, by the current year average foreign exchange rates and then those amounts are multiplied or divided, as appropriate, by the prior year average foreign exchange rates. Third-quarter 2016 worldwide sales of $5.3 billion increased 2.9 percent on a reported basis, including an unfavorable 1.1 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 4.0 percent on an operational basis. Excluding the impact of Venezuelan operations, sales would have increased 4.5 percent on a reported basis and 5.6 percent on an operational basis. International sales increased 2.2 percent on a reported basis and 3.7 percent on an operational basis in the third quarter. International operational growth was led by strong performance across Established Pharmaceuticals, Diagnostics and Medical Devices. Nutrition ($ in millions) % Change vs. 3Q15 Sales 3Q16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total 755 1,000 1,755 3.5 (5.7) (4.1) (2.0) (1.0) Pediatric 414 553 967 4.3 (9.4) (7.5) (4.0) (2.8) Adult 341 447 788 2.6 (0.8) 0.6 0.6 1.4 % Change vs. 9M15 Sales 9M16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total 2,224 2,942 5,166 3.8 (3.0) 1.6 (0.2) 2.5 Pediatric 1,242 1,664 2,906 5.0 (5.1) (0.7) (1.0) 1.6 Adult 982 1,278 2,260 2.3 (0.1) 4.7 0.9 3.7 Worldwide Nutrition sales decreased 2.0 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 1.0 percent effect of foreign exchange, and decreased 1.0 percent on an operational basis. Worldwide Pediatric Nutrition sales decreased 4.0 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 1.2 percent effect of foreign exchange, and decreased 2.8 percent on an operational basis. During the quarter, Abbott introduced Similac Pro-Advance and Similac Pro-Sensitive, the first infant formulas in the U.S. with a human milk oligosaccharide that offers a unique immune-nourishing prebiotic. International sales declined 9.4 percent on a reported basis and 7.5 percent on an operational basis, driven by challenging market conditions in China, partially offset by continued strong performance in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Worldwide Adult Nutrition sales increased 0.6 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 0.8 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 1.4 percent on an operational basis. Operational sales growth in the quarter was led by growth of Ensure, Abbott's complete and balanced nutrition brand. Diagnostics ($ in millions) % Change vs. 3Q15 Sales 3Q16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total 362 851 1,213 4.1 5.3 6.0 5.0 5.4 Core Laboratory 220 757 977 7.6 5.0 5.7 5.6 6.1 Molecular 42 70 112 (9.6) 5.4 6.3 (0.8) (0.3) Point of Care 100 24 124 3.4 15.6 14.1 5.6 5.3 % Change vs. 9M15 Sales 9M16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total 1,062 2,495 3,557 3.6 3.9 7.1 3.8 6.1 Core Laboratory 616 2,224 2,840 3.4 3.8 7.1 3.7 6.3 Molecular 140 199 339 (3.4) 1.9 5.2 (0.3) 1.5 Point of Care 306 72 378 7.6 13.3 13.6 8.6 8.7 Worldwide Diagnostics sales increased 5.0 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 0.4 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 5.4 percent on an operational basis. During the quarter, Abbott unveiled its new suite of diagnostic instruments, AlinityTM, at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry conference. The Alinity suite includes new instruments for every area of the diagnostics market where Abbott competes and incorporates features deemed important to customers, including increased automation, higher volumes, faster results, smaller size and an improved user interface. Core Laboratory Diagnostics sales increased 5.6 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 0.5 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 6.1 percent on an operational basis. Operational sales growth in the quarter was led by continued share gains in the U.S. and internationally. Molecular Diagnostics sales decreased 0.8 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 0.5 percent effect of foreign exchange, and decreased 0.3 percent on an operational basis. As expected, continued strong growth in Abbott's infectious disease testing business was offset primarily by the planned scale down of its genetics business. Point of Care Diagnostics sales increased 5.6 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including a favorable 0.3 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 5.3 percent on an operational basis. Sales growth was led by continued adoption of Abbott's i-STAT handheld system in the U.S. and international markets. Established Pharmaceuticals ($ in millions) % Change vs. 3Q15 Sales 3Q16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total -- 1,012 1,012 n/a 5.3 9.0 5.3 9.0 Key Emerging Markets -- 747 747 n/a 7.0 12.2 7.0 12.2 Other -- 265 265 n/a 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6 % Change vs. 9M15 Sales 9M16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total -- 2,880 2,880 n/a 1.6 9.8 1.6 9.8 Key Emerging Markets -- 2,135 2,135 n/a 2.7 13.4 2.7 13.4 Other -- 745 745 n/a (1.5) -- (1.5) -- Established Pharmaceuticals sales increased 5.3 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 3.7 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 9.0 percent on an operational basis. Key Emerging Markets include India, Russia, Brazil and China, along with several additional emerging markets that represent the most attractive long-term growth opportunities for Abbott's branded generics product portfolio. Sales in these key geographies increased 7.0 percent on a reported basis and 12.2 percent on an operational basis. Operational sales growth was led by continued strong growth in India, which comprises more than 20 percent of Abbott's Established Pharmaceuticals sales, as well as above-market growth in several countries throughout Latin America driven by commercial initiatives and locally relevant portfolio expansion. Medical Devices ($ in millions) % Change vs. 3Q15 Sales 3Q16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total 519 791 1,310 6.0 6.7 6.1 6.4 6.0 Vascular 305 403 708 9.8 2.0 1.4 5.2 4.9 Diabetes Care 96 210 306 (2.2) 19.1 20.7 11.5 12.5 Medical Optics 118 178 296 3.7 4.8 1.7 4.4 2.5 Vascular Product Lines: Coronary Devicesa) 201 336 537 4.8 -- (0.8) 1.8 1.2 Endovascularb) 76 66 142 4.6 13.7 14.3 8.6 8.9 a) Includes DES / BVS product portfolio, structural heart, guidewires, balloon catheters and other coronary products. b) Includes vessel closure, carotid stents and other peripheral products. % Change vs. 9M15 Sales 9M16 Int'l Total U.S. Int'l Total U.S. Reported Operational Reported Operational Total 1,520 2,359 3,879 2.8 4.1 5.6 3.6 4.5 Vascular 940 1,235 2,175 9.5 0.1 1.8 3.9 4.9 Diabetes Care 238 594 832 (18.6) 12.6 15.7 1.5 3.5 Medical Optics 342 530 872 4.2 4.9 4.6 4.6 4.4 Vascular Product Lines: Coronary Devicesa) 597 1,039 1,636 4.5 (1.5) -- 0.6 1.6 Endovascularb) 226 194 420 7.5 9.0 11.7 8.2 9.4 a) Includes DES / BVS product portfolio, structural heart, guidewires, balloon catheters and other coronary products. b) Includes vessel closure, carotid stents and other peripheral products. Worldwide Medical Devices sales increased 6.4 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including a favorable 0.4 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 6.0 percent on an operational basis. Worldwide sales of Vascular products increased 5.2 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including a favorable 0.3 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 4.9 percent on an operational basis. Sales growth in Vascular products was led by double-digit growth of MitraClip, Abbott's device for the treatment of mitral regurgitation, as Abbott continues to build the market for this first-in-class device. Strong sales growth in Abbott's Endovascular business was driven by vessel closure products and Supera, Abbott's unique stent for the treatment of blockages in the leg. In the quarter, Abbott received U.S. FDA approval for Absorb, the only fully dissolving heart stent. Worldwide Diabetes Care sales increased 11.5 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including an unfavorable 1.0 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 12.5 percent on an operational basis. International sales growth was driven by continued consumer uptake of FreeStyle Libre, Abbott's revolutionary continuous glucose monitoring system that eliminates the need for finger-sticks. In September, Abbott received U.S. FDA approval for the FreeStyle Libre Pro system, which is designed to help healthcare professionals make better, customized treatment decisions for their patients and at a significantly lower cost than other professional continuous glucose monitoring systems. During the quarter, Abbott submitted the consumer version of the FreeStyle Libre system for review by the U.S. FDA. The consumer version of the FreeStyle Libre system is designed to eliminate the need for routine finger-sticks and provides glucose data in a simple format that allows people with diabetes to better self-monitor their glucose levels. Worldwide Medical Optics sales increased 4.4 percent on a reported basis in the third quarter, including a favorable 1.9 percent effect of foreign exchange, and increased 2.5 percent on an operational basis. Operational sales growth was driven by continued market uptake of cataract products in the premium intraocular lens segment. In the quarter, Abbott received U.S. FDA approval and launched its TECNIS Symfony intraocular lenses, the first and only lenses in the U.S. that provide a full range of continuous high-quality vision following cataract surgery. ABBOTT NARROWS ITS FULL-YEAR EARNINGS-PER-SHARE GUIDANCE Abbott is adjusting its projected earnings per share from continuing operations under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to $0.59 to $0.61 for the full year 2016. Abbott forecasts net specified items for the full year 2016 of approximately $1.60 per share. Specified items include intangible amortization expense, the impact of the Venezuelan currency devaluation in the first quarter and an adjustment to the equity investment in Mylan in the third quarter, expenses associated with acquisitions, including bridge facility fees, charges related to cost reduction initiatives and other expenses and the recognition of deferred taxes associated with the pending sale of the Abbott Medical Optics business (AMO), partially offset by the favorable resolution of various tax positions from prior years. Excluding specified items, Abbott is raising the mid-point and narrowing its full-year 2016 guidance range for earnings per share from continuing operations to $2.19 to $2.21, exceeding its initial guidance for the year. ABBOTT DECLARES 371ST QUARTERLY DIVIDEND On Sept. 15, 2016, the board of directors of Abbott declared the company's quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share. Abbott's cash dividend is payable Nov. 15, 2016, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Oct. 14, 2016. Abbott is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks companies that have annually increased their dividend for 25 consecutive years. About Abbott: Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life through the development of products and technologies that span the breadth of healthcare. With a portfolio of leading, science-based offerings in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic pharmaceuticals, Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries and employs approximately 74,000 people. Visit Abbott at www.abbott.com and connect with us on Twitter at @AbbottNews. Abbott will webcast its live third-quarter earnings conference call through its Investor Relations website at www.abbottinvestor.com at 8 a.m. Central time today. An archived edition of the call will be available after 11 a.m. Central time. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements Some statements in this news release may be forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Abbott cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Abbott's operations are discussed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors,'' to our Annual Report on Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2015, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2016, and are incorporated by reference. Abbott undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law. Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings Third Quarter Ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 (in millions, except per share data) (unaudited) 3Q16 3Q15 % Change Net Sales $5,302 $5,150 2.9 Cost of products sold, excluding amortization expense 2,285 2,242 1.9 Amortization of intangible assets 140 151 (7.6) Research and development 352 378 (6.7) Selling, general, and administrative 1,628 1,666 (2.3) Total Operating Cost and Expenses 4,405 4,437 (0.7) Operating earnings 897 713 25.8 Interest expense, net 95 16 n/m 1) Net foreign exchange (gain) loss 9 (14) n/m Other (income) expense, net 972 (3) n/m 2) Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations before taxes (179) 714 n/m Taxes on Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations 178 118 50.4 3) Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations (357) 596 n/m Earnings (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes 28 (32) n/m Gain on Sale of Discontinued Operations, net of taxes -- 16 n/m Net Earnings (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes 28 (16) n/m Net Earnings (Loss) $(329) $580 n/m Net Earnings from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, as described below $883 $821 7.6 4) Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Common Share from: Continuing Operations $(0.24) $0.39 n/m Discontinued Operations 0.02 (0.01) n/m Total $(0.22) $0.38 n/m Diluted Earnings per Common Share from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, as described below $0.59 $0.54 9.3 4) Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding Plus Dilutive Common Stock Options 1,476 1,505 5) NOTES: See tables on page 14 for an explanation of certain non-GAAP financial information. n/m = Percent change is not meaningful. See footnotes on the following page. 1) 2016 Interest expense, net includes amortization expense associated with bridge facility fees. 2) 2016 Other (income) expense, net includes a charge of $947 million related to an adjustment of Abbott's holdings of Mylan N.V. ordinary shares to reflect the share price as of Sept. 30, 2016. 3) 2016 Tax expense on Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations includes the impact of the non-deductible Mylan equity investment adjustment and the recognition of deferred taxes associated with the pending sale of AMO, partially offset by a net tax benefit of approximately $105 million as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from prior years. 4) 2016 Net Earnings from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, excludes net after-tax charges of $1.240 billion, or $0.83 per share, for intangible amortization expense, an adjustment to the equity investment in Mylan, expenses primarily associated with acquisitions, including bridge facility fees, charges related to cost reduction initiatives and other expenses and the recognition of deferred taxes associated with the pending sale of AMO, partially offset by the favorable impact of a net tax benefit as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from prior years. 2015 Net Earnings from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, excludes net after-tax charges of $225 million, or $0.15 per share, for intangible amortization expense, expenses associated with cost reduction initiatives and other expenses related to acquisitions. 5) 2016 Average number of common shares outstanding excludes approximately 6.7 million shares related to dilutive common stock options, which would be antidilutive. Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 (in millions, except per share data) (unaudited) 9M16 9M15 % Change Net Sales $15,520 $15,217 2.0 Cost of products sold, excluding amortization expense 6,712 6,541 2.6 Amortization of intangible assets 429 458 (6.4) Research and development 1,079 1,036 4.2 Selling, general, and administrative 5,063 5,130 (1.3) Total Operating Cost and Expenses 13,283 13,165 0.9 Operating earnings 2,237 2,052 9.0 Interest expense, net 203 49 n/m 1) Net foreign exchange (gain) loss 497 (63) n/m 2) Other (income) expense, net 999 (287) n/m 3) Earnings from Continuing Operations before taxes 538 2,353 (77.1) Taxes on Earnings from Continuing Operations 240 442 (45.7) 4) Earnings from Continuing Operations 298 1,911 (84.4) Earnings (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes 288 (7) n/m Gain on Sale of Discontinued Operations, net of taxes 16 1,752 (99.1) Net Earnings from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes 304 1,745 (82.6) 5) Net Earnings $602 $3,656 (83.5) Net Earnings from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, as described below $2,310 $2,326 (0.7) 6) Diluted Earnings per Common Share from: Continuing Operations $0.20 $1.26 (84.1) Discontinued Operations 0.20 1.15 (82.6) 5) Total $0.40 $2.41 (83.4) Diluted Earnings per Common Share from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, as described below $1.55 $1.53 1.3 6) Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding Plus Dilutive Common Stock Options 1,483 1,509 NOTES: See tables on page 15 for an explanation of certain non-GAAP financial information. n/m = Percent change is not meaningful. See footnotes on the following page. 1) 2016 Interest expense, net includes amortization expense associated with bridge facility fees. 2) 2016 Net foreign exchange (gain) loss includes a loss of $481 million related to the revaluation of Abbott's net monetary assets in Venezuela using the Dicom exchange rate, which is the Venezuelan government's official floating exchange rate. 3) 2016 Other (income) expense, net includes a charge of $947 million related to an adjustment of Abbott's holdings of Mylan N.V. ordinary shares to reflect the share price as of Sept. 30, 2016. 2015 Other (income) expense, net includes a gain on the sale of a portion of Abbott's position in Mylan stock and a decrease in the fair value of contingent consideration related to a business acquisition. 4) 2016 Tax expense on Earnings from Continuing Operations includes the impact of a net tax benefit of approximately $250 million as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from prior years, partially offset by the unfavorable impact of non-deductible foreign exchange losses related to Venezuela and an adjustment to the equity investment in Mylan and the recognition of deferred taxes associated with the pending sale of AMO. 5) 2016 Earnings, net of taxes and Diluted Earnings per Common Share from Discontinued Operations primarily reflect the impact of a net tax benefit of $289 million as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from prior years. 2015 Earnings, net of taxes and Diluted Earnings per Common Share from Discontinued Operations reflect the after-tax gain of $1.752 billion on the sale of the developed markets branded generics pharmaceuticals and animal health businesses to Mylan on Feb. 27, 2015 and Zoetis on Feb. 10, 2015, respectively; the first-quarter financial results from these businesses up to the date of sale; and an unfavorable adjustment to tax expense as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from previous years related to AbbVie operations. 6) 2016 Net Earnings from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, excludes net after-tax charges of $2.012 billion, or $1.35 per share, for intangible amortization expense, the foreign exchange loss related to Venezuela, an adjustment to the equity investment in Mylan, expenses associated with acquisitions, including bridge facility fees, other charges related to cost reduction initiatives and other expenses and the recognition of deferred taxes associated with the pending sale of AMO, partially offset by the favorable impact of a net tax benefit as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from prior years. 2015 Net Earnings from Continuing Operations, excluding Specified Items, excludes net after-tax charges of $415 million, or $0.27 per share, for intangible amortization expense, expenses associated with cost reduction initiatives and other expenses related to acquisitions, partially offset by a gain on the sale of a portion of Abbott's position in Mylan stock and a decrease in the fair value of contingent consideration related to a business acquisition. NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries Non-GAAP Reconciliation of Financial Information From Continuing Operations Third Quarter Ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 (in millions, except per share data) (unaudited) 3Q16 As Reported (GAAP) Specified Items As Adjusted % to Sales Intangible Amortization $140 $(140) -- Gross Margin 2,877 158 $3,035 57.3% R&D 352 (22) 330 6.2% SG&A 1,628 (53) 1,575 29.7% Interest expense, net 95 (70) 25 Net foreign exchange (gain) loss 9 (4) 5 Other (income) expense, net 972 (957) 15 Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations before taxes (179) 1,264 1,085 Taxes on Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations 178 24 202 Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations (357) 1,240 883 Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share from Continuing Operations $(0.24) $0.83 $0.59 Specified items reflect intangible amortization expense of $140 million, an adjustment to the equity investment in Mylan of $947 million, and other expenses of $177 million, primarily associated with acquisitions, including bridge facility fees, charges related to cost reduction initiatives and other expenses and the recognition of approximately $130 million of deferred taxes associated with the pending sale of AMO, partially offset by a net tax benefit of approximately $105 million as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from prior years. 3Q15 As Reported (GAAP) Specified Items As Adjusted % to Sales Intangible Amortization $151 $(151) -- Gross Margin 2,757 206 $2,963 57.5% R&D 378 (59) 319 6.2% SG&A 1,666 (46) 1,620 31.4% Other (income) expense, net (3) 12 9 Earnings from Continuing Operations before taxes 714 299 1,013 Taxes on Earnings from Continuing Operations 118 74 192 Earnings from Continuing Operations 596 225 821 Diluted Earnings per Share from Continuing Operations $0.39 $0.15 $0.54 Specified items reflect intangible amortization expense of $151 million and other expenses of $148 million, primarily associated with cost reduction initiatives and acquisitions. Abbott Laboratories and Subsidiaries Non-GAAP Reconciliation of Financial Information From Continuing Operations Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 (in millions, except per share data) (unaudited) 9M16 As Reported (GAAP) Specified Items As Adjusted % to Sales Intangible Amortization $429 $(429) -- Gross Margin 8,379 500 $8,879 57.2% R&D 1,079 (68) 1,011 6.5% SG&A 5,063 (150) 4,913 31.7% Interest expense, net 203 (139) 64 Net foreign exchange (gain) loss 497 (481) 16 Other (income) expense, net 999 (962) 37 Earnings from Continuing Operations before taxes 538 2,300 2,838 Taxes on Earnings from Continuing Operations 240 288 528 Earnings from Continuing Operations 298 2,012 2,310 Diluted Earnings per Share from Continuing Operations $0.20 $1.35 $1.55 Specified items reflect intangible amortization expense of $429 million, an adjustment to the equity investment in Mylan of $947 million, the impact of the foreign exchange loss in Venezuela of $481 million, and other expenses of $443 million, primarily associated with acquisitions, including bridge facility fees, and charges related to cost reduction initiatives and other expenses and the recognition of approximately $130 million of deferred taxes associated with the pending sale of AMO, partially offset by a net tax benefit of approximately $250 million as a result of the resolution of various tax positions from prior years. 9M15 As Reported (GAAP) Specified Items As Adjusted % to Sales Intangible Amortization $458 $(458) -- Gross Margin 8,218 577 $8,795 57.8% R&D 1,036 (81) 955 6.3% SG&A 5,130 (155) 4,975 32.7% Other (income) expense, net (287) 294 7 Earnings from Continuing Operations before taxes 2,353 519 2,872 Taxes on Earnings from Continuing Operations 442 104 546 Earnings from Continuing Operations 1,911 415 2,326 Diluted Earnings per Share from Continuing Operations $1.26 $0.27 $1.53 Specified items reflect intangible amortization expense of $458 million and other expenses of $348 million, primarily associated with cost reduction initiatives and acquisitions, partially offset by a gain on the sale of a portion of Abbott's position in Mylan stock of $207 million and a decrease in the fair value of contingent consideration related to a business acquisition. RECONCILIATION OF TAX RATE FOR CONTINUING OPERATIONS A reconciliation of the third-quarter tax rates for continuing operations for 2016 and 2015 is shown below: 3Q16 ($ in millions) Pre-Tax Income Taxes on Earnings Tax Rate As reported (GAAP) $(179) $178 (99.5%) Specified items 1,264 24 Excluding specified items $1,085 $202 18.6% 3Q15 ($ in millions) Pre-Tax Income Taxes on Earnings Tax Rate As reported (GAAP) $714 $118 16.6% Specified items 299 74 Excluding specified items $1,013 $192 19.0% A reconciliation of the year-to-date tax rates for continuing operations for 2016 and 2015 is shown below: 9M16 ($ in millions) Pre-Tax Income Taxes on Earnings Tax Rate As reported (GAAP) $538 $240 44.5% Specified items 2,300 288 Excluding specified items $2,838 $528 18.6% 9M15 ($ in millions) Pre-Tax Income Taxes on Earnings Tax Rate As reported (GAAP) $2,353 $442 18.8% Specified items 519 104 Excluding specified items $2,872 $546 19.0% Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150928/271488LOGO SOURCE Abbott Related Links http://www.abbott.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Task Force on Harassment and Journalism today released a report detailing a troubling, year-long rise in anti-Semitic hate targeting journalists on Twitter, with data showing that the harassment has been driven by rhetoric in the 2016 presidential campaign and identifying some of the groups and individuals responsible. ADL formed the Task Force in June 2016 in response to a disturbing upswing in online, anti-Semitic abuse of reporters. Task force advisors include working journalists, deans from two of the top journalism schools in the country, and experts on hate speech. The report, the first of its kind, presents findings based on a broad set of keywords (and keyword combinations) designed by ADL to capture anti-Semitic language on social media. Using this metric, a total of 2.6 million tweets containing language frequently found in anti-Semitic speech were posted across Twitter between August 2015 and July 2016. Those tweets had an estimated 10 billion impressions (reach), which ADL believes contributed to reinforcing and normalizing anti-Semitic language particularly racial slurs and anti-Israel statements -- on a massive scale. There was a significant uptick in anti-Semitic tweets from January 2016 to July 2016 as coverage of the presidential campaign intensified. Of the 2.6 million total tweets, ADL focused its analysis on tweets directed at 50,000 journalists in the United States. A total of 19,253 anti-Semitic tweets were directed at those journalists, but the total number of anti-Semitic tweets directed at journalists overall could be much higher for a variety of factors noted in the report. The report also shows that more than two-thirds (68 percent) of the anti-Semitic tweets directed at those journalists were sent by 1,600 Twitter accounts (out of 313 million existing Twitter accounts). These aggressors are disproportionately likely to self-identify as Donald Trump supporters, conservatives, or part of the "alt-right," a loosely connected group of extremists, some of whom are white supremacists. The words that appear most frequently in the 1,600 Twitter attackers' bios are "Trump," "nationalist," "conservative," and "white." To be clear: this does not imply that the Trump campaign supported or endorsed the anti-Semitic tweets, only that certain self-styled supporters sent these ugly messages. The data also illustrates the connectedness of the attackers: waves of anti-Semitic tweets tend to emerged from closely connected online "communities." The ADL Task Force study shows that a small cohort of journalists bore the brunt of the online abuse. The Task Force identified that some 19,253 overtly anti-Semitic tweets were sent to at least 800 journalists in the U.S. during the 12 month study. The top 10 most targeted journalists all of whom are Jewish received 83 percent of those 19,253 tweets. The top 10 includes conservative columnist Ben Shapiro, Tablet's Yair Rosenberg, the Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg and The New York Times' Jonathan Weisman, and CNN's Sally Kohn and Jake Tapper. According to the data analysis, Twitter deactivated 21 percent of the accounts responsible for the tweets aimed at journalists. The other offending accounts remain active, and ADL will be providing a list of those accounts to Twitter. ADL's Center on Extremism continues to monitor harassment Twitter and is encouraging journalists to report hateful tweets using the hashtag: #exposethehate. "The spike in hate we've seen online this election cycle is extremely troubling and unlike anything we have seen in modern politics. A half century ago, the KKK burned crosses. Today, extremists are burning up Twitter" said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. "We are concerned about the impact of this hate on the ability of journalists to do their job and on free speech, which is why we established this Task Force. We hope this report hastens efforts to combat the surge of hate on social media. We look forward to working with Twitter, media companies, and other online platforms to limit hate and harassment and preserve freedom of speech." While there has been a significant increase in anti-Semitic behavior since the start of the election season and spikes in activity around key campaign events, ADL's analysis did not distinguish between anti-Semitic tweets directly motivated by campaign activity and those that may be independent of it. ADL has been able to identify individuals and websites in the white supremacist world that have played a role in encouraging these attacks. While much of the online harassment of journalists was at the hands of anonymous trolls, ADL has identified two of the neo-Nazis responsible for some of the attacks. They are Andrew Anglin, founder of the popular white supremacist web site "The Daily Stormer" and Lee Rogers of Infostormer (formerly "The Daily Slave"). While both are banned from Twitter, they have encouraged their followers to tweet anti-Semitic language and memes at Jewish journalists. ADL published its first report on cyberhate in 1985. Since then, ADL has been an international leader in tracking, exposing, and responding to hate on the internet. The organization's team of experts analysts, investigators, researchers and linguists use cutting-edge technology to monitor, track, and disrupt extremists and terrorists worldwide. ADL was one of the first groups to detail terrorists' use of Twitter for recruiting, and ADL coordinates closely with U.S. law enforcement, warning it about online hate activities and trends in real time to help stop their spread and prevent harm to communities. In 2014, ADL in consultation with Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, and YouTube created best practices to counter online hate that have become a template for responsibility and a centerpiece for coordination between the industry and community. And in 2016, ADL's Center on Extremism added the (((echo symbol))) and Pepe the Frog meme to its online hate symbols database. The advisors to the ADL Task Force on Harassment and Journalism are: Danielle Citron, Professor of Law at the University of Maryland; Steve Coll, Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Todd Gitlin, Professor and Chair, Ph.D. Program, Columbia Journalism School; Brad Hamm, Dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University; Shawn Henry, retired Executive Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bethany Mandel, columnist at the Jewish Daily Forward and New York Post; Jay Michaelson, columnist at The Daily Beast and Contributing Editor at the Forward; Leon Wieseltier, Contributing Editor at The Atlantic and Isaiah Berlin Senior Fellow in Culture and Policy at The Brookings Institution. As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, ADL takes no position on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for office. The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry. Follow us on Twitter: @ADL_News SOURCE Anti-Defamation League Related Links http://www.adl.org MIAMI, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A+E Networks Latin America accomplished an unusual and highly anticipated presentation of its Upfront 2017 from October 6th through 11th at the Hotel Paradisus in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, using an innovative concept communicated by the artificial intelligence figure, ALEXIA. ALEXIA is an application, acting as an element for integration, promotion and communication between all those attending the convention, which included an intense schedule of activations with brand presence flooding all zones of the host hotel, from the convention center to its beaches. ALEXIA connects participants with the total Upfront 2017 experience, with the schedule, activities and one on one interaction featuring all the elements and characteristics of social media. During the presentations, it was emphasized that A+E Networks Latin America is a User Centric Company, geared towards satisfying and entertaining its internal and external users, while its main competitive advantage lies in the emotional connection that it establishes with its users through its content and brand experiences. The presentation was led by Eddy Ruiz (President and General Manager), Daniela Martinez (SVP Corporate and Strategy Research) and Cesar Sabroso (SVP Affiliate, PR and Corporate Marketing). Eddy Ruiz highlighted the role performed by the social responsibility Una Idea Para Cambiar la Historia (History) and Valora Tu Tiempo ('Value Your Time') (Lifetime), in the corporation's priorities. He went on to emphasize the creativity of the pieces made by the UCS (User Creative Solutions) department, which creates customized solutions for advertisers' needs. Daniela Martinez, for her part, noted that nowadays people no longer buy only in accordance with the characteristics of traditional demographic audiences, but one must also stress the role played by emotional triggers, as she demonstrated in the study, User Intelligence Beyond Demographics, where she highlights seven psychographic segments with different consumption habits, behaviors and tendencies. Cesar Sabroso presented the highlights and novelties of programming together with A&E talent: Drew Manning from Fit2Fat2Fit Eoin Macken, Jill Flint and Brendan Fehr from The Night Shift, HISTORY: Juan Pablo Raba and Nadine Velazquez from Six, LIFETIME: Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Kim Matula, Meagan Tandy from UnReal and H2: Scott Wolter from America Unearthed. The Upfront 2017 presentation by A+E Networks Latin America included the presentation of a panel of experts, "TV Think Next," lead and moderated by Eddy Ruiz. The panel featured the participation of Ricardo Ferraris (CEO of Omnicom Media Group), Fernando Honeski (Director and Scriptwriter of Honesko), Antonio Wanderley (COO of Katar IBOPE). The presentation also incorporated Jason Wiesse VP of VAB, as a Key Note Speaker. In the convention center, participants were able to experience "A+E Studios", including a master control, a dubbing booth where clients could dub their favorite series, a surprising virtual reality experience through which one could experience the inside of a prison in the best style of A&E's 60 Days In, an education and prevention activation on breast cancer through texturized walls that enable us to learn about breast cancer prevention through the LIFETIME initiative, Valora Tu Tiempo ('Value Your Time'), a race car simulator for HISTORY's Boy Toys, together with the opportunity to get your picture taken with the stars of your favorite series in the A+E Networks Latin America portfolio. At the same time, the USC (User Creative Solutions) team demonstrated its creativity and rapid response capacity by generating immediate content throughout the duration of the convention. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429885LOGO SOURCE A+E Networks Latin America LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced the signing of an agreement for the supply of multiple industrial gases to Chemours Company FC, LLC. Air Products will build, own and operate an air separation unit (ASU) in New Johnsonville, Tennessee to produce oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, and will also supply Chemours with compressed dry air and breathing air for its established titanium dioxide (TiO2) production facility. The new Air Products plant is to be onstream in the fall of 2018. "This is a great build on our existing relationship with titanium dioxide market-leader Chemours, maker of Ti-Pure brand titanium dioxide. We are very pleased to be producing and supplying industrial gases in New Johnsonville. This opportunity presents Air Products with an attractive geographic location in the southeastern United States (U.S.) where we can continue to build density and reliably supply our customers with industrial gases," said Marie Ffolkes, President, Americas Industrial Gases at Air Products. In addition, Air Products' production of liquid argon at New Johnsonville provides a location closer to merchant customer end markets in the north and central U.S. "The additional source of liquid argon coming from this new facility complements our existing supply capabilities in the Gulf Coast. The Tennessee location will assist Air Products in meeting expected growth in the argon market in northern and central regions," said Ffolkes. Air Products currently owns and operates over 300 air separation plants in over 40 countries worldwide serving varied customer applications. In addition to its plants, the company has sold, designed, and built more than 2,000 air separation plants globally. Air Products' cryogenic offerings span from plants with a capability of 50 tons per day (TPD), to single train facilities with oxygen production capacities beyond 4,000 TPD. About Air Products Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading Industrial Gases company celebrating 75 years of operation. The company's core Industrial Gases business provides atmospheric and process gases and related equipment to manufacturing markets, including refining and petrochemical, metals, electronics, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the world's leading supplier of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment. The company's Performance Materials Division serves the polyurethanes, cleaning and coatings, and adhesives industries. The company had fiscal 2015 sales of $9.9 billion and has a current market capitalization of approximately $30 billion. Approximately 17,000 employees in 50 countries strive to make Air Products the world's safest and best performing Industrial Gases company, providing sustainable offerings and excellent service to all customers. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com. NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2015. SOURCE Air Products Related Links http://www.airproducts.com DETROIT, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ally today announced that it has placed Ally Lucky Pennies that could be worth $1,000 each in 10 cities around the country. The initiative seeks to demonstrate the importance of valuing every cent, while encouraging Americans to look for opportunities to save. The multi-city search invites people in these cities to be on the lookout for the 100 Ally Lucky Pennies, each of which is redeemable for $1,000. Beginning today, people in Austin, Texas, Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Diego and Washington, D.C. can try to find the Ally Lucky Pennies in their cities. When found, Ally Lucky Pennies can be redeemed online from Oct.18 through Dec. 31, 2016 at AllyLuckyPenny.com. Finders can enter the redemption code located on the back of the Ally Lucky Penny on the site to begin verification as a potential prize winner. Clues to Ally Lucky Penny locations and updates on those already found will be provided on social media throughout the campaign. "Ally's Lucky Penny initiative is a great example of how we Do It Right for consumers by inviting them to be a part of the search, thus raising awareness and creating opportunities for new conversations about money," said Andrea Riley, chief marketing officer. "We hope that people will have fun searching for Ally Lucky Pennies in their cities and that the campaign will inspire people to look at money in a different way." Ally interviewed passersby in some of the 10 participating markets and asked for their thoughts about picking up pennies off the street. The response was overwhelmingly one-sided. Ally Lucky Penny aims to influence perception around the value of a penny and cause consumers to think twice about leaving any money uncollected. The Ally Lucky Pennies placed in participating cities are slightly larger than a regular penny, with the Ally logo on the front and the number 100,000 on the back, signifying how many cents the Ally Lucky Penny could be worth. "We believe every penny counts when it comes to saving, and it's important for everyone to understand that routinely saving, even the smallest amounts, is important to generating wealth over time," said Diane Morais, chief executive officer and president of the Ally Bank subsidiary. "As a relentless financial ally for our customers, we focus on offering customers competitive rates and minimal fees as a way to help their money work harder and incentivize good savings habits." To learn more about Ally Lucky Penny, and for clues and updates on the Ally Lucky Pennies and their locations, visit AllyLuckyPenny.com and follow the hashtag #AllyLuckyPenny on Twitter and Facebook. About Ally Financial Inc. Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a leading digital financial services company and a top 25 U.S. financial holding company offering financial products for consumers, businesses, automotive dealers and corporate clients. Ally's legacy dates back to 1919, and the company was redesigned in 2009 with a distinctive brand, innovative approach and relentless focus on its customers. Ally has an award-winning online bank (Ally Bank Member FDIC), one of the largest full service auto finance operations in the country, a complementary auto-focused insurance business, a growing digital wealth management and online brokerage platform, and a trusted corporate finance business offering capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies. The company had approximately $157.9 billion in assets as of June 30, 2016. For more information, visit the Ally press room at http://media.ally.com or follow Ally on Twitter: @AllyFinancial. Media contact: Desiree Chavis 646-781-2544 [email protected] SOURCE Ally Financial SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and healthcare IT public relations and marketing agency, announced today that it is expanding its operations to Boston to better serve its growing roster of East Coast clients. The Arizona-based company, with staff in Silicon Valley and in Chicago, is pleased to establish a presence in the key healthcare and health IT hub of Boston. Boston operations will be led by Director of Marketing and Public Relations Heather Caouette, an accomplished public relations leader who most recently spent 10 years with the Westborough, MA-based electronic health records vendor eClinicalWorks. While at eClinicalWorks, Caouette was responsible for the development and execution of the company's global PR and marketing activities, which helped grow the company from 250 to 5,000 employees and included marketing, PR, events, social media, digital marketing, branding and messaging. She also assisted a variety of technology innovators, from start-ups to industry leaders, in meeting their public relations goals while with Schwartz Communications. Her work has received multiple Publicity Club of New England's Bell Ringer Awards and she has been recognized as one of PRSourceCode's 'Top Tech Communicators.' Caouette holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Boston University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Bentley University. At Amendola, she manages key client accounts, constructing and executing integrated marketing and public relations campaigns that align with key business objectives. Caouette is joined by Senior Writer Julie Donnelly, an award-winning former journalist who spent more than five years as the healthcare reporter for the Boston Business Journal. She has won an Edward R. Murrow Award and has been honored by the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors. Donnelly holds a B.A. in Political Science from Macalester College and an M.A. in International Journalism from City University in London, U.K. She currently provides custom content to healthcare and HIT clients including blogs, contributed articles, white papers, website copy, news releases and executive speeches. "Boston is, without a doubt, one of the most important healthcare clusters in the country, so we need to be here," said Jodi Amendola, CEO and founder. "As we build our roster of clients along the East Coast, we're pleased to offer PR and content marketing pros that can quickly respond to client needs across all U.S. time zones." To download a headshot of Heather Caouette, click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/30327996951/in/dateposted-public/ To download a headshot of Julie Donnelly, click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/29782681444/in/dateposted-public/ Tweet this: eClinicalWorks' Heather Caouette & Boston Business Journal healthcare reporter Julie Donnelley join @AmendolaComm http://bit.ly/2aLriaQ About Amendola Communications Amendola Communications is an award-winning national public relations, marketing communications, social media and content marketing firm. Named one of the best information technology (IT) PR firms in the nation four times by PRSourceCode, Amendola represents some of the best-known brands and groundbreaking startups in the healthcare and HIT industries. Amendola's seasoned team of PR and marketing pros delivers strategic guidance and effective solutions to help organizations boost their reputation and drive market share. For more information about the PR industry's "A Team," visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow Amendola on Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Contact: Jodi Amendola Amendola Communications (480) 664-8412 ext. 11 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140404/MM99055LOGO SOURCE Amendola Communications BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- American Family Care (AFC), the nation's leading provider of urgent care, accessible primary care, and occupational medicine, announced today it will once again undertake a national campaign to promote flu prevention in the United States. Central to the effort is the company's reprise of its highly successful National Flu Prevention Week, from October 24 to October 30. During this time, flu vaccinations will be offered at little or no cost to new and existing patients visiting AFC clinics. The World Health Organization estimates that influenza is responsible for between 250,000 and 500,000 deaths globally every year. However, in the wake of AFC's efforts to promote flu shots and reduce the spread of influenza in the workplace during the 20152016 season, overall influenza activity in the U.S. was only moderate, with a lower percentage of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness, lower hospitalization rates, and a lower percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza, compared with the preceding three seasons, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical experts agree that the key to replicating last year's moderate flu season is vaccination. "With more than 160 medical centers in 26 states seeing more than 2 million patients a year, AFC deals with the flu as much or more than any other health care provider outside of the federal government, so we understand the impact it can have on people and their families," said Dr. Jeremy Allen, of American Family Care. "As one of the leading providers of occupational medicine in the U.S., we also understand the effect the flu has on businesses and the economy overall." Flu Prevention Help for Employers AFC's National Flu Prevention Week has been designed to provide individuals and businesses with guidance beyond the need to be vaccinated. In addition to providing low-cost or no-cost flu shots at their clinics, AFC has also established guidelines for employers to mitigate the risk of flu in the workplace. Indeed, according to researchers at the CDC, the annual direct costs hospitalization, doctors' office visits, medications, etc. of influenza in the U.S. are estimated at $4.6 billion. Additionally, up to 111 million workdays are lost because of influenza at an estimated cost of $7 billion per year in sick days and lost productivity. "The flu takes a devastating toll on our nation's workforce," says Allen. "Employers should make sure they give workers time to go get their flu vaccination and step up the cleaning and disinfecting of their facilities to keep the workplace as germ-free as possible." Flu Prevention Hotline Established To assist in deploying flu prevention measures in the workplace, AFC has established a hotline specifically for employers interested in curtailing the spread of colds and flu in the weeks and months ahead. Employers seeking help may call (205) 271-5037 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central time. While supplies last, AFC is also making available workplace readiness kits, which contain items essential to reducing the spread of the influenza virus. These kits include: Paper towels Recent studies show 12 percent of surfaces that looked clean were heavily contaminated, mainly because sponges and cleaning cloths were full of bacteria from a previous wipe-up. Discarding sponges and using paper towels can help keep surfaces germ-free. Clorox Healthcare Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfectant Spray Especially during the cold and flu season, cleaning crews should use this spray to treat doorknobs, handles, light switches, phones, computer mousses, railings, elevator buttons and escalator rails. Viruses can live up to 48 hours on plastic and stainless steel surfaces. Hand sanitizer Studies find that microbes can be transferred from workers' hands to keyboards, phones and desks. This means that these surfaces may harbor 400 times more germs than the average toilet seat because they're rarely cleaned. Pens galore Employees should have their own stockpile of pens they don't share with colleagues. Pens carry a ton of germs that are easily transferred when shared. Hand sanitizer wipes Employees should have a pack on their desks, whether to clean their hands or public surfaces. Flu Prevention Checklist Lastly, in addition to the items contained the kit, AFC has also developed a flu prevention checklist for distribution to individual employees so they can be more knowledgeable themselves. One Nation. Free From Flu. To aid their effort, AFC has adopted the slogan, "One Nation. Free from Flu", which will be used across multiple marketing channels to communicate the company's goal for the inaugural year of the campaign. "Given the cost of influenza in human lives and economic impact, governments and health care organizations across the globe need to do a better job to mitigate its toll," said William L. Koleszar, Chief Marketing Officer of American Family Care. "As an industry leader, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to make a difference from educating the public, to consulting with employers, and beyond. We believe it's simply the right thing to do." For more information on National Flu Prevention Week and how to obtain flu vaccinations at little or no cost at participating AFC clinics, visit www.NationalFluPreventionWeek.com. About American Family Care: Starting with a single location in 1982, American Family Care has pioneered the concept of non-emergency room urgent care. With its 2013 acquisition of the Doctors Express franchise, AFC has become the nation's leading provider of urgent care, accessible primary care, and occupational medicine, with more than 160 clinics and 500 in-network physicians caring for 2 million patients a year. Ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S., AFC's stated mission is to provide the best health care possible, in a kind and caring environment, while respecting the rights of all patients, in an economical manner, at times and locations convenient to the patient. For more information, visit www.americanfamilycare.com. MEDIA CONTACTS: Nancy Bostrom [email protected] 919-459-8163 Sue Yannello [email protected] 919-459-8162 SOURCE American Family Care Related Links http://www.americanfamilycare.com Dr. Schoenberg will speak in a plenary session on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 10 am PT called "Reimagining the Hospital" alongside Dr. Eric Topol of Scripps Research Institute and Dr. Randall Moore of Mercy Virtual. Ido will discuss how telemedicine addresses the full care continuum as well as opportunities for virtual care outside the U.S. American Well executives will also present at the following premier industry events, through November 2016: Partners Connected Health Symposium Dates: Oct. 20-21 Location: Boston Details: Dr. Roy Schoenberg, Co-founder and CEO, will speak on a panel on direct-to-consumer telehealth on Friday, Oct. 21 at 8:50 am ET. Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit Dates: Oct. 24-26 Location: Cleveland Details: Dr. Roy Schoenberg will speak on a panel on the age of telemedicine on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 3:35 pm ET. The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) of MA Fall Conference Date: Nov. 3 Location: Needham, MA Details: Dr. Peter Antall, Chief Medical Officer, will deliver a 'TED' style presentation on how American Well is helping address gaps in care through technology, beginning at 8:30 am ET. Becker's Healthcare CEO & CFO Roundtable Dates: Nov. 7-9 Location: Chicago Details: Katie Ruigh, SVP, Product, will speak on a panel on the evolution of wearable technology on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 10 am CT. Dr. Peter Antall will also speak on a panel on physician engagement strategies on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 4:05 pm CT. Xconomy: What's Hot in Boston Health Tech Date: Nov. 17 Location: Boston Details: Dr. Roy Schoenberg will deliver a presentation on the future of virtual care, and touch on the Exchange, American Well's newest enterprise telehealth service that allows healthcare organizations to redistribute services with one another online. For more information on American Well, please visit: www.americanwell.com. For executive speaking inquiries, please email our events team: [email protected]. About American Well American Well transforms healthcare delivery through telehealth. We make online doctor visits accessible to everyone for one-off care issues like colds or infections, and chronic condition management, such as diabetes or depression. We deliver healthcare into people's homes and workplaces through our work with top health plans, health systems and employers, as well as our telehealth app, Amwell. A patient using Amwell can connect to a board-certified doctor of their choosing in just minutes for a visit carried out over smartphone, tablet, kiosk, phone, or desktop. American Well and Amwell are registered trademarks or trademarks of American Well Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. For more information on our services, visit www.americanwell.com. To download Amwell and have a doctor visit now, visit www.amwell.com. Media Contact: Amanda Guisbond [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429766 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150429/212541LOGO SOURCE American Well Related Links http://www.americanwell.com NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Americas coating additives market is expected to reach USD 2.35 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The American architectural industry has witnessed significant growth in the past few years and is expected to continue in the near future. The automobile industry is also anticipated to join the league with comparatively less influence on product demand over the next eight years. Industries including the oil and gas, marine, industrial processing, and wood & furniture in the region are also expected to add to the market value in the near future. Waterborne additives had the highest market penetration while accounting for over 49% of the total demand in 2015. Increasing infrastructure spending, particularly in the residential & commercial sectors is anticipated to steer product demand over the next few years. The favorable regulatory scenario in the region coupled with shifting consumer preference towards low-VOC content in paints and coatings may be attributed to the high growth in the segment. Further key findings from the report suggest: The Americas coating additives market demand was 348.6 kilo tons in 2015 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2016 to 2024 to reach a net volume exceeding 480 kilo tons by 2024 Waterborne flow additives are expected to account for over 17% of the regional revenue by 2024. Growing demand for easy flow and leveling over wooden and plastic surfaces is anticipated to drive the segment growth over the next eight years. Solventborne defoaming agents demand in Brazil is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 3% over the forecast period. Increasing demand for deaerating automotive, industrial, wood, and furniture coatings is expected steer product demand over the next few years. Matting agents demand in Canada was 1.46 kilo tons in 2015. Surging demand for gloss effect and enhanced durability of decorative applications is expected to enhance product consumption in the region. Product demand for architecture segment in Mexico is expected to generate revenue exceeding USD 80 million by 2024. Collaborations with various designers from Brazil, Italy, and the UK for developing creative infrastructure models for residential and commercial sectors, which in turn, is anticipated to drive market growth in the region. The Americas coating additives market comprises a large number of integrated companies having immense experience in the industry and large client base globally. Some of the leading players include AkzoNobel NV, Ashland, Elementis Plc, The Lubrizol Corporation, The Eastman Chemical Company, and BYK-Chemie GmbH. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04230394-summary/view-report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- How should women network in a male-dominated business world? How do successful women maintain a work-life balance? Are business cards a thing of the past? On October 13, Americas Society/Council of the Americas (AS/COA) assembled a group of successful executives and entrepreneurs, along with an audience of female young professionals, for its Fifth Annual Women's Hemispheric Network Conference in NYC a half-day forum crammed with personal stories, advice, inspiration, and networking opportunities to help women from throughout the Americas reach leadership positions. "As I look around the world and as I travel around Latin America, I see how important this network is, and how important it is that we inspire young women to participate in the workforce and to stay in the workforce," said AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal. Under the slogan "Lead to Inspire, Inspire to Lead," speakers at the conference welcomed over 120 participants and challenged them to take risks in their careers, whether as part of the corporate world, in public service, or at the helm of their own businesses. "You cannot wait to be offered a political role or a political place in your organization or in your life. You must take it," said Telefonica Director of Public Affairs Global Strategy and Spain's former Minister of Foreign Affairs Trinidad Jimenez, in her keynote remarks. At a panel moderated by CNNE anchor Gabriela Frias, women entrepreneurs shared their experiences and their personal strategies to cope with failure. "I'm going to allow myself one minute, two at the most to say I'm throwing in the towel," said La Newyorkina founder Fany Gerson, recalling a challenging episode. The conversation included Beleza Natural founder and CEO Leila Velez and LOVILL Latamlex Founding Partner Cristina Lopez. MSNBC anchor Richard Lui moderated a panel on building a brand and creating quality work relationships. "Nobody knows about your hard work unless you tell them," Bloomberg's Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion Erika Irish Brown said. "People need to know your story." Head of Latin America at Pfizer Innovative Health Om Arora and EVP of Global Distribution at HBO Bernadette Aulestia completed the panel. In a panel moderated by HSBC Co-Head of Global Banking for Latin America Katia Bouazza, four of HSBC's female bankers discussed how women can take advantage of professional connections. Participants also included Head of Security Services for the Americas Alexis Meissner, Chief Operating Officer for Global Market Businesses Suzy White, and Relationship Manager for Institutional Clients Courtney Wright. AS/COA Women's Hemispheric Network launched in October 2012 as a workshop in NYC bringing together more than 100 women along with then-UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet and First Lady of Mexico Margarita Zavala, who served as keynote speakers. Since then, it has held events in Bogota, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Miami, Lima, Panama City, Santiago, and Sao Paulo. Learn more: View videos of our Conference. Check out our 2016 events. Get updates via our portal. More information: [email protected] . . Press: AS/COA Media Relations | [email protected] | 212-277-8384 | 212-277-8333. AS/COA Women's Hemispheric Network is sponsored by HSBC. Americas Society (AS) is the premier organization dedicated to education, debate and dialogue in the Americas. Established by David Rockefeller in 1965, our mission is to foster an understanding of the contemporary political, social and economic issues confronting Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, and to increase public awareness and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of the Americas and the importance of the inter-American relationship. Council of the Americas (COA) is the premier international business organization whose members share a common commitment to economic and social development, open markets, the rule of law, and democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere. SOURCE Council of the Americas SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Antenna, an award-winning public relations agency focused on energy and smart technology companies, today announced the addition of 10 new companies to its client portfolio ranging in size from start-ups to global organizations. New clients span the agency's Energy + Sustainability and Smart Life practices with an emphasis on breakthrough technologies transforming industries such as Internet of Things (IoT), solar power, smart home and autonomous vehicles. "Antenna has a twenty-year tradition of working with companies tackling front-page issues around energy, sustainability and technology that will have a profound impact on our future," said Matt Stewart, vice president at Antenna. "As interest in these cutting-edge technologies continues to soar, innovative companies need a communications partner as flexible and creative as they are. Antenna's unparalleled communications pedigree is an ideal match for entrepreneurial companies seeking breakout velocity in these arenas." Antenna's client roster now features these innovative companies: Alta Energy , a renewable energy navigator that empowers enterprises to make smarter energy decisions, guided by expert analysis, strategy formation and project execution. , a renewable energy navigator that empowers enterprises to make smarter energy decisions, guided by expert analysis, strategy formation and project execution. Blue Pillar , the only IoT solution to unite all Energy Things onto a single platform, unleashing the power of real-time data to strengthen critical infrastructure and accelerate business. , the only IoT solution to unite all Energy Things onto a single platform, unleashing the power of real-time data to strengthen critical infrastructure and accelerate business. Civil Maps , a groundbreaking 3D mapping startup at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology that recently secured $6.6 million in funding, including backing from Ford Motor Company. a groundbreaking 3D mapping startup at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology that recently secured in funding, including backing from Ford Motor Company. Divergent 3D , a technology company that licenses a software-hardware platform enabled by 3D metal printing that radically transforms auto manufacturing economics and environmental impact. , a technology company that licenses a software-hardware platform enabled by 3D metal printing that radically transforms auto manufacturing economics and environmental impact. Edisun Microgrids , developer of the PV Booster TM rooftop solar tracker that increases the economics of traditional commercial and industrial photovoltaic (PV) solar systems by 20 percent. , developer of the PV Booster rooftop solar tracker that increases the economics of traditional commercial and industrial photovoltaic (PV) solar systems by 20 percent. Motus Ventures , a venture capital fund focusing on the intersection of transportation, smart infrastructure and the IoT. , a venture capital fund focusing on the intersection of transportation, smart infrastructure and the IoT. mPrest , a command-and-control software provider for utilities and IoT, which currently powers Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. , a command-and-control software provider for utilities and IoT, which currently powers Iron Dome missile defense system. RayVio , an advanced health and hygiene company that delivers clean water and environments through ultraviolet LED technology. , an advanced health and hygiene company that delivers clean water and environments through ultraviolet LED technology. TransLoc , a transportation technology company that works with more than 140 transit providers to deliver seamless mobility for all through elegant software. , a transportation technology company that works with more than 140 transit providers to deliver seamless mobility for all through elegant software. Zen Ecosystems, an energy management provider focused on the small and medium commercial market. Antenna has earned wide recognition from the communications industry over the past year. Earlier this year, the agency won the Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation from the Public Relations Society of America in the consumer services category for its work with Doorman, an on-demand package delivery app. The company was also named a finalist for 2016 SABRE Awards North America for the initiative "Introducing the Next Big Solar Market: The Oil Industry" for GlassPoint Solar. Last year, Antenna vice president Kimberly Setliff was honored as a PR News Rising PR Star 30 & Under for 2015. "Antenna's success is a testament to our amazing team members, who bring an unrivaled level of passion and curiosity to everything they do," said Setliff. "We are rapidly expanding across three offices to support our sustained growth and look forward to adding new 'Ants' to the family." Antenna is hiring at all levels. Dynamic communications professionals interested in joining the team in San Francisco, New York or New Jersey are encouraged to apply. About Antenna Antenna is a public relations agency focused on energy and sustainability, Smart Life technology and life sciences. By harnessing the power of traditional and digital media platforms, Antenna helps innovative companies achieve breakout velocity. Comprehensive capabilities range from strategic messaging and media relations to content development and social media. Learn more at antennagroup.com. SOURCE Antenna Related Links http://antennagroup.com HONOLULU, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ArcSling LLC is proud to introduce its Motion Converter, designed to enable an alternative energy powered un-tethering from the grid. The pendulum powered Motion Converter produces electricity by harvesting kinetic energy resulting from the rocking and swinging motions that occur in our everyday lives. The unit can also be pushed or pulled to generate electricity manually. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429803 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429804 Equipped with not only two 5V USB ports but also with a 12V port for added versatility, the unit can be used to charge cell phones, tablets and most GPS and Bluetooth devices. The ArcSling Motion Converter can also be used for charging external battery power packs to store energy for later use. The Motion Converter efficiently produces power in remote areas, unlike solar and wind energy converters that are at a disadvantage because of the intermittent nature of their energy sources. Different from large-scale wave energy converters, ArcSling's device promotes distributed energy generation and storage that does not rely on pricey utility companies. There is no need for the large invasive infrastructure associated with environmentally-harmful industrial-scale wave energy converters. ArcSling has produced a video available on http://arcsling.com/, highlighting their revolutionary technologies. ArcSling's founder Clyde Igarashi explains, "ArcSling's technologies harness the naturally-occurring kinetic energy that's surrounds us. They have the potential to be vital to the globe as the world searches for cleaner energy solutions. The Motion Converter is the first stage of ArcSling's plans. Powering smaller devices represent great possibilities and opportunities. Our ultimate goal for this technology is to be able to replace or augment batteries used in today's mobile devices with smaller, longer-lasting and more efficient technology. Energy will be "harvested" from the environment, wasting fewer natural resources." ArcSling is also working with partners to scale up their technologies for bigger devices. Primarily because of low conversion efficiencies, there is no standard technology for wave energy conversion at the present time. The company hopes to remedy this situation and looks forward to further developing technologies that harness movements which occur all around us. ArcSling is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to promote its technologies: http://kck.st/2dmNWrf. For more information go to http://arcsling.com/ or contact [email protected] Media contact: Clyde Igarashi Email 888 485-6350 SOURCE ArcSling LLC Related Links http://arcsling.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates and ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, the ASTM International Board of Directors held 20 events with government and industry leaders in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This "Outreach Day" included an event hosted by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of UAE Chambers where Thomas announced ASTM International's 100th Memorandum of Understanding. All GCC nations as well as the Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) have joined this program in recent years. U.S. Ambassador to the UAE Barbara Leaf provided keynote remarks at dinner. "Voluntary and technical standards are all around us, and they give confidence to people and organizations to go about their daily lives," she said. "Once people begin to learn about what standards are and why they are important, it is easy to realize that they are essential for products and services to be traded with consistency, predictability, and reliability." Leaf also joined Christian Reed, Executive Director for the Middle East and Africa at the U.S. Department of Commerce, in presenting Thomas a framed letter recognizing his leadership and his upcoming retirement, signed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Throughout the day, board members and staff also visited: Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council AGE Steel Al Hosn University Delta Metallurgical Dubai Aluminum Dubai Central Laboratories, Dubai Health Authority ECIL Consulting Services Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) Geo-Chem Middle East Khalifa University Knauf Koltay Facades Masdar City Ready Mix Abu Dhabi Red Wing Shoes Sinterex, Takreer Research Centre Union Pipes Industry The week's activities also included an amusement-ride standards workshop as well as an event on Sunday at NYU-Abu Dhabi. On Thursday, ASTM International, the International Code Council, and the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration will jointly sponsor the Standards and Codes for Sustainable Construction Workshop in Dubai, featuring high-level dialogue with government and industry leaders (more information here). The U.S. Embassy supported several of the above events this week as part of its "Discover America" month. Helping our world work better Over 12,000 ASTM standards operate globally. Defined and set by us, they improve the lives of millions every day. Combined with our innovative business services, they enhance performance and help everyone have confidence in the things they buy and use from the toy in a child's hand to the aircraft overhead. Working across borders, disciplines, and industries we harness the expertise of over 30,000 members to create consensus and improve performance in manufacturing and materials, products and processes, systems and services. Understanding commercial needs and consumer priorities, we touch every part of everyday life: helping our world work better. Media Inquiries: Nathan Osburn, tel +1.610.832.9603; [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141021/153355LOGO SOURCE ASTM International Related Links http://www.astm.org FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoNation (NYSE: AN), America's largest auto retailer, announced today that seven of its stores have been named in Automotive News' top 100 list of "Best Dealerships to Work For," all of which are repeat winners. AutoNation Honda South Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, TX, a 4-time winner, was listed as one of the, "Top 10 Best Dealership to Work For," in the country. AutoNation continues to prove that it's not only a great place to purchase or service a vehicle but also a great place to work. The designation is awarded through a survey process administered by Best Companies Group, an independent third party, who observes the work environment dealerships offer their associates. Selection criteria include working conditions, benefits, professional development opportunities and work-life balance. Mike Jackson, AutoNation's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President, said, "This honor is a true testament to the hard work and focus we put into making sure our dealerships offer the best environment for our associates. In 2015, we sold over 10 million vehicles, a milestone that no other automotive retailer has ever done. Each vehicle was sold one at a time: by outstanding men and women from coast to coast. Without a solid group of professionals, we would not be able to deliver the peerless customer experience that millions of AutoNation's customers have come to expect." The other AutoNation locations, each multi-year winners, making the list were 2-time winner, AutoNation Buick GMC West in Golden, CO, 2-time winner, AutoNation Ford Gulf Freeway in Houston, TX, 4-time winner, AutoNation Chevrolet in Amarillo, TX, 3-time winner, Porsche Plano in Plano, TX, 3-time winner Valencia BMW in Valencia, CA and 4-time winner, Newport Auto Center in Newport Beach, CA. For more information about the awards and the process through which they're granted, visit www.bestdealershipstoworkfor.com. To shop any AutoNation retail location for a vehicle or find a store nearby, visit www.AutoNation.com. Investors and those seeking more information about the company should visit investors.autonation.com. About AutoNation, Inc. AutoNation, America's largest automotive retailer, through its bold leadership, innovation is transforming the automotive industry. As of September 30, 2016, AutoNation owned and operated 371 new vehicle franchises from coast to coast. AutoNation has sold over 10 million vehicles, the first automotive retailer to reach this milestone. AutoNation's success is driven by a commitment to delivering a peerless experience through customer-focused sales and service processes. Through its Drive Pink initiative, AutoNation is committed to drive out cancer, create awareness and support critical research. AutoNation continues to be a proud supporter of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and other cancer-related charities. Please visit investors.autonation.com, www.autonation.com, www.autonationdrive.com, www.twitter.com/autonation, www.twitter.com/CEOMikeJackson, www.facebook.com/autonation, and www.facebook.com/CEOMikeJackson, where AutoNation discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151110/286019LOGO SOURCE AutoNation, Inc. Related Links http://www.autonation.com PITTSBURGH, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Journalist and author Jamie Kalven's groundbreaking investigation of the fatal police shooting of a Chicago teenager prompted more public scrutiny of the case, which eventually led to a murder indictment against one officer. Kalven will discuss the investigation, especially his use of public records, during two appearances at "Right to Know: The Power of Public Records," which will be at 1 and 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at Point Park University's Center for Media Innovation, 305 Wood St., Downtown Pittsburgh. Reporting by Kalven shed light on what happened Oct. 20, 2014, when Laquan McDonald, 17, was fatally shot by Chicago police. Using public records and acting on a tip, he wrote a story, "Sixteen shots," for Slate that cast doubt on the police version of events in McDonald's death. The public furor as a result of Kalven's reporting prompted more scrutiny, which led to a murder indictment against one officer and recommendations to fire other officers, the ouster of the police superintendent, and a U.S. Justice Department investigation. Kalven's work will be of special interest to journalists, attorneys and college students studying fields related to communications and the law. The "Right to Know" event is free and open to the public. The 6 p.m. event is open to the public and registration for it should be done at the Right to Know Eventbrite page. Kalven has reported extensively on police abuse in Chicago and was the plaintiff in Kalven v. Chicago, in which the Illinois appellate court ruled that police misconduct files are public information. He is the founder of the Invisible Institute, a journalistic production company located on the South Side of Chicago. The nonprofit is set up to "enhance the capacity of citizens to hold public institutions accountable." Kalven has, through the nonprofit, published disciplinary records of Chicago police officers. Awards he has received for his work include the 2015 George Polk Award for Local Reporting and the 2016 Ridenhour Courage Prize, the latter of which recognizes those who persevere in acts of truth-telling that protect the public interest. Kalven is the author of "Working with Available Light: A Family's World After Violence" and the editor of "A Worthy Tradition: Free Speech in America" by his father, Harry Kalven Jr. The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania and the Center for Media Innovation are presenting the event, which is cosponsored by the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, the Women's Press Club of Pittsburgh and the Online News Association/Pittsburgh. The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania is a nonprofit organization of communications professionals. It sponsors forums on current events and educational programs and presents the annual Golden Quill Awards contest and ceremony, honoring the best of Western Pennsylvania journalism. For membership information, see westernpapressclub.org . Founded in 1960, Point Park University is a dynamic, urban university with a strong liberal arts tradition. Located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Point Park enrolls more than 4,000 full- and part-time students in more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs offered through the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Communication and Conservatory of Performing Arts. Visit PointPark.edu to learn more. PR Newswire is the official wire of The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania. SOURCE The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania Related Links http://www.westernpapressclub.org SANTA MONICA, Calif., and MIDDLEBURG, Va., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kriser's Natural Pet, a multi-unit retailer specializing in natural pet food, supplies and grooming, announced today that it has acquired Wylie Wagg for Pets, a natural pet food and supplies chain with five stores in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. Wylie Wagg was founded in 2002 by Laura and Larry Clark with the goal of helping pet parents access the best in natural food, treats, toys and accessories for their pets, and continues to receive rave reviews from its customers. Kriser's looks to continue this mission, bringing its trademark education and Kriser's Approved product selection to the market, with plans to open additional Kriser's locations in the coming years. "We have tremendous respect for how Wylie Wagg has established itself as part of the pet community in D.C. and Northern Virginia," said Brad Kriser, founder and CEO of Kriser's Natural Pet. "With this effort, we are able to extend Kriser's mission of helping pets live happier, healthier lives, naturally, to an even greater number of families and communities. This marks a time of remarkable growth in our business, further positioning Kriser's as a leader in the natural pet retail sector. We are honored to assume responsibility for caring for the customers both human and furry which will remain our main focus every day." "When we were considering this change, we wanted to pass the torch to someone whom we could trust, and who shares our mission and values," said Laura Clark, founder and CEO of Wylie Wagg. "Kriser's was a perfect fit. I am excited to partner with Brad and the Kriser's team through this transition and enable our team and our customers to become part of an extended Kriser's family that has an unwavering focus on the well-being of pets and pet parents." The acquired Wylie Wagg stores will rebrand as Kriser's Natural Pet in 2017, with new storefront signage, ongoing staff training and education, and some adjustments to product assortment. Kriser's plans to hold grand reopening events at the stores to formally introduce itself to the communities in 2017. Laura Clark will play an active role in the transition and will become a member of the Kriser's team. This marks the first acquisition by Kriser's Natural Pet, expanding upon the already stellar organic growth the company has seen since its inception in 2006. Throughout its growth to now 42 stores, Kriser's has maintained its keen focus on a carefully selected inventory of natural foods, treats and supplements, as well as high quality toys and accessories, in warm, welcoming store environments. ABOUT WYLIE WAGG Founded in 2002, Wylie Wagg has long been committed to promoting the health and well-being of pets. The five-store, award-winning company offers the very best food and supplies for four-legged friends. Wylie Wagg is dedicated to making a positive difference in the communities they serve and passionately supports animal rescue. ABOUT KRISER'S NATURAL PET Kriser's, often referred to by its customers as the "Whole Foods for pets," is a multi-unit pet retailer specializing in natural pet food, supplies and grooming. Founded by lifelong pet owner and healthy pet advocate Brad Kriser, the company has opened 36 locations in four states Illinois, Colorado, Southern California and Texas based on a model of educating consumers and providing an unparalleled shopping experience in a clean and inviting store area. All products sold in Kriser's stores are carefully selected by Brad and his team, and endorsed as "Kriser's Approved" only after extensive review. In addition to carrying a large variety of natural food and treats brands, which have no corn, soy or by-products, Kriser's also offers grooming services and a wide selection of toys and supplies. At the forefront of the natural segment of the flourishing pet industry, Kriser's has grown steadily with an unwavering commitment to pets. In addition to its 2014-2015 Retailer of the Year Award from Pet Product News International and finalist spot in Pet Age's Business of the Year Awards in the Natural Products category, Kriser's also received the Best Overall Multi-Unit Pet Retailer at the 2013 and 2015 Global Pet Expos. For more information, please visit www.krisers.com. SOURCE Kriser's Natural Pet Related Links http://www.krisers.com DALLAS, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BenefitMall, the leading provider of employee benefits, human resources and payroll products and services, announced a partnership with EaseCentral to offer comprehensive online benefits administration and enrollment to BenefitMall's brokers. Brokers will now be able to choose between EaseCentral's all-in-one software solution and BenefitMall's online benefits administration system, EmployerFocus. "BenefitMall is very excited to offer our brokers another option for online benefits administration, which will allow their clients to complete enrollments in a timelier manner and manage data quality more efficiently," said Scott Kirksey, president of BenefitMall. "Soon to be integrated with our payroll offerings, the collaboration with EaseCentral provides additional solutions that are available to our broker partners and their clients." By combining BenefitMall's unrivalled service as the largest general agency in the country with EaseCentral's best-in-class technology, this partnership creates the most broker-friendly solution in the market. Additionally, it allows BenefitMall to offer a variety of service and technology options to support brokers and their clients. "We're proud to announce our latest partnership with BenefitMall. EaseCentral is dedicated to making the HR and benefits process as seamless as possible for brokers. With this new partnership, brokers can easily access BenefitMall resources inside EaseCentral, a powerful combination for open enrollment season," said David Reid, employee benefits veteran and co-founder and CEO of EaseCentral. With a software solution that empowers both brokers and their clients to go digital, EaseCentral is one of the largest software providers to the insurance industry by supporting more than 22,000 employers and servicing nearly a million employees nationwide. This company has seen record growth since its inception in 2012 and is expanding into several new markets in 2017. About BenefitMall Headquartered in Dallas, BenefitMall partners with a network of 20,000 Brokers and CPAs to deliver employee benefits and payroll services to more than 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses. By combining payroll and benefits, BenefitMall empowers Trusted Advisors to develop the best employee programs while maintaining compliance with government regulations and Health Care Reform. BenefitMall, the largest national General Agency merged with the second largest privately held payroll company, CompuPay. BenefitMall also operates HealthCareExchange.com, the leading online community for information regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. More information is available at www.benefitmall.com. About EaseCentral EaseCentral is the all-in-one software solution for employee benefits, payroll and HR. Built for agents and employers, cloud-based EaseCentral makes it simple for companies to set up and manage over 50 types of benefits, coordinate payroll and HR, collaborate with employers on new hires, changes and terminations, and deliver completed tax information - all from one location. Started in 2012 in San Francisco by employee benefits veteran, David Reid, and web and engineering architect, Courtney Guertin, EaseCentral works with insurance brokers and small businesses to create seamless HR and benefits processes on a single, easy-to-use platform, and has offices in San Diego and Las Vegas. In 2015 EaseCentral was launched on the West Coast and is among the most widely adopted, fastest growing solutions for brokers and employers in the area, with over 22,000 employers and nearly 1 million enrollees. For more information, head to www.easecentral.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141118/159384LOGO SOURCE BenefitMall Related Links http://www.benefitmall.com ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg BNA today announced that Big Law Business West is taking place the afternoon of Thursday, October 27 at the Standard Hotel in Los Angeles. The half-day program and networking event is complimentary for in-house and outside counsel and provides big law leaders an intimate forum to share insights and best practices and learn about the changes that are impacting the business on the West Coast and nationwide. Summit information and registration is available at http://on.bna.com/DZfb305b9sC. To follow the event on Twitter, use #BigLawSummit. The company's Big Law Business website features breaking news, videos, and contributed commentary that highlight trends and developments shaping the legal industry. The Los Angeles summit features in-house counsel and law school and law firm leaders discussing the range of issues impacting big law. "Hosting this event on the West Coast offers law firm leaders and their clients insights into the evolving legal industry landscape consistent with the reporting on Big Law Business," said Scott Mozarsky, President, Cross Platform Businesses, Bloomberg BNA. "This event will shed light on the major trends and disruptive factors shaping big law including changes in service delivery and the evolution of firms and legal departments which will provide valuable context to help attorneys be that much more successful in their day to day roles." Panel discussions will focus on litigation management, strategies to recruit and retain top legal talent, and the increasing impact of cybersecurity on the law profession. Keynote interviews will be held with John B. Quinn of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP and Eileen Decker, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. Featured Big Law Business Summit - West speakers include: Elizabeth Atlee, Sr. Vice President, Deputy General Counsel - Global Litigation, CBRE Vice President, Deputy General Counsel - Global Litigation, CBRE Elizabeth Baker , General Counsel, Twitch Interactive , General Counsel, Twitch Interactive Lucy Endel Bassli, Assistant General Counsel, Microsoft Brad Butwin , Chair, O'Melveny & Myers LLP , Chair, O'Melveny & Myers LLP Mira El Sontaby, Senior Counsel Privacy, Fox Entertainment Group David Gallagher , Investment Manager and Legal Counsel, Bentham IMF , Investment Manager and Legal Counsel, Bentham IMF Andrei Iancu , Managing Partner, Irell & Manella LLP , Managing Partner, Irell & Manella LLP Jennifer A. Jackson, Managing Partner, Bryan Cave David McDowell , Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP , Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP Jennifer L. Mnookin , Dean, University of California, Los Angeles , School of Law , Dean, , School of Law Greg Nitzkowski , Managing Partner, Paul Hastings , Managing Partner, Paul Hastings Ronald Sarian , Vice President and General Counsel, eHarmony , Vice President and General Counsel, eHarmony Sharon Tomkins , Vice President & General Counsel, Southern California Gas Company The summit is sponsored by Aderant, Bentham IMF, K2 Intelligence, and Major, Lindsey & Africa. 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. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120110/DC33627LOGO SOURCE Bloomberg BNA Related Links http://www.bna.com VALENCIA, Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bioness, Inc., the leading provider of cutting edge, clinically supported rehabilitation therapies, today announced the Company will exhibit at the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Annual Assembly. The event will be held from October 20-23, 2016 in New Orleans. Attendees will have the chance to experience Bioness pain management and software therapy programs in booth #413 and also see the Bioness Technology Exhibit at booth #135. With an estimated 100 million people suffering from chronic pain, contributing more than $280 billion in annual costs to the U.S. healthcare system, there's never been a greater need for innovative pain management options.1 PM&R physicians are in a unique position to balance the benefits of prescribing opioids with alternative treatment options that improve patients' long-term quality of life, especially with patients experiencing post-stroke shoulder pain. During AAPM&R, Bioness will showcase the StimRouter Neuromodulation System, a minimally invasive, implantable, surgical device designed to address chronic peripheral nerve pain. The StimRouter targets pain at the point of origin, minimizes long-term healthcare costs and may provide pain relief when other treatments such as medications and injections have limited effect.2 PM&R physicians will also have a chance to explore clinical solutions from Bioness that support all stages of stroke rehabilitation and help patients become as independent as possible. Bioness solutions support recovery for the 5.5 million people who are affected by long-term disabilities from stroke. The Company's solutions help clinicians improve patient functional capabilities, quality of life and community reintegration. Bioness has been an industry leader supporting the efforts of skilled acute and outpatient practices for more than a decade. In addition to the StimRouter, attendees can view the following Bioness offerings in AAPM&R booths #135 and #413: Vector Gait and Safety System: is a state-of-the-art, UL certified, rehabilitation technology designed to improve patient mobility and functional independence while increasing patient and clinician safety. Vector, is the global leader in robotic overground gait rehabilitation, capable of handling patients up to 500 lbs. and providing dynamic unloading up to 200 lbs. Vector integrates Outcome Measures Module that enables clinicians to run, record and document standardized tests to measure patient outcomes within the Vector software interface. The Timed Up and Go (TUG), 10 Meter Walk test, 5 Meter Walk test, 6 Minute Walk test, and 2 Minute Walk test are all included. Bioness Integrated Therapy System (BITS) Version 2: The second generation of BITS software is designed to address the changing dynamics of the rehabilitation market by improving clinician efficiency with automated progress reports, personalized therapy programs and standardized outcome measures. The new BITS Reports Module calculates key performance metrics and makes generating quality, value-added reports easier than ever before. H200 Wireless Hand Rehabilitation System: With more than 20 peer-reviewed and published clinical studies, the H200 System has been clinically shown to improve hand and upper extremity function during all stages of stroke rehabilitation. The System delivers non-invasive, functional electrical stimulation (FES) to improve hand function, reduce muscle spasms and prevent disuse atrophy. H200 Wireless is widely used in the Veterans Administration to promote functional hand use in spinal cord injury patients that lack the ability to perform daily activities including grasping and releasing hand movements. L300 Plus System: A state-of-the-art Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) system that uses mild stimulation of nerves and muscles to help people with foot drop and thigh weakness regain a more natural walking pattern (gait). To experience Bioness first hand, visit AAPM&R booths #135 and #413. About Bioness, Inc. Bioness is the leading provider of innovative technologies helping people regain mobility and 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 Media Relations Contact Information Next Step Communications [email protected] 781.326.1741 Bioness, BITS, H200, L300, StimRouter and Vector Gait and Safety System are trademarks of Bioness, Inc. | www.bioness.com | Rx Only for applicable products | 1 Institute of Medicine (US). Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education and Research. 2011. The National Academies. 2 Deer T, et al. 2016. Neuromodulation. 19:91-100. SOURCE Bioness, Inc. Related Links http://www.bioness.com Director Olijar will unveil the Year of the Rooster 2017 in honor of the Chinese Lunar New Year. The Year of the Rooster 2017 features a $1 Federal Reserve note with a serial number beginning with "8888." The introduction of the Year of the Rooster 2017 is the fourth issue from BEP's second generation of the Lucky Money Lunar Calendar product line. The product's first day of sale is Wednesday, November 16 at 8:00 a.m. (ET). The Year of the Rooster 2017 and additional currency products may be purchased by telephone, toll free, at 1(800) 456-3408; by fax (888) 891-7585 [International fax (202) 874-1788]; in the Washington, DC and Fort Worth, Texas Visitor Center Gift Shops; and, through the BEP's online store, moneyfactorystore.gov. Bulk pricing is also available for the Year of the Rooster 2017. Contact: Karen Smith (202) 874-2108 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430548 SOURCE Bureau of Engraving and Printing Related Links http://www.moneyfactory.gov California participants include people in schools, colleges, businesses, government agencies, non-profit organizations, community groups, and many others. See lists of participants along with extensive information on how to participate at www.ShakeOut.org/california . "ShakeOut encourages cross-sector, whole community conversation and action about earthquake preparedness, inspiring people to make better decisions for how they can prepare to survive and recover," said Mark Benthien, Global ShakeOut Coordinator and Outreach Director at the Southern California Earthquake Center. "The CEA is proud to support the preparedness goals of the Great California ShakeOut," said Glenn Pomeroy, chief executive officer of the California Earthquake Authority, the state's largest earthquake insurance provider. "The drill is a great reminder of how important it is to know how to protect yourself when the ground shakes. But that's only half the battle. Insuring your home and belongings from earthquake damage is also critical to survive the financial fallout after the next big one strikes." Media events for the Great California ShakeOut in Southern California on 10/20 include a major exercise at Dearborn Elementary in Northridge; an all-hazards "Safety Day" at Kinecta Federal Credit Union in El Segundo; and a City of Los Angeles exercise at Councilmember Blumenfield's District Office in Reseda. For the Bay Area, Mayor Ed Lee will join students at Bret Harte Elementary School in San Francisco and also AAA California, Nevada, & Utah will host a shake trailer and Drop, Cover, and Hold On drill in Emeryville. Event details can be found here: www.ShakeOut.org/california/media/venues "One of the most important steps families can take is to prepare themselves before an earthquake occurs," said Marianne Campbell, Vice President of Communications and Community Impact for AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah, a proud partner with Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills. "We want to help families in our region by offering engaging ways to learn about preparedness, such as our new 'Road to Ready' game. The more people know, the safer they will be when a disaster strikes." More information about preparedness (exclusive for residents of NorCal, NV & UT) is available at AAA.com/roadtoready. KEY MEDIA RESOURCE: www.ShakeOut.org/media guidance for promoting and reporting on ShakeOut, lists of ShakeOut media venues, links to content suggestions (B-Roll, graphics, language-support), recent releases, and contacts CONTACT: Jason Ballmann Southern California Earthquake Center 213.740.1560 [email protected] ShakeOut.org, is managed by the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) at the University of Southern California, with funding from the National Science Foundation, United States Geological Survey, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430504-INFO SOURCE Southern California Earthquake Center MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., today announced that Gasch Printing, an industry-leading digital book printer, has entered the inkjet age with the installation of the Oce ColorStream 3900Z monochrome inkjet press. Gasch Printing's evolution from offset to digital toner, and now inkjet, marks a significant ascension as the company's book publishing footprint continues to expand across the nation. Founded over 30 years ago, Gasch Printing, along with seemingly every major offset print provider, underwent major transitions as the industry rapidly evolved in the early aughts. Understanding the need to adapt to these dramatic changes, the company's forward-thinking leadership team moved from an offset environment to a fully digital toner operation a little over 10 years ago. Since then, the move has led to over 10 years of sustained growth, and ultimately ushered in a new era for the Maryland-based company and its industry-leading book publishing services. Known for providing its vast customer base with exceptional quality and turnaround time, Gasch Printing has expanded its offerings to include perfect bound books, case bound books, saddle stitched booklets, catalogs, and an array of other specialized digital book printing projects. With its steadfast approach and dedication to becoming an all-encompassing book publishing and printing provider, the company recognized the apparent need to take its technology even further and adapt to the emergence of inkjet. With the installation of the Oce ColorStream 3900Z inkjet press, Gasch Printing has effectively, and seamlessly, bridged the gap between offset and digital and paved the way for another 10 years of consecutive growth. "We knew the time was coming for us to make a major transition; it was just a matter of understanding which technology would best fit our needs as a company that specializes in book printing," said Doug Gasch, owner and president of Gasch Printing. "We are a company that has always invested in next-generation technology and automation, and this latest installation cements our commitment to not only staying relevant in the industry, but also pushing it forward." Since installing the dynamic and high-volume inkjet press, the company has experienced success in a number of different areas. Production speeds have doubled, a 50% capacity and volume increase was experienced almost immediately, and, perhaps most importantly, Gasch Printing noted unprecedented levels of high print quality. "Our main focus was and will continue to be being able to handle and treat all of our customers in a way that's both professional and supportive," added Gasch. "Our publishing, printing, and even variable data and personalization offerings have all been hugely enhanced with our new inkjet press. The quality and reliability we get from the ColorStream allows us to simultaneously offer updated solutions to existing customers while tapping into new markets and customers with strategies to help them recognize new business opportunities and understand the possibilities with inkjet technologies." The highly versatile Oce ColorStream 3900Z inkjet printer offers productivity and flexibility for high-speed color and monochrome production of transaction, TransPromo, direct mail, book, and manual applications. Helping digital print leaders like Gasch Printing grow their portfolio of offerings, the Oce ColorStream inkjet series' production and media flexibility contributes to a future-proof system that simplifies the transition of applications and business models to more sophisticated documents with variable personalization and smarter communication in both monochrome and color. "The Oce ColorStream technology is streamlining dynamic communication and providing valued Canon Solutions America customers like Gasch Printing with efficient flexibility for sustained production," said Mal Baboyian, executive vice president, Production Print Solutions/Large Format Solutions, Canon Solutions America. "This leading inkjet technology serves myriad different markets and is positioned to push the boundaries of inkjet into even more print environments. We look forward to working with Gasch Printing as they grow their business with advanced inkjet technologies." About Canon Solutions America, Inc. Canon Solutions America provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. With the technology offerings of the Canon and Oce brands, Canon Solutions America helps companies of all sizes improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs through high volume, continuous feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America is headquartered in Melville, N.Y. and has sales and service locations across the U.S. For more information on Canon Solutions America, please visit csa.canon.com. Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. Oce is a registered trademark of Oce-Technologies B.V. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. 2016 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved. Canon Solutions America, Inc. Website: http://csa.canon.com For sales info/customer support: 1-844-443-INFO (4636) Editorial Contact: Stephanie Caro 631-330-4432 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160719/390954LOGO SOURCE Canon Solutions America, Inc. Related Links https://csa.canon.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting next Thursday, October 27th, the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola celebrates its sesquicentennial anniversary as a Jesuit (Society of Jesus) parish with a four-day series of events. Located on New York City's Upper East Side, this Roman Catholic parish was entrusted to the Jesuit order in 1866, making it the Jesuits' first major apostolate in the Yorkville neighborhood of New York. Since then, 35 Jesuits have been installed as pastors, leading the parish through times of profound change, milestone events and significant growth. The building stands on the site of the former St. Lawrence O'Toole Church, founded in 1851 and named for a twelfth-century bishop of Dublin. In the church's early years, parishioners were primarily German and Irish Catholic immigrant families. Today, St. Ignatius is a vibrant faith community with more than 4,300 registered families, reflecting demographic changes of the city and capturing the ethnic diversity of the Upper East Side. "This significant anniversary celebrates the gift of faith, embraces the enduring tradition of Ignatian ministry and gives thanks for the longevity that has truly blessed St. Ignatius Loyola. One hundred fifty years doesn't happen by chance," said Father Dennis J. Yesalonia, S.J., Pastor of St. Ignatius Loyola. "The legacy that started with the first generation of Jesuits in 1866 and continues to this day is a testament to vision, perseverance, prayer and an abundance of grace," he added. St. Ignatius Loyola is one of 66 Jesuit parishes operating in the United States. The church attracts attendees from all over New York City and nearby suburbs. Its inclusive approach offers a wide range of ministries, services and programs geared towards children, teens, young adults and families. Since its inception, St. Ignatius has been an enduring symbol of faith, withstanding the test of time to evolve, grow and meet the challenges and needs of the community that it serves. In all of its outreach activities, the church collaborates with other Christian Churches and non-Christian Religious Congregations on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and beyond to reach those in need. In addition to its liturgies (three weekday masses; seven on the weekends) and sacraments, the parish delivers an extensive list of programs covering faith formation, community outreach and religious education. Their 'Ignite!' program is the only Catholic youth ministry in Manhattan. A popular lecture series takes place throughout the year, featuring noted speakers addressing a variety of relevant issues and topics. In 1993, the church installed a mechanical (tracker-action) pipe organ as an integral part of its services and the centerpiece of its renowned music program. Dedication of the custom-built, handcrafted organ took place after 18 months of meticulous planning and construction by the firm N.P. Mander. With 5,000 pipes and weighing 30 tons, it is the largest tracker organ in New York. One of the most complex of all musical instruments, the tracker organ sits in the back of the church, fitting inside a 160-foot-by-78-foot space of the St. Ignatius basilica. "From the outset, St. Ignatius has stayed true to its roots, ministering in the Ignatian way of prayer, community and service," noted Father Yesalonia. "In reflecting on our past, we are reminded that we are called and blessed by God's grace to be a community of true disciples, gathered in prayer and worship, to meet the needs of our parishioners and be available to provide assistance to all who approach us. We look forward to future with the same faith, confidence and hope that has sustained us over the last 150 years." All are welcome to attend any of the four-day celebrations listed below. Additional details are provided in the church's Event Guide: Thursday, Oct. 27th 7pm / Wallace Hall Lecture Fr. Thomas Lucas, S.J. "The Long Road from Rome to Park Avenue: City, Church & Jesuit Urban Mission" Friday, Oct. 28th 7pm / Church concert Ticket purchase: www.smssconcerts.org Music from 18th-century Jesuit composer, Domenico Zipoli Saturday, Oct. 29th 11am 3pm / 84th & Park Ave Family Street Fair Sunday, Oct. 30th 11am / Solemn Mass MEDIA RESOURCES: Historical Timeline (Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, 1866-2016) Images (High-resolution photos of Church interior; more available upon request) By The Numbers (Facts about the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola) About the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola (NYC) The Parish of St. Ignatius Loyola is a vibrant Roman Catholic faith community administered by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Located on New York City's Upper East Side at Park Avenue and 84th Street, the parish was entrusted to the care of the Society of Jesus in 1866, marking the Jesuits' first major apostolate in the Yorkville area of New York. Staffed by Jesuit priests and lay men and women, the Parish offers a wide range of ministries, including daily and weekly masses, celebration of the sacraments and education opportunities. Renowned for its music programs and acoustics, St. Ignatius owns the largest mechanical tracker organ in New York, weighing 30 tons and having 5,000 pipes. The parish is part of a 3.5-acre Jesuit complex that includes a Jesuit residence, reception hall, rectory, day nursery, elementary school and Loyola School, an independent, four-year, co-ed Jesuit high school. The church is a designated New York City Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Learn more about St. Ignatius Loyola at http://www.stignatiusloyola.org/ . SOURCE Church of St. Ignatius Loyola Related Links http://www.stignatiusloyola.org Enterprise Connect provides the most comprehensive view of the innovation that is transforming the enterprise communications industry, and this year's dynamic keynote lineup exemplifies the range of this thought leadership. Enterprise Connect 2017 Keynote Lineup: Jens Meggers, PhD Sr. Vice President and General Manager Cloud Collaboration Technology Group, Cisco Jens Meggers is responsible for managing Cisco's cloud-focused collaboration portfolio, which includes Cisco's flagship platform, Cisco Spark, providing integrated messaging, calling and meetings. He also manages the Cisco WebEx and Jabber engineering and product management teams. Prior to joining Cisco, Meggers was Senior Vice President at Symantec Corporation where he headed the Endpoint Protection and Productivity business unit. Ron Markezich - Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Office 365 Ron Markezich is responsible for commercial go-to-market for the company's productivity portfolio, which includes Microsoft Office, Office 365, SharePoint, Exchange, Skype, Skype for Business, OneDrive and Yammer, in addition to running Office 365 deployment and usage programs. He previously served as corporate vice president of Microsoft's U.S. Enterprise and Partner Group. Prior to joining Microsoft in 1998, Markezich worked in Accenture's Electronics and High Tech Group. Jeff Lawson - Founder, CEO & Chairman, Twilio Jeff Lawson is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of entrepreneurial and product experience. Prior to Twilio, Lawson was Founder & CTO of NineStar, Founding CTO of Stubhub.com and Founder, CEO & CTO of Versity.com. He was also one of the original product managers for Amazon Web Services. Learn more about the Enterprise Connect Keynotes here: enterpriseconnect.com/orlando/conference/keynotes "At a time of technology and business transition for our industry, each of these Keynote speakers will bring an important perspective to help the Enterprise Connect audience understand and capitalize on the changes under way," said Eric Krapf, Enterprise Connect General Manager and Program Co-Chair. "Nowhere else will our industry have the opportunity to hear these unique insights from such top enterprise communications leaders in one place." Enterprise Connect 2017 Enterprise Connect will return to Orlando in 2017, bringing together enterprise communications professionals of all levels for an extensive three-and-a-half-day Conference focused on maximizing attendees' investments in communications and collaboration systems, services, apps and networks. The event will feature Keynotes, Breakout Sessions, Networking Opportunities and more, spanning nine tracks encompassing the major technology streams in the industry. The event will also host the largest and broadest exhibition focused on systems, software, services and applications giving attendees a chance to experience the latest tools and innovations firsthand. Follow Enterprise Connect online: Facebook: facebook.com/enterprise.connect Twitter: @enterprisecon LinkedIn: linkedin.com/groups?gid=2710052 About Enterprise Connect For more than 25 years, Enterprise Connect has been the leading conference and exhibition for enterprise Unified Communications and Collaboration in North America. Enterprise Connect brings corporate IT decision makers together with the industry's vendors, analysts and consultants to focus on the issues central to enterprise networks and communications. Enterprise Connect owns and produces No Jitter, (nojitter.com), providing daily blogging and analysis of enterprise communications, and it also serves the community with a weekly email newsletter, a Webinar Series and Virtual Events. For more information, visit enterpriseconnect.com. Enterprise Connect is organized by UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc (UBM.L), an Events First marketing and communications services business. For more information, visit ubmamericas.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160216/333746LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430167 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430169 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430170 SOURCE Enterprise Connect Related Links http://www.enterpriseconnect.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE: CNS) reported net income attributable to common stockholders of $23.9 million, or $0.51 per diluted share and $0.52 per basic share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, compared with $12.3 million, or $0.27 per share (diluted and basic), for the quarter ended September 30, 2015 and $24.8 million, or $0.53 per diluted share and $0.54 per basic share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. The quarter ended September 30, 2015 included an unrealized non-operating loss of $0.10 per diluted share that, due to a change in accounting classification, has been reflected on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Total revenue for the third quarter of 2016 was a record $94.4 million, an increase of 18.5% from $79.7 million for the third quarter of 2015 and an increase of 9.3% from $86.4 million for the second quarter of 2016. Financial Highlights (Unaudited) For the Periods (in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended % Change From September 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (2) June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 U.S. GAAP Revenue $ 94,388 $ 86,373 $ 79,667 9.3 % 18.5 % Expenses $ 57,175 $ 52,242 $ 48,190 9.4 % 18.6 % Operating income $ 37,213 $ 34,131 $ 31,477 9.0 % 18.2 % Operating margin 39.4 % 39.5 % 39.5 % * * Non-operating income (loss) $ 1,356 $ 4,466 $ (7,727) * * Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 23,877 $ 24,808 $ 12,338 (3.8%) 93.5 % Diluted earnings per share $ 0.51 $ 0.53 $ 0.27 (4.1%) 90.6 % As Adjusted (1) Revenue $ 94,419 $ 86,403 $ 79,687 9.3 % 18.5 % Expenses $ 57,121 $ 52,220 $ 48,179 9.4 % 18.6 % Operating income $ 37,298 $ 34,183 $ 31,508 9.1 % 18.4 % Operating margin 39.5 % 39.6 % 39.5 % * * Non-operating income (loss) $ 394 $ 196 $ (210) * * Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 23,626 $ 21,315 $ 19,405 10.8 % 21.8 % Diluted earnings per share $ 0.51 $ 0.46 $ 0.42 10.4 % 19.9 % * Not meaningful (1) The as adjusted financial measures represent non-GAAP financial measures. Please refer to the "Non-GAAP Reconciliation" of this release for a reconciliation to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures. (2) During the three months ended December 31, 2015, one of the company's seed investments changed classification from available-for-sale to equity method. As a result, all prior periods have been retroactively adjusted to reflect this investment as if it had been an equity method investment in prior periods. U.S. GAAP This section discusses the financial results of the company as presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, compared with the quarter ended June 30, 2016. Revenue Revenue for the third quarter of 2016 was $94.4 million, an increase of $8.0 million from $86.4 million for the second quarter of 2016. Higher average assets under management and one more day in the quarter resulted in the following increases in investment advisory and administration fees for the third quarter of 2016: Institutional account revenue increased $1.7 million to $25.1 million ; to ; Open-end fund revenue increased $4.3 million to $40.9 million ; and to ; and Closed-end fund revenue increased $1.0 million to $20.1 million . Expenses Expenses for the third quarter of 2016 were $57.2 million, an increase of $4.9 million from $52.2 million for the second quarter of 2016. The change was primarily due to: Higher employee compensation and benefits expenses of $2.7 million , primarily due to higher incentive compensation which increased consistent with revenue growth; , primarily due to higher incentive compensation which increased consistent with revenue growth; Increased distribution and service fees of $1.3 million , primarily due to higher average assets under management in U.S. open-end funds; and , primarily due to higher average assets under management in U.S. open-end funds; and Higher general and administrative expenses of $0.6 million , primarily due to increased information technology and marketing expenses. Operating Margin Operating margin decreased to 39.4% for the third quarter of 2016 from 39.5% for the second quarter of 2016. Non-operating Income Non-operating income for the third quarter of 2016 was $1.4 million, compared with non-operating income of $4.5 million for the second quarter of 2016. The decrease was primarily due to lower net realized and unrealized gains on the company's seed investments. As Adjusted The term "as adjusted" is used to identify non-GAAP information. Adjustments made to the third and second quarters of 2016 and the third quarter of 2015 were attributable to the exclusion of the financial results associated with the company's seed investments, including the related tax effect. Please refer to the "Non-GAAP Reconciliation" of this release for a reconciliation to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures. Diluted Earnings Per Share Diluted earnings per share, as adjusted, for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 were $0.51 compared with $0.42 per share for the quarter ended September 30, 2015 and $0.46 per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. Operating Margin Operating margin, as adjusted, was 39.5%, consistent with the third quarter of 2015 and a decrease from 39.6% for the second quarter of 2016. Assets Under Management Highlights (Unaudited) September 30, 2016 Compared with June 30, 2016 (in millions) Assets Under Management As of By Investment Vehicle September 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 % Change Institutional accounts $ 29,948 $ 29,581 1.2% Open-end funds 21,165 19,777 7.0% Closed-end funds 9,384 9,391 (0.1%) Total $ 60,497 $ 58,749 3.0% By Investment Strategy U.S. real estate $ 31,248 $ 30,981 0.9% Global/international real estate 10,056 9,984 0.7% Preferred securities 10,440 9,082 15.0% Global listed infrastructure 5,862 5,760 1.8% Other 2,891 2,942 (1.7%) Total $ 60,497 $ 58,749 3.0% Assets under management were $60.5 billion as of September 30, 2016, an increase of $1.7 billion from $58.7 billion at June 30, 2016. The increase from June 30, 2016 was attributable to net inflows of $2.2 billion and market appreciation of $609 million, partially offset by distributions of $1.1 billion. Institutional Accounts Assets under management in institutional accounts were $29.9 billion as of September 30, 2016, an increase of 1.2% from $29.6 billion at June 30, 2016. The change from June 30, 2016 was due to the following: Net inflows of $988 million from Japan subadvised accounts, primarily comprised of $964 million into U.S. real estate; from subadvised accounts, primarily comprised of into U.S. real estate; Distributions from Japan subadvised accounts of $828 million , primarily comprised of $781 million out of U.S. real estate and $46 million out of global/international real estate; subadvised accounts of , primarily comprised of out of U.S. real estate and out of global/international real estate; Net inflows of $151 million from subadvised accounts excluding Japan , primarily comprised of $72 million into global/international real estate, $71 million into global listed infrastructure, and $66 million into preferred securities, partially offset by net outflows of $80 million out of large cap value; from subadvised accounts excluding , primarily comprised of into global/international real estate, into global listed infrastructure, and into preferred securities, partially offset by net outflows of out of large cap value; Net outflows of $163 million from advised accounts, primarily comprised of $277 million out of global/international real estate, partially offset by net inflows of $98 million into preferred securities; and from advised accounts, primarily comprised of out of global/international real estate, partially offset by net inflows of into preferred securities; and Market appreciation of $219 million , including $242 million from global/international real estate and $41 million from global listed infrastructure; partially offset by market depreciation of $110 million from U.S. real estate. Open-end Funds Assets under management for open-end funds were $21.2 billion as of September 30, 2016, an increase of 7.0% from $19.8 billion at June 30, 2016. The change from June 30, 2016 was due to the following: Net inflows of $1.3 billion , including $931 million from preferred securities, primarily into Cohen & Steers Preferred Securities and Income Fund and $431 million from U.S. real estate, primarily into Cohen & Steers Real Estate Securities Fund; , including from preferred securities, primarily into Cohen & Steers Preferred Securities and Income Fund and from U.S. real estate, primarily into Cohen & Steers Real Estate Securities Fund; Market appreciation of $275 million , including $202 million from preferred securities and $72 million from global/international real estate; and , including from preferred securities and from global/international real estate; and Distributions of $157 million , including $87 million out of preferred securities and $69 million out of U.S. real estate. Closed-end Funds Assets under management for closed-end funds were $9.4 billion at both September 30, 2016 and June 30, 2016 due to market appreciation of $115 million which was offset by distributions of $122 million. Investment Performance as of September 30, 2016 % of Total AUM in Outperforming Strategies (1) % of U.S. Open-End Fund AUM by Morningstar Rating (2), as of September 30, 2016 September 30, 2014 September 30, 2015 September 30, 2016 1-Year 99% 88% 50% Not Rated 1% 3-Year 73% 87% 98% 1 or 2 Star * or ** 2% 5-Year 51% 76% 75% 3 Star *** 16% 10-Year 62% 94% 95% 4 or 5 Star **** or ***** 82% (1) Past performance of investment strategies is no guarantee of future results. Outperformance determined by annualized investment performance of all accounts in each investment strategy measured gross of fees and net of withholding taxes in comparison to performance of each account's reference benchmark measured net of withholding taxes, where applicable. This is not investment advice and may not be construed as sales or marketing material for any financial product or service sponsored or provided by Cohen & Steers. (2) Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Based on independent rating by Morningstar, Inc. of investment performance of each Cohen & Steers-sponsored open-end U.S.-registered mutual fund for overall period as of September 30, 2016. This is not investment advice and may not be construed as sales or marketing material for any financial product or service sponsored or provided by Cohen & Steers. See Additional Disclosures at the end of this release for more information. Balance Sheet Information As of September 30, 2016, cash, cash equivalents and seed investments were $224 million. As of September 30, 2016, stockholders' equity was $272 million and the company had no debt. Conference Call Information Cohen & Steers will host a conference call tomorrow, October 20, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss the company's third quarter results. Investors and analysts can access the live conference call by dialing 800-698-9012 (U.S.) or +1-303-223-4378 (international); passcode: 21818723. Participants should plan to register at least 10 minutes before the conference call begins. The presentation that will be reviewed as part of the conference call will be available on the company's website at www.cohenandsteers.com under "Company - Press Releases." A replay of the call will be available for two weeks starting at approximately 12:00 p.m. (ET) on October 20, 2016 and can be accessed at 800-633-8284 (U.S.) or +1-402-977-9140 (international); passcode: 21818723. Internet access to the webcast, which includes audio (listen-only), will be available on the company's website at www.cohenandsteers.com under "Company - Investor Relations." The webcast will be archived on the website for one month. About Cohen & Steers Cohen & Steers is a global investment manager specializing in liquid real assets, including real estate securities, listed infrastructure, commodities and natural resource equities, as well as preferred securities and other income solutions. Founded in 1986, the firm is headquartered in New York City, with offices in London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seattle. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and other statements that Cohen & Steers may make may contain 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, which reflect management's current views with respect to, among other things, the company's operations and financial performance. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative versions of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. The company believes that these factors include, but are not limited to, the risks described in the Risk Factors section of the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 (the Form 10-K), which is accessible on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov and on the company's website at www.cohenandsteers.com. These factors are not exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in the company's Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) For the Periods (in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended % Change From September 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 Revenue Investment advisory and administration fees $ 86,079 $ 79,090 $ 73,487 Distribution and service fees 5,296 4,671 3,961 Portfolio consulting and other 3,013 2,612 2,219 Total revenue 94,388 86,373 79,667 9.3% 18.5% Expenses Employee compensation and benefits 30,951 28,287 25,892 Distribution and service fees 11,092 9,773 8,578 General and administrative 13,128 12,489 12,175 Depreciation and amortization 2,004 1,693 1,545 Total expenses 57,175 52,242 48,190 9.4% 18.6% Operating income 37,213 34,131 31,477 9.0% 18.2% Non-operating income Interest and dividend incomenet 367 558 291 Gains (losses) from seed investmentsnet 698 3,815 (7,748) Other gains (losses) 291 93 (270) Total non-operating income (loss) 1,356 4,466 (7,727) * * Income before provision for income taxes 38,569 38,597 23,750 (0.1%) 62.4% Provision for income taxes 14,738 13,676 11,541 Net income 23,831 24,921 12,209 (4.4%) 95.2% Less: Net loss (income) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest 46 (113) 129 Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 23,877 $ 24,808 $ 12,338 (3.8%) 93.5% Earnings per share attributable to common stockholders Basic $ 0.52 $ 0.54 $ 0.27 (3.8%) 91.4% Diluted $ 0.51 $ 0.53 $ 0.27 (4.1%) 90.6% Dividends declared per share Quarterly $ 0.26 $ 0.26 $ 0.25 4.0% Weighted average shares outstanding Basic 45,999 45,984 45,500 Diluted 46,544 46,378 45,830 * Not meaningful (1) During the three months ended December 31, 2015, one of the company's seed investments changed classification from available-for-sale to equity method. As a result, all prior periods have been retroactively adjusted to reflect this investment as if it had been an equity method investment in prior periods. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) For the Periods (in thousands, except per share data) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) % Change Revenue Investment advisory and administration fees $ 238,257 $ 228,460 Distribution and service fees 14,200 11,881 Portfolio consulting and other 7,985 6,643 Total revenue 260,442 246,984 5.4 % Expenses Employee compensation and benefits 87,278 80,270 Distribution and service fees 29,567 27,354 General and administrative 38,352 37,463 Depreciation and amortization 5,594 4,700 Total expenses 160,791 149,787 7.3 % Operating income 99,651 97,197 2.5 % Non-operating income Interest and dividend incomenet 1,467 1,040 Gains (losses) from seed investmentsnet 4,703 (9,321) Other gains (losses) 295 (952) Total non-operating income (loss) 6,465 (9,233) * Income before provision for income taxes 106,116 87,964 20.6 % Provision for income taxes 39,497 35,961 Net income 66,619 52,003 28.1 % Less: Net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest 149 163 Net income attributable to common stockholders $ 66,768 $ 52,166 28.0 % Earnings per share attributable to common stockholders Basic $ 1.45 $ 1.15 26.5 % Diluted $ 1.44 $ 1.14 26.6 % Dividends declared per share Quarterly $ 0.78 $ 0.75 4.0 % Weighted average shares outstanding Basic 45,931 45,402 Diluted 46,373 45,873 * Not meaningful (1) During the three months ended December 31, 2015, one of the company's seed investments changed classification from available-for-sale to equity method. As a result, all prior periods have been retroactively adjusted to reflect this investment as if it had been an equity method investment in prior periods. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Assets Under Management (Unaudited) By Investment Vehicle For the Periods (in millions) Three Months Ended % Change From September 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 Institutional Accounts Assets under management, beginning of period $ 29,581 $ 27,857 $ 24,545 Inflows 1,612 1,626 917 Outflows (636) (487) (394) Net inflows 976 1,139 523 Market appreciation 219 1,337 137 Distributions (828) (752) (560) Total increase 367 1,724 100 Assets under management, end of period $ 29,948 $ 29,581 $ 24,645 1.2 % 21.5 % Percentage of total assets under management 49.5 % 50.4 % 49.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 30,138 $ 28,057 $ 24,885 7.4 % 21.1 % Open-end Funds Assets under management, beginning of period $ 19,777 $ 18,146 $ 16,236 Inflows 2,592 2,393 1,230 Outflows (1,322) (1,242) (1,346) Net inflows (outflows) 1,270 1,151 (116) Market appreciation 275 855 140 Distributions (157) (375) (119) Total increase (decrease) 1,388 1,631 (95) Assets under management, end of period $ 21,165 $ 19,777 $ 16,141 7.0 % 31.1 % Percentage of total assets under management 35.0 % 33.7 % 32.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 20,863 $ 18,692 $ 16,433 11.6 % 27.0 % Closed-end Funds Assets under management, beginning of period $ 9,391 $ 9,056 $ 9,367 Inflows Outflows Net flows Market appreciation (depreciation) 115 458 (278) Distributions (122) (123) (131) Total (decrease) increase (7) 335 (409) Assets under management, end of period $ 9,384 $ 9,391 $ 8,958 (0.1%) 4.8 % Percentage of total assets under management 15.5 % 16.0 % 18.0 % Average assets under management for period $ 9,516 $ 9,160 $ 9,349 3.9 % 1.8 % Total Assets under management, beginning of period $ 58,749 $ 55,059 $ 50,148 Inflows 4,204 4,019 2,147 Outflows (1,958) (1,729) (1,740) Net inflows 2,246 2,290 407 Market appreciation (depreciation) 609 2,650 (1) Distributions (1,107) (1,250) (810) Total increase (decrease) 1,748 3,690 (404) Assets under management, end of period $ 60,497 $ 58,749 $ 49,744 3.0 % 21.6 % Average assets under management for period $ 60,517 $ 55,909 $ 50,667 8.2 % 19.4 % (1) September 30, 2015 amounts have been reclassified to show distributions separately and dividend reinvestments as inflows. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Assets Under Management (Unaudited) By Investment Vehicle For the Periods (in millions) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) % Change Institutional Accounts Assets under management, beginning of period $ 26,105 $ 26,201 Inflows 5,010 2,623 Outflows (1,705) (1,904) Net inflows 3,305 719 Market appreciation (depreciation) 2,771 (632) Distributions (2,233) (1,643) Total increase (decrease) 3,843 (1,556) Assets under management, end of period $ 29,948 $ 24,645 21.5 % Percentage of total assets under management 49.5 % 49.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 27,998 $ 25,961 7.8 % Open-end Funds Assets under management, beginning of period $ 17,460 $ 17,131 Inflows 7,007 5,081 Outflows (4,262) (4,582) Net inflows 2,745 499 Market appreciation (depreciation) 1,625 (311) Distributions (665) (1,178) Total increase (decrease) 3,705 (990) Assets under management, end of period $ 21,165 $ 16,141 31.1 % Percentage of total assets under management 35.0 % 32.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 18,892 $ 17,298 9.2 % Closed-end Funds Assets under management, beginning of period $ 9,029 $ 9,805 Inflows Outflows (86) (19) Net outflows (86) (19) Market appreciation (depreciation) 808 (443) Distributions (367) (385) Total increase (decrease) 355 (847) Assets under management, end of period $ 9,384 $ 8,958 4.8 % Percentage of total assets under management 15.5 % 18.0 % Average assets under management for period $ 9,141 $ 9,717 (5.9%) Total Assets under management, beginning of period $ 52,594 $ 53,137 Inflows 12,017 7,704 Outflows (6,053) (6,505) Net inflows 5,964 1,199 Market appreciation (depreciation) 5,204 (1,386) Distributions (3,265) (3,206) Total increase (decrease) 7,903 (3,393) Assets under management, end of period $ 60,497 $ 49,744 21.6 % Average assets under management for period $ 56,031 $ 52,976 5.8 % (1) September 30, 2015 amounts have been reclassified to show distributions separately and dividend reinvestments as inflows. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Assets Under Management - Institutional Accounts (Unaudited) By Account Type For the Periods (in millions) Three Months Ended % Change From September 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 Japan Subadvisory Assets under management, beginning of period $ 14,852 $ 13,998 $ 12,160 Inflows 1,084 874 390 Outflows (96) (33) (115) Net inflows 988 841 275 Market (depreciation) appreciation (68) 765 359 Distributions (828) (752) (560) Total increase 92 854 74 Assets under management, end of period $ 14,944 $ 14,852 $ 12,234 0.6 % 22.2 % Percentage of institutional assets under management 49.9 % 50.2 % 49.6 % Average assets under management for period $ 15,025 $ 13,963 $ 12,308 7.6 % 22.1 % Subadvisory Excluding Japan Assets under management, beginning of period $ 5,782 $ 5,584 $ 5,363 Inflows 374 162 356 Outflows (223) (191) (258) Net inflows (outflows) 151 (29) 98 Market appreciation (depreciation) 115 227 (195) Total increase (decrease) 266 198 (97) Assets under management, end of period $ 6,048 $ 5,782 $ 5,266 4.6 % 14.8 % Percentage of institutional assets under management 20.2 % 19.5 % 21.4 % Average assets under management for period $ 5,979 $ 5,635 $ 5,466 6.1 % 9.4 % Advisory Assets under management, beginning of period $ 8,947 $ 8,275 $ 7,022 Inflows 154 590 171 Outflows (317) (263) (21) Net (outflows) inflows (163) 327 150 Market appreciation (depreciation) 172 345 (27) Total increase 9 672 123 Assets under management, end of period $ 8,956 $ 8,947 $ 7,145 0.1 % 25.3 % Percentage of institutional assets under management 29.9 % 30.2 % 29.0 % Average assets under management for period $ 9,134 $ 8,459 $ 7,111 8.0 % 28.4 % Total Institutional Accounts Assets under management, beginning of period $ 29,581 $ 27,857 $ 24,545 Inflows 1,612 1,626 917 Outflows (636) (487) (394) Net inflows 976 1,139 523 Market appreciation 219 1,337 137 Distributions (828) (752) (560) Total increase 367 1,724 100 Assets under management, end of period $ 29,948 $ 29,581 $ 24,645 1.2 % 21.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 30,138 $ 28,057 $ 24,885 7.4 % 21.1 % (1) September 30, 2015 amounts have been reclassified to show distributions separately and dividend reinvestments as inflows. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Assets Under Management - Institutional Accounts (Unaudited) By Account Type For the Periods (in millions) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) % Change Japan Subadvisory Assets under management, beginning of period $ 13,112 $ 13,377 Inflows 2,858 1,234 Outflows (165) (515) Net inflows 2,693 719 Market appreciation (depreciation) 1,372 (219) Distributions (2,233) (1,643) Total increase (decrease) 1,832 (1,143) Assets under management, end of period $ 14,944 $ 12,234 22.2 % Percentage of institutional assets under management 49.9 % 49.6 % Average assets under management for period $ 13,949 $ 13,056 6.8 % Subadvisory Excluding Japan Assets under management, beginning of period $ 5,428 $ 5,480 Inflows 709 818 Outflows (638) (752) Net inflows 71 66 Market appreciation (depreciation) 549 (280) Total increase (decrease) 620 (214) Assets under management, end of period $ 6,048 $ 5,266 14.8 % Percentage of institutional assets under management 20.2 % 21.4 % Average assets under management for period $ 5,609 $ 5,565 0.8 % Advisory Assets under management, beginning of period $ 7,565 $ 7,344 Inflows 1,443 571 Outflows (902) (637) Net inflows (outflows) 541 (66) Market appreciation (depreciation) 850 (133) Total increase (decrease) 1,391 (199) Assets under management, end of period $ 8,956 $ 7,145 25.3 % Percentage of institutional assets under management 29.9 % 29.0 % Average assets under management for period $ 8,440 $ 7,340 15.0 % Total Institutional Accounts Assets under management, beginning of period $ 26,105 $ 26,201 Inflows 5,010 2,623 Outflows (1,705) (1,904) Net inflows 3,305 719 Market appreciation (depreciation) 2,771 (632) Distributions (2,233) (1,643) Total increase (decrease) 3,843 (1,556) Assets under management, end of period $ 29,948 $ 24,645 21.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 27,998 $ 25,961 7.8 % (1) September 30, 2015 amounts have been reclassified to show distributions separately and dividend reinvestments as inflows. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Assets Under Management (Unaudited) By Investment Strategy For the Periods (in millions) Three Months Ended % Change From September 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 U.S. Real Estate Assets under management, beginning of period $ 30,981 $ 29,069 $ 25,604 Inflows 2,141 2,050 937 Outflows (722) (800) (885) Net inflows 1,419 1,250 52 Market (depreciation) appreciation (135) 1,677 777 Distributions (890) (1,015) (621) Other (2) (127) Total increase 267 1,912 208 Assets under management, end of period $ 31,248 $ 30,981 $ 25,812 0.9 % 21.1 % Percentage of total assets under management 51.7 % 52.7 % 51.9 % Average assets under management for period $ 31,552 $ 29,266 $ 26,130 7.8 % 20.8 % Global/International Real Estate Assets under management, beginning of period $ 9,984 $ 10,152 $ 9,654 Inflows 231 185 170 Outflows (554) (490) (337) Net outflows (323) (305) (167) Market appreciation (depreciation) 314 203 (67) Distributions (46) (66) (41) Other (2) 127 Total increase (decrease) 72 (168) (275) Assets under management, end of period $ 10,056 $ 9,984 $ 9,379 0.7 % 7.2 % Percentage of total assets under management 16.6 % 17.0 % 18.9 % Average assets under management for period $ 10,256 $ 9,903 $ 9,633 3.6 % 6.5 % Preferred Securities Assets under management, beginning of period $ 9,082 $ 8,099 $ 6,742 Inflows 1,611 1,157 506 Outflows (435) (351) (305) Net inflows 1,176 806 201 Market appreciation 297 288 24 Distributions (115) (111) (90) Total increase 1,358 983 135 Assets under management, end of period $ 10,440 $ 9,082 $ 6,877 15.0 % 51.8 % Percentage of total assets under management 17.3 % 15.5 % 13.8 % Average assets under management for period $ 9,937 $ 8,572 $ 6,843 15.9 % 45.2 % Global Listed Infrastructure Assets under management, beginning of period $ 5,760 $ 5,272 $ 5,422 Inflows 141 245 418 Outflows (77) (49) (115) Net inflows 64 196 303 Market appreciation (depreciation) 80 337 (469) Distributions (42) (45) (44) Total increase (decrease) 102 488 (210) Assets under management, end of period $ 5,862 $ 5,760 $ 5,212 1.8 % 12.5 % Percentage of total assets under management 9.7 % 9.8 % 10.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 5,854 $ 5,486 $ 5,464 6.7 % 7.1 % Other Assets under management, beginning of period $ 2,942 $ 2,467 $ 2,726 Inflows 80 382 116 Outflows (170) (39) (98) Net (outflows) inflows (90) 343 18 Market appreciation (depreciation) 53 145 (266) Distributions (14) (13) (14) Total (decrease) increase (51) 475 (262) Assets under management, end of period $ 2,891 $ 2,942 $ 2,464 (1.7%) 17.3 % Percentage of total assets under management 4.8 % 5.0 % 4.9 % Average assets under management for period $ 2,918 $ 2,682 $ 2,597 8.8 % 12.4 % Total Assets under management, beginning of period $ 58,749 $ 55,059 $ 50,148 Inflows 4,204 4,019 2,147 Outflows (1,958) (1,729) (1,740) Net inflows 2,246 2,290 407 Market appreciation (depreciation) 609 2,650 (1) Distributions (1,107) (1,250) (810) Other (2) Total increase (decrease) 1,748 3,690 (404) Assets under management, end of period $ 60,497 $ 58,749 $ 49,744 3.0 % 21.6 % Average assets under management for period $ 60,517 $ 55,909 $ 50,667 8.2 % 19.4 % (1) September 30, 2015 amounts have been reclassified to show distributions separately and dividend reinvestments as inflows. (2) Represents transfer of assets under management not related to subscriptions, redemptions, market appreciation (depreciation) or distributions. Cohen & Steers, Inc. and Subsidiaries Assets Under Management (Unaudited) By Investment Strategy For the Periods (in millions) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (1) % Change U.S. Real Estate Assets under management, beginning of period $ 27,814 $ 28,357 Inflows 5,930 3,731 Outflows (2,526) (3,056) Net inflows 3,404 675 Market appreciation (depreciation) 2,769 (618) Distributions (2,612) (2,602) Other (2) (127) Total increase (decrease) 3,434 (2,545) Assets under management, end of period $ 31,248 $ 25,812 21.1 % Percentage of total assets under management 51.7 % 51.9 % Average assets under management for period $ 29,278 $ 27,822 5.2 % Global/International Real Estate Assets under management, beginning of period $ 9,476 $ 10,184 Inflows 1,193 862 Outflows (1,512) (1,451) Net outflows (319) (589) Market appreciation (depreciation) 926 (59) Distributions (154) (157) Other (2) 127 Total increase (decrease) 580 (805) Assets under management, end of period $ 10,056 $ 9,379 7.2 % Percentage of total assets under management 16.6 % 18.9 % Average assets under management for period $ 9,869 $ 10,050 (1.8%) Preferred Securities Assets under management, beginning of period $ 7,705 $ 6,342 Inflows 3,903 1,903 Outflows (1,447) (1,275) Net inflows 2,456 628 Market appreciation 610 162 Distributions (331) (255) Total increase 2,735 535 Assets under management, end of period $ 10,440 $ 6,877 51.8 % Percentage of total assets under management 17.3 % 13.8 % Average assets under management for period $ 8,773 $ 6,771 29.6 % Global Listed Infrastructure Assets under management, beginning of period $ 5,147 $ 5,697 Inflows 477 717 Outflows (304) (472) Net inflows 173 245 Market appreciation (depreciation) 670 (595) Distributions (128) (135) Total increase (decrease) 715 (485) Assets under management, end of period $ 5,862 $ 5,212 12.5 % Percentage of total assets under management 9.7 % 10.5 % Average assets under management for period $ 5,449 $ 5,638 (3.4%) Other Assets under management, beginning of period $ 2,452 $ 2,557 Inflows 514 491 Outflows (264) (251) Net inflows 250 240 Market appreciation (depreciation) 229 (276) Distributions (40) (57) Total increase (decrease) 439 (93) Assets under management, end of period $ 2,891 $ 2,464 17.3 % Percentage of total assets under management 4.8 % 4.9 % Average assets under management for period $ 2,662 $ 2,695 (1.2%) Total Assets under management, beginning of period $ 52,594 $ 53,137 Inflows 12,017 7,704 Outflows (6,053) (6,505) Net inflows 5,964 1,199 Market appreciation (depreciation) 5,204 (1,386) Distributions (3,265) (3,206) Other (2) Total increase (decrease) 7,903 (3,393) Assets under management, end of period $ 60,497 $ 49,744 21.6 % Average assets under management for period $ 56,031 $ 52,976 5.8 % (1) September 30, 2015 amounts have been reclassified to show distributions separately and dividend reinvestments as inflows. (2) Represents transfer of assets under management not related to subscriptions, redemptions, market appreciation (depreciation) or distributions. Non-GAAP Reconciliation Management believes that use of these non-GAAP financial measures may enhance the evaluation of the company's results, as they provide greater transparency into the company's operating results. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures are used to prepare the company's internal management reports and by management in evaluating the company's business. While management believes that this non-GAAP financial information is useful in evaluating the company's results and operating performance, this information should be considered as supplemental in nature and not as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. For the Periods (in thousands, except per share data and percentages) Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 June 30, 2016 September 30, 2015 (5) Revenue, U.S. GAAP $ 94,388 $ 86,373 $ 79,667 Investment advisory and administration fees (1) $ 30 $ 29 $ 19 Distribution and service fees (1) $ 1 $ 1 $ 1 Revenue, as adjusted $ 94,419 $ 86,403 $ 79,687 Expenses, U.S. GAAP $ 57,175 $ 52,242 $ 48,190 Employee compensation and benefits (2) $ (29) $ 10 $ General and administrative (1) $ (25) $ (32) $ (11) Expenses, as adjusted $ 57,121 $ 52,220 $ 48,179 Operating income, U.S. GAAP $ 37,213 $ 34,131 $ 31,477 Revenue adjustments above $ 31 $ 30 $ 20 Expense adjustments above $ 54 $ 22 $ 11 Operating income, as adjusted $ 37,298 $ 34,183 $ 31,508 Non-operating income (loss), U.S. GAAP $ 1,356 $ 4,466 $ (7,727) Interest and dividends on seed investments (3) $ (264) $ (455) $ (231) (Gains) losses from seed investments (3) $ (698) $ (3,815) $ 7,748 Non-operating income (loss), as adjusted $ 394 $ 196 $ (210) Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, U.S. GAAP $ 46 $ (113) $ 129 Amounts attributable to consolidated seed investments (1) $ (46) $ 113 $ (129) Net income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, as adjusted $ $ $ Provision for income taxes, U.S. GAAP $ 14,738 $ 13,676 $ 11,541 Tax effect on adjustments (4) $ (672) $ (612) $ 352 Provision for income taxes, as adjusted $ 14,066 $ 13,064 $ 11,893 Net income attributable to common stockholders, U.S. GAAP $ 23,877 $ 24,808 $ 12,338 Investment advisory and administration fees (1) $ 30 $ 29 $ 19 Distribution and service fees (1) $ 1 $ 1 $ 1 Employee compensation and benefits (2) $ 29 $ (10) $ General and administrative (1) $ 25 $ 32 $ 11 Interest and dividends on seed investments (3) $ (264) $ (455) $ (231) (Gains) losses from seed investments (3) $ (698) $ (3,815) $ 7,748 Tax effect on adjustments (4) $ 672 $ 612 $ (352) Amounts attributable to consolidated seed investments (1) $ (46) $ 113 $ (129) Net income attributable to common stockholders, as adjusted $ 23,626 $ 21,315 $ 19,405 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 46,544 46,378 45,830 Diluted earnings per share, U.S. GAAP $ 0.51 $ 0.53 $ 0.27 Diluted earnings per share, as adjusted $ 0.51 $ 0.46 $ 0.42 Operating margin, U.S. GAAP 39.4 % 39.5 % 39.5 % Operating margin, as adjusted 39.5 % 39.6 % 39.5 % (1) Represents amounts related to deconsolidation of our consolidated seed investments in Company-sponsored funds. (2) Represents amounts necessary to maintain non-GAAP compensation-to-revenue ratio in light of deconsolidation adjustment to revenue. (3) Represents dividend income and realized gains attributable to our seed investments classified as available-for-sale, our proportionate share of the results of operations of seed investments classified as equity method investments including realized and unrealized gains and losses, and amounts attributable to our consolidated seed investments. (4) The provision for income taxes is provided for at 37.32%, 38%, and 38% for the three months ended September 30, 2016, June 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively, which is the rate the company would pay on its earnings excluding the effect of non-operating gains and losses on seed investments and discrete items. (5) During the three months ended December 31, 2015, one of the company's seed investments changed classification from available-for-sale to equity method. As a result, all prior periods have been retroactively adjusted to reflect this investment as if it had been an equity method investment in prior periods. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Additional Disclosures 2016 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Morningstar calculates its ratings based on a risk-adjusted return measure that accounts for variation in a fund's monthly performance (including the effects of sales charges, loads, and redemption fees), placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of funds in each category receive five stars, the next 22.5% receive four stars, the next 35% receive three stars, the next 22.5% receive two stars and the bottom 10% receive one star. Based on independent rating by Morningstar, Inc. of investment performance of each Cohen & Steers-sponsored open-end U.S.-registered mutual fund for all share classes for the overall period as of September 30, 2016. Overall Morningstar rating is a weighted average based on the 3-year, 5-year and 10-year Morningstar rating. Each share class is counted as a fraction of one fund within this scale and rated separately, which may cause slight variations in the distribution percentages. This is not investment advice and may not be construed as sales or marketing material for any financial product or service sponsored or provided by Cohen & Steers. SOURCE Cohen & Steers, Inc. For more than 25 years, the Foundation has been committed to improving access to safe drinking water in low-resource settings of Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico and India, with investments in the water sector having been guided by global ambitions, beginning first with the call to eradicate guinea worm followed by the Millennium Development Goals' (MDGs) drinking water target. The adoption of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) gives the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector a new global ambition to strive for pushing for bigger and better services. The Foundation has embraced this bold challenge with the design and release of its 2017-2021 grantmaking strategy. Taking this into consideration, within the Safe Water program area, the Foundation will make investments in three key focus areas: 1) advancing proven and promising solutions and models, 2) strengthening water governance and in-country systems, and 3) building and disseminating credible and actionable evidence. "We are pleased to announce another $19.53 million in funds to organizations all over the world, and are particularly excited about our new strategy for our Safe Water program," said Peter Laugharn, president and CEO of the Hilton Foundation. "The three approaches outlined in the strategy will be applied in an integrated way within the countries where we work in sub-Saharan Africa, with the objective of accelerating the coverage of reliable access to safe and affordable water for households, health facilities and schools in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Uganda." Of the $9.5 million to support the Safe Water program area, Safe Water Network was awarded $5 million to develop a market for small water enterprises (SWEs) in Ghana. $3 million was granted to World Vision for the purpose of demonstrating sustainable WASH services in all health care facilities in two districts in Mali. PATH was awarded $1.5 million to advance the development of a commercially viable on-site chlorine generator (SE-Flow) for drinking water treatment and infection prevention and control (IPC) in low-resource health facilities, schools and communities. Grants in the third quarter of 2016 were awarded to a total of 17 organizations spanning across the Hilton Foundation's priority areas, including organizations serving the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people both in the U.S. and internationally. Following is an overview of other grants awarded in the third quarter of 2016: Children Affected by HIV and AIDS King Baudouin Foundation United States, Inc. was awarded $260,000 to support the African Early Childhood Network's efforts to strengthen early childhood development research and advocacy in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. Additionally, $400,000 was awarded to PATH to assess the impact of health facility-based early childhood development interventions and plan for replication in Kenya. Finally, The World Bank was awarded $300,000 for the Early Learning Partnership to provide the Government of Tanzania with data on the pre-primary teaching workforce. Foster Youth $750,000 was awarded to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to build the capacity of community colleges to address unintended pregnancy among youth transitioning out of foster care in Los Angeles and New York. Annie E. Casey Foundation was awarded $300,000 for learning and assessment of the Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP) initiative. Catholic Sisters Alverno College was granted $2.75 million to expand and deepen National Catholic Sisters Project (formerly known as National Catholic Sisters Week) to include three additional Catholic colleges and universities located in California, Texas and Wisconsin. $900,000 was awarded to LifeNet International to build the capacity of Catholic sisters to operate in 22 community health centers in Uganda, while Medicines for Humanity received a $250,000 grant to build the capacity of 11 congregations of Catholic Sisters in Haiti to implement effective training programs for traditional birth attendants. Finally, Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate was granted $240,000 to support research that advances our understanding of Catholic sisters. Homelessness $1.9 million was granted to Abt Associates to serve as Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning partner for Phase II of the Foundation's Homelessness Strategic Initiative. Downtown Women's Center was awarded $450,000 to build partnership and foster cross-sector programs between permanent supportive housing and domestic violence providers serving individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Disaster Relief and Recovery Harvard University was awarded $480,000 to support continued development and scale-up of KoBo Toolbox, free and open-source suite of data collection and analysis tools that aims to facilitate better coordination and more timely humanitarian service delivery in the field. Catholic Education $550,000 was awarded to Step Up for Students to expand private school choice in the state of Alabama, in partnership with the Archdiocese of Mobile, to include Catholic schools serving low-income students. Additionally, a grant in the amount of $500,000 was awarded to Boys Town Nevada to support family services in a school-based initiative. For more detailed information on our grantmaking, please visit hiltonfoundation.org/grants. About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help the world's disadvantaged and vulnerable people. The Foundation currently conducts strategic initiatives in six priority areas: providing safe water, ending chronic homelessness, preventing substance use, helping children affected by HIV and AIDS, supporting transition-age youth in foster care, and extending Conrad Hilton's support for the work of Catholic Sisters. In addition, following selection by an independent international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $2 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to a nonprofit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. In 2016, the Humanitarian Prize was awarded to The Task Force for Global Health, an international, nonprofit organization that works to improve health of people most in need, primarily in developing countries. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.4 billion in grants, distributing $107 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2015. The Foundation's current assets are approximately $2.5 billion. For more information, please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org. Contact: Julia Friedman, Communications Manager, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation 818.851.3754 / [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430441 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150916/267339LOGO SOURCE Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Related Links https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/ "The driving force behind our innovation is consumer choice. We dial into what consumers seek from our brands and implement our category-leading shopper insights to help our retail partners merchandise products to satisfy their shoppers' needs," said Edward Taylor, VP U.S. Sales and Operations for Wrigley. "Wrigley's new innovations intend to help grow the category by delivering relevant products that meet shoppers' needs. We know that consumers are often running low on gum, so we're giving them more gum in their favorite brands with the 35-stick Extra and 5 gum Mega Packs, and the new 40-count Orbit White soft chew that helps keep teeth white. We're also giving shoppers fun ways to celebrate their favorite occasions, from summer holidays to game day, with exclusive Skittles America Mix, Juicy Fruit America Pop and Skittles Trick Plays." New items Wrigley will feature at the NACS Show include: Orbit White: Orbit is introducing Orbit White, an all-new mint soft chew that is proven to help keep teeth white. Orbit White comes in a soft chew form, bigger in size than current Orbit pellets, and will be offered in two sugarfree flavors, Spearmint and Peppermint. ( January 2017 , $3.49 for 40-count bottles) Doublemint Perfectly Sweet: Doublemint Perfectly Sweet offers a new choice for consumers seeking gum sweetened only with real sugar and provides the taste people expect and love from Doublemint gum. ( December 2016 , $0.68 for 12-stick envelope pack) Juicy Fruit America Pop : Tapping into the success of this summer's special-edition Skittles America Mix, Juicy Fruit will launch new Juicy Fruit America Pop next summer. Each stick contains a blend of Cherry, Lemon and Blue Raspberry flavors channeling the delicious flavor of the red, white and blue ice pops. ( May 2017 , $1.19 for the 15-stick Slim Pack and $2.69 for the Multipack with three 15-stick Slim Pack) Skittles Trick Plays: Skittles is adding a fun twist on the popular football strategy with Skittles Trick Plays, which will keep fans guessing when the Skittles' colors on the outside don't match the flavors on the inside. Available for a limited time only, Trick Plays will be in stores just in time to engage with fans during the 2017 NFL season. (Early 2017, $0.99 for Single Pack) Extra and 5 gum Mega Packs: Wrigley is extending its successful Mega Pack line to include Extra Peppermint and 5 gum as Front End Bulk is a fast-growing segment of gum. The Mega Pack holds over twice as much gum as a standard 15-stick pack, so consumers do not have to worry about running out as 50 percent of consumers are out of stock on a daily basis. ( June 2017 , $2.49 for the Extra Mega Pack and $2.99 for the 5 gum Mega Pack). New Seasonal Items across brands including Skittles Cauldron for Halloween , Life Savers Wint-O-Green Candy Canes and Skittles Book of Awesome for the holidays as well as Altoids Love Tins for Valentine's Day and Starburst Ice Cream Flavors Jelly Beans for Easter. New items Mars Chocolate will display at the NACS Show include: M&M'S Caramel Chocolate Candies. The biggest launch in M&M'S Brand history, this innovative treat features a creamy caramel center covered in delicious milk chocolate, enclosed in a colorful candy shell. Caramel is the fastest growing flavor segment in food, growing 15 percent in 2015. ( April 2017 , $1.09-$1.39 for 1.41-ounce Singles, $1.69-$1.99 for 2.83-ounce Share Size, $2.99-$3.99 for 9.9-ounce Sharing Size SUP) Three New Flavors of Gluten-Free goodnessknows snack squares. Building on its 2015 national launch, goodnessknows snack squares adds three new flavors to its popular lineup that combines fruits, whole nuts and dark chocolate: Blueberry & Almond, Mixed Berry & Almond and Strawberry & Peanut. ( December 2016 , $1.59 - $1.99 for 1.2-ounce singles, $4.99 - $6.99 for a five-pack carton) MALTESERS Candies. As the #1 bite-sized chocolate brand in the U.K., this treat features a crispy, airy center, wrapped in a smooth, mouth-watering, chocolatey covering. ( January 2017 , SRP: $1.09-$1.39 for 1.3-ounce Singles; $1.00 - $1.70 for 3.0-ounce Theater Box; $1.80 - $2.40 for 3.52-ounce Peg Bag; $4.99 - $5.99 for 14.5-ounce Tub; $9.48 - $9.99 for 31.0-ounce Tub) SNICKERS & Hazelnut Bar satisfies with everything consumers love about SNICKERSpeanuts, caramel and nougat covered in milk chocolatewith the addition of delicious hazelnuts. ( December 2016 , $.99 - $1.09 for 1.76-ounce Single, $1.69-$1.79 for 3.23-ounce 2 to Go) DOVE Fruit Mixed Berries Dipped in DOVE Dark Chocolate. Featuring strawberries, blueberries and cranberries, this new flavor variety is the perfect combination of real fruit and America's #1 DOVE Dark Chocolate. ( December 2016 , $3.99 - $4.29 for 5.5-ounce SUP) DOVE Fruit Dark Chocolate Cherry & Sea Salt Almond. Building on the popular DOVE Fruit Cherry -- which was a top seller last year -- this new offering combines real cherries with the #1 nut in America -- almonds. ( December 2016 , $3.99 - $4.29 for 5.5-ounce SUP) TWIX White Chocolate Cookie Bars feature two crunchy cookie bars covered with smooth caramel and enrobed in creamy white chocolate. (Limited edition - October 2016 , $0.99-$1.09 for a single package of two bars) M&M'S Brand Ice Cream Bars feature chopped M&M'S Milk Chocolate Candies inside reduced fat vanilla ice cream, all smothered in creamy milk chocolate. ( December 2016 , SRP $1.79 for a 2.64-ounce single and $3.99 for a box of six 1.63-ounce bars) New Seasonal Items span each brand portfolio, from TWIX Brand Minis Cane for the Holidays to M&M'S Milk Chocolate Bottles with graphics for Valentine's Day and Easter. In addition to new product innovations, Wrigley and Mars Chocolate will introduce several co-branded initiatives at the show, including "The Candy Bowl" program that builds on the success of last year's inaugural joint Super Bowl promotion. The companies will also share details on their merchandising tools and insights, which are already being implemented with more than 18,000 retailers and provide customized recommendations on strategic product placements to maximize sales. These collaborative initiatives reflect the recent announcement from parent company, Mars, Inc., about the intent to combine the Chocolate and Wrigley segments to create Mars Wrigley Confectionery. The combination will help deliver greater value to customers, and enable the segment to address consumer trends and insights holistically in what is increasingly seen as one global confections category. Retailers can contact their Mars and Wrigley representative for details on product innovations, consumer promotions and shopper insights and visit www.marspresskit.com. About Mars, Incorporated In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a "mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders" this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance. Mars brands include: Petcare PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN, WHISKAS, BANFIELD Pet Hospital, CESAR, SHEBA, DREAMIES and NUTRO; Chocolate M&M'S, SNICKERS, DOVE, GALAXY, MARS, MILKY WAY and TWIX; Wrigley DOUBLEMINT, EXTRA, ORBIT and 5 chewing gums, SKITTLES and STARBURST candies, and ALTOIDS AND LIFESAVERS mints. Food UNCLE BEN'S, DOLMIO, EBLY, MASTERFOODS, SEEDS OF CHANGE and ROYCO; Drinks ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY, KLIX and FLAVIA; Symbioscience COCOAVIA and WISDOM PANEL. For more information, please visit www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161017/429557 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161017/429558 SOURCE Mars Chocolate North America Related Links http://www.mars.com CHARLOTTE, N.C. and SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Conterra Broadband Services, a leading provider of private fiber-optic broadband networks, has announced that it has entered into a long-term agreement to deploy an all-fiber-optic network to support the data, video and voice requirements of the Northside Independent School District ("NISD"), San Antonio, Texas. NISD serves approximately 106,000 students and 13,000 staff members. The fast-growing school district is the largest in San Antonio and the fourth largest in the State of Texas covering over 350 square miles. The fault-tolerant, dedicated network employs multiple 100 Gbps optical fiber rings to connect all of the 127 district's schools and administrative facilities with the two Northside ISD Data Centers. Conterra continuously monitors, manages, and supports the network to ensure network performance and reliability. The network is designed to scale up to 100 Gbps for each location without the need for additional construction. "We recognized that our current network was not able to support our future educational technology needs," said Lori Jones, NISD Assistant Superintendent, Technology Services. "We needed a scalable solution to address our district's mission of providing innovative, high-quality, diverse learning experiences for all students in an ever-changing world. As a specialized fiber-optic network provider, Conterra will provide us a dedicated, resilient, fiber-optic network that will serve us and the community for many years." Conterra's EVP Greg Spraetz commented, "We are accelerating our multi-million-dollar investments in Texas by offering school districts future proof network solutions by delivering high-reliable, high-performance private networks. Conterra serves dozens of school districts in Texas including new fiber networks to support El Paso ISD & Socorro ISD, Judson & South San Antonio, and the Tyler ISD along with our recently awarded long-term agreement with the Fort Worth ISD. We continue to deliver customized, tailored, market-leading fast, secure, and reliable wide area network services that are essential to evolving educational technology platforms such as interactive video programming, cloud-based applications, mobility initiatives, and virtual learning." Ms. Jones added, "Conterra Broadband will provide us with a highly reliable, scalable, WAN that will deliver dedicated 1-10 Gbps service to every NISD location. As our technology platforms evolve to support a cloud-based environment, this new dedicated network is essential for student learning." About Conterra Broadband Services Conterra Broadband Services is a national provider of managed fiber-based, carrier-grade telecommunications solutions for schools, enterprises, healthcare, telecom carriers, and municipalities that require bandwidth intensive, carrier-grade services in major metropolitan, suburban, and rural areas. Conterra, and its subsidiaries, currently provide services to over 3,000 locations throughout the United States. For more information about Conterra, visit www.Conterra.com or call: 800-634-1374. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150929/271868LOGO SOURCE Conterra Broadband Services Related Links http://www.Conterra.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ContextMedia:Health, the leader in patient outcome technologies, announced today that it has added Doug Rutz, Jeff Kabat, Martin Pitkow and Scott Simpson as Senior Vice Presidents for Life Sciences Solutions to oversee the company's goal of ubiquity in healthcare by 2020. The four hires bring decades of combined leadership across the Life Sciences, Enterprise Sales and Corporate Development, and will continue to drive ContextMedia:Health's triple-digit revenue growth in pursuit of this goal. "Today, our technology has given us the ability to deliver intelligence and information to both patients and providers as they make the decisions that drive health outcomes," said Ashik Desai, EVP of Business Growth and Analytics at ContextMedia:Health. "There is a transformation of technology and access happening at the point of care, and the explosive scale and efficacy ContextMedia:Health's platforms is leading marketers to move 10-15% of their salesforce and DTC budgets over to our channels. Through the results delivered by ContextMedia:Health's performance-based programming, our partners experience industry-leading ROI, and we are turning a new page at ContextMedia:Health. The addition of best-in-class leadership in Doug, Jeff, Martin and Scott will help us accelerate on our journey." Immediately prior to joining ContextMedia, Doug Rutz held the position of Chief Revenue Officer at ConnectiveRx, formerly PDR/PSKW. Prior to his tenure at ConnectiveRx, he served for seven years at Adheris Health, a division of inVentiv Health, as Group Vice President of Business Development and served for over two decades in leadership roles within Marketing and Sales at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Jeff Kabat previously served as President and General Manager at Demdex, the first-ever point solution data management platform (DMP), which was acquired by Adobe in early 2011. The acquisition saw Kabat transition into the role of VP Sales at Adobe, where he oversaw operations for this SaaS offering across The Americas. Martin Pitkow joins ContextMedia:Health from SAP SuccessFactors, where he was most recently the Global VP of Corporate Development & Growth Initiatives. Pitkow contributed in a series of leadership positions in sales and general management at SuccessFactors during his 12 year tenure, including head of global Solution Sales and Chief of Staff, through SuccessFactors' successful IPO and acquisition by SAP. Scott Simpson most recently served as Head of New Sales for the South Asia Pacific Region at Google, where he oversaw the teams and operations responsible for customer growth in the region. Simpson contributed for nearly seven years at Google, where he previously held a role as Head of New Sales for Google's Emerging Markets in Africa, the Middle East and Southern Europe. His experience before Google includes seven years as the co-founder of a Michigan-based startup and a member of the finance team at the commercial real estate firm, Cushman & Wakefield. 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 physician consultation rooms. These health technologies deliver measurable results to patient engagement, empowering action and inspiring behavior change for people living with a chronic condition. 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 brand partnerships, visit http://partner.contextmediainc.com. Media Contact: Philip de Guzman, Communications Lead, ContextMedia, (312) 636-7320, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389076LOGO SOURCE ContextMedia:Health Related Links http://www.contextmediainc.com Highly regarded real estate professionals become Principals, will focus on agency leasing and investment sales transactions; three others join SAN DIEGO, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Christopher Cooper, Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the company's Southern California region, announced today that Corey Martin, Stan Nowak and their highly regarded agency leasing and investment sales team have joined the firm in San Diego. Effective immediately, Martin and Nowak become Principals of Avison Young with a mandate to expand the firm's San Diego and Southwest Riverside Counties' industrial and office sales, leasing, and investment sales practice. In the coming months, Martin will also expand his practice into the Austin, TX market to serve his clients' growing requirements. In addition, Matt Shaw joins the company as a Senior Associate, Cody Lerner becomes an Associate and Lindsay Shoffner an administrative assistant. All five of the new team members join Avison Young from Coldwell Banker Commercial in the San Diego suburb of Temecula, CA, where Martin was a Principal, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice-President and Nowak a Principal and Senior Vice-President, while Shaw was a Senior Associate, Lerner an Associate and Shoffner a Business and Relations Co-ordinator. "Corey and Stan are highly regarded real estate industry leaders who have gained considerable recognition in Southern California for their proven expertise in agency leasing and industrial and office real estate investment sales," comments Cooper. "We couldn't be more pleased to have Corey, Stan, Matt, Cody and Lindsay come on board to lead this integral service delivery platform in San Diego. The addition of this team will further our ability to provide high-level, value-added owner and investor services to our clients." Martin and Nowak each bring 11 years of commercial real estate experience to Avison Young. They are both consistent top producers and have worked together throughout their careers. "We are thrilled to have Corey, Stan and their team join Avison Young," adds Jerry Keeney, Avison Young Principal in the firm's San Diego office. "Their expertise will be a tremendous complement to our rapidly growing San Diego practice and will certainly provide the foundation necessary to expand our agency leasing and sales delivery platform. Working together, the entire team will provide owners and investors with best-in-class leasing, sales advisory and transaction services." While at Coldwell Banker Commercial, Martin received CoStar Top Office Broker awards in 2014 and 2015. He joined Coldwell Banker Commercial in 2012 as a result of its merger with CORE Real Estate Services in Temecula, a company that he co-founded. While at CORE, he held the position of President and was responsible for developing strategic real estate solutions for office and industrial properties throughout the Inland Empire and San Diego County. Prior to founding CORE, Martin was with The Garrett Group in Temecula, managing operations as well as the industrial and office leasing and investment sales practices; and was a Senior Associate with Coldwell Banker Commercial Almar RE Group in Temecula. Martin's past and current clients include Kearny Real Estate Company, Corus-Tata Steel, Oshkosh Defense, Regent Properties, Dimension Data, Fullmer Construction, Hamann Companies, and Airbus DS Communications. Recent transactions include a 68,289-square-foot (sf) office build-to-suit for a Riverside County school district with a total consideration of more than $51 million; and the sale of a nine-building, class A office and flex industrial portfolio totaling 82,137 sf for $12.3 million. "I am very excited to join the Avison Young family," notes Martin. "The firm's culture places a high emphasis on honesty and integrity while fostering a collaborative partnership that is unique in the real estate industry. Avison Young's encouragement for an entrepreneurial approach to client service and solutions is unique in our industry and sets the company apart from the rest of the service providers. The team is looking forward to expanding our market share in San Diego and Riverside Counties, and working with our new colleagues throughout North America and Europe." In the community, Martin is active with various community service programs offering support to the homeless, veterans and other citizens in need. He is an active member of Bible League, World Vision, Compassion International, Fred Jordan Missions and Far Reaching Ministries. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in cellular and molecular biology from San Diego State University. Nowak moved to Coldwell Banker Commercial in 2012 as part of its merger with CORE Real Estate Services, where he was a Senior Vice-President. Prior to joining CORE, he was a Senior Vice-President at The Garrett Group in Temecula, specializing in office and industrial leasing and investment sales transactions; and a Senior Sales Associate with Coldwell Banker Commercial Almar RE Group in Temecula. Nowak's past and current clients include First Industrial Realty, Glasswerks and Airbus DS Communications. Recent transactions include an $11.7-million, 263,000-sf, flex-industrial-building acquisition for his client's regional headquarters in Temecula; and the disposition of a 108,000-sf industrial distribution building for $7.55 million. Other recent sales include office and industrial income properties totaling more than 250,000 sf with a combined market value exceeding $23.5 million. "I am looking forward to the opportunity to expand my practice with Avison Young," adds Nowak. "The team and I were drawn to the firm because of its Principal-led, client-centric model, which will allow us to make decisions at the local level and provide a nimble, custom-tailored approach to transaction management for our clients. That's a big differentiator for us. Furthermore, Avison Young's exceptional track record in San Diego and Southern California, along with the firm's entrepreneurial work environment and client-first focus on investor services, were very appealing to us." Over the past seven and a half years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to 79 offices and from 300 to more than 2,400 real estate professionals in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe. Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,400 real estate professionals in 79 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial and multi-family properties. For further information/comment/photos: Sherry Quan , Principal, Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: 604.647.5098; cell: 604.726.0959 , Principal, Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: cell: Christopher Cooper , Principal and Managing Director, Southern California Region, Avison Young: 213.935.7435 , Principal and Managing Director, Southern California Region, Avison Young: Jerry Keeney , Principal, Avison Young: 858.201.7077 , Principal, Avison Young: Corey Martin , Principal, Avison Young: 858.336.5501 , Principal, Avison Young: Stan Nowak , Principal, Avison Young: 951.743.0383 , Principal, Avison Young: Mark Rose , Chair and CEO, Avison Young: 416.673.4028 Chair and CEO, Avison Young: Earl Webb , President, U.S. Operations, Avison Young: 312.957.7610 www.avisonyoung.com Avison Young was a winner of Canada's Best Managed Companies program in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 and requalified in 2015 to maintain its status as a Best Managed Gold company Follow Avison Young on Twitter: For industry news, press releases and market reports: www.twitter.com/avisonyoung For Avison Young listings and deals: www.twitter.com/AYListingsDeals Follow Avison Young Bloggers: http://blog.avisonyoung.com Follow Avison Young on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/avison-young-commercial-real-estate Follow Avison Young on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/AvisonYoungRE Editors/Reporters Please click on links to view and download photos of Corey Martin and Stan Nowak: http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/Corey-Martin.png http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/Stan-Nowak.png SOURCE Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC) Related Links www.avisonyoung.com HOUSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CRG, a global healthcare-focused investment firm supporting innovative healthcare companies, announced today the appointment of Adam Whitehead as Vice President of Investor Relations in the firm's Boulder office. Mr. Whitehead will help build and manage relationships with CRG's limited partners and expand the firm's investor relations strategy. Mr. Whitehead will report to Mike Weinmann, Managing Director at CRG. Mr. Whitehead brings to CRG more than 10 years of experience in asset allocation, manager due diligence and fundraising, and established relationships with institutional investors. Previously, Mr. Whitehead spent six years as a senior investment analyst at Crestone Capital Advisors, a large multi-family office for ultra-high net worth entrepreneurs and executives. He also served as Vice President of Research for Sovereign Wealth Management. In addition, Mr. Whitehead served as Vice President of Research for Quantitative Equity Systems; Director of Research at The Bornhoft Group; and Principal and Director of Trading and Research at Warwick Capital Management. He began his investment career as a Proprietary Trader and Asset/Liability Modeler at Branch Banking & Trust. Mr. Whitehead graduated from Saint Andrews Presbyterian College, magna cum laude, in Laurinburg, North Carolina with a double major in business (emphasis in finance and accounting). "Adam brings to CRG deep knowledge of the alternative investment landscape and a strong book of contacts to continue our rapid growth," said Nate Hukill, President of CRG. "This exciting addition will help us better service our limited partners and expand on relationships with institutional investors that allocate to private capital investment strategies." About CRG Founded in 2003, CRG (previously known as Capital Royalty L.P.) is a healthcare-focused investment firm that delivers pioneering growth capital financing solutions to the global healthcare industry. With nearly $3.0 billion of assets under management across 42 healthcare investments, CRG provides growth capital to healthcare companies primarily through structured debt and senior secured loans. CRG works across the spectrum of healthcare products, technologies and services and targets investment sizes ranging between $20 million and $300 million. The firm partners with innovative, commercial-stage healthcare companies that address large, unmet medical needs who are seeking flexible financing solutions with a committed, value-add partner to achieve their growth objectives. CRG is headquartered in Houston, Texas with offices in Boulder, Colorado and New York. For additional information, please visit www.crglp.com. Disclosure: This release does not constitute an offer to sell or buy any securities and may not be used or relied upon in connection with any offer or sale of securities. It does not constitute a solicitation of clients and may not be used or relied upon in connection with any solicitation of clients. This release is qualified in its entirety by reference to the offering materials of a specific investment opportunity. Neither the Fund nor CRG makes any representation or warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information contained in this release. Statements in this release are made as of the date hereof unless stated otherwise herein, and the delivery of this release at any time shall not under any circumstances create an implication that the information contained herein is correct as of any time subsequent to such date. Neither the Fund nor CRG has any obligation to update the information contained in this release, including in the event that any such information becomes inaccurate. No person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representation concerning the matters in this release other than the information explicitly contained in this release, and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized. CRG and its affiliates reserve the right to modify any of the terms of any offering. Certain information contained in this release constitutes "forward-looking statements (as defined in the U.S. private securities litigation reform act of 1995)," which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "seeks," "plans," "scheduled to," "target," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "intend," "continue" or "believe" or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or other comparable terminology. Due to various known or unknown risks and uncertainties, including those described in this release and the offering materials of a specific investment opportunity, actual events or results or the actual performance may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements. As a result, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. No representation or warranty is made as to future performance or such forward-looking statements. The Fund and CRG expressly disclaim any and all liability relating to or resulting from the use of this release. Media Contact: Nick Rust 212.279.3115 ext. 252 [email protected] SOURCE CRG LP Related Links http://www.crglp.com WOONSOCKET, R.I., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) today announced the national rollout of CVS Pay, an end-to-end mobile payment solution at CVS Pharmacy. CVS Pay is now part of the CVS Pharmacy mobile app, and integrates payment, prescription pickup and the ExtraCare loyalty program all into one quick scan at checkout. CVS Pay is an example of the company's larger commitment to developing digital tools that simplify the customer experience, making it easier for consumers everywhere to better manage their health. "We know that our customers lead busy lives, so our digital efforts are focused on making it easier for them to do simple but important things like picking up prescriptions. That's why we are thrilled to launch CVS Pay to CVS Pharmacy app users nationwide," said Brian Tilzer, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, CVS Health. "For our customers, CVS Pay offers more than just a payment solution: it's a seamless, quick and easy user experience that makes picking up prescriptions and shopping at CVS Pharmacy even more convenient." CVS Pay first launched as a pilot program this August in the New York City metro area and the adoption of the program as well as feedback from customers has exceeded expectations. Now available to all users of the CVS Pharmacy mobile app, CVS Pay simplifies the checkout experience for customers nationwide. CVS Pay users have the ability to refill, manage multiple prescriptions and now pick-up and pay all within the app. Additionally, customers can link their ExtraCare card with CVS Pay, meaning a single scan at checkout will process all ExtraCare deals, earn new rewards and handle payment for the transaction. For another added level of convenience, customers can also use CVS Pay at the drive-thru, where they can simply share a pickup number found within the CVS Pharmacy mobile app. CVS Pharmacy customers can begin using CVS Pay by adding any credit or debit card into the CVS Pharmacy app. They can also add their Health Savings Account and Flexible Savings Account cards. The CVS Pharmacy mobile app can be downloaded at www.cvs.com/mobile-cvs/apps. At the store, the associate will scan the barcode from the customer's app, ring up the purchases, let the customer choose a payment method from those stored within the app, and then process the payment. All verifications for prescriptions and payment take place directly in the app, so transactions are quick and easy. Once complete, the customer will receive a confirmation of payment in the app. CVS Pay is available in the CVS Pharmacy app on iOS and Android devices and works with all major credit (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express), debit, Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account cards. CVS Pay works in CVS Pharmacy standalone stores only and is not yet available at CVS Pharmacy in Target locations. About CVS Pharmacy CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), is America's leading retail pharmacy with over 9,600 locations. It is the first national pharmacy to end the sale of tobacco and the first pharmacy in the nation to receive the Community Pharmacy accreditation from URAC, the leading health care accreditation organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry. CVS Pharmacy is reinventing pharmacy to help people on their path to better health by providing the most accessible and personalized expertise, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS Pharmacy and CVS Health is available at www.cvshealth.com. Press Contacts Erin Pensa CVS Pharmacy T: 401.770.4786 E: [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160421/358240LOGO SOURCE CVS Pharmacy Related Links http://www.cvshealth.com ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cybersecurity education and workforce development company CyberVista today welcomes students into its first live online class for its Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification test preparation program. CyberVista's program is the only live online CISSP test prep program approved by (ISC), the world's largest IT security organization specializing in security education and certifications. "The demand for CISSP holders continues to outpace the supply, posing a great challenge to filling today's most critical cybersecurity positions," said Jung Lee, Head of Certification Test Preparation Programs at CyberVista. "CyberVista's test prep program offers the personalization, flexibility, and breadth of information to not only help professionals prepare for and pass the CISSP exam, but also retain the knowledge well into their cybersecurity career." Informed by sister company Kaplan, Inc.'s decades of learning science expertise, CyberVista's program utilizes highly-engaging mechanisms like lightboard technology to more closely mirror and, in some cases, exceed the benefits of face-to-face instruction. The program also includes the industry's only diagnostic tool that conducts an initial assessment of each student's level of knowledge to deliver a personalized study plan through the powerful learning management system (LMS). CyberVista's customized LMS makes it easy for students to navigate through the content. The 12-week program includes more than 300 hours of structured learning, more than 70 hours of live and on-demand expert instruction led by (ISC) certified instructors, and more than 2,000 practice questions. Courses are offered online on weekday evenings to eliminate travel and minimize the impact to jobs and other obligations of busy working professionals. CyberVista also lets participants re-take the course for free if other obligations arise. For more information about CyberVista's CISSP test preparation program, visit CyberVista's booth (406) at the CyberMaryland Conference 2016, October 20-21, 2016, or visit cybervista.net/cissp. About CyberVista CyberVista is a cybersecurity training and workforce development company whose mission is to create a cyber-ready workforce through personalized training programs that provide organizations with the people, knowledge and skills required to defend their most critical assets. With parent Graham Holdings Company and sister company Kaplan, Inc.'s innovative education technologies and personalized approach to learning, CyberVista offers a new vision for board, executive, and workforce cybersecurity education. For more information, visit www.cybervista.net. SOURCE CyberVista Related Links https://www.cybervista.net FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DataMotion, an experienced email encryption and health information service provider (HISP), today announced its Direct Secure Messaging (DataMotion Direct) and SecureMail services will again be participating as the technology backbone for demonstrations during ADA 2016. This is the third consecutive year DataMotion will provide the technology for the event's secure exchange of digital images and patient records between dentists, dental specialists, other healthcare entities and patients themselves. Matt Signorello, director of operations and support at DataMotion, will be a featured speaker. ADA 2016, America's Dental Meeting, is the industry's premier annual event - attended by thousands of dentists and dental professionals - and will be held at the Colorado Convention Center on October 20 - 24 in Denver, CO. DataMotion's technology will support demos during the course "Live from Denver! It's Secure Exchange of Dental Data," conducted multiple times to provide continuing educational credit for dentists and ADA 2016 participants. DataMotion Direct and DataMotion SecureMail will be used to illustrate simple, secure dental data exchange focusing on the live exchange of dental records between EMR systems. The demonstrations will show how using a third-party HISP provides the security, authentication and encryption needed to meet Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. The Course Team will be led by Gregory G. Zeller, DDS, MS, associate dean for institutional effectiveness and professor at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. Dr. Zeller also chairs the ADA Standards Committee for Dental Informatics and leads other standards development activities. "As an advocate for the use of secure messaging technology in dental practices, we are encouraged by the continued interest in this session, and by the rapid adoption by the dental community of this technology," said Dr. Zeller. "Without question, it serves the dental patient better by improving care communications, protecting their personal information, and elevating practice efficiency. As a recognized provider of secure and private messaging services to the dental industry, DataMotion is, for the third consecutive year, an instrumental member of the team at the ADA Annual Session demonstrating standards-based interoperability through multi-vendor 'real world' demonstrations of dental data exchange." In this course, Dr. Zeller and the Course Team will show attendees how to: Evaluate digital EHR and imaging system features for successful exchange of images and data; Improve methods for securely exchanging and transmitting digital patient images and data, including CAD-CAM files; and Use consensus accredited standards-based criteria for sharing of patient images and EHR data among vendor systems. "Live from Denver! It's Secure Exchange of Dental Data" is planned for four different time slots (ET): Nov. 5 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (No. 5901) and 2:00-4:00 p.m. (No. 5911), and Nov. 6 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (No. 6901) and 2:00-4:00 p.m. (No. 6911). DataMotion and its reseller partners offer comprehensive secure messaging services for dentistry, including both DataMotion Direct and DataMotion SecureMail. DataMotion Direct offers easy-to-use data transfer capabilities for "real-world" healthcare communications that conform to HIPAA regulations, including secure email for sending and receiving PHI, discharge and referral documents and large images for both in and out-of-network communications. DataMotion SecureMail is a comprehensive set of HIPAA compliant email encryption services for exchanging sensitive health information with providers, partners, patients, payers and more. "Our goal at DataMotion is to deliver secure health information where and when it's needed most, making health care better, more accessible and affordable," said Signorello. "Exchanging dental images in a secure, interoperable manner is a frequent request of our dental customers, and we can make this as simple as sending an email." For more information on DataMotion, please visit www.datamotionhealth.com. About DataMotion Since 1999, DataMotion secure data delivery technology has enabled organizations of all sizes to reduce the cost and complexity of delivering electronic information to employees, customers and partners in a secure and compliant way. Ideal for highly regulated industries, the DataMotion SecureMail portfolio offers easy-to-use encryption solutions for email, file transfer, forms processing and customer-initiated contact. In the healthcare sector, DataMotion is an accredited HISP (health information service provider) of Direct Secure Messaging. The DataMotion Direct service enables efficient interoperability and sharing of patient data across the continuum of care. DataMotion is privately held and based in Florham Park, N.J. For the latest news and updates, visit http://www.datamotionhealth.com, follow DataMotion on LinkedIn or Twitter @datamotion. Media Contacts: Monica Hutton DataMotion (973) 455-1245 x510 [email protected] Marty Querzoli Davies Murphy Group (781) 418-2433 [email protected] SOURCE DataMotion Related Links https://www.datamotionhealth.com OAKLAND, Md. and VIENNA, Va., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Declaration Networks Group, Inc. (DNG) successfully launched its NeuBeam High Speed Internet service (www.neubeam.com) in portions of southern Garrett County, MD, offering residential and business broadband at speeds up to 20x greater than available offerings, with no data caps for any service packages. Today's announcement marks an important milestone in the public/private partnership between Garrett County and DNG developed to deploy state-of-the art broadband network infrastructure. The initiative was developed by Garrett County and partially funded by a matching grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The cooperative model pairs the County with a private partner, DNG, to develop the infrastructure needed to deliver high speed Internet services to unserved or underserved homes and businesses in targeted areas of the County. Paul Edwards, chair of Garrett County's board of commissioners, said, "We are excited to be partnering with DNG on the launch of NeuBeam. Providing robust Internet services benefits the County in many ways, including economic development opportunities and educational advancement. Having enhanced Internet is critical to the needs of both Garrett County residents and visitors alike." NeuBeam customers can now more easily connect with family and friends, stream movies, access school and training resources, play games and download music, use social media and shop online, and work from home, among other benefits. NeuBeam service for residents and businesses is currently available in several communities in southern Garrett County, and a significant network buildout is planned that will include more unserved and underserved areas of the County. Customer feedback has been very positive. Jen Durben, a Garrett County resident said, "I was beyond excited to learn that NeuBeam was available in my area. The process from beginning to end was very easy. The technical team was very friendly and great to work with. They handled the installation quickly and efficiently and I can't be happier to have high speed Internet in my home." From an economic development perspective, the launch of NeuBeam service is an important milestone representing enormous value to the County. Residents and businesses now have access to cost-effective broadband service, making possible telework, home-based businesses, and home schooling. With the introduction of NeuBeam service, the County will be able to close the homework gap for many students in the County schools who do not currently have broadband in their homes. "NeuBeam customers in Garrett County are for the first time enjoying affordable, high speed access to the Internet," said Bob Nichols, CEO of Declaration Networks Group, Inc. "DNG proudly joins Garrett County and the Appalachian Regional Commission in their commitment to provide advanced technology solutions that support the needs of the digital generation." DNG's NeuBeam service is now available in portions of Garrett County as well as several markets in Maryland and Virginia, leveraging fiber networks and unlicensed spectrum allocated by the FCC to efficiently support the use of quality broadband services. DNG is a leader in the deployment of broadband networks and pioneering wireless technologies, including TV White Space frequencies which are deployed in much of the unserved parts of Garrett County to address the challenging mountainous terrain and heavy foliage. Contact: Barry Toser, Declaration Networks Group, Inc. 703-850-7172 [email protected] For more info about DNG, go to www.declarationnetworks.com and www.neubeam.com. For more info about Garrett County, go to www.garrettcounty.org/broadband. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430411LOGO SOURCE Declaration Networks Group, Inc. Related Links http://www.declarationnetworks.com "Helping to cure and prevent type 1 diabetes through research has always been my career goal," Pugliese said to a packed room of friends, family, and colleagues. "I have been learning from all of you. It's been a remarkable journey in knowledge, and it's helping us get closer to the solution." After thanking his wife, daughter, and mother, who were in attendance, Pugliese poignantly dedicated the tribute to his late father. >>Watch Pugliese's acceptance speech video "To be awarded an endowed chair is a very high honor, and we could not be more pleased that it's being bestowed upon Dr. Alberto Pugliese," said Joshua W. Rednik, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF), the non-profit organization whose sole mission is to provide funding to the Diabetes Research Institute, and the University of Miami's largest overall donor. "It's clear that Dr. Pugliese has the respect and admiration of his peers, within the DRI, and beyond its borders." The DRIF endowed this chair as a result of a substantial $35.6 million gift from the estate of the late Mrs. Eugenia J. Dodson of Coral Gables. Nearly $25 million was given to the DRIF, while Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine received the remaining funds. In addition to the chair, the DRIF created the J. Enloe and Eugenia J. Dodson Diabetes Center for Translational Research at the DRI to help fund scientific initiatives in cutting-edge areas, including immune tolerance, which is Pugliese's area of specialty. According to Donald E. Kubit, of Fowler White Burnett P.A. who served as her attorney and co-trustee of her revocable trust, Dodson lived a modest lifestyle because she had a higher purpose for her wealth. After her husband's death, she invested her money and allowed the investments to grow into a small fortune over 50 years. "Gene lived a truly selfless life so she could fulfill her philanthropic goals," said Kubit at the time the donation was given. Kubit was instrumental in facilitating the gifts to the DRIF and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Eugenia Dodson's final estate plan was consistent with her profound desire to fund research to find a cure for diabetes and cancer." "Few stories are more inspiring than that of Mrs. Dodson. Her support of the Diabetes Research Institute and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center has had a critical impact in cure-focused research into these debilitating diseases," said University of Miami President Julio Frenk. "I am very pleased to be here as we celebrate the installation of a new chair holder, which is truly one of the most prestigious academic tributes in higher education." "Alberto Pugliese is a connector. He's always putting patients and a cure at the center of all decision-making. Alberto is a remarkable individual," said Camillo Ricordi, M.D., Stacy Joy Goodman Professor of Surgery, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, professor of biomedical engineering, microbiology, and immunology, and Director of the Diabetes Research Institute. Ricordi also thanked Pugliese for being a great "friend and collaborator." Pugliese is dedicated to advancing type 1 diabetes research through scientific excellence, open collaboration, and the training of new investigators. For the last 25 years, he has studied type 1 diabetes from the preclinical period to the clinical diagnosis, and afterwards, in the setting of transplantation. His research has provided seminal contributions in type 1 diabetes genetics, immunology, pathology, and clinical trials. Since 2001, Pugliese has been a steering committee member of the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet, a National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trial network, for which he has chaired several committees and initiatives. He is also Executive Co-Director of the JDRF Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors (nPOD), along with Mark Atkinson, Ph.D., American Diabetes Association Eminent Scholar for Diabetes Research and professor of the departments of Pathology and Pediatrics at the University of Florida. The endowed chair will help support Pugliese and his research in the area of immune tolerance, which was spotlighted during the inaugural Lindsey Inserra-Hughes Immune Tolerance Seminar Series at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Several leaders in the field were in attendance, including respected peers like Atkinson, Paul Bollyky, M.D., Ph.D., of Stanford University, Helena Reijonen, Ph.D., and Bart Roep, M.D., Ph.D., of the City of Hope in Los Angeles, and Thomas Malek, Ph.D., Ricordi, and Jay S. Skyler, M.D., of the DRI. This event, along with the presentation of the chair, underscores the Diabetes Research Institute and Foundation's focus on the immunology/immune tolerance issues related to type 1 diabetes. As the largest and most comprehensive research center dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to develop a biological cure by restoring natural insulin production and normalizing blood sugar levels without imposing other risks. For more information, please visit DiabetesResearch.org or call 800-321-3437. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429946 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429945 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120405/DC83112LOGO SOURCE Diabetes Research Institute Foundation Related Links http://www.diabetesresearch.org Luna proactively pushes the boundaries of a traditional spot, seeking to share the stories of the often unseen and uncelebrated story of immigrants. From casting to the music, all the elements are meant to tie back to the inspiring journey of immigrants and encompass the overall message: we are truly better together. Luna collaborated with Jarritos, along with agency of record, WALO Inc. because of his belief in the importance of sharing the challenges, triumphs, and unity of the immigrant journey during this season when negative rhetoric seems to be running rampant. Jarritos, Luna and WALO Inc. hope this story does not just live on in a newsfeed but makes an impact on people's hearts, while raising awareness of an important issue that has influenced our country greatly, and will continue to influence future generations to come. "As a brand with firm roots in Mexico and completely embraced by the United States, we too are immigrants and we know the journey all too well," said Luis Fernandez, CEO of Novamex, Jarritos Brand Owner. "Our intention was to thank our consumers and celebrate the beauty of that journey, the sacrifices of previous generations, and the inherent diversity of the United States." To be a part of this journey, please be sure to visit www.jarritosthejourney.com to watch and share. ABOUT JARRITOS More than sixty years ago, Jarritos was introduced as Mexico's first national soft drink. Today, Jarritos is the leading brand in the US in the Mexican soft drink category and has become a Mexican cultural icon. Whether it is the distinctive glass bottle or the eleven unique and great fruit flavors, Jarritos can be found throughout the U.S. in major and independent grocery stores, Mexican restaurants, taquerias, catering trucks and convenience stores. Jarritos flavors are a reflection of Mexico in its array of traditional Mexican flavors made with real sugar and 100% natural flavors including: Tamarind, Mandarin, Fruit Punch, Jamaica, Lime, Grapefruit, Guava, Pineapple, Strawberry, Mango and MXCN Cola. ABOUT NOVAMEX Novamex markets a variety of Mexican food and beverage brands including Jarritos; each brand being a leader in its category in Mexico and widely recognized by Mexican-American consumers in the US. Through partnerships and long-term distribution contracts, Novamex has come to own several of these brands including Jarritos while holding distribution rights to the rest of their brand portfolio. The company was founded in 1987 with its founder's vision to offer its products to families in the United States. Novamex's success is due to a wide knowledge of its consumers' preferences and a philosophy of investing in brands for the long-term through a fully integrated marketing strategy for its ever-evolving consumer. ABOUT WALO CREATIVE, INC. Founded in 2014 in the heart of Dallas, Texas WALO Creative, Inc. is an idea shop of brand storytellers and image builders dedicated to helping clients do good work in every sense of the meaning. From strategic planning and creative concepting across all media and mediums to product innovation, WALO is dedicated to ensure brands truly connect with their core audiences and have lasting impact in the communities they serve. WALO's clients include Bonton Farms, Bonton Honey, and Jarritos among others. For more information about WALO Creative, Inc. visit www.waloinc.com. Media Contact: Ingrid Quiroz 512-644-8988 [email protected] Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7NsB9Gnhm8&feature=youtu.be Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430382LOGO SOURCE Jarritos Related Links http://www.jarritosthejourney.com TACOMA, Wash., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is expected to certify the results of a union election on Thursday, October 20th, creating a new union for doctors working at Auburn Medical Center (AMC) in Tacoma, Washington. At the vote count conducted on October 13 at the NLRB Region 19 offices in Seattle, a strong majority of the ballots cast by AMC doctors were in favor of the union. The new union will include a range of specialists including hospitalists, pediatricians, surgeons, and OB/GYNs. This is believed to be the first time a group of private sector doctors in Washington State have unionized. Doctors in California have been union members for decades, but the trend is only now starting to spread to the Pacific Northwest. Last year, a group of hospital doctors in Springfield, Oregon joined the union that represents other heath care workers at their facility. The Union of American Physicians and Dentists, which will represent Auburn Medical Center doctors, is speaking with other doctors in the region who are interested in forming unions of their own. According to UAPD President Stuart Bussey, MD, "Doctors now realize that only by unionizing can they stand up to hospital administrations that focus on efficiency and cost-cutting at the expense of patient care." Reflecting on the vote, Dr. Bussey continued, "There's obviously a good deal of solidarity among the physicians who work at Auburn. Other physicians thinking about unionizing should feel encouraged by what they've been able to do. " Virginia Stowell, MD, a surgeon at the nearby Tacoma General Hospital, was pleased to hear the news from AMC. "We were watching the election closely, and we are thrilled with the results. We will continue to organize more physicians and fight for physician-directed care in Washington." After the election results are certified on Thursday, AMC doctors will begin preparations for their first negotiations with their employer, MultiCare Health System. MultiCare, which purchased AMC in 2012, owns and operates five hospitals and multiple clinics in the Tacoma area. SOURCE Union of American Physicians and Dentists Related Links http://www.uapd.com RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its long-term plan to bring online at least 500 megawatts of solar electric generating capacity in North Carolina and Virginia, Dominion (NYSE: D) today announced it has acquired the development rights for the 60-megawatt (AC) Summit Farms Solar facility in Currituck County, N.C. The solar facility is expected to enter service in December 2016. A subsidiary of Dominion Energy, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dominion, purchased Summit Farms from SunEnergy1, which developed and is the construction contractor on the project. Summit Farms, located on about 650 acres near Moyock, N.C., has 25-year power purchase agreements with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston Medical Center and Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation. "We are pleased to partner with these three outstanding organizations to add more carbon-free generation to the electric grid," said Paul D. Koonce, chief executive officer of the Dominion Generation Group, which oversees 25,700 megawatts of electric generating capacity in 11 states, including solar in operation or under development in eight states. "We will continue to seek similar opportunities helping large and small energy consumers alike reduce their carbon footprint." Other large-scale solar projects Dominion has announced in North Carolina and Virginia include: Morgans Corner Solar (Virginia Electric and Power Company); Pasquotank County, N.C. ; 20 megawatts (AC); in-service: December 2015 ; ; 20 megawatts (AC); in-service: ; Amazon Solar Farm U.S. East (Dominion Energy, Inc.); Accomack County, Va. ; 80 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; ; 80 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; Scott Solar (VEPCO); Powhatan County, Va. ; 17 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; (VEPCO); ; 17 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; Whitehouse Solar (VEPCO); Louisa County, Va. ; 20 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; (VEPCO); ; 20 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; Woodland Solar (VEPCO); Isle of Wight County, Va. ; 19 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; ; 19 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: 2016; Remington Solar (VEPCO); Fauquier County, Va. ; 20 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: late 2017; and (VEPCO); ; 20 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: late 2017; and Oceana Solar (VEPCO); Virginia Beach, Va. ; 18 megawatts (AC); expected in-service: late 2017. Dominion has electric generation facilities powered by the sun in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia. CustomerFirst Renewables, an advisory services firm, structured and negotiated the energy solution on behalf of MIT, Boston Medical Center and Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation. About Dominion Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 25,700 megawatts of generation, 14,400 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,500 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 1 trillion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves more than 6 million utility and retail energy customers. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com. About SunEnergy1 SunEnergy1, LLC is a full-service solar developer and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm located in Mooresville, N.C. SunEnergy1 specializes in the design and installation of utility-scale ground-mount solar photovoltaic systems. It has developed and installed more than 350 megawatts of solar facilities to date. For more information about SunEnergy1, visit the company's website at www.sunenergy1.com. About MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is dedicated to advancing knowledge and educating students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. The Institute has more than 1,000 faculty members and over 11,300 undergraduate and graduate students. MIT's commitment to innovation has led to a host of scientific breakthroughs and technological advances, in fields ranging from aeronautics to computing to cancer research. About Boston Medical Center Boston Medical Center is a private, not-for-profit, 496-bed, academic medical center that is the primary teaching affiliate of Boston University School of Medicine. It is the largest and busiest provider of trauma and emergency services in New England. It offers specialized care for complex health problems and is a leading research institution, receiving more than $119 million in sponsored research funding in fiscal year 2015. In 1997, BMC founded Boston Medical Center Health Plan, Inc., now one of the top ranked Medicaid MCOs in the country, as a non-profit managed care organization serving Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine are partners in the Boston HealthNet 13 community health centers focused on providing exceptional health care to residents of Boston. For more information, please visit http://www.bmc.org. About Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation is the developer and manager of The Garage At Post Office Square and the Norman B. Leventhal Park above it, in the heart of Boston's financial district. The unique vision of a group of public and private civic leaders transformed an unsightly aboveground parking garage into an award-winning and inviting park, supported structurally and financially by a 1,400-space underground parking garage. SOURCE Dominion Related Links http://www.dom.com NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- When President Reagan was shot in 1981, pulse oximetry was 9 years away from being deemed a standard of care by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Prior to the 1996 FDA approval of the BIS brain monitor, anesthesia was given on the basis of body weight and brain stem signs (heart rate & blood pressure). In the official journal of the ASA, a recently published study from Australia where brain monitors are NOT used found a 30% incidence of dementia after open heart surgery. Reagan died years after his surgery from dementia. Read a free, no obligation copy of "GETTING OVER GOING UNDER: 5 Things You MUST Know Before Anesthesia" by Dr. Barry Friedberg, M.D., President & Founder of Goldilocks Foundation, a non-profit, 501c3 corporation. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430489 Since 1996, the availability of direct brain response to anesthetics makes the patient potentially in control of their anesthetic dose based on the number from their forehead sensor but only if the device is used, something the ASA continues to vigorously resist endorsing as a standard of care. The non-profit Goldilocks Foundation's goal is to make brain monitoring a standard of care, but that will require the same public demand that got fathers into delivery rooms for the births of their children. Read a free, no obligation copy of GETTING OVER GOING UNDER: 5 Things You MUST Know Before Anesthesia from Goldilocks Foundation, a non-profit, 501c3 corporation. No emails or contributions are asked when pushing the download button for this book. "The bottom line," says Friedberg, "Don't let your parents, your spouse or anybody you love over 50 years old get general anesthesia without a brain monitor or you may NEVER speak to that SAME person again. The mind you save could be your own!" Read more about how brain monitoring must become the standard of care for anesthesia and sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/american-asssociation-of-retired-people-brain-monitoring-must-become-the-standard-of-care-for-anesthesia About Barry Friedberg, M.D. Dr. Barry Friedberg has been interviewed extensively on the subject of anesthesia and propofol by FOX, CNN, True TV, and People Magazine during the Michael Jackson murder trial. A Board Certified Anesthesiologist for more than three decades, Dr. Friedberg developed the Friedberg Method for administering anesthesia in 1992 and the Goldilocks Anesthesia protocol in 1997. He has been published and cited in several medical journals and textbooks and was honored with a U.S. Congressional award for applying his methods on wounded soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. Related Images image1.jpeg image2.jpg Related Links Goldilocks Anesthesia Foundation Dr. Barry L. Friedberg, MD Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0SKomMehPw This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Dr. Barry Friedberg, M.D. BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Strategy Analytics (SA) expands its Consumer Insights Practice with the addition of Dr. Jordan Louviere, inventor of MaxDiff, father of Discrete Choice Experiments, and internationally recognized expert in conjoint analysis. With a focus on providing actionable research and insights to its clients in consumer-centric businesses, Strategy Analytics is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Jordan Louviere to its Consumer Insights Practice. Dr. Louviere has a long list of significant contributions to the field of market research that have been extensively applied in the business world. His work on choice-based measurement method, including MaxDiff Scaling, has been widely adopted by research practitioners across disciplines around the world. He has consulted with many private and public sector organizations in technology, consumer packaged goods, transportation, banking and finance, among others. He has authored several books, sits on Board of Governors for the American Marketing Association (AMA) Parlin Award (he was a 2010 recipient of AMA's Charles Coolidge Parlin Award for Lifetime Achievements in Market Research), and is on the Advisory Board of the Journal of Marketing Research. Harvey Cohen, President of Strategy Analytics, says "We are truly privileged to have the world-renowned research innovator, Dr. Louviere join our Consumer Insights senior leadership. It has been three years since we successfully launched SA's dedicated custom research practice and we are excited with our growing relationships with leading firms competing in the consumer space. Dr. Louviere's appointment is a testament to Strategy Analytics' commitment to be in the forefront of innovation in advanced analytics and to provide our clients who are seeking a better way to use research with value added analysis to address their most pressing and challenging business issues." About Strategy Analytics Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com Consumer Insights Practice contacts: Joy Lampe Ganvik, Vice President, +617 614 0753 [email protected] Carlos Salazar-Velasquez, Ph.D. Vice President +617 614 0754 [email protected] Arleen Macaraeg-Denque, Vice President +617 614 0755 [email protected] Jordan Louviere, Ph.D., Chief Research Scientist +617 614 0726 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130207/NE56457LOGO-b SOURCE Strategy Analytics Related Links http://www.strategyanalytics.com DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Duda|Paine Architects, a premier international design firm headquartered in Durham, N.C., announces it has been selected as Lead Architect and Master Planner for the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) new western campus master plan. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429933LOGO This expansion, located on state-owned property in Morganton, N.C., will accommodate approximately 300 students in a residential and learning community, increasing NCSSM's capacity to serve more of the state's qualified and talented students. NCSSM has commissioned Duda|Paine to assist in developing the new campus' vision and educational program plan, including architectural design, budgeting, construction phasing strategies, and new construction and renovation of existing facilities located on the property. "North Carolina School of Science and Math is a leading educational institution for high school juniors and seniors, and we are honored to take part in this campus expansion and catalyst for growth in Morganton and western North Carolina," says Jeff Paine, Founding Principal, Duda|Paine Architects. "The design of the new campus will create a place that inspires innovation and reflects the area's history and community." The North Carolina General Assembly included $58 million in funding for the new western NCSSM campus in the Connect NC Bond proposal. Voters approved the bond referendum in March 2016; the bond provides NCSSM property that currently serves Broughton Hospital and the Western North Carolina School for the Deaf. Duda|Paine was selected to create the master plan development based on its leadership, design process and thoughtful engagement. The firm will help lead an advance planning team determining the educational program, site location and design of the NCGA-funded campus. Duda|Paine has selected BELK Architecture as Associate Architect and Robert B. Salsbury as Local Architect to provide project support. The campus expansion is expected to be completed by May 2021. About Duda|Paine Architects: Duda|Paine Architects provides a full complement of design, interior design, architectural, planning and master planning services to a diverse array of international and national corporate, academic, wellness and cultural arts clients. The firm's enduring success results from an idea-based design process that engages participants and fosters inspiration to achieve visionary built work. For additional information, please call Duda|Paine at (919) 688-5133 or visit http://www.dudapaine.com. Related Links Duda|Paine Architects This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Duda|Paine Architects Related Links http://www.dudapaine.com BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Four new polls by Emerson College show Hillary Clinton increasing her favorability and her support in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Missouri while, in Utah, Evan McMullin leads Donald Trump by 4 points, 31% to 27%, with Clinton taking 24%. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430516LOGO Presidential Ballot Clinton Trump Johnson Stein McMullin Undecided MOE NH 44% 36% 10% 6% N/A 5% 3.2% PA 45% 41% 4% 4% N/A 6% 3.4% MO 39% 47% 5% 2% N/A 7% 3.9% UT 24% 27% 5% - 31% 12% 3.6% Utah, which has voted for Republican presidential candidates in every cycle since 1964, is a cause of concern for the Trump campaign. It appears that the divisive GOP primary, which was won by conservative Senator Ted Cruz with 69%, has left voters looking for an alternative to the GOP nominee. For example, 51% of Cruz primary voters are backing McMullin while 29% are voting for Trump. Among Utah's Republican primary voters who supported the second-place finisher, Ohio Governor John Kasich, only 4% say they plan to vote for Trump in November. McMullin draws his strongest support from young people, ages 18-34. He is winning 36% of their vote while Trump and Clinton each get 22%. Trump leads McMullin 35% to 24% among those who are 55 and over. It appears Clinton is pulling away from the GOP nominee in New Hampshire and is now up 8 points, 44% to 36%, compared to her 5-point lead of 42% to 37% in an early September Emerson poll. Clinton has also seen her favorable rating in the Granite State increase 5 points, from 38% to 43%, while Trump's has increased 2 points, from 34% to 36%. In Pennsylvania, Clinton has widened her lead slightly, edging Trump 45% to 41%, compared to her 3-point advantage (46% to 43%) in September. In Missouri, Trump has lost ground to Clinton but is still up by 8 points, 47% to 39%. The number of voters who view him unfavorably has increased in the same time frame, from 51% to 56%, while Clinton's unfavorable rating has dropped from 64% to 61%. Favorable/Unfavorable Ratings NH Favorable Unfavorable Clinton 43% 54% Trump 36% 61% MO Favorable Unfavorable Clinton 37% 61% Trump 43% 56% PA Favorable Unfavorable Clinton 42% 56% Trump 36% 61% UT Favorable Unfavorable Clinton 23% 74% Trump 24% 72% In U.S. Senate races, Republican incumbent Kelly Ayotte is tied with New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan at 45% apiece after leading Hassan 48% to 46% in September. Ayotte has struggled to distance herself from Trump. GOP Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri is now tied with Democrat Jason Kander at 44% after trailing Kander 42% to 40% in a prior Emerson poll. The Senate race in Pennsylvania has also tightened with the GOP's junior senator, Pat Toomey, holding a 46% to 43% lead over Katie McGinty after leading McGinty by 7 points (46% to 39%) in August. CALLER ID The Emerson College New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Utah polls were conducted October 17-19, under the Supervision of Professor Spencer Kimball. All samples consisted of only likely general election voters, per the following: NH n=900, with a margin of error (MOE) of +/- 3.2 percentage points, PA n=800 with an MOE of +/- 3.4%, UT n=700 with an MOE +/- 3.6%, and MO n=600 with an MOE of +/- 3.9%. Data was weighted by 2012 election results, age, gender, race and party affiliationThe full methodology and results can be found at www.theecps.com. Media contact: Spencer Kimball Email 617-824-3491 SOURCE Emerson College Polling Society Related Links http://www.theecps.com READING, Pa., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications will host a conference call to discuss the Company's second quarter fiscal 2017 financial results and to provide an overview of the business. The call will conclude with a question and answer session. The call, scheduled for Thursday, November 10, 2016 beginning at 9:00 am Eastern Time, will be hosted by David M. Shaffer, Chief Executive Officer, and Michael J. Schmidtlein, Chief Financial Officer. The call will also be Webcast on EnerSys' website. There will be a free download of a compatible media player on the company's web site at http://www.enersys.com. The conference call information is: Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016 Time: 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time Via Internet: http://www.enersys.com Domestic Dial-In Number: 877-359-9508 International Dial-In Number: 224-357-2393 Passcode: 94560560 A replay of the conference call will be available from 12:00 p.m. on November 10, 2016 through midnight on December 10, 2016. The replay information is: Via Internet: http://www.enersys.com Domestic Replay Number: 855-859-2056 International Replay Number: 404-537-3406 Passcode: 94560560 A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's website at http://www.enersys.com under the "Investor Relations" link. Presentation materials to be used in conjunction with the conference call will become available under the aforementioned link the evening before the conference call. About EnerSys: EnerSys, the global leader in stored energy solutions for industrial applications, manufactures and distributes reserve power and motive power batteries, battery chargers, power equipment, battery accessories and outdoor equipment enclosure solutions to customers worldwide. Motive power batteries and chargers are utilized in electric forklift trucks and other commercial electric powered vehicles. Reserve power batteries are used in the telecommunication and utility industries, uninterruptible power supplies, and numerous applications requiring stored energy solutions including medical, aerospace and defense systems. Outdoor equipment enclosure products are utilized in the telecommunication, cable, utility, transportation industries and by government and defense customers. The company also provides aftermarket and customer support services to its customers from over 100 countries through its sales and manufacturing locations around the world. More information regarding EnerSys can be found at www.enersys.com . SOURCE EnerSys Related Links http://www.enersys.com ESC Silicon Valley and BIOMEDevice San Jose will take place December 6-8, 2016 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, CA. To learn more and to register, please visit: escsiliconvalley.com/ Breaking Engineering Barriers The engineering space is in constant transition. What has consistently pushed this booming industry forward are the great minds and innovative professionals stepping away from the norm and breaking through barriers. These engineers take their profession to new heights and drive advancements necessary to both the preservation and evolution of the engineering industry. To celebrate and acknowledge this trend, ESC Silicon Valley will welcome two Keynote speakers that have broken through these barriers and established themselves as both industry thought leaders and pioneers. "The importance of thinking outside of the box and staying ahead of the curve constantly innovating, constantly evolving is crucial for the engineering space," said Nina Brown, Vice President of Events for the Advanced Manufacturing Portfolio, UBM. "Our Keynote speakers have done just that, securing themselves as innovators and leaders amongst their peers. We're thrilled to have them share their stories, knowledge and experiences with our dynamic audience." Reaching for New Horizons Keynote: Alice Bowman, New Horizons Mission Operations Manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Bowman is a member of the Principal Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, where she leads the Space Mission Operations Group and serves as Mission Operations Manager for NASA's New Horizons mission. She supervises approximately 40 staff members who operate deep-space and Earth-orbiting spacecraft and leads the team that commands and controls the spacecraft that made a historic close flyby of Pluto in 2015 and continued deeper into the solar system's distant Kuiper Belt region. In addition, Bowman has held positions with national defense space operations, systems engineering, program management, engineering management, space systems and space instrument development and deployment. In her presentation, Reaching for New Horizons, Bowman will talk about the voyage of NASA's historic mission to Pluto which culminated with the first flight past the distant dwarf planet on July 14, 2015. She'll speak about this journey through the eyes of the mission operations team and describe some challenges of piloting the small robotic spacecraft through the solar system for nearly a decade such as planning for (and dealing with) long-distance technical hiccups. This team was part of history, operating a spacecraft that had to travel longer and farther than any previous mission in order to reach its destination. The Keys to Innovation: Priming your Brain to Percolate Brilliant Ideas Keynote: Ransom Stephens, physicist, engineer, author Ransom is both well-known and highly regarded in the engineering space for his many contributions over the course of his career. As a pioneer in jitter analysis, he invented new methods for extracting signals from noise and has served on several high data rate standards. Ransom was also on the team that discovered the top quark and he discovered a new type of matter, the R(1525), a quark-anti-quark resonance including a "valence gluon." In addition to these various projects, Ransom is also dedicated to the advancement and education of engineering professionals. He has given thousands of speeches across the world, and has developed a reputation for making complex topics accessible and comical. His books span subjects about everything from signal integrity and quantum physics to parenting teens. During his Keynote address, The Keys to Innovation: Priming your Brain to Percolate Brilliant Ideas, Stephens will examine the neural processes that percolate insights into consciousness: the physics of lateral thought, the power of perspective, the value of novelty, and how your brain selects and rejects ideas before you're even aware of them. Methods for fine-tuning the balance of stress and confidence, concentration and distraction that prime our brains to innovate our way to solutions of the challenges that we each face, as well as those that we face together, will also be discussed, as will the neuroaesthetics of what makes products and discoveries good, bad, and valuable. To learn more about ESC Silicon Valley's Keynote lineup and to register, please visit: escsiliconvalley.com ESC Silicon Valley & BIOMEDevice San Jose BIOMEDevice San Jose and ESC Silicon Valley will join forces for the first time this year to bring professionals from the medtech and engineering spaces together for their co-located events in San Jose, CA. Both events will offer programs specific to the latest trends and topics taking their industries by storm. Discussions will range from the IoT and embedded hardware and software design to medical device design and manufacturing. ESC Silicon Valley (#ESCsv) & BIOMEDevice San Jose (#BIOMEDevice) Social Networks: Twitter: @ESC_Conf @MDM_Events Facebook: @ESCconf @mdmtradeshows About Advanced Manufacturing Expos & Conferences UBM's Advanced Manufacturing portfolio is the leading B-to-B event producer, publisher, and digital media business for the world's $3 trillion advanced, technology-based manufacturing industry. Our print and electronic products deliver trusted information to the advanced manufacturing market and leverage our proprietary 1.3 million name database to connect suppliers with buyers and purchase influencers. We produce more than 50 events and conferences in a dozen countries, connecting manufacturing professionals from around the globe. The Advanced Manufacturing portfolio is organized by UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc (UBM.L), an Events First marketing and communication services business. For more information, visit ubmamericas.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430122LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430137 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430138 Contact: Kimberly Samra [email protected] 415-947-6362 SOURCE Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Related Links http://escsiliconvalley.com IRONDALE, Ala., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Were you taught that the Inquisition was a series of events fueled by religious fanaticism and rife with cruelty and terror? If so, prepare to be surprised by the truth of what really happened. Get the facts when EWTN premieres "The Inquisition," an original four-part docudrama co-produced by EWTN, Stefano Mazzeo, and Lux Communication. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429931 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429932 Scene from "The Inquisition," an EWTN original mini-series, which airs 9:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday through Saturday, Oct. 26-29. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.. A special one-hour preview airs 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Oct. 26 on "EWTN Live" with Fr. Mitch Pacwa. Scene from "The Inquisition," an EWTN original mini-series, which airs 9:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday through Saturday, Oct. 26-29. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.. A special one-hour preview airs 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Oct. 26 on "EWTN Live" with Fr. Mitch Pacwa. The mini-series airs 9:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday through Saturday, Oct. 26-29. The Wednesday airing will be preceded by a special "EWTN Live" interview at 8 a.m. ET with Producer, Writer, and Director Stefano Mazzeo, and Professor Thomas F. Madden, chair of the Department of History at St. Louis University, both of whom EWTN viewers will remember from their work on a previous blockbuster mini-series: "The Crusades." "The mini-series features live action drama sequences and interviews with leading historians and churchman to reveal the truth about one of the most misunderstood periods in Church history," said EWTN President & COO Doug Keck, who served as Executive Producer of the series. "There were, in fact, multiple "inquisitions" in different countries over the centuries, including the widely misunderstand Spanish Inquisition." Filmed on location in six European countries and beautifully scored by Chorus Salvatoris, the mini-series takes on myths and heresies that are prevalent even today as well as the real reason Galileo got into trouble! For example, did you know that many misrepresentations about the Spanish Inquisition were developed over four centuries ago by Protestant Northern Europe as part of a propaganda campaign against the Catholic Church? Producer Mazzeo says that Spain was the Catholic superpower of the age and the Protestant countries needed a stick with which to attack Spain and the Catholic Church in order to cement the Reformation and secure the loyalty of their converts. In other words, they needed to give people a reason not to want to be Catholic! Of course, that's not the only reason. There was also the fact that England and Spain were locked in a battle over land in the New World, and more. What most people don't know is that "[t]he Spanish Inquisition was set up to deal with Jews and Muslims who were converting to gain social standing and power, not [because they believed in the faith]," Mazzeo said. The problem is that these fake Catholics were introducing heresies and immorality into the Church. "The main reason for the Inquisition was [to help insure] that everyone would go to heaven," Mazzeo continued, which is one reason only those who had been baptized were tried. "They did not want people to lose their souls. [Many will be surprised to learn that] while heresy was a crime punishable by death by the state, "the clerics of the Inquisition were forbidden to engage in torture or even to pronounce the death penalty!" In fact, secular "justice" in the 16th Century was so cruel that, in England, many Catholics were being tried and executed for simply being Catholics. By contrast, in countries that had an Inquisition in place, many prisoners in secular prisons blasphemed in order to be transferred and tried by Inquisitors because they were much more lenient. Yet myths about Spanish torture and cruelty which the Spanish called "the black legend" abound. So how did the black legend get started? Those expelled from the country for infiltrating the Church with their heresies began to use the printing press to write lies about the Spanish. Today, Mazzeo said, new "black legends" are being created by the modern secular media and some are still aimed at the Catholic Church. "The way Pope Pius XII is treated is a black legend," Mazzeo said. "The Crusades was a black legend of the Enlightenment period. Today, militant secularists create black legends that the Church is anti-women. For example, the witch craze hysteria that swept Protestant Northern Europe in the Early Modern Era saw thousands of women being executed on hearsay of or the testament of a jealous neighbor. In Catholic countries, where the Inquisition was in place, if someone was accused of things like sleeping with the Devil or flying, the Inquisitors became very skeptical; they were university-trained canon lawyers and theologians!" When EWTN asked Mazzeo to create a mini-series about the Inquisition for EWTN, he said, "I wanted to look into why this has such a bad reputation. Why can't people see it for what it really is? What surprised me was how in favor of the Inquisition I became." Please take note of this series and share it with your friends. It's television worth seeing! EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 36th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN's 11 TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 265 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN services also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; the largest Catholic website in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including "The National Catholic Register" newspaper, and two global wire services; as well as a publishing arm. For Information, Please Contact: Michelle Johnson Director of Communications EWTN Global Catholic Network 5817 Old Leeds Road Irondale, Alabama 35210-2198 USA (205) 795-5769 Office (205) 441-6248 Cell (205) 795-5781 Fax Email SOURCE EWTN What is it that makes businesses attracted to specific parts of the UScertain regions, states and towns? And what can those states and municipalities do to make themselves more attractive to companies? Figuring this out really is key to regional economic growth in the United States, and I put these questions to a panel of economic experts in Dallas, which focused on the economy of states in that particular region: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. First off, its worth noting that economic conditions are localfor instance whats going on in northern Maine has very little to do with the economy of San Diego, but I would submit that you actually dont often hear about specific regions that much. So whats going on in that five-state region? There are a number of factors [that makes the economy in these states strong], says Don Pierson, Secretary, Louisiana Economic Development, pointing to energy, of course, but also aerospace and trade with international markets. No doubt the decline in energy prices has hurt states like Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, but the panelists suggested the pain is less than it has been in past downturns. The university systems were highlighted as a regional strength, with Marilyn Wiley, Dean and Professor of Finance, University of North Texas, College of Business, noting that Texas is one of five states still growing its number of high school graduates over the next five years. But, fewer are coming out of high school college-ready, she said. So challenges abound. Then I asked the $64,000 question: What is it that businesses want to hear from cities, states and towns in order to move to those areas? united states map They want a supply of employees, they need and want community that will provide training and a good quality of life, says Dean Wiley. Good schools and a supportive city. I sometimes see small mid-size markets struggle, with being consistent, says Tom Stellman, CEO of TIP Strategies, Inc. Its very important for the county and government to be on same page when it comes to economic development and saying the same thing. To present a consistent face. Story continues Site selection is data driven initially, says Josh Bays, Principal, Site Selection Group. But then it becomes subjective. What do they want to hear? A unified front from the community where they can see mitigated risk of uncertainty. Pierson has a slightly different perspective: The more certainty you can build for the long haul, a pipeline with universities and community colleges to build a workforce longer term, the better off you will be, he says. The whole notion from your economics textbook that the invisible hand will solve all the problems, having spent seven years working on projects, I can tell you, you need to help speed up that process and try to anticipate those needs, says Stephen Barnes of Louisiana State University. The bottom line? While economics is to a large degree local, the takeaways about what makes for a healthy business/town relationship can be broadly applied. CHICAGO, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, part of Mars, Incorporated, and a leading scientific authority and research center for the nutrition and health of companion animals, will bring together hundreds of global thought leaders in pet nutrition at its WALTHAM International Nutritional Sciences Symposium (WINSS). WINSS is one of the largest open international meetings dedicated to original research in pet nutrition. This conference brings together academics, experts representing veterinary associations and other stakeholders in the pet care industry. The symposium will address a variety of topics ranging from the importance of maintaining healthy weight in young pets to promoting healthy growth in pets and how pet nutrition needs have evolved over time. "WINSS provides a platform for scientists in pet nutrition to connect and collaborate on their findings," said Richard Butterwick, Global Nutrition Advisor at WALTHAM. "The science behind animal nutrition is paramount to finding ways to continue to develop better, healthier food options and give context to many animal behaviors." To bring this research to life, WALTHAM provides science and expertise to support Mars Petcare brands. Sharing scientific findings and demonstrating thought leadership in the area of pet nutrition is a key role WALTHAM plays in supporting the Mars Petcare vision for creating A Better World for Pets and helps inform ways Mars Petcare can best support pets and their owners. Mars Petcare is the company behind brands such as PEDIGREE, IAMS, NUTRO and TEMPTATIONS, and learnings such as these help ensure that pet owners can continue to count on these pet foods to support their pets' growth and nutrition. For more information about the work Mars Petcare does to improve the lives of pets and people, visit www.facebook.com/ABetterWorldForPets. About Mars Petcare US Mars Petcare is the world's leading pet nutrition and health care business that strives to make A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS every day. We believe that pets make our lives better and that pet ownership brings joy and benefits which should be accessible to everyone. In the United States, Mars Petcare food brands include PEDIGREE, IAMS, ROYAL CANIN, GREENIES, CESAR, NUTRO and SHEBA. Veterinary practices include BANFIELD and BLUE PEARL. Specialty brands include WISDOM PANEL Canine DNA Tests and WHISTLE GPS Pet Tracker. The company's WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition is a leading scientific authority on pet nutrition and wellbeing. Mars Petcare has more than 37,000 Associates worldwide. For more information about how we're creating A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS, visit https://www.facebook.com/ABetterWorldforPets. About the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition: Celebrating over 50 years of innovative science, the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, part of Mars, Incorporated, serves as a leading scientific authority in advancing the frontiers of research into the nutrition and health of companion animals. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/405264LOGO SOURCE Mars Petcare FICO's chart shows the serious delinquency rate (90+ days past due) by age over the prior two years for various credit products. The analysis is limited to consumers with activity during the period. 90+ delinquency rates for mortgages and other closed-end loans reach their lowest points for consumers in their late 60s or early 70s, before rising again. Conversely, delinquency rates for revolving trade lines (which include credit cards) decrease throughout consumers' lives. "For most loan types, delinquencies peak when consumers are in their 20s and starting to take loans," said Schulz. "Mortgage delinquencies have a flatter curve and peak later, at age 44. Delinquency rates rise for auto loans and mortgages held by people in their late 60s, but only for mortgages do they get near their earlier peak." While their delinquency rates may increase, older Americans represent a relatively small portion of the total debt tracked by the bureaus. Consumers aged 67 or older represent 20 percent of the bureau population, but they have only 11 percent of the total debt on the bureau, and only 11 percent of mortgage balances. Are Failing Memories the Cause? As observed in a recent report by the Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgage delinquency rates do increase for consumers past age 68. The MBA report suggested that these increases were due, in large part, to failing memories in older consumers. "It may be that older people forget to pay their bills sometimes, but there are other possible reasons," Schulz said. "Much of the delinquency uptick is driven by a relatively small number of borrowers who still have sizeable mortgage and auto debts into their 70s and 80s. This suggests that some delinquencies may very well be due to a common occurrence in lending those who have the resources pay off their loans over time, leaving only those more financially strapped consumers in the loan pool." For discussion of this and related topics from FICO experts, subscribe to the FICO Blog. About FICO FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956 and based in Silicon Valley, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 165 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 2.6 billion payment cards from fraud, to helping people get credit, to ensuring that millions of airplanes and rental cars are in the right place at the right time. Learn more at http://www.fico.com. Join the conversation at https://twitter.com/fico & http://www.fico.com/en/blogs/ For FICO news and media resources, visit www.fico.com/news. FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and in other countries. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111010/CG83314LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429704 SOURCE FICO Related Links http://www.fico.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Flashpoint, the global leader in Business Risk Intelligence (BRI) from the Deep & Dark Web, today announced the appointment of Jennifer Leggio as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Leggio brings nearly 20 years of experience in security and technology marketing and communications to the role after previously holding leadership positions at Digital Shadows, Cisco, Sourcefire, and Fortinet. As CMO, she will lead Flashpoint's marketing initiatives while focusing on strategic growth and accelerating the market's adoption of BRI. "I've spent the past 18 months working with buyers and influencers to better understand their threat intelligence needs, and it's become strikingly clear that Business Risk Intelligence is what organizations are seeking to enable their broader business functions to make informed decisions that mitigate risk and improve operations," Leggio said. "Flashpoint's offerings appeal to much more than cybersecurity groups, as the relevance and focus of the company's intelligence is highly applicable to diverse teams. The company's rapid growth, market influence, impressive customer traction, and world-class management team make this the exact right time to join Flashpoint. I look forward to accelerating the company's brand awareness and customer adoption as we spread BRI across the enterprise." Leggio specializes in helping startups and early-stage security companies establish positioning, cultivate thought leadership, and bolster go-to-market strategies while defining new markets or disrupting established ones to help shape the security industry. Most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Marketing at Digital Shadows, she previously was Senior Director of Security Market Strategy and Marketing at Cisco. She joined Cisco through the $2.7 billion acquisition of Sourcefire, where she was Vice President of Corporate Marketing. Leggio was also the Director of Corporate Communications at Fortinet, where she helped drive messaging, communications and digital media strategy through the company's IPO. Leggio's appointment reaffirms Flashpoint's continued attraction of industry-leading talent. In June, the company appointed Chris Camacho, previously Senior Vice President of Global Information Security at Bank of America, as Chief Strategy Officer. In the same month, the company also welcomed Tom Hofmann, formerly Cyber Intelligence Lead at PNC, as its Vice President of Intelligence. And earlier this month, Flashpoint announced that Brian Costello, previously Vice President of Public Sector Sales at Invincea, joined the company as Vice President, Global Sales & Solution Architecture. "We're thrilled to welcome Jennifer to the team," affirmed Flashpoint CEO Josh Lefkowitz. "She joins us at just the right time to help us raise awareness of Business Risk Intelligence and its increasing variety of use cases across different verticals and business functions. With Q3 reflecting this trend by exceeding our targets, Jennifer and her team are poised to capitalize on that momentum and bring BRI to an even broader audience." About Flashpoint Flashpoint delivers Business Risk Intelligence (BRI) to empower business units and functions across organizations to make better decisions and mitigate risk. The company's unique Deep & Dark Web data, expertise and technology enable our customers to glean intelligence that informs risk and protects their ability to operate. Fortune 500 and government customers utilize Flashpoint's intelligence across the enterprise, including bolstering cybersecurity, confronting fraud, detecting insider threats, enhancing physical security, assessing M&A opportunities, and addressing vendor risk and supply chain integrity. For corporations with limited experience availing themselves of Deep & Dark Web intelligence, Flashpoint has tailored offerings that deliver comprehensive reporting and monitoring on their behalf. Flashpoint is backed by Greycroft Partners, TechOperators, K2 Intelligence, Jump Capital, Leaders Fund, Bloomberg Beta, and Cisco Investments. For more information, visit www.flashpoint-intel.com or follow us on Twitter at @FlashpointIntel Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160602/374699LOGO SOURCE Flashpoint Related Links https://www.flashpoint-intel.com FLOWER MOUND, Tex., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Today, national religious liberty law firm First Liberty Institute sent a demand letter to Flower Mound High School (FMHS) on behalf of a local parent whose business logo was censored because it included the word "Jesus." "The government censored a small business owner's logo, simply because it mentioned Jesus," Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute, says. "That's pure religious discrimination and it's against the law." Read First Liberty's demand letter to Flower Mound High School When FMHS asked local businesses to sponsor the school's bass fishing club, FMHS parent Wess Jones readily agreed. Jones, the owner of the boat repair company 1st Choice Marine, paid a sponsorship fee in exchange for his company's logo to be featured on the club's website and jerseys for the next four years. View potential sponsor letter After Mr. Jones provided his company logo to the school, a school official said that they could not use the business's slogan because it could put the school "in real hot water." The company's slogan, which is incorporated into the logo, is "It's not about us, it's all about Jesus." View email correspondence To Mr. Jones' surprise, not only did the school strip his logo of the slogan, but they invented an entirely new logo for him, without his consent or permission, which they placed on the fishing club's website. View screenshot of website "I just wanted to support my daughter's bass fishing team," Jones says. "I was shocked to realize that my sponsorship wasn't welcome simply because it included the word 'Jesus.'" "The government often thinks it can, or should, censor speech just because it's religious. But that's not true," Dys says. "The law requires the government to be neutral toward the religious speech of others. If they'll allow a non-religious logo, the must allow a religious logo. Flower Mound High School failed to follow the law and they must be held accountable." First Liberty asked FMHS to immediately remove the "illegitimate logo" on the FMHS Bass Fishing website and replace it with the correct logo, along with providing written assurances that the correct logo will be used on the club's jerseys and website during the next club fishing season. Read more about the case at FirstLiberty.org/1stChoiceMarine About First Liberty Institute First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans. SOURCE First Liberty Institute HOUSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:FTI) today reported third quarter 2016 revenue of $1.1 billion, down 29 percent from the prior-year quarter primarily due to lower activity across all reporting segments. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $0.20, which includes total Company pre-tax charges of $43 million, or $0.15 per diluted share as detailed in the attached financial schedules. Adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $0.35. "Subsea Technologies achieved further improvement in segment operating margins, with third quarter results being the highest levels we have recorded in 2016," said Doug Pferdehirt, President and CEO of FMC Technologies. "The strong performance resulted from solid project execution, combined with the benefits of our cost reduction actions that continued in the quarter. We have used this downturn as a catalyst to make fundamental changes to our business model that will continue to provide sustainable benefits." Total inbound orders were $692.2 million, including $401 million in Subsea Technologies orders. Backlog for the Company was $3 billion, including Subsea Technologies backlog of $2.5 billion. "We received our second subsea multiphase boosting pump order in the quarter. This award, for ENI's Block 15/06 West Hub Development, further demonstrates our capabilities in this attractive growth segment," Pferdehirt added. "We anticipate that small order intake will continue to improve and that large project orders will follow as operators embrace strategies that improve project economics through the acceleration of time to first oil, schedule certainty, and lower costs. At FMC Technologies, our relentless focus on these key drivers is yielding benefits for our customers today and will result in even greater benefits in the future." Review of Operations Third Quarter 2016 Subsea Technologies Subsea Technologies third quarter revenue was $798.4 million, down 27 percent from the prior-year quarter, primarily due to lower inbound orders achieved during 2015 that affected the backlog coming into the year. Subsea Technologies operating profit was $119.7 million; adjusted operating profit was $125.1 million, excluding charges of $5.4 million as shown in the attached financial schedules. Subsea Technologies operating margins were 15 percent; adjusted operating margins were 15.7 percent, excluding charges. Subsea Technologies inbound orders for the third quarter were $401 million. Backlog was $2.5 billion, compared to prior-year backlog of $4.3 billion. Surface Technologies Surface Technologies third quarter revenue was $218.1 million, down 40 percent from the prior-year quarter, primarily due to the 43 percent decline in the North American rig count average. Surface Technologies reported an operating loss of $19.6 million; adjusted operating loss was $5.2 million, excluding charges of $14.4 million mainly for restructuring initiatives in North America. This is shown in the attached financial schedules. Surface Technologies inbound orders for the third quarter were $242.2 million. Backlog was $379.3 million, predominantly related to the Company's wellhead business outside of North America. Energy Infrastructure Energy Infrastructure third quarter revenue was $77.1 million, down 21 percent from the prior-year quarter, due to lower activity across the segment. Energy Infrastructure reported operating profit of $2.5 million; adjusted operating profit was $3.7 million, excluding charges of $1.2 million as shown in the attached financial schedules. Energy Infrastructure operating margins were 3.3 percent; adjusted operating margins were 4.9 percent, excluding charges. Energy Infrastructure inbound orders for the third quarter were $55.9 million. Backlog was $112.4 million. Corporate Items Corporate expense in the third quarter was $14.2 million. Other revenue and other expense, net, increased $21.9 million from the prior-year quarter to $43.8 million of expense. Items of significance included the following: $11.6 million , or $0.05 per diluted share of business combination transaction and integration costs related to the Company's proposed merger with Technip S.A.; , or per diluted share of business combination transaction and integration costs related to the Company's proposed merger with Technip S.A.; $7.6 million , or $0.02 per diluted share, of costs related to restructuring and other severance charges; and , or per diluted share, of costs related to restructuring and other severance charges; and $3.6 million , or $0.01 per diluted share, of transition costs related to facility consolidations. Net interest expense was $7.7 million in the quarter. The Company ended the quarter with net debt of $189.9 million, down $61.4 million sequentially. Cash and cash equivalents were $1.1 billion. In accordance with the Business Combination Agreement related to our proposed merger with Technip S.A., the Company has suspended share repurchase activity until the completion of the proposed merger. Accordingly, the Company did not repurchase any common stock during the quarter. Depreciation and amortization for the third quarter was $57.3 million and capital expenditures were $26.1 million. The Company recorded a negative effective tax rate of 25.8 percent for the third quarter. The tax benefit of $9.5 million reflects the quarterly impact from the change in the full year estimated earnings mix, due mainly to lower North American profit as well as tax benefits associated with the charges taken in the quarter. Summary FMC Technologies reported third quarter diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $0.20. Adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations were $0.35, when excluding total Company pre-tax charges of $43 million, or $0.15 per diluted share. These charges included restructuring and other severance charges, business combination transaction and integration costs, transition and facility consolidation costs, and impairment and other charges. The Company recorded Subsea Technologies revenue of $798.4 million in the quarter with margins of 15 percent; adjusted operating margins were 15.7 percent, excluding charges. Total inbound orders of $692.2 million in the third quarter included $401 million in Subsea Technologies orders. The Company's backlog stands at $3 billion, including Subsea Technologies backlog of $2.5 billion. About FMC Technologies FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: FTI) is the global market leader in subsea systems and a leading provider of technologies and services to the oil and gas industry. We help our customers overcome their most difficult challenges, such as improving shale and subsea infrastructures and operations to reduce cost, maintain uptime, and maximize oil and gas recovery. The company has approximately 14,500 employees and operates 29 major production facilities and services bases in 18 countries. Visit www.fmctechnologies.com or follow us on Twitter @FMC_Tech for more information. This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words such as "expected," "continue," "outlook," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. FMC Technologies cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Known material factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as the following: demand for our products and services, which is affected by changes in the price of, and demand for, crude oil and natural gas in domestic and international markets; potential liabilities arising out of the installation or use of our products; U.S. and international laws and regulations, including environmental regulations, that may increase our costs, limit the demand for our products and services or restrict our operations; disruptions in the political, regulatory, economic and social conditions of the foreign countries in which we conduct business; fluctuations in currency markets worldwide; cost overruns that may affect profit realized on our fixed price contracts; disruptions in the timely delivery of our backlog and its effect on our future sales, profitability, and our relationships with our customers; the cumulative loss of major contracts or alliances; rising costs and availability of raw materials; a failure of our information technology infrastructure or any significant breach of security; our ability to develop and implement new technologies and services, as well as our ability to protect and maintain critical intellectual property assets; the outcome of uninsured claims and litigation against us; deterioration in future expected profitability or cash flows and its effect on our goodwill; a downgrade in the ratings of our debt could restrict our ability to access the debt capital markets; continuing consolidation within our industry; and our dependence on the continuing services of certain of our key managers and employees. FMC Technologies undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any of its forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. Investor Relations Matt Seinsheimer P: 281.260.3665 [email protected] Media Lisa Albiston P: 281.931.2513 [email protected] Lisa Adams P: 281.405.4659 [email protected] FMC Technologies, Inc. 5875 N Sam Houston Pkwy W Houston, Texas 77086 P: 281.591.4000 www.fmctechnologies.com FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (In millions except per share amounts, unaudited) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30 September 30 2016 2015 2016 2015 Revenue $ 1,091.2 $ 1,545.0 $ 3,450.2 $ 4,935.4 Costs and expenses 1,038.3 1,422.2 3,325.8 4,426.0 52.9 122.8 124.4 509.4 Other expense, net (8.7) (12.7) (29.4) (34.1) Income before net interest expense and income taxes 44.2 110.1 95.0 475.3 Net interest expense (7.7) (8.1) (22.8) (24.4) Income before income taxes 36.5 102.0 72.2 450.9 Provision (benefit) for income taxes (9.5) 19.5 9.0 112.3 Income from continuing operations 46.0 82.5 63.2 338.6 Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (1) (14.0) - (14.0) - Net income 32.0 82.5 49.2 338.6 Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 0.3 (0.5) 0.4 (1.1) Net income attributable to FMC Technologies, Inc. $ 32.3 $ 82.0 $ 49.6 $ 337.5 Earnings (loss) per share attributable to FMC Technologies, Inc.: Continuing operations $ 0.20 $ 0.36 $ 0.28 $ 1.46 Discontinued operations (0.06) - (0.06) - Basic earnings per share $ 0.14 $ 0.36 $ 0.22 $ 1.46 Continuing operations $ 0.20 $ 0.35 $ 0.28 $ 1.45 Discontinued operations (0.06) - (0.06) - Diluted earnings per share $ 0.14 $ 0.35 $ 0.22 $ 1.45 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 226.9 230.2 227.3 231.6 Diluted 228.2 231.0 228.5 232.5 (1) Loss from discontinued operations represents a tax assessment charge by the Algerian Tax Authority related to SOFEC Floating Systems, Inc., a former wholly-owned subsidiary disposed in 2006. FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES BUSINESS SEGMENT DATA (Unaudited and in millions) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30 September 30 2016 2015 2016 2015 Revenue Subsea Technologies $ 798.4 $ 1,093.7 $ 2,516.6 $ 3,490.3 Surface Technologies 218.1 361.0 702.3 1,170.6 Energy Infrastructure 77.1 97.1 246.3 299.4 Other revenue (1) and intercompany eliminations (2.4) (6.8) (15.0) (24.9) $ 1,091.2 $ 1,545.0 $ 3,450.2 $ 4,935.4 Income before income taxes Segment operating profit (loss) Subsea Technologies $ 119.7 $ 170.7 $ 326.4 $ 522.9 Surface Technologies (19.6) (22.5) (69.9) 67.9 Energy Infrastructure 2.5 (2.0) 7.0 6.2 Intercompany eliminations (0.1) - 0.1 - Total segment operating profit 102.5 146.2 263.6 597.0 Corporate items Corporate expense (2) (14.2) (14.7) (41.6) (45.0) Other revenue (1) and other expense, net (3) (43.8) (21.9) (126.6) (77.8) Net interest expense (7.7) (8.1) (22.8) (24.4) Total corporate items (65.7) (44.7) (191.0) (147.2) Income before income taxes attributable to FMC Technologies, Inc. (4) $ 36.8 $ 101.5 $ 72.6 $ 449.8 (1) Other revenue comprises certain unrealized gains and losses on derivative instruments related to unexecuted sales contracts. (2) Corporate expense primarily includes corporate staff expenses. (3) Other expense, net, generally includes stock-based compensation, other employee benefits, LIFO adjustments, certain foreign exchange gains and losses, and the impact of unusual or strategic transactions not representative of segment operations. (4) Excludes amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests. FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES BUSINESS SEGMENT DATA (Unaudited and in millions) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30 September 30 2016 2015 2016 2015 Inbound Orders Subsea Technologies $ 401.0 $ 1,049.0 $ 1,081.0 $ 2,612.7 Surface Technologies 242.2 398.1 643.8 1,030.6 Energy Infrastructure 55.9 81.8 191.8 290.3 Intercompany eliminations and other (6.9) (2.9) (14.9) (13.0) Total inbound orders $ 692.2 $ 1,526.0 $ 1,901.7 $ 3,920.6 September 30 2016 2015 Order Backlog Subsea Technologies $ 2,534.0 $ 4,287.6 Surface Technologies 379.3 495.0 Energy Infrastructure 112.4 172.8 Intercompany eliminations (2.8) (2.8) Total order backlog $ 3,022.9 $ 4,952.6 FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In millions) September 30, December 31, 2016 2015 (Unaudited) As Adjusted Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,074.2 $ 916.2 Trade receivables, net 681.0 884.0 Costs in excess of billings 638.9 638.4 Inventories, net 641.6 764.1 Other current assets 466.6 727.5 Total current assets 3,502.3 3,930.2 Property, plant and equipment, net 1,309.6 1,371.5 Goodwill 523.9 514.7 Intangible assets, net 225.0 246.3 Other assets 402.9 356.7 Total assets $ 5,963.7 $ 6,419.4 Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt $ 19.0 $ 21.9 Accounts payable, trade 375.3 519.3 Advance payments 400.5 464.2 Billings in excess of costs 110.4 200.4 Other current liabilities 740.8 1,099.5 Total current liabilities 1,646.0 2,305.3 Long-term debt, less current portion 1,245.1 1,134.1 Other liabilities 378.7 436.8 FMC Technologies, Inc. stockholders' equity 2,678.3 2,524.1 Noncontrolling interest 15.6 19.1 Total liabilities and equity $ 5,963.7 $ 6,419.4 FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited and in millions) Nine Months Ended September 30 2016 2015 Cash provided (required) by operating activities: Net income $ 49.2 $ 338.6 Depreciation and amortization 181.1 182.5 Trade accounts receivable, net and costs in excess of billings 264.8 181.3 Inventories, net 127.3 105.2 Accounts payable, trade (156.6) (140.6) Advance payments and billings in excess of costs (182.9) (241.3) Asset impairment charges 40.2 64.4 Other (87.7) 10.9 Net cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations 235.4 501.0 Net cash required by operating activities from discontinued operations (8.1) - Net cash provided by operating activities 227.3 501.0 Cash provided (required) by investing activities: Capital expenditures (93.1) (211.0) Investment in joint ventures (52.9) (5.0) Proceeds from sale of Wireline 19.0 - Other investing 6.8 4.3 Net cash required by investing activities (120.2) (211.7) Cash provided (required) by financing activities: Net increase (decrease) in debt 95.6 (7.7) Purchase of stock held in treasury (54.8) (148.0) Other financing (11.4) (25.8) Net cash provided (required) by financing activities 29.4 (181.5) Effect of changes in foreign exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents 21.5 (35.1) Increase in cash and cash equivalents 158.0 72.7 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 916.2 638.8 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,074.2 $ 711.5 FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (In millions except per share amounts, unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30 2016 2015 (after-tax) Income from continuing operations, excluding charges $ 80 $ 140 Impairment and other charges (1) (1) (45) Restructuring and other severance charges (2) (20) (13) Business combination transaction and integration costs (3) (11) - Transition and facility consolidation costs (4) (2) - Income from continuing operations, as reported $ 46 $ 82 Diluted EPS from continuing operations, excluding charges $ 0.35 $ 0.61 Diluted EPS from continuing operations, as reported $ 0.20 $ 0.35 (1) Tax effect of nil and $15 million during the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. (2) Tax effect of $8 million and $5 million during the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. (3) Tax effect of $1 million during the three months ended September 30, 2016. (4) Tax effect of $1 million during the three months ended September 30, 2016. FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (In millions, unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 Subsea Technologies Surface Technologies Energy Infrastructure (pre-tax) Segment operating profit (loss), excluding charges $ 125.1 $ (5.2) $ 3.7 Impairment and other charges (0.5) (0.5) - Restructuring and other severance charges (4.9) (13.9) (1.2) Segment operating profit (loss), as reported $ 119.7 $ (19.6) $ 2.5 Segment operating profit (loss) as a percent of revenue, excluding charges 15.7% (2.4)% 4.9% Segment operating profit (loss) as a percent of revenue, as reported 15.0% (9.0)% 3.3% Three Months Ended September 30, 2015 Subsea Technologies Surface Technologies Energy Infrastructure (pre-tax) Segment operating profit, excluding charges $ 188.0 $ 41.9 $ 1.4 Impairment charges (2.1) (58.0) - Restructuring and other severance charges (15.2) (1.6) (1.7) Inventory write-downs - (4.8) (1.7) Segment operating profit (loss), as reported $ 170.7 $ (22.5) $ (2.0) Segment operating profit as a percent of revenue, excluding charges 17.2% 11.6% 1.4% Segment operating profit (loss) as a percent of revenue, as reported 15.6% (6.2)% (2.1)% FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP TO GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (In millions) September 30, December 31, 2016 2015 (Unaudited) Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,074.2 $ 916.2 Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt (19.0) (21.9) Long-term debt, less current portion (1,245.1) (1,134.1) Net debt $ (189.9) $ (239.8) Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081222/LAM028LOGO SOURCE FMC Technologies, Inc. Related Links http://www.fmctechnologies.com KALONA, Iowa, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Follow Farmers is the story of how Farmers Electric Cooperative in the small Iowa town of Kalona installed nearly 2 MW of solar. The entire construction of this historic solar array is currently streaming live at followfarmers.solar. Tyler Anderson, President of Iowa Wind and Solar, surveys the project Site of the new array in Kalona, IA Farmers Electric Cooperative partnered with Iowa Wind and Solar to engineer, finance, and construct their newest solar project, a 950.4 kW array consisting of 2,880 solar panels. This brings FEC's total solar array size to nearly 2 MW. To understand the size of this array, you could think of it as enough to power more than 200 homes. This installation makes Farmers Electric Cooperative the leading solar utility in the State of Iowa. According to project lead and Iowa Wind and Solar President Tyler Anderson, "This is the first instance we are aware of in which the entire construction and installation of a solar array of this magnitude has been available for the public to watch live. We're encouraging folks to check out the live stream online at followfarmers.solar." Iowa Wind And Solar is partnering with Mevo and Livestream to make this live stream possible. Construction is ongoing, October 3rd - October 17th, 2016 at 1912 520th St SW, Kalona, IA 52247. A post-install press conference will be announced after the completion of array. Iowa Wind and Solar is Iowa's leading solar company, with offices based in Fairfield, Iowa and Bloomfield, Iowa. Iowa Wind and Solar's mission is to work with electric cooperatives to help implement solar solutions, such as community solar, with a focus on aligning values between the electric cooperative utility and its members. If you'd like more information, please contact Jen Kranz at Iowa Wind and Solar, 800-8080-SUN, or email. For access to all assets visit www.followfarmers.solar/press Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429840 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429841 SOURCE Iowa Wind and Solar Related Links http://www.followfarmers.solar/press SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) is recognizing Fundbox Founder and CEO, Eyal Shinar as one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2016 at its Builders + Innovators Summit in Santa Barbara, California. Goldman Sachs selected Shinar as one of 100 entrepreneurs from multiple industries to be honored at the two-day event. Fundbox has simplified and radically improved the way that small businesses get paid by solving one of the biggest pain points faced by small businesses: maintaining positive cash flow. Under Shinar's leadership, Fundbox has developed a tech-driven tool that employs advanced underwriting algorithms and deep learning capabilities to instantly advance funds tied up in outstanding invoices, helping business owners eliminate their cash flow challenges and grow their business. The product gives small businesses access to capital by the next business day and only requires that they pay for what they use, making it a great alternative to traditional financial products. "The Goldman Sachs honor as one of the 100 most intriguing entrepreneurs of 2016 is humbling," said Eyal Shinar, founder and chief executive officer, Fundbox. "This recognition is a huge testament to the Fundbox team and our laser focus on helping small businesses thrive by offering them previously unavailable financial solutions." "We are honored to recognize Eyal Shinar as one of the most intriguing entrepreneurs of 2016," said David Solomon, co-head of investment banking at Goldman Sachs. "This is the fifth year that we've hosted the Builders + Innovators Summit where emerging business leaders gather to discuss their common interests in building thriving organizations." For more than 145 years, Goldman Sachs has been advising and financing entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses. In addition to honoring 100 entrepreneurs, the summit consists of general sessions and clinics led by Goldman Sachs experts, seasoned entrepreneurs, academics and business leaders as well as resident scholars. Shinar is an expert in financial services and technology. Prior to his current position as CEO and founder of Fundbox, he served as a vice president at Battery Ventures where he led many projects and investments in the areas of finance, machine learning and software-as-a-service. Additionally, Shinar was one of the first employees of Old Lane, a $5.5 billion New York-based global hedge fund (later acquired by Citigroup), and also worked for Castle Harlan, a leading $6 billion NYC-based buyout firm. Shinar earned his MBA from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Fundbox has raised over $100 million in capital from leading Silicon Valley investors such as Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, and Spark Capital Growth. The company leverages cutting-edge technology and data science to create better financial options for the sector. Fundbox currently serves more than 50,000 small businesses and has underwritten more than 39 million invoices. For more information on Fundbox, please visit www.Fundbox.com. About Fundbox: Fundbox is the leading platform for small and medium-sized businesses to manage and optimize cash flow. Through its advanced data science and analytics capabilities, Fundbox taps into numerous data signals to assess customers and invoices for risk automatically and instantly. Small and medium-sized business owners are able to unlock capital tied up in outstanding invoices with a single click - funds show up in their bank account in as little as 24 hours. Leading Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, finance veterans, and venture capitalists, including Spark Capital Growth, Bezos Expeditions (the personal investment arm of Jeff Bezos), General Catalyst Partners, Khosla Ventures, SV Angel, former CitiGroup CEO Vikram Pandit, and other prominent investors back the company. Media Contact: Tracy Rubin/ Jill Fox JCUTLER media group [email protected] / [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430257LOGO SOURCE Fundbox Related Links http://www.Fundbox.com ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Join global leaders for a two-day meeting to address critical issues facing sustainability in the chocolate and cocoa sector. The meeting, hosted by the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and Le Conseil du Cafe-Cacao, will feature prominent speakers across the sector, including government, civil society, academia, research institutes, public, and private sector representatives. WHAT: The World Cocoa Foundation 28th Partnership Meeting & Cocoa Sustainability Trade Fair is an opportunity to share the latest developments toward ensuring greater sustainability in the cocoa sector and improving farmer livelihood and will address topics including deforestation, climate change, financial inclusion, and more. This Partnership Meeting marks WCF's first in Cote d'Ivoire, the world's leading cocoa producer and is centered on the theme: "People, Planet, Profit in a Changing World." CocoaAction, industry's sustainability strategy, will be a major topic at the Partnership Meeting, with conversations focusing on alignment and scale. Click here for more information and to view the meeting agenda. The Partnership Meeting will be live tweeted from @WorldCocoa using meeting hashtag #WCFPM. WHEN: Wednesday, October 26 and Thursday, October 27, 2016 WHERE: Radisson Blu Abidjan-Port Bouet Route de l'Aeroport d'Abidjan Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire WHO: More than 60 Partnership Meeting presenters including: President of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara * invited * First Lady of Cote d'Ivoire Dominique Ouattara Cote d'Ivoire Minister of Agriculture Mamadou Sangofowa Coulibaly Stephen Opuni , Chief Executive, Ghana Cocoa Board , Chief Executive, Ghana Cocoa Board Barry Parkin , Chairman, World Cocoa Foundation , Chairman, World Cocoa Foundation Rick Scobey , President, World Cocoa Foundation , President, World Cocoa Foundation Massandje Toure-Litse, Director General, Le Conseil du Cafe-Cacao of Cote d'Ivoire About WCF: The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is an international membership organization that promotes sustainability in the cocoa sector. WCF provides cocoa farmers with the support they need to grow more quality cocoa and socially and economically strengthen their communities. WCF's members include cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80 percent of the global cocoa market. WCF's programs benefit farmers and their communities in cocoa-growing regions of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. For more information, visit www.worldcocoafoundation.org or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. SOURCE World Cocoa Foundation Related Links http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org LAKEWOOD, Ohio, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Onix announced that it will host a live, complimentary webinar titled, "Migrating from the Google Search Appliance? Get the Blueprint from a Google Search Veteran" on Thursday, Nov. 3 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT. The webinar will offer expert advice from Marc Berman, Head of the Onix Search division and a nine-year veteran of Google Search. Marc Berman, Head of Onix Search and Bryan McKay, Onix Enterprise Search Engagement Manager Marc will share his insights, explaining how your organization can easily transition its Google Search Appliance to a next generation enterprise search solution. With this inside scoop, you'll be empowered to continue delivering business results to your organization through enterprise search. For more information and to register for the webinar, click here. This informative webinar will specifically cover: How the Onix-Google Search Assessment will help you assess your enterprise search needs and set a Google Search migration plan. Next generation search solutions that will help you drive business value for your organization. Answers to your important search and migration questions live by industry search experts: Marc Berman, Head of Onix Search Marc Berman is the head of Onix's Search practice. He is responsible for guiding the company's search strategic vision, which empowers Onix to help new and existing customers navigate the post-Google Search Appliance world to deliver top and bottom line results for their organizations. Marc spent nine years with Google Enterprise and the Google Search Appliance team. He has guided countless companies to impactful business results through search, including Whirlpool and Stryker Instruments. Bryan McKay, Onix Enterprise Search Engagement Manager Bryan works as an engagement manager in Onix's Enterprise Search practice. He implements enterprise search technology to help customers grow their businesses, leverage information in systems and silos across the organization, tap into the network of expertise in the organization to improve collaboration and innovation and deliver an enhanced customer experience. About Onix, Your Webinar Hosts Onix has been helping organizations with enterprise search solutions for 15 years. In that time, the company has led hundreds of customers ranging from state, local and federal government agencies to manufacturers, hospitals, financial and educational institutions in the purchase, deployment and maintenance of their knowledge discovery solutions. Onix is a Google Premier Partner and sells several other search solutions including Mindbreeze, LucidWorks and Expert System. Sign up for the webinar now. Media Contact Karen Masuga Marketing Communications Manager Onix Networking Corp. 216-529-3043 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430407 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160419/357118LOGO SOURCE Onix Related Links www.onixnet.com By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. congressional candidates worried that Donald Trump's struggling White House bid will damage them too have seized on one of President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy initiatives to try to ward off Democrats in the Nov 8 elections. With control of the Senate and perhaps even the House of Representatives in the balance, millions of dollars has been spent on campaign advertisements criticizing last year's Iran nuclear pact, even in districts where foreign affairs generally are not a top concern. Although Iran is unlikely to be most voters' main reason for choosing a candidate, strategists said the money could be well spent. Iran provides a distraction for Republicans concerned that the unpopularity of Trump -- whose poll numbers are dropping as he fights off several allegations that he groped women -- could also sink party members further down the ballot. One typical ad, for Iowa Republican Representative Rod Blum, uses apocalyptic imagery to tie Democratic challenger Monica Vernon to the Iran agreement. "Would you give billions to an Islamic Republic that burns our flag and chants 'Death to America?' Monica Vernon would," a male voice thunders over a video montage of marching troops, nuclear weapons and protesters burning U.S. flags. Vernon, a member of the Cedar Rapids City Council, has voiced support for the nuclear deal. Blum's spot is similar to dozens rolled out on behalf of Republican candidates who argue that America's influence is weaker because of Obama and by extension Hillary Clinton, his former secretary of state who is now the Democratic presidential nominee. "Iran is a piece of the national security anxiety people feel," Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak said. "Foreign policy's really complicated. Average voters don't understand it, don't follow it closely, but they know what bad foreign policy looks like." POLITICIZED ISSUE The agreement between Iran, the United States and other world powers curbs Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Trump frequently criticizes the accord and promises to make much better deals, based on his business experience, if he wins the White House. The real estate magnate has hammered the Iran pact in both of his presidential debates with Clinton and it is likely to come up at Wednesday's third debate in Nevada. Reuters/Ipsos polling in May showed Americans preferred Republicans' plans for dealing with Iran by 37 percent versus 21.9 percent for the Democrats'. Every Republican in Congress opposed the Iran breakthrough. Many worried that Obama gave up too much to a country that sponsors terrorism and threatens Israel. The issue has become more politicized recently, as congressional Republicans denounced the release of cash to Iran as a "ransom" payment and charged that huge Boeing Co and Airbus contracts to sell Iran jetliners could support terrorism. In the race for a U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina on Nov. 8, a conservative spending group spent $1 million on advertising attacking Deborah Ross, the Democrat running against incumbent Senator Richard Burr, over the Iran deal. Israel also opposed the Iran accord, as did AIPAC, the main U.S. pro-Israel lobby group. Support for Israel is important to voters, especially evangelical Christians who are a wellspring of Republican support. There is more election advertising opposing the Iran deal than supporting it, but there is some backing for it. J Street, a smaller liberal pro-Israel group, spent $500,000 on advertising attacking Republican Senators Patrick Toomey and Ron Johnson, in tight re-election races in Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, for opposing the Iran pact. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Alistair Bell) By funding Children International's ECD program, the Guru Krupa Foundation is helping enrich the lives of children ages 3 to 5 by ensuring opportunities for learning and growth. The curriculum for the program is focused on early mathematical skills, language development, hand-eye coordination, and emotional and social development. By mastering these skills early, children are put on the right track for being successful in school. Children International believes that going to school and not dropping out is absolutely essential to building a future free from poverty. That's why education is one of the organization's key focus areas alongside health, empowerment and employment. In addition to the ECD program, Children International provides education support in a variety of ways: Providing material support for supplies, uniforms, shoes or books Awarding scholarships to attend vocational school, college or other higher education institutions Working directly with parents to ensure their kids are enrolled in school to ensure their kids are enrolled in school Creating lunch programs at schools , which act as an incentive for families to keep sending their kids to school , which act as an incentive for families to keep sending their kids to school Tutoring kids either one-on-one or in groups either one-on-one or in groups Making resources such as computer labs and libraries in CI community centers available to local schools. Learn more about how Children International is empowering kids through education. Learn more about the Guru Krupa Foundation. About Children International Children International is a top-rated humanitarian organization focused on ending poverty by helping children and teens. We take a holistic approach to our programs and work through local professional staff at each of our 70+ community centers worldwide. Our goal is that each child graduates from our program healthy, educated, employed and empowered to break the cycle of poverty. For more information about Children International, visit children.org. Follow Children International on Facebook and Twitter. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Brittany Gelbach Public Relations Children International Direct: (816) 943-3832 Email: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430430 SOURCE Children International Related Links http//www.children.org POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hammer Fiber Optics Holding Corp. (OTCQB: HMMR) (the "Company"), is scheduled to present at RedChip's Global Online Growth Conference on Thursday, October 20, 2016, at 11:30 am Eastern time. The presentation can be viewed at www.RedChip.com. A live Q&A session will follow the investor presentation. The conference includes a keynote from Thomas Jandt, branch manager and investment advisor at WestPark Capital. Jandt's presentation, titled "The Biggest Bubble in History?" will explore the history of the Fed Funds Rate, its impact on US Treasury rates, and possibilities of where we may go from here. Jandt personally assists entrepreneurs and corporations with valuable advice, analysis and assistance in preparing for the process of raising growth capital, going public and/or merger and acquisition evaluation. Mr. Jandt has over 19 years of investment banking experience, having participated in over one billion dollars in private and public capital offerings during his career as an investment banker and stockbroker over the past two decades. Jandt's presentation will air at 12:00 p.m. ET on each day of the conference. RedChip's Global Online Growth Conference brings together investors and executives of leading microcap companies, representing a broad spectrum of industries and sectors, including oil & gas, technology, mining, healthcare, consumer goods, energy, and more. More than 10,000 investors attend RedChip's microcap conference series each year. No registration is required to participate in the conference. Start times are subject to change. About Hammer Fiber Optics Holding Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings (HMMR) intends to bring alternative high-speed telecom services to poorly served areas. The Company's internet services ensure subscribers get the bandwidth that they need to run all of their applications. The Company's technology is based on a proven end-to-end system that has already been successfully deployed in eight countries. Initial commercial operations are expected to commence in New Jersey in January 2017, followed by expansion into other markets. For more information visit http://www.hammerfiberopticinvestments.com/ Forward Looking Statement This press release contains projections and other forward-looking statements regarding future events or our future financial performance. All statements other than present and historical facts and conditions contained in this release are forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). These statements are only predictions and reflect our current beliefs and expectations with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risk and uncertainties and subject to change at any time. We operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160902/403932LOGO SOURCE Hammer Fiber Optic Holdings Corp. Related Links http://www.hammerfiberopticinvestments.com - H2 to be stronger Highlights Mined metal production at 192kt in Q2; up 51% q-o-q Integrated metal production increased q-o-q: zinc 47%, lead 25% and silver 21% Mined metal production from underground mines ramps up by 83% y-o-y EBITDA at Rs. 2,077 crore in Q2; up 84% q-o-q in Q2; up 84% q-o-q H2 to be substantially stronger than H1 Board approves Dividend Policy Hindustan Zinc Limited today announced its results for the second quarter and half year ended September 30, 2016. Mr. Agnivesh Agarwal, Chairman "The price rally in zinc continued this quarter with prices climbing 18% from the previous quarter, consistent with its strong fundamentals. Silver prices too have rallied coupled with increasing silver volumes. Favourable market scenario and Company's smooth transition to underground mining has boosted investor confidence, heralding the Company's entry in the top 25 club in terms of market capitalisation in India." Financial Summary (In Rs. Crore, except as stated) Particulars Q2 Q1 H1 2017 2016 Change 2017 Change 2017 2016 Change Sales/Income from Operations Zinc 2,697 3,126 -14% 1,925 40% 4,622 6,173 -25% Lead 496 552 -10% 340 46% 836 1,010 -17% Silver 482 385 25% 360 34% 842 666 26% Others 145 170 -15% 150 -3% 295 317 -7% Total 3,820 4,233 -10% 2,775 38% 6,595 8,166 -19% EBITDA 2,077 2,218 -6% 1,130 84% 3,207 3,897 -18% Profit After Taxes 1,902 2,248 -15% 1,037 83% 2,939 4,189 -30% Earnings per Share (Rs., not annualised) 4.50 5.32 -15% 2.45 84% 6.96 9.91 -30% Mined Metal Production ('000 MT) 192 240 -20% 127 51% 318 472 -33% Refined Metal Production ('000 MT) Integrated Refined Metal Zinc 149 211 -30% 101 47% 250 398 -37% Saleable Lead1 31 39 -22% 25 25% 55 67 -17% Zinc & Lead 179 250 -28% 126 43% 305 465 -34% Saleable Silver2,3 (in MT) 107 110 -3% 89 21% 196 184 6% Total Refined Metal Zinc 150 211 -29% 102 47% 252 398 -37% Saleable Lead1 31 40 -24% 25 25% 55 71 -22% Zinc & Lead 181 252 -28% 127 43% 307 469 -35% Saleable Silver2,3 (in MT) 107 112 -4% 89 21% 196 187 5% Wind Power (in million units) 172 159 8% 148 16% 320 286 12% Zinc CoP without Royalty (Rs. / MT) 4 54,186 50,278 8% 61,440 -12% 57,022 50,488 13% Zinc CoP without Royalty ( $ / MT) 4 809 771 5% 918 -12% 852 786 8% Zinc LME ($ / MT) 2,255 1,847 22% 1,918 18% 2,089 2,013 4% Lead LME ($ / MT) 1,873 1,714 9% 1,719 9% 1,797 1,824 -2% Silver LBMA ($ / oz.) 19.6 14.9 32% 16.8 17% 18.2 15.6 17% USD-INR (average) 67.0 64.9 3% 66.9 0% 66.9 64.2 4% (1) Excluding captive consumption of 837 MT in Q2 FY2017 & 1,921 MT in H1 FY2017 as compared with 1,514 MT & 3,698 MT in respective corresponding prior period. (2) Excluding captive consumption of 4.3 MT in Q2 FY2017 and 9.8 MT in H1 FY2016 as compared with 7.8 MT and 19.1 MT in respective corresponding prior period. (3) Silver occurs in Lead & Zinc ore and is recovered in the smelting and silver-refining processes. (4) The COP numbers are after adjusting for deferred mining expenses under Ind-AS. Without this adjustment, Zinc CoP per MT would have been Rs. 62,035 ($926) as compared with Rs. 50,236 ($771) in Q2 FY 2016 and Rs. 76,448 ($1,142) in Q1 FY 2017. For H1 FY 2017 this would be Rs. 67,821 ($1,013) compared to Rs. 50,553 ($787) compared to corresponding prior period. Note: 1) Historical numbers have been revised as per Ind-AS reporting 2) Numbers may not add up due to rounding off; historical numbers may have changed due to regrouping Operational Performance Mined metal production during the quarter increased by 51% q-o-q as per plan. The increase was primarily driven by higher ore production from Rampura Agucha open cast where ore body was exposed after high waste excavation during previous quarter in accordance with the waste-ore sequence; this increase is despite heavy rains during the quarter. On y-o-y basis, mined metal production was lower by 20% as projected due to lower production from Rampura Agucha mine. In H1, mined metal output was at 318kt as compared with 472kt in corresponding prior period, in line with plan. During this period, the production from underground mines increased by 83% y-o-y, as Rampura Agucha mine ramped up production from underground. The Company is on track to achieve full year mined metal production higher than FY 2016 with second half being substantially higher. Integrated zinc metal production during the quarter was at 149kt, up 47% q-o-q and down 30% y-o-y, in line with mined metal production. In H1, integrated zinc metal production decreased by 37% y-o-y. Integrated lead and silver metal production during the quarter increased by 25% at 31kt and 21% at 107 MT respectively compared to previous quarter. On y-o-y basis, integrated lead production was down 22% in line with mined metal production while integrated silver production was down 3%. In H1, integrated lead production was lower by 17% from corresponding prior period, in line with mined metal availability. Integrated silver production was up 6% y-o-y in H1 despite lower mined metal, on account of significantly higher production from Sindesar Khurd mine. For the full year, integrated silver production will be higher than FY 2016. Financial Performance Subsequent to adopting Indian Accounting Standards (Ind-AS) from the current financial year, excise duty is now included in 'Sales' and reported as 'Gross Sales'. Accordingly, historical revenue has also been restated. Like in the previous quarter and in accordance with Ind-AS, the Company has temporarily capitalised excess ore burden of Rs. 141 crore during the quarter (Rs. 330 crore in H1) to more closely relate the costs to actual production volumes, which is expected to substantially reverse in H2 where waste excavation will be lower. Change in method of depreciation on Plant & Machinery from April 1, 2016, resulted in higher depreciation by Rs. 175 crore during this quarter (Rs. 346 crore in H1). Revenues increased by 38% sequentially at Rs. 3,820 crore but were lower on y-o-y basis by 10% in the quarter and by 19% in H1. On a sequential basis, revenue increased due to higher volumes and metal prices, while the y-o-y decrease during the quarter and H1 was on account of lower volumes, partly offset by higher zinc & silver prices and rupee depreciation. The zinc metal cost of production per MT before royalty (COP) during the quarter was at Rs. 54,186 ($809), down 12% from previous quarter and up 8% y-o-y (5% in dollar terms). The sequential reduction in COP was mainly on account of higher volumes, while the y-o-y increase was attributed primarily to lower average grades due to change in mining mix, higher mine development and planned lower production. Cost reduction initiatives for operational and commercial efficiencies were partly offset by higher petroleum product prices and lower acid prices. The above revenue and COP resulted in EBITDA at Rs. 2,077 crore, up 84% q-o-q and down 6% y-o-y. On a sequential basis, EBITDA increase was accentuated by write back and lower provisions in 'Power & Fuel'. For six month period, EBITDA was lower by 18% in line with production, partly offset by higher silver & zinc prices and rupee depreciation. Net profit during the quarter was at Rs. 1,902 crore, up 83% q-o-q in line with EBITDA increase and down 15% y-o-y. For six month period, net profit was lower by 30% at Rs. 2,939 crore. The y-o-y decrease for Q2 and H1 was due to higher depreciation and lower investment income on account of smaller corpus despite higher mark to market gains. Expansion Projects Continuing with the high pace of mine development, the Company achieved total mine development of 14,716 metres during Q2 and 28,728 metres in H1, up 12% and 14% respectively from a year ago. With the objective of mitigating the risk of any delays in ramp up of Rampura Agucha underground mine, Stage V was conceptualized in late 2014 to extend the life of the open cast mine to 2019-20 by deepening the pit by an additional 50 metres. However, concurrent mining at Rampura Agucha is leading to geotechnical challenges in both the open pit and underground. After deliberations with internal & global technical experts, it has been decided to modify Stage V limiting the incremental pit depth to 30 metres. This will mitigate pit wall challenges and significantly reduce waste-ore ratio, providing a fresh impetus to accelerating mine development at the underground mine in a safe manner. Ore production from Stage V commenced during the quarter and is now being accelerated to complete by March 2018. The expansion target of 1.2 million MT mined metal production remains intact and will be achieved as per plan. Main shaft sinking at Rampura Agucha is progressing well and has reached the depth of 920 meters against the final depth of 950 meters. Winder erection is at advanced stage of completion and pre-equipping work of main shaft commenced during the quarter. At Sindesar Khurd mine, preparatory work for head gear erection of main shaft commenced during the quarter while up-ramp development work is progressing well. The construction of new mill of 1.5 mtpa is on track and commissioning is expected by end of the financial year, taking the milling capacity to 4.25 mtpa. Zawar mill debottlenecking along with associated power and infrastructure projects are advancing well and planned to be completed by end of this financial year. Decline development at key mines of Zawar is progressing well. Kayad project is now complete and mine has attained its rated capacity. Dividend In accordance with the recent SEBI guideline, the Board of Directors has approved the Company's Dividend Policy which entails a minimum dividend of 30% of net profits or 5% of networth, whichever is higher. The detailed policy is available on Company website www.hzlindia.com. Considering the Special Golden Jubilee dividend paid in April, no interim dividend is being paid now. Liquidity and investment As on September 30, 2016, the Company's net cash and cash equivalents was Rs. 25,166 crore, out of which Rs. 22,726 crore was invested in mutual funds and Rs. 4,331 crore in bonds. The Company follows a conservative investment policy and invests in high quality debt instruments. Earnings Call on Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 4:30 pm (IST) The Company will hold an earnings conference call on Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 4:30 pm IST, where senior management will discuss the Company's results and performance. The dial in numbers for the call is given below: Primary: +91 22 3960 0762 Secondary: +91 22 6746 5962 For further information, please contact: Ekta Singh Manager Investor Relations [email protected] Tel: +91 800 3099676 Pavan Kaushik Associate Vice President Corporate Communications [email protected] Tel: +91 99288 44499 About Hindustan Zinc Hindustan Zinc (NSE & BSE: HINDZINC) is the one of the largest integrated producers of zinc-lead with a capacity of 1.0 million MT per annum and a leading producer of silver. The Company is headquartered in Udaipur, Rajasthan in India and has zinc-lead mines at Rampura Agucha, Sindesar Khurd, Rajpura Dariba, Zawar and Kayad; primary smelter operations at Chanderiya, Dariba and Debari, all in the state of Rajasthan; and finished product facilities in the state of Uttarakhand. Hindustan Zinc has a world-class resource base with total reserve & resource of 389.9 million MT and average zinc-lead reserve grade of 11.7%. The Company has a track record of consistently growing its reserve & resource base since 2003 and currently has a mine life of over 25 years. The Company is self-sufficient in power with an installed base of 474 MW coal-based captive power plants. Additionally, it has green power capacity of 309 MW including 274 MW of wind power and 35 MW of waste heat power. The Company has an operating workforce of over 17,000 including contract workforce. Hindustan Zinc is a subsidiary of the BSE and NSE listed Vedanta Limited (formerly known as Sesa Sterlite Limited; ADRs listed on the NYSE), a part of London listed Vedanta Resources plc, a global diversified natural resources company. Disclaimer This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should" or "will." Forwardlooking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements. For further information, please contact: Communications Roma Balwani President Group Communications, Sustainability& CSR Tel: +91 22 6646 1000 [email protected] Investor Relations Ashwin Bajaj Director Investor Relations Vishesh Pachnanda Manager Investor Relations Sunila Martis Manager Investor Relations Tel: +91 22 6646 1531 [email protected] About Vedanta Limited (Formerly SesaSterlite Ltd.) Vedanta Limited is a diversified natural resources company, whose business primarily involves producing oil & gas, zinc - lead - silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium and commercial power. The company has a presence across India, South Africa, Namibia, Australia and Ireland. Vedanta Limited is the Indian subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc, a London-listed company. Governance and Sustainable Development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety and environment and on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company is conferred with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) 'Sustainable Plus Platinum label', ranking among the top 10 most sustainable companies in India. To access the Vedanta Sustainable Development Report 2016, please visit http://sustainabledevelopment.vedantaresources.com/content/dam/vedanta/corporate/documents/Otherdocuments/SDreport2015-16/Vedanta%20SDR%20FY%2015-16.pdf Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information please visit www.vedantalimited.com Vedanta Limited (Formerly known as SesaSterlite Limited) Vedanta, 75, Nehru Road, Vile Parle (East), Mumbai - 400 099 www.vedantalimited.com Registered Office: SesaGhor, 20 EDC Complex, Patto, Panaji (Goa) - 403 001 CIN: L13209GA1965PLC000044 Disclaimer This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should" or "will." Forwardlooking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different that those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150422/740375 SOURCE Vedanta Limited Related Links http://www.vedantalimited.com BROOKLYN, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Experiments by researchers at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and NYU Shanghai have successfully cracked the veil of anonymity in Yik Yak, an ostensibly anonymous social media application. Yik Yak thrives on anonymity. Whether it's praise for a local restaurant or, in a darker use of the application, a complaint or bullying comment about teachers or peers, Yik Yak users trust that their words are untraceable. Even Yik Yak's new policy requiring user pseudonyms preserves anonymity. Yik Yak is particularly popular on college campuses and has drawn criticism as a tool for harassment. The app has been downloaded more than a million times on Android mobile devices alone. Keith Ross, the Leonard J. Shustek Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at NYU Tandon and Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at NYU Shanghai, will present the paper, You Can Yak but You Can't Hide: Localizing Anonymous Social Network Users, at the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) Internet Measurements Conference in Santa Monica, California, this November. Ross, his students, and colleagues from East China Normal University tested Yik Yak's susceptibility to localization attacks, reasoning that if it is possible to locate the geographical origin of a comment, or "yak," as it is commonly known, it may be possible to identify the person who posted it. Experiments showed that yaks can, in fact, be localized through a fairly simple machine learning algorithm that an undergraduate computer science student could program and run in a matter of hours. Ross and his collaborators localized yaks to within 300 feet and in one experiment identified the college dormitories from which yaks originated with 100 percent accuracy. "The integrity of user anonymity is central to Yik Yak and similar anonymous social media apps, and this research shows that it's possible for a third party to compromise it," Ross said. "At this stage, we can narrow down a location to a building, which when combined with other side information could potentially de-anonymize the author of any given yak." Ross and his team, which includes East China Normal University Professor Haifeng Qian and doctoral student Minhui Xue, and NYU Shanghai undergraduates Cameron Ballard, Kelvin Liu, Carson Nemelka, and Yanqiu Wu, conducted their experiments from Shanghai. They deployed Yik Yak on two U.S. college campuses using a common technique to trick the GPS in a smartphone into believing it was on those campuses. This was important because a yak appears only on smartphones in the vicinity of where the yak is sent. The researchers designed an automated system to "place" themselves (through GPS coordinates) at many different locations in and around the campuses and record which yaks were available at each location. The system then used machine learning to process the recorded data to predict where each of the yaks was posted. Ross explained that college students often post disparaging yaks about professors or fellow students. "It wouldn't be difficult for a professor to figure out the dorm from which a derogatory yak was posted, then couple this information with student housing information to de-anonymize the yak, and that's concerning," he said. The researchers note that their experiments used the same public information collected by other users of Yik Yak, and that they attempted to analyze only the location of messages generated by members of the research team. No outside participants were involved. Ross and his colleague informed Yik Yak about the potential for localization attacks and recommended several potential privacy enhancements. Among them is improving localization authentication for users, which would make it easier to identify and block users employing forged GPS coordinates. Another strategy would be for Yik Yak to always display the exact same set of messages no matter where the app is being used on a campus. 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, 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. facebook.com/nyutandon @nyupoly Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151013/276541LOGO SOURCE NYU Tandon School of Engineering Related Links http://engineering.nyu.edu Since the program's 2004 launch, FMA Live! has traveled nearly 110,000 miles to more than 1,200 schools and performed for 460,000 students in 48 contiguous U.S. states, as well as in Mexico and Canada. The one-of-a-kind show incorporates hip-hop music, dancers, student volunteers, and on-stage, interactive science experiments to demonstrate how physics is part of everyday life. "The astronauts of 2025 are sitting in our middle schools today," said Donald James, NASA's associate administrator for Education. "There is no better time to get students excited about STEM topics. Alongside Honeywell, we have created a program that provides students with an early look into the career possibilities that exist in these fields." Each performance focuses on Newton's law of universal gravitation and three laws of motion. FMA Live! is named after Newton's second law of motion [Force equals Mass times Acceleration] and uses music videos and interactive scientific demonstrations to teach and inspire students to pursue STEM careers. "In each school we visit during the tour, we bring to life the importance of subjects like science and math and encourage students to explore careers that will ultimately change the world we live in," said Mike Bennett, president, Honeywell Hometown Solutions. "The popularity of FMA Live! is a testament to its ability to both entertain and inspire students." The FMA Live! Forces in Motion experience also features an online "Teachers' Lounge" that includes National Science Standards-based teaching resources including downloadable streaming videos, music from the show, and a comprehensive educational guide with lesson plans. This digital tool maintains post-show momentum and can be incorporated into classroom learning objectives throughout the school year. To learn more visit FMALive.com. About FMA Live! Using live actors, hip-hop songs, music videos, interactive scientific demonstrations and video interviews with scientists and engineers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the show teaches Newton's Three Laws of Motion and Universal Law of Gravity. Honeywell and NASA created FMA Live! in 2004 to inspire middle school students to explore STEM concepts and careers. The program addresses Forces and Motion learning objectives outlined by the Next Generation Science Education Standards for students in grades 5-8. Through Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the Company has a number of award-winning programs focused on inspiring students at all grade levels to embrace STEM education. The Company chose physics for FMA Live! Forces in Motion because studies have shown that the middle school years offer the best window of opportunity to get students interested in STEM careers. Supporting Resources About Honeywell Hometown Solutions FMA Live! Forces in Motion is part of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the Company's corporate citizenship initiative, which focuses on five areas of vital importance: Science & Math Education, Family Safety & Security, Housing & Shelter, Habitat & Conservation, and Humanitarian Relief. Together with leading public and non-profit institutions, Honeywell has developed powerful programs to address these needs in the communities it serves. For more information, please visit http://citizenship.honeywell.com/. About Honeywell Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. For more news and information about Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com. Honeywell and the Honeywell logo are the exclusive properties of Honeywell, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other Honeywell product names, technology names, trademarks, service marks, and logos may be registered or pending registration in the U.S. or in other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright 2015 Honeywell. Media Contact: Cecilia Tejeda (973) 455-3450 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430034 SOURCE Honeywell Related Links http://www.honeywell.com NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon Media, the largest and fastest growing privately held media services agency in the world, is pleased to announce that its fully transparent programmatic trading desk, HX, has partnered with AD/FIN, an independent programmatic intelligence company, to further enhance accountability in programmatic media trading. The partnership makes Horizon Media's HX the first major programmatic trading desk to actively embrace independent, 3rd party verification of its programmatic transactions at the impression level, providing the agency's clients with an unprecedented level of transparency on digital media activations processed through HX. The agency will encourage clients to seek independent verification and to engage AD/FIN for programmatic price and fee transparency services. This move is part of HX's commitment to delivering on its Programmatic Advertiser's Bill of Rights, an articulation of 10 core principles that HX abides by for all campaigns. These principles include: having an understanding of tech and service charges, viewing marketplace CPMs exactly as they appear in auction data, and inventory transparency with CPMs by site, among others. With AD/FIN's ability to ingest and process bid level impression data, these analyses and more can be independently verified and delivered consistently to advertisers regardless of the DSPs and data partners being deployed by HX. With AD/FIN, HX can truly deliver on its Programmatic Bill of Rights with accountability. "We compete everyday with agencies and trading desks that claim transparency, but few, if any, can prove it. At Horizon, we stand by our commitment to accountability and see tools like AD/FIN as key to practicing what we preach," said Adam Heimlich, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Programmatic of HX at Horizon Media. "It's exciting to have Horizon take this progressive position in the industry, giving its clients access to a level of granularity and accuracy previously unseen in programmatic buying," said Andrew Altersohn, Chief Executive Officer at AD/FIN. "For programmatic to overcome its 'black box' image, it needs more players, like Horizon's HX, committed to tangible delivery of transparency and accountability." About AD/FIN AD/FIN is an independent market intelligence company, which aims to be the definitive source for programmatic media trading intelligence and integrity. For more information, please visit www.adfin.com. About Horizon Media Horizon Media, Inc. is the largest and fastest growing privately held media services agency in the world. The company was founded in 1989, is headquartered in New York with a second full-service office in Los Angeles. Horizon Media was chosen as 2011 Independent Media Agency of the Year by Mediapost, 2010 U.S. Media Agency of the Year by Adweek, Brandweek, and Mediaweek as well as by Ad Age and as one of the world's ten most innovative marketing and advertising companies by Fast Company in 2011. In 2012, Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder, was honored by Advertising Age as Industry Executive of the Year. Most recently, in 2014, Bill Koenigsberg was named 4As Chair of the Board and is the first person from a media agency to hold this prestigious position in the 100-year history of the 4As, the marketing industry's leading trade association. The company's mission is "To create the most meaningful brand connections within the lives of people everywhere." By delivering on this mission through a holistic approach to brand marketing, Horizon Media has become one of the largest and fastest-growing media agencies in the industry, with estimated billings of over $6.3 billion and over 1,200 employees. For more information, please visit horizonmedia.com. Contact Horizon Media Kaya Lobaczewski (212) 220-2102 [email protected] AdFin Andrew Altersohn (917) 902-0797 [email protected] SOURCE Horizon Media, Inc. Related Links http://www.horizonmedia.com While government funding helps schools and Head Start centers rebuild and reopen to children quickly after disasters, no such support is available to for-profit child care centers, which account for the majority of child care centers in America. With the exception of large chains, for-profit centers typically run on tight margins, are often underinsured and unable to qualify for small business loans due to poor credit or lack of collateral. Even when independently-run centers are properly insured, the claims process can take many months, leaving them unable to reopen quickly to serve children in disaster-affected communities. As it has after many other recent U.S. disasters, Save the Children is working to close the child care recovery gap in North and South Carolina by identifying damaged child care centers that serve the most marginalized families, and helping them recover and reopen. "The stress and chaos that follows a disaster like these floods puts enormous emotional strains on young children, and, if not alleviated, puts their continued development at risk," Corwin said. "The need for safe, nurturing care and a daily routine has never been greater for many children in the Carolinas right now. At the same time, families need to rebuild and get back to work to support their families. They need safe, dependable child care to do that." Challenges to post-disaster child care recovery has strained families in many recent U.S. disasters, including the Louisiana flooding this summer that forced 86 child care centers serving 6,000 children to close, according to Child Care Aware of America. Save the Children has raised funds to help 22 of those Baton-Rouge-area centers replace lost learning materials, equipment and furniture that are essential to safe, quality care. After Hurricane Sandy, 697 child care providers had to close for one to eight months, according to Child Care Aware. With the generous support of donors, Save the Children helped more than 100 New York and New Jersey child care centers reopen. In its Hurricane Matthew response in the Carolinas, Save the Children is targeting hard-hit communities with high poverty rates, including in Robeson County, North Carolina and Dillon and Florence counties in South Carolina. The organization is raising funds to support the reopening of at least 30 child care centers. Save the Children also responded to last year's floods in South Carolina, where it also serves nearly 5,000 children through its long-term early education and literacy programs. To support Save the Children's response to Hurricane Matthew both domestically and in Haiti please visit: www.SavetheChildren.org/Matthew. Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We invest in childhood every day, in times of crisis and for our future. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430334 SOURCE Save the Children Related Links http://www.savethechildren.org "ARK Performance knows the Hyundai brand almost as well as our own," said Kevin Bentley, developer of the ARK Elantra Concept. "We strive to leverage the superb product development of Hyundai engineers, building upon their expertise while offering something really special to enthusiasts. The ARK Road Racer Elantra Concept offers the specific model enhancements that our customers have come to expect from ARK." Key modifications to the ARK Road Racer Elantra Concept include: Powertrain Custom ARK turbo kit using Xcargot XT26 turbocharger ARK downpipe and GRiP exhaust system Turbosmart blow-off valve and wastegate Suspension ARK DT-P coil-over system ARK front strut tower bar ARK front and rear performance anti-roll bars ARK front big brake kit Nitto Tire NT05 summer tires Exterior ARK Solus wide body kit ARK lightweight forged wheels Fiere Customs full vinyl wrap APR Performance front splitter Interior Custom diamond-stitched interior Custom sport steering wheel by ARK 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. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. Hyundai Blue Link Connected Care provides owners of Hyundai models equipped with the Blue Link telematics system with proactive safety and car care services complimentary for one year with enrollment. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling. For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com and our blog at www.hyundailikesunday.com Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161013/428602 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131002/LA90771LOGO-b SOURCE Hyundai Motor America Related Links http://www.hyundainews.com (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140310/673848 ) Electric vehicles are creating more and more of their own electricity from daylight, wind and other sources including regeneration. Regeneration converts wasted heat and movement in the vehicle into electricity, as with a turbine in the exhaust. More elegantly, regeneration prevents wasted heat and movement in the first place as with regenerative suspension giving a better ride and longer range and flywheels and reversing motors replacing burning brake disks. Shock absorbers can create electricity that controls them to give a smoother ride. This new IDTechEx Research report explains and forecasts the technologies involved in this newly key enabling technology. The report is supported by detailed technological roadmaps and forecasts of electric vehicles in 46 categories embracing on-road and off-road, on-water and underwater, manned and unmanned aircraft. When you look at this big picture, the potential for both technology and vehicle suppliers is far greater than it initially appears to be. This is the first report to look at all the technologies and all of the vehicles that will adopt them. The new energy harvesting technologies explained in the report include triboelectrics, thermal metamaterials, affordable GaAs photovoltaics and dielectric elastomer nanogenerators. We also reveal the significance of breakthroughs by little known vehicle and material companies such as Hanergy, Inergy, Sunnyclist, Sion, Nanowinn, SBL and others as we interview them from Greece to China, Australia to Canada and the UK. EH/R will be as important and sometimes more important than motors, batteries and power electronics: fabulous opportunities await vehicle, parts and material manufacturers unplugging into this future. Electric Vehicle Energy Harvesting/ Regeneration 2017-2037 is available for order on the IDTechEx website at http://www.IDTechEx.com/ehforev . Learn more about IDTechEx here. IDTechEx provides companies with tools that can assist them in making essential strategic decisions in emerging technologies. IDTechEx offers research reports, subscriptions, consultancy, introductory services and events. Contact: Alison Lewis Marketing Manager, Reports [email protected] http://www.IDTechEx.com twitter.com/IDTechEx UK: +44-(0)1223-810290 SOURCE IDTechEx SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Revealing figures from a detailed analysis of studies paint a panoramic picture of a surging global trade in illicit cigarettes funding groups as varied as Hezbollah and Hamas to the Central American cartel of Los Zetas. The study titled "From Ant Smuggling to an Elephant in the Market" was conducted by CID Gallup for the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce, an organization that continues to support entities involved in fighting the trade of illicit cigarettes as it threatens economies, institutions the and the security of Central American countries. Due to the complexity and alarming growth of the illicit trade in cigarettes, AmCham urges more inter-governmental efforts and public-private alliances to identify approaches leading to the development of a holistic strategy. Solutions must include a review of current regulations to fight smuggling, the use of technology as an ally of security forces, raising the penalties for those committing this crime, allocation of more financial and human resources to fight this activity, and awareness campaigns. The scope of the problem to Central American economies is significant with $113.6 million USD lost due to regional taxes evaded by criminal networks. Costa Rica lost an estimated $26 million USD with Panama losing an estimated $41.0 million USD1. Another key finding of the study was further confirmation that the money from the illicit trade of cigarettes, due to its high profitability, is used to fund regional crime organizations, such as "Maras" in El Salvador and drug cartels such as Zetas and Xinaloa in Belize, which have become protagonists in trafficking and distribution of this product. The Department of State of the United States of America clearly defined the illicit trade in tobacco as a threat to national security and ratified the link existing between terrorism and illicit trade of cigarettes, stating that this illegal activity constitutes a National Threat. In Central America, consumption of illicit cigarettes varies with Panama has the highest rate of illicit incidence of non-domestic brands, 67%, after the current law regulating trade of this product came into force. Panama is followed by El Salvador with 31%, Guatemala with 21%, Honduras with 20%, Costa Rica with 16%, and Nicaragua with 5%2. Dennis Whitelaw, AmCham President said, "It is highly important to us, as a multi sector Chamber, to have on hand this type of information that shows a full view of the situation because, through this, we can generate much better recommendations and provide more comprehensive support to the State in its fight to prevent the development and entry of these products on our society", said Whitelaw. Esteban Alvarez, CID Gallup Manager, commented, "We are aware that the illicit trade of cigarettes is a phenomenon that knows no borders; thus, in recent years, this type of trade has become one of the main sources to fund criminal organizations in Central America. It is essential to review the current regulations to fight smuggling, as well as to raise awareness among the population. Additionally, it is necessary to allocate more resources and make a better use of them, especially of technological ones" mentioned Alvarez. International expert Emanuele Ottolenghi, member of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies of Washington, D.C., said, "Drug trafficking, trade-based money laundering, contraband and terror financing in Latin America have merged as a single threat: drug cartels, smugglers, counterfeiters, insurgent groups, and terrorist organizations have coalesced, sometimes against local authorities and sometimes with their active complicity and support, for their mutual benefit. The result is a toxic mix that is undermining society itself in Latin America while posing a threat to the United States and Europe as well." Efforts made by AmCham Costa Rica along with the Finance Ministry to develop a web-app involving the population in the process of reporting illicit trade through mercadoilegal.com were highlighted as an example of Private-Public sectors involved in the fight of illicit trade. Also, a replica of this web-app operates in El Salvador through radarilegal.com and in Guatemala through comercioilegal.gt Just like the other efforts made in this field, this study is part of the actions that are led by AmCham to help authorities obtain more tools to fight the different forms of illegal trade, such as counterfeit, piracy and under invoicing, which attempt against public safety, health and national economy. For further information and to confirm attendance at the press conference where this study will be discussed in more depth, please contact: Tatiana Fernandez B. | Journalist Interamericana de Comunicacion [email protected] 8828-9396 | 2240-2333 1 Frost Study-KPMG, 2015. 2 Frost Study-KPMG, 2015. SOURCE Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Independent community pharmacies are a critical prescription drug access point for patients, particularly in underserved areas, according to the 2016 NCPA Digest, sponsored by Cardinal Health, released at the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Annual Convention. The NCPA Digest also documents how independent community pharmacies promote medication adherence, encourage use of lower-cost generic drugs and support local community organizations. "Independent community pharmacies continue to be a trusted source for prescription medication and expert counseling, according to the newest NCPA Digest," said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA. "In towns and cities across America, independent community pharmacies treat patients like family, adapt to further promote safe and effective medication use and are active local philanthropists." According to Steve Lawrence, senior vice president of Retail Independent Sales at Cardinal Health, nearly 70 percent of all community pharmacy owners donated to at least five local organizations in 2015. Plus, in addition to filling prescriptions, 81 percent of pharmacists offer medication therapy management; 67 percent provide immunizations; 61 percent furnish durable medical goods and 57 percent perform blood pressure monitoring. "As we continue to move toward value-based care, pharmacists become an increasingly important extension of patients' wellness," said Lawrence. "And health care payers are looking to reduce the cost of care, evaluate sites of care and measure health outcomes. The relationship the pharmacist has with the patient and caregiver becomes increasingly important." "While independent community pharmacies remain a significant part of the retail pharmacy marketplace, both decreasing prescription volume and declining prescription drug reimbursement are warning signs to pharmacy owners," Hoey added. "To weather these and other trends, community pharmacy owners should consider any and all options to diversify their revenue while continuing to focus on evaluating the economics of third party reimbursements. To help, NCPA has identified a range of options and featured them online." Highlights from the NCPA Digest covering the 2015 independent community pharmacy marketplace include: There are an estimated 22,160 independent community pharmacies, including single-store pharmacies, family-run regional chain pharmacies and individually owned and operated franchisees. In the previous year there were 22,478. Eighty-two percent of independent community pharmacies serve population areas of 50,000 or less. More than 250,000 individuals are employed on a full or part-time basis by these pharmacies, bolstering state and local economies and tax revenue. Prescription volume decreased from 61,568 prescriptions annually to 60,493, likely due in part to 90-day refill requirements, economically coerced use of PBM-owned mail order pharmacies, or exclusionary pharmacy network arrangements. Generic drugs comprised 82 percent of all prescriptions dispensed. Plus 95 percent of the time community pharmacists' generic product recommendations are accepted by doctors. Such pharmacist-physician consultations occurred on average 9.7 times each day. About NCPA The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) represents the interests of America's community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 22,000 independent community pharmacies. Together they represent an $81.5 billion health care marketplace and employ more than 250,000 individuals on a full or part-time basis. To learn more, go to www.ncpanet.org, visit facebook.com/commpharmacy, or follow NCPA on Twitter @Commpharmacy. 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 from hospital to home. 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. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100106/DC33253LOGO SOURCE National Community Pharmacists Association Related Links http://www.ncpanet.org ELLICOTT CITY, Md., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Investment Program Association (IPA) is proud to honor Mark Goldberg, Chairman of Carey Financial, LLC and President of Investment Management of W. P. Carey Inc., with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented at the IPAVision 2016 Conference with more than 450 Direct Investments industry leaders in attendance. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430300 "Mark Goldberg has been a true leader and passionate advocate for the Direct Investments industry, and has demonstrated a tireless commitment to the IPA over a period of decades," commented Tony Chereso, President and CEO of the IPA. "He has never wavered in bringing all parties together particularly our regulatory and legislative leaders in an effort to strengthen Direct Investment products on behalf of the investing public. It is truly an honor to recognize Mark for his ongoing contributions and leadership." "I am honored to receive the IPA Lifetime Achievement Award," said Mr. Goldberg. "What makes this honor particularly special is that the inaugural award was given to W. P. Carey Founder Wm. Polk Carey. I think Bill Carey always said it best. You can do good while doing well, and when you give back to an industry that has given you so much, there is nothing more rewarding. I believe this is exactly what we do at the IPA where we have developed something that is truly unique in the democratization of investing. Because we care, we continue to raise the standards for the direct investments industry through our leadership, advocacy and education." Mr. Goldberg joined the IPA Board of Directors in 2010 and in 2014 was named Chairman. In January 2015, he assumed the role of IPA's Chair Emeritus. Prior to his executive leadership positions at Carey Financial and W. P. Carey, Mr. Goldberg was President and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., an independent broker-dealer and member of one of the nation's largest networks of independent Financial Advisors. Before his successful tenure at Royal Alliance, Mr. Goldberg was Executive Vice President of SunAmerica Financial Network and served as President of SunAmerica's securities affiliate in Tokyo. Mr. Goldberg is a member of the Board of Directors of St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children and serves on its Executive Committee. He is a member of the Advisory Board for Simply Money, a Registered Investment Advisor and media company. Outstanding Service Award Winners The IPA also honored Rosemarie A. Thurston, Partner at Alston & Bird LLP, and Todd Lockwood, Senior Vice President of Operations and Client Services at Cole Capital, with its Outstanding Service Award. Ms. Thurston currently serves on the IPA Board of Directors and has previously served as the Chair of the IPA Legal & Regulatory Committee. For nearly a decade she has been actively engaged, providing key insights on a wide range of legal and regulatory issues. Mr. Lockwood previously has served as Chair of the IPA Operations Committee. He has been a leader on the E-Signature Consortium, working with NASAA on its e-signature and electronic documents guidelines. "The strength of the IPA comes directly from the engagement and volunteerism of its members, who are the key drivers of our association," commented Tony Chereso. "Rosemarie and Todd are shining examples of members who give their time and talent to continuously move our industry forward. We are honored to present them with our Outstanding Service Award." About The Investment Program Association The Investment Program Association (IPA) was formed in 1985 to provide effective national leadership for the direct investment industry. The IPA supports individual investor access to a variety of asset classes not correlated to the traded markets and historically available only to institutional investors. These include public non-listed REITs (NL REITs), business development companies (BDCs), energy and equipment leasing programs, and private equity offerings. For over 30 years the IPA has successfully championed the growth and improvement of such products, which have increased in popularity with financial professionals and investors alike. Direct investments are held in the accounts of nearly 3 million individual investors, and the IPA's member companies operate or have properties in all 50 states. Today these investment products function as a critical component of effectively diversified investment portfolios and serve an essential capital formation function for the US economy. The mission of the IPA is advocating direct investments through education. Access the wealth of IPA educational materials here, or visit the IPA online for more information about becoming a member. To stay up-to-date with IPA news, follow @IPADirectInvest on Twitter. MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Tramel Chief Communications Officer Investment Program Association 212.812.9799 x223 Email SOURCE Investment Program Association (IPA) Related Links http://www.ipa.com SEATTLE, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Israels & Neuman, PLC announces that it has filed a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against First Financial Equity Corp. of Scottsdale, Arizona on behalf of an aggrieved investor. The claim was filed in Phoenix, Arizona. The claim alleges that the investor was in contact with one of First Financial Equity Corp.'s former advisors, Robert J. Kerrigan, Sr., who allegedly recommended that they invest in a company called TMAC (also known as "The Materials Acquisition Company"). The investment in TMAC was purported to be an investment in "ancient slag," whereby the slag could be processed to obtain minerals and precious metals. The claim further alleges that Kerrigan represented that the TMAC investment was safe and provided for complete liquidity within six to twelve months. The TMAC investment, however, has failed to pay any distributions and resulted in substantial losses to investor principal. First Financial Equity Corp. has been added to the claim based upon allegations that it failed to adequately supervise the conduct of Kerrigan. The claim also alleges that Kerrigan recommended another investment in a company called USA Barcelona Realty; however, the claim does not allege that the USA Barcelona investment was purchased by the investor in question. FINRA barred Kerrigan from the securities industry in May 2016, for failing to respond to a FINRA investigation allegedly related to his involvement in selling investments in USA Barcelona Realty. Israels & Neuman, PLC is a securities arbitration and investment fraud law firm with offices in Denver and Seattle. Its securities fraud attorneys litigate securities arbitration cases in every state, including Arizona. Its attorneys have represented over 1,000 investors in cases to recover investment losses due to the actions of their advisor or brokerage firm. All of the firm's arbitration cases are taken on a contingent fee basis, meaning you do not pay unless money is recovered for you. If you have lost money investing in TMAC or USA Barcelona Realty, Israels & Neuman encourages you to contact our offices for a free, no obligation, review of your case. Our attorneys will personally discuss all of your rights as an investor and the remedies you have related to your losses. For more information, please call 720-599-3505, or 206-795-5798, or visit www.israelsneuman.com. SOURCE Israels & Neuman, PLC Related Links http://www.israelsneuman.com HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Legendary investor Jack Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group, will be joining a public panel discussion at the WHYY studios in Philadelphia on October 26 focusing on how Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials can prepare for retirement. The panel discussion is part of a preview screening of "When I'm 65," a documentary exploring the psychology, sociology, and future of retirement. "When I'm 65" will be aired by Greater Philadelphia public television station WHYY on Sunday, November 13, at 7:00 PM. Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking and Securities Robin L. Wiessmann will deliver opening remarks and WHYY's Mark Eichmann will moderate the discussion of a distinguished panel: Jack Bogle , The Vanguard Group , The Vanguard Group Dr. Andrew Hill , Economic Education Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia , Economic Education Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Cindy Hounsell , President, Women's Institute for Secure Retirement (WISER) , President, Women's Institute for Secure Retirement (WISER) Dr. Joseph Friedman , Professor of Economics, Temple University "With 45 percent of Americans having nothing saved for retirement, our country is facing a serious financial challenge in the coming decades," said Wiessmann. "In Pennsylvania, we are taking proactive steps to meet this challenge head-on. With the production of 'When I'm 65,' we are helping provide information and tools so that our citizens can better plan how to fund their retirements." The town hall is free and will be held at WHYY's studios, 150 North Street in Philadelphia on October 26 at 6:00 PM. No tickets are needed; however advance registration is required. Visit www.whyy.org/events. "When I'm 65" is made possible with support from Detroit Public Television, the Investor Protection Trust, the Investor Protection Institute, and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. For more information about "When I'm 65," visit www.wi65.org. Members of the public with questions about financial services or products can call the Department of Banking and Securities at 1-800-PA-BANKS (or 1-800-600-0007). To learn more about retirement and other financial subjects, visit PA Investor Education on Facebook and @PAFinancialReg on Twitter. MEDIA CONTACTS: Ed Novak (Banking and Securities) 717-783-4721 Tory Harris (WHYY) 215-351-1243 SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities Jackie Evancho dazzled American television audiences at age ten gaining global recognition with her stunning debut on NBC's America's Got Talent. Since then, she has released a string of platinum and gold albums, with sales of over 2.5 million in the U.S., acted in Robert Redford's The Company You Keep alongside Susan Sarandon and performed for President and Mrs. Obama at the National Christmas Tree Lighting in Washington D.C. Her broad successes lead Billboard Magazine to include Jackie on their list of "music movers-and-shakers under the age of 21" in 2011 and again in 2012. DENVER, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To recognize the millions of hardworking professionals in the U.S. and around the globe who keep workplaces clean and safe, Karcher and the Building Services Contractors Association International (BSCAI) are celebrating October 19 as Thank Your Cleaner Day. There are more than 2.3 million janitor and building cleaner jobs in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These trained professionals dutifully support office buildings, factories, schools, healthcare facilities, public buildings and other workplaces. Notable figures and celebrities who got their start and work ethic as professional cleaners. Karcher, the world's leading provider of cleaning technology, has teamed up with partners around the world to recognize professional cleaners. Thank Your Cleaner Day was first celebrated in 2015 by Karcher New Zealand in partnership with the Building Services Contractors of New Zealand (BSCNZ). In the U.S., Karcher North America is teaming up with BSCAI, a worldwide network of more than 2,000 member companies that provide cleaning, facility maintenance, security, landscaping and other related building services, to encourage businesses and employees to express their appreciation of their own onsite cleaning staff. BSCAI member companies will be personally thanking their own cleaning professionals for their significant contribution to the overall health and wellbeing of communities nationwide. "Sick and injured employees cost businesses billions of dollars a year in health costs and lost productivity," said Chris Mundschenk, CEO of BSCAI. "Our industry's dedicated cleaners play a key role in combatting the spread of germs and illness while minimizing interruption to employees." With more than 11,500 employees across 60 countries, Karcher is participating in Thank Your Cleaner Day and working with partners like BSCAI to call on individuals to express their appreciation to cleaners. "Many of the individuals who keep our workplaces clean and safe do so in the evenings and on weekends, and thus do not cross paths with those who benefit," said Hannes Saeubert, Karcher North America CEO. "Thank Your Cleaner Day was established to encourage ourselves and others to recognize the dedicated professionals we depend on and the valuable service they provide." Office managers and employees alike are encouraged to share the following materials, available on ThankYourCleanerDay.com, in their workplace and on social media with #thankyourcleanerday to help raise awareness of the value workplace cleaners provide and encourage others to express their gratitude: Did You Know that there are four times as many bacteria on pens than on toilet seats? Share this infographic showing the germs found on common workplace objects and surfaces. Before They Were Stars: From the Pope to Mariah Carey , learn of the notable figures and celebrities who got their start and work ethic as professional cleaners. , learn of the notable figures and celebrities who got their start and work ethic as professional cleaners. A Day Without: Watch and share this video reminding us what our workplace may look like without the benefit of professional cleaners. Choreography of Cleaning: Learn how to achieve a clean environment through organization and hard work. Portrait of a Cleaner: Hear how one outstanding cleaning professional in Texas leads a team with the mantra, "show up every day, do a good job and be willing to help one another." About Karcher North America Karcher North America is one of the largest subsidiaries of Alfred Karcher, GmbH & CO. In North America, Karcher produces and distributes products and services under the brands Karcher, Windsor Karcher Group, Prochem Karcher Group, Landa Karcher Group, Hotsy, Water Maze, Graco, Spraymart, Cuda and Shark. The company's solutions serve customers' cleaning needs in an economical and environmentally-friendly manner. Visit www.karcher.com/us for more information. About BSCAI For more than 50 years, the Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) has been the Business Resource for Contractors. BSCAI represents a worldwide network of companies from across the United States and throughout the world that provide cleaning, facility maintenance, security, landscaping and other related services to building owners and managers. The association provides contractor-specific educational programs, individual certifications, publications, a members-only purchasing program, seminars, industry data and research and networking opportunities, all developed specifically for leaders in the building service industry. For more information, please visit www.bscai.org. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430217-INFO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430218LOGO SOURCE Karcher North America Related Links http://www.karcher.com/us ROSWELL, Ga., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Professional is harnessing the machine-to-machine connectivity of the Internet of Things to bring distribution sales professionals and their customers a smart restroom management system called Onvation Technology. The system provides up-to-the-minute monitoring of restroom conditions from any device or location, 24 hours a day. It will be introduced at ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2016, October 25-28, via a 360 virtual reality experience. "Buildings today are smarter than ever with sensors and software managing everything from lighting and security to HVAC systems and more," said Terry Sanchez, Marketing and Sales leader, Kimberly-Clark Professional, North America. "However, the restroom, which is one of the top three areas of tenant complaints, has been largely overlooked until now." The Onvation Difference Onvation Technology is a patent-protected system that delivers real-time data and alerts so building managers can identify and fix restroom problems before they become complaints. It can help: Cut costs and expenses Reduce waste and boost sustainability Optimize labor Enhance tenant satisfaction In addition to signaling whether dispensers are empty or full, Onvation Technology provides actionable data, analytics and insights that can help building managers better manage their businesses by gaining control of the restroom. 360 Virtual Reality Experience ISSA/INTERCLEAN attendees will be able to experience Onvation Technology first-hand at the Kimberly-Clark Booth, 2849. "Through virtual reality goggles, a 360 video and a unique environment within the booth, they will be able to see exactly how this smart restroom management system works," Sanchez added. Onvation Technology delivers and relays information through a web-based dashboard that's accessible 24/7. Here's how it works: Connected sensors are embedded into proprietary towel, tissue, soap dispensers and door counters. Real-time data is sent to the cloud over a secure network. Automatic text messages alert building managers to product and battery levels, usage, jams and overall traffic. Remote confirmation is delivered when an issue has been resolved. The system enables building managers to reallocate resources to enhance productivity. "Instead of treating all restrooms equally, managers can assign staff to the areas that actually need service," Sanchez said. The system also can be used to make informed decisions about budgeting, planning and scheduling, so building managers can be proactive rather than reactive. "Seventy-three percent of tenants say a bad restroom signals poor management," Sanchez added. "When you consider that the typical office worker visits the restroom three to four times a day, that's more than 1.1 million annual opportunities to impress or disappoint. With Onvation Technology, building managers can make sure their restrooms measure up to the rest of their properties." To learn more about Onvation Technology and other Kimberly-Clark Professional offerings, click here or visit Booth 2849 at ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2016. About Kimberly-Clark Professional Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces, helping to make them healthier, safer and more productive. Key brands in this segment include: Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech and Jackson Safety. Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Georgia, is one of three Kimberly-Clark business sectors. To see how Kimberly-Clark Professional is helping people around the world to work better, please visit www.kcprofessional.com. About Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the Company's 144-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. [KMB-B] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110928/DA76879LOGO SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional Related Links http://www.kcprofessional.com SEATTLE, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kineta, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the translational development of novel antiviral and immune modulating therapies announced that its CEO, Dr. Shawn Iadonato, joined a panel of leaders from other biopharmaceutical companies to discuss novel new treatment strategies in immuno-oncology. The panel presentation entitled "The Intersection of Inflammation and Immuno-Oncology: Risks and Opportunities" was conducted at the 15th annual BIO Investor Forum in San Francisco. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430180LOGO Dr. Iadonato highlighted details around Kineta's small molecule compounds that may activate the RIG-I pathway to elicit immunogenic cell death in cancer tumor models. These novel compounds were identified using Kineta's proprietary AVIiD screening platform which has also identified innate immune antivirals and vaccine adjuvants. "Cancer is typically not recognized as foreign by the body's immune system which allows tumors to grow unchecked," stated Kineta CEO Dr. Shawn Iadonato. "Kineta's immune modulators activate the RIG-I pathway and may reprogram the immune system to recognize tumors as foreign and elicit neo-antigen T-cell responses to kill cancer. Priming the tumor microenvironment may also enable other therapies to be more effective when used in combination." The BIO Investor Forum is an international biotech investor conference focused on early and established private companies as well as emerging public companies. The event features plenary sessions, business roundtables and therapeutic workshops, company presentations, and One-on-One Partnering meetings. Kineta, Inc. is an emerging and sustainable biotech company that fills a void in the biopharmaceutical industry by efficiently advancing therapies from discovery to clinical proof of concept. We actively collaborate with a broad array of private, government and industry partners to advance our innovative research in chronic pain, immuno-oncology and infectious diseases. Kineta has established and is expanding on a diverse pipeline of novel life improving therapies that address critical unmet patient needs. For more information on Kineta, Inc. visit our website, www.Kinetabio.com NOTICE: This document contains certain forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding Kineta's plans for pre-clinical and clinical studies, regulatory filings, anticipated drug effects in human subjects, and financial performance. You are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties inherent in Kineta's business which could significantly affect expected results, including without limitation: progress of drug development; ability to raise capital to fund drug development; clinical testing and regulatory approval; intellectual property protection and enforcement; our ability to recruit and retain scientists and other key personnel; competition from other drug development companies; and legislative, fiscal, and other regulatory measures. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Kineta undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the issuance of this press release. Contact Jacques Bouchy Email (206) 378-0400 SOURCE Kineta, Inc. Related Links http://www.Kinetabio.com HOUSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LandWorks Inc., a developer of innovative land management solutions, has improved its Web AutoMapper online service that translates land legal descriptions into GIS-ready map polygons. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430080 The updated Web AutoMapper features a new interface that is easier to use, including a job detail web page that lets you review and edit your polygons before you buy. Clients can now have their property polygons mapped against USLandGrid's national land base, with the option of buying land grid townships containing the mapped property. "These changes make the Web AutoMapper even easier and more cost effective to use," said LandWorks President Jerry Bramwell. "Anyone with a need to create land maps can do so in just a few minutes at minimal cost." For about 20 percent of the cost of manual mapping, Web AutoMapper has simplified land records mapping in the oil & gas, renewable energy, mining, banking, utility, pipeline, state/local government, telecommunications, transportation, water and real estate sectors. The cost to map a legal parcel description with Web AutoMapper is $2 per polygon with the USLandGrid offered at just $7 per PLSS Township. "The USLandGrid data provides the tie between a legal description and the geography of that parcel of land," said USLandGrid Vice President of Sales Anthony Ford. "Producing polygons this way allows you to get your land positions on a map for critical analysis using the GIS." "LandWorks selected USLandGrid for inclusion in Web AutoMapper because it is the best basemap available for any industry or profession to use in mapping property legal descriptions," said Bramwell. "An important benefit of the USLandGrid is that its data layers are continuously updated as more accurate survey data becomes available." LandWorks first introduced Web AutoMapper in 2013 as an inexpensive, fast and easy method of processing many types of standard property descriptions and converting them into digital map polygons. Legal descriptions that would take days or weeks to map manually can be processed in minutes with this online software-as-a-service application. A customer simply logs onto Web AutoMapper at www.LandWorks.com/automapper and creates an account. The user then submits an Excel spreadsheet containing one or hundreds of legal descriptions in Jeffersonian Township/Range or Texas Survey/Abstract formats. Within seconds, Web AutoMapper provides an onscreen report detailing which polygons can be generated, which cannot, and shows an overview of the mapped polygons aligned to the USLandGrid. If the customer decides to proceed, a credit card is provided. For customers who don't already own the Grid, they have the option of buying it by the township along with their mapped polygons. Web AutoMapper generates a zip file of the purchased polygons and USLandGrid townships either in Esri shapefile or file geodatabase format in NAD 83 or 27 for direct download into Esri ArcGIS software as well as other popular mapping systems, such as IHS Petra, IHS Kingdom and LMKR GeoGraphix. As a Cloud-based application, Web AutoMapper brings the full power of the standalone LandWorks AutoMapper software to every level of digital map user via the Internet. Introduced in 2002, the onsite AutoMapper package is purchased by an organization and sits behind their firewall as a production-grade GIS mapping tool. The software is used extensively by organizations that must manage large tracts of land and keep property records up to date, such as local governments, energy companies and natural resource management entities. About LandWorks, Inc. (www.landworks.com) LandWorks, an Esri Gold Business Partner, provides software and services utilizing Esri GIS technology. Since 1995, the company's primary focus has been providing software products and services for managing any type of land right in any industry including oil and gas, mining, pipelines, telecommunications, electric/gas utilities, wind energy, transportation and water. With offices in Houston and Denver, LandWorks also offers fast, accurate mapping and data entry of land rights agreements, and has one of the largest GIS land mapping service staffs in the U.S. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com. SOURCE LandWorks Inc. Related Links http://www.landworks.com NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Synopsis Timetric's 'Life Insurance in Brazil Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Brazilian life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Brazilian insurance industry with its regional counterparts. It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020). The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Brazilian economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country. The report brings together Timetric's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure. Summary Timetric's 'Life Insurance in Brazil Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Brazilian life insurance segment, including: - An overview of the Brazilian life insurance segment - The Brazilian life insurance segment's growth prospects by category - A comprehensive overview of the Brazilian economy and demographics - A comparison of the Brazilian life insurance segment with its regional counterparts - Overview of various distribution channels in the Brazilian life insurance segment - Details of the competitive landscape in the life insurance segment in Brazil - Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Brazilian insurance industry Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the life insurance segment in Brazil: - It provides historical values for the Brazilian life insurance 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 life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020. - It provides a comparison of the Brazilian life insurance segment with its regional counterparts - It analyzes the various distribution channels for life insurance products in Brazil. - It profiles the top life insurance companies in Brazil and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Reasons To Buy - Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Brazilian life insurance segment, and each category within it. - Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Brazilian life insurance segment. - Assess the competitive dynamics in the life insurance 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 life insurance segment accounted for 57.5% of the industry's gross written premium in 2015. - The segment grew at a review-period CAGR of 14.0%, primarily contributed by the expansion of the pension category. - Brazilian bank branch networks enable insurers to market products to a large customer base. - In September 2015, under the Solvency II framework, the EC granted provisional equivalence to Brazil's solvency regime. - The rise in the middle-class population and its purchasing power will drive demand for life insurance over the forecast period. Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p01591727-summary/view-report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links http://www.reportlinker.com SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lineagen, Inc., an innovative genetics diagnostic company focused on advanced genetic testing and clinical information services for complex neurodevelopmental disorders, today announced a presentation at ASHG on new methods of interpreting findings for its FirstStepDx PLUS chromosomal microarray (CMA) test. Lineagen also announced commercial launch of the presentation subject, a variant index which will provide improved clarity of interpretation. When applied to findings from FirstStepDx PLUS, the variant index assigns greater clinical importance to genetic variants that are known to be causal for these disorders and, importantly, to findings known as variants of unknown significance (VOUS). This will furnish clinicians with the most comprehensive results for the possible underlying genetic basis in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay (DD), intellectual delay (ID), and multiple congenital anomalies (MCA). CMA is recommended as a first-tier test by multiple medical society guidelines in identifying deletions and duplications in the genetic material to diagnose chromosomal disorders underlying ASD, DD, ID and MCA. One of the key challenges of CMA testing for both laboratories and healthcare providers is the detection and interpretation of VOUS findings, since they create diagnostic ambiguity for both the provider and the family. The new variant index has been demonstrated to clarify VOUS results in about 40% of clinical cases to date, and adds increased clinical significance in about 70% of of causal findings. Lead author Dr. Karen Ho, Principal Scientist of Translational Research at Lineagen, presented a paper at the Annual Meeting of ASHG today in Vancouver, B.C., entitled "Clinical Application of a Critical Exon Mapper to Aid in Determining Pathogenicity of Copy Number Variants of Unknown Significance," in conjunction with members of The Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) of Toronto, Canada. The technology underlying the critical exon mapper, or variant index, has been licensed from SickKids by Lineagen. Dr. Stephen Scherer, Senior Scientist and Director of The Centre for Applied Genomics, and his renowned team at SickKids, assembled a variant index that identifies gene regions that are highly expressed and highly conserved (i.e., not frequently mutated) in the brain and, when disrupted, are likely causal for ASD and DD[1]. Use of the variant index in interpreting findings of FirstStepDx PLUS unveils meaningful information about CMA test results, especially VOUS, which brings more clinical insight to providers and may lead directly to a change in medical management of patients with ASD and DD. "We're very excited by the data presented in the paper, as well as the launch of clinical use of the variant index," noted Dr. Robert Wassman, Chief Medical Officer for Lineagen and senior author of the presentation. "We reported here on our real world clinical experience using the variant index as part of our PrismDx Variant Information ProgramSM, in a series of 5518 individuals, in which we reported clinically relevant findings in 40% of the VOUS and incremental clinical information in 70% of abnormal findings. Further insights from the medical literature on these specific genes allow us to provide physicians with richer information for better medical management. We present several cases which illustrate how the variant index might impact clinical interpretation of VOUS and help identify critical regions that are likely pathogenic, but previously undetectable." About Lineagen Lineagen helps physicians personalize medical management for individuals with developmental delay and autism spectrum disorder by providing advanced genetic testing and clinical information services. Lineagen makes genetic testing accessible to everyone, from patient to provider, by combining simple non-invasive sampling and advanced testing and information technology with dedicated service and support. Lineagen's FirstStepDx PLUS chromosomal microarray (CMA) testing service helps providers pinpoint the cause of delay and develop a personalized healthcare management program for their patient. FirstStepDx PLUS can detect hundreds of genetic conditions and is recommended as the first-tier test for autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay and intellectual delay according to nationally accepted guidelines. The FirstStepDx PLUS test has the highest reported detection rate of any CMA. FirstStepDx PLUS uses a painless cheek swab for DNA sampling, with a detailed and personalized report that presents results in plain English. Families and providers can contact Lineagen's team of certified genetic counselors for help prior to testing and for aid in interpreting results. Additionally, the Lineagen team of specialists handles everything related to reimbursement, from pre-authorizations to appeals. For additional information, visit www.lineagen.com. Lineagen Contact: David Jansen [email protected] 801-931-6196 Uddin M, et al. Sci Rep. 2016 Jul 1 ;6:28663 SOURCE Lineagen, Inc. Related Links http://www.lineagen.com NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Loews Hotels announced today that Jonathan M. Tisch will resume the duties of CEO for the Company following the departure of Kirk Kinsell, effective immediately. Mr. Kinsell informed the Company of his decision to resign for personal reasons. Mr. Tisch will continue to serve as Chairman of Loews Hotels and Co-Chairman of the Board for Loews Corporation. "Loews Hotels has never been stronger. During Kirk's tenure as CEO, there have been many positive changes at Loews Hotels, and we fully intend to build on that success. We've added top talent to our already strong bench, expanded our network of hotels, and continued to improve our operations and profitability," said Mr. Tisch. "Loews Hotels will remain focused on opportunistically growing in key markets with our group hotels and resort destinations. The Company, along with its team members and partners, is committed to providing the best experience for all of our guests," Mr. Tisch added. About Loews Hotels Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels has three distinct brands, Loews Hotels & Resorts, Loews Regency and OE Collection. The company owns and/or operates 25 hotels and resorts across the U.S. and Canada, including the newly-acquired Hotel 1000 in downtown Seattle that will be re-branded into a Loews Regency in 2017. Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando, the fifth hotel in partnership with Comcast NBC Universal, opened in July 2016. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews portfolio features one-of-a-kind properties that go beyond Four Diamond standards to delight guests with exciting, approachable and local travel experiences. For reservations or more information about Loews Hotels, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or visit: www.loewshotels.com. Like Loews Hotels & Resorts on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LoewsHotels Follow Loews Hotels & Resorts on Twitter: www.twitter.com/loews_hotels Watch Loews Hotels & Resorts on YouTube: www.youtube.com/LoewsHotels Read our Wish You Were Here Blog at www.loewshotelsblog.com SOURCE Loews Hotels Related Links http://www.loewshotels.com NORTHBROOK, Ill., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- M. Holland Company, a leading distributor of thermoplastic resin, today announced the formation of a Business Development organization to coordinate sales and sourcing strategies in specific target end markets. John Zessin, who heads the M. Holland Automotive Group, has been tapped to serve as Director of the new Business Development Department, reporting to Marc Fern, Commercial Vice President. "During our recent strategic planning process, it became clear that we need to have a more focused and aligned approach in specific markets," said Fern. "The addition of the Business Development Department will allow for greater coordination across our domestic and international sales regions and will also provide our suppliers with a more focused approach within their desired markets." Added Zessin, "In addition to automotive, we plan to add market-focused teams targeting the flexible packaging, color and compounding, and medical markets initially. Teams will be comprised of Market Managers, Strategic Account Managers and Applications Development Engineers, all collaborating with our strategic suppliers and field sales force to deliver unprecedented service to these key markets." Zessin, who founded Polymer Z Corporation in 2003, joined M. Holland in September 2015 when M. Holland acquired Polymer Z to form the M. Holland Automotive Group. Zessin has spent his entire career in the automotive industry, serving in executive management positions with Monsanto, Bayer and Dow before founding Polymer Z. "Given his background and experience, John is the ideal choice to lead the new Business Development Department," said Fern. "Under John's leadership, we have experienced significant growth in the automotive market. We expect the collaborative approach John established in the M. Holland Automotive Group to yield similar successful results in these other key markets." About M. Holland: For more than 67 years, M. Holland has been the leading family-owned distributor of the highest quality application-specific plastic resins, with commercial and logistical reach throughout the Americas and beyond. The company sells about 1.4 billion pounds of resin annually sourced from the premier resin producers in the world to more than 4,000 customers. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Webb Marketing & Communications Manager, M. Holland Company 847.254.4275 [email protected] SOURCE M. Holland Related Links http://www.mholland.com "This is a great honor and a testament toward the exceptional leadership of our enterprise," said Bryan Bogardus, chief operating officer of AF Group. "Marguerite demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities every day and has been able to consistently motivate her team to achieve success, despite the challenges and fluctuations of our industry. Her clear passion for insurance has also served to benefit the Chicago community. We are all very proud to have her represent Third Coast Underwriters and AF Group with this award." Dixen has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry and was named president of Third Coast Underwriters in 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and is designated as a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter and an Associate in Risk Management. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Debate Commission. Now in its 11th year, Business Insurance's Women to Watch Awards & Leadership Conference is the only recognition program that celebrates leading women from every facet of the commercial insurance industry. The program was created in 2006 to recognize leading women in commercial insurance, risk management, employee benefits and related fields such as consulting and law. About Third Coast Underwriters Third Coast Underwriters is a division of AF Group. All policies are underwritten by a licensed insurer subsidiary of AF Group. About AF Group Founded in 1912, AF Group (Lansing, Mich.) and its subsidiaries are a premier provider of innovative insurance solutions. Rated "A-" (Excellent) by A.M. Best, AF Group is a nationally recognized holding company conducting business through its brands: Accident Fund, United Heartland, CompWest and Third Coast Underwriters. Contact: Bob Lapinski (517) 708-5664 or (517) 331-4890 [email protected] AFGroupInsurance.com Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430332 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160229/338522LOGO SOURCE AF Group Related Links http://www.afgroupinsurance.com ALBANY, New York, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) market in Asia Pacific is presently dominated by key players in China. These include Sinopec Corporation, PetroChina Company Limited, Shandong Yuhuang Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd., Zibo Qixiang Petrochemical Group Ltd., and Heilongjiang Anruijia Petrochemical Co., Ltd. Transparency Market Research has noted that China, one of the largest producers as well as consumers of MTBE in the world, has been primarily focused on business and production expansions in order to retain its lead in the APAC market. For instance, Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd.'s MTBE plant in Shangdong and Huntsman Corp. and Sinopec Jinling's plant in Nanjing are two promising ventures to look forward to in 2016. Other leading companies in the APAC methyl tertiary-butyl ether market include Evonik Industries AG, PETRONAS, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., and Reliance Industries Limited. The MTBE market in Asia Pacific was valued at US$6.7 bn in 2015 and is anticipated to reach US$10.9 bn by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 4.6% therein. Browse Latest Research Report with ToC: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether-market.html China's 81.9% Share in APAC MTBE Market a Key Growth Booster The gasoline additive segment of the MTBE market accounted for a whopping 93.11% share in the APAC market in 2015, emerging as the clear leader. An increase in the demand for gasoline additives in ASEAN countries and China is expected to propel the demand for methyl tertiary-butyl ether in this segment. Gasoline additives are also projected to register significant growth over the course of the forecast period, exhibiting a CAGR of over 4.0% in terms of both revenue and volume. Accounting for an 81.9% share in the APAC MTBE market in 2015, China is forecast to continue its dominance through 2024, presenting lucrative investment opportunities to market players. Registering a 4.7% CAGR during the forecast period, China is also projected to exhibit the fastest growth in the methyl tertiary-butyl ether in Asia Pacific. Get Industry Research Report Sample for more Professional and Technical Industry Insights: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=15956 The ASEAN sub-region is also likely to present a rather lucrative scenario, owing to a rise in the demand for gasoline additives. ASEAN Automotive Sector Driving Demand for Gasoline Additives A key factor driving gasoline blending across the Asia Pacific region, and therefore the MTBE market, is the declining prices of raw material as well as final products. This can be primarily attributed to China. "China is one of the major methanol producers in the world and the country is likely to account for nearly 50% of the global methanol production in the next few years," the author of the study finds. The total methanol production in China is estimated to reach nearly 51 million tons in 2016, a trend that will potentially check the prices of downstream products, including MTBE, in the near future. Another factor boosting the market for methyl tertiary-butyl ether is a rise in the demand for gasoline additives, particularly in ASEAN. "The automotive industry in the ASEAN sub-region has been witnessing an upward trend in the last few years, with the number of total vehicles in major countries rising from around 130 million in 2015 to 200 million by 2025," the lead analyst states. The significant growth of the automotive sector is likely to propel the demand for gasoline additives, thereby supporting the MTBE market during the forecast period. In contrast, the availability of a wide range of petroleum-based and non-petroleum-based substitutes and the hazardous environmental effects of methyl tertiary-butyl ether pose significant challenges to the MTBE market in Asia Pacific. This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled "Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) Market - Asia Pacific Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2026." This report segments the MTBE market in Asia Pacific as follows: MTBE Market - Application Analysis Gasoline Isobutene Solvent & Extractant Others (MMA, etc.) MTBE Market - Country/Sub-region Analysis Asia Pacific China India ASEAN Browse Other Research Reports: Butyric Acid Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/butyric-acid-market.html Dimethyl Sulfate Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/dimethyl-sulfate-market.html About TMR Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact Transparency Market Research State Tower 90 State Street Suite 700 Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Blog: http://www.tmrblog.com/ SOURCE Transparency Market Research Jack Olney, director of sales for Michelin Tweel Technologies, will discuss the the new product in detail at 5:305:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Booth 2036 (B Wing) during the Green Industry & Equipment Expo at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville (937 Phillips Ln.). Members of the media are invited to attend. The new 10N16.5 product will be a viable option for those skid steer machines that require the smaller 10-inch dimension. Combined with the 12-inch product, Michelin Tweel Technologies now offers sizes that support the vast majority of skid steer machines on the market today. With the all-terrain tread pattern, designed for use on a wide range of surfaces, the 10N16.5 will serve users in a variety of industries, such as rental fleets, construction and agriculture. "Responding to customer requests, we developed our newest version of the MICHELIN X TWEEL SSL to give owners and operators of smaller skid steer loader machines the opportunity to experience all of the advantages of the TWEEL Airless Radial Tire, including reduced downtime due to flats, increased operator comfort and improved productivity," said Olivier Brauen, head of Michelin Tweel Technologies. "We are pleased to broaden our offer to provide this innovative mobility solution to more customers." The 10N16.5 has a 31/32-inch tread depth with a 10/32-inch undertread for ease of retreading. The 177 pound tire can support a 3,700-pound maximum load per tire. The development of Michelin's Tweel technology is significant since many skid steer loaders equipped with traditional pneumatic tires can experience frequent flat tires. As a solution to reduce flat-tire downtime, many users resort to using foam-filled, solid tires or other alternatives that diminish traction, handling and ride comfort. The TWEEL Airless Radial Tire offers the advantages of no maintenance, no compromise and no downtime since it requires no air, thereby eliminating the risk of a "flat tire." The X TWEEL SSL also delivers the advantages of easy mounting, damage resistance, reduced operator fatigue and longer wear life than pneumatic tires.1 To learn more about MICHELIN X TWEEL Airless Radial Tires, visit www.michelintweel.com. About Michelin North America, Inc. Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The company has earned a long-standing reputation for building innovative premium tires. Since 1989, Michelin has received 80 J.D. Power tire customer satisfaction awardsfive times the number of all other tire manufacturers combined. In addition to tires, the company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelinman.com) employs about 22,700 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants. 1 Based on internal controlled wear tests conducted on asphalt and concrete surfaces. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040818/MICHELIN SOURCE Michelin Tweel Technologies Related Links http://www.MichelinMedia.com This new version of the MICHELIN X TWEEL TURF is designed for landscape professionals who deal with expensive and inconvenient downtime associated with flat tires on commercial mowers. Michelin Tweel Technologies introduced the MICHELIN X TWEEL TURF 24X12N12 at GIE in 2014 in partnership with John Deere. "The X TWEEL TURF has been a tremendous success, offering customers unique benefits exclusively available with this innovative technology," said Jack Olney, director of sales for Michelin Tweel Technologies. "Extending the line with the new caster product is a direct response to customer demands for TWEEL performance in front and rear positions on the zero-turn mower." Because the X TWEEL TURF caster has no air, it cannot go flat and it eliminates the need to maintain air pressure. The TWEEL caster is constructed with high-strength poly-resin spokes that carry the load and create suspension-like characteristics for the front of the mower. This structure absorbs impact and reduces bounce for improved operator comfort while also maintaining a consistent height for a uniform cut. The caster's durable, poly-resin tread also provides long wear life. Attendees of the GIE + Expo 2016 in Louisville this week can visit booth #2036 (B Wing of the Kentucky Expo Center) for a an exclusive "sneak peek" at the MICHELIN X TWEEL TURF caster, as well as its larger siblings in the expanding TWEEL line, the MICHELIN X TWEEL TURF 24X12N12 and the MICHELIN X TWEEL SSL, now available in two sizes for skid steer machines. To learn more about MICHELIN X TWEEL Airless Radial Tires, visit www.michelintweel.com. About Michelin North America, Inc. Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The company has earned a long-standing reputation for building innovative premium tires. Since 1989, Michelin has received 80 J.D. Power tire customer satisfaction awards five times the number of all other tire manufacturers combined. In addition to tires, the company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelinman.com) employs about 22,700 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430611 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430612 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040818/MICHELIN SOURCE Michelin North America, Inc. Related Links http://www.michelinman.com (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 ) Summary of the Micro Inverter Market Report can be accessed on the website at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/micro-inverter-market Swift rise in demand for greater efficiency of solar energy systems and increased application of micro inverters in residential sector, as it is more cost-effective and space efficient, as compared to central and string inverters drives the market growth. However, high initial investment and tough maintenance could restrict the market growth. Moreover, it is anticipated that the rise in electricity demand coupled with increase in government spending & tariffs on photovoltaic technology would spur the global market growth. The residential segment accounted for about 77% of the overall micro inverter market in 2014. Highest installation of micro inverters in residential photovoltaic systems led this segment to dominate the overall micro inverter market. However, commercial end user segment would grow significantly and is expected to register a CAGR of 30.3% during the forecast period. This is due to the increase in installation of micro inverters in commercial PV systems worldwide as many renowned companies are launching advanced technology products. Moreover, North America has contributed significantly in the residential sector. Among various geographical regions, North America has contributed the maximum revenue share in 2014 and is expected to maintain its leading position throughout the forecast period. This could be attributed to varied factors including increase in the electricity demand due to rising population, and increased government initiatives. Moreover, improvement in renewable energy expenditure has boosted the installation of residential micro inverters in Asian countries, particularly in China, Japan, and India. "MLPE technologies such as micro inverters are swiftly gaining acceptance and market share as their costs have come down. In spite of the global dominance of string inverters, over half of all residential solar systems installed in the U.S. currently using micro inverters. In addition, increased power output of micro inverters, cost-effectiveness and enhanced safety features would fuel the micro inverter market growth in both residential and commercial sector globally. Japan, representing a significant residential market potential, is expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities for top global micro inverter manufacturers in Asia-Pacific market," states Rakesh Singh, Manager, Research, Semiconductor & Electronics at AMR. However, Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region throughout the analysis period. Since, Japan has the highest demand for residential sector power plant PV installation due to government incentives and limited supply of micro inverters in Japan. Moreover, enhancement in solar plant installation capacity and increase in expenditures in the emerging markets (such as China and India) to satisfy the exponentially growing electricity needs in these countries have strengthened the market growth. Technological advancements for cost-effective inverter technologies in these nations offer a lucrative opportunity for the micro inverter market growth. Key findings of the study: In 2014, single phase micro inverter type led the overall micro inverter market revenue, but it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 26.2% during the forecast period Residential segment is expected to exhibit rapid growth, owing to the rising government tariffs and incentives Presently, North America leads the world micro inverter market and it is expected to continue this trend throughout the forecast period owing to the swift rise in electricity demand from countries such as U.S., Canada , and Mexico leads the world micro inverter market and it is expected to continue this trend throughout the forecast period owing to the swift rise in electricity demand from countries such as U.S., , and Japan leads the overall Asia-Pacific micro inverter market with about one-third of the market shares in the region The key players in the micro inverter market are dedicated to expand their business operations in the emerging countries with acquisition and product launch as a preferred strategy. The major players profiled in this report include Enphase Energy, Inc., ABB Group, SunPower Corporation, SMA Solar Technology AG, Delta Energy Systems GmbH, SolarEdge Technologies, Inc., ReneSola, Siemens AG, P&P Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and Involar. Summary of similar reports can be viewed at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/semiconductor-and-electronics/electronic-systems-and-devices-market-report About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: Sona Padmanabhan 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Direct: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1 (800)-792-5285 (U.S. & Canada) Fax: +1 (855)-550-5975 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Allied Market Research MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Monster Government Solutions, a leader in connecting jobs and people in the public sector and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monster Worldwide, has been selected to provide human capital strategy, training and development, and performance improvement services to United States federal agencies under the $11.5 billion Human Capital and Training Solutions (HCaTS) contract award vehicle. The exhaustive selection process required companies to compete on criteria including past contract performance, client satisfaction, company financial health and viability, and more. "We're thrilled to have the opportunity to help meet the training, development and broader talent management needs of all federal agencies," said Steve Cooker, Executive Vice President of Monster Government Solutions. "It's a critical time for our federal workforce. Through both our comprehensive service offerings and information technology (IT) solutions, we look forward to continuing to empower federal personnel to maximize their productivity in support of mission success." Monster Government Solutions was selected based on successful demonstration of its ability to increase the efficiency of critical business processes, provide optimal professional development opportunities, support effective change management initiatives, as well as the development of key metrics in assessing an agency's human capital management initiatives. Under the HCaTS vehicle, Monster Government Solutions will offer the Federal Government a holistic set of talent management and workforce services to help personnel thrive in today's enterprise workplace. For 15 years Monster Government Solutions has provided the federal government with professional management and leadership development, customized workforce training and performance management and digital recruiting tools, as well as additional IT support of existing Human Resources (HR) systems. Monster pioneered online recruiting in 1994 and in the decades since, Monster Government Solutions has made significant investments in human capital management solutions to support the government in finding, hiring and developing its workforce. The HCaTS award vehicle will be administered by the U.S. General Services Administration on behalf of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which will be responsible for HCaTS policy oversight to ensure that federal agencies are properly matched with HR solutions that best meet their needs. Selected companies will be competing for task orders over the 10.5-year contract term. About Monster Government Solutions For 15 years, Monster Government Solutions has been working with leaders in government and education. Along the way, we changed the way people look for government jobs and we constantly strive to make a difference in the lives of people across the country, the way employers look for people, and how organizations connect with their target audiences. Our software solutions also vastly improve the recruitment experience by increasing speed-to-hire and accelerating the onboarding process, so new employees become more productive, faster. There are nearly 100 federal government agencies that rely on Monster's federal products and services every day, including 14 of 15 cabinet-level agencies and all five branches of the uniformed armed services. Monster Government Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Monster Worldwide, Inc., is a U.S. company with offices in McLean, Virginia. About Monster Worldwide Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW) is a global leader in connecting people to jobs, wherever they are. For more than 20 years, Monster has helped people improve their lives with better jobs, and employers find the best talent. Today, the company offers services in more than 40 countries, providing some of the broadest, most sophisticated job seeking, career management, recruitment and talent management capabilities. Monster continues its pioneering work of transforming the recruiting industry with advanced technology using intelligent digital, social and mobile solutions, including our flagship website monster.com and a vast array of products and services. For more information visit monster.com/about. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150113/168978LOGO SOURCE Monster Worldwide, Inc. Related Links http://monstergovernmentsolutions.com The results come from the 2016 Public Affairs Pulse survey, a telephone poll of 1,000 Americans conducted Sept. 1217 by Public Opinion Strategies and sponsored by the Public Affairs Council. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Americans believe racial discrimination is at least a serious problem and 37 percent say it is a very serious problem. Similar percentages call gender identity discrimination at least serious (67%) or very serious (37%). Differences Between Political Parties Republicans, on balance, are less likely than Democrats and Independents to see discrimination across these seven areas as serious problems. The largest differences between Republicans and Democrats show up in attitudes about gender identity discrimination (46 percent of Republicans versus 84 percent of Democrats view the matter to be serious) and sexual orientation (45 percent of Republicans versus 79 percent of Democrats say this is a serious problem). The smallest difference in attitudes relates to religious discrimination (52 percent of Republicans and 70 percent of Democrats call this issue serious). Many Business Anti-Discrimination Efforts Go Unnoticed Major companies receive little credit for their efforts to reduce discrimination. One in three Americans (34%) think corporations have played a positive role in reducing discrimination of people with disabilities, and slightly lower percentages recognize business efforts to reduce discrimination by gender (28%), race (27%) and sexual orientation (26%). For discrimination by gender identity, religion and age, more Americans feel companies have played a negative role than positive role. If major companies were to take steps to prevent discrimination based on any of these factors, most Americans say they would view these efforts favorably. For full survey results and methodology, visit pac.org/pulse. The Public Affairs Council is the leading association for public affairs professionals worldwide, visit pac.org. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429914-INFO SOURCE Public Affairs Council Related Links http://pac.org BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mylestoned, a provider of mobile services that helps people remember and celebrate deceased loved ones, today released The DeathScape, the first-ever comprehensive overview of the Death Care industry. You can find a copy of the deathscape at https://mylestoned.com/deathscape Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430161LOGO The DeathScape highlights the major corporations that lead the industry, like Service Corp International, Carriage and Hillenbrand, technology providers such as Consolidated Funeral Services and Tukios, consumer platforms such as Legacy.com and Everplans and suppliers such as Dodge and Messenger. For those unfamiliar with the industry, it provides a view into how the Death Care industry works, from end-of-life services, such as hospice and palliative services, to at-need funeral and cremation services, and aftercare, which focuses on grief support and memorialization. "The Death Care industry is a $26B+ behemoth, that often flies below the radar. It's massive, and provides an invaluable service to every single human on the planet - and it's transforming with the rise of social media and change in secular views about death," Mylestoned CEO, Dave Balter, said. "To that end, we thought it would be useful to provide a glimpse into the organizations that define the industry." Releasing the DeathScape now is critically important, given the industry is in a once-in-a-generation state of transformation. Cremation has surpassed burial as the primary way we lay our loved ones to rest, leading to margin erosion for many independent funeral homes. Funeral homes themselves are declining, with 10% less in 2015 than 2005, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. The rise of social media channels for communicating about the deceased has perhaps had the largest impact, as the way individuals grieve and memorialize now extends beyond the limited event that is a traditional American funeral. "It's likely that over the next decade we will see massive change in the Death Care industry," said Brett Logan, Head of Growth at Mylestoned, "Acquisitions and consolidation will continue to accelerate and the public companies will need to diversify their services to stay relevant. It's important to understand the scope of the industry in order to get ahead of these changes." The DeathScape is organized into service buckets, chronological from left to right (in the order consumers would experience the service). Technology runs across to bottom as it is generally applicable to all phases of Death Care. The end product, including market size estimates for some of the service buckets, was comprised through analysis of information published by the numerous publicly traded companies in the space, as well as aggregation of publicly available research and industry resources. About Mylestoned: Mylestoned provides mobile tools for helping people remember and celebrate deceased loved ones. The company is led by CEO Dave Balter, who previously founded and was CEO of BzzAgent and Smarterer, acquired by Tesco and Pluralsight respectively. Mylestoned is venture backed by Founder Collective, Boston Seed Capital, Converge Venture Partners and a variety of angel investors. The Death Care Industry DeathScape can be found here. Say hello: [email protected] Media Contact: Dave Balter Mylestoned, Inc (617) 982-3559 Email SOURCE Mylestoned, Inc. Related Links https://mylestoned.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three crew members representing the United States and Russia are on their way to the International Space Station after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 4:05 a.m. EDT Wednesday (2:05 p.m. Baikonur time). NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough gives a thumbs-up shortly after launching Oct. 19, 2016, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on his way to the International Space Station with Expedition 49 crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of the Russian space agency Roscosmos. The Soyuz spacecraft carrying astronaut Shane Kimbrough of NASA, and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, is scheduled to dock to the Poisk module of the space station at 5:59 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21. NASA Television coverage of docking will begin at 5:15 a.m. Hatches are scheduled to open about 8:35 a.m., with NASA TV coverage starting at 8 a.m. The arrival of Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko returns the station's crew complement to six. The three join Expedition 49 Commander Anatoli Ivanishin of Roscosmos, Flight Engineers Kate Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The Expedition 49 crew members will spend a little over four months conducting more than 250 science investigations in fields such as biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development. Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko are scheduled to remain aboard the station until late February. Rubins, Ivanishin and Onishi will return to Earth Oct. 30. The Expedition 49 crew will welcome a variety of cargo deliveries to the space station, including Orbital ATK's Cygnus, which launched Monday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the orbital laboratory Sunday, Oct. 23, with more than 5,100 pounds of science and research equipment, as well as crew supplies and hardware. Included in the Cygnus shipment are payloads that will study fires in space, the effect of lighting on sleep and daily rhythms, collection of health-related data, and a new way to measure neutrons. A Japanese cargo craft is scheduled to deliver new lithium ion batteries in December to replace the nickel-hydrogen batteries currently used to store electrical energy generated by the station's solar arrays. The crew members also are scheduled to receive SpaceX's 10th commercial resupply ship and two Russian Progress resupply missions delivering several tons of food, fuel, supplies and research. For more than 15 years, humans have been living continuously aboard the space station to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth that also will enable long-duration human and robotic exploration into deep space. A truly global endeavor, more than 200 people from 18 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 1,900 research investigations from researchers in more than 95 countries. Check out the full NASA TV schedule and video streaming information at: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv Keep up with the International Space Station, and its research and crews, at: http://www.nasa.gov/station Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram and Twitter: http://instagram.com/iss and http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430273 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov URBANA, Ill., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) will commemorate the eighth National Day on Writing (#WhyIWrite) on October 20. The annual celebration of writing in all its forms and purposes aims to ensure that writing is recognized as a foundational component of educational growth and human relationships. Founded in 2009, the National Day on Writing has become a popular participatory social media event through the #WhyIWrite hashtag. This year, NCTE is launching both a new website (www.whyIwrite.us) and a unique podcast. The website will aggregate the tens of thousands of posts that are anticipated to flow in this week and beyond. The new podcast on writing will be hosted by longtime podcaster, best-selling author and digital media innovator C.C. Chapman. Upcoming guests include New York Times best-selling author Brad Meltzer, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Oates, Seth Godin, ESPN broadcaster Kenny Mayne, and Jonathan Fields, among others. "Writing is essential to literacy and education," said Emily Kirkpatrick, executive director of the nonprofit NCTE, the oldest literacy organization in the United States. "New technologies and globalization are driving us to communicate in different ways and at a breathtaking pace. While more people are writing in their daily lives now than at any other point in human history, we must continue to teach and encourage a broad diversity of writing, from poetry to fiction to technical writing to emails to social media posts and beyond." Last year, more than 60,000 tweets were tagged with #WhyIWrite, and the hashtag trended for the entire day. Participation spanned the globe, and the tag has stayed active all year long. The tremendous enthusiasm around this topic will be evident in interviews conducted for the new bi-monthly podcast. "As a writer, I am thrilled to partner with NCTE and to bring to light conversations about the importance and vitality of diverse writing," said Chapman. "We will continue to recruit authors across all genres, mediums, and walks of life to participate in the podcasts beyond the National Day on Writing to keep the discussion alive year-round." About NCTE: Founded in Chicago in 1911, the National Council of Teachers of English is the oldest literacy organization in the United States. With more than 25,000 members and subscribers worldwide, NCTE is dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. For more than 100 years, the organization has been at the forefront of every major advancement in the teaching of literacy. Learn more at NCTE.org. SOURCE National Council of Teachers of English Related Links http://www.ncte.org SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vance Thompson Vision, a refractive surgery and research facility specializing in laser vision correction, announces plans to introduce VisuMax SMILE. The SMILE procedure is a new procedure from Carl Zeiss Meditec designed to treat nearsightedness, or myopia. It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for correcting nearsightedness and Vance Thompson Vision was part of those initial clinical trials. The SMILE procedure involves using the ZEISS VisuMax femtosecond laser to create a thin disc-shaped piece of tissue that is then removed by the surgeon. This changes the shape of the cornea to help correct nearsightedness. Though new to the US, this procedure has been performed internationally on over half a million patients since 2011. Dr. Vance Thompson, an ophthalmologist at Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, S.D., assisted with the clinical trials for the SMILE procedure. The procedure will complement LASIK and PRK as another option for treating nearsightedness for some patients age 22 or older. "Our research and results from the clinical trials demonstrate that this procedure provides excellent visual outcomes for patients," Dr. Thompson says. "We are excited to bring this technology to the area." According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, nearsightedness affects more than 40% of the US population, a number that has increased from 25% in 1970. "The number of people affected by nearsightedness is increasing," says Dr. John Berdahl, a surgeon at Vance Thompson Vision. "The addition of SMILE gives us more power to help more patients see more clearly. I'm honored to be a part of so many new procedures that fit patients' vision and lifestyle." To determine your candidacy for SMILE, or any laser vision correction procedure, a patient will need to be evaluated by an ophthalmologist specializing in refractive surgery. For more information, visit www.vancethompsonvision.com. About Vance Thompson Vision Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, SD and Fargo, ND, is a world-class refractive surgery center and research institute. Vance Thompson Vision provides and participates in developing the world's most exceptional technologies to improve outcomes in surgical care; all while creating a patient experience that is second to none. With more than 100,000 procedures, more than 80 FDA monitored clinical trials, and having traveled the world to advance the learning of providers everywhere, Vance Thompson Vision is the standard in quality and innovation. For more information on the international reputation of the doctors that lead studies such as this one visit the biographies of Dr. Vance Thompson, Dr. Alison Tendler, Dr. John Berdahl, Dr. Michael Greenwood, Dr. Doug Wallin, Dr. Keith Rasmussen, Dr. Justin Schweitzer, Dr. Jason Schmit, and Dr. Mitch Ibach. Contact: Matt Jensen, CEO Vance Thompson Vision [email protected] SOURCE Vance Thompson Vision Related Links http://www.vancethompsonvision.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Target has grabbed the top spot among American businesses that are going solar. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) revealed Target's ascension to the top of the list in its 2016 Solar Means Business report, issued today, which found that more American businesses are installing solar than ever before. Adding more solar this year than any other U.S. retailer, Target now has 147.5 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity. This is the first time Target has ranked No.1 in the report's five-year history. "We feel honored to be named the top corporate solar installer in the U.S. by the Solar Energy Industries Association," says John Leisen, vice president of property management at Target. "At Target, sustainability is a principle that drives the decisions we make across the company from the products we make to the way we run our business. We're incredibly proud of the progress we've made in improving building efficiencies and reducing environmental impact. Our commitment to installing solar panels on 500 stores and distribution centers by 2020 is evidence of that progress." Other companies recognized in the report's Top 10 for their amount of solar capacity and number of solar installations include heretofore perennial champion Walmart (145 MW), Prologis (107.8 MW), Apple (93.9 MW), Costco (50.7 MW), Kohl's (50.2 MW), IKEA (44 MW), Macy's (38.9 MW), General Growth Properties, Inc. (30.2 MW) and Hartz Mountain Industries (22.7 MW). "These blue-chip companies are proof that sustainability and profitability is not an either-or proposition," said SEIA's interim president Tom Kimbis. "Investing in solar is a common-sense decision that pays dividends for both the environment and companies' bottom lines and these leaders deserve a big round of applause. They're not only helping to create thousands of American jobs in solar, the nearly 2,000 corporate systems highlighted in this report are generating enough clean electricity to offset more than 1.1 million metric tons of harmful carbon emissions a year." Covering corporate solar installs now in 38 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, the 2016 Solar Means Business report tracks nearly 1,100 MW of solar installations at America's top companies. To put that in context, that's enough electricity to power the equivalent of 193,000 homes every year. Also noteworthy, in just the first three quarters of 2016, the report found 142 MW of corporate solar was added in the U.S., more than was installed in all of 2015 (129 MW). "Solar plays a vital role within our renewable energy portfolio," said Mark Vanderhelm, vice president of energy for Walmart. "This is evident by our 2020 commitment of doubling solar energy projects at our Walmart stores, Sam's Clubs and distribution centers across the nation. Our focus is on finding those solar projects that are right for the business. Being recognized by the SEIA for our efforts is confirmation that we are moving in the right direction with regards to renewable energy, specifically solar." "As the world's largest owner and operator of logistics real estate, we're proud to contribute to a low-carbon future and use our properties as a platform to generate large volumes of clean electricity," said Matt Singleton, vice president, Global Energy and Development, Prologis. "We are on pace to meet our goal of 200 megawatts of solar in our global portfolio by 2020, and we appreciate being acknowledged by SEIA for these efforts." "We appreciate SEIA recognizing GGP's commitment to sustainability, which is imbedded in everything we do," said Shobi Khan, chief operating officer of GGP. "Solar energy is one of our areas of focus, and we've found that solar installations have the capability to deliver a significant amount of clean electricity to our shopping centers. Our investment in solar projects delivers benefits to the environment and strong returns to our shareholders." "We're honored to be named by SEIA as a top company for another year in a row," said Lawrence Garb, executive vice president and managing director of Hartz Mountain Industries, Inc. "Hartz continues to find the economics of the New Jersey solar market very accretive and has continued to increase its pipeline of new projects." For photos, rankings and the report's underlying data go to SEIA's multi-media landing page www.seia.org/solarmeansbiz. About SEIA: Celebrating its 42nd anniversary in 2016, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org. SOURCE Solar Energy Industries Association Related Links http://www.seia.org WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey has found that more Americans than ever distrust social media when it comes to protecting their privacy online, and many have little or no trust that social media networks or current laws will protect them. The survey, conducted by Washington-based Rad Campaign and Lincoln Park Strategies, and supported by the Craig Newmark Foundation, updated a similar survey conducted in 2014. It found that while 80% of Americans now say they are using social media daily, 96% do not have a lot of trust social networks will protect their privacy. An infographic detailing poll results is available here. "Use of social media is up, but so is distrust," said Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist, who helped sponsor the survey. "And many people don't think our current privacy laws are strong enough." Key findings of the survey include: -- The percentage of Americans who trust social media has decreased over the past two years; -- Only 7% of Millennials have a lot of trust that social media sites will protect their privacy and personal information. Their trust of social media sites is down 9% from two years ago. -- Adults 65+ have the least trust; -- Of those who use social media the most at least four social media sites only 14% have a lot of trust in them; -- Most of the best-known social media sites are seeing increased usage since 2014, according to responses to survey questions about which sites people use. Further, while about a third (38%) believes that current privacy laws provide reasonable protections; nearly as many (33%) find them to be inadequate. Only a very few (5%) believe current privacy laws are too strict or hindered their online activities. The online privacy threats that Americans are most concerned about include downloading a virus or malware (80%), identity theft (75%), tracking cookies placed without consent (72%), and too much personal information being made public (71%). "These numbers have barely budged over the past two years," said Allyson Kapin of Rad Campaign. "It appears almost no one believes any progress is being made to protect people's online privacy. Social networks need to be good corporate citizens and be fully transparent about how people's personal data are being used and take the necessary steps to protect their data." "As more and more stories are in the news of data being breached, we have not seen any meaningful effect in the number of people using social media sites," said Stefan Hankin of Lincoln Park Strategies. "We are however seeing a rising skepticism people hold around the ability for these companies to do the right thing when it comes to privacy and data. Social media need to do the necessary work to build more trust among users," said Stefan Hankin, president of Lincoln Park Strategies. The poll's margin of error is plus/minus 3.07% at the 95% confidence level. Millennials are defined as people ages 18-35. ABOUT THE PRINCIPALS Rad Campaign is a social change web agency that provides web development and researches trends on Internet culture. Lincoln Park Strategies is a full-service analytic research firm based in Washington, DC. MEDIA CONTACT: Bruce Bonafede 760-831-5080 Email SOURCE craigconnects MILWAUKEE, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual has been awarded the 2016 Eye On Innovation Prize for Most Innovative Digital Business Model in Financial Services by Gartner, a leading global technology consultancy, at its 2016 Symposium/ITxpo on Sunday, October 16. "This award reflects the way both our employees and our financial representatives have built a culture of innovation, and transformed the way we do business," said Karl Gouverneur, Northwestern Mutual vice president and chief technology officer. The award recognizes the leadership Northwestern Mutual has demonstrated in building a comprehensive digital innovation program and fostering a culture of innovation that engages the company at every level. That culture has created an environment that allows Northwestern Mutual to, among other things, rapidly develop and deliver new financial planning and management tools that deliver a distinctive and engaging client-advisor relationship. "Digital innovation is key to providing an outstanding experience to our clients, and we're committed to meeting their needs," Gouverneur added. The initiatives that Gartner reviewed that drove this recognition for Northwestern Mutual include: The Enterprise Venture Fund, an internal capital fund that solicits innovative concepts from and ultimately voted on by employees across the company providing funding for further research and development to the ideas most promising. Two-day rapid development hackathons that bring together teams of developers and business partners to ideate, build, test and refine new applications to improve Northwestern Mutual's business practices. Tiger teams that pair application development teams with Northwestern Mutual financial representatives around the country to identify areas where digital solutions can add value and then embark on rapid-development exercises to create, test, adjust and deliver working prototype solutions. Summing up the award, Gouverneur notes, "Our digital innovation capability allows all of Northwestern Mutual to not just participate in the digital revolution transforming our industry, but to lead and direct change yet to come." For more information on the 2016 Eye on Innovation awards, visit http://www.gartner.com/technology/eye-on-innovation-awards/financial-services/ For more information on the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo, visit http://www.gartner.com/events/na/orlando-symposium For more information on Gartner, visit www.gartner.com. About Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for nearly 160 years. Our financial representatives build relationships with clients through a distinctive planning approach that integrates risk management with wealth accumulation, preservation and distribution. With $238.5 billion in assets, $27.9 billion in revenues and more than $1.6 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.3 million people who rely on us for insurance and investment solutions, including life, disability income and long-term care insurance; annuities; trust services; mutual funds; and investment advisory products and services. Northwestern Mutual ranks 100 on the 2016 FORTUNE 500, and is recognized by FORTUNE as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2016. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, life insurance with long-term care benefits, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC). SOURCE Northwestern Mutual Related Links http://www.northwesternmutual.com TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Global technology company Nuix today announced its Chief Information Security Officer, Chris Pogue, will present this week at Security Education Conference Toronto (SecTor), Canada's premier cybersecurity conference. With his presentation Retaking Surrendered Ground: Making Better Decisions to Fight Cybercrime, Pogue brings a unique perspective as one of the world's leading cybercrime investigators, with more than 2,000 breach investigations under his belt. Drawing from more than 15 years of experiences as a military officer, law enforcement and military instructor, and ethical hacker, Chris leads Nuix's security services organization, in addition to overseeing critical investigations and contracts, and key markets globally. "It's exciting to have Chris at the conference again this year," SecTor director and co-founder Brian Bourne said. "Not only does his background speak volumes and he is well-known around North America's IT security circles, he has a special relationship with the SecTor community and his ability to engage with our audience only adds to the experience." "His dedication to fighting cybercrime and the knowledge he has from his career is just one part of what Chris brings to the table," Bourne said. "When he takes the stage this year, I know our audience will be captivated, entertained and informed." Nuix has enjoyed tremendous growth and product innovation in 2016, including the announcement of Nuix Insight Adaptive Security, the first endpoint security platform to tightly integrate cybersecurity threat prevention, detection, response, remediation, and deception in one solution. The company is poised to launch Nuix Insight Analytics & Intelligence later in 2016, a powerful data analysis platform for security and forensic intelligence that rounds out the Nuix Insight product line. Also this year, Nuix extended its eDiscovery suite with new solutions and product releases, as well as Nuix Voice Powered by Voci, a speech-to-text engine that allows customers to discover previously inaccessible recorded speech content at up to 200 times the speed of manual transcription. Pogue's SecTor appearance will join keynote speakers Edward Snowden, Mikko Hypponen and Laura Payne's panel on the conference mainstage. Attendees can visit www.sector.ca/speakers for more information. About Nuix Nuix (www.nuix.com) protects, informs, and empowers society in the knowledge age. Leading organizations around the world turn to Nuix when they need fast, accurate answers for investigation, cybersecurity incident response, insider threats, litigation, regulation, privacy, risk management, and other essential challenges. About SecTor SecTor brings the world's brightest (and darkest) minds together to identify, discuss, dissect and debate the latest digital threats facing corporations today. Brought to Toronto by Black Arts Illuminated Inc., and unique to central Canada, SecTor provides an unmatched opportunity for IT professionals to collaborate with their peers and learn from their mentors. More information is available at www.sector.ca and you can follow the latest news and announcements on Twitter and Facebook. SOURCE Nuix Related Links http://www.nuix.com VANCOUVER, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Orex Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: REX OTCQX: ORMNF) ("Orex"), is pleased to announce that the Phase-III diamond drilling program on the Sandra Escobar Project in Durango, Mexico, has been completed up to hole SA-16-062. Results for holes SA-16-054 to SA-16-060, drilled in the Main and Cerro Chato Zones in the southeastern region of the project, are presented in the table below. Drilling for Phase-IV is due to start in early November. The Sandra Escobar Project is being advanced by Orex under an option agreement with Canasil Resources Inc. (TSX.V: CLZ) ("Canasil"). Highlight for this batch of holes is SA-16-057 in the Main Zone, which yielded 41.00 metres core length (33.58 m true thickness) grading 108 g/t silver, starting 45 metres below surface. This includes 11.00 metres core length (9.01 m true thickness) grading 237 g/t silver. Holes SA-16-054 and 055 are reconnaissance holes on the eastern side of the Cerro Chato Zone, which confirms that the favourable horizon in this area is silver mineralized. Holes SA-16-057 to 060 are from the southern side of the Main Zone. Additional activities on the Sandra Escobar exploration program include an Aeromagnetic and Radiometric Survey being flown by Geotech Ltd. and an initial Resource Estimate being prepared by Mining Plus, due for completion around the end of October. Metallurgical work is also being conducted, under the direction of Blue Coast Metallurgy. Initial testing shows that the native silver and silver halides are amenable to cyanidation, whereas the argentiferous manganese oxides will require a reductive leach process stage. These manganese oxides have responded well for the liberation of silver in reductive leaching during the preliminary testing phases. The metallurgical program is currently underway. Orex's President, Gary Cope says, "This is an active time for the exploration of the Sandra Escobar Project. We are encouraged by the early stage metallurgical tests and look forward to the initial resource estimate. A new phase of diamond drilling is being scheduled for November-December." Sandra Escobar Project 2015-2016 Diamond Drilling Program Holes 54 to 60 Hole From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) True Thick. (m) Ag (g/t) CERRO CHATO ZONE SA-16-054 5.00 21.00 16.00 12.26 36 Includes 9.00 13.00 4.00 3.06 48 Includes 10.00 11.00 1.00 0.77 65 (Lower Interval 1) 89.00 98.00 9.00 6.89 46 Includes 92.00 97.00 5.00 3.83 53 Includes 93.00 94.00 1.00 0.77 75 (Lower Interval 2) 128.00 131.00 3.00 2.30 31 SA-16-055 7.00 17.00 10.00 7.66 32 Includes 10.00 13.00 3.00 2.30 52 Includes 10.00 11.00 1.00 0.77 63 MAIN ZONE SA-16-056 Hole Abandoned Short of Target Depth SA-16-057 62.00 103.00 41.00 33.58 108 Includes 69.00 92.00 23.00 18.84 152 Includes 69.00 80.00 11.00 9.01 237 Includes 71.00 74.00 3.00 2.46 394 SA-16-058 101.00 115.00 14.00 11.47 28 Includes 106.00 113.00 7.00 5.73 39 Includes 108.00 112.00 4.00 3.28 50 Includes 110.00 111.00 1.00 0.82 62 (Lower Interval) 151.50 162.00 10.50 8.60 18 Includes 157.50 159.00 1.50 1.23 24 SA-16-059 52.50 55.00 2.50 2.05 24 Includes 52.50 54.00 1.50 1.23 30 (Lower Interval) 72.00 85.00 13.00 10.65 16 Includes 77.00 81.00 4.00 3.28 22 Includes 77.00 78.00 1.00 0.82 29 SA-16-060 72.00 112.00 40.00 32.76 55 Includes 78.00 101.00 23.00 18.84 69 Includes 79.00 83.00 4.00 3.29 122 Includes 80.00 81.00 1.00 0.82 185 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 PETACH TIKVA, Israel, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Oryx Vision today announced it has emerged from stealth with a veteran team from the Israeli high-tech industry to build a radically different depth sensing solution for autonomous vehicles. Oryx has raised $17 million in Series A funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), with additional participation from Maniv Mobility and Trucks VC. BVP Partner Adam Fisher will join Oryx's board of directors. Based on nano antennas that receive light waves like radio waves, Oryx's depth-sensing solution seeks to be the first to meet the demanding depth sensing requirements of autonomous vehicles at a mass market price point. The company has already demonstrated the technology and discusses its implementation with some of the world's leading car manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers. "Autonomous vehicles need much more powerful depth sensing capabilities than what was originally thought; existing technologies simply cannot deliver them," said Rani Wellingstein, Oryx co-founder and CEO. "We have taken a completely different approach to artificial depth sensing and managed to create a solution that will truly enable autonomous driving." Oryx was founded in 2009 by David Ben-Bassat, a world expert in electro-optics, who previously founded RFWaves and sold it to Vishay. Ben-Bassat, who bootstrapped the company raising less than $300k from Angel investors over the years, was joined by Wellingstein, a seasoned entrepreneur who sold his previous company Intucell to Cisco in 2013. The company will use the new funds to accelerate its expansion, and is currently recruiting physicists, electrical engineers and computer scientists. "Oryx has taken what theoretical physics taught us about the unique properties of light and turned it into a practical piece of technology that solves a major problem in one of the most exciting markets of the future," said Fisher. "We believe that the company's depth sensors will be critical components in many autonomous vehicles." Strict Depth Sensing Requirements In order to drive accurately and safely, autonomous vehicles need a highly detailed 3D view of their environment. Existing depth sensing solutions rely mostly on LiDAR devices, which send short laser pulses while rotating, receive the reflected light back with photo-electric sensors, and thus construct a 3D map of the car's surroundings, pixel by pixel. However, LiDAR is mechanically complicated, prohibitively expensive (costing thousands to tens of thousands of dollars) and has a severe range limit due to eye-safety considerations. Oryx addresses all these limitations. Its depth sensing system sends completely safe light pulses at the long wave infrared spectrum. Instead of rotating mechanically, it illuminates the entire scene at once and uses an array of tiny antennas to receive the returning light waves. These nano antennas, which are only 5/1000th of a millimeter in diameter, are at the heart of Oryx's innovation. They are implemented in thin-film silicon, slashing the cost of automotive depth sensing solutions by an order of magnitude. The Oryx depth sensor is poised to achieve a range of 150 meters and mega-pixel resolution, 50x better performance than LiDAR. With a much clearer view, the autonomous vehicle's computer will require simpler algorithms and less processing power to make the right driving decisions. Unlike LiDAR, the Oryx system will operate in direct sunlight and severe weather conditions. Its design also has no moving parts, resulting in greater reliability and durability. About Oryx Vision Oryx Vision develops solid state depth sensing solutions for autonomous vehicles. Based on a radically innovative depth-sensing technology, it is the first and only answer to the range and resolution vision requirements of fully autonomous driving. Oryx Vision is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Maniv Mobility and Trucks VC. About Bessemer Venture Partners Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP) is a $4B venture capital firm that funds consumer, enterprise and healthcare startups around the world, from seed stage to growth. BVP funded the early stages of Blue Apron, Pinterest, Skype, Twitch and Periscope and helped build 117 IPOs including Twilio, Yelp, LinkedIn, Shopify and Wix. Follow us @BessemerVP Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430200LOGO SOURCE Oryx Vision Related Links http://www.oryxvision.com In cooperation with the Belle Fourche Development Corporation and Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce, PermianLide, the largest U.S. manufacturer of above-ground storage tanks and processing equipment for the oil and natural gas industry and resident of the new park hosted the event. Speakers to over 150 attendees included South Dakota's Governor Dennis Daugaard and U.S. Senator John Thune, RCP&E general manager, Blake Jones and PermianLide's plant manager, Bob Sieve. Both Senator Thune and Governor Daugaard spoke to the positive impact of the industrial rail park for the region with Daugaard emphasizing the importance of this unique opportunity to western South Dakota and encouraging the participants to share in the vision in the days to come. In addition to lauding the economic impact afforded the region by the 79-acre park, PermianLide took the opportunity to express their appreciation to current customers. Sieve also announced their recent receipt of three industry-related quality certifications (API Q1 Certification, API-12F Certification and Monogram, and ISO9001:2008 Certification) that collectively validate their ability to provide reliable and safe products, meeting customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements in the process. According to president and CEO, Howard Seely, PermianLide couldn't be happier with the site selection for their facility. "We selected the Black Hills area of South Dakota and Belle Fourche specifically for our Rockies Expansion to service the oil and gas plays in the region. The area has exceeded our expectations for having a great business environment and supply of qualified employees. We have gladly made significant investments in our facility and in the community and could not be more proud of the men and women who have invested themselves in our operation. They have made this location one of our top performers in terms of safety, quality, and efficiency. We are committed to the continued growth and success of our people, our company, and the region in which we live, and I look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the Belle Fourche Economic Development Commission and the surrounding region." PermianLide has more than 40 years of operating experience, with two well-known industry brands; Permian Tank & Manufacturing and Lide Industries. PermianLide has 8 manufacturing plants and two distribution centers across Texas, Oklahoma and South Dakota, where the newest plant services the Bakken, Niobrara and Powder River shale plays. Diane Morrow [email protected] 800.927.1517 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430388 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430389 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430390 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430401 SOURCE PermianLide MONTREAL, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix Wrappers today announced an equity investment in the company by Vopne Capital, a private investment firm based in San Francisco. Concurrent with Vopne's investment, the company merged its manufacturing, sales and support operations, formerly owned separately, into a new company Phoenix Wrappers. Phoenix Wrappers is a leading designer and manufacturer of stretch wrapping equipment. Formerly Phoenix-Innotech and CanAm Packaging Systems, the companies formalized their 10-year partnership by merging to form Phoenix Wrappers. Phoenix Wrappers is a fully integrated provider of stretch wrapping equipment, parts, service and support. Phoenix Wrappers is led by CEO Graham Nicholson, former head of CanAm Packaging. Graham stated: "Phoenix Wrappers has a history of manufacturing industry-leading stretch wrapping equipment known for its quality and innovation. We have formally combined manufacturing with our unparalleled customer service and support group. With manufacturing, sales and support under one roof, we are streamlining our internal processes to better serve our customers. We are excited to have Vopne Capital join as investors in our company. They share our vision of manufacturing the highest quality products and providing unparalleled customer service. They also share Phoenix Wrappers' commitment to our customers, our products and our employees." "Phoenix Wrappers is a leader in manufacturing stretch wrapping machinery," added Jim Bloom, Managing Partner at Vopne who joins Phoenix Wrappers' Board of Directors. "The company has an exceptionally talented engineering and product development team, the highest-quality manufacturing processes, and an unyielding focus on service and support. We look forward to helping Phoenix Wrappers continue its expansion to new customers and new markets, while maintaining its excellence in product design, engineering, manufacturing quality and customer service." Steve Taylor, VP of Sales for Phoenix Wrappers, added, "This marks an exciting new chapter for our company. We are pleased to have Vopne's support as we expand." About Phoenix Wrappers Founded in 1994 and headquartered outside Montreal, Quebec, Phoenix Wrappers designs and manufactures industry leading stretch wrapping machinery. Phoenix Wrappers had operated as a partnership between two separate companies, Phoenix-Innotech and CanAm Packaging Systems. The two companies merged this week to form Phoenix Wrappers, a fully integrated provider of stretch wrapping equipment, parts, service and support. With over 3,000 stretch wrapping machines deployed worldwide, Phoenix Wrappers delivers superior performance combined with unparalleled customer service. For more information, visit www.phoenixwrappers.com. About Vopne Capital Vopne Capital is a San Francisco Bay Area-based private equity firm investing in growing and profitable companies in the lower middle market. Vopne undertakes investments, recapitalizations and acquisitions of companies with experienced management teams, outstanding customer service and differentiated products. Vopne invests in a range of industries including: manufacturing, industrial and business services. For more information, visit www.vopne.com. SOURCE Phoenix Wrappers Related Links http://www.phoenixwrappers.com LONDON, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In Aug. 2016, fertiliser storage for increasing demand in autumn began. However, limited transactions showed that the Chinese ammonium phosphate market remained stagnant. In Aug. 2016, the adjustment of chemical fertiliser export tariffs has been widely discussed within the industry. The majority of industry insiders have reached the consensus that tariffs on exports of chemical fertilisers should be withdrawn in 2017. In H1 2016, Hubei Xingfa recorded YoY falls in its revenue and net profit as a result of the depressed phosphate fertiliser market. However, CCM believes that its complete business layout covering the whole phosphorus chemical industry chain will boost its financial performance in the future. In Aug. 2016, the CISIA held a representative meeting in Lanzhou, listing a series of key measures to speed up the elimination of outmoded production capacity of inorganic salts.x In Aug. 2016, the local government of Fuquan City, Guizhou Province disclosed that various measures will be taken to promote the transformation and upgrade of the local phosphorus chemical industry. CCM predicts that local leading phosphorus chemical enterprises such as Wengfu Group and Guizhou Chuanheng will gain great support from the government. In Aug., 2016, China released an initiative to guide the shift towards industrial circular development, and solicited public opinion, planning to build a preliminary national industrial system geared towards environmentally friendly, low-carbon, and circular development by 2020. CCM believes that this will accelerate the elimination of outmoded phosphorus chemical production capacity in China. In Aug. 2016, the State Council of the P.R.C. released the Guidelines on Structural Adjustment, Transformation and Efficiency Improvement for Petrochemical Industry. Notably, the Chinese government will enhance its support on international cooperation on chemical fertiliser production. In Aug. 2016, Hubei Xingfa announced that it would invest USD3.77 million (RMB25 million) in the development of black phosphorus, a new two-dimensional semiconductor material, and put it into industrial production, aiming to consolidate its leading position by holding the most advanced technology in the industry and seize additional business opportunities. In July 2016, China's phosphorus ore market continued to be stagnant due to the depression of the yellow phosphorus and ammonium phosphate markets. The market price of phosphorus ore may further slip in the near future because enterprises' production costs are reduced following the implementation of the new resource tax on 1 July, 2016. In July 2016, China's phosphoric acid market remained depressed and market prices of the product all dropped slightly in each major production areas. CCM predicted that the market will not be able to recover in the short term considering the dropping yellow phosphorus price and the continuous low phosphate operating rate. China's ammonium phosphate market remains stagnant in Aug. 2016 In July and Aug. 2016, influenced by the EI Nino, there were heavier rains than usual in Southern China, leading to different degrees of flood disasters and significantly harming agricultural production in many regions. As a result, China's ammonium phosphate market remained stagnant and transitions were very limited even if the fertiliser storage for increasing demand in autumn had already begun. - Monoammonium phosphate (MAP) Sales were dull and the market price kept falling. As of mid-Aug. 2016, the average quotation for 55% MAP powder stood at USD252/t (RMB1,670/t), down 1.76% MoM. The main reason for this was that compound fertiliser manufacturers had sufficient inventory and purchased limited MAP, according to trade source. - Diammonium phosphate (DAP) The domestic market was so depressed and manufacturers suffered heavy pressure from their inventory and from downstream companies' requests for lower prices. As of mid-Aug. 2016, the average quotation for 64% DAP was USD338/t (RMB2,240/t), down by 6.67% MoM. In this context, many manufacturers mainly focused on their export business. However, there were also limited new orders. The FOB price was between USD327-330/t. "DAP manufacturers are facing more serious challenges in sales than in previous years. The market price may continue to fall considering that market conditions will not recover in the short term," commented trade source to CCM, "What's worse, the ex-works price of 64% DAP in some regions may even drop to as low as USD302/t (RMB2,000/t)." According to CCM's research, recently, the Chinese government has been carrying out environmental protection inspection in chemical fertiliser enterprises in Henan Province and then in Hubei Province later. According to trade source, many enterprises have been forced to suspend production for transformation and upgrade so far. This helps to ease overcapacity in the market and ammonium phosphate manufacturers are able to reduce inventory more quickly, supporting the market to recover. In addition, from 1 July, 2016, phosphorus ore is taxed by value instead of by volume, the mineral compensation expenses of all resource categories are cut down to zero, collection of the price regulation fund is stopped and the local charging funds set up illegally and targeted at minerals are cancelled. These are favourable for phosphorus ore enterprises and help them reduce production costs. For phosphate fertiliser enterprises, their costs for purchasing phosphorus ore also decline which means bigger profit margins for them. For example, Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group Co., Ltd. expected to reduce its tax by USD3.02 million (RMB20 million) in 2016 after the phosphorus ore resource tax rate was cut from 10% to 7%. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4124928/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com BEIJING, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Picoo Design executives announced today the launch of Lynx, a new security tool aimed at keeping pictures safe from snoopy intruders. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430293 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430292 With more and more anti-virus apps launching on Google Play, mobile security is no longer Android users' main concern. "I'm not worried about mobile viruses," says Ashley, a college student from US, "I'm more terrified by someone stealing my private photos on the phone." Recent surveys show that Ashley's concerns are not unfounded. 8 out of 10 Android users reported similar worries about private files being accessed by someone unauthorized. Always being one step ahead, PICOO Design has been working on improving privacy protection for Android phones since 2012, and has launched several high rated apps over the years that have helped countless smartphone users to manage and secure private data. "However," Alexander Barton, VP at PICOO Design, says, "you can search the Google Play Store and find hundreds of similar apps but you never know whether they are helpful, or even safe. If someone has access to your phone, they are going to find those private photos eventually as long as they are still on the phone." And this is where PICOO Design decided to create an app with a totally different security concept. "Lynx is different from any other privacy protection apps," Barton says, "your private data is no longer stored solely on your phone. Instead, all data is safely stored in a private cloud drive. That means losing your phone does not equal to privacy being at risk when you can always find your data on private cloud, also, by storing them on cloud drive, you can free up your phone space for more apps and games." On top of that, Lynx also makes photo and video sharing much safer by generating an access code which can be used to safely share photos or videos with friends. Last but not the least, Lynx does everything it could to guarantee the safety of user privacy, that includes Break-in Alert, Fake Lynx and multiple other premium features to make sure only the owner of the account have access to private data stored on cloud. And all these features are provided for completely free! Lynx is now available for free download on the Google Play Store with a complimentary 5GB of cloud storage space. Or you can scan the QR code to download. Media Contact: NAME Picoo Design stephensandiego(at)sina(dot)com +8610-64522392 http://www.picooapp.com/ SOURCE Picoo Design Related Links http://www.picooapp.com CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Piedmont Natural Gas today advised customers that Piedmont crews will be canvassing neighborhoods in flood impacted areas to inspect natural gas meters for signs of submersion from flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew. Any meter believed to have been submerged will be removed and natural gas service to the home or business will be turned off. Customers whose natural gas service is turned off will be notified, and natural gas appliances in the home or business will need to be inspected for safe operation by a licensed contractor before service can be restored. Customers are advised that appliances may need to be replaced if an inspection finds they have been damaged by flood waters and cannot operate safely. "Safety continues to be our top priority as we deal with the aftermath of hurricane Matthew," said Frank Yoho, executive vice president and president, natural gas business for Piedmont Natural Gas. "Although our natural gas pipeline delivery system was relatively undamaged by the storm, we know many of our customers in eastern North Carolina and South Carolina are dealing with incredible destruction and loss of property. The continued safe and reliable operation of our natural gas system is an important piece in helping our customers and the communities we serve in these areas to recover and rebuild." To help ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of natural gas service to customers and communities impacted by Matthew, Piedmont asks anyone affected by the storm to please follow these guidelines: If water has entered your home: Do not attempt to disconnect or work on or around your natural gas meter Do not attempt to relight any of your natural gas appliances. Call Piedmont at 1.800.752.7504 so we can inspect your meter and your natural gas appliances for possible damage at 1.800.752.7504 so we can inspect your meter and your natural gas appliances for possible damage Do not attempt to clear flood debris from your natural gas meter or from any other natural gas appliance, including your water heater. Call Piedmont for an assessment for an assessment Never use outdoor equipment indoors for cooking or heating. This includes natural gas grills, generators, etc. If your natural gas appliances are damaged by water: Natural gas appliances damaged by water may need to be replaced according to manufacturer guidelines and instructions When choosing a contractor for repair or replacement of your natural gas appliances, make sure the contractor is licensed, committed to safety and follows all manufacturer safety guidelines You can choose to work with Piedmont Natural Gas, one of our approved Gas Advantage Dealers, or any other licensed contractor to repair or replace damaged appliances For a list of Piedmont's Gas Advantage Dealers, go to www.piedmontng.com Gas Advantage Dealers, go to www.piedmontng.com Note that unauthorized repairs can be unsafe and may void your warranty according to manufacturer guidelines Call your appliance manufacturer if you are unsure that the work being performed is an approved repair If you suspect a natural gas leak (natural gas smells like rotten eggs): Leave the area immediately After leaving the area, call Piedmont at1.800.752.7504 or call 911 at1.800.752.7504 or call 911 Call from a neighbor's house or from another location far from the smell of natural gas DO NOT use anything electrical that may create a spark; this includes cell phones DO NOT operate any light switches DO NOT light a match DO NOT attempt to locate the source of a leak DO NOT attempt to stop a leak DO NOT return to the area until Piedmont Natural Gas or the emergency services have declared the area safe DO NOT attempt to operate pipeline valves yourself. You may inadvertently cause more danger or additional damage DO NOT attempt to extinguish a natural gas fire Customers with immediate questions or concerns should call Piedmont Natural Gas at 1.800.752.7504. Additionally, customers can also visit the company's website at www.piedmontng.com for additional information and storm related updates. Piedmont Natural Gas Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than 1 million residential, commercial, industrial and power generation customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Its subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, regulated interstate natural gas transportation and storage, and regulated intrastate natural gas transportation businesses. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available at www.piedmontng.com. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about remarkable people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Media Contacts David Trusty Loree Elswick Piedmont Natural Gas Piedmont Natural Gas (704) 731-4391 (704) 731-4236 [email protected] [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430345LOGO SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas Related Links http://www.piedmontng.com BROOKLYN, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 4, 2016, 6 pm-9 pm, Pratt Institute's Brooklyn Fashion+Design Accelerator (BF+DA) will host the 2nd Annual Positive Impact Awards. The event will serve as a who's who of ethical fashion and honor pioneers in the sustainable fashion industry including ethical powerhouses Patagonia and EILEEN FISHER, innovative technology venture Bolt Threads and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. The Positive Impact Awards (PIAs) is part of the BF+ DA celebration of two years as a Brooklyn-based social innovation entity that is supporting over 32 sustainable businesses in fashion, technology and research. From gender neutral clothing for women to 3D printed jewelry, hand crafted shoes and knitwear, the BF+DA designers collectively have reached incredible milestones including an over $1.75 million increase in revenues and job creation in Brooklyn of over 50 new jobs. "The time to adopt 21st century strategies is now. Successful businesses need to implement the core values of waste reduction, transparent supply chains, ensuring the use of ethical production methods and exploring new technologies. These are the things that are driving our future," says BF+DA founder Deb Johnson. "We're here to get the apparel industry on track." In addition to the awards, tours of the BF+DA's production lab, including demonstrations on the digital knitting machines and tours of the sustainable textile library will be complemented by BF+DA Venture Fellows opening their studios for shopping. In response to the upcoming election, Patagonia will show-off its newest initiative #VoteOurPlanet which offers information on the New York City politicians that are committed to protect "soil, water and air." The celebration will take place at the BF+DA and is open to the public by RSVP. "Getting 500 advocates for the environment and society together in one place will be a heady experience," says Ms. Johnson, "It's a movement that finally has traction." For more information and to RSVP, go here. WHERE: Pratt Institute's Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator, 630 Flushing Avenue, Suite 704, Brooklyn ADMISSION: $20 suggested donation MEDIA CONTACTS: For interviews or for more information, please contact BF+DA Director of Communications, Amy DuFault at [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429870LOGO SOURCE Brooklyn Fashion+Design Accelerator Related Links http://bkaccelerator.com/engagesingle/positive-impact-awards NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/alertswire EXPERT ALERTS More Lifesaving Valves to Stop Gas Leaks Will Be Required in 2017 Real Solutions to Stop Police Brutality and Gun Violence in Urban Communities MEDIA JOBS Editorial/Administrative Assistant The Real Deal (NY) Financial Market Writers TheStreet (NY) Copy Editor Law360 (NY) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES 4 Quick Tips for Event Coverage That Resonates Near and Far Blog Profiles: Autism Blogs On PRN: Samsung Expands Recall, BuzzFeed and Twitter Partner ------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPERT ALERTS: More Lifesaving Valves to Stop Gas Leaks Will Be Required in 2017 Tom Carse Attorney Carse Law Firm in Dallas Starting next year, the federal government will require that all new or replaced gas lines for hundreds of thousands of apartments and small businesses across the U.S. must be equipped with special valves that can shut off gas automatically when a line is ruptured. The government's announcement expands the mandatory installation of excess flow valves beyond new single-family homes. The valves, priced at around $30, don't prevent gas lines from being ruptured, such as when a backhoe accidentally hits one. But by limiting the amount of gas that escapes, federal regulators say the valves can prevent a buildup of fuel that can contribute to explosions or fires. Says Carse: "These simple and inexpensive devices can save dozens of lives and millions of dollars in property damage each year. But gas companies, contractors and consumers need to understand how and where the valves should be located. Otherwise the devices will provide very little or no protection." Earlier this year, Carse filed suit against a natural gas company on behalf of residents who were injured and their homes destroyed or damaged as the result of a 2015 gas explosion, claiming negligence in the location and installation of excess flow valves. Contact: Barry Pound, [email protected] Real Solutions to Stop Police Brutality and Gun Violence in Urban Communities Cary Peterson Lobby Solicitor Robert Peterson & Fields Associates P.C. "Local law enforcement needs more funding for more training to acquire better social services skills in efforts to learn how to deal with various characters and cultures within society. I think recent discussions at the presidential debates, on a local scale, and in the media have been healthy but a bill proposition approved at Congress and signed by Mr. President followed by a check issued from Treasury to fund law enforcement and community organizations like Neighborhood Watch are the first steps to resolving this issue that's plagued America and its civilians for far too long." Peterson is a registered lobby solicitor for multiple U.S. congressional coalitions that support law enforcement and public safety. He is fluent in Spanish. Peterson is located in New York City. Website: http://www.rpflegal.com Contact: Allan Anderson, [email protected] **************** MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Editorial/Administrative Assistant The Real Deal (NY) Financial Market Writers TheStreet (NY) Copy Editor Law360 (NY) ***************** OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected] 4 QUICK TIPS FOR EVENT COVERAGE THAT RESONATES NEAR AND FAR. Events like the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture provide a great opportunity to give your readers a behind-the-scenes look at a high-profile local event. Your coverage brings the experience to your audience. We sent a couple of PR Newswire's content specialists to cover the media preview, where they saw a variety of media outlets and personalities in action. They came back with some great pointers to ensure your event coverage resonates with your followers: http://bit.ly/2ent7tP BLOG PROFILES: AUTISM BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team profiles a handful of blogs that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation in their industry/space. In the latest installment, the team looks at a few autism blogs: http://bit.ly/2emt6Fe ON PR NEWSWIRE: SAMSUNG EXPANDS RECALL, BUZZFEED AND TWITTER PARTNER. With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire for Journalists. Here are some of this week's most newsworthy releases you might have missed: http://bit.ly/2e1Saah **************** PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150416/199234LOGO SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com DALLAS, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Randstad Technologies, a leading technology talent and solutions provider in Dallas and across the U.S., and the CIO Executive Council are hosting a networking event next Wednesday, Oct. 26, for women technology leaders, from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Hotel ZaZa Art House. The event is part of a series of Randstad initiatives aimed at supporting women in the information technology (IT) field. The latest national figures from the Census Bureau show that women's representation in the IT workforce is shrinking from 31 percent in 1990 down to 25 percent in 2014. Research from WANTED Analytics reinforces this trend, particularly in Dallas. There are over 10,000 current IT job openings posted by Dallas employers, who offer a median salary of $105,850 for IT professionals, making a career in IT a good target for women. Yet of the 156,000 IT professionals in the Dallas market, only about one quarter are women. "Attracting more women to IT is important to our clients," said Kathy Van Pelt, Randstad Technologies vice president of strategic marketing. "We want to not only encourage more women to explore careers in IT, but also let them know that an IT job does not just mean coding - there's a great variety of IT roles available." Randstad Technologies recently released a study focused on a segment of the IT workforce, Randstad Technologies' Cybersecurity Workforce Report - 12 Markets with High Demand for Top Talent. The report reveals 12 key markets nationwide including Dallas with strong demand for top-tier, enterprise-level cybersecurity talent. The Randstad Technologies-CIO Executive Council event is for women in IT leadership positions. Please register here if you would like to attend. Here are the event details: Wednesday, Oct. 26, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Hotel ZaZa Art House 2332 Leonard Street Dallas, TX About Randstad Technologies Randstad Technologies has been connecting top companies around the globe with the expert technology talent and solutions that drive their success since 1984. Our deep industry expertise and full-service capabilitiesRecruitment, Consulting, Projects and Outsourcingenable organizations to be agile, productive and ahead in the field with our wide network of specialists and flexible solutions. For more information, visit www.randstadtechnologies.com. About Randstad US Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $24.5 billion global provider of HR services. As one of the largest staffing organizations in the United States, Randstad provides temporary, temporary-to-hire and permanent placement services each week to over 100,000 people through its network of more than 900 branches and client-dedicated locations. Employing 5,300 recruiting experts, the company is a top provider of outsourcing, staffing, consulting and workforce solutions within the areas of engineering, finance and accounting, healthcare, human resources, IT, legal, life sciences, manufacturing and logistics, office and administration and sales and marketing. Learn more at www.randstadusa.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of work. Note to editors: Trademarks and registered trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Randstad Technologies Related Links http://www.randstadtechnologies.com GARLAND, Texas, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Holbrook Basin which is located in northern Arizona, is being hailed as the "Saudi Arabia of Helium" by those in the know who are close to the natural gas and crude oil industries. Helium is a non-renewable, technology driven resource and our global supply is running out, while the constant demand continues to grow. Recent helium prices have sky-rocketed upwards of $125/mcf for standard grade helium. The problem has been the inability to separate and store helium for market without being in close proximity to a helium processing facility. New technology has been recently developed that allows helium to be captured, separated and stored at the wellhead. Problem solved. In the past, the goal of producing helium has only been achieved by those wells that had access to these large helium processing plants. The cost to get helium to storage at a regional selling point simply exceeded the ability to make a profit. With this newly developed technology, which is small and portable, a few companies like Rare Earth Exploration, LLC are in the middle of one of the hottest lease acquisition and drilling prospects in the United States. "A true game changer," says Timothy Taylor, CEO of Rare Earth Exploration, LLC. Mr. Taylor emphasizes that "with this new gathering technology, the break-even price of helium is around $1/mcf. Now considering Grade A helium can bring as much as $200/mcf, the profit potentials are staggering." Mr. Taylor continues, "The play's already sky high potential is further bolstered by low drilling and well completion costs due to shallow target depths for helium reservoirs and conventional vertical completions with little need for fracking." Well spacing requirements have recently been reduced, adding increased interest in helium exploration in Arizona, specifically the Holbrook Basin and the Pinta Dome Field, the largest discovery of helium found, to date, in Arizona. Advances in technology and, global supply and demand have ushered in a new phase of development and excitement for these prolific Arizona helium fields as Mr. Taylor goes on to say, "The surface has only been scratched regarding helium production in the Holbrook Basin and specifically the Pinta Dome Field. With the new spacing rules you're going to see a lot of in-field drilling over the next few years in the Pinta Dome and Navajo Springs Fields." Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161013/428655LOGO SOURCE Rare Earth Exploration EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney's PurePower Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine has entered passenger service with Spirit Airlines, which is the first U.S. carrier to fly the Airbus A320neo. The aircraft made its first passenger service flight from Detroit to Los Angeles on Sunday, Oct. 16. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX). "Two things stood out immediately," said Jyri Strandman, vice president of flight operations at Spirit Airlines, who piloted Spirit Airlines' first Airbus A320neo on the ferry flight from Germany to Florida. "Number one was that the engines are extremely quiet. Secondly, when we landed, we noticed we had a whole lot more fuel than we expected to have." Spirit Airlines calculated that on the 2,000 mile flight between Detroit and Los Angeles, the new aircraft saved about 422 gallons of fuel compared with the previous model. Performance on other aircraft also confirms that the PurePower Geared Turbofan engine reduces fuel burn by 16 percent, lowers emissions by 50 percent and reduces the noise footprint by 75 percent. "We are very proud to see Spirit Airlines become the first U.S. airline to fly with our PurePower engines," said Rick Deurloo, senior vice president, Sales, Marketing and Customer Support. "PurePower engines are already in service with eight airlines around the world, and are yielding a better than a 99 percent dispatch reliability rate." Spirit Airlines has ordered 55 of Airbus' latest narrow-body passenger jets, each powered by Pratt & Whitney's revolutionary PurePower PW1100G-JM engines. Eight carriers are flying 22 GTF engine powered aircraft across the globe. GTF engines have earned more than 30,000 revenue hours and more than 20,000 take-offs and landings. The PurePower Geared Turbofan engine backlog continues to grow. Pratt & Whitney has engine orders, including options, from more than 80 customers in 30 countries. Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. To learn more about UTC, visit the website at www.utc.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in levels of demand in the aerospace industry, in levels of air travel, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production, support, performance and realization of the benefits of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. For more information about Pratt & Whitney, visit www.pw.utc.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/prattandwhitney Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prattandwhitney YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/prattandwhitney1925 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pratt-&-whitney Sara Banda Alice Straight Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney +1 (860) 565-4031 office +1 (860) 565-2344 office +1 (860) 202-8644 mobile +1 (860) 830-6187 mobile [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Pratt & Whitney Related Links http://www.pratt-whitney.com MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE symbol: RHI) today announced it expects to release third-quarter 2016 earnings results on Wednesday, October 26, at approximately 4:15 p.m. EDT. Robert Half management will conduct a conference call at 5 p.m. EDT on October 26, following the release. The dial-in number is 877-814-0475 (+1-706-643-9224 outside the United States). It is recommended that participants dial in five minutes before the call begins. The password to access the call is "Robert Half." A taped recording of this call will be available for replay beginning at approximately 8 p.m. EDT on October 26 and ending at 11:59 p.m. EST on November 26. The dial-in number for the replay is 855-859-2056 (+1-404-537-3406 outside the United States). To access the replay, enter conference ID# 89850299. The conference call also will be archived in audio format on the company's website at www.roberthalf.com. Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm and a recognized leader in professional consulting and staffing services. The company's specialized staffing divisions include Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and senior-level project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance; OfficeTeam, for highly skilled administrative support professionals; Robert Half Technology, for project and full-time technology professionals; Robert Half Legal, for project and full-time staffing of lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel; and The Creative Group, for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals. Robert Half also is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm that helps companies solve problems in finance, technology, operations, governance, risk and internal audit. Robert Half has staffing and consulting operations in more than 400 locations worldwide. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160212/332877LOGO SOURCE Robert Half Related Links https://www.roberthalf.com CEDAR CITY, Utah, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest 10 piece product line "Welcome Home Collection" by Scott Art Studio World Wide is meant to increase a greater sense of well being and comfort in the home. Staying on trend with stain and finish selections, these items will fit comfortably in both the modern and traditional residence. With an option to customize the family sign, Scott Art Studio is sure to please. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430183 Scott Art Studio is family owned and operated in Cedar City, Utah and is dedicated to helping our customers decorate their homes and party venues with distinct hand crafted items. We have over 21 years of combined experience in art and design. We leveraged this experience to develop both seasonal and life-long gifts and decor. Related Files 10182016 PressRelease.pdf Related Links Welcome Home 10 piece Collection SOURCE Scott Art Studio World Wide LONDON, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On 1 3 Aug., 201 6, Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture and Nantong Bear Seeds signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Beijing. On 3-5 July, 201 6, the second Northern China Fresh Corn Conference, with the introduction of new crop varieties as topic, was held in Wuqing District, Tianjin Municipality. On 28 June, 201 6, the Gansu Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee announced the withdrawal of the verification certificate for corn variety Kenyu30. Promotion and sales of the product was stopped. There are some core parents in soybean breeding program, which are the key to success in breeding, revealing their role is helpful for parent selection in hybrid breeding work. This paper reveals the genetic relationship of three soybean core parents and their derived breeding lines detected by PAV markers. CP Seed and Bear Seeds signs strategic cooperation agreement On 13 Aug., 2016, Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture Development Co., Ltd. (Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture) and Nantong Bear Seeds Technology Co., Ltd. (Nantong Bear Seeds) signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Beijing. In this cooperation, Nantong Bear Seeds will increase capital of all routine scientific research breeding and seed businesses to buy into the Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture. This truly realizes powerful combination and complementary advantages. Besides, this will certainly add new vitality for the development of China's seed industry. Many leaders attended this signing ceremony such as Liu Jian, former vice minister of the MOA, Zou Kui, division chief of Variety Management Division of Seed Bureau of MOA, Liu Hengyou, vice mayor of Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, He Jinlong, station master of Jiangsu Seed Management Station, Vice Secretary Zhang Shuangcheng and Director Yuan Haihe of Xiangzhou District Committee, Xiangyang City of Hubei Province, etc. Leaders from both sides also attended this ceremony such as Yang Xiaoping, vice chairman of CP Group, Xie Yi, senior vice chairman of China of CP Group, Vice Chairman Xing Jixian, Wang Fujie, senior president of Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture, Cheng Lun, board chairman of Nantong Bear Seeds, Ji Tao, general manager of Xiangyang company, Chen Jingyu, general manager of Yunnan company, etc. Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture is a large-scale modern crop seed enterprise established by CP Group. It engages in integration of breeding, production and marketing of seeds of main crops. Since its establishment in Xiangyang City, Hubei Province in 1996, it always upholds the fine tradition of "devoting to agriculture, serving farmers". At present, there are three large seed processing centres in Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, and Zhangye City, Gansu Province. Their annual production and processing capacity is 50,000 tonnes. They focus on breeding, producing and popularizing fine corn hybrids. For example, for twenty years, independently-developed fine new corn varieties includes Zhengda12, Zhengda999, Zhengda619, Zhengda808, Zhengda719, etc. They have been promoted to over ten provinces and are popular with farmers. Specifically, "Zhengda619" is resistant to barren, good in resistance and fine in quality. It is one of the preferred varieties in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and is a trial control variety in corn areas there. So far the accumulated generalization area has been over 2.67 million ha (40 million mu). "Zhengda999" is eurytopic, great in quality, high in resistance and high in yield, which is also favored by farmers. Now, it has been examined and approved by Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Chongqing and Guizhou provinces, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southern Shaanxi province. So far the accumulated generalization area has been over 4 million ha (60 million mu). "Zhengda12" is wide in adaptation, high in unit weight, excellent in quality, and good in benefits of silage seeds. It has been examined and approved by Gansu, Shaanxi, Hebei, Henan, Anhui and Hubei provinces and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. So far the accumulated generalization area has been over 5.33 million ha (80 million mu). For twenty years, the totally popularized planting area of fine corn varieties of CP series is around 13.33 million ha (200 million mu). It provides a direct income increase of more than USD5 million (RMB30 trillion) for farmers. "Chia Tai" brand has become really famous in domestic seed industry. The company has been entitled as "China's Top 50 Seed Industry", "National Double Excellence Foreign Investment Enterprises", "High-tech enterprise in Hubei Province", "Key Leading Enterprise of Agricultural Industrialization in Hubei Province", and "AAA Credit Enterprise in Enterprise Credit Evaluation". It also passed ISO9001 quality system authentication. Nantong Bear Seeds, founded in 2012, was jointly organized by an overseas R&D team and a domestic investment institution. Its variety R&D is mainly for the eastern North China and has radiation potential to Northwest China and huang-huai-hai area. The company shows its significant personnel accumulation effect and overall R&D advantages in a short time. This benefits from the national strategy of innovation-driven development and its own good mechanism construction. Besides, Nantong Bear Seeds has an effective variety R&D and testing system. Routine breeding techniques and a molecular assisted breeding technique are combined. Therefore, the approval of several fine corn varieties has been implemented such as Xiongyu581, Xiongyu587, Xiongyu582, Zunyu1, etc. In future, a number of highly prospective varieties will be put on market. In this cooperation, Nantong Bear Seeds will increase capital of all routine scientific research breeding and seed businesses to buy into the Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture. This truly realizes powerful combination and complementary advantages. Besides, this will certainly add new vitality for the development of China's seed industry. Wang Fujie, senior president of Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture, introduced at the meeting that new Xiangyang Chia Tai Agriculture will take responsibility for promoting "the development of whole industry chain of agriculture and animal husbandry" as well as national "food security" and "food safety". The company will also re-plan in several aspects of variety R&D, production, popularization and so on. By 2020, it plans to establish a storage base of 666,667 ha (10 million mu) for planting high-quality special corn for feed in the surrounding areas of Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, and Northeast China. In addition, the company will vigorously promote the integrated development of industries of seed, planting, feed, cultivation and food. Business philosophy of "benefiting the country, people and company" of CP Group is practiced. Meanwhile, more values are created for more users. Furthermore, the company plays a leading role for synchronous development of farmers, rural areas and agriculture. More contribution is made to national "food security" and "food safety". Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4124929/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com MILFORD, Mass., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SeraCare Life Sciences, a manufacturer and leading partner to global in vitro diagnostics manufacturers and clinical laboratories, is announcing the launch of the industry's first multiplexed reference material for inherited disease testing by next-generation sequencing (NGS) at the 2016 ASHG Annual Meeting in Vancouver. The Seraseq Inherited Cardiomyopathy Reference Material was developed in collaboration with Birgit Funke, PhD, FACMG, Director of Clinical Research and Development at the Partners HealthCare Laboratory for Molecular Medicine (LMM), capitalizing on her expertise in genetic testing for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This work will be published in the November 2016 issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic cardiovascular disease that is characterized by unusual thickening of the heart muscle which can lead to sudden cardiac failure or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). HCM represents a class of disorders where the combination of disease prevalence and genetic heterogeneity (resulting in the need to sequence many genes) has led to the rapid adoption of NGS-based gene panels. As targeted inherited disease panels continue to expand, there is growing demand for reference materials that cover a broad range of not only prevalent pathogenic variants, but also difficult-to-detect variants (such as large insertion/deletions) to expedite test development, perform comprehensive analytical validation, as well as to monitor routine assay performance. However, the traditional practice of using genomic reference materials (e.g. NA12878) and remnant patient samples that cover variants of interest can pose challenges for diagnostic laboratories as informative patient samples are often not publicly available and getting access to adequate numbers of samples can end up being time consuming and/or costly. Creating multiplexed reference samples that are tailored to specific disorders fills this void, especially in an environment of growing regulatory oversight. The Seraseq Cardiomyopathy Reference Material combines ten common pathogenic and/or technically challenging variants in a single reference sample. The variants were chosen based on a careful review of clinical sequencing data obtained over ten years at LMM. Further, the final product configuration was determined based on proof-of-concept evaluation of two different design concepts and performance that was comparable to patient-derived data. This product combines HCM variants in a well-characterized genomic background at a 50% target allele frequency that can be used for assay development, analytical validation, or routine quality control. "We are very excited to have developed, in collaboration with Dr. Birgit Funke of LMM, the first-of-a-kind multiplexed reference material for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to expedite the adoption and accurate use of NGS-based inherited disease panels," said Russell Garlick, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at SeraCare. "Using this technology, genomics laboratories around the world are able to characterize and monitor their assays using these highly multiplexed, rare, but clinically relevant variants in their assays. We are pleased our innovative Seraseq Cardiomyopathy Reference Material can provide the assurance in the results that LMM and others require, while also enabling them to monitor long-term performance that is simply not possible using remnant specimens or engineered cell lines." About Partners HealthCare Partners HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to its two academic medical centers, the Partners system includes community and specialty hospitals, a managed care organization, community health centers, a physician network, home health and long-term care services, and other health-related entities. Partners HealthCare is one of the nation's leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Partners HealthCare is a non-profit organization. About SeraCare Life Sciences Inc. SeraCare enables the promise of precision medicine by advancing the understanding of disease and providing assurance of the diagnostic result. Our innovative tools and technologies not only provide assurance of the safe, effective, and accurate performance of diagnostic assays but also establish a framework for regulating, compiling, and interpreting data from precision diagnostics. Our portfolio includes a broad range of products such as quality control technologies, disease-state specimens and tissues for research and development, processed biological materials, and immunoassay reagents. For more information, please visit www.seracare.com and follow SeraCare on Twitter (@SeraCare). Company Contact: Sam Blier SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc. 508.244.6426 [email protected] www.seracare.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150729/249066LOGO SOURCE SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc. Related Links http://www.seracare.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits today announced the seventh consecutive year of its time honored, philanthropic relationship with charitable organization, Keep a Child Alive (KCA). In addition to its role as the official wine and spirits sponsor of the 13th Annual Keep a Child Alive Black Ball, Sherry-Lehmann is partnering with LOUIS XIII to offer a once-in-a-lifetime auction lot, to be presented during tonight's event at the Hammerstein Ballroom. This highly-anticipated auction lot is set to include a LOUIS XIII Legacy Limited Edition Magnum. Each decanter takes four generations of cellar masters over 100 years to craft. This exclusive magnum is hand-signed by the LOUIS XIII cellar masters, each passing on their treasured knowledge to the next, patiently preserving the art of LOUIS XIII. LOUIS XIII Cognac is a precious blend of up to 1,200 eaux-de-vie, the youngest of which is at least 40 years old. The auction lot also includes a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Paris, Cognac and Cannes where the winning bidder will receive five-star hotel accommodations, dinner at a three Michelin Star restaurant, a tour of the House, and a tasting of LOUIS XIII with Cellar Master, Baptiste Loiseau. The experience will culminate with VIP access to the 70th Annual Cannes Film Festival where the winner will walk the famed red carpet before attending a film premiere as the special guest of LOUIS XIII. Last year's record-breaking auction item provided by LOUIS XIII and Sherry-Lehmann helped raise over $300,000 for KCA to utilize in the fight against HIV and AIDS. "Sherry-Lehmann is excited to be partnering once again with such esteemed brands as LOUIS XIII, Champagne Thienot, Domaine Faiveley, Maison Olivier Leflaive and Belvedere Red in support of KCA's Black Ball," said Chris Adams, CEO of Sherry-Lehmann. "We hope our seventh year participating in this wonderful event brings luck to those bidding in tonight's auction, so we can break last year's record and bring additional support to the Keep a Child Alive organization." The Black Ball will include cocktail hour, dinner, a live auction, celebrity musical performances, and the presentation of the annual KCA Humanitarian Award to legendary music executive Clive Davis. The year also marks the first time the event will be live-streamed via TIDAL. Sherry-Lehmann will be on-hand to pour premiere wine and spirits including Casa Dragones Tequila, Glenmorangie, Bacardi Rum, Bulleit Bourbon, Johnnie Walker and Tanqueray Gin. Belvedere Red will also be poured throughout the event and will be featured in the signature cocktail, The "Freak Out." For more information about Sherry-Lehmann, the official wine and spirits retailer of the 2016 KCA Black Ball, please contact Sarah Cox at Regan Communications Group: mobile: 617-763-6728 or, by email: [email protected]. About Sherry-Lehmann: Founded in 1934, Sherry-Lehmann is located in the heart of Manhattan, at 505 Park Avenue. The Sherry-Lehmann store combines old-world charm with modern sophistication, and caters to seasoned wine lovers and beginners alike. Renowned for its deep stock of fine wine and spirits from across the globe, it's helpful, knowledgeable staff, and award-winning website, Sherry-Lehmann is committed to delivering an incomparable level of customer service. Entering its 80th year of business, Sherry-Lehmann's dedication has learned many awards, including: "Retailer of the Year" (The Wine Enthusiast), "New York's #1 Wine Shop" (Zagat), and the "#1 Wine Shop in America" (Forbes). Visit www.Sherry-Lehmann.com for more information. ABOUT KEEP A CHILD ALIVE: Keep a Child Alive (KCA) was founded in 2003 by AIDS activist Leigh Blake and Grammy Award-winner Alicia Keys, as an emergency push to get life-saving HIV medications to African children and families, who otherwise would not have had access to treatment. KCA's work has since grown to include the critical components necessary for successful, life-long HIV treatment: comprehensive, holistic care that supports the complete health of children and their families, ensuring their physical, mental and social well-being. KCA provides financial and programmatic support to 7 innovative, grass-roots programs in Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and India, serving over 56,000 people annually. With the help of its supporters, KCA continues to use its voice to raise awareness, mobilize people to take action, and rally resources in the global response to HIV. For more information, please visit keepachildalive.org Twitter: @keepachildalive; Facebook: www.facebook.com/keepachildalive; Instagram: http://instagram.com/keepachildalive See updates from the event #KCABlackBall Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430496LOGO SOURCE Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits Related Links http://www.Sherry-Lehmann.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2017/Sherwood-Marketing-Recalls-3-Squares-Rice-and-Slow-Cookers Recall Summary Name of Product: 3 Squares rice and slow cookers Hazard: The rice/slow cooker's improperly installed wiring can cause electrical shorting in the unit, posing fire and electric shock hazards. Remedy: Replace Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled rice/slow cookers and contact 3 Squares to receive a free replacement cooker, including shipping. Consumer Contact: 3 Squares at 800-390-0249 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at www.Get3Squares.com and click on Recall for more information. Recall Details Units: About 175,000 (in addition, 100 were sold in Canada) Description: This recall involves 3 Squares-branded Tim3 Machin3 and Mini Tim3 Machin3 rice and slow cookers with fixed power cords. The 20-cup/4-quart or 8-cup/1.7-quart programmable electric cookers are stainless steel with black molded plastic, have a control panel/keypad on the front and measure about 11 inches in diameter and12 inches tall. The 3Squares logo is printed on the front of the control panel. Model numbers starting with 3RC and ending in 3010S, 3020S, 3434, 5020 and 9010S are included in the recall. The model number is printed on a label on the side of the product. Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three incident reports, including a cooker sparking when turned on and a cooker turning itself on. One shock injury was reported. Sold at: Home, hardware, mass merchandisers and department stores nationwide and online at Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Costco, Get3Squares, Home Depot, Kohl's, Target, Wayfair and other websites from December 2015 through July 2016 for between $30 and $70, depending on the model and capacity. Importer/Distributor: Sherwood Marketing, owner of the 3 Squares brand, LLC, of San Diego, Calif. Manufactured in: China Note: Health Canada's press release is available at: http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2016/60610r-eng.php This recall was conducted, voluntarily by the company, under CPSC's Fast Track Recall process. Fast Track recalls are initiated by firms, who commit to work with CPSC to quickly announce the recall and remedy to protect consumers. About U.S. CPSC: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years. Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at 301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters. CPSC Consumer Information Hotline Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall: 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054) Times: 8 a.m. 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products. Media Contact Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests. Phone: 301-504-7908 Spanish: 301-504-7800 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Related Links http://www.cpsc.gov OGDEN, Utah, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of their incredible 1939% growth rate, and their #192 ranking on the Inc. 500 list in 2016, nearly half of all Shopper Approved employees will be traveling to San Antonio, TX to attend the Inc. 5000 Conference and Awards Gala this week. While the Inc. 5000 is an incredible feat, being ranked in the top 4% as a six-year-old company is remarkable. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430074 Co-founders Scott and Dave with their Inc. 500 award Shopper Approved was created with the purpose of providing E-Commerce clients with more quality customer reviews that were readable in more online spaces, including Google, Yahoo, and Bing. "Being ranked among the leading businesses in America is a huge honor, and we are both humbled and incredibly excited to receive this award," says Scott Brandley, co-founder of Shopper Approved. Shopper Approved is unique because of the software's ability to collect up to 70x more honest, unbiased reviews than its competitors. That ability, alongside competitive pricing, has allowed the company to grow explosively over the past few years. This differentiation strategy has made the Shopper Approved seal hold true credibility with customers when displayed on websites, and has impacted businesses small and large with a stronger online presence. "The success of Shopper Approved comes from the dedication of our employees and the partnerships we create with our clients. I am delighted for our team to achieve this recognition. I love the work we do and the people we do it with," claims Leslie Lovato, Operations Manager. The future of Shopper Approved is full of opportunity. As new technology becomes available and current software capabilities expand, Shopper Approved is expected to continue leading the market. Related Images image1.jpg image2.png Related Links Shopper Approved Makes Inc. 500 List 3rd Party Shopper Approved Review This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Shopper Approved TROY, Mich., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- solidThinking is pleased to launch the Click2Extrude suite consisting of Click2Extrude Metal and Click2Extrude Polymer as the next generation environment of the industry leading HyperXtrude suite. Together with this new user friendly environment, the Click2Extrude suite is being licensed and distributed by a powerful network of distributors around the world with a focus an offering fast, easy, accurate and affordable solutions to manufacturing communities. "Our new environment is designed for beginners and experts alike, to deliver an exemplary user experience by keeping all the complexities away from the users," explains Ravi Mayavaram, Director, Solver Development Manufacturing Products. "Our focus is to improve both the quality of the extrusions and the profitability of our customers." "A big step ahead in the model meshing for extrusion simulation," states Tommaso Pinter, Chief Technology Officer of Alumat & Almax Mori Group. "We reduce the time required by 50% and the element's quality is drastically better. Click2Extrude is also easy to use; a new engineer can become independent in a month's time." Key updates for Click2Extrude Metal 2017 include: Seam weld location and strength predictions to identify internal defects Charge weld and skin tracking to identify scrap and backend defects Die failure prediction Key updates for Click2Extrude Polymer 2017 include: Die swell prediction and profile shape defects Co-extrusion analysis and material interface Clam shelling and mandrel shift As a result of the updated features of Click2Extrude, users are able to drastically reduce the time of the extrusion simulation process. "With Click2Extrude's newly designed interface, I have cut my modeling and preprocessing time on average from 2 hours to 10 minutes," explains Jeff Skinner, Sales & Technical Representative of Thumb Tool & Engineering." Due to the demand for lightweighting in aerospace, automotive and other fields, the interest in aluminum extrusion for these applications is rapidly growing. Regardless of the well-established extrusion industry, the challenges that come with complex profile shapes and new alloys are putting tremendous pressure on extruders to innovate in order to meet the stringent strength and tolerance requirements. Click2Extrude is designed to help die designers and extruders meet these demands. For more information about the Click2Extrude 2017 release and to sign up for the Click2Extrude webinars scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2016, please visit www.solidthinking.com/click2extrude. About solidThinking solidThinking creates, develops, and markets technology that helps our user community bring the most desirable products to their customers faster. solidThinking software is sold and supported by a global network of distribution partners and is also available as part of the Altair HyperWorks suite. solidThinking is a wholly owned subsidiary of Troy, Mich. (USA)-based Altair. 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 contacts: Altair Corporate/North America Biba Bedi +1-757.224.0548 x 406 [email protected] Altair Europe, the Middle East and Africa Evelyn Gebhardt +49 6421 9684351 [email protected] SOURCE solidThinking Related Links http://www.solidthinking.com BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Steep Hill, the global leader in cannabis testing and analytics, today published an early report on the prevalence of pesticide contamination in the medical cannabis supply chain in California. According to the lab's new technology and recently launched "quantified pesticide analysis," 84.3% of cannabis samples submitted in Steep Hill's Berkeley lab tested positive for pesticide residues. These results were significantly higher than expected and are cause for concern for California cannabis consumers. Myclobutanil, typically sprayed on California grapes, almonds and strawberries, is legally listed as a "general use pesticide," but heating up the chemical, as is the case when smoking cannabis, converts Myclobutanil into Hydrogen Cyanide. Hydrogen Cyanide is a Schedule 3 substance under the Chemical Weapons Convention. Of paramount concern is the extremely high level of Myclobutanil detected in cannabis samples tested by Steep Hill, which is in excess of 65% of all samples. Jmichaele Keller, President and CEO of Steep Hill, said in making the announcement, "Those in the cannabis community who feel that all cannabis is safe are not correct given this data smoking a joint of pesticide-contaminated cannabis could potentially expose the body to lethal chemicals. As a community, we need to address this issue immediately and not wait until 2018." As of today, the City of Berkeley is alone in establishing rigid limitations for pesticide testing on medical cannabis in the State of California. As newspapers have pointed out in Colorado and Washington State, pesticide contamination is a massive problem in regulated "recreational cannabis markets." Although California will not have testing regulations in place until 2018, we can look to the State of Oregon and its well-respected pesticide regulations for guidance. With California voting on Proposition 64 this November, Steep Hill seeks to work with the newly established Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation to establish statewide limits on residual pesticides. Steep Hill is concerned about any impurities in cannabis and has been testing for pesticides since 2011. After years of perfecting testing procedures and testing equipment, their tests are so advanced that they can determine the concentration of pesticides down to the 10's of parts per trillion, which is between 100 to 1,000 times more accurate than tests available through other labs. In Steep Hill's analysis of the pesticide testing performed in Northern California it reviewed the publicly available pesticide results from SC Labs and found they detected pesticides in less than 3% of the samples tested over a 30-day period ending October 10th. During the same period Steep Hill tested and reported pesticides in over 84% of cannabis, which would have failed under the State of Oregon's pesticide regulations. While Steep Hill was developing its new pesticide test, it subcontracted its pesticide testing to CW Analytical Laboratories. In reviewing the test results from CW Analytical it was discovered that the lab was only detected pesticides in 20.8% of the samples tested. "Steep Hill is about ensuring people get safe cannabis and giving the community the tools to make cannabis safer for everybody," said Don Land, Chief Scientific Consultant for Steep Hill. "Once people know what's there, we fully expect the industry will be responsive and responsible, and those that are not will ultimately be judged by their customers. When we introduced our accurate residual solvent test for concentrates in 2013, almost everybody had contamination in their products, at first. Now, just a couple of years later, almost nobody fails. Our solutions helped the industry become responsible." "As far as we're concerned, medicine should always be clean, safe, and effective. Unfortunately, our recent study discovered that 83.2% of the samples assessed by our triple quadrupole mass spectrometer contained pesticides that would have failed under the Oregon regulations. As of today, this tainted product could be sold in most dispensaries throughout the State of California without any way of informing the patients about the risks of pesticide exposure," said Jmichaele Keller. "With the State of California preparing to enact of the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act by January 2018, now is the time to get pesticides under control. If California expects to supply any adult with cannabis in the future, we must first focus on protecting the existing patients throughout the state." For detailed information, charts and graphs please visit http://landing.steephill.com/pesticides. ABOUT STEEP HILL Founded in California in 2008, Steep Hill Labs, Inc. is a science and technology firm that has become the industry leader in cannabis testing and analytics. Steep Hill has labs open or in development in seven U.S. states (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maryland, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Washington State), Washington DC, and Jamaica, with many more to come making Steep Hill the largest cannabis lab network in the world. The company pioneered the first medical cannabis potency and microbiological contaminants testing methodology for use in Californiathe first state to legalize medical cannabis. Steep Hill has since developed a variety of revolutionary cannabis testing products, including the QuantaCann2 and GenKit. Steep Hill provides expert consulting services to many states, countries and municipalities, and the company is developing proprietary genetic testing, mapping and trademark protection services for the industry as well. Contact: Patrice Angle Cell: (202) 360-8087 Email www.steephill.com SOURCE Steep Hill Related Links http://steephill.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Steven Zimmerman has joined XL Catlin's Broker & Client Management team as Client Distribution Leader in Los Angeles, reporting to XL Catlin's US West Regional Broker and Client Management leader, Mike Soper. According to Bob Peretti, XL Catlin's Head of Broker & Client Management, Americas said: "We see abundant opportunities to help Southern California's growing business community address their insurance needs more effectively and conveniently. In fact, this is why we established our first LA-based Broker & Client Management position and Steve is well qualified to establish this new position and build our rapport with area brokers. In his new role with XL Catlin, Steve will help area brokers and businesses tap into the appropriate expertise and products across our 30-plus business insurance lines." Mr. Zimmerman joins XL Catlin with more than 20 years of both business development and broker experience in the insurance industry where he most recently served as Senior Vice President of Gallagher Bassett Services. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. About XL Catlin's Insurance Operations XL Catlin insurance companies offer property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty insurance products globally. Businesses that are moving the world forward choose XL Catlin as their partner. To learn more, visit xlcatlin.com. About XL Catlin XL Catlin is the global brand used by XL Group Ltd (NYSE:XL) insurance and reinsurance companies which provide property, casualty, professional and specialty products to industrial, commercial and professional firms, insurance companies and other enterprises throughout the world. Clients look to XL Catlin for answers to their most complex risks and to help move their world forward. To learn more, visit xlcatlin.com. SOURCE XL Catlin Related Links http://xlcatlin.com SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dr. Craig Sweet, Medical Director of Embryo Donation International, presented research about embryo abandonment at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The largest study of its kind, Dr. Sweet and his colleagues conducted a retrospective, case-controlled analysis of 182 cases from a private reproductive endocrine practice. They found 24% (44) of the patients abandoned their frozen embryos. Most IVF clinics are in possession of abandoned frozen embryos when patients do not pay storage fees or don't communicate their disposition decisions. This presents the clinics with medical, legal and ethical conundrums. The study's objective was to identify patient characteristics that made embryo abandonment more likely to occur. They studied 132 key variables, including demographics, medical histories, IVF insurance coverage, embryology data, financial information and disposition decisions. The researchers found seven statistically significant predictors of embryo abandonment. The two most relevant variables were the increasing number of children living at home and the length of time the embryos were stored. The risk of abandonment increased almost eight percent for every additional year stored. Other significant predictors included debt to the practice, not completing high school, IVF insurance coverage, a diagnosis of pelvic damage or endometriosis and a large number of cryopreserved embryos. "There was only one published small study that didn't find any risk factors," said Dr. Sweet. "We hypothesized that if we could predict who was more likely to abandon their embryos, perhaps we could intervene, educate and encourage patients to consider other disposition decisions rather than abandoning their embryos." Dr. Sweet feels additional research, such as prospective longitudinal studies, are needed to confirm and expand these findings. The strengths of the study included the size, scope and level of detail examined. The statistical significance was also quite strong, suggesting real and not coincidental findings. Dr. Sweet collaborated with researchers from two Florida universities. About Dr. Craig Sweet Dr. Craig Sweet is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist who founded Embryo Donation International, embryodonation.com, a non-denominational, non-discriminatory full-service embryo donation practice. He also is the medical director of Specialists in Reproductive Medicine & Surgery of Fort Myers, FL. 978-273-0254 [email protected] 978-273-0254 SOURCE Embryo Donation International Related Links http://www.EmbryoDonation.com The 2017 Subaru Impreza will be offered in four trim levels: 2.0i, 2.0i Premium, 2.0i Sport and 2.0i Limited when it arrives at Subaru retailers. Models equipped with Subaru's Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission will arrive late 2016 while 5-speed manual models will be available in early 2017. The 2.0i starts with an extensive roster of standard features including a 6.5-inch multimedia touchscreen; Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, power windows with auto up/down on both driver and passenger sides; 60/40-split fold-down rear seat; power door locks and side mirrors; multi-function display with fuel economy information; tilt and telescoping steering column; security system with engine immobilizer; carpeted floor mats; and more. The $21,195 Premium trim adds SUBARU STARLINK Safety and Security features, 16-inch alloy wheels, the All-Weather Package featuring heated front seats, windshield wiper de-icer, and heated exterior mirrors as well as automatic headlights. Premium 5-door Imprezas also feature standard roof rails (not available on 2.0i or 5-door Impreza 2.0i Sport). Stepping up to the Premium trim also brings wider option availability, including a power moonroof and driver assist technology systems. The new Subaru Global Platform, together with the SUBARU BOXER engine; Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD); and EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, represent the brand's core technologies and constitutes the basic foundation of the next generation of Subaru vehicles. Impreza's new platform incorporates a redesigned structure with optimized cross sections and highly stiffened joints between sections to significantly enhance straight-line stability, agility, and ride comfort while suppressing noise, vibration, and harshness to a degree not seen in the compact class. Specifically, the new platform increases rigidity of the unitized body structure by over 70 percent. Taking full advantage of the new stiffer platform and more powerful engine, the Impreza 2.0i Sport, available in sedan and 5-door, delivers a more fun-to-drive performance feel thanks to exclusive suspension tuning, 18-inch machine-finish alloy wheels and Active Torque Vectoring. Subaru aimed for a new ride/handling balance benchmark in the compact segment. Sport models are priced from $21,995. Exclusive exterior styling and features setting the Impreza Sport apart include standard LED daytime running lights (DRL), black-finish front grille, body-color rocker panels, and turn signal side mirrors. The Impreza Sport 5-Door features gloss black rear gate trim, while the Sport Sedan has a rear trunk spoiler. Inside the Sport, unique black cloth upholstery is trimmed with red stitching, a motif that repeats for the steering wheel, gear shift, instrument panel, and door trim. The instrument panel incorporates exclusive Sport gauges and a Multi-Function Display. The Sport comes well equipped, with upgrades over the Impreza Premium that include the SUBARU STARLINK 8.0-inch Multimedia system, and a new Harman/Kardon premium audio system is available. Keyless Access & Push-Button Start, aluminum pedals, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift handle, and a CVT shift boot round out the Sport's enhanced standard when equipped with CVT. A revised version of the FB 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Boxer engine gains direct fuel injection and other enhancements to boost both performance (now 152-hp vs. 148 before) and drivability. In highline trims, the Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) features a 7-speed manual mode function with steering wheel paddle shifters that allow the driver to control the transmission via seven pre-set ratios. The new Impreza continues to be one of the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive compact sedans in America offering up to 38mpg highway on CVT models. Manual transmission model and mpg will be available in early 2017. Impreza Model City Highway Combined 2.0i Sedan CVT 28 38 32 2.0i Sport Sedan CVT 27 36 30 2.0i 5-Door CVT 28 37 31 2.0i Sport 5-Door 27 35 30 Subaru designed the 2017 Impreza to provide even higher levels of safety than the outgoing model, which was named an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK and a TOP SAFETY PICK+ (when equipped with available EyeSight). The new platform underpinning the 2017 Impreza improves crash energy absorption by 40 percent over present models. The EyeSight system includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Pre-Collision Braking, Pre-Collision Throttle Management and Lane Departure and Sway Warning. Blind Spot Detection with Lane Keep Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are also available. Also new are available Steering Responsive Headlights, which can illuminate curves as the vehicle steers into them, and High Beam Assist, which automatically activates and deactivates the high beam headlamps based on driving conditions. All 2017 Impreza models include, as standard equipment, front seat side impact airbags, side curtain airbags and a driver's knee airbag. The 2017 Impreza adds additional driver-assist technologies, including Reverse Automatic Braking and the display of steering lines for the standard rear vision camera. Reverse Automatic Braking can apply the vehicle's brakes if an obstacle is detected while reversing. A new 4-way Tire Pressure Monitoring System can detect pressure drops at individual wheels. Subaru has elevated the Limited trim for the 2017 Impreza into more luxurious territory. The exterior looks more upscale with LED headlights and distinctive "Konoji" LED daytime running lights (DRL) and standard 17-inch machine finished alloy wheels. Judicious use of exterior chrome trim and turn signal side mirrors add a touch of elegance. Limited trim Imprezas begin at $24,095. The Limited's leather trimmed interior features contrast stitching on the door armrests and instrument panel, and the 6-way power driver's seat is the first ever in an Impreza. Standard amenities include an automatic climate control system, leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter, Keyless Access & Push-Button Start and 8-inch STARLINK Multimedia audio unit. The exclusive instrument panel features white gauge cluster illumination, and new Harman/Kardon premium audio is available in the Impreza for the first time. Models equipped with EyeSight also include High Beam Assist. Lastly, the available navigation system now features maps provided by TomTom. SUBARU STARLINK Multimedia systems offer the latest in digital music playing, Bluetooth wireless capability, iPod control, smartphone integration and more. The display screen acts as the display for the standard rear vision camera, and the top-level system includes navigation. SUBARU STARLINK Connected Services comes with the Safety Plus package that offers SOS Emergency Assistance, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, Maintenance Notifications, Monthly Vehicle Health Report, and Diagnostic Alerts. This package can be upgraded to the Safety Plus & Security Plus package that adds Stolen Vehicle Recovery Service, Vehicle Security Alarm Notification, Remote Lock/Unlock, Remote Horn and Lights and Remote Vehicle Locator. 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA Model/Trim Transmission Applicable Option Code MSRP MSRP + destination and delivery IMPREZA SEDAN MODELS 2.0i 5MT '01 $18,395 $19,215 2.0i CVT '01 $19,395 $20,215 2.0i Premium CVT 11,12,13,15 $21,195 $22,015 2.0i Sport 5MT 21,22 $21,995 $22,815 2.0i Sport CVT 21,22,23 $22,795 $23,615 2.0i Limited CVT 31,33,35 $24,095 $24,915 IMPREZA 5-DOOR MODELS 2.0i 5MT '01 $18,895 $19,715 2.0i CVT '01 $19,895 $20,715 2.0i Premium CVT 11,12,13,15 $21,695 $22,515 2.0i Sport 5MT 21,22 $22,495 $23,315 2.0i Sport CVT 21,22,23 $23,295 $24,115 2.0i Limited CVT 31,33,35 $24,595 $25,415 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA OPTION PACKAGES CODE 01 Standard Model N/A CODE 11 Premium Model N/A CODE 12 Moonroof $1,000 CODE 13 EyeSight +Blind Spot Detection & Rear Cross Traffic Alert +Steering Responsive Fog Lights $1,395 CODE 15 EyeSight +Blind Spot Detection & Rear Cross Traffic Alert +Steering Responsive Fog Lights +Moonroof $2,395 CODE 21 Sport Model N/A CODE 22 Moonroof + Blind Spot Detection & Rear Cross Traffic Alert + Harman Kardon Amplifier and Speakers $2,150 CODE 23 EyeSight + Moonroof + Blind Spot Detection & Rear Cross Traffic Alert + Harman Kardon Amplifier and Speaker $2,945 CODE 31 Limited Model N/A CODE 33 EyeSight + Moonroof + Blind Spot Detection & Rear Cross Traffic Alert $2,495 CODE 35 EyeSight + Moonroof + Blind Spot Detection & Rear Cross Traffic Alert + Navigation +Harman Kardon Amplifier and Speakers $3,845 Destination & Delivery is $820 and may vary in the following states: CT, HI, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI and VT. D&D is $970 for dealers in Alaska. About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 620 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit media.subaru.com Contact: Dominick Infante Subaru of America, Inc. 856-488-8615 [email protected] Jessica Tullman Subaru of America, Inc. 310-352-4400 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429940 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429941 SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc. Related Links http://www.subaru.com SHANGHAI, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the successful conclusion of the 16th China International Dye Industry, Pigments and Textile Chemicals Exhibition (China Interdye 2016), Interdye Asia 2016 will take place at CNR EXPO in Istanbul, Turkey from the 10th to the 12th of November, 2016. The Asian tour, organized by the China Dyestuff Industry Association, the China Dyeing and Printing Association and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Shanghai Sub-Council and co-organized by Shanghai International Exhibition Service Co., Ltd., in partnership with Turkey's Artkim, aims to help the Chinese dyestuffs industry transform the way it develops and execute on its globalization strategy, while continuing to implement China's One Belt, One Road initiative (the initiative that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily between China and the rest of Eurasia) and boost trade between China and Turkey. Running concurrently with the 10th Chem Show Eurasia, the two events will serve as a platform for meaningful exchanges between China's dyestuffs industry and Turkey's textile printing and leather processing industries, which is expected to play a key role in boosting the cooperation and development of the upstream and downstream industries in the two countries. China has become a key player in the global dyestuffs market by leading the world in production, export and consumption volume of dyestuffs. As one of Turkey's major industries, the textile printing and leather processing industries have evolved substantially in recent years and is now recognized as the foundation for textile and clothing production and leather processing trade for EU countries. Despite the sluggish global economy, dyestuffs trade between China and Turkey continues to grow. Among the over 130 countries and territories to which China exports dyestuffs directly, its exports to Turkey have consistently ranked among the top eight destinations. Over the recent years, dyestuffs exports from China to Turkey have been steadily growing by over 1,000 tons annually. In the first half of 2016, China exported over 9,000 tons of dyestuffs to Turkey, placing the country seventh in the list of export destinations for the chemicals and a rise of 20 percent from the year-ago period. The rapid growth of the textile printing and leather processing industries in Turkey will continue to translate into increasing demand for dyestuffs. Interdye Asia 2016 will bring together a wide range of leading Chinese exhibitors under one roof, including Zhejiang Longsheng Group, the world's largest dyestuffs producer, as well as over 40 other industry leaders, among them, Zhejiang Runtu Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Jihua Group, Jiangsu Yabang Dyestuff Co., Ltd., Jingjin Environmental Protection Inc., Sheyang Tianyuan Chemical Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Hongyi New Material Co., Ltd., Taixing Zhenqing Chemical Co., Ltd., Suzhou Dongwu Dyestuff Co., Ltd., Dalian Dyechem International Corporation, Dankong Industry & Trade Group Co., Ltd., Taixing Jinyun Dyestuff Co., Ltd., Shanghai Printing Ink SiLian Chemical, Jiangsu Shuangle Pigment Co., Ltd. and Beijing Huaran Trade Co., Ltd. These Chinese exhibitors expect to widen and deepen their already well-established trade cooperation with Turkey's industry peers by building joint ventures and complementing each other's advantages. For more information, please visit: The official website of China INTERDYE: www.chinainterdye.com The official website of the Asian tour of China Interdye: www.interdyeasia.com Or contact: Shanghai International Exhibition Co Ltd. Ms Wang T: +86-21-62792828 E: [email protected] SOURCE Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. Related Links http://www.siec-ccpit.com NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Despite the number of years living and working as a wildlife cameraman in Europe, Vianet D'jenguet always carried fond childhood memories of the Congo wherever he traveled. In his job, D'jenguet filmed in many locations across Africa, but never in his homeland. My Congo represents his first opportunity to film in his native country and to be in front of the camera as he takes viewers to his favorite places to witness the diversity of wildlife, stunning landscapes, and friendly people. In this first-person account, D'jenguet visits sites that evoke happy family memories, tours a famous chimpanzee sanctuary, films a variety of animals and birds in vast national parks, and makes his way through a remote jungle in search of his roots. My Congo airs Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). After the broadcast, the episode will be available for limited online streaming at pbs.org/nature. More than 20 years after his physician father, a malaria specialist, moved the family to Paris to treat students and diplomats, D'jenguet begins his homecoming in the capital city of Brazzaville where he was born. He emphasizes that there are two Congos in Africa: the Democratic Republic of Congo and D'jenguet's smaller Republic of Congo. The two nations are separated by the Congo River, the second largest in the world. As he tours the city's bustling markets, the sights and sounds remind him of his childhood with venders selling fresh fish from that river as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables. My Congo next ventures into the countryside where the wildlife cameraman shows viewers many of his favorite spots. He starts on the coast at Point Noire where his family often spent vacations and then travels to Tchimpounga, the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in Africa. D'jenguet is moved when he's introduced to young orphaned chimps being rehabilitated after being victims of poachers and the pet trade. Set up by the Jane Goodall Institute nearly 25 years ago, the sanctuary also engages with the next generation to promote animal conservation. Heading north, D'jenguet heads out in early morning to film all kinds of birds, such as huge Palm Nut vultures, swallows, kingfishers, manakins, and Pin-tailed whydah birds which resemble little peacocks. He mentions there are more than 600 species of birds alone in his homeland. But once he reaches Odzala National Park, it is clear which animal is his favorite: the forest elephant, which rarely grows taller than eight feet, but has big tusks. It is only found in the Congo basin and its growing population is protected, at least in the Republic of Congo. An eight-hour hike through the wild equatorial rainforest of D'jenguet's ancestors holds an unexpected surprise for the native son when he meets up with some of the last, indigenous Forest People. He discovers a deeper family connection to his homeland that D'jenguet's great-grandfather Sokondi still is deeply revered by the tribe as their protector. He shows how they use traditional techniques to get everything they need from the forest. Continuing through the rainforest with camera and tripod in tow, D'jenguet heads by river to what he describes as "the best place to see wildlife in the whole of Africa." It is a clearing called Mbeli Bai in Nouabale-Ndoki National Park where there are endless sightings of forest elephants, Western Lowland gorillas, forest buffalo, and sitatungas or swamp antelopes. It's here that D'jenguet ends his journey having learned more about himself, his country, and why he became a wildlife cameraman in the first place. Nature is a production of THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET. For Nature, Fred Kaufman is executive producer. My Congo is a co-production with THIRTEEN Productions LLC and BBC in association with WNET. Nature pioneered a television genre that is now widely emulated in the broadcast industry. Throughout its history, Nature has brought the natural world to millions of viewers. The series has been consistently among the most-watched primetime series on public television. Nature has won more than 700 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film communities and environmental organizations, including 17 Emmys and three Peabodys. The series received two of wildlife film industry's highest honors: the Christopher Parsons Outstanding Achievement Award given by the Wildscreen Festival and the Grand Teton Award given by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. The International Wildlife Film Festival honored Nature executive producer Fred Kaufman with its Lifetime Achievement Award for Media. PBS.org/nature is the award-winning web companion to Nature, featuring streaming episodes, filmmaker interviews, teacher's guides and more. Support for this Nature program was made possible in part by the Arnhold Family in memory of Clarisse Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, the Filomen M. D'Agostino Foundation, Rosalind P. Walter, Sandra Atlas Bass, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers. About WNET WNET is America's flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 . WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (KidsThirteen, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET's groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history game. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender identity, First Person, and an intergenerational look at tech and pop culture, The Chatterbox with Kevin and Grandma Lill. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport Websites: http://pbs.org/nature, http://facebook/PBSNature, @PBSNature, #NaturePBS http://pbsnature.tumblr.com, https://www.youtube.com/user/NaturePBS Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110922/DC73481LOGO SOURCE THIRTEENs Nature Related Links http://pbs.org/nature Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts , airing Wednesday, November 2 at 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), opens a window onto a previously unknown period of the earth's history to reveal a world teeming with creatures seemingly familiar to us, but colossal in size. In 2003, when paleontologist professor Jonathan Bloch, University of Florida, first heard that this important layer had been exposed, he and his research team rushed to Colombia. He had spent his career studying this Paleocene period in the earth's geological history. Could this be the lost world he'd been searching for? "When you open that door into the world 58 million years ago where no one else has looked, you find things that no one else has found," says Professor Bloch. "So every time we come to Cerrejon, it's very exciting because after coming for well over a decade, every time we come we find something new." Included in the findings were hundreds of fossilized leaves which indicated the environment then was similar to a tropical forest. But it was the fossils of ancient animals that stunned everyone. What was so noticeably different about them was their size. Had they found the land of the giants? "In the beginning, dozens and dozens and then hundreds more of these fossils were coming in and getting a chance to unwrap these things and kind of start piecing everything together was great," says Dr. Alex Hastings, Virginia Museum of Natural History. "Most of them were crocodilians but there were a handful of bones there that were clearly not any crocodilian. The whole structure of the vertebrae was completely different." The vertebrae they uncovered belonged to a very large snake. "This animal is going to reset everything we know about what it truly means to be a giant snake," says Dr. Jason Head, Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, and the world's expert in calculating body size in the largest fossil snakes. Weighing one and a quarter ton, this giant snake was five times bigger than the largest one alive today. Named Titanoboa, the 43-foot snake made headlines around the world when the findings were published in 2009. No other creature could match Titanoboa in its size and strength. Or, so it was thought, until another discovery in Cerrejon suggested that Titanoboa's rule was challenged by a giant crocodilian. Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts follows scientists as they try to comprehend the size of this animal and uncover what made it so successful. Close analysis of fossils and scientific experiments reveal unmatched hunting prowess. So which one was the apex predator in Cerrejon 58 million years ago? The answer lies in how the creatures eat and not how they kill. Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts is a Blink Films production in association with THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET in association with Channel 4. Narrator: Jay O. Sanders. Producer/Director: Elliot Kew. Executive Producers for Blink Films: David McNab and Dan Chambers. Executive-in-Charge for WNET: Stephen Segaller. Executive Producer for WNET: Steve Burns. Supervising Producer for WNET: Stephanie Carter. This program is among the full-length episodes that will be available for viewing after broadcast on Secrets of the Dead Online (pbs.org/secrets). As one of PBS's ongoing limited primetime series, Secrets of the Dead is a perennial favorite among viewers, routinely ranking among the 10 most-watched series on public television. Currently in its 16th season, Secrets of the Dead continues its unique brand of archaeological sleuthing employing advances in investigative techniques, forensic science and historical scholarship to offer new evidence about forgotten mysteries. Secrets of the Dead has received 10 CINE Golden Eagle Awards and six Emmy nominations, among numerous other awards. About WNET WNET is America's flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 . WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (KidsThirteen, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET's groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history game. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender identity, First Person, and an intergenerational look at tech and pop culture, The Chatterbox with Kevin and Grandma Lill. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport. Secrets of the Dead episodes online at pbs.org/secrets Facebook: SecretsOfTheDead Twitter: @SecretsPBS Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161019/430507LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131218/DC35560LOGO SOURCE WNET Related Links http://pbs.org/secrets NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing, today announced the appointment of Thomas ("TJ") Carella as a Managing Director in the Healthcare and Consumer group. Mr. Carella joins from Goldman Sachs, where he was a Managing Director in its Merchant Banking Division and global head of the division's private equity activities in the healthcare sector. At Warburg Pincus, he will identify, evaluate and execute investments in the healthcare industry, as well as work with the firm's current healthcare portfolio. During Mr. Carella's tenure at Goldman Sachs, he led a number of investments in healthcare services, healthcare IT and life sciences, and worked in the New York, London and Milan offices. Earlier in his career, Mr. Carella also co-founded and served as Chief Executive Officer of a software services business. "TJ has extensive experience in healthcare investing and brings tremendous acumen and expertise both to the firm and to our portfolio company management teams," said In Seon Hwang, Managing Director and Head of the Healthcare and Consumer group at Warburg Pincus. "His leadership, demonstrated track record and strong network of industry relationships will be invaluable to growing our global healthcare franchise." Mr. Carella commented, "Warburg Pincus is a leading growth investor in the healthcare industry globally. I look forward to leading new and impactful investments in the sector and assisting the team in building value across the portfolio." Mr. Carella received a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. About Warburg Pincus Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The firm has more than $40 billion in private equity assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 120 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 15 private equity funds, which have invested more than $58 billion in over 760 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm's current and past healthcare investments have included Bausch + Lomb, China Biologic Partners (CPBO), Coventry Health Care, Helix, Lepu Medical, Wright Medical and Zentiva. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. For more information please visit www.warburgpincus.com. Contact: Mary Zimmerman / Christopher Beattie (212) 878-9201 SOURCE Warburg Pincus Related Links http://www.warburgpincus.com After nearly 300,000 dedicated readers cast their votes for 7,394 hotels, 606 cities, 500 cruise ships, and 236 islands to create the lists, White Lodging couldn't be prouder to announce that: "These are incredible accomplishments for our properties, and they are tough accolades to win from the well-traveled audience of a very highly regarded outlet like Conde Nast Traveler," said Dave Sibley, President & CEO. "We would like to recognize our passionate associates on the property teams who strive to provide the most refined experiences and memories for our guests every moment throughout their stay." About The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch: Brush Creek Ranch is a grand western destination offering an ultra-private collection of historic guest ranches set on a 30,000-acre working cattle ranch outside of Saratoga in south central Wyoming's North Platte River Valley. A Preferred Hotels & Resorts LEGEND destination, ORVIS Dual-Endorsed Fly Fishing and Wing Shooting Lodge and Beretta Trident Lodge, Brush Creek Ranch features rolling hills, verdant river valleys, lush forests and majestic rock formations that create an environment where guests can escape in true luxury. The Brush Creek Ranch Lodging Collection includes the Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, Magee Homestead and French Creek Sportsman's Club each of which appeals uniquely to family vacations, adult romantic and wellness escapes, elite sportsman's adventures, destination weddings and private corporate events. Offering an unsurpassed, all-inclusive luxury dude ranch adventure experience, Brush Creek Ranch provides a genuine Western spirit of hospitality and a vast array of outdoor activities that, coupled with an inspiring landscape and a dedication to sustainable ranching, come together to create an iconic leader in International luxury resort destinations. For more information about The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch or to inquire about rates call (307) 327-5284, email [email protected] or visit www.BrushCreekRanch.com or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About the JW Marriott Indianapolis: The JW Marriott Indianapolis opened in February 2011. The hotel offers 1,005 guest rooms in a 33-story tower, and 103,000 square feet of onsite function space. The hotel is connected by a sky bridge to the Indiana Convention Center and has three onsite, distinctive dining options, a full-service Starbucks, a state-of-the-art fitness center, an indoor pool and a multi-million dollar public art plaza. The JW Marriott Indianapolis has also been recognized by Conde Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards as number four in the top 15 hotels in the Midwest in 2015. For more information on the hotel, or to book a room, visit www.jwindy.com and follow the hotel on Twitter at @JWMarriottIndy and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JWMarriottIndianapolis. About JW Marriott Austin: The JW Marriott Austin opened in February 2015. The hotel is designed to host large conventions and meetings, with more than 112,000 square feet of event space, 42 meeting rooms and 1,012 guest rooms. The hotel has achieved a LEED Silver certification and two-star Austin Energy Green Building rating. The 34-story hotel is not only the largest hotel in Austin, but also the largest JW Marriott in the United States and the second-largest JW Marriott in the world. For more information about the hotel, or to book a room, visit JWMarriottAustin.com, @JWMarriottATX and facebook.com/jwmarriottaustin White Lodging Services Corporation was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Merrillville, IN. White Lodging is a fully integrated hotel ownership, development and operations company focused on developing and operating premium-branded hotels in growing urban markets across the United States. The company is a recognized leader that has defined and cultivated the ability to achieve consistent, sustainable growth among mid- to large-scale hotels. White Lodging has developed over 125 premium branded hotels over the last 25 years and its current managed portfolio consists of 165 hotels in 19 states including representation of the following leading brands: Marriott International, Inc., Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Global, Preferred Hotels & Resorts and InterContinental Hotel Group. For more information about White Lodging, please visit www.whitelodging.com, Facebook.com/whitelodgingservices, Twitter.com/whitelodging and Instagram.com/whitelodging. Contact: Kathleen Sebastian Phone: 219.472.2861 Fax: 219.472.2273 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430484 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430485 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120210/DE51498LOGO SOURCE White Lodging Related Links http://www.whitelodging.com CARBONDALE, Ill., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Who's Who recognizes Todd Christopher Headrick, Ph.D. as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member in recognition of his contributions to the field of Higher Education. Dr. Headrick earned his Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Statistics and Measurement, and both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts from Eastern Michigan University. He furthered his career in academia at Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale, Illinois, where he currently teaches in the Department of Counseling, Quantitative Methods and Special Education as well as the Department of Psychology. In addition to his teaching roles at SIU, where he has been on the faculty for 17 years, Dr. Headrick has held administrative roles as Associate Dean of Research and Statistical Analysis and Department Chair of Counseling, Quantitative Methods and Special Education. He applies his expertise in mathematical statistics and statistical computing methodology. Dr. Headrick's resume includes a plethora of published work. To name a few pieces, he published a book titled Statistical Simulation: Power Method Polynomials and Other Transformations, which was listed in the top twenty of the library journal for best sellers in Mathematics in 2010, and has published over 60 articles in various journals between 1999 and 2016. To further his professional development, Dr. Headrick is a member of the American Education Research Association, the International Association for Statistical Computing, the Psychometric Society, the Mathematics Association of America, the American Statistical Association and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. In recognition of his impressive body of work, Dr. Headrick was awarded the Outstanding Scholar Award from SIU College of Education and Human Services in 2008. He has also been a member of several university committees, including the Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committee, the Honorary Degree and Distinguished Service Award Committee and the University Distinguished Scholar Award Committee. For more information, visit www.siu.edu Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com "Fast, easy, and convenient is what consumers want, and providing home delivery is our answer," said Dennis Bassler, President, Southern Division. "We are delighted to bring this service to our customers in North Texas." To celebrate the launch and provide customers with additional savings, shoppers will receive $10 off and free delivery on their first delivery. The Tom Thumb grocery delivery service offers one-hour delivery windows and a shop-by-history feature that saves all previously purchased items for easy repeat purchasing. "We've made online shopping extremely efficient," Bassler said. "The process is simple. Customers order online and select a delivery date and time. Our personal shoppers select the items and carefully load them into the refrigerated trucks for delivery." Tom Thumb is launching the service in the metroplex with new delivery trucks to support the North Texas area. The new trucks are equipped with multiple-temperature zones so the frozen items stay frozen and the vegetables are crisp when delivered. 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 and Tom Thumb. 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. In North Texas, there are 48 stores under the Albertsons banner and 58 stores under the Tom Thumb banner. For further information, contact: Connie Yates, Public Affairs & Communications 214-287-5781 or [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430194 SOURCE Albertsons Companies Related Links http://www.tomthumb.com DALLAS, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Securus Technologies, a leading provider of civil and criminal justice technology solutions for public safety, investigation, corrections and monitoring, announced today that the United States Patent Office issued five (5) new Securus patents in August to October, 2016, granted 36 patents in the last 3 years, and Securus has filed 90 new patent applications in the last 3 years. "We received word from the United States Patent Office that we were issued five (5) new patents in August to October, 2016," said Richard A. ("Rick") Smith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Securus Technologies, Inc. "That increases our total patent portfolio to 248, the largest in our industry by far. The entire rest of the industry has 135 patents compared to our 248 patents, so we lead by 113 patents and that number is distributed among 7 different competitors." Securus' five (5) new patents are outlined as follows: Patent Number Patent Title Technical Description 9,420,094 Inbound Calls To Intelligent Controlled-Environment Facility Resident Media And/Or Communications Devices Inbound call processing systems and methods for processing inbound calls to controlled-environment facility resident media and/or communications devices employing an inbound resident call server. 9,420,118 Advertisements In Controlled-Environment Communication Systems Using Tablet Computing Devices The controlled-environment communications system selects advertisement(s) to be played on the tablet operated by the resident. 9,426,303 Location Based Services For Controlled-Environment Facilities Systems and methods for developing, deploying, providing, and/or operating location-based services for controlled-environment facilities (e.g., jails, prisons, etc.). 9,472,071 Covert Infrared Monitoring And Recording Of Images And Video In Controlled-Environment Facilities An infrared image and/or a video of one or more residents of a controlled-environment facility is captured using an imaging device of a controlled-environment facility resident communication and/or media device. 9,473,497 Exclusion Engine For Electronic Communications In Controlled-Environment Facilities An exclusion engine for electronic communications in controlled-environment facilities. This method may include receiving, at one or more computer systems, a request for an electronic communication between a resident and a non-resident of a controlled-environment facility. Mr. Smith continued, "We currently have approximately 200 software developers, over 100 field service technicians, and a large marketing and R & D Team that have good ideas things that our prison and jail customers want, things that are unique, and we routinely turn those ideas into patents. It's our biggest, most valuable asset good people with ideas that are solving our customers' problems. "Our patent portfolio includes patents in most areas of corrections communications and operations including audio calling, video calling, fraud detection, call platform architecture, call storage, inmate purchasing, billing, call throughput, inmate monitoring, word spotting, voice biometrics, and commissary services, and there are many other areas. "We issued a formal 'Patent Portfolio Bake Off' Challenge to the former leading competitor in our sector that went unanswered so we did something that was even better, I believe," said Smith. "We used our outside counsel to engage three (3) independent, well-known, intellectual property consulting firms to compare and contrast our patent portfolio with our competitor's patent portfolio. Outside counsel did not disclose who their client was, so the comparison was independent, intellectually honest and non-biased. Counsel didn't even tell the consulting firms what the list of patents was for each company. Securus didn't provide any help or assistance to aid their analysis at all. "The three (3) independent patent portfolio analyses clearly show that by virtually any qualitative or quantitative measurement, Securus' patent portfolio is much stronger, broader and valuable than the other company's portfolio," Smith said. "We did this work, spent this time and paid a significant amount of money to make clear to everyone that we have the largest and best patent portfolio that exists in the industry today - period. "We build patents around products that our customers want and that is good for inmates, friends and family, officers, investigators, victims of crimes and society I am proud of what we have contributed to our industry. We improve inmate communications, reduce recidivism, help solve and prevent crimes and ultimately save lives," 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 www.SecurusTechnologies.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100831/DA57799LOGO SOURCE Securus Technologies, Inc. Related Links http://www.securustech.net DULLES, Va., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $255 million contract for development and production readiness of its next generation precision landing system. The Joint Precision Approach and Landing System uses GPS satellite navigation to provide more accurate landing guidance for manned and unmanned aircraft, replacing radar and beacons used in older systems. This contract was announced by the Department of Defense on Sept. 21. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the value to $270 million. Raytheon will complete development for an auto-land capability to be used by both manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as finalize the integration with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: the first aircraft to be equipped with JPALS technology. When operational in 2018, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps will use JPALS on the F-35C carrier variant, F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant, and the MQ-25A multi-mission unmanned vehicle. "The JPALS solution revolutionizes landings for manned and unmanned military aircraft," said Dave Wajsgras, president of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business. "Aviators will be able to trust this technology to provide safe, secure, and reliable landing guidance, at any time of day, in all kinds of weather and environments." Developed in partnership with the U.S. Navy to provide pinpoint landing guidance on carriers in rough seas, JPALS: is tailorable to a wide range of environments including contingency operations requiring rapid deployment, or land-based airfields with curved, segmented and specialized approaches can integrate and modernize landing systems on legacy aircraft for joint interoperability JPALS improves navigational alignment prior to approach, allowing aircraft to land on any aircraft carrier or amphibious assault ship, day or night, even in adverse weather conditions. As the only military ground-based augmentation system in the world, the system features anti-jam protection to ensure mission continuity throughout a range of threat environments. 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. Media Contact Melanie Plunkett +1. 571.250.1102 [email protected] SOURCE Raytheon Company Related Links http://www.raytheon.com SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Voler Strategic Advisors announced the formation of a scholarship fund to assist students seeking to go to college who are in need of financial assistance. The scholarship was made possible by the generous support of Voler team members who themselves worked various jobs to support their college, and post graduate degrees. "At Voler Strategic Advisors, we are a company comprised of professionals who understand the level of sacrifice and commitment required to make our educational goals a reality," said Perla Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer, Voler Strategic Advisors. "With this scholarship, we seek to assist a new generation of leaders who are fighting to achieve their educational goals." The scholarship will be made available to high school seniors throughout California. Currently, the selection process is being determined and will be released on Voler's Facebook page (@volersa) in December. With a mix of PhD's, JD's, MPA's and MBA's within its ranks, Voler Strategic Advisors is a firm that puts an emphasis on leveraging its collective intellectual capital to help clients build capacity, facilitate change and achieve their objectives. About Voler Strategic Advisors: Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Voler Strategic Advisors is a management consulting firm offering effective, creative solutions to complex problems. Our team of distinguished, diverse, highly experienced, and skilled professionals serve many organizations and industries throughout the country. For more information, or to access Voler's Facebook page, visit our website at: www.volersa.com. SOURCE Voler Strategic Advisors Related Links http://www.volersa.com "We are pleased to embark on this new initiative that supports Voya's broader commitment to helping individuals plan, invest and protect their savings so they can retire better," said Alain Karaoglan, chief operating officer for Voya Financial. "As more Americans take on the responsibility to prepare for their retirement, we recognize the need to help them make the right choices. Our Institute will take a scientific approach that applies lessons learned from research, along with measurement and validation, to develop solutions that can lead to improved financial outcomes." To create the Institute, Voya teamed up with renowned behavioral economist Shlomo Benartzi, professor and co-chair of the Behavioral Decision-Making Group at UCLA Anderson School of Management, who is serving as a senior academic advisor for Voya. Voya is also engaging several other leading academics, including professor John W. Payne from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. Rick Mason, senior advisor at Voya Financial, will help coordinate the efforts for the company. Research associated with the Institute will be conducted in laboratory, panel and field settings. The Institute also plans to collaborate with Voya's employer clients and distributors to bring these concepts to life in a manner that best serves their plan participants. The Institute will support Voya across all of its businesses. Among other things, research will examine how to improve outcomes in areas such as savings rates, participation in workplace plans, portfolio diversification, creating sufficient retirement income and preventing money from prematurely leaving retirement plans (when participants cash out their savings after changing jobs). "By leveraging the latest academic research, the Voya Behavioral Finance Institute for Innovation has the potential to help millions of Americans improve their long-term financial security," said professor Benartzi. "Scientists have learned a tremendous amount about how people make decisions. With this knowledge and the Institute's unique approach, we can make a difference and help people 'get it right' when it comes to their retirement." Behavioral Finance and its Contribution to Retirement The field of behavioral finance, which applies psychological theories to finance, has offered valuable insights and solutions to help Americans achieve better outcomes. Ground-breaking areas of study have resulted in innovative retirement plan features and investment options, most notably: auto-enrollment; auto-escalation; and target-date funds. "This body of research has produced significant advancements, and the financial services industry has recognized its outcomes and benefits," said Charlie Nelson, chief executive officer of Retirement for Voya Financial. "We believe there is even greater opportunity today to improve savings rates with the data and insights available from phone and advisor interactions, as well as digital tools such as retirement plan websites, mobile devices and apps. Our goal is to be known by our clients and partners as a leader that advances this valuable research." The launch of the Voya Behavioral Finance Institute for Innovation included a forum in New York City on Oct. 18, where Nelson and Benartzi joined Voya executives, clients and distributors, along with members of the media, for a discussion on the Institute's first white paper, "Using Decision Styles to Improve Financial Outcomes Why Every Plan Needs a Retirement Check-Up." The paper, written by Benartzi, examines the two primary styles that people use to make decisions. By analyzing these decision styles, data collected from the online activities of retirement plan participants can inform a sponsor about the overall "health" of its plan and, more importantly, the actions it could take to set participants on a more effective course. "Planning for retirement is often treated as a one-time event, but the reality is that it's a long journey requiring adjustments and course corrections along the way," said Benartzi. "Plan sponsors must remember that even if employees are enrolled in a plan, they may still require check-ups to achieve a successful retirement. Research conducted with the Voya Behavioral Finance Institute for Innovation offers an opportunity to discover new solutions that can help people on their retirement journey." For more information on Voya's Behavioral Finance Institute for Innovation and to view the findings from Benartzi's current white paper or future studies, please visit Voya.com/behavioralfinance. As an industry leader and advocate for greater retirement readiness, Voya Financial is committed to delivering on its vision to be America's Retirement Company. Our goal is to make a secure financial future possible for everyone one person, one family, one institution at a time. Media Contacts: Joe Loparco Voya Financial Office: (860) 580-2677 Cell: (860) 462-6525 [email protected] Laura Maulucci Voya Financial Office: (860) 580-1278 Cell: (508) 353-6913 [email protected] About Voya Financial Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2015. The company had $466 billion in total assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2016. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible one person, one family, one institution at a time Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. The company is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible Voya has been recognized as one of the 2016 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, and as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150206/174115LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161017/429899 SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc. Related Links http://www.voya.com TEMPE, Ariz., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leaders in commercial real estate, aerospace, and materials engineering with be recognized for their accomplishments this month. The three alumni will be inducted into the W. P. Carey School of Business Homecoming Hall of Fame at Arizona State University on Oct. 20. Previous inductees come from such diverse organizations as the American Red Cross, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Motorola, Wells Fargo Bank, and XM Satellite Radio. "The new honorees have all blazed a trail in their respective fields, making a difference in their professions, their community and society as a whole," says Amy Hillman, dean of the W. P. Carey School of Business. "They also set a great example for our current students that there are no limits on how far they can go in their own career paths." The 39th annual W. P. Carey School inductees are: Tariq Jesrai, retired chairman and CEO of Doncasters Group, spent the majority of his career in the aerospace industry. Prior to joining Doncasters, he served as CEO of McKechnie Aerospace, directing the strategy, operations and integration of all companies. He has also held executive management positions with Hartwell Corp., Aeroquip-Vickers, and Honeywell International. Jesrai received his MBA from the W. P. Carey School in 1991. David J. Larcher, founding principal and president of Vestar, one of the largest privately held owner-operators of shopping centers in the U.S. He is responsible for Vestar's acquisition, development, and operational activities, and acts as the key contact for Vestar's retail relationships. A member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, and the Urban Land Institute, Larcher also serves on the several boards in the Phoenix area. He earned a bachelor's degree in real estate from ASU in 1982. Guisheng Yang, chairman of Shanghai Genius Advanced Material (Group) Co. Ltd., which he established in 1992. Genius Group fills gaps in the field of engineering plastics in China and promotes the development of relevant industries. The company is noted for its independent innovation, energy conservation, and the cooperation it fosters between industries, universities, and research institutes. Yang has earned two W. P. Carey degrees in Shanghai, his MBA in 2007 and a DBA in 2015. Alumni, business leaders, and students will attend the Homecoming Hall of Fame event Thursday, Oct. 20 at McCord Hall Plaza on ASU's Tempe campus. The reception starts at 6 p.m. Advance registration is requested at wpcarey.asu.edu/fame or by calling (480) 965-3978. W. P. CAREY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University is one of the top-ranked and largest business schools in the United States. The school is internationally regarded for its research productivity and its distinguished faculty members, including a Nobel Prize winner. Students come from more than 100 countries and include over 50 National Merit Scholars. For more information, please visit wpcarey.asu.edu. Media Contact: Kim Steinmetz Arizona State University W. P. Carey School of Business (480) 965-5464 [email protected] SOURCE Arizona State University Western Gas Equity Partners, LP (NYSE: WGP ) also announced today that the board of directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.4475 per unit for the third quarter of 2016. This distribution represents a 3-percent increase over the prior quarter and a 17-percent increase over the third quarter of 2015. WGP's third quarter 2016 distribution is payable on November 22, 2016, to unitholders of record at the close of business on October 31, 2016. The Partnerships plan to report their third-quarter 2016 results after the market closes on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. Management will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 2, 2016, at 8 a.m. CDT (9 a.m. EDT) to discuss quarterly results. The full text of the release announcing the results will be available on the Partnerships' website at www.westerngas.com. Third-Quarter 2016 Results Wednesday, November 2, 2016 8 a.m. CDT (9 a.m. EDT) Dial-in number: 844-836-8745 International dial-in number: 412-317-5439 Individuals who would like to participate should dial the applicable dial-in number listed above approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled conference call time. Pre-registration is available through the investor relations page at www.westerngas.com. Pre-registrants will be issued a personal identification number to use when dialing in to the live conference call, which will enable the participant to bypass the operator and gain immediate access to the call. To access the live audio webcast of the conference call, please visit the investor relations section of the Partnerships' website at www.westerngas.com. A replay of the conference call will also be available on the website for two weeks following the call. Western Gas Partners, LP ("WES") is a growth-oriented Delaware master limited partnership formed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to acquire, own, develop and operate midstream energy assets. With midstream assets located in the Rocky Mountains, the Mid-Continent, North-central Pennsylvania and Texas, WES is engaged in the business of gathering, processing, compressing, treating, and transporting natural gas, condensate, natural gas liquids and crude oil for Anadarko, as well as for other producers and customers. Western Gas Equity Partners, LP ("WGP") is a Delaware master limited partnership formed by Anadarko to own the following types of interests in WES: (i) the general partner interest and all of the incentive distribution rights in WES, both owned through WGP's 100% ownership of WES's general partner, and (ii) a significant limited partner interest in WES. For more information about Western Gas Partners, LP, Western Gas Equity Partners, LP, and Western Gas Flash Feed updates, please visit www.westerngas.com. Note regarding Non-United States Investors: This release is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b). Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100.0%) of Western Gas Partners, LP's and Western Gas Equity Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Accordingly, Western Gas Partners, LP's and Western Gas Equity Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. WESTERN GAS PARTNERS, LP and WESTERN GAS EQUITY PARTNERS, LP CONTACT: Jonathon E. VandenBrand Director, Investor Relations [email protected] 832.636.1007 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150505/213920LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150505/213919LOGO SOURCE Western Gas Partners, LP Related Links http://www.westerngas.com GREENSBURG, Pa., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Construction has begun on a new FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) transmission substation near Burgettstown, Pa., to help meet the increased electrical usage of the area's expanding Marcellus Shale gas industry. The project also will reinforce the regional transmission system which is expected to benefit more than 40,000 West Penn Power customers in Allegheny and Washington counties. Budgeted at approximately $40 million, the project will support two natural gas processing facilities being developed in the area projected to use more electricity annually than approximately 100,000 homes. Construction crews are building foundations and raising steel structures for the new substation located in Smith Township in Washington County, with part of the facility expected to be operational by the end of the year. The project also includes erecting a new transmission line to connect the new substation to an existing transmission line nearby. Another key aspect of the project is the installation of specialized voltage-regulating equipment designed to respond to real-time electrical conditions, boosting or reducing voltage as needed to maintain consistent levels on the regional transmission network. Slated for completion in mid-2017, that work involves installing capacitor banks, circuit breakers, communications equipment, a modular control building and two large transformers manufactured in Wisconsin that each weigh nearly 280,000 pounds. "FirstEnergy's infrastructure enhancements continue to help support natural gas activity in Western Pennsylvania, said David W. McDonald, regional president of West Penn Power. "This project also will benefit existing customers by providing additional capacity and voltage support to our regional transmission network, especially commercial and industrial customers using specialized equipment sensitive to voltage fluctuations." The project is part of FirstEnergy's plans to invest more than $200 million in 2016 in the West Penn Power area to help enhance service reliability. Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company (TrAILCo), a FirstEnergy transmission affiliate, will build and own the new substation. West Penn Power serves about 720,000 customers in 24 Pennsylvania counties. Connect with West Penn Power on Twitter @W_Penn_Power and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WestPennPower. FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com. Editor's Note: Photos of work being done on the new FirstEnergy substation project in Washington County, Pa., are available for download on Flickr. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com "Safety is our first priority and we're dedicated, in every task we do, to ensuring that these units are completed safely, correctly and in a way that will deliver the most value for Georgia electric customers," said Mark Rauckhorst, executive vice president of nuclear development. "We will never compromise in our commitment to safe and high-quality construction and I applaud our entire Vogtle construction team for reaching this milestone." Georgia Power is documenting the daily progress made at the Vogtle expansion and has posted an updated time lapse video on its YouTube Channel highlighting six years of construction work in less than two minutes. So far this year, thousands of workers from across the country worked together to safely place more than 2,200 tons of rebar, weld more than 4,300 tons of structural steel, pour more than 23,500 cubic yards of concrete and lift numerous multi-million pound modules for the units into place. Most recently, workers placed six new shield building panels for Unit 3. Nearly 50 steel panels are now in place for the shield building, which encapsulates the Unit 3 containment vessel. The reinforced individual panels can weigh 10 tons or more and be filled with concrete. Once fully assembled, including more than 160 individual panels, the shield building will provide structural support of the containment cooling water supply and protect the containment vessel, which houses the reactor vessel and associated equipment. Georgia Power delivers reliable energy for customers at the lowest possible cost by leveraging a diverse generation mix, including nuclear, 21st century coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar and wind. To learn more about Georgia Power's diverse generation portfolio and the Vogtle nuclear expansion project visit www.GeorgiaPower.com. About Georgia Power Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, 21st century coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower) and Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower). Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny05YVhFyHE&feature=youtu.be Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050216/CLW066LOGO SOURCE Georgia Power Related Links http://www.georgiapower.com ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial advisors seeking access to personalized bond management and direct purchasing opportunities now have another option other than rummaging through thousands of bonds via their trading platform. World Equity Group (WEG), a rapidly growing independent broker/dealer and registered investment advisory firm headquartered in the Midwest with $3 billion in assets, today announced its third consecutive year of growth for its bond trading desk, which offers financial advisors completely customized approach to incorporating bonds into a portfolio. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/429753LOGO "We all know that bonds may be a useful tool to portfolios when seeking lower risk. The problem is that bonds often have a complex structure, many advisors avoid them because they are really unsure what they are getting their clients into," said Rich Babjak, president, of World Equity Group. "We wanted to provide a solution to our advisors that is truly customizable to each of their client's needs not just a point-and-click solution that is available to everyone." Since its inception in 2013, World Equity's bond desk has doubled the amount of assets it manages year-over-year. Sarah Simmons, a 20-year industry veteran oversees the buying and selling of bonds utilizing an extensive dealer network with Tier I institutional pricing. She is also charged with reviewing portfolios and providing guidance in bond buy/sell selections, as well as creating and executing bond ladders for the more than 170 World Equity Group advisors. "Platforms can't tell you everything. We are eliminating the electronic middle man and looking beyond just the bond rating before we make any type of recommendation to our advisors," stated Simmons. "For advisors, the direct buying of bonds may not be an option for them. Smaller advisors have an even more difficult time leveraging their scale. With our industry relationships, we are able to deal directly with the street and fight for the best possible pricing." Advisors utilizing World Equity Group's bond desk resources have found some success for their clients. Harvey E. Hutchinson IV, AAMS, president of Hutchinson Financial Advisors, Inc., recently tapped the independent broker-dealer bond desk to analyze a retail bond offering for his clients. "I could have easily gone into our custodian's platform and purchased the bond right then and there. It is just one of the true benefits and a real differentiator for an advisor working with World Equity Group being able to pick up the phone and lean on the expertise that Sarah and her team offer," said Hutchinson. "They really have the desire to understand my business and my clients. Knowing I have a resource of that caliber to tap offers me peace of mind that I am doing what's best for my clients." Advisors who interested in working with World Equity Group may email [email protected] or call (800) 765-5004 for more information. ABOUT WORLD EQUITY GROUP Founded in 1993, World Equity Group is run by top financial professionals and practicing advisors who understand the fee-based business needs of other independent financial advisors. The firm is focused on building individual relationships with every advisor who decides to join the World Equity Group family. Partners Rich Babjak and Robert Yarosz consider WEG Registered Representatives business partners, and the entire WEG team works hard to add value to each advisor's practice. The company offers a compelling array of products and services including investment banking services, alternative investments and sophisticated solutions for accredited investors, and an in-house bond desk that allow advisors to offer a wide range of solutions aimed at meeting the unique needs of each client. For more information visit www.WorldEquityGroup.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Leesy Palmer Impact Communications 913-649-5009 Email SOURCE World Equity Group Related Links http://www.WorldEquityGroup.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WOW air, the ultra-low-cost transatlantic airline from Iceland, will now offer daily flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Keflavik International Airport (KEF), making it even easier to travel to Europe from the West Coast. Fares from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Reykjavik will begin as low as $99* including taxes. Travellers can purchase tickets with a short one hour stopover in Iceland allowing them to continue their trip to one of WOW airs 31 European destinations Prices from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Amsterdam, Paris and London are now available for as low as $179* one way including taxes. Tickets reflecting these prices go on sale today. "We saw a great response to our new routes in Calfiornia this summer and are excited to begin daily flights from the West Coast to Europe beginning next Spring," said Skuli Mogensen, founder and CEO of WOW air. "WOW air is dedicated to providing customers with an easy and affordable way to travel, and continue to do so by offering low-fares and high-performance." WOW air announced its entry into the U.S. West Coast market in January 2016 with services beginning this past June. Currently, flights from San Francisco to Iceland are available five days a week, with service from Los Angeles scheduled four days a week. California routes are serviced by Airbus A330-300 aircrafts, the first wide-body planes in the WOW air fleet, which each carry 350 passengers in a single-class configuration. Seat pitch will vary from 30 inches as standard to 34 inches at an additional charge. Launched in November 2011, WOW air now connects 31 destinations across the U.S. and Europe with the Icelandic capital. WOW air's annual passenger capacity is projected to more than double in 2016 to over 1.8 million, up from approximately 840,000 in 2015. For more information on flights to Iceland and North America please visit www.wow.us. About WOW air The airline services 31 destinations across Europe and North America including Dublin, London, Paris, Berlin, and Copenhagen. Established in November 2011 by Icelandic entrepreneur Skuli Mogensen, the purple airline currently operates six Airbus A321 aircraft and recently purchased four. WOW airs fleet also consists of three Airbus A330-300 planes and two A 320-200 planes. By the end of 2017 the fleet will consist of 17 aircraft with the average age of the whole fleet only 2.5 years. For additional information and bookings please visit www.wowair.com. Contact: Anna Romano [email protected] 310 854 8296 WOW air corporate Svana Fridriksdottir VP Communications [email protected] 354 695 9359 *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles to Reykjavik (KEF), including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX on Tuesdays from January 17, 2017 through April 4, 2017 and April 25, 2017 through May 30, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from San Francisco to Reykjavik (KEF), including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from SFO on Fridays from January 13, 2017 through April 7, 2017 and April 28, 2017 through May 26, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Paris (CDG) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX and SFO on Tuesdays from January 17, 2017 through April 4, 2017 and April 25, 2017 through May 30, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles to Amsterdam (AMS) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX on Thursdays from January 12, 2017 through April 6, 2017 and April 27, 2017 through May 25, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles to London (LGW) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX on Saturdays from January 14, 2017 through April 8, 2017 and April 29, 2017 through May 27, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from San Francisco to Amsterdam (AMS) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from SFO on Saturdays from January 14, 2017 through April 8, 2017 and April 29, 2017 through May 27, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from San Francisco to London (LGW) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from SFO on Thursdays from January 12, 2017 through April 6, 2017 and April 27, 2017 through May 25, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. SOURCE WOW air HOUSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- W&T Offshore, Inc. (NYSE: WTI) announced today that it will release its third quarter 2016 financial and operational results after the market closes on Wednesday, November 2. In conjunction with the release, the Company has scheduled a conference call, which will also be broadcast live over the Internet, on Thursday, November 3 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (7:30 a.m. Central Time). By Phone: Dial 1-412-902-0030 at least 10 minutes before the call. A telephone replay will be available through November 10, 2016 by dialing 1-201-612-7415 and using the passcode 13648354. By Webcast: Visit the Investor Relations page of W&T's website at www.wtoffshore.com under "Presentations." A replay will be available shortly after the call. About W&T Offshore W&T Offshore, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas producer with operations offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and has grown through acquisitions, exploration and development. The Company currently has working interests in approximately 54 fields in federal and state waters (50 producing and four fields capable of producing) and has under lease approximately 750,000 gross acres, including approximately 450,000 gross acres on the Gulf of Mexico Shelf and approximately 300,000 gross acres in the deepwater. A majority of the Company's daily production is derived from wells it operates. For more information on W&T Offshore, please visit the Company's website at www.wtoffshore.com. CONTACT: Lisa Elliott Danny Gibbons Dennard Lascar Associates SVP & CFO [email protected] [email protected] 713-529-6600 713-624-7326 SOURCE W&T Offshore, Inc. Related Links http://www.wtoffshore.com TAOS, N.M., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Wounded Warriors Family Support's Native American Veterans Support Transportation and Resources (NAVSTaR) program rolled into Taos Monday with a 2016 Ford Explorer for the Taos Pueblo tribe. NAVSTaR ensures that Native American veterans, especially those who are combat wounded, are helped in a meaningful way. The program has donated 16 Ford vehicles to tribes in eight states. These donations have topped $600,000. The Tzell and Protravel Foundation of New York provided funding for the Taos Pueblo Explorer. "Our ability to provide Ford vehicles to support our Native American veterans to get to health care appointments is made possible because of the generosity of the American people, specifically The Tzell and Protravel Foundation," said Col. John Folsom, USMCR (Ret.), founder and president of Wounded Warriors Family Support. "We are honored and privileged to have their support. Without them, today's presentation would not have been possible." Taos Pueblo Gov. Benito Sandoval and War Chief Richard Archuleta invited Folsom to the vehicle donation ceremony as a way to honor Taos veterans. "This vehicle will be used to take our veterans to the care facilities that they need," Sandoval said. "May the Creator give you many blessings. On behalf of all of our veterans, we give you our heartfelt thanks." The Black Feet Sioux, Eastern Shoshone, Gros Vetnre, Hopis, Jemez Pueblo, Northern Cheyenne, Oglala Sioux, Santee Sioux and Seminole Nation of Oklahoma are among other tribes that have received Ford vehicles from NAVSTaR. To support Native American veterans, you can contact Wounded Warriors Family Support by calling 402-502-7557 or visiting www.wwfs.org. About Wounded Warriors Family Support Wounded Warriors Family Support is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured or killed during combat operations. Rated a four-star nonprofit by Charity Navigator, Wounded Warriors Family Support aids veterans and their families in healing the wounds that medicine cannot. For more information about Wounded Warriors Family Support, visit www.wwfs.org. SOURCE Wounded Warriors Family Support Related Links http://www.wwfs.org VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Zymo Research Corporation will launch its Quick-cfRNA Serum & Plasma Kit, which is currently in beta test, at ASHG 2016, Booth #112. Genetic researchers who need a reliable and robust method to purify cell-free RNA (cfRNA) from up to 1 ml of plasma, serum, or other biological fluids can use the Quick-cfRNA Serum & Plasma Kit. Isolated RNA is immediately ready for sensitive downstream applications including RT-qPCR and Next Generation Sequencing. The kit enables simple, reliable, and efficient preparation of high-quality circulating cell-free RNA (including protein-bound, exosomal, miRNA and other small RNAs) from serum, plasma, amniotic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, and other biological fluids. Cell-free RNA naturally occurs in blood and has clinical significance. It is becoming a promising tool for non-invasive and cost effective detection of cancer and other diseases. A Zymo Research scientist testing the new Quick-cfRNA(TM) Serum & Plasma Kit. In addition to the new Quick-cfRNA Serum & Plasma Kit, Zymo Research will also be showing its Quick-cfDNA Serum & Plasma Kit. Investigators are finding that increased rates of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from tumors can be used as a biomarker source for early cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of cancer therapy. Zymo Research's Quick-cfDNA Serum & Plasma Kit can be used for biomarker discovery and advanced liquid biopsy research. Liquid biopsies typically screen for free-floating pieces of DNA or RNA from cancerous cells found in the bloodstream. Researchers will capture a biological sample, such as blood or serum for disease analysis, and use that sample for a range of research applications such as RT-PCR, digital PCR, and Next Generation Sequencing. Translational genomic research is utilizing cfDNA to monitor personalized therapies based on specific tumor profiles. For these applications it is critical to recover total DNA. Zymo's Quick-cfDNA Serum & Plasma Kit uses a combination of chemical and enzymatic methods to efficiently recover total DNA (including cell-free apoptotic, necrotic, mitochondrial and viral DNA) linearly from up to 10 ml of sample. Zymo Research's Zymo-Spin technology is featured in both kits. Its unique spin-column design allows for ultra-pure DNA or RNA to be eluted in as little as 35 l of water. The resulting DNA or RNA is suitable for all subsequent analyses and molecular manipulations, such as qPCR, Next Generation Sequencing, and DNA methylation analyses. About Zymo Research Corporation Zymo Research Corporation is a privately held company based in Irvine, California, USA. Since its inception in 1994 it has been serving the academic and biopharmaceutical scientific communities by providing DNA and RNA purification products. Their goal is to help scientists reduce time in the lab by eliminating steps and making the entire DNA/RNA extraction process simpler and faster. In addition to the nucleic acid purification products, Zymo Research also offers genetic, epigenetic and transcriptome analysis services. Zymo Research provides high quality products that are simple to use yet robust in their performance. For more information, please visit: www.zymoresearch.com. Follow Zymo Research Corporation on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Zymo Research Corporation, the stylized logo, tagline "The Beauty of Science is to Make Things Simple", Quick-cfDNA, Quick-cfRNA, and Zymo-Spin are trademarks of Zymo Research Corporation and are registered with the USPTO. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161014/429018 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160506/364743LOGO SOURCE Zymo Research Corp. Related Links http://www.zymoresearch.com If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Ranchi, Oct 15 : Jharkhand is set to witness two rallies and one shutdown this month to protest land acquisition for various projects and changes proposed to the state's two land acts through an ordinance. The opposition parties have called a rally on October 19 and a shutdown on October 24 against the police firing at Barkagao in Hazaribagh district that killed four villagers. The opposition leaders held a meeting on Friday and chalked out strategy for the rally and the shutdown. All top opposition leaders took part in the meeting. "The 'Sankalap Rally' will take place on October 19 and shutdown has been called on October 24 to protest the police firing," said Rakesh Sinha, a Congress leader, who attended the meeting. Former central minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay, former Chief Minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) President Babulal Marandi, leaders of JD-U, RJD and Left parties also attended the meeting. On October 1, police had opened fire at protesters, in which four people, including three minors, were killed. The residents of Barkagao have been protesting the acquisition of land by the NTPC for coal block mining there. The villagers also allege that proper compensation has not been given to them. The coal blocks of Pankri Barwadih, Chatti Bariatu and Keredari were identified in 2004 with the coal yield estimated at 13 million tonnes. The foundation stone was laid for the project on November 21, 2005. Overall, 8,100 acres of land needed to be acquired, of which 4,000 acres was to be from the 'rayats' (contract tillers), 2,900 acres was forest land and 1,200 acres was government land. It was likely to affect 8,745 families. The proposed compensation was fixed at Rs 8 lakh per acre. On October 22, the Jharkhand Adivasi Sanghrash Morcha has called rally in Ranchi to protest the proposed changes through to the two land acts -- Chotangapur Tenancy (CNT) and Santhal Pargana Act (SPT). Once the ordinance is cleared by the President of India, the agriculture land could be acquired for non-agriculture purposes, like roads, power projects and malls. The opposition parties and the BJP alliance partner AJSU are also opposing the proposed changes in the and acts. "The tribal people will show their strength in the rally. No model is prepared for their development. Thousands of acres of land have been acquired in Jharkhand for different projects. The rally will highlight the feelings of the people to the Jharkhand government," Karma Oraon, the Jharkhand Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha Convener, told reporters. Benaulim (Goa), Oct 15 : India and Russia on Saturday condemned terrorism and emphasised the need to stamp out terror in all forms, apart from calling for building a legal regime on the principle of zero tolerance for terrorism, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said. Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed the need to "deny safe havens to terrorists and counter the spread of terrorist ideology, stop recruitment, prevent travel of terrorists, strengthen border management and essentially have a legal regime built on the principle of zero tolerance for, or indirect support of, terrorism", he added. He was addressing a press conference here on the sidelines of the India-Russia bilateral summit. "The two leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said. He said India appreciated Russia's unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attack on the army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18, in which 19 soldiers were killed. "The Prime Minister appreciated the strong statements and support and sympathy we got from Russia after the Uri attack. He recognised the personal role of President Putin in building the India-Russia relations over two decades. He said this relation is actually so strong, so deep, that we are responding organically to international developments and changes," the Foreign Secretary said. A joint statement issued by the two leaders also noted the "commonality of positions on important issues, including the war on terrorism", Jaishankar added. Washington, Oct 16 : Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has hinted that his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, took drugs before their second debate last week and asked that the two of them be tested before their third and final debate. "Athletes, they make them take a drug test. We should take a drug test prior to the debate because I don't know what's going on with her," Trump said on Saturday at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. "At the beginning of her last debate (October 9 in St. Louis, Missouri), she was all pumped up at the beginning. And at the end...she could barely reach her car," he said, adding that he was "willing" to undergo drug testing before their next debate on October 19 in Las Vegas. The Republican candidate, who has stoked a number of rumours about Clinton's health and stamina in recent months, criticised his rival for not programming a campaign event for this Saturday, and claimed she is not prepping for their next debate but instead is resting up for the debate even though it's still five days away. "I said forget debate prep. I mean, give me a break. Do you really think that Hillary Clinton is debate-prepping for three or four days? Hillary Clinton is resting, OK?" the magnate said. His campaign had said that when the Federal Bureau of Investigation was probing her handling of e-mails when she was secretary of state, "she said 39 times she couldn't remember anything", and maybe that was why she has to prep so much for the debate - she has a bad memory. The magnate has stepped up his attacks not only against Clinton but also against several Republican leaders for failing to support him and against the media following the release of a 2005 video in which he is heard making sexist remarks, after which a number of woman came forward to accuse Trump of sexually abusing them some years ago. "The election is being rigged by corrupt media pushing completely false allegations and outright lies in an effort to elect her president," Trump said with reference to Clinton. But the Republican candidate vowed to defeat the "rigged" system, while also denying all the accusations of sexual harassment made over the last week by half a dozen women. Seoul, Oct 17 : South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics said on Monday that it will now offer replacement phones to Galaxy Note 7 users flying out of South Korea, after the US and other countries banned the device from flights. Samsung took the step after it became apparent that transport authorities in the US, Canada, Israel and Japan have imposed a ban on carrying the Galaxy Note 7 device on flights, even if switched off or in airplane mode, following several reports of the gadget catching on fire. "We set up a counter at Incheon (International) Airport where Note 7 users can replace their phone with another phone of a different model," a Samsung spokesman told EFE news. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics, which initially attributed the combustion instances to defective batteries, has initiated a large scale investigation into the matter after several replacement phones offered to customers following a September recall had the same problem. The spokesman said engineers are "thoroughly reviewing every step of the engineering, manufacturing and quality control processes" to uncover the reasons behind the problem. "We are looking into every possibility, and working around the clock to get the bottom of this issue," said the representative of the Seoul-based firm. Meanwhile, South Korean authorities have began a parallel probe in collaboration with Samsung. In September, the company had recalled around 2.5 million units and was forced to permanently withdraw the device from the market when the problem persisted. Samsung expects to incur operative losses of around $5.4 billion between July 2016 and March 2017 over the fiasco. Mumbai, Oct 17 : In a rare display of solidarity, Islamic scholars and clerics of all Muslim sects on Monday attacked the government for trying to introduce a Uniform Civil Code. The scholars and clerics from Sunni, Shia, Barelvi, Deobandi and Ahlehadi sects registered their protest against what they termed was "the government's interference in personal laws". In a joint statement issued after a brainstorming session, the leaders took umbrage to the Centre's proposals on Triple Talaq and other practices which they said would violate their personal laws. "Any interference in Muslim Personal Law will not be tolerated. Any efforts to impose a Uniform Civil Code in the name of social reform and gender justice will prove counterproductive," they said. The President of All India Ulema Council, Maulana Zaherudin Khan, condemned the move of banning Triple Talaq as a conspiracy to impose a Uniform Civil Code which he said was opposed by most Muslims. "We will boycott this questionnaire. No Muslim will respond to it because it is misleading and deceitful. The Uniform Civil Code is divisive and will lead to social unrest," he cautioned. "The government should respect this position of the Muslims instead of conspiring to forcibly put an end to it," said Darul Uloom Mohamadiya's President Maulana Sayed M.K. Ashraf. "It cannot force Muslims to follow other communities in issues related to personal laws as it tantamount to an infringement on their fundamental rights," Ashraf said. He said that Muslims clamouring against Triple Talaq and demanding a ban on polygamy "are a miniscule minority who do not represent the sentiments of the majority of Indian Muslims". All Indian Ulema Association President Maulana Sayed Athar Ali urged the government to refrain from interfering in the beliefs and religions of all citizens. "Muslims consider divorce, polygamy and other personal laws as an intrinsic part of their religion and are obliged to follow the Sharia in these matters," Maulana Ali pointed out. The latest move comes shortly after the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) came out strongly against Triple Talaq. The meeting in Mumbai was chaired by Maulana Ashraf and attended by AIUC President Maulana Khan; Mushwarat President Naveed Hamid; AIMPLB executive committee member Maulana Sayed Athar Ali; All India Jamiat Islami Vice-President Maulana Nusrat; Imam of Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai, Maulana Mohammed Islam; Shia scholar Maulana Asgar Haideri and Ahlehadis scholar Maulana Asgar Imam Salfi. New Delhi, Oct 17 : The Congress on Monday hit out at Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar for his comment that "RSS ideology inspired surgical strikes", and said that he is a "national embarrassment" and "doesn't derserve to hold his portfolio". Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar on Monday said the RSS ideology inspired Prime Minister Narendra Modi and him to carry out the September 29 surgical strikes across the Line of Control. It was not possible that a Prime Minister from the land of Mahatma Gandhi and a Defence Minister from Goa with a common RSS orientation would not take such a strong decision, he said. The minister was addressing students and teachers of Nirma University here during a 'Know Your Army' programme. The minister said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh teachings were at the back of the mind of the Prime Minister and him while ordering the surgical strikes on the terrorist launch pads. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said: "Why is the Defence Minister always so over the top? Today, he has gone and credited the RSS for operations along the LoC." "What is wrong with this gentleman? And this is not the first time this has happened. Earlier, he said that 'like Hanuman' the army did not know their prowess until I pointed out to them their strength and capacity. Then they blame others for politicising the operations along the LoC," he added. Asked if the Congress would demand Parrikar's resignation, Tewari said: "Resignation can be demanded from somebody who has morality. By seeking his resignation, we don't intend to waste our time." The Congress asked a few questions to the BJP and Parrikar, including did Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri go to an RSS Shakha? Did Defence Minister Yashwantrao Chavan go to a RSS Shakha? Did Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who created Bangaldesh, go to a Shakha? Did Defence Minister Jagjivan Ram go to a Shakha? Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw or General J.S. Aurora, did they go to a Shakha? "Manohar Parrikar does not deserve to be the Defence Minister. This man is a national embarrassment. And the operations along the LoC were targeted more for domestic consumption rather than changing the behaviour of the deep-State in Pakistan." Asked if the Congress party's line on providing evidence on surgical strikes is same as its senior leader P. Chidambaram, Tewari said: "No one in the Congress has ever asked for evidence with regard to the surgical strikes. In fact, surgical strike is a wrong terminology -- the terminology used by the DGMO is 'Operations along the LoC'." "If the army institutionally stands up and makes a statement, we believe that statement, as we believe the statement which has been made by former Chief of Army General Bikram Singh that such operations were carried out in the past," he added. Panaji, Oct 18 : Rebel Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Subash Velingkar on Tuesday accused Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar of picking and choosing RSS teachings according to his convenience and timing. Velingkar said the former Goa Chief Minister should cancel government grants to English medium primary schools in the state if he really pays heed to the Sangh's values. "If Parrikar believes in Sangh's teachings, he should first ensure that government grants to English medium schools should be cancelled," Velingkar told IANS. Parrikar, while addressing an event at the Nirma University in Ahmadabad, on Monday said: "The Prime Minister hails from Mahatma Gandhi's home state and the Defence Minister comes from Goa which never had a 'martial race'. And then take this surgical strike. This was a different kind of combination. May be the RSS teaching was at the core." Velingkar was sacked from the Sangh in August this year after he repeatedly accused Parrikar and the Goa Bharatiya Janata Party of deviating from the RSS teachings and betraying the cause of regional languages by allowing english medium primary schools, most of which are run by the state's Roman Catholic church, avail financial grants. Parrikar in a Cabinet decision in 2012 had allowed continuation of the state Education Ministry's financial grants to english medium primary schools. In the run up to the last assembly elections, Parrikar had opposed grants to the same schools. Velingkar, who is also the co-convenor of the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch, has accused the Defence Minister and the state BJP of betrayal, a campaign which eventually led to his sacking as the state RSS chief. The Manch has now floated a new political party with Velingkar as one of its mentors, and this according to the rebel RSS leaders, has worried Parrikar ahead of the Goa polls early next year. "Parrikar is actually worried because of our campaign against the BJP... The timing of his comment about his RSS teachings is therefore a suspect," Velingkar said. Damascus, Oct 18 : Syria's northern city of Aleppo calmed down on Tuesday, as Russia has halted airstrikes in the city, a security source said. The sky over hard-hit Aleppo has never been so tranquil for a long time, Xinhua news agency quoted the source as saying. Russia announced airstrikes on rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo have been halted from 10.00 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday, as a prelude to an eight-hour humanitarian truce in the city, which will enter into force on Thursday. The Thursday truce could see the evacuation of hardline rebels of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. The truce and the rebels' evacuation are believed to be the outcome of a recent meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, where world powers Moscow and Washionton sought to broker a humanitarian pause and eventual political solution to the crisis. The Russian air force and the Syrian army recently upped their offensives in Aleppo in order to banish the rebels from the east of the city. The Syrian government has issued multiple statements that urged the rebels to leave eastern Aleppo and promised them a safe passage to the rebel-held city of Idlib. Meanwhile, Russia has urged the evacuation of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham group, which is listed as a terrorist group by the UN, from Aleppo. On the other side, the US and its allies have accused Russia and the Syrian government of committing war crimes by shelling Aleppo. But observers said both Washington and Moscow are believed to have agreed on evacuating ultra-radical groups from Aleppo in exchange for a halt of Russian airstrikes. Aleppo, located near the borders with Turkey, is Syria's largest city and was once its economic hub. It has been a focal point of clashes between the Syrian army and the rebels. Ranchi, Oct 18 : Congress legislator Nirmala Devi, who is spearheading the protest against NTPC coal block mining in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand, was arrested on Tuesday, police said. "Nirmala Devi has been arrested from Hazaribagh," said Inspector General of Police (Operations) M.S. Bhatia. She was earlier arrested on October 1 when she was sitting on a dharna with her supporters to demand a ban on the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) work in Barkagao in Hazaribagh district. She and her husband are protesting the land acquisition by the NTPC and alleged absence of suitable compensation to landowners. After her arrest on October 1, she was allegedly freed by her supporters, after which police firing on villagers had led to the death of four persons. Her husband and former Minister and Congress leader Yogendra Sao was arrested after the firing on the charge of instigating people. Nirmala Devi's son too was arrested in another case. The arrest comes a day before opposition parties' rally in Barkagao to protest the land acquisition for the NTPC project. The coal blocks of Pankri Barwadih, Chatti Bariatu and Keredari in Hazaribagh district were awarded to the NTPC in 2004. The mining work required acquisition of 4,000 acres of land from 'rayats', 2,900 acres of forest land and 1,200 acres of government land. The land acquisition was estimated to hit 8,745 families. New Delhi, Oct 18 : A new museum to showcase the election history in India since the country's Independence was inaugurated here on Tuesday. The museum inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi (CEC), showcases more than a hundred archived photographs, maps and references, describing the electoral journey of the country under the supervision, direction and control of the Election Commission of India, till now. The CEC was accompanied by Election Commissioners Achal Kumar Joti and Om Prakash Rawat. The museum is situated on the premises of the Chief Electoral Office, Kashmere Gate. According to the Election Commission, the museum was established to create a learning place to study India's electoral legacy, to peep into it's gold standard electoral management and to learn about democracy. "It takes us down the memory lane of election process in the largest democracy of the world. In the electoral process section, it covers all the stages of elections and it's connections with the voters in today's time. An interesting section presents the transformation from ballot box to the Electronic Voting Machine and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in our elections," said a statement from the poll panel, describing the new museum. "The use of indelible ink is highlighted through exhibits which suggest that this is now being used in more than 25 countries in the world. An interesting segment is of the pre-independence election material put up by Delhi Archives, where electoral roll of 1923 is on display," the statement added. During the occasion, a dedicated section on Gandhi's idea of democracy was also inaugurated by the CEC, curated by the National Gandhi Museum. An exhaustive photo gallery, audio-visual display unit, election quiz and voters pledge are some of the other attractions of the centre. Latest updates on Gandhi Jayanti 2019 New Delhi, Oct 19 : Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will reach Bhubaneswar on Wednesday and visit the hospital where 19 people were killed in a fire on Monday. "Health Minister J.P. Nadda will visit SUM hospital in Bhubaneswar today (Wednesday) to take stock of the fire tragedy which claimed 19 lives,"a senior Health Ministery official told IANS. Nineteen persons were killed in the Odisha fire in the Intensive Care Unit of the Dialysis Ward of SUM hospital on Monday evening. Another 106 were injured and are undergoing treatment. The Fire Services Department lodged an FIR with the Khandagiri police alleging negligence of the hospital authorities in adhering to fire safety norms. Four SUM Hospital officials were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the incident. New York, Oct 19 : Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker and author Michael Moore has released a documentary titled "Michael Moore in TrumpLand", his take on the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The film was premiered at the IFC Center here on Tuesday night for free, reports hollywoodreporter.com. The 73-minute film will begin its theatrical run on Wednesday at the IFC Center (for one week only) and Laemmle Town Center 5 in Encino. "We are flying by the seat of our pants here," said Moore, who has been an outspoken opponent of Trump throughout the presidential election, at the premiere of the film. "Our goal is to have as many Americans see this over the next five or 10 days," he added. The live performance film -- which sees Moore speaking about the two candidates onstage, and supposing what would happen if each were to become the next US president -- was shot less than two weeks ago over two consecutive nights at a venue in Wilmington, Ohio. Since the film was announced, a handful of theatres have called to screen over the next two weeks before the election next month. "We will hopefully have an announcement on that over the next 24 to 36 hours. It's all coming together in a very rapid-fire way. Lots of people have been contacting us to see how they can help us," said Moore, adding that the film will soon be available on VOD as well. The movie also includes an imagined news segment that covers what would happen if Trump wins. Moore explained that he made the documentary because Democrats should not strategise for their presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's victory by solely scaring people off Trump, as support for Clinton is not necessarily locked-in. Washington, Oct 19 : Three crew members of Expedition 49/50 for working at the International Space Station (ISS) were launched into orbit from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday. The Soyuz MS-02 blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome at 4:05 a.m. EDT Wednesday (1.35 p.m. India time), NASA said. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko of the Russian space agency Roscosmos are now safely in orbit, it added. Over the next two days, the trio will orbit the Earth 34 times before docking to the space station's Poisk module on Friday. The three join Expedition 49 Commander Anatoli Ivanishin of Roscosmos, flight engineers Kate Rubins of NASA and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The new crew members will spend a little over four months conducting more than 250 science investigations in fields of biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development. Kimbrough, Ryzhikov and Borisenko are scheduled to remain aboard the ISS station until late February. Rubins, Ivanishin and Onishi will return to the Earth one October 30, NASA said. The crew will welcome a variety of cargo deliveries to the space station, including Orbital ATK's Cygnus, which was launched on Monday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. New Delhi, Oct 19 : India and Myanmar on Wednesday agreed to closely coordinate with each other on border security while Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed New Delhi's commitment to help develop Myanmar. "As close and friendly neighbours, the security interests of India and Myanmar are closely aligned," Modi said in the presence of Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi after delegation-level talks between the two sides. "We have agreed that a close coordination to ensure security in the areas along our border, and sensitivity to each other's strategic interests, will serve the interests of both our countries," Modi said. India shares a 1,600-km border with Myanmar. Security has been an issue with insurgent groups from the northeast taking refuge in Myanmar's densely forested territory. In August, the Indian Army reportedly carried out surgical strikes in Myanmar after National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) militants fled to Myanmar from Mon in Nagaland after being attacked. According to a joint statement, both sides "reaffirmed their shared commitment to fight insurgent activity and the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations". "Both sides expressed the view that the long-standing commitment not to allow insurgent groups to use their soil for hostile activities against the other side is essential for the prosperity of the people residing along the border," it stated. Stating that India had a robust development cooperation programme with Myanmar, Modi, in his address to the media, mentioned the Kaladan multi-modal transport project linking Sittwe port in Myanmar with Mizoram and the trilateral highway connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand among others. "From the mega connectivity projects like Kaladan and trilateral highway, to projects in the fields of human resource development, healthcare, training and capacity building, we are sharing our resources and expertise with Myanmar," Modi said. "India's nearly $1.75 billion of development assistance is centered on people and is in line with the priorities of Myanmar government and its people." The Prime Minister said that in Wednesday's talks, both sides agreed to enhance engagement in several areas, including agriculture, power, renewable energy and power sector. India and Myanmar signed three MoUs following the talks -- one on cooperation in power sector, another on banking supervision and a third on designing an academic and professional building programme for the insurance industry of Myanmar. "India will develop a varietal development and seed production centre in Yezin in Myanmar to enhance the quality of seeds," Modi said. "We will also work to develop a mutually beneficial arrangement for trade in pulses." Modi said India has offered to scale up power supply from Moreh in Manipur to Tamu in Myanmar and also partner in a pilot LED electrification project at a site designated by Myanmar. "The MoU on... power sector... will help create the framework for advancing our linkages in this important sector," he said. According to the Prime Minister, the Archaeological Survey of India will soon begin work on restoring two old temples and inscriptions of King Mindon and King Baygyidaw at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. Commending Suu Kyi for her leadership and commitment to take Myanmar forward, he said: "As a reliable partner and friend, India stands shoulder to shoulder with you." On her part, Suu Kyi said Myanmar wanted to work with India not just for friendship "but for peace and stability in the region and beyond". She said Myanmar wanted a rule of just laws "and for this we look forward to the experiences of the Lok Sabha and other legislative bodies." "We believe India with its experience can help us in our endeavours." According to the joint statement, the State Counsellor condemned last month's cross-border terror attack on Uri army camp in Jammu and Kashmir "and conveyed her deep condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives". Suu Kyi met Modi on Wednesday, the third and concluding day of her state visit to India. On Tuesday, she met President Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Though Suu Kyi is not the President as Myanmar's Constitution bars her from holding the post, the Nobel peace laureate is effectively the de facto ruler of the country. This is the first official visit of Suu Kyi to New Delhi since her National League for Democracy swept parliamentary elections and assumed power in Myanmar in March this year. Before reaching New Delhi on Monday, she attended the BRICS-Bimstec Outreach Summit in Goa. Her visit comes after Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw's came to India in August. New Delhi, Oct 19 : The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Wednesday said that the Election Commission was ready to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and state legislative polls if "certain conditions are met" and more resources are provided. One of the conditions, according to CEC Nasim Zaidi, was that there should be consensus among all political parties on the move. "The Commission can hold simultaneous elections," Zaidi said, adding that there were two things to be noted. "Firstly, several constitutional amendments will have to be made, and secondly there has to be a consensus among all the political parties," Zaidi told IANS on the sidelines of an international conference on voter education, here. "If these two things are done... then we can hold simultaneous elections. Of course, we would need extra resources... more electronic voting machines (EVMS), etc.," he added. He said that the Commission has already written to the Law Ministry about this. Though Zaidi stressed for greater voter participation for a meaningful electoral process, he ruled out the option of compulsory voting. He termed it "impractical" in the Indian context to punish those who were eligible but abstained from voting. "The provision of punishing people for not casting their votes is impractical in India given the sheer size of our electorate," he said. Manila, Oct 19 : A police van rammed into protestors at an anti-US rally in Manila on Wednesday morning amid clashes between the two sides, a media report said. The violence happened after hundreds of demonstrators marched towards the US Embassy to demand an end to the presence of American troops in the country, backing Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's call for an independent foreign policy, Efe news reported. Clashes initially broke out after the protestors, carrying banners bearing slogans such as "Yes to independence" and "No to US intervention", attempted to break through a police line near the embassy. A police van was seen driving backwards and forwards, ramming into protestors, while tear gas was also fired. Protest leader Renato Reyes said in a Tweet that 29 people were arrested, including a doctor, nurse and a member of the media. According to Reyes, 10 protestors were injured, while a number of police personnel were also said to have been injured. He said the arrested protestors were released around 4 p.m. (local time). Moscow/Baghdad, Oct 19 : The number of people fleeing the Iraqi city of Mosul amid the ongoing military operation to liberate it from the Islamic State (IS) is "not huge" as the fighting has not reached "the heart of the city" so far, a Red Cross official said on Wednesday. "The forces haven't reached to the heart of Mosul city. Up to now, operations are going in different small areas and in the areas around Mosul, in the outskirts of the city. There isn't that massive influx of civilians fleeing yet. Some civilians are fleeing from the outskirts but the number is not huge," Sara Zawqari, spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Iraq, told Sputnik. On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the military operation to retake Mosul from the IS militants. According to local media, about 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and 4,000 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters are taking part in the operation, backed by air strikes carried out by the US-led international coalition. Mosul, the second biggest Iraqi city, as well as a number of other northern and western Iraqi cities and towns, was seized by the IS in 2014. On Sunday, the ICRC spokeswoman told Sputnik that the operation to liberate Mosul from IS may lead to a humanitarian disaster forcing up to one million civilians to flee the city. Mumbai, Oct 19 : Actress Shruti Haasan says though people consider her as a rocker, she feels that she is a "romantic girl". "I'm quite romantic, but it depends, you need inspiration also, if it's a silly fellow, I can't be romantic with them. People look at me and think that I should be taken out for rock concert. I love the song 'I love you' from 'Bodyguard' because there is some innocence and fun to it," Shruti said on Zoom channel's show "Diwali Beats". Talking about actor Emraan Hashmi, with whom she shared screen space in the film "Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji", Shruti said that she was very nervous to work with him. "Emraan is a wonderful co star. Really chilled out and friendly but I was very nervous with him because 'Dil toh Baccha Hai Ji' was like my fourth film and in front of him I was even more nervous," she added. The actress also described her "Gabbar is Back" co-star as an inspiration. "Working with Akshay Kumar was amazing, I was baffled with his approach to life and how disciplined he is. He's truly an inspiration," said the actress, who is the daughter of veteran stars Kamal Haasan and Sarika. Washington, Oct 19 : The US Defense Department on Wednesday said the coordination between Iraqi government and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the battle to free Mosul city of Iraq from the Islamic State (IS) is very good. Some 18,000 soldiers from Iraq's central army and 10,000 troops from the country's Kurdistan region were converging on the IS stronghold city of Mosul, where it is believed that around 5,000 jihadist fighters remain, Efe news quoted Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis as saying. "The level of coordination and cooperation we have seen between the Kurds and the (Iraqi security forces) has been very good," Davis said, adding "they're working together very well, collaborating just the way we would want them to". Davis dismissed the possibility that 100 to 200 US soldiers deployed in the area to provide intelligence and guidance would enter the offensive. "To be clear, the thousands of combat forces that are going to liberate Mosul are Iraqis," he said, adding that the US military role was restricted to providing precision airstrikes against IS. The spokesman reiterated US President Barack Obama's comments earlier that he was sure that Mosul would be liberated, although he could not specify when. Several towns on the surrounding Mosul plains have been liberated by the advancing Iraqi forces. Thick plumes of black smoke from burning tires and oil wells, lit by IS members to obscure their movements, were occasionally hampering air support. There have also been reports of suicide bombers for the advancing Iraqi soldiers as well as incidents of civilians being dressed up in army attire and then executed on camera for propaganda purposes. Davis noted, however, that the good progress achieved on the first day of the battle for Mosul. The city, Iraq's second largest, has languished under IS control since it fell to the terrorist group in 2014. It soon became the group's de facto Iraqi capital and it was from here that IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate across the IS territories in Iraq and Syria. Gurgaon, Oct 19 : A 47-year-old Gurgaon resident was arrested for accommodating four foreigners and not informing about their stay here, police said on Wednesday. Amit Bafna, a resident of upscale R.D. City here in Sector 52, was arrested by Gurgaon police under the Foreigners Act 1946. Police teams have been searching guest houses, Paying Guest accommodations and hotels ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Gurgaon on 'Haryana Day' on November 1. "Bafna accommodated three Afghanis and a Yemeni national in his paying guest (PG) accommodation but did not follow mandatory rules of filling up Form C," a senior police officer told IANS. "Among the Afghan nationals is a doctor, a woman and a patient. The Yemeni citizen was here for medical treatment. All four were staying in Bafna's PG accommodation for over two months," he said. "All foreigners were carrying all necessary legal documents, so no action was taken against them," the officer added. Dhaka, Oct 19 : Myanmar has blamed a little known Rohingya Islamist group with links with the Pakistan Taliban for the recent spate of attacks on outposts along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, a media report said on Wednesday. A statement from the office of Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw has blamed the little-known "Aqa Mul Mujahideen" for the recent attacks around Maungdaw township, a mainly Muslim area near the border with Bangladesh. Nine Myanmar policemen were killed in the attack and eight attackers were gunned down on October 8 in Maungdaw. The AMM is headed by Hafiz Tohar, a 45-year-old Rohingya from Maungdaw's Kyauk Pyin Seik village in Myanmar, bdnews24 reported. According to Myanmar intelligence, Tohar was trained by the Pakistan Taliban for six months, after which he returned to the Rakhine state to recruit young Rohingyas. Bdnews24 quoted Indian intelligence agencies as saying that Tohar's group has grown out of the Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami-Arakaan (HUJI-A). The HUJI-A chief is Abdus Qadoos Burmi, a Pakistani national of Rohingya origin, who recruited Tohar, 45, and arranged for his training in Pakistan. Qadoos Burmi is reported to be close to the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) headed by Hafiz Sayeed. He developed the HUJI-A network in Bangladesh, using the remote hills on the border with Myanmar, where coverage by Bangladesh security forces was at best limited. After training a few promising recruits in Pakistan, they were sent to set up bases on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, where new Rohingya recruits were trained in combat techniques and use of explosives. Bdnews24 quoted senior Indian intelligence officials as saying that in July 2012, JuD and LeT started Difa-e-Musalman-e-Arakaan conference in Pakistan to highlight the Rohingya cause. Indian officials say Rohingya militants could be used to disturb the Myanmar-Bangladesh border zone not only by staging attacks inside Myanmar but also by forging close links with jihadi groups in both Bangladesh and India. Jammu, Oct 19 : The Pakistan Army on Wednesday resorted to heavy cross-border firing at Indian posts on the Line of Control (LoC) in the frontier Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said. The sources said Indian positions were targeted in Tarkundi area on the LoC, the de facto border that divides Jammu and Kashmir between the two countries. "The Pakistan Army used 82 mm mortar shells and small arms to target our positions. Our troops effectively retaliated the Pakistan shelling and firing using same calibre weapons," a defence spokesperson said. The shelling from both sides was on till late in the evening. There were no reports of any loss of lives from either side. It was the latest in a series of violations of the 2013 ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army alleged that Pakistan violated the bilateral truce in the same area of the LoC on Tuesday. New Delhi, Oct 19 : Farmers from 16 states in a signed petition to Prime Minster Narendra Modi have urged him to commercialise the Genetically Modified (GM) Mustard in dry areas, claiming that it would give direct benefit of Rs 1,800 crore to them. Rashtriya Progressive Kisan Association (RPKA), an umbrella consortium of seven farmers' unions, submitted the petition at the Prie Minister's Office with signatures from about 1,38,000 farmers. Favouring to roll out the GM Mustard in India's arid and semi-arid regions, farmers also criticised the anti-GM lobby, asserting "it's claims are unscientific". "No one is listening to the 80 million farmers who will, among many others, benefit by the GM Mustard. It would profit the mustard growers by directly Rs 1,800 crore," Hari Singh Yadav, a Rajasthan-based farmer who heads RPAK, told IANS. He said of total edible oil imported by India last year, about 60 per cent was mustard oil. "That was supposed to be Indian farmers' share. That oil is too coming from a different version of GM Mustard," Yadav said, adding that due to water scarcity in Rajasthan and other parched regions, the production of mustard has dropped. The GM Mustard would boost the production by about 22-30 per cent. The indigenously developed GM Mustard -- Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11 (DMH 11)-- is currently being reviewed by the Union Environment Ministry's Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC). It was developed at Delhi University's Department of Genetics. It's possible approval is being opposed by several social and environment activists who have cited several reasons ranging from environmental issues to the multi-national companies monopolising the GM seeds and thus taking over Indian agriculture. Experts, including the developers of DMH 11, however, refuted those claims. Chandigarh, Oct 19 : A clash and firing between two groups over control of a gurdwara left three people dead in Punjab's Muktsar district on Wednesday, police said. Six people, who were injured, were admitted to the Muktsar Civil Hospital. The incident took place in Mallan village of Gidderbaha sub-division, about 250 km from here. Village residents told the police that both sides fired a number of rounds. Arms, swords and traditional weapons were used in the clash. The victims were identified as Naib Singh, aged around 60 years, and Amritpal Singh and Harvinder Singh, both in their early 30s. Naib Singh was earlier managing the gurdwara. The clash took place after a Sikh religious group, led by preacher Balbir Singh, tried to take control of the shrine. Police said tension started between both sides when the Balbir Singh group, through Naib Singh, handed over a letter to present gurdwara in-charge Makhan Singh on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, both groups, led by Naib Singh and Makhan Singh, came face to face with their armed supporters, leading to the clash. "We are investigating," district police chief G.S. Gill said. New Delhi, Oct 19 : Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi on Wednesday said the election panel was ready to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly elections if certain conditions are met, including political consensus and more resources. He said two primary issues have to be taken care of in the matter. "First, several constitutional amendments will have to be made; and second, there has to be a consensus among all political parties," Zaidi told IANS on the sidelines of a two-day international conference on voter education organised by the Election Commission of India here. "If these two things are done, we can hold simultaneous elections. Of course, we would need extra resources, such as more electronic voting machines etc.," he added. He said the Election Commission has already written to the Law Ministry on the issue, after the ministry sought the poll panel's opinion on the 79th Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Committee on the 'Feasibility of Holding Simultaneous Elections to the House of People (Lok Sabha) and State Legislative Assemblies'. Though Zaidi stressed on greater voter participation for a meaningful electoral process, he ruled out the option of compulsory voting. He termed it "impractical" in the Indian context to punish those who are eligible but abstain from voting. "The provision of punishing people for not casting their votes is impractical in India, given the sheer size of the electorate," the CEC said. Asked how can the EC curb promises made by some political parties and candidates, or attempts to polarise the electorate on communal/caste lines, ahead of assembly elections in five states, Zaidi said once the Model Code of Conduct comes into force in these states, the poll panel will exercise all its powers to ensure free and fair elections. "The Election Commission is not helpless in any manner. We have sufficient powers bestowed by the Constitution. Once the Model Code of Conduct comes into force, we will exercise all our powers to ensure that voters cast their votes without fear or pressure or inducement," Zaidi said. Quito, Oct 19 : Ecuador says it has temporarily cut off internet access to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over fears he was using it to interfere in the US presidential election. The move comes in the wake of the publication of leaked emails by WikiLeaks, including emails from the account of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign adviser John Podesta. The Ecuadorean Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said WikiLeaks' documents could interfere in the electoral process. It said Ecuador "respects the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states" and had cut off the internet access available to Assange because "in recent weeks WikiLeaks has published a wealth of documents, impacting on the US election campaign. "In that respect, Ecuador, exercising its sovereign right, has temporarily restricted access to part of its communications systems in its UK Embassy," the statement said. Ecuador clarified the move was not a result of pressure from Washington. The US denied WikiLeaks' accusations on Sunday that it had asked Ecuador to stop the site publishing documents about Hillary Clinton. The Ecuador statement also reaffirmed the asylum granted to Assange and reiterated its intention "to safeguard his life and physical integrity until he reaches a safe place". Assange's internet access was cut off on Monday morning. Assange has sought asylum at London's Ecuadorean embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex assault allegation. According to the latest leaked emails, Clinton told a Goldman Sachs conference she would like to intervene secretly in Syria. She made the remark in answer to a question from Lloyd Blankfein, the bank's chief executive, in 2013 -- months after she left office as the Secretary of State. "My view was you intervene as covertly as is possible for Americans to intervene," she told employees of the bank in South Carolina, which had paid her about $225,000 to give a speech. Mumbai, Oct 19 : Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is set to make a film on surgical strikes that India conducted on terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC). It will be titled "MSG - The Lionheart - Hind ka NaPak Ko Jawab". "I am going to start 'MSG - The Lionheart - Hind Ka NaPak Ko Jawab'. In the film, I will highlight the current situation of our country and answer even those who are asking to prove the surgical strike. Hopefully, we will complete the film within 25 days," Singh said at the success party of his film "MSG: The Warrior Lion Heart". "The film revolves around the terrorists and jawans (soldiers). It will also talk about the surgical strikes," he added, referring to the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army on terror launch pads across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir last month. The surgical strikes came after the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 19 Indian soldiers died. "We are losing our jawans so often. How many of us care about them? Suddenly some people have started asking for proof. It hurts me and I thought to reply them through my film," he said. Chennai, Oct 19 : Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O. Pannerselvam on Wednesday presided over a Cabinet meeting here for the first time after the Governor allocated portfolios of ailing Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to him. Though there was no official briefing about the hour-long meeting at the Secretariat, the Cabinet is learnt to have discussed key issues, including the Cauvery river water dispute, the Madras High Court order to set aside civic polls and bye-elections in three assembly segments on November 19. An official photograph of the meeting showed Pannerselvam seated with Jayalalithaa's picture on his desk. The Cabinet also discussed the opposition demand for a special assembly session and an all-party meeting to discuss the Cauvery dispute though the ruling AIADMK rejected such a demand last week. With Jayalalithaa admitted in a hospital since September 22, Acting Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao on October 12 allocated her portfolios to Pannerselvam and authorized him to preside over Cabinet meetings in her absence. The Cabinet met last time in July when Jayalalithaa approved the budget for this fiscal (2016-17). The Election Commission on Monday announced that the bye-polls will be held at Aravakurichi in Karur district, Thanjavur and Thiruparankundram in Madurai district on November 19. Polling was cancelled in Aravakurichi and Thanjavar during in May as the poll panel felt the conditions were not conductive then. New Delhi, Oct 19 : In a major initiative, the Indian Railways on Wednesday signed an MoU with Union Urban Development Ministry to redevelop railway stations and adjoining areas on the lines of Smart City. To enhance passenger amenities, easy access to stations and enabling optimal utilisation of land at railway stations, the MoU for 10 cities was signed in the presence of Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. These stations are: Sarai Rohilla (Delhi), Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Varnasi, Jaipur, Kota, Thane, Margao (Goa), Tirupati and Puducherry. Both the ministers lauded the joint initiative as a historic landmark that brings synergy in development of smart cities since there cannot be a Smart City without a smart railway station. "This convergence based city development will result in qualitative improvement in city life," Naidu said on the occasion. He suggested that to begin with 10 cities could be taken up for the proposed redevelopment with the involvement of National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) which has successfully executed redevelopment projects on self-financing basis. "Railway stations have been the core of city development and have become congested over time and their redevelopment offers immense opportunities for changing city landscape," Prabhu said. He said that several countries like Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and Belgium have showed interest in redevelopment and a Round Table of domestic and overseas bankers will be organised next week to discuss financing of these redevelopment projects. To be implemented first in the 100 cities included in the Smart City Mission, redevelopment of railway stations will be undertaken in AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) and HRIDAY (Heritage Infrastructure Development and Augmentation Yojana) cities extending the scope of the MoU to over 500 cities. Railway station and the adjoining area in each of these cities will be redeveloped on the lines of Area Based Development provided in the Smart City Mission Guidelines. "The joint initiative of the Ministries of Urban Development and Railways widens the Smart City development to one more area in each of the mission cities with each city required to select one area under respective Smart City Plans in the first phase," an official statement said. While the Ministry of Railways takes the responsibility of forming Joint Ventures, the Ministry of Urban Development will work with the states and urban local bodies for integrating railway station redevelopment as part of smart city development plans. The MoU states that both railway station redevelopment and Smart City concepts are part of holistic development of respective city. Redevelopment of railway station and its area as part of Smart City Plans leads to an integrated public transport hub around railway station and encourage Transit Oriented Development. Ahmedabad, Oct 19 : The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday took strict cognizance of the contractual appointment of two retired police officers, N.K. Amin and Tarun Barot, accused in the sensational Ishrat Jehan and other fake encounter cases, following a public interest litigation and asked the state government to submit details about it. A division bench of Chief Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice V.M. Pancholi asked government pleader Manisha Luvkumar to seek instructions from the government over the appointments of both the retired police officials. Amin, who was chargesheeted in fake encounter cases of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife Kauserbi and accomplice Tulsi Prajapati and that of Ishrat Jehan, Javed Sheikh, Amjad Ali Akbar Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar, has recently been put in charge as Superintendent of Police of Mahisagar district on a year-old contract by the Gujarat government. Barot, who is also an accused in the two fake encounter cases, has been made District Superintendent of Police, Western Railways, Vadodara, on a contractual posting of one year. Both the retired police officials had been arrested in these cases and sent to jail. While Amin has been discharged in the Sohrabuddin encounter, the case of Ishrat Jehan is still pending before the trial court. It is for this reason that retired IPS official Rahul Sharma approached the Gujarat High Court, seeking cancellation of their appointments, pointing out that it was "against the existing rules". "The aforesaid contractual appointments of retired police officers with criminal antecedents is not in the interest of a healthy police administration...They are against the provisions of the Gujarat Police Act, as also contrary to the directions issued through various circulars of the government of Gujarat," the petitioner submitted in the court. The court, however, rejected Sharma's plea for an interim stay on the appointments and posted the next hearing for November 16. New Delhi, Oct 19 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday wished speedy recovery to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, who was seriously injured in a road accident in West Bengal. Abhishek, nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, sustained serious injuries on Monday when his car hit a towing van at Ratanpur, about six km from Singur on Durgapur Expressway in Hooghly district. "Sonia Gandhi has extended her good wishes for health and fast recovery to Abhishek Banerjee. Her thoughts and prayers are with Abhishek and the Banerjee family in these testing times," said an official statement. Gandhi also expressed her happiness over Banerjee's condition being stable and his responding to the treatment. Banerjee was rushed to a Kolkata nursing home where doctors said he had sustained an orbital injury in a facial bone below the eye. Mamata Banerjee has ordered a Criminal Investigation Department probe to find out if there was some foul play. New Delhi : Bengaluru, Oct 19 (IANS) By providing technology and tools, chip maker Intel Corporation mentored 17 Indian start-ups to innovate products in diverse areas, said the US-based company on Wednesday. "Of the 17 start-ups which utilised our laboratory facilities here, nine have launched products in the market and five have products ready for customer trials, while three are at the design stage," Intel India General Manager Nivruti Rai told reporters here. Intel's Indian subsidiary has set up the Maker Lab at its campus in this tech hub in January to help start-ups accelerate their hardware and systems for innovating products and solutions using its infrastructure, technology, tools and mentorship support. "The start-ups used the lab for projects spanning education, sports, health, agriculture, BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance), and e-governance across IoT (Internet of Things), cloud and client compute," said Rai. The lab also supported seven start-ups incubated by the Science and Technology Department of the Indian government under the Intel's 'Innovate for Digital India' challenge. "We are focused on innovation, systems design and entrepreneurship in India. With 15 years of commitment to research and development, we continue to build a community of innovators across the country," Rai added. As a catalyst, Intel has associated with various programmes to foster innovation and making the government's Digital India vision a reality. "It's heartening to see many products and solutions being developed by the hardware and systems start-ups using our lab as their innovations will help solve consumer and business needs and contribute to Digital India and Make in India vision," said Intel India Director Jitendra Chadda on the occasion. The company is collaborating with the government to encourage entrepreneurial and innovation talent as a not-for-profit initiative and is independent of its own research and development activities in India. New Delhi, Oct 19 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accused the BJP-led central government of "misusing" Delhi Police, CBI and ACB against the "elected government" in Delhi. Addressing a press conference here, AAP leader Ashish Khetan urged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah to cooperate with the Delhi government and not to use the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Delhi Police and Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) to "harass" the AAP MLAs. Khetan, who is also vice-chairman of Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC), alleged that while Delhi Police is always in a hurry to book and arrest AAP MLAs, it doesn't show the same urgency in pursuing the case further. "Gulab Singh was the 14th AAP MLA to be arrested. But out of the 14 MLAs, Delhi Police has filed a charge-sheet against only one of them," he said. Delhi Police had filed charge-sheet against AAP MLA from Model Town, Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, last year in a case of rioting and assault. Tripathi was later acquitted of the charges. Khetan's remarks come after Gulab Singh, in charge of the AAP's affairs in Gujarat, got bail on Wednesday. "While granting bail to Gulab Singh, the court reprimanded the police for not disclosing all relevant information while procuring a non-bailable warrant against him," Khetan said. He added that Gulab Singh had written to Delhi Police on October 10 that he will be available for questioning from October 18 onward after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's rally in Surat. "But Delhi Police did not inform the court about this letter while asking for the warrant," Khetan said. Gulab Singh, also an AAP legislator in Delhi, was arrested by the Delhi Police on October 16 in Surat -- ahead of Kejriwal's rally -- on a non-bailable warrant. The warrant was issued in connection with an extortion case after he failed to turn up for interrogation. Bengaluru, Oct 19 : Karnataka on Wednesday agreed to abide by the Supreme Court's directive to release daily 2,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu till its further order. "We will abide by the Supreme Court order. I would not like to say more as the case is sub-judice," said state Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra here. Earlier in the day, reserving its ruling on the state's appeal against the 2007 award of the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal, a three-judge bench of the apex court said its Tuesday's interim order to Karnataka for releasing 2,000 cusecs daily to Tamil Nadu would continue till further orders. "The interim order dated October 4 directing Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu will continue till further orders," said the bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and A.M. Khanwilkar. The state cabinet, which met here, also briefly discussed the top's court order. State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, however, maintained that the four reservoirs across the river basin had only water for drinking purpose in the region till the onset of next monsoon in June 2017. "We do not have surplus water in our reservoirs due to deficit monsoon rains this year. We have also conveyed our distress to the expert committee with data on inflows and outflows in the dams," Siddaramaiah told reporters here later. In a related development, Farmers Protection Forum President G. Made Gowda opposed further release of water, as the expert committee had submitted to the apex court its report stating that Karnataka was facing water shortage. "There is no need to release more water to Tamil Nadu for irrigation as we need it for drinking needs. Moreover, with the north-east monsoon due to set in next week, farmers in the neighbouring state will have rains for irrigation," Gowda told reporters at Mandya, about 100km from Bengaluru. Bhubaneswar, Oct 19 : Odisha police on Wednesday issued a Look Out notice against SUM Hospital founder Manoj Nayak and his wife to ensure that they do not flee the country. Manoj Nayak owns the hospital where 21 people died in a fire on Monday evening. "In connection with a FIR lodged with Khandagiri police station, a look out circular (LOC) has been issued in respect of Manoj Nayak and Saswati Das," said Police Commissioner Y.B. Khurania. Both are the trustees of Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Charitable Trust, which runs the hospital. The state government has already lodged two FIRs against the hospital management citing negligence in terms of fire safety and evacuation of patients during the mishap. Director of Medical Education and Training Prakash Chandra Mohapatra hinted that the owner of the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospitals could be arrested. "As we have filed a case against the management of the SUM hospital, there is a chance of arrest of Manoj Nayak, who is also a member of the management," said Mohapatra. Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is in New Delhi to attend an event, said the state government would take stringent action against the culprits. The Commissionerate Police have arrested four persons so far in connection with the fire tragedy. Medical Superintendent Pusparaj Samantasinghar, former Executive Engineer Amulya Kumar Sahu (electrical maintenance), Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das and retired Junior Engineer Malay Kumar Sahu (electrical maintenance) were arrested on Tuesday. Chandigarh, Oct 19 : Dengue and malaria cases have registered a significant drop in Haryana this year compared with 2015 and no deaths have been reported so far due to chikungunya and other vector-borne diseases, a Minister said on Wednesday. "Haryana recorded 1,401 cases of dengue till Monday compared with over 5,200 in corresponding period of last year. The state has so far recorded 7,388 cases of malaria this year as against over 9,300 cases last year," Health Minister Anil Vij told a meeting of the department here. "No death has so far been reported in Haryana due to chikungunya, dengue and malaria, whereas 10 persons lost their lives to these during corresponding period last year," he added. The Health Department has issued 7,480 notices regarding stagnant water found in water coolers and pots. "Compared with neighbouring Delhi and Punjab, the situation in Haryana is better and under control," Vij said. Kolkata, Oct 19 : Union Minister Babul Supriyo was allegedly attacked and injured during a clash in Asansol town of West Bengal's Bardhaman district on Wednesday. While he accused Trinamool Congress supporters for the indident, a ruling party leader said the clash was an outcome of the infighting in the BJP. The clash broke out when Bharatiya Janata Party activists led by Supriyo staged a demonstration in front of Bengal Minister and Asansol North legislator Moloy Ghatak's house, accusing him of involvement in "cow smuggling". "We decided to hold a peaceful demonstration in front of Moloy Ghatak's house to protest against his involvement in cow smuggling case but hundreds of Trinamool supporters gathered there beforehand and beat up my party leaders," Supriyo said. The situation went out of hand when a mob surrounded the Union Minister's convoy and damaged his car near BNR Crossing. "The TMC supporters attacked my convoy, vandalised my car and hurled stones at me. I got hit in the chest," Babul said. Babul claimed he had permission for holding a peaceful demonstration but the state police denied it. "We did not give him any permission to hold such a demonstration. He was not supposed to go there," said Asansol Police commissioner Laxmi Narayan Meena. "Police have not arrested anyone for the attack on Babul Supriyo as no FIR has been lodged by anyone," he said. The local Trinamool leadership also denied the party's involvement and claimed it was a fallout of the BJP's internal feud. "We have checked. None of our party workers were involved in the agitation. Babul's own party workers attacked him for some unknown reason," said Asansol Mayor Jitendra Tiwari. Washington, Oct 19 : Islamic State leaders have fled the Iraqi city of Mosul which is under a massive siege by Iraqi forces, aided by the US-led coalition forces, a US general has said. Operation Inherent Resolve commander US Gen. Gary Volesky said at a briefing on Wednesday that most of the foreign fighters recruited by the terror group have remained to defend Mosul, the outfit's stronghold. "We have got indications that [Islamic State] leaders have left, a lot of foreign fighters we expect will stay," Volesky told reporters at the Pentagon. The US Army general and coalition spokesman explained that it is harder for foreign fighters to flee the area than for local jihadists. "They will be the ones [who] really want to stay and fightAbecause they really do not have any other place to go," Volesky said. On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of military operations to retake Mosul from Islamic State militants. The US-led coalition is providing Iraqi Security Forces with air power, artillery, intelligence, advisers and other support, the US military's Central Command has said. The Islamic State, which is outlawed in Russia and other countries, seized Mosul in 2014 along with a number of other Iraqi cities and towns. Parma (Italy), Oct 19 : Prosecutors said on Wednesday they are probing a manager at the company that employed two Italian engineers who were abducted last year by Islamic State militants in Libya and killed in captivity. The unnamed manager at Parma-based engineering firm Bonatti is under investigation for manslaughter and breaking employment law over the deaths of Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla in March last year, according to prosecutors. The offices of Bonatti were also searched as part of the probe, investigators said. Piano and Failla were kidnapped, and found dead after a firefight in the western city of Sabratha in Libya in March last year in circumstances that have not yet been fully clarified. The case has raised fears for the safety of two other Italians and a Canadian who were abducted outside the remote southwestern Libyan city of Ghat last month. No group has claimed the kidnapping of Bruno Cacace and Danilo Calonego and the Canadian, identified only as Frank. All three men work for the Libyan branch of Italian engineering firm Contratti lnternazionali Costruzioni. Islamabad, Oct 19 : Amid rising tensions with India, Pakistan's media regulatory authority on Wednesday approved a complete ban on airing of Indian content in Pakistan from October 21. The decision was taken at the 120th meeting of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) held on Wednesday in the federal capital. The federal government had earlier suggested banning airing of Indian content in a tit-for-tat move after Pakistani content was completely banned by India. The ban will come into effect at 3 p.m. on October 21, and violators will be prosecuted under law, said the statement. Radio and television stations which violate the ban will have their licences suspended without a prior show cause notice, said the statement issued from the regulatory authority. The ban extends to all Indian content on cable and radio being aired in the country. "Pemra, with the authority vested by the federal government, today announces the cancellation of the one-sided rights given to India by the Pervez Musharraf government," said the Pemra statement. Earlier in October, Pemra granted Absar Alam the authority to revoke or suspend licences of companies airing Indian content without providing prior notice. On August 31, Pemra had announced that strict action would be taken against the channels airing foreign content more than the prescribed limit and traders selling illegal Direct to Home (DTH) sets. The ban order comes amid calls from certain quarters in India for a ban on Pakistani content and artistes. In India, some political groups have demanded a ban of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan starrer "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", directed by Karan Johar. Tensions between the two neighbours have risen since the September 18 terror attack on an Indian army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, which left 19 Indian soldiers dead. India said it carried out "surgical strikes" across the Line of Control on terrorist launchpads on September 28-29. Hyderabad, Oct 20 : All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Secretary Moulana Khalid Saifullah Rehmani has said that Muslim Personal Law is a matter of life and death for Muslims. He said Muslims will shed their last drop of blood, offer their heads and make any sacrifice but will never bow to any law which stops them from obeying the orders of 'Allah' and the Prophet Mohammed. The eminent Islamic scholar was addressing a public meeting organised by AIMPLB here on Wednesday night to oppose the attempts to impose Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The public meeting held at Darussalam, the headquarters of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and was addressed by leaders from all Islamic sects and schools of thought. A large number of women also attended the meeting, which was also addressed by five women members of the board. Moulana Rehmani made it clear that the board will neither get provoked nor be coward in dealing with the issue. He clarified that the board boycotted the questionnaire of the Law Commission as it was framed in a manner to give an impression that UCC is a constitutional process. He, however, said they were not boycotting Law Commission and that is why the board has taken up a signature campaign. AIMPLB Secretary advised Muslims to be cautious about a misleading pro forma being circulated on the social media. He said this mischievous pro forma had an additional fourth point that there is need for reforms in Muslim Personal Law. On the permissions being sought by certain Muslim organisations for taking out rallies on the issue, he advised them to follow directions of the board. Stating that UCC is an attempt to snatch the identity of Muslims, he urged the community to rise above sects and organisations for a united struggle to protect Sharia. Moulana Rehmani said Muslim Personal Law was protected by Article 25 of the Constitution, which has given citizens the right to believe, practice and preach their religion. Condemning attempts to defame Muslims, he said all surveys show that Muslims have least rate of divorce and polygamy compared to other communities in the country. Hamid Mohammed Khan, chief of Jamat-e-Islami's Telangana and Odisha unit said the National Democratic Alliance government was trying to impose UCC to cover its failures on all fronts. He said the BJP-led government was working for communal polarisation with an eye on ensuing elections in Uttar Pradesh. Condemning the attempt to bring changes to Muslim Personal Law, he pointed out that the country already has a uniform criminal law and 99 per cent of even civil laws are uniform. New Delhi, Oct 20 : Demanding a conclusive response on the whereabouts of a missing student Najeeb Ahmed, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students on Wednesday staged protests outside the Administrative Block forcing the top brass of the university to stay put in their offices. Apart from Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, Rectors one and two and Registrar of the university were said to be confined inside the building. All student political parties, except Akhil Bhartiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), took part in the blockade and vented out their anger at the university officials. The besieged Vice-Chancellor appealed to the protesting students to let them out of the building and discuss the matter. "We appeal to the students who have physically confined us to stop this and come for discussion. Let us discuss and resolve," Kumar tweeted from inside the building while students remained gathered outside. "Since the students did not let us go home in spite our appeal, we have no other option but be confined to the admin building," Kumar also tweeted. However, students have denied keeping anyone hostage and said that they were just protesting outside the building and anyone is allowed to come and go. The JNU Students' Union President Mohit Pandey denounced all claims of keeping officials as hostages and said, "We are only lying outside the building, if anyone wants he can go out over our bodies." The protests started outside the Administrative Block at 2 p.m. and grew more intense as the day wore off. "By 3:30 p.m. employees started coming out of the building on some pretext or the other even when we had no such intention to lay a siege there. We are only demanding a proper response from the V-C about what action the university is taking in finding Najeeb," Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) President Bhupali Magare told IANS. She said students from all political parties, including NSUI, AISA, SFI, DSU protested outside the building and there is no hostage situation. However, an ABVP leader said that the officials were confined inside the building and the protesting students were on the verge of getting violent. "They (protesters) have stooped very low that they are indulging in such cheap politics. They have kept all the entry points blocked of the building since 7 p.m. When the Proctor came to assuage them they got violent and made him run away," Saurabh Sharma of ABVP told IANS. A student named Najeeb Ahmed had gone missing on the night of October 14 from the university hostel Mahi-Mandvi after a brawl with a few ABVP students. Since then a police complaint has been filed under IPC Section 365 and a Proctorial inquiry has been initiated by the University. "This is not a small issue, but a part of a bigger conspiracy. No-one would go missing like this leaving even his phone behind. It's been five days now but there's no news of him," Rahul Sonpimple of BAPSA told IANS. On October 18, V-C had also met the parents of Ahmed and had apprised them of all that they were doing to find him. The Metrolina REIA will host its regular meeting on October 20th, with American IRA Vice President Sean McKay to be in attendance. The event is to be held at Crowne Plaza Executive Park, 5700 Westpark Dr, Charlotte, North Carolina. Sean McKay, a regular at local real estate investor association meetings, is an expert in both Real Estate IRA investing and real estate investing in general. Sean McKay notes that he enjoys both sharing information at these events while also learning from and meeting new people. This is a good event for anyone whos looking into real estate investing as an alternative to simply investing in the stock market, said Sean McKay. But it doesnt matter where you currently find yourself in terms of your strategy. You can attend these events and learn some valuable information coming from any level of real estate investing. Sean McKay noted that people who attend the Metrolina REIA meetings often range from old hands at real estate investing to those who are looking to get their foot in the door. In Sean McKays role at American IRA, a Self-Directed IRA administration firm, he has learned a lot about the laws and regulations surrounding the Self-Directed Real Estate IRA. Investors who direct their own IRAs can utilize a wide range of investments for retirement, including real estate, which is why so many retirement investors regularly attend events like the Metrolina REIA. For more information, visit http://metrolinareia.org/. The event is only $15 to non-members of the real estate association, with the meeting expected to last three and a half hours beginning at 6:00 p.m., which usually includes an early meet-and-greet for those who want to catch up with colleagues or simply meet other like-minded investors. Come on out, Sean McKay recommends. These events are fun and informative. About American IRA, LLC: Click here to claim one of our 7 Self-Directed IRA guide(s). American IRA is committed to providing every client with gold-level service, regardless of account size. Experience their expertise through their certified IRA services professionals. Enjoy the value with one low annual fee of $285 with unlimited assets and unlimited account values. American IRA clients love the benefit of no charge for "All Cash" accounts. The performance of the American IRA staff is unmatched, with quick and efficient processing within 48 hours. American IRA services thousands of clients and has over $300 million in assets under administration. American IRA was built by investors for investors, and brings their successful investment experience to the table, providing excellent educational material showing the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more. American IRA is conveniently located in Asheville, NC and Charlotte, NC, and serves clients nationwide. The addition of BeagleBone TestDrive to its well recognized Network over USB products was announced today by Belcarra Technologies, a leading developer of USB software and network solutions. Beagle TestDrive uses the Beaglebone Black as a proxy for an OEM device. Any Microsoft system can be used as the TestDrive USB host, as a matching edition of Belcarra USBLAN driver can be automatically installed from Windows Update enabling networking functionality over USB. The modern approach to device control and management is to use a web server on the device, and Belcarra USBLAN allows automatic setup of a secure network link over USB without administrative privilege. says Belcarras President, Bruce Balden. Traditional client and server web testing tools, modern iperf and iperf3 network test tools are all available. These allow flexible network tests using either IPv4 or IPv6, UDP or TCP, various TCP options, and multiple streams. Belcarras Beagle TestDrive is provided as a MicroSD SDHC image. The Beaglebone Black can boot TestDrive without modifying the onboard firmware. Simple commands change the USB network configuration (protocol, hardware ID) dynamically until the next reboot, or take effect on the next reboot. Full documentation is available in the Beagle TestDrive Guide (http://link.belcarra.com/BeagleBone_TestDrive_Guide). Belcarra Technologies USB software, professional services and USB integration expertise keeps development costs down for OEMs, reducing risks and time-to-market. About Belcarra: Belcarra Technologies Corp. provides comprehensive IoT USB support that includes a suite of tools for networking over USB on a wide variety of systems including MS Windows, Mac OS/X, and Linux. Belcarra offers proprietary solutions as well as those within the GPL Linux USB Device Framework. Belcarra's USB solutions are developed with close attention to USB-IF and other industry standards. For more information, please contact a Belcarra representative at +1.604.617.3649, or visit the Belcarra website http://www.belcarra.com The innovator in course materials management and content integration programs since 1973, Ambassador engineers, develops and implements bookstore and technology solutions of all sizes. "AIM is a forward-thinking institution and was motivated to create a content integration program that streamlined the use of numerous hard copy textbooks, creating efficiencies and a more modern education experience," said Grinell. As students continue to become more digital-savvy and mobile-insistent, some colleges and universities are rethinking their approach to course materials. Leaders from Ambassador Education Solutions and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) will explore these digital content trends at the upcoming CSPEN Annual Conference, including how AIM made the leap to a notepad loaded with eBooks to meet the changing needs of its students. "eBook Solutions for Trades and Industry Education" will review AIM's considerations in moving toward an integrated online solution, powered by Ambassador. Dr. Joel English, Vice President of Operations for AIM, will discuss the elements of the transition; the impact of digital materials on students, faculty and staff; and early results. Joining Dr. English is Stuart Grinell, Vice President of Business Development at Ambassador, who worked closely with AIM to architect a tailored eBook strategy. "AIM is a forward-thinking institution and was motivated to create a content integration program that streamlined the use of numerous hard copy textbooks, creating efficiencies and a more modern education experience," said Grinell. "Together we worked closely with AIM to develop and deliver an innovative, mobile eBooks solution that provides student access to their course materials in a flexible, digital format. We look forward to sharing our insight with other schools as they think about opportunities where eBooks make sense." CSPEN gets underway October 26th at the Renaissance Chicago O'Hare. Dr. English and Grinell will take the stage on Thursday, October 27th at 2:30pm. Ambassador is also exhibiting at the event, collaborating with educators on the entire print and digital course materials process, simplifying the management and delivery of all academic and supporting resources. About Ambassador Education Solutions The innovator in course materials management and content integration programs since 1973, Ambassador Education Solutions engineers, develops and implements bookstore and technology solutions of all sizes. Through its advanced supply chain technology, flexible fulfillment processes, and highly available support services, ordering course materials is intuitive, delivery is automatic and reporting is seamless. Integrating with leading SIS, LMS and Digital Content Platforms, students and faculty have simplified access to textbooks, eBooks, custom content, supplies and more, while administrators gain key insights and intelligence to manage, measure and improve programs and outcomes. For more information, please visit http://www.ambassadored.com. Elongated osteoblast with prominent filopodia on nanotube nano-textured surface. The partnership with Michigan Tech builds on Nanovation Partners strategic collaborations with leaders in nanotexturing technology, said Dan Justin, President and CEO of Nanovation Partners. Nanovation Partners, LLC and Michigan Technological University today announced a partnership agreement for commercialization of processes to nano-texturize medical implants. These advanced processes can simultaneously increase bone ingrowth and provide an antimicrobial barrier. The collaboration agreement extends Nanovation Partners leadership in commercialization of nano-texturing technology. Craig Friedrich, PhD, Director of Michigan Techs Multi-scale Technologies Institute, commented, What we're developing is a surface treatment that's more straightforward and economical than other processes. It speeds healing and is applicable to a broad range of implants. With this process, in conjunction with the technologies developed at other leading nano-technology universities and companies already in partnership with Nanovation Partners, we can fight infection and reduce inflammation. Our partnership with Nanovation Partners will speed and broaden the transfer of this technology to provide a clinical benefit for a broad range of patients. With this latest collaboration, Nanovation Partners has aligned with another well-published, recognized leader in the development of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes for modifying the surfaces of medical implants. It builds on Nanovation Partners growing list of partnerships with academic researchers at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), Washington State University (WSU), and University of Central Florida (UCF), and further broadens the companys portfolio of five Issued and over 20 pending U.S. and international patents for nanotexturing processes and structures. Researchers at Michigan Technological University and Washington State University have been issued separate U.S. patents for nanotexturing processes and structures that improve bone growth and provide anti-microbial properties, addressing both initial and long-term infections following implantation. The agreements with these institutions give Nanovation Partners, in part, exclusive rights to license the technologies to medical device companies in all medical areas. The partnership with Michigan Tech builds on Nanovation Partners strategic collaborations with leaders in nanotexturing technology, said Dan Justin, President and CEO of Nanovation Partners. We are first licensing technologies focused on nanotexturing existing implant surfaces, then, when applicable, licensing nanotechnologies that further enhance the textured surface. Our licenses with the four universities extend into all areas of medicine including orthopedics, cardiovascular, and neurovascular. Having demonstrated superior properties to other nanotextured and traditional implant surfaces in numerous in vivo and in vitro studies, our nanotube structure addresses all three major deficiencies of traditional implant material surfaces, by increasing hydrophilicity, enhancing osseointegration and by providing a surface that is unfriendly to pathogenic microbes. The agreement with Michigan Tech extends Nanovation Partners lead in developing nanotexturing technology for clinical use. Mr. Justin continued, In addition to the first generation of nanotechnologies that enhance implants by nanotexturing their surfaces, the next generation of licensed technologies from our four research institution partners can be used as drug and antimicrobial delivery systems. For example, Michigan Techs technology has demonstrated extended release of the anti-inflammatory drug sodium naproxen after implant surgery in a study published in the journal RSC Advances. The technology may also be used on a variety of implants to reduce inflammation and promote healing. All of these technologies are now available for further development and licensing, and Nanovation Partners is actively seeking medical device partners who are interested in bringing this innovative approach to patients. Nanovation Partners has also recently partnered with N2 Biomedical of Bedford, Massachusetts, a leading ISO-13485 certified surface treatment provider, who can perform the nanotexturing process on a service basis for interested device manufacturers. Discover Nanotechnology at NASS (Booth #1837) in Boston, MA where Nanovation Partners will be exhibiting, October 26th through October 29th. For more information, please contact Dan Justin (info(at)nanovationpartners.com), President and CEO of Nanovation Partners, LLC. Michigan Technological University is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences. Nanovation Partners LLC sponsored early research at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) in the lab of Sungho Jin, PhD. This research showed enhanced osseointegration and reduced implant surface infection by forming tiny rows of metal oxide nanotubes on the implant surfaces. A comprehensive patent portfolio has since begun issuing with claims that cover a wide range of processes and structures. Nanovation Partners has also licensed Intellectual Property from Washington State University (WSU) related to antimicrobials with silver nano-particles on nanotubes and other nanostructures, the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Michigan Technological University related to nanotube processing. Chronic Lyme disease was once thought of as a controversial health condition, but has gained increasing acceptance in the scientific community as a worldwide pandemic. In fact, it is now recognized as the fastest growing infectious disease in the United States and Canada, with over 300,000 new cases every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. However, even with increased recognition and ongoing scientific research, it remains largely incurable and an enigma to the medical profession. Thousands of Lyme disease patients are still desperately awaiting help. Yet recent years have brought tremendous progress in Lyme disease treatment. In a new book, New Paradigms in Lyme Disease Treatment: 10 Top Doctors Reveal Healing Strategies that Work, ten leading integrative doctors share some of the newest evidence-based treatments for chronic Lyme disease. When it is caught early, Lyme disease can be effectively treated with 4-6 weeks of antibiotics, but in many cases, it becomes chronic, at which time complex, long-term treatment regimens are required. Yet few doctors are trained to adequately recognize and treat chronic Lyme, which mimics many other conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, arthritis, Parkinsons, lupus and Multiple Sclerosis. This is because Lyme is a systemic disease that affects and creates dysfunction in every system of the body. It primarily affects the nervous system, brain, heart, joints and connective tissue, although all of the organs and systems are impacted, and effective treatment for chronic Lyme can take anywhere from six months up to several years. The challenges inherent in treating this complex disease underscore the need for better diagnostic methods and treatment tools, and New Paradigms in Lyme Disease Treatment aims to provide those. For the book, medical researcher and writer Connie Strasheim interviewed doctors from the United States, Canada and Germany, and dedicated each chapter in the book to a specific doctors protocol and treatment philosophy. The chapters encompass information on how to treat Lyme infections, as well as how to heal the body using supportive tools such as hormone replacement, nutrition and detoxification therapy. Patients can read the book to better understand the different treatment options available to them, while clinicians can read it to get a better understanding of how they can help their patients. The book also contains tools that people with Lyme can use at home and which can help them to feel better until they are able to collaborate with a Lyme-literate doctor for their care. The antimicrobial strategies that are described in New Paradigms in Lyme Disease Treatment range from long-term antibiotic therapy, to herbal remedies, ozone, hyperthermia, biomagnetism, peptide therapy and low dose immunotherapyamong others. These treatments have been proven through studies and patient experience to be effective for many. New Paradigms in Lyme Disease Treatment is a follow-up to Connie Strasheims 2009 doctor interview book, Insights into Lyme Disease Treatment: 13 Lyme-Literate Health Care Practitioners Share Their Healing Strategies. The doctors represented in the 2016 book are different than those who participated in the 2009 book, but the format of the book is similar in that each chapter is dedicated to a specific doctors treatment protocol. New Paradigms in Lyme Disease Treatment is unique from other Lyme-related books because it provides a diverse assortment of treatment options from doctors who belong to vastly differing schools of thought. It also provides an in-depth look at how to heal the body from Lyme, and not just eliminate infections, the latter of which is a strategy that is rarely sufficient for treating chronic Lyme disease. To learn more about the book, see: http://www.NewLymeTreatments.com. About the Author Connie Strasheim is the author, co-author or ghostwriter of ten wellness books, including four on Lyme disease. She is also a medical copywriter and Editor of Pro Healths Lyme disease site (http://www.ProHealth.com), as well as an editor for the Alternative Cancer Research Institute. Her passion is to help people with complex chronic illnesses find freedom from disease and soul-spirit sickness using whole body medicine and prayer, and she collaborates with some of the world's leading integrative doctors to do this. In addition to Lyme disease, Connies books focus on cancer, nutrition, detoxification and spiritual healing. To learn more about her work, see: http://www.ConnieStrasheim.org. Connie can be contacted for speaking engagements and interviews at: Connie9824@aol.com. Availability The book will retail for USD $39.95 and is available at: http://www.BioMedPublishers.com It is published by BioMed Publishing Group. It is also available in eBook format. Contact the publisher for quantity discounts and free book flyers. Jet-setters flying in and out of the Bay Area will find a rewarding offer at Larkspur Landing South San Francisco this season, one of the areas premier hotels which places guests just three miles from the San Francisco International Airport. The all-suite hotel is offering an exclusive Park & Fly Package so travelers can take advantage of its prime setting, along with extra perks and the hotels lowest available rates. The offer, which includes overnight accommodations at the iconic South San Francisco property, treats guests to round-trip airport shuttle transportation, complimentary Wi-Fi access, freshly-prepared healthy start breakfast, and parking for up to seven days for one vehicle. For parking extended beyond seven days, the rate is $15 per day. Combined with the propertys all-suite lodging, which includes full kitchens and separate living areas, the offer sets up one of the best ways for travelers to fly in or out of the city in the coming months. Were constantly looking for ways to improve the guest experience at Larkspur Landing, said the propertys General Manager. And this offer embodies that philosophy. We look forward to welcoming even more travelers through our doors as they get ready to fly out to destinations all over the world. Located in the heart of South San Franciscos bio-tech corridor, Larkspur Landing South San Francisco is close to some of the industrys biggest names, including Genentech, Rigel, and Theravance. Top San Francisco attractions like Fishermans Wharf, Union Square and China Town are also just minutes away for guests looking to explore the Bay Area during their stay. For more information, or to book the propertys new Park & Fly Package, guests can visit the Larkspur Landing South San Francisco website, or call the hotel directly at 650-827-1515. About Larkspur Landing South San Francisco Larkspur Landing South San Francisco is located in the center of the Gateway, a hub of the biotechnology industry, close to the headquarters of some of the biggest names in tech. The hotels complimentary shuttle to the San Francisco International Airport, less than 3 miles away, brings business travelers and vacationers within easy reach of the citys global travel hub. Its complimentary airport shuttle departs from the hotel every thirty minutes from 4:00am to 12:30am each day, and its all-suite accommodations feature fully equipped kitchens, separate sleeping and living spaces, and complimentary Wi-Fi to keep guests connected during their stay. # # # Mestel & Company, a leading national attorney placement company established in 1987, has announced the appointments of two Directors - Nina Haller, based in Los Angeles, and Patrick McHale, based in Chicago. Nina and Patrick will specialize in the placement of associates, counsel, and in-house counsel at law firms and corporations across various industries. Before joining Mestel & Company, Nina worked as a development professional for non-profit ventures including The David Lynch Foundation, Beit TShuvah, and Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay. Previously, Nina has worked as a legal recruiter and has also practiced law as a tax associate at Loeb & Loeb in Los Angeles. Nina earned her J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law and her B.A. in English & American Literature from Brandeis University. Prior to joining Mestel & Company, Patrick was a litigator for almost 10 years, working with several highly regarded litigation firms in Chicago including Cavanagh Law Group, Hall Prangle & Schoonveld LLC, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, and Lowis & Gellen LLP. The focus of his practice primarily involved complex cases with catastrophic damages, and he tried numerous cases in both state and federal court. Patrick earned his J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law, and his B.A. in Biology from Colorado College. Nina and Patrick will be great additions to our exceptional team of industry-recognized placement consultants, who are dedicated to candor, integrity, and the highest quality of service. With Nina in Los Angeles and Patrick in Chicago, we are continuing to strengthen our national presence, stated Lynn Mestel, CEO and Chairman. Their previous experience as attorneys and strong professional relationships in the legal community will be valuable when providing guidance and knowledge to our clients and candidates. For nearly 30 years, our company has developed the careers of attorneys, built best in class legal teams and effectuated law firm mergers. At Mestel, its who you know. About Mestel & Company Mestel & Company, a leading national attorney placement company established in 1987, specializes in assisting the careers of individual associates, partners and in-house counsel as well as effectuating the movement of legal teams and law firm mergers. Our experienced recruiters have first-hand knowledge of the practices and cultures of law firms and in-house legal departments, making us the acknowledged leader in our field. Mestel & Company is the only 100% employee owned company in the attorney placement industry, ensuring that each of our recruiters, as an owner, provides best in class service and is committed to the needs and sensitivity of our attorneys. A full range of flexible packaging solutions for all Industries What kind of military experience do you have? is not the typical question that a consumer brand manager might ask one of its supply chain packaging partners. However, it is a powerful point of difference that LPS Industries, a leading flexible packaging manufacturer, credits to its ability to help todays brands most effectively utilize flexible packaging. The expertise gained and technical advancements achieved over five decades in serving the tactical needs of the military has resulted in highly innovative and in some cases, pioneering flexible packaging solutions. According to CEO Madeleine Robinson, LPS Industries has been a proud supplier to the military for more than 50 years through two generations of leadership. Meeting exacting quality measures, adapting technologies to fit unique specifications and custom producing materials that perform at the highest quality standards under the most extreme conditions has been business-as-usual since my father started this company in 1959. As flexible packaging demands for consumer brands advances, LPS Industries has, and continues to adapt its tactical to practical mindset to an ever-expanding range of consumer product applications. Virtually all of our high barrier flexible packaging for consumer products has its origins in some form of military application. Robinson explains. LPS Industries will be highlighting this tactical to practical evolution at Pack Expo 2016, as it meets with current and emerging brand owners and showcases its extensive line of flexible packing solutions. A Longtime Ally in Supporting the Militarys Flexible Packaging Needs LPS Industries enjoys a long, rich history of serving the military since 1959. The company began as a material supplier and their initial entry into manufacturing was adding equipment to convert military high barrier flexible materials into bags. One of the companys first contracts with the military after adding converting capabilities involved the production of bags that could be hermetically sealed, which made them ideal for protecting metal components in a moisture-free environment. Components that need to be packaged and stored under specific atmospheric conditions demand precise performance characteristics. This is achieved by the use of specialized combinations of substrates that preserve the exact environmental conditions required. Our work with the military and the associated R&D we perform to meet their needs affords us a wealth of hands-on experience, and knowledge of a broad variety of material configurations. This translates to knowing how to precisely construct high barrier flexible material that achieves optimum performance, regardless of the performance characteristics, states Robinson. Today, the company routinely transfers this expertise to a multitude of CPG segments, including medical, prepared and frozen foods, snacks, spices, seasonings, grains, personal care and pet products, just to name a few. Whether the assignment is to develop stronger, lighter packaging, better barrier properties, features that improve security, add convenience or enhance the overall consumer experience, LPS Industries has the expertise, capabilities and, as a vertically integrated manufacturer, the overall quality control systems in place through their ISO certified manufacturing process to accomplish the mission. Drawing on Military Experience to Deliver a Smart Solution in Healthcare When a medical test manufacturer needed packaging for an at-home test that patients would mail back to the lab, LPS Industries was on the short list of potential manufacturers. While protection and containment were primary goals, other features were also required, including puncture- and tamper-resistance and a tamper evident design. Leveraging its military background in projects having similar requirements, LPS Industries was chosen to develop a foil lined medical mailer to contain, protect and secure the patient samples during transit throughout the postal system. For a very long time, it was the only mailer of its type that was approved for use by the USPS, although others tried to duplicate it soon after its release. A High Barrier Foil Packaging Solution for a Growing Health and Beauty Brand While its expected that the highest levels of protection are found in military and medical applications, quite often health and beauty products need some TLC as well. LPS Industries recently developed a stand up pouch (SUP) for a leading European health and beauty brand for the introduction of their flagship product in the United States. In conjunction with the opening its first U.S. manufacturing location, the company looked to partner with a U.S.-based packaging manufacturer with the expertise to create an attractive, foil-based SUP that would protect their highly sensitive product. LPS Industries experience with high barrier foil packaging for the military was a decisive factor in supplier selection. A winning combination of materials knowledge, manufacturing quality, print quality, value and timeliness of delivery contributed to what continues to be a highly successful partnership. LPS Industries - A Powerful Packaging Partner for brands As a vertically integrated manufacturer, LPS Industries is able to deliver the requisite combination of creative, technical and manufacturing resources to support each customers specific needs, from start-ups to multinational companies. The LPS Industries total solution under one roof, customer-centric approach and its extensive consumer and military experience combine to build and maintain powerful packaging partnerships. Through the years, there have been numerous instances where LPS Industries pioneered a solution that has had great impact on an industry and created success stories for its clients. Brand owners across the product spectrum can depend on LPS Industries for a multitude of flexible packaging options and solutions that will protect and enhance their products. LPS Industries Welcomes Members of the Packaging Media LPS Industries cordially welcomes writers, editors and publishers of the international packaging media at Pack Expo 2016, and is scheduling press appointments at this time. To schedule a meeting or interview, please call Ed Delia at 908-534-9044, or email edelia(at)delianet(dot)com. LPS Industries Specialists Scheduled to be on Hand at Pack Expo 2016 Visitors will have the opportunity to speak directly with LPS Industries experts and tap into their experience and knowledge of packaging solutions at Booth N-5275. They will be available to offer guidance on navigating the maze of packaging choices and options that customers face when trying to identifying the best solution to protect and promote their products. The LPS Industries team thrives on these challenges and has a long list of success stories in developing timely, cost-effective, customized solutions. Crown Automotive Group is proud to announce that it will be honored by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) as a 2016 Outstanding Employer at a special event on Friday, October 21, 2016. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and as such, the Disability Employment Awareness Celebration recognizes local businesses that are committed to hiring people with disabilities. Crown will be honored with four other businesses from the state of Florida that have a proven track record of employing individuals with disabilities. We so appreciate being recognized by such a worthy organization, said Jim Myers, President of Crown Automotive Group. The team that comprises Crown Automotive Group is our most valuable asset, and we are delighted to provide deserving individuals with an opportunity to join our team. To receive this award is truly an honor. Vocational Rehabilitation is an organization that assists those with disabilities throughout the state of Florida with training, medical treatment, accommodations and more. The organization helped 5,760 people find or keep their jobs last year, and has 90 offices across the state of Florida. The Disability Employment Awareness Celebration will be held at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront, which is located at 333 1st Street South in St. Petersburg. To learn more about Vocational Rehabilitation and its mission, visit RehabWorks.org. To learn more about Crown Collision Center or Crown Automotive Group, visit CrownCars.com. ABOUT CROWN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP Crown Automotive Group has been in business for more than 40 years, and currently operates domestic and international automotive franchises in Florida, Ohio and Tennessee. The group is dedicated to customer and employee satisfaction, and is your source for new and pre-owned vehicles, parts and service, financing and more. No matter what youre looking for, you can be confident that you are getting an incredible deal and outstanding service when you visit one of the many dealerships that make up Crown Automotive Group. To learn more, visit CrownCars.com. Many people want to change the world, but it feels daunting to set out to do it alone. The Billion Acts platform was created to bring everyday people, businesses, students and organizations together from around the world, and provide a framework to help target 10 Key Focus Areas identified as the most important of our time, to create a more peaceful and sustainable world for everyone. Chade-Meng Tan, Dawn Engle and Ivan Suvanjieff, co-chairs of the Billion Acts campaign, will be speaking at the UN, October 21, 2016, to discuss a global citizens movement with the power to create peace in our lifetime, and kick off the November campaign that will focus on supporting refugees worldwide. Billion Acts is reaching out to individuals, organizations, schools, houses of worship, and community leaders to join together to bring more attention and raise awareness about an issue that affects everyone around the world. Organizations providing services or helping refugees settle into a new community; individuals educating others about the refugee crisis and providing volunteer opportunities; groups planning a community event that celebrates diversity and includes refugees; community members hosting a fundraiser to support refugees locally or abroad, we want to highlight your efforts and support your cause. Refugees with a personal story of being supported by an individual or organization while rebuilding your life, please contact: info(at)billionacts(dot)org. Everyone concerned about refugees worldwide, please visit billionacts.org during the month on November and take part in the campaign. "We work hard to remind people that they have the power to change the world by simply choosing to take action in their community. Lets not wait for others to solve the refugee issues, lets ask what each of us can do to help, said, Dawn Engle, PeaceJams Executive Director. Change starts when enough concerned citizens join together behind a common goal, and since the refugee crisis impacts everyone worldwide, a large number of individuals and organizations need to come together to truly make an impact and help create solutions to the issues that refugees face. We are trying to create a world where compassion in action is the norm...by joining together to generate One Billion Acts of Peace worldwide, we hope to reach the tipping point that leads people to want to do their part to create a more peaceful world, said, Chade-Meng Tan, co-chair of the Billion Acts Campaign. The PeaceJam Foundation has 20 years of experience creating young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities and the world through the inspiration of Nobel Peace Laureates who pass on the spirit, skills and wisdom they embody. The One Billion Acts of Peace campaign has reached 12 Million Acts of Peace in more than 50 countries in just over two years, and is inviting everyone to take part in this exciting global citizens movement that is shifting the future of humanity, one Act of Peace at a time. Brindley Beach Vacations & Sales ...were well equipped to take care of and rise above any kind of destruction thats thrown our way. Brindley Beach Vacations & Sales, a leading vacation rental and real estate firm located in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, announced that its open despite the cleanup work that continues after the destruction of Hurricane Matthew. As the sign says, We are open till the letters on this sign are gone. Gov. Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency for all 100 North Carolina counties before the storm hit, and the hurricane left a significant amount of wind and water damage in its wake. Were lucky that our offices were not harmed, but we did suffer damage to three vehicles during the home inspection process, said Doug Brindley, Owner of Brindley Beach Vacations & Sales. Many of our vacation homes are dealing with water in the ground floor, siding and shingle damage, roof collapse, or ceiling water damage and water intrusion through windows and doors. Power in some areas is just now starting to be restored. The recovery process is ongoing, and its a massive undertaking. The process to inspect and report will take weeks to complete, said Brindley. And thats on top of damage caused be two large storms earlier in September. But as our loyal guests know, our Corolla office was destroyed by a fire last June, so were well equipped to take care of and rise above any kind of destruction thats thrown our way. And in spite of the hurricanes devastation, Brindley Beach was able to make their 2017 rental rates available for all vacation properties. Brindley Beach encourages all interested travelers to prepare in advance for their 2017 Outer Banks vacations. Many returning guests make their reservations many months ahead of time, and popular homes and summer weeks are always the first to go. To book your vacation, please call Brindley Beach at 877-642-3224 or visit BrindleyBeach.com. Brindley Beachs website also features frequently updated specials a pet-friendly rental search, and more than a dozen luxury homes. About Brindley Beach Vacations & Sales Service FirstFun Always! - Brindley Beach Vacations & Sales is owned and operated by Doug and Joan Brindley. They have been prominent in the Corolla and Duck real estate rental and sales industry since 1984. Doug began in the business in 1984 in one room and today its among the largest and most successful vacation/sales companies in the industry. Their primary and only focus is the delivery of exceptional service to all of their Outer Banks owners and guests on vacation. The definition of service is someone in front of you helping to solve your problems NOW. Every guest and owner of Brindley Beach Vacations experiences the true meaning of "Service FirstFun Always!" Brindley Beach Vacations can be found on the web at: http://www.brindleybeach.com/, reached via phone at 877-642-3224, or via email at Rentals@BrindleyBeach.com. This press release was formatted and submitted by Visual Data Systems (http://www.VisualDataSystems.com), the leader in online marketing for the vacation rental industry. We are a relatively small company with only 25 employees, and we work in multiple states with lower populations, yet we beat out companies that work in large metropolis areas." said Mindy Kroll, sales manager and co-owner of TMS. Every year, InfoTronics honors the top sales performances of its partners. Time Management Systems has consistently produced results and has established a pattern of excellence achieving recognition every year in this decade. The top five honorees in order of performance are: Time Management Systems, Inc., Sioux Falls, South Dakota Gorrie-Regan & Associates, Inc. Birmingham, Alabama Associated Time & Parking Controls, Dallas, Texas Advanced Time Management, Inc. Canton, Michigan Midwest Time Recorder, Inc. Naperville, Illinois About of InfoTronics Inc.: InfoTronics, Inc., a Southeast Michigan company founded in 1978, makes its wealth of experience and knowledge available to the marketplace for the benefit of companies of all sizes by providing cost-effective, easily deployable workforce management systems. Product offerings include software solutions that offer advanced features for managing labor data, calculating pay rules, scheduling employees, budgeting labor, automating benefit accruals, and tracking attendance-based merit points. InfoTronics, Inc. is a forerunner in developing software that maintains the scalability, reliability, and security requirements of small, growing, and large organizations. By utilizing an extensive North American distribution network, InfoTronics, Inc. has been able to enhance the business practices of more than 20,000 organizations. A new list ranking the Best Occupational Therapy Programs in the nation has been released by leading higher education information and resource provider Community for Accredited Online Schools (AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org). Comparing hundreds of on-campus and online vocational programs across the country for 2016-2017, the following schools earned top honors: for four-year schools, Daytona State College, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, Madison Area Technical College, Southwestern Oklahoma State University and Florida State College at Jacksonville; for two-year schools, Houston Community College, Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus, South Arkansas Community College, Cape Fear Community College and Itawamba Community College. The first step to becoming an occupational therapist is to earn an occupational assistant degree, said Doug Jones, CEO and Founder of the Community for Accredited Online Schools. These schools are home to the best entry-level occupational therapy education programs in the nation, providing a quality education that enables students to either begin working or continue on to Graduate studies and formal certification. A comparison of more than a dozen unique data points was used to determine where each program ranked. Each school on the list was also required to meet certain baseline criteria to qualify; the Community for Accredited Online Schools requires all schools to be accredited two- or four-year institutions and hold either public or private not-for-profit status. Each college must also offer career placement services to students post-graduation. The full list of schools included on the Best Occupational Therapy Programs list for 2016 is included below. For specific data and details on where each school scored visit the full rankings page: http://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/vocational-trade-school/occupational-therapy/ Two-year programs recognized: Augusta Technical College Cape Fear Community College Casper College Central Community College Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas Del Mar College Delaware Technical Community College - Owens Delaware Technical Community College - Stanton/Wilmington Delgado Community College East Arkansas Community College East Central College Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell Campus Fox Valley Technical College Harcum College Hawkeye Community College Houston Community College Indian Hills Community College Itawamba Community College Jefferson College Jefferson Community and Technical College Kennebec Valley Community College Lake Area Technical Institute Lone Star College Lorain County Community College Manchester Community College Marion Technical College Milwaukee Area Technical College Murray State College Nashville State Community College North Central State College North Dakota State College of Science Owens Community College Pitt Community College Pueblo Community College Rhodes State College River Valley Community College Roane State Community College Sacramento City College Sinclair College South Arkansas Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Spokane Falls Community College Stark State College State Fair Community College Wallace State Community College - Hanceville Weatherford College Western Technical College Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Zane State College Four-year programs recognized: Arkansas Tech University Baker College of Muskegon Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Daytona State College Florida State College at Jacksonville Goodwin College Keiser University - Fort Lauderdale Kent State University at Ashtabula Kent State University at East Liverpool Lake Washington Institute of Technology Madison Area Technical College Maria College Mercy College Middle Georgia State College New England Institute of Technology Newman University Pennsylvania College of Technology Polk State College Remington College - Heathrow Campus Rutgers University - New Brunswick Shawnee State University South Texas College Southwestern Oklahoma State University St. Catherine University State College of Florida - Manatee-Sarasota Touro College University of Charleston University of Louisiana at Monroe University of Southern Indiana Washburn University ### About Us: The Community for Accredited Online Schools (AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org) was founded in 2011 to provide students and parents with quality data and information about pursuing an affordable education that has been certified by an accrediting agency. Our community resource materials and tools span topics such as college accreditation, financial aid, opportunities available to veterans, people with disabilities, as well as online learning resources. We feature higher education institutions that have developed online learning programs that include highly trained faculty, new technology and resources, and online support services to help students achieve educational success. environments that include highly trained faculty, new technology and resources, and online support services to help students achieve educational and career success. In the recent past, Vantage College was extremely successful in helping students in similar situations. In addition to providing the ability for former Career Point College students to transfer credits for completed courses, the Community Assistance Grant was established to ensure sufficient funds have been allocated to help offset potential gaps former Career Point College students may experience in their financial aid during the transition. In the recent past, Vantage College was extremely successful in helping students in similar situations stated Eduardo Tribaldos, CEO of Vantage College. We are committed to do the same for these impacted students. Students displaced by the unexpected closure of Career Point College needing immediate assistance should contact either the Austin or San Antonio campus to ask about the Community Assistance Grant established specifically for the Career Point College students. We firmly believe there is a solution for every situation. Whether it is evaluating credits, reviewing transcripts or financial aid options for these impacted students, we are standing by ready to assist in any way possible. stated Mr. Tribaldos. Mr. Tribaldos went on further to state We also feel our lower tuition rates, ability to provide our students with opportunities to achieve important certifications as they progress through their programs, and exceptional instructors and job placement services, sets us apart. Please contact the campuses below now to learn how we can keep you on track to graduate and secure employment in your new career: Vantage College Austin 314 E. Highland Mall Blvd, Ste 112 Austin, Texas 78752 (512) 300-2244 Vantage College San Antonio North 3201 Cherry Ridge Drive, Ste B200 San Antonio, Texas 78230 (210) 522-8000 Vantage College San Antonio South 1964 S.W. Military Drive San Antonio, Texas 78221 (210) 922-1700 Vantage College was founded in 2006 in El Paso, TX and operates through five campus locations across the state, including two in El Paso, two in San Antonio and one in Austin. Accreditation and Approvals: Approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission Career Schools and Colleges Authorized by Texas Coordinating Board of Higher Education to grant Associate of Applied Science Degrees Accredited by the Council on Occupation Education to award certificates and Associates Degrees Approved by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Texas Veterans Commission to train veterans and their dependents and survivors Authorized by U.S. Department of Defense to train active duty soldiers and military spouses Approved by U.S. Department of Education to participate in federal student financial aid programs (Title IV). The mission of Vantage College is to promote student success through relevant and affordable education programs responding to economic and workforce development needs, thus empowering our students to obtain gainful employment and career satisfaction in the shortest time possible. For more information on Vantage College, please visit http://www.vantage.edu or visit us on Facebook. Vantage College Changing Lives through Education and Job Placement David Finkelstein, Chief Operating Officer Rockin' Wellness is growing and it's exciting to have an updated, flexible operational platform that will allow us to keep pace with demand. David Finkelstein, COO Past News Releases RSS Rockin Wellness Management Team... Rockin Wellness (http://www.rockinwellness.com) announce the development and expansion of their Long Island operational base as part of its continued growth strategy. As of September 1, 2016 core order fulfillment services will be processed through Just Nutra (Nutra Group LLC), a respected specialist fulfillment house, based on Long Island. We have seen our customer base grow exponentially over the past 5 years and whilst our manufacturing operation can easily cope with the upturn in customer demand, there have been times when our fulfillment staff have struggled to keep pace. We needed to ensure that we created an operational base that could keep pace with the growing demand for our products. Were very excited to be working with Just Nutra, not only will this arrangement allow us to achieve optimal performance today, it will provide us with a solution that can grow with us. Said David Finkelstein, Chief Operating Officer, Rockin Wellness. Rockin Wellness has created a new paradigm for its business model; one based on a dynamic synergy between its social community and its operational structure. Real-time, real world interaction that creates solid customer experiences both in terms of how the products themselves help, but how the business supports that development. The holistic approach of feeding both the body and mind created a platform for the business quite unlike other health shake businesses. The development of a more responsive, efficient operational base is an important milestone in the evolution of the company. It forms just one of the many exciting, new developments for Rockin Wellness. With over 2 million Facebook followers, Rockin Wellness is set for dramatic growth in the coming years. To celebrate its 5 Year Anniversary, the company will be launching a series of special offers and promotions throughout the remainder of 2016. To access these exciting promotions, consumers should visit the companys website http://www.rockinwellness.com and enter their email address to receive these unique limited time offers. Rockin Wellness Founded in 2011 by Seth Luker, Rockin Wellness (http://www.rockinwellness.com) produces whole body, nutritional superfood smoothie and tea blends that are manufactured on Long Island, New York and shipped throughout the USA. Rockin Wellness mission is to bring natural health to the forefront of the general public through education and premium nutritional products that surpass todays highest-quality standards at an affordable price. With the healthiest lifestyle in mind, Rockin Wellness created an energizing superfood mix that has helped tens of thousands of people maintain and regain optimal health. Rockin Wellness is a great tasting, easy-to-make superfood mix that focuses on pure plant based nutrition that support the body's systems as a whole. Certified Vegan Non-GMO Dairy Free Gluten Free Superfoods & Omegas For ordering information please visit http://www.rockinwellness.com or call (855) 876-2593 Elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea, recipient of the 2016 Dr. Joseph A. Cimino Community Service Award from the Dominican Sisters Family Health Service Anthony Enea has helped many of our older patients access the benefits they need, while maintaining their financial stability. He provides a great service and is an invaluable resource to our aging population. On November 2, Westchester elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea, managing member of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP in White Plains and Somers, N.Y., will be honored with the Dr. Joseph A. Cimino Community Service Award at the Dominican Sisters Family Health Services Hope Gala 2016. The gala, held at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown, is the non-profits largest annual fundraiser. The Dr. Joseph A. Cimino Community Service Award is named for the late Dr. Joseph Cimino, the former Chairman of the Board at Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, who was both a leader in healthcare and a committed community servant. Recipients are chosen for their personal integrity, professionalism and an outstanding generosity of spirit and service to those less fortunate. Anthony J. Enea has spent the past three decades educating and protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families. He was recognized earlier this year with the Honorable Richard J. Daronco Distinguished Service Award from the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County and is the recipient of the Above the Bar Award as Westchester Countys Leading Elder Care Attorney. Enea will be honored at the Hope Gala alongside Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino, who will receive the 2016 Mother Mary Walsh Award. Educating seniors and their families on the importance of protecting their savings from the cost of long-term care is extremely important to me, said Enea. It is truly an honor to be recognized by the Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, an organization vital to our community and the health and well-being of so many. The Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, an affiliate agency of ArchCare, the continuing care community of the Archdiocese of New York, offers a comprehensive suite of preventative, treatment and care management services in eleven counties in New York State. The organization has a 120-year history of providing award-winning, comprehensive visiting nurse services and home health care to infants, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly in the comfort and privacy of home. Anthony Enea has helped many of our older patients access the benefits they need, while maintaining their financial stability. He provides a great service and is an invaluable resource to our aging population, said Mary Zagajeski, President and CEO of Dominican Sisters Family Health Service (now ArchCare at Home). Enea is president of the Westchester County Bar Foundation and a fellow of the New York Bar Foundation. He is a past chair of the New York Bar Associations Elder Law Section and a past president of the Westchester County Bar Association. For more information on the Dominican Sisters Family Health Services Hope Gala 2016 or to purchase tickets, contact the Development Office at 914-941-1710, x1219 or events(at)dsfhs(dot)org. Visit the Dominican Sisters Family Health Service online at http://www.dsfhs.org. Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP is located at 245 Main Street in White Plains, N.Y. with additional offices in Somers, N.Y. Elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea can be reached at 914-948-1500 or a.enea(at)esslawfirm(dot)com. For the latest news, visit Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano online at http://www.esslawfirm.com. About Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP is an AV preeminent rated elder law firm with offices in White Plains and Somers, N.Y. The practice concentrates on Elder Law; Medicaid Planning; Nursing Home and Home Care Applications; Wills, Trusts and Estates; Guardianships; Estate Litigation; Supplemental Needs Trusts; and Special Needs Planning. Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP serves Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, the Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island and Queens and is committed to providing the highest quality legal services to seniors, the disabled and their families. Visit the firm online at http://www.esslawfirm.com and http://www.westchesterseniors.com. Future City connects with an incredibly diverse range of students, providing the kind of exciting, hands-on experiences, resources, and mentorship that can make the difference between a student pursuing education a STEM career or not. Turner Construction Company and the National Building Museum are pleased to announce that DiscoverEs Future City Competition will receive the 2016 Henry C. Turner Prize for Innovation in Construction. Turner established the prize and accompanying $25,000 honorarium at the National Building Museum to recognize an advance or high achievement and exemplary leadership in the construction industry. Future City was selected for their dedication to inspiring and developing a passionate, informed, and STEM-literate (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) workforce for the 21st centuryan ever-more diverse and inclusive pool of designers, engineers to lead the architecture, engineering, and construction industry into the future. For example, of the 40,000 students who participate in the Future City Program, nearly half are girls, 30 percent are minority students, and 33 percent are students from Title I schools. The program engages students in creative and technical processes through which they imagine, design, and build cities of the future, tackling contemporary construction and sustainability challenges along the way, from managing storm water to generating green energy. The competitions 2017 challenge, The Power of Public Space, asks students to design a Future City that includes a network of innovative, multi-use public spaces that serve their citys diverse population. Engineers solve the worlds problems and the Future City Competition is doing their part to encourage students to make the built environmentand in turn, the worlda better place, said Chris McFadden, Turner vice president and member of the prize jury. The program is also strongly aligned with Turners own goals for education, which makes it a natural fit. Future City connects with an incredibly diverse range of students, providing the kind of exciting, hands-on experiences, resources, and mentorship that can make the difference between a student pursuing education a STEM career or not. Were proud to support and elevate the great work Future City is doing by presenting them with the Turner Prize. The prize will be presented by Peter J. Davoren, president and chief executive officer of Turner Construction, and Chase W. Rynd, president and executive director of the National Building Museum, at the Turner Innovation Summit in Philadelphia, November 2, 2016. The event will include a panel discussion and a student presentation. The Future City Competition is just one of the programs that make DiscoverE a national leader in educating the next generation of engineers and builders, said Chase W. Rynd. This well-deserved prize will reinforce their targeted efforts and allow them to broaden and deepen their engagement with students. The Future City Competition has big plans for the honorarium, which will support a number of strategic initiatives to enhance their programming. Three primary initiatives within the Future City program are: Providing stipends to qualifying educators in under-served schools and communities in Future City regions, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, New York/Albany, Texas/North and Washington State. Establishing a special award for construction innovation among Future City participants. Supporting an annual Future City Program Handbook which is considered the central tool of the program by educators, mentors, and students alike. DiscoverE is deeply committed to ensuring that our programs are accessible to all students, regardless of gender, socio-economic status or background. The Turner Prize will greatly enhance our ability to serve this diverse spectrum of students, said Leslie Collins, executive director of DiscoverE. Through these kinds of transformative collaborations with our partners, we are able to enhance our mission to develop the next generation of engineer innovators, spark the imaginations of middle schoolers, and open their eyes to the potential of the engineering profession. Members of the Prize jury are A. Eugene Kohn, chairman of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Chris McFadden, vice president, Turner Construction Company; Hal Parmalee, former president, Turner Construction Company; and Jan Tuchman, editor-in-chief, Engineering News-Record. Future City is the 14th recipient of the Turner Prize, which has been awarded in the past to The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the Engineering Department at Pennsylvania State University, Leslie Robertson, I.M Pei, Charles DeBenedittis, The U.S. Green Building Council, Paul Teicholz, Gehry Partners and Gehry Technologies, Charlie Thornton, Engineers Without Borders USA, Society of Women Engineers, and the Lean Construction Institute. About DiscoverE and Future City DiscoverE is leading a growing volunteer movement that inspires and informs present and future generations to discover engineering. Our network of volunteers in the US and abroad is drawn from the DiscoverE coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies. Together we meet a vital need: introducing students, parents, and educators to engineering, engaging them in hands-on engineering experiences and making science and math relevant. For more information, visit http://www.discovere.org. Future City is a project-based learning program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future. The Future City Program serves over 40,000 students annually throughout the United States and abroad. The program proudly supports a great number of underserved communities. Students repeatedly report that the program increases their motivation and excitement about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). In addition, students and teachers report a marked improvement in students 21st Century skills. About the National Building Museum The National Building Museum is Americas leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit http://www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook. About Turner Construction Company Turner is a North America-based, international construction services company. Founded in 1902, Turner first made its mark on the industry pioneering the use of steel-reinforced concrete for general building, which enabled the company to deliver safer, stronger, and more efficient buildings to clients. The company continues to embrace emerging technologies and offers an increasingly diverse set of services. With an annual construction volume of $11 billion, Turner is the largest builder in the United States, ranking first in the major market segments of the building construction field, including healthcare, education, sports, commercial, and green building. The firm is a subsidiary of HOCHTIEF, one of the worlds leading international construction service providers. For more information please visit http://www.turnerconstruction.com. Strategy May Boost Mesothelioma Chemotherapy The systemic, in addition to local, delivery of tumor targeted anti-TS RNAi system we propose...might be an effective option to extend the clinical utility of pemetrexed... Scientists at Tokushima University have tested a method they say may improve mesothelioma survival by helping chemotherapy work better. Surviving Mesothelioma has just posted an article on the new research. Click here to read it now. Doctors at the Institute of Health Biosciences took research they did last year a step further by testing a systemic (whole body) method of reprogramming mesothelioma cells to be more susceptible to the damaging effects of pemetrexed (brand name Alimta), the top mesothelioma drug. The systemic, in addition to local, delivery of tumor targeted anti-TS RNAi system we propose in this study might be an effective option to extend the clinical utility of pemetrexed in treating malignant mesothelioma, writes Dr. Amr Abu Lila, lead author of the new study. The research, published online by Molecular Pharmaceutics, used mouse models to demonstrate proof of concept. The next step will be to test the RNA interference (RNAi) method in human mesothelioma patients. Because nearly every person diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma will undergo treatment with pemetrexed at some point, we are always interested in any method that claims to be able to improve the effectiveness of this treatment, says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor for Surviving Mesothelioma. To learn more about RNAi and its potential impact on mesothelioma chemotherapy, see New Treatment Strategy Could Make Mesothelioma More Responsive to Chemotherapy, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website. Abu Lila, AS, et al, Systemically administered RNAi molecule sensitizes malignant pleural mesothelioma cells to pemetrexed therapy, October 14, 2016, Epub ahead of print, http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.6b00728 For nearly ten years, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions. Monica Eaton-Cardone, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Chargebacks911, advises merchants to prepare for new Visa Claim Resolution process changes Though Visas new VCR initiative is intended to remove friction from the chargeback process, this type of system cannot be truly effective without regulations and standards. Earlier this year, Visa announced that it will be implementing a new chargeback dispute process known as the Visa Claims Resolution (VCR) initiative.(1) Chargebacks911, a leading dispute mitigation and risk management firm, applauds Visas long-term goal of improving processes and expediting resolution but emphasizes that the move could have unanticipated implications for many merchants. The company counsels merchants to actively engage in representment and maintain detailed supporting data; otherwise, they risk losing a growing proportion of revenues to chargebacks and friendly fraud. Under the new VCR initiative, Visa aims to streamline the processing of disputed transactions, expedite resolution and eliminate invalid disputes whenever possible. However, these changes will require merchants to play a much more active role in the process. Not only must they maintain a detailed transaction database and be able to submit compelling evidence to Visa on demand, but they must be prepared to dispute the majority of chargebacks or face costly financial consequences. While Visas communications focus on the benefits of VCR, merchants are facing major changes that will require more work and effort on their behalf, asserted Monica Eaton-Cardone, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Chargebacks911. Similar to the implications merchants are experiencing as a result of MasterCards dispute administration fee, the new VCR initiative means that merchants will have to effectively represent each and every dispute to mitigate rising chargeback losses. Considering that only 2 in 10 merchants are actively engaged in representment, the majority clearly have a very long way to go. Eaton-Cardone points out that most merchants have no training in representment methods, as it is not a prerequisite to obtaining a merchant processing account. Responding to disputes requires time and effort, and the rules can be complicated; consequently, Eaton-Cardone says there is often insufficient motivation for merchants to take action until rising chargeback fees and losses threaten their profits. She also stresses that there are currently no standards for basic record-keeping, which can make it challenging for merchants to meet the evolving requirements for compelling evidence in credit card chargeback disputes. Though Visas new VCR initiative is intended to remove friction from the chargeback process, this type of system cannot be truly effective without regulations and standards, remarked Eaton-Cardone. There is an urgent need for the payments industry to focus on compliance and address the current lack of standardization; we must first achieve industry-wide compliance before we can attain equal balance. She notes that eCommerce merchants, in particular, have been struggling to combat rising chargebacks and friendly fraud. Visa openly acknowledges that card-absent merchants may experience higher chargebacks than card-present merchants as the card is not electronic read, which increases liability for chargebacks.(2) Furthermore, Visas efforts to expedite dispute resolution may mean that merchants have less time to gather and submit evidence. Those who do not respond by the time specified on the request will not be able to remedy the chargeback.(2) I would advise all merchants to begin preparing for Visas enhanced dispute resolution process now, counsels Eaton-Cardone. This involves two key steps: preventing transaction disputes and creating compliant representment cases. Merchants who develop these capabilities internally or partner with an experienced chargeback management specialist will not only be VCR-ready, but theyll also succeed in reducing chargebacks and combating friendly fraud. For more information on Chargebacks911 and its comprehensive chargeback management solutions, as well as informational resources for eCommerce merchants and details on Monica Eaton-Cardones upcoming seminars and speaking engagements, visit https://chargebacks911.com. About Global Risk Technologies and Chargebacks911: Chargebacks911 is a division of Global Risk Technologies, which is internationally recognized as a leading provider of comprehensive risk management solutions to the payment processing industry. With offices in Europe and the United States, Global Risk Technologies manages over 200 million transactions worldwide each month. Chargebacks911 is headquartered in Tampa Bay, Florida, and specializes in chargeback mitigation and dynamic loss prevention. Founded by merchants in direct response to rising chargebacks and friendly fraud, Chargebacks911 combines insider expertise with proprietary technology and deep analytics to isolate threats, resolve disputes and maximize revenue. From small merchants to the nations largest retailers, today thousands of businesses rely on Chargebacks911s scalable, customizable and fully turnkey solutions to achieve sustainable growth and guaranteed ROI. For more information, visit https://chargebacks911.com. 1. Visa. Visa Claims Resolution: Efficient Dispute Processing for Merchants; April 14, 2016. usa.visa.com/dam/VCOM/download/merchants/visa-claims-resolution-efficient-dispute-processing-for-merchants-VBS-14.APR.16.pdf 2. Visa. Chargeback Management Guidelines for Visa Merchants; May 19, 2016. usa.visa.com/dam/VCOM/global/support-legal/documents/chargeback-management-guidelines-for-visa-merchants-vbs-19-may-16-%20v2.pdf After years of experience guiding students toward success in online education, OnlineColleges.net has relaunched as the Center for Online Education (COE). The new name formally establishes COEs transition into a holistic resource for online college students. Online education instructor and expert Melissa Venable, PhD will lead the team of subject matter experts behind the COE to help the next generation of online students look for schools, find affordable tuition, and use their degree to launch a rewarding professional career. In a field once dominated by for-profit institutions, distance education programs are now available in some capacity at most large public and private universities around the United States. The latest Babson Study on online education saw online learning grow 11.3% at private nonprofit institutions, while declining 2.8% at for-profits. In addition, public institutions now command the largest share of distance students: 72% of online undergraduates attend a public university. As new opportunities and technologies help more students pursue a degree outside of the traditional campus, finding the right program has become more nuanced and difficult than ever. The Center for Online Education aims to help students by providing college rankings, guides to popular online subjects and degrees, and resources covering everything from financial aid opportunities to technology assistance. The Center for Online Education is unique in being a one-stop resource for aspiring online college students, containing everything students need to evaluate accredited online colleges. In online education, best practices change quickly, Venable says. Its our job to stay ahead of the curve on the latest trends in online education so that we can best assist students. The site provides students with crucial, impartial information, including rankings by program and by state, alongside a national best online colleges ranking. The COE team is also committed to helping students save on their education costs, taking a similarly dynamic approach to financial aid guides and resources designed to help students succeed in an online format. Students often dont know what to expect in an online class. For that reason, its imperative for the COE to help students transition however they can. Many of the tips and resources are designed to help students not only find the right program, but to assimilate once theyre in school. There are resources about finding accredited online colleges, finding an LGTBQ-friendly school, and how to succeed in an online class format. Over the next year, Venable and her staff will be exploring all dimensions of the online learning experience, with plans to launch an online student demographics report based on data from hundreds of thousands of individuals. This analysis will inform the development of a vibrant website to help students overcome any obstacle they might face in school. ### About the Center for Online Education: Powered by a collection of online educators and experts, the Center for Online Education provides informed, research-based guides for students pursuing college degrees online. Originally launched in 2009, the Center for Online Education is proud to bring a fresh, dedicated team to energize and revitalize the resources, rankings and original research of the site. Learn more at OnlineColleges.net. With the goal of better serving visitors and potential clients, Hendershot, Cannon, Martin & Hisey, P.C. has launched a new website alongside Scorpion Internet Marketing. The law firms new site also celebrates their rebranding under the name of Hendershot, Cannon, Martin & Hisey, P.C.previously Kerr, Hendershot, & Cannon, P.C. The newly-designed website is a manifestation of the firms innovative presence in the legal community and their professional attitude toward their clients cases. It is easy to navigate and is broken up in distinct sections that offer helpful information to visitors. The home page includes information about the firm, its areas of practice, the team of attorneys, the firms values, testimonials, a list of their offices, and a simple contact form. Visitors will also find links to the firms social media profiles, including Facebook (Facebook.com/HCMHLaw), Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube (YouTube.com/HCMHLaw) and Twitter (Twitter.com/HCMHLaw). The website was designed with focus on being user-friendly. In fact, in just a few moments of browsing, the home page provides a description of the law firm, how the firm can help the visitor, and a mode of contact for those interested in taking the next step. Additionally, a full profile of each managing partner can be found by clicking the appropriate link on their image. In order to be inclusive of the managing partners, the firm rebranded under the name Hendershot, Cannon, Martin & Hisey, P.C. This is an exciting moment in the firms history as members of the team take on new challenges and stepped into different roles. Located in Houston, Texas, the firms family law and business attorneys are proud of this development, reflecting on the milestones they passed to reach this point and anticipating future achievements. With more than 200 years of combined experience, the attorneys proudly offer the highest level of service available. The firm is proud to have numerous lifelong clients, many of whom return to the firm because of the relationships built during their initial case. Explore the new website of Hendershot, Cannon, Martin & Hisey, P.C. to see all that the firm has to offer. ### Hendershot, Cannon, Martin & Hisey, P.C. has been in business for more than 25 years and offers knowledgeable and trustworthy guidance to family law and business law clients. Individuals facing high-stakes legal matters are welcome to reach out to the firm at their earliest convenience. Mark Allen Joins EIS as COO EIS has the executional capabilities and experience to help even the largest organizations to harness the power of their data. Earley Information Science Corp. (EIS), a leading consulting firm specializing in information science and artificial intelligence, has named Mark Allen to be its first full-time Chief Operating Officer. The appointment, effective Oct. 3, underscores EISs steady growth in helping companies manage their information to improve operational performance and drive strategic outcomes. With 23 years of experience working with global clients to deploy digital technologies and enhance customer interactions, Mr. Allen brings both a hands-on approach and thought leadership to EIS. Marks arrival signals a new chapter in EISs evolution at a time when information management is itself being transformed by major advances in artificial intelligence, said Seth Earley, Chief Executive Officer of EIS. He has a proven track record of building teams and organizations that secure leadership roles in the marketplace by creating sales and delivery cultures that embrace change. Its an exciting time in the industry, said Mr. Allen, who joined EIS from Accenture, the global professional services firm, where he had been a Managing Director. Most companies have gathered troves of data from their digital investments over the past decade. But few have been able to consistently turn that data into meaningful information that can drive smarter decision-making to affect consumer behavior. EIS, he said, has the executional capabilities and experience to help even the largest organizations to harness the power of their data. Mr. Allens experience spans a multitude of industries and sectors in the United States and the United Kingdom, including healthcare, retail, telecommunications, automotive and financial services. Besides serving at Accenture, Mr. Allen, 45, has held senior positions at Medullan, a digital health consultancy, and SapientNitro, a marketing and consulting company. He holds degrees in computer engineering from Clarkson University and Syracuse University and attended the Edison Engineering Program at Lockheed Martin. About Earley Information Science: EIS helps organizations establish a strong information architecture and management foundation to drive strategic business outcomes and enhance operational performance. EIS has more than 20 years of experience in working with Fortune 1000 organizations globally across many industries. Corporate headquarters are in the Boston metropolitan area with consultants working on projects around the world. For more about Earley Information Science, visit our website at http://www.earley.com or contact us at info@earley.com. Adam is both irreverent and entertaining - and we wouldnt have it any other way. You'll laugh, you'll learn, and you'll come away with a deeper understanding of wine. The Garagiste Wine Festival today announced that renowned winemaker Adam Lazarre will keynote the sixth anniversary Garagiste Wine Festival. His keynote, A Peek Behind the Curtain of Big Wineries, kicks off the Grand Tasting main event on November 12th in Paso Robles. The festival also announced additional festival details, including the participation of Ascension, Onx and Pulchella wineries in the festivals first ever Illegal Blends - Garagiste winemakers break Old World Wine Rules tasting seminar and the presentation of the 2016 Garagiste Scholarship Fund to Cal Poly at the festivals Industry Night and Winemaker Shootout on November 10th. Launched in 2011 in Paso Robles, which was recently named Americas Best Wine Country Town by Sunset Magazine, the Garagiste Festival festival offers four days of events that feature over 60 micro-production winemakers pouring over 200 wines. Tickets are on sale now at http://californiagaragistes.com/buy-tickets/. "It is so fitting that Adam Lazarre is our first Garagiste Festival keynote speaker as a winemaking visionary and renegade, Adam has made both a million cases a year and a hundred, and is one of the creators of superstar wines Rex Goliath and Cycles-Gladiator, said Doug Minnick, Co-founder, The Garagiste Festivals. Adam will offer his unique perspective on winemaking at both ends of the spectrum (as well as tastes of some awesome wines) but dont get too serious, Adam is both irreverent and entertaining - and we wouldnt have it any other way. You'll laugh, you'll learn, and you'll come away with a deeper understanding of wine. In addition to his winery, Lazarre Wines, Lazarre was the mind behind the successful Villa San-Juliette and Fat Monk line of wines in Paso Robles, producing wines for the creative geniuses Ken Warwick and Nigel Lythgoe. In 2012, Adam was named one of IntoWine.coms 100 Most Influential People in the US Wine Industry. Following Lazarres keynote is the festivals signature tasting seminar and panel, Illegal Blends! Garagiste Winemakers Break Old World Wine Rules (...in France, they'd throw you in jail for these wines!), which will help attendees understand how cutting-edge garagiste winemakers, unbounded by the mandated-by-law regional blends in France, Italy and the Old World, are free to experiment using the wide diversity of grape varietals grown in the Central Coast to make unique, exciting, and high-scoring blends. Moderated by Garagiste Festival Co-founder, Stewart McLennan, the seminar focusing on this no-rules approach and features three award-winning garagiste winemakers who specialize in unique blends: Erick Allen of Ascension Cellars, Brian Brown of ONX Wines and Steve Lemley of Pulchella Winery. On Thursday night, Garagiste Festival Industry Night returns to Lefondusac in Tin City, with three seminars culminating in the third annual Great Red Wine Shootout, where winemakers will blind taste and judge each others brown-bagged wines. As part of the evening, The Garagiste Festival, which benefits Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture department, will present the 2016 Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund to Cal Poly and its 2016 scholarship recipients. This is one of our favorite moments each year: helping support the education of future winemakers is what The Garagiste Festival is all about, said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Stewart McLennan. That, and introducing hundreds of winemakers to thousands of passionate wine consumers all while offering up a great deal of fun, lots of high quality wine and new wine discoveries in a completely no snobs allowed zone. In addition to the seminars, Industry Night, and Saturdays Grand Tasting featuring over 60 winemakers, the festival also brings back its Keep It Rockin After Party on Saturday with Burning James and the Funky Flames; Friday Night Heaven, a Rare and Reserve Wine Tasting with gourmet grilled cheese from Hurricane Kitchen, and a Paso Garagiste Wine Passport day, offering special post-festival access to winemakers and their tasting rooms, vineyards, or wineries, as well as special Paso Robles weekend packages, including hotel discounts. The festival takes place November 10th 13th at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds and other Paso area locations, including Lefondusac in Pasos hot new winery district Tin City and the historic Carlton Hotel in Atascadero. For full schedule details, go to http://californiagaragistes.com/2016-paso-fest/ Among the over 60 winemakers already scheduled to pour are: Alta Colina Vineyards, Amor Fati*, Ampere Wine*, Ascension Cellars, Asuncion Ridge, Barton Family Wines, Bodega de Edgar, Bon Niche Cellars, Bradley Family Wines*, Brian Benson Cellars*, Caldera Cuvee, Caliza Winery, The Central Coast Group Project, Circle B Vineyards*, Cloak & Dagger Wines, Copia Vineyards, Cutruzzola Vineyards, DENO Wines, Diablo Paso, Dilecta Wines, Dubost Ranch, Fableist Wine Co.*, Golden Triangle, Hoi Polloi Wines*, Hoyt Family Vineyards, Hug Cellars, Jacob Toft Wines, JPIII Wines*, Kaleidos Wines, Kendric Vineyards*, Last Light Wine Co.*, Last Summer Wine*, Levo Wines, Lynch Wines, Marin's Vineyard, MCV Wines, Michael Gill Cellars, Mollie Wines*, Murder Ridge*, Mystic Hills Vineyard, Nicora Wines, Nowell-Smith Wines*, On Your Left Wines*, ONX Wines, Paix Sur Terre, Peloton Cellars*, Powell Mountain Cellars, Pulchella Winery, Ranchita Canyon, Rockin' R Winery*, RN Estate, Ryan Cochrane Wines, Serrano Wines*, Seven Angels Cellars, Seven Oxen Vineyard, Shell Creek Vineyards*, Small + Tall Wines*, Stolo Family Vineyard, The Farm Winery, Tlo Wines, Top Winery*, Trojak-Knier Winery, TW Fermentation Co, Two Shepherds, Vinemark Cellars, Vino Vargas and West of Temperance*. *First time pouring at the Paso Festival. To preserve an intimate experience for consumers with one-on-one interaction with winemakers, tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. To purchase tickets go to http://californiagaragistes.com/buy-tickets/. To learn more about The Garagiste Festival, and to get the latest event info, sign-up for The Dirt at http://garagistefestival.com/sign-up/. Or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook. Sponsors include: Adelaide Inn, Bidwell Insurance, Carlton Hotel, ETS Laboratories, ClearWater Tech, Digital Dogma, Farm Credit West, Farm Supply, Glenn Burdette, G3/Diam, KSBY, La Bellasera Hotel and Suites, La Quinta Inn and Suites, Laffort, LML Graphics, mWEBB Communications, Paso Oaks Hotel, PRWCA, Tonnellerie St, Martin, TPRA, Umpqua Bank, Visit Atascadero, WiVi Central Coast, XPressFil For sponsorship info, email info(at)garagistefestival.com. *Garagistes (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their "garages" (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the rules, and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011. Since then, the festival has helped thousands of consumers discover the remarkable wines of hundreds of true garagistes, who handcraft under 1,500 cases a year and pay close, hands-on attention to every wine they make. About The Garagiste Wine Festivals The Garagiste Wine Festivals (http://www.garagistefestival.com) are the first and only wine festivals dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan garagiste producers who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festial, Northern Exposure, in the Bay Area; garagiste mini-tastings presented from So Cal to Tahoe; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more. The festivals were named one of the Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations in the world by ABC News,* one of the premier wine events of the year, by the LA Times and Best Festival by Sunset Magazines Best of the West. The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Garagiste Festivals Inc. is a 5013c non-profit organization and proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department. Media Contacts: mWEBB Communications for The Garagiste Festivals Melanie Webber, melanie(at)mwebbcom(dot)com, 424-603-4340 Crystal Hartwell, crystal(at)mwebbcom(dot)com, 714-987-1016 Penn Community Bank, Bucks Countys leading independent, mutual financial organization, is pleased to announce that it has hired Nicole M. Boytin as a Commercial & Industrial Relationship Manager. She will manage a loan portfolio with a focus on the Doylestown market area while also initiating and nurturing new relationships with potential clients. Local businesses are the backbone of our communities, and when they succeed, we all succeed, Boytin said. I look forward to helping our business and economic community here in Bucks County to continue to thrive. Boytin joins Penn Community Bank with 15 years of experience in banking. She has managed client relationships as a trusted financial advisor, specializing in working with small businesses. Boytin also has been responsible for business development. She most recently served as Senior Relationship Manager at a national bank with branches throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, helping local businesses meet their financial needs while internally managing her team and supporting the banks branding efforts. Nicole is an excellent addition to the Penn Community Bank team, and her experience and connections to the Bucks County business community will prove invaluable, said Derek P.B. Warden, Chief Lending Officer. In addition to her professional experience, Boytin shares Penn Community Banks dedication to community service. She is actively involved with the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown, where she serves on the finance committee and serves on the board of Doylestown Health. Boytin, who graduated from Bloomsburg University with a bachelors degree in communications, lives in Hilltown Township, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. About Penn Community Bank: PennCommunityBank.com holds more than $1.8 billion in assets and employs more than 300 people at 22 bank branches and two administrative centers throughout Bucks County, Pennsylvania. As an independent, mutual financial institution, Penn Community Bank is not publicly traded and operates with its long-term mission in mind: to help businesses grow and prosper, to support individuals and families throughout their lifetimes, to strengthen the local economy, and to partner with local organizations to act as a catalyst for positive growth in every market it serves. "As research and technology advances, we're committed to adopting the safest and most progressive treatment options for patients with breast cancer." Novant Health Cancer Care continues to demonstrate its commitment to offering the most advanced treatment options to patients with breast cancer by becoming the first hospital in North Carolina to use the new SAVI SCOUT radar localization system during breast conservation surgeries. An alternative to wire localization, SCOUT is an FDA-cleared device used by surgeons and radiologists to precisely locate and direct the removal of a tumor during a lumpectomy or surgical biopsy procedure. Breast cancer surgery can be physically and emotionally distressing for women, and we strive to find ways to create a better experience and better outcomes for our patients, said Dr. Peter Turk, surgical oncologist and director of the Novant Health multidisciplinary breast cancer program at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center. SCOUT resolves one of the most difficult aspects of breast conservation surgery by eliminating the need to place a wire inside breast tissue to locate a tumor. SCOUT uses nonradioactive, radar technology to provide real-time surgical guidance during breast surgery. Rather than placing a wire immediately before surgery, a SCOUT reflector is placed in the target tissue up to 30 days before the procedure. During surgery, the SCOUT guide accurately detects the location of the reflector and the tumor. Patients are finding it much less painful and stressful relative to needle localization, said Dr. Turk. It is safer for the staff, with no sharp needles to work around in surgery, radiology or pathology. The ability to precisely locate and direct the removal of a tumor during a lumpectomy or surgical biopsy procedure enables surgeons to increase the probability of complete cancer removal and reduce the likelihood of needing follow-up surgeries a huge advantage for early-stage breast cancer patients. In addition, the ability to strategically plan the incision may result in less tissue being removed during surgery, resulting in better cosmetic outcomes. Were proud to be the first hospital in the state to be utilizing the innovative SCOUT infrared locations system, said Dr. Nicole Abinanti, radiologist and director of womens imaging with Mecklenburg Radiology Associates at Novant Health. As research and technology advances, were committed to adopting the safest and most progressive treatment options for patients with breast cancer. About Novant Health Novant Health is an integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient facilities and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to communities in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia. Named in 2016 by Beckers Hospital Review as one of the nations 150 best places to work in healthcare, Novant Health consists of more than 1,380 physicians and nearly 24,000 employees and provides care at 530 locations, including 14 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the health system serves more than 4 million patients annually and in 2015 provided more than $706 million in community benefit, including charity care and services. Diversity MBA has recognized the organization as one of the 50 best places for women and managers of diverse background to work. Novant Health provides care in Virginia under the joint operating company, Novant Health UVA Health System. For more information, please visit our website at NovantHealth.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook. ### Today, Pearson released the results of its first Adult Learners Survey, measuring the attitudes of adults who are enrolled in or planning to enroll in a degree or certificate program. The poll found that traditional workplace fears of being outsourced or replaced by younger or immigrant labor are giving way to fears about keeping pace with technology. These new concerns also are driving people to continue their education. Seventy-two percent (72%) of respondents indicated they will need additional education to keep up with advancements in their field, while sixty-nine percent (69%) fear that technological advancements will make their job significantly different within the next five years. Less than half (41%) worry about being replaced by younger workers, less than one third (30%) are concerned their job will fall victim to overseas outsourcing and only one quarter (25%) worry immigrant labor will take their job. As the global economy and student population change, its clear we need new ways for people to access to higher education, said Todd Hitchcock, chief operating officer for Pearson Embanet. Adult students are stretched with their current jobs, along with family and financial commitments. The higher education community needs to look toward online education, certification programs and flexible in-person programs to meet people where they are and in a way that suits their lifestyle or career needs. That flexibility is proving to be a key need for adult students. For those enrolled and working toward a degree, less than a third (27%) are pursuing that degree only using in-person courses. The rest are using online only programs or some combination of online and in-person classes. Across current and potential students, two-thirds of those polled (66%) view online program as being as prestigious as traditional degree programs, signaling confidence in the online programs they need. Among other the key findings in the poll: Beyond concerns about keeping up with a changing workplace, adult students were also concerned with improving their overall standing in life. For those who have already enrolled in an education program, nearly half (45%) said that improving their earning potential was a primary motivation for returning to school. Thirty-eight percent (38%) said they believed furthering their education would lead to a better life and a quarter (25%) wanted to improve their position at their current job. Even with the urgency of re-skilling, the cost of returning to school is a major concern for adults, with eighty percent (80%) saying its a key barrier to completing their education. Equally important is the time commitment; with around eighty percent (79%) of adults saying the availability of classes to fit their schedules and the length of time needed to complete an education are other barriers. Four year, public colleges and universities are the preferred place for more than half of adults enrolled and working toward a degree-followed by private four-year institutions and community colleges. For-profit colleges lag far behind as preferred institutions for adult students. Adult students are more concerned about finding the right course or program subject, rather than picking an institution first. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of adult students say they selected the program or course of study first, rather than the institution. While more than a third of adult learners (36%) said they wanted to advance in their current position, less than fifth of respondents (14%) say they had gotten any advice or information from their employer and half (50%) say lack of approval or support from their employer is a barrier to completing their education. These points all signal that employers are missing an important opportunity to develop their current workforce. The poll was based on 1,634 online interviews conducted by PSB in late July and early August 2016 with US Adults aged 25-64 who were either enrolled in or planning to enroll in a degree or certificate program. Click here to view the full report. ### Pearson is the worlds learning company, with expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. With the help of our members, event sponsors, and leadership, this years EB-5 Industry Forum provided much needed momentum for Program reauthorization ahead of the December 9th sunset date Invest in the USA (IIUSA), the national not-for-profit industry trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center Program (the Program), held its 6th Annual EB-5 Industry Forum from October 10-11 in Los Angeles, California. IIUSAs EB-5 Industry Forum, the industrys most comprehensive conference for education and business development, hosted approximately 350 registrants, 23 exhibitors, and 38 sponsors at the brand new Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center on the campus of University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). With the help of our members, event sponsors, and leadership, this years EB-5 Industry Forum provided much needed momentum for Program reauthorization ahead of the December 9th sunset date, said IIUSA Executive Director Peter D. Joseph. The Program is constantly evolving and this has proven time and time again to be an effective forum to discuss those changes. Attendees from across the globe came to network, learn, and grow in their understanding of the EB-5 Program, particularly at this pivotal moment for this industry." October 10 kicked off the event with a case studies seminar on hot topics such as capital redeployment, project marketing and investor market diversification, and law enforcement and litigation. In the afternoon, IIUSA hosted its first-ever EB-5 Due Diligence Seminar with panels on immigration due diligence, transactional due diligence, investor fund protection and compliance with U.S. Securities Laws. On October 11, IIUSA hosted three general session symposium-style panels on the three most important issues facing the EB-5 industry: legislation and regulatory reform, program integrity and visa capacity. To compliment these panels, breakout sessions focused on the practical implications of enacting proposed legislation for both EB-5 projects and investors. IIUSA was pleased to host several distinguished guest of honor speakers who discussed their unique insights about the EB-5 industry. These included Julia Harrison, Deputy Chief, USCIS Immigrant Investor Program Office (IPO); Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the U.S. State Department Visa Controls Office; and Michele W. Layne, Regional Director U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Los Angeles Regional Office. IIUSA will next host its 10th Annual EB-5 Advocacy Conference April 26-28, 2017 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. a hotel completed in 2014 with the help of EB-5 investment. To learn more about this conference and purchase tickets, visit the event page. ### Founded in 2005, IIUSA is the national not-for-profit trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center industry with a mission of advocacy, education, industry development, and research. The organization represents more than 260 Regional Centers and 200 Associate members, collectively representing big and small projects, urban and rural economic development, and industry sectors ranging from real estate and manufacturing to energy and infrastructure. IIUSAs members are engines of economic growth and job creation, accounting for a vast majority of capital flowing through the Program. Learn more at IIUSA.org. Ran Y. Rubinstein, M.D. Ran Y. Rubinstein, MD is excited to announce that he will be among the first surgeons in the United States to offer Juvederm Volbella XC injectable gel. In June, the filler was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an effective way to increase lip fullness and correct perioral lines. Dr. Rubinsteins patients can expect to see the same exceptional aesthetic results they have come to trust from the extensive line of Juvederm facial fillers. Juvederm Volbella XC is among the new generation of fillers, far surpassing traditional products. Made with VYCROSS technology, this latest filler can provide patients with smooth lips that last for up to 12 months. A proprietary component from Allergan, the maker of Juvederm, VYCROSS blends different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to ensure long lasting duration of their products. VYCROSS is also made with Lidocaine, ensuring a comfortable application. Juvederm Volbella XC was created with a lower HA concentration than other fillers, customized for the delicate tissues around the mouth. It gives providers the chance to subtly sculpt the lips with a natural looking, supple fullness. The product can safely soften perioral rhytids, or lip lines, taking years off of the appearance. The injectable, approved by the FDA for adults over the age of 21, will be available in early fall/winter from select providers. The cutting-edge technology that Juvederm Volbella XC brings todays patients is unique. Bill Meury, Chief Commercial Officer at Allergan explains, "The FDA approval of JUVEDERM VOLBELLA XC further demonstrates Allergan's commitment to developing advanced products and technologies that allow healthcare providers to better address evolving patient needs. He continues, "This approval brings to market a product unlike anything that is currently available in the United States. Only the best aesthetic professionals will provide Juvederm Volbella XC during its inaugural period. Dr. Rubinsteins years of demonstrated skill as an educator and trainer in dermal filler injections has allowed him to become to be one of the initial providers. Dr. Rubinsteins experience has earned him the Diamond Award for excellence with Allergan products like Juvederm, Voluma, and Botox. Laser and Cosmetic Surgery Specialists was founded more than 15 years ago by Dr. Ran Rubinstein in Newburgh, New York. Dr. Rubinstein completed his medical training at the prestigious Albert Einstein School of Medicine before performing his residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey, and his facial plastic surgery fellowship at the University of South Florida, Tampa. One of the top facial plastic surgeons in New York, Dr. Rubinstein is double board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. He serves as an assistant clinical professor at New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he has been educating future surgeons since 2000. Dr. Rubinstein specializes in rejuvenating procedures for the face and neck, demonstrating skill and experience unmatched by any other surgeon in New York. Contact Dr. Ran Rubinsteins office at 845-863-1772 for more information about the exciting release of Juvederm Volbella XC. To find out if the lip injectable is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Rubinstein in his Newburgh, New York office. A virtual consultation is also available for those patients coming from outside of the Lower Hudson Valley. Capistrano USD is launching a new energy initiative to provide a world-class educational environment that offers students opportunities to learn about energy use and conservation. Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, along with the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) today announced the California Energy Commissions approval of $2.5 million in grant funding for energy efficiency improvements through the Proposition 39 Clean Energy Jobs Act (Prop 39). CUSD has selected Schneider Electric to implement efficiency projects that will save the district $227,000 in annual energy costs and secure $100,000 in energy rebates. CUSD faced challenges with aging infrastructure and outdated lighting systems in its high school buildings, which led to mounting utility costs. Through the partnership with Schneider Electric, CUSD will execute an energy savings plan that will achieve more than 1 million kWh in annual energy savings and reduce its utility bills by 10 percent. The project involves installing high efficiency LED lighting in six of the districts high school campuses. The Schneider Electric team helped CUSD navigate the complex system to secure Prop 39 grant funding and develop a plan to implement the funding to the fullest extent. Prop 39, which made $550 million available annually to improve schools energy efficiency and expand clean energy programs, is an important funding source in California. The time was right for the Capistrano USD to embark on an energy savings plan because our energy costs were escalating and the advent of Prop 39 funding gave us the opportunity to pay for critical projects without taking resources from our classrooms, said CUSD Board President, Amy Hanacek. Were delighted to kick off this project and create more energy efficient spaces that will also create compelling learning opportunities for students. The energy efficiency project will offer CUSD students hands-on exposure to energy engineering and sustainable energy management, supporting the districts commitment to STEM and STEAM curriculum. Students will be involved in the auditing, monitoring, and measurement and verification of electricity usage as an educational tool to establish innovation at every level within the school system. CUSD will also use Schneider Electrics Resource Advisor software platform to measure and analyze energy spend, connecting energy data to analytics to guide decisions around energy use. Using Resource Advisor, district staff and students will be able to see energy use in real-time, determining where high energy use occurs and where energy reduction measures can be implemented. Were excited to help the Capistrano USD join many other California schools in leveraging Prop 39 funding to meet their energy savings goals, said Tammy Fulop, Vice President, Schneider Electric. At Schneider Electric, we take great pride in helping schools maximize their Prop 39 allocation to drive significant energy savings that can be reinvested into educational programs. The added component of involving students in learning about energy management is a unique and exciting part of the CUSD project which will help create the next generation of energy leaders. In addition to annual energy savings, the project will also have a substantial environmental impact, removing 261 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, which is equivalent to removing 56 cars from the road or planting 10,442 acres of trees. Over the past 23 years, Schneider Electric has successfully implemented more than 575 ESPC projects across the nation, savings its clients nearly $2 billion. This project delivery method helps publicly funded entities make capital improvements over longer payback periods and offers many long-term benefits such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection. For more information on Schneider Electrics approach to performance contracting, please visit http://www.enable.schneider-electric.com. About Schneider Electric Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of ~$30 billion in FY2015, our 160,000+ employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On. Cost-saving strategies, like cost shifting, should be taken with a grain of salt, given the increased burdens they place on employees. -- Les McPhearson, CEO of UBA Among employer-sponsored health insurance plans, consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) continue to increase in popularity even though they are offering less savings than a year ago, according to the 2016 Health Plan Survey from United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nations largest independent survey of employer-sponsored benefits. UBA finds 26.4 percent of all U.S. employees are now enrolled in CDHP plans, an increase of 21.7 percent from last year and nearly 70 percent from five years ago. Conversely, CDHP plan costs have risen 2 percent from last year, according to UBA. So while they are still 3.5 percent less costly than the average plan, they offered more savings in 2015 when they were 5.6 percent less than the average plan. CDHP interest among employers isnt surprising given these plans savings over the average plan, says Les McPhearson, CEO of UBA. Employees typically pick up 32 percent of the cost, slightly below the 35 percent average employee contribution rate among all plans, making them an attractive choice for many employees as well. But like all cost benchmarks, plan design plays a major part in understanding value. The UBA survey finds that 25.7 percent of plans offered by employers are CDHPs, a 14.2 percent increase in the last five years. Regionally, however, there are major differences in CDHP popularity. UBAs survey finds CDHPs account for the following percentage of plans offered by employers: NORTHEAST 34.4% NORTH CENTRAL 32.5% SOUTHEAST 26.6% CENTRAL 21.0% WEST 14.2% CDHPs have increased in prevalence in all regions except the West, which saw the number of these plans decrease by 7.2 percent from 2015. Despite this decrease in the number of CDHPs offered in the West, there was an 18.9 percent increase in the number of employees enrolled, indicating the continued attraction to the lower premiums of such plans. While most of the country is experiencing slightly increased premiums, California has enjoyed an 11.4 percent decrease in average single premiums, finds UBA. Employers in this part of the country are actually moving away from CDHPs and toward HMOs, which the survey shows are 9 percent less costly than the average plan. Cost-saving strategies, like cost shifting, should be taken with a grain of salt, given the increased burdens they place on employees, says McPhearson. Given the higher than average out-of-pocket costs of CDHPs, this turbulence in the West (who typically leads the nation in health care trends) indicates that employers and employees are still determining the value and success of these plans, making it a cautious upward trend to watch. UBAs 2016 Health Plan Survey Executive Summary is available now at http://bit.ly/UBAsurvey or it can be downloaded directly at http://bit.ly/2016-executive-summary. For interviews, contact Carina Sammartino, Media Relations, csammartino (at) fishervista.com or 760-331-3547. ABOUT THE 2016 UBA HEALTH PLAN SURVEY The 2016 UBA Health Plan Survey contains the validated responses of 19,557 health plans and 11,524 employers, who cumulatively employ over two and a half million employees and insure more than five million total lives. While other surveys primarily target large employers, the focus of the UBA survey is to report results that are applicable to the small and mid-size companies that represent the overwhelming majority of the nations employers, while also including a mix of large companies in rough proportion to their actual prevalence, nationally. This is an important distinction compared to other national surveys. ABOUT UNITED BENEFIT ADVISORS United Benefit Advisors (UBA) is the nations leading independent employee benefits advisory organization with more than 200 offices throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. UBA empowers more than 2,000 Partners to both maintain their individuality and pool their expertise, insight, and market presence to provide best-in-class services and solutions. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from the shared wisdom of our Partners should visit http://www.UBAbenefits.com. As the issue of housing continues to be hotly debated, one group in particular has had to compromise in order to find suitable living situations that are also affordable: Americas millennials. According to a new survey of 1000 Americans aged 18-34 from The NHP Foundation, a not-for-profit provider of service-enriched affordable housing, a majority of millennials have had to delay or rethink traditional ideas of the American Dream of home ownership. The surveys highlights include the following: 76% of millennials have made compromises in order to find affordable housing. Seventy-six percent of respondents said that they have made housing compromises in order to find something affordable. Of those who admit compromises, 46% say they live with parents or family; 43% say they have put off saving for the future; 41% say they live with a roommate; while 36% say they have had to move further away from school or work to find something affordable. Thirty percent have said they have put off home ownership entirely. Millennials, Americas largest generation, already saddled with record-breaking student loan debt, no longer think homeownership is in their future, said Richard Burns, CEO of The NHP Foundation. This group mirrors much of society, which is also frustrated by the lack of affordable housing and seeking rental options. Working to solve this problem is NHPFs primary mission. 69% of millennials are cost-burdened. Affordable housing is housing for which occupants pay no more than 30% of their income. Those who spend more than that on rent or a mortgage are considered cost-burdened, and over 69% of millennials put themselves in that category. Of those who describe themselves as cost-burdened, 67% say they are saving for the future purchase of a home; 20% say they are delaying getting married or having children; and 17% are putting off paying for preventative healthcare. Nearly one-third plan to continue renting and/or living at home, 50% prefer renting to ownership Sixteen percent said they plan to continue renting and 12% say they plan to continue living with their parents or family. Of the respondents who said they plan to continue renting, 57% said they will continue to do so because the expenses of home ownership are too great. Despite some renters forced to do so by high costs, some respondents prefer renting to ownership. Fifty-one percent said they will continue to rent because of the location of their rental and 31% said that their mobile professional life (defined as frequent moves necessitated by climbing the career ladder) was more conducive to being a renter. On the other hand, 61% of those who plan to continue living with parents or family said that they will do so because the expenses of home ownership are too great; 53% said that location was the primary reason; while 31% said they would continue to do so because of their mobile professional life. The contrast between Gen Ys housing goals and that of previous generations is stark, said Burns. In order to meet demand for quality rental options, a combination of public, private and government entities need to make sizeable investments in the countrys housing infrastructure. Affordable housing top social issue for millennials. Sixty-three percent of respondents said that affordable housing is very important to them, with 50% saying that beyond their own situation, affordable housing is a very important social issue. Fifty percent of respondents also said that they would be very likely to give to affordable housing causes by volunteering time (60%), attending events (50%), championing the issue on social media (36%) or contributing money (32%). Millennials are already well known for their social consciousness and attention to pet causes, said Burns. To see that the need for affordable housing for all resonates with this group is gratifying. Burns continues, Creating programs that encourage millennial participation is a key objective of NHPF moving forward. About The NHP Foundation Headquartered in New York City with offices in Washington, DC, and Chicago, IL, The NHP Foundation (NHPF) was launched on January 30, 1989, as a publicly supported 501(c)(3) not-for- profit real estate corporation. NHPF is dedicated to preserving and creating sustainable, service-enriched multifamily housing that is both affordable to low and moderate income singles, families and seniors, and beneficial to their communities. NHPF also provides a robust resident services program to nearly 18,000 community residents. Through partnerships with major financial institutions, the public sector, faith-based initiatives, and other not-for-profit organizations, NHPF has 43 properties located in Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Defining a truly open, interoperable standard for EV charging data is essential to growing the market for electric vehicles...OCPP represents a key step in future-proofing EV charging stations. Utilities, electric vehicle (EV) charging station suppliers, integrators, and associations from around the world are coming together to establish an international interoperability standard for EV charging data. The work of the new OASIS OCPP EV Charging Equipment Data Exchange Technical Committee will open global markets by enabling any EV charge point to connect with any central system or third-party network service provider, regardless of vendor. John Gartner, Research Director at Navigant, said, "Defining a truly open, interoperable standard for EV charging data is essential to growing the market for electric vehicles by enabling charging stations to be seamlessly integrated into grid operations. OCPP represents a key step in future-proofing EV charging stations." OCPP was initiated by the Open Charge Alliance (OCA), which is contributing the specification to OASIS for further development in the international community. Lonneke Driessen of OCA and Rish Ghatikar of Greenlots co-chair the OASIS OCPP Technical Committee. "OCPP is already the de-facto open standard for EV charger-to-network communications globally. OCPP 1.6 has been downloaded more than 7,000 times to 77 countries. It is the only open standard in the EV charging equipment management space that is in common use anywhere in the world," said Driessen. "Transitioning the work to OASIS will encourage even more companies to contribute to the standard, increasing industry confidence and adoption even further." Ghatikar added, "OCPP adoption ensures non-proprietary access and lower integration and grid connectivity costs. The standard also promises to level the playing field, making it possible for smaller players to participate in this new technology marketplace and innovations. Most importantly, OCPP provides customers with the freedom to choose their charging network partners. There are similar precedents from the advanced demand response technology deployments." "OCPP will make it easier and more cost-effective for municipalities and countries to improve their energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by deploying an interoperable, grid-integrated EV charging station network," said Laurent Liscia, CEO and Executive Director of OASIS. "We are excited to see OCPP progress at OASIS, and we encourage more utilities and EV companies to get involved in the decisions that will affect them." The international community is well represented in the OASIS OCPP Technical Committee, with organizations in Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, and the U.S. currently participating. New members are welcome. Support for OCPP Chargerlink Strategy Director, Sibo Li, said, "OCPP is the most useful standard in the EV industry. It provides a thoughtful solution, and helps us to design platforms and business models for various major Chinese industrial players. In the last several years, while many manufacturers maintained a more traditional mindset, Chargerlink has dominantly educated the Chinese market with open standards and advanced mobile applications, advancing the EV industry. With the qualities of openness and internationalization, we believe OCPP can assist numerous new players to grow as fast as we did." ChargeStorm AB CEO/Founder, Patrik Lindergren, said, "Chargestorm has been working with connected smart charging station for the last 7 years. Joining the Oasis organization will make it possible for us to contribute to the standardization work based on our long experience in the expanding EV market." Ensto Chago CEO, Juha Stenberg, said, "It is a logical decision for Chago to participate in OCPP and relevant cloud back-end standardization. Standardization enables easier system integration and makes EV charging part of energy systems. We support the development and adoption of OCPP as it drives our goals: lower OPEX costs, sustainability and smart services." About OASIS OASIS is a non-profit, international consortium that drives the development, convergence and adoption of open standards for the global information society. OASIS promotes industry consensus and produces worldwide standards for the SmartGrid, security, privacy, cloud computing, IoT, and other areas. OASIS open standards offer the potential to lower cost, stimulate innovation, grow global markets, and protect the right of free choice of technology. OASIS members broadly represent the marketplace of public and private sector technology leaders, users, and influencers. The consortium has more than 5,000 participants representing over 600 organizations and individual members in 65+ countries. http://www.oasis-open.org Craig Shue, assistant professor of computer science A cyber defense software program developed by a WPI professor is one of only eight technologies funded this year by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Craig Shue, assistant professor of computer science, has been awarded a three-year, $350,000 DHS grant to continue his work on a program that distinguishes between user-generated information and stealthy automated malware applications to help prevent attacks on individual computers from spreading through a companys network system. Companies have increasingly complex relationships, including working with more business partners like delivery services, payment collectors, and other outside vendors who can inadvertently open the door to attack, said Shue. Attackers find the weakest point of entry to gain access to information, and often that point is within a companys network ecosystem. More than a simple firewall around a networks perimeter, Shues software allows corporate networks to understand the purpose behind data transmitted into the network. The software can identify human interaction on a computer, such as a user typing a message or opening a website, therefore letting the system know the action is legitimate. Malware or spam programs have no contact with a computers hardware when attempting to send data throughout a network, and thus would be flagged as deceptive. According to Shue, Network operators can be overwhelmed by the volume of data on their networks. They must act like detectives and manually reconstruct events to find threats. A perimeter defense wont see something happening inside a network. Our approach installs software on each computer in a network that asks a centralized coordinator for permission before enabling any action, so were basically putting a perimeter defense around each computer. Shue created the software with prior funding from the National Science Foundation. Under the DHS grant, he and his team will finalize the program and make it available for industry use. In addition to the novel approach to setting up a defense on individual computers, Shue is working to make his software affordable for businesses of any size. In today's highly connected world, attackers are targeting even small businesses, so our protections must be affordable for everyone, says Shue. Shues work was identified by the DHS Transition to Practice Program as a product that can have tremendous potential for commercial applications throughout the nation, enhance the competitiveness of individual small businesses, as well as expand areas of exploration and cooperation for all non-federal partners. In collaboration with DHS, Shue will demonstrate his software at a series of events to identify a test market partner with the goal of commercializing the product within the next two years. About Worcester Polytechnic Institute Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nations first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Perspective Program. There are more than 45 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. Contact: Colleen Bamford Wamback, Public Relations Specialist Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, Massachusetts 508-688-4858, cbwamback(at)wpi(dot)edu One of Retrospect's loans helped this woman in India purchase a buffalo to expand her animal husbandry business I really like that a person attending a trade show in Columbus Ohio can help fulfill a $275 loan to a woman in India so that she can buy a buffalo just by stopping by a trade show booth to say Hi! Retrospect, Inc., makers of Retrospect Backup & Recovery Software announced today the successful launch of an initiative to offer financial support to small businesses in need through Kiva.org. Retrospect launched their initiative at two ASCii Group SMB Success Summits in Toronto, Canada and Columbus, Ohio. Rather than offering promotional items to event attendees, Retrospect made a $5 donation toward micro loans for each attendee who stopped at their tradeshow booth during the Success Summit events. Through Kiva.org, that money was lent in sums of $25 to small business owners around the world to fulfill varying needs. Once loans are repaid, the money will be re-lent to other businesses. Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. By lending as little as $25 on Kiva, anyone can help a borrower start or grow a business, go to school, access clean energy or realize their potential. Every year we spend thousands of dollars on promotional items to give out at trade showspens, snack foods, etc.things that are engaging, but dont necessarily help anyone. I decided that this money could be put to be better use if we loaned it out through Kiva.org, and as a small business ourselves, we like that we can help to support other small businesses around the world, said Retrospect, Inc.'s Director of Worldwide Marketing, Kristin Goedert. This is a great way for us to make a big impact not only in someones life, but in their community as well, since most of these businesses support a community. Plus I really like that a person attending a trade show in Columbus Ohio can help fulfill a $275 loan to a woman in India so that she can buy a buffalo just by stopping by a trade show booth to say Hi! To date Retrospect has helped to fund 13 loans, including, A loan of $125 to a woman in Negros Oriental, Philippines for the purchase both fresh and dried fish to grow her fish selling business. A loan of $275 to a woman in Gujarat, India for the purchase of a buffalo to expand her animal husbandry business and add buffalo-based dairy products to her offerings. A loan of $2500 to a man in Richmond, CA for the purchase of food service equipment for his catering business and to cover the cost of permits to sell food at local farmers markets. A loan of $1100 to a man in Iganga, Uganda for the purchase of a water filtration system to provide clean drinking water for students at the Tim Tasha School in Bugumba, Iganga. All of Retrospects loans can be viewed on their Kiva donor page at http://www.kiva.org/lender/retrospectinc About Retrospect Retrospect backup and recovery software provides small and midsize businesses with the reliability, ease of use, power, and flexibility needed to protect critical data on mixed-platform networks. Retrospect offers local and offsite backups, precise point-in-time restores, file-level deduplication, iOS remote management of multiple backup servers, end-user-initiated restores, and industry-leading customer support. With more than two decades of field-tested expertise and millions of users worldwide, Retrospect meets the needs of organizations that require the highest level of recoverability. About Retrospect, Inc. Retrospect, Inc. is dedicated to providing reliable backup and recovery tools for professionals and small-to-midsize businesses. For additional information, please visit retrospect.com. Retrospect is a registered trademark of Retrospect, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their registered holders. What started as a simple place for military women to connect with each other for one-to-one professional development is becoming a robust resource for military women to share with each other, discuss ideas in affinity groups, and connect. The AcademyWomen eMentor program today announced the launch of a newly expanded interactive community website created by military women for military women. The MilitaryWomen eMentor website offers a robust online platform that connects women of all ages and stages of their military career. The community is open to current military women and women veterans from all branches, eras of service, components (to include National Guard, Reserve and Active Duty), and ranks (enlisted and officer). The new interface is similar to familiar social media platforms with the added enhancement of personal goal setting and mentorship opportunities for personal and professional development. Military women are able to build a community of support through mentorship as well as create, react to and comment on posts, share information and resources and plan events. There is no cost to join this community. More information can be found by visiting the eMentor website at http://www.ementorprogram.org and clicking on MilitaryWomen eMentor. With only 15% of the US Armed Forces comprised of women worldwide, limited access to other military women is a common scenario. The MilitaryWomen eMentor community eliminates geographic boundaries and bridges this divide by providing a free resource to military women so that they are better equipped with the skills and information critical for personal and professional development. This community of military women joins together to discuss and offer solutions to a variety of development needs including: Developing a rewarding career path Women in the military- unique issues Family and personal options- what to consider Maintaining health and fitness while deployed Finding meaningful employment following separation from military service The MilitaryWomen eMentor community serves current, former and aspiring military women including officers-in-training, junior enlisted, non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, commissioned officers and veterans from all commissioning sources and branches of military service. The community is designed to provide a continuum of support to military women throughout various stages of their lives. An ROTC officer-in-training might be deciding if she wants to pursue an Active Duty career or join the Reserves. A Senior Airman who is starting to explore career progression options might be looking for guidance from a trusted source that has walked a path similar to hers. A junior officer might need to connect with an influential network of career mentors who can help position her for meaningful employment following her military service. A retired veteran entering the latter stages of her life might be searching for resources regarding aging and wellness. eMentor is for the mother facing her first military deployment away from her children and husband. Its for the wife, who is contemplating starting a family. Its for the woman in a same sex partnership seeking additional guidance in navigating work-life balance. Its for the budding entrepreneur who has dreams of launching her own business. eMentor is for all military women, who are certainly strong when they stand alone, but who are even stronger when united together in a community of support. Its for all of us, including women veterans who served proudly, but perhaps feel so far removed from that time in our lives that we hardly raise our hands when asked if we are veterans, says Erica Hartless, a US Army veteran and Director of the eMentor Program. Becoming a member of the MilitaryWomen eMentor community is a quick and simple process. After filling out a profile designed to customize a user experience that meets the unique needs of each participant, a protege is prompted to review and choose from a list of suggested mentors to find her ideal match. Women who have gone through military training can connect with a mentor who shares common history and can provide personal and professional development. For those who are not seeking a formal mentor, the platform has several social features for members to share information and gather resources. The enhanced MilitaryWomen eMentor community features multi-media resources centered on the pillars of: Leadership Professional Development Health & Wellness Coaching & Mentoring The expanded services and website enhancements of the MilitaryWomen eMentor community are supported by Allergan, a leader in Womens healthcare. All services are provided free of cost to participants through the generous support from individual donors and corporate sponsors who understand the value military women and women veterans provide to the nation and their communities. Erica Hartless, Director of eMentor Programs explains, What started as a simple place for military women to connect with each other for one-to-one professional development is becoming a robust resource for military women to share with each other, discuss ideas in affinity groups, and connect. About eMentor eMentor is an award winning online mentoring program that has served 6,000+ military women, veterans, cadets, midshipmen and military spouses in mentoring relationships. eMentor uses mentoring to bridge the divide between geographically dispersed and underserved communities so that proteges are better equipped with the skills and resources critical for personal and professional development. eMentor programs include: MilitaryWomen eMentor, Veteran eMentor, Military Spouse eMentor, CadetMidn Women eMentor, Military Entrepreneur (In Development) and STEMkids eMentor (In Development). Please direct questions to Erica Hartless at hartless@ementorprogram.org. About AcademyWomen AcademyWomen is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2003 as a leadership and professional development organization. Visit http://www.academywomen.org for more information. AcademyWomen membership and events are open to all who support the organizations mission. About Allergan Allergan is a leader in womens health care that is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of women. The mission of Allergan Womens HealthCare extends beyond its pharmaceutical products to ensure that all women can make informed decisions about their health and have access to high-quality medications. Allergan is committed to investing in programs that support the education and well-being of all women. For more information, visit http://www.allergan.com. HNTB continued its industry leadership and involvement at the Construction Management Association of Americas National Conference held in San Diego this month. The conference is an excellent opportunity for construction management practitioners owners and service providers to work collaboratively and creatively together to advance the CM profession by delivering innovative solutions HNTB Corporation continued its industry leadership and involvement at the Construction Management Association of Americas National Conference held in San Diego this month. More than 1,300 owners, construction managers and other industry professionals attended the conference and exhibition. HNTB continues its active engagement and participation in significant industry events like the CMAA annual conference where our professionals can share their expertise and best practices with many of our clients and colleagues, said Joe Lawton, HNTB national construction management practice leader and CMAA Fellow. The conference is an excellent opportunity for construction management practitioners owners and service providers to work collaboratively and creatively together to advance the CM profession by delivering innovative solutions. In addition to HNTBs gold-level sponsorship, Mary Jane OMeara, HNTB associate vice president, was a featured panelist in the plenary session based on the book, Boots on the Ground, Flats in the Boardroom: Transportation Women Tell Their Stories. Pioneering transportation women shared their anecdotes and career experiences that offered interesting insights about leadership and an inclusive workforce with the attendees. In all, 14 construction management professionals from HNTB attended the event. HNTBs national construction management expertise includes the Caltrans Bridges at Devils Slide in California; Elizabeth River Tunnels in Virginia; the 11th Street Bridge Project in Washington, D.C.; and Seattles Mercer Corridor Improvements in Washington. CMAA is the leading organization advancing professional construction and program management worldwide. Its membership is comprised of more than 14,000 public and private organizations, owners and individual practitioners. CMAA provides professional development, CM certification, advocacy and business opportunities to its members and the industry. About HNTB HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors. With more than a century of service in the United States, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program management and construction management. For more information, visit http://www.hntb.com. Dr. Iswanto Sucandy He is an extremely talented surgeon; and I have no doubt he will be an immediate asset and advocate to the patients he will treat throughout the Tampa Bay community Florida Hospital Physician Group (FHPG) is proud to welcome Iswanto Sucandy, MD, to the Southeastern Center for Digestive Disorders & Pancreatic Cancer, Advanced Minimally Invasive & Robotic Surgery. Dr. Sucandy is a highly skilled, board certified, advanced GI Surgeon specializing in the surgical treatment of pancreatic, biliary and liver disorders. Dr. Sucandy completed his residency in General Surgery at Jefferson Health-Abington Hospital in Pennsylvania. He then completed a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at Yale University School of Medicine. He completed a second surgical fellowship in Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Sucandy specializes in the treatment of pancreatic, biliary and liver cancers. Hes a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and American Board of Surgery (ABS). He is also a member International Hepato-Pancreato Biliary Association and Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. As the newest surgeon to join the Foregut and HPB practice in the Southeastern Center for Digestive Disorders & Pancreatic Cancer, Advanced Minimally Invasive & Robotic Surgery with Dr. Alexander Rosemurgy and Dr. Sharona B. Ross; Dr. Sucandy will work in collaboration with fellow FHPG physicians within the comprehensive and multidisciplinary team at the Digestive Health Institute (DHI). DHI includes Dr. Allen Chudzinski with the Advanced Center for Colorectal Surgery, as well as Dr. Michael Harris, Dr. Arthi Sanjeevi and Dr. Yasser Saloum with the Digestive Care Center, all located at Florida Hospital Tampa. The FHPG team of GI surgeons and hepatologists provide the highest levels of expertise diagnosing and treating primary and metastatic liver cancers, including fibrolamellar-hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. We are both honored and excited that Dr. Sucandy has joined the Florida Hospital Physician Group. He is an extremely talented surgeon; and I have no doubt he will be an immediate asset and advocate to the patients he will treat throughout the Tampa Bay community and beyond, shared Chris Jenkins, President of Florida Hospital Physician Group. The Southeastern Center for Digestive Disorders & Pancreatic Cancer, Advanced Minimally Invasive & Robotic Surgery is located at 3000 Medical Park Drive, Suite 500, Tampa, Florida 33613. Dr. Sucandy is currently accepting new patients along with Dr. Ross and Dr. Rosemurgy. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (813) 615-7030 or visit http://www.FHPhysicianGroup.com. About Florida Hospital Physician Group Florida Hospital Physician Group (FHPG) is a multi-specialty physician group, dedicated to improving the health and wellness of communities throughout the greater Tampa Bay region with more than 130 providers operating in over 40 locations representing over 25 medical specialties. FHPG offers patients the highest level of compassionate and multidisciplinary care through a broad range of medical and surgical services, as well as direct access to five local Florida Hospitals, a Long Term Acute Care facility, imaging centers, specialty and urgent care centers, rehabilitation facilities and home care agencies located throughout Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. Part of the Adventist Health System, Florida Hospital is a leading health network comprised of 26 hospitals throughout the state. For more information, visit http://www.FHPhysicianGroup.com. About Florida Hospital Tampa Florida Hospital Tampa is a not-for-profit 513-bed tertiary hospital specializing in cardiovascular medicine, neuroscience, orthopaedics, womens services, pediatrics, oncology, endocrinology, bariatrics, wound healing, sleep medicine and general surgery including minimally invasive and robotic-assisted procedures. Also located at Florida Hospital Tampa is the renowned Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, a recognized leader in cardiovascular disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and leading-edge research. The recent addition of the Doc1stER shows that Florida Hospital Tampa is committed to providing compassionate and quality healthcare. Part of the Adventist Health System, Florida Hospital is a leading health network comprised of 26 hospitals throughout the state. For more information, visit http://www.FHTampa.org. Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Project Lead The Way have been selected to help dramatically scale STEM applied learning curricula across schools in Massachusetts. This grant is given to combine the strengths of two important undertakings the STEM Education Center at WPI and the Project Lead The Way curriculum. Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative STEM learning experience for K-12 students and professional development for their teachers. The STEM Education Center at WPI works directly with PreK-12 teachers and is home to numerous initiatives that provide STEM solutions for schools. This new endeavor is noteworthy in its intent to provide access throughout the state. The PLTW curriculum has proven impact on student performance, interest, and outcomes. PLTW is unique because it makes the sciences come to life for students and teachers with a curriculum that is project-based, requiring students apply what they learn in hands-on assignments. This initiative will double the number of schools from the more than 100 schools who currently provide PLTW courses to over 220 and expand the number of students reached within the participating schools. As the Massachusetts Affiliate University for PLTW, Worcester Polytechnic Institute provides professional development and tactical and strategic assistance to school systems adopting PLTW programming. This is an exciting time to be in education, said Martha Cyr, who is currently the executive director of the STEM Education Center at WPI and the person kicking off this initiative. PLTWs STEM-based programs help develop skills in problem-solving, critical- and creative-thinking, communication and collaboration through hands-on activities, projects, and problems reflective of real-world scenarios and careers. Weve seen real success in school systems that have implemented Project Lead The Way courses, and at WPI, we are poised to help bring this innovative programming to more schools, more students, and more teachers here in the Commonwealth. The work is multifaceted. One component is to identify a core of PLTW teachers who will become Massachusetts Mentor Teachers, who in turn can provide specific, hands-on training to educators in school districts implementing PLTW programming. Other components include developing, coordinating, and providing Advanced Training opportunities to PLTW teachers. The Jacobson Family Foundation grant, $225,000 for three years, provides bridge funding that will expand the programs and make them self-sustaining. WPI will also be working in close partnership with a new organization, the Mass STEM Hub to help grow the number of schools using PLTW with high-quality implementation. To complement WPIs work expanding the teacher training offerings, the Mass STEM Hub will develop a comprehensive ecosystem of enrichment activities and supports around PLTW programs to maximize the impact for students. For example, Mass STEM Hub will provide grants to schools and districts to support adoption and expansion of PLTW programs, host student events and competitions tied to the PLTW curriculum to expand the programming beyond the four walls of the classroom, and work to recruit industry partners for schools to provide real-world connections to 21st century careers. At WPI, the support for growing the number of students with access to PLTW will begin immediately. Were aiming to double the number of participants in the annual conference this year, and, within five years, reach approximately 20% of the students in the state, said Cyr, noting that last years conference included more than 120 participants. The free daylong conference is a combined informational and professional development event for district administrators, principals, curriculum specialists, teachers, school counselors, and interested business and industry professionals to learn about PLTWs K-12 curricular programs in engineering, computer science, and biomedical science. WPI hosts the annual conference, provides core training, assists with the implementation of the PLTW curricular programs, and provides ongoing support to PLTW schools in Massachusetts and other New England states. This years conference will be held at WPI on Thursday, October 20, and will feature opening remarks by Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. Click for more information. PLTW engages students at more than 9,000 schools across the U.S. in hands-on activities, projects, and problems reflective of real-world scenarios and careers. PLTWs STEM-based programs help students develop applicable skills in computer science, engineering, and biomedical sciences. Studies show that students who take PLTW courses have a better understanding of math and science concepts and are more likely to pursue STEM-related majors and careers. PLTW courses are aligned with the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards, and are endorsed by Change the Equation. ### About PLTW Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTWs teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. More than 9,000 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org About the Mass STEM Hub Mass STEM Hub partners with schools to implement high-quality applied learning programs. Its mission is to provide schools access to and support for high-quality, in-school applied learning programming that engages students and prepares them for 21st century careers. Mass STEM Hub seeks to be a trusted resource to schools, higher education, and industry by identifying proven programs, developing supports to help ensure high-quality adoption, and creating complementary offerings (e.g., trainings, events) to supercharge the impact. By working at scale across the state, Mass STEM Hub can develop programs and cultivate partners that would be difficult for single schools working alone to create. About Worcester Polytechnic Institute Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nations first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Projects Program. There are more than 45 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. WPI Contact: Alison Duffy, Associate Director of Public Relations, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, Massachusetts; 508-831-6656, amduffy(at)wpi(dot)edu. The main event of the weekend is the Gathering of the Jack OLanterns on Saturday evening but there are many events and activities to take part in throughout the weekend This event is very cool and unique, one-of-a-kind in the northern region, says Harkless its just really fun and organic; theres no better way to put it. Local businesses around the Littleton region are working together to bring visitors and locals another pumpkin spectacular on the Ammonoosuc River. Littletons Gathering of the Jack OLanterns started five years ago as an idea of Dave Harkless, owner of Littleton Bike & Fitness, and has grown every year since with a great outlook for continuing the tradition this year. Daves energy and ability to coordinate all of the details of this event over the past few years is what has grown the event to what it is today, says Jessica Bunker, Downtown Director at the Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce. Its vital to have champions like Dave to make these events happen and make downtown Littleton a place for visitors and locals alike to enjoy. Last years event saw over 400 donated pumpkins set upon the rocks of the Ammonoosuc River and covered bridge, with hopes of reaching over 500 this year! Each year, local businesses in addition to the local schools organize carving parties where those wishing to participate can bring a pumpkin, or choose from donated pumpkins, to carve and drop off at Littleton Bike & Fitness to be displayed. This years carving party involvement has grown to include some additional local businesses, such as Secure Network Services and Tender Corp., who hope to contribute toward the events pumpkin goal. The main event of the weekend is the Gathering of the Jack OLanterns on Saturday evening but there are many events and activities to take part in throughout the weekend. This year, the event is expanding into some of the surrounding towns, like Bethlehem, to kick off the weekend. Boofest, held Friday at 6 pm, will take place at the Colonial Theater in Bethlehem and will feature Circus Minimus, a one-man circus-in-a-suitcase. Saturdays events kick off with the Annual Littleton Police Department Halloween Festival held at the Littleton High School starting at 10 am. One of the cant-miss events of the day is the zombie walk, taking place at 6 pm along the riverwalk area. Its great to see all of the young kids and adults that want to participate and become zombies for the evening! says Harkless, At Littleton Bike & Fitness we have the shop open and offer to do participants makeup and then we get to watch them infiltrate the entire riverwalk area. Its a great addition to the event. Another great addition to this years event, and expansion of local business participation, is the inclusion of local volunteers and food vendors. Some of the local vendors will include the Littleton Senior Center, Peace Cafe, Profile High School Arts Alliance, Farm to Fire and Tracy Girl Food Truck. Some of the other local eateries that will be open during the weekend include Schilling Beer Company, Millers Cafe & Bakery, Bailiwicks Fine Restaurant, Grille One Eleven, Beal House Inn, and Little Grill all located in downtown Littleton. All of these fun-filled activities lead up to the main spectacle, Saturday, October 29th at 6 pm, the Gathering of the Jack OLanterns; hosted by the Littleton Chamber of Commerce. This event is very cool and unique, one-of-a-kind in the northern region, says Harkless its just really fun and organic; theres no better way to put it. Littleton is known for being the cultural hub of the region and having strong community involvement. The Gathering of the Jack OLanterns is yet another event that brings the community together to showcase its cohesiveness. Bunker explains Its this community spirit that really is giving Littleton its identity. Were lucky to have such wonderful community members! For a full schedule of events and more information, please visit http://www.littletonareachambernh.com/jackolanterns or call Littleton Bike & Fitness at 603-444-3437 Our customers happiness is how we truly gauge our success, but awards and honors like this one do remind us of the positive impact we are having. Renters Warehouse, one of the largest and most awarded residential property management companies in the U.S., is adding yet another honor to its list of awards. Twin Cities Business, Minnesotas leading provider of business news, insight, and analysis, has named Renters Warehouse one of its top 10 Small Business Success Stories for 2016. The Small Business Success Stories program is in its 14th year this year. More than 80 nominations were received this year, with 10 honorees and 10 finalists chosen. The awards will be handed out Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, at the Hilton Minneapolis in Minneapolis, MN. I continue to be so proud of our team at Renters Warehouse, says Kevin Ortner, CEO. We work incredibly hard to professionally serve thousands of homeowners across the country with five-star customer service. We pride ourselves on innovative industry leadership and knowledgeable Rent Estate Advisors who can help homeowners and investors smartly and profitably navigate the ins and outs of residential property management. I couldnt ask for a better team who are truly dedicated to doing whats best for our clients. Our customers happiness is how we truly gauge our success, but awards and honors like this one do remind us of the positive impact we are having. Renters Warehouse, the leaders in Rent Estate, manages more than 17,000 homes for over 12,000 investors across the country, and about $3 billion worth of residential real estate. The company is also investing in its new Portfolio Services Division that uniquely serves larger, mid- to institutional-level real estate investors with both centralized services and local market expertise and staff. The company continues to be recognized for its achievements in business and in the workplace atmosphere it has established. Thus far in 2016, Renters Warehouse won five Stevie Awards, including Executive of the Year (Silver), Management Team of the Year (Silver) and Executive of the Year (Stevie Women's Awards). The company was also named to the Inc. 5000 for an incredible 7th year in a row. The Minnesota Star Tribune recently named the company to its Top Workplaces National Standard list too. Renters Warehouse exists to help homeowners and investors create wealth and financial freedom through Rent Estate. To learn more about Renters Warehouse or to find out how much your home will rent for, visit http://www.renterswarehouse.com today! -30- About Renters Warehouse Renters Warehouse is one of the fastest-growing and highest-reviewed residential property management companies in America, and the largest in Minnesota. Backed by growth equity investor and majority stakeholder Northern Pacific Group, and under the leadership of President and CEO Kevin Ortner, Renters Warehouse now manages more than $3 billion in residential real estate, servicing 12,000+ investors across 17,000+ residential homes in 32 markets and 18 states. NPG Managing Partner Scott Honour, who in 1999 was a founder of YapStone, a leading online rental property payment service provider, serves as Chairman. Renters Warehouse expertly serves everyday single-property homeowners as well as real estate investors. In 2015, the company officially trademarked the term Rent Estate to redefine the entire SFR (Single Family Rental) industry as more traditional real estate gives way to this new lucrative asset. Through their dedicated Portfolio Services Division led by Chief Investment Officer Anthony Cazazian, the company also brings professional, scalable and efficient single property management solutions to investment portfolios with both centralized services and local market expertise and staff. Not only has Renters Warehouse received the prestigious honor of being included on the Inc. 500 | 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies in America seven consecutive years in a row, it was also named one of the Best Places to Work in Minnesota (where they are headquartered) by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016. The company was also honored as a best place to work in Arizona (a centralized corporate services center) by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2013 and 2014, and achieved a spot on the prestigious 2016 Top Companies to Work for in AZ list. Nationwide, Renters Warehouse has been honored as one of America's "Best Places to Work" in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 by Outside Magazine. Recognized as pioneers in real estate, business management and innovation, Renters Warehouse has been awarded 22 Business Stevie Awards both internationally and stateside. "We are honored to be selected for this years Streaming Media 100 list," Chris Noe, Executive Chairman, Zixi. Zixi today announced its inclusion on the 2016 Streaming Media 100 list. The annual list, selected by Streaming Medias panel of industry veterans and media experts, recognizes the most innovative and influential players in the online video industry. We are honored to be selected for this years Streaming Media 100 list, said Chris Noe, Executive Chairman, Zixi. Over the past few years, the worlds leading media organizations, service providers, and technology companies have selected Zixi for a wide range of live video use cases and have standardized on our software as a core component of their next generation video infrastructures. Our inclusion on the Streaming Media 100 acknowledges the incredible momentum Zixi is experiencing and underscores our commitment to innovation in the broadcast technology industry. Zixis software enables media organizations to deliver live, broadcast-quality video over standard unmanaged Internet connections with perfect quality, total reliability, and the highest-security protection. The Zixi Platform, which can be deployed in public or private cloud evironments and leverages over 30 integrated ecosystem partners, solves the industrys biggest infrastructure challenges by providing a simple, scalable, secure, and feature rich solution for live linear, live event, and cloud-based video applications. While the big streaming services and tentpole events get all the attention, technology creators and partners often toil behind the scenes to make it all happen, said Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen, editor of Streaming Media. The Streaming Media 100 is our annual attempt to shine the spotlight on the companies that enable the creation and delivery of all of that amazing content. These companies are the ones that our editors and contributors have determined to be the cream of the cropthe most important, most innovative, and most influential companies providing streaming and OTT technologies, products, and services. Congratulations to all 100 of them. About Zixi Zixi is revolutionizing video transmission in the same way the cloud transformed computing. Zixis industry-leading software platform transforms the Internet into a broadcast-quality, global video delivery network so the worlds leading media organizations, service providers, and technology companies can enrich user experiences, create new services, reduce operating costs, and realize possibilities not yet imagined. Zixi is a privately held company led by media industry veterans and IP video experts, with company headquarters in Boston, MA. Assistant Area Manager Ken Rice speaks at the Centennial celebration today at Elephant Butte Dam. Through cycles of wet seasons and severe drought, the dam has provided consistent and dependable water to support the entire region. The Bureau of Reclamation today celebrated 100 years since the completion of Elephant Butte Dam in southern New Mexico. Officials from Reclamation, the International Boundary and Water Commission, State of New Mexico, New Mexicos Congressional Delegation, Elephant Butte Irrigation District and El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 marked the event during a ceremony near the base of the dam. A highlight of the event was when officials unveiled a new plaque commemorating Elephant Buttes 100 years of operation. Elephant Butte Dam is meeting its mission superbly, said Reclamation Deputy Commissioner for Operations David Palumbo, who also spoke at the event. Through cycles of wet seasons and severe drought, the dam has provided consistent and dependable water to support the entire region. Congress authorized the dams construction in 1905 to provide irrigation water to Southern New Mexico and West Texas as part of the Rio Grande Project. Reclamation completed construction in 1916. Elephant Butte is the largest dam in New Mexico, standing 301 feet tall and stretching 1,674 feet from end to end. At full capacity, it stores more than two million acre feet of water in Elephant Butte Reservoir, which is one of New Mexicos premier recreation destinations. Its hydroelectric power plant is capable of generating 27,945 kilowatts of electricity during irrigation season water releases. When it was dedicated on October 19, 1916, Elephant Butte was the largest irrigation dam in the United States and the second largest in the world. Its promise of water storage and clean energy enabled settlement and robust economic development throughout southern New Mexico and West Texas. It also helped resolve an international dispute and plays an important role in meeting international treaty obligations to Mexico. Current water levels in Elephant Butte Reservoir provide a stark reminder of the impacts of drought on the region. However, the dam continues to meet its mission even during the past decade of drought. Throughout the past 100 years, Elephant Butte Dam has provided adequate storage and regular irrigation deliveries to sustain thousands of acres of farmland. Mr. Palumbo noted the dams ongoing safe operation and continued promise for the area, Im confident Elephant Butte Dam will continue providing a stable water supply for the Rincoln, Mesilla and El Paso Valleys well into the future. Sherry Roper, a housekeeper at John Evans Supportive Living, received the 2017 Outstanding Caregiver Award during an awards presentation in Springfield. The Outstanding Caregiver Award is given to a direct care worker over the age of 55 who has provided outstanding caregiving in Illinois senior housing. The award is presented by the Illinois Department on Aging and the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition. Each year, judges review nominations for remarkable caregivers from across the state and determining the winners is a difficult task, said Jean Bohnhoff, director of the states aging department. These individuals truly deserve honor and recognition for the work they do, Bohnhoff said. Their exceptional work not only demonstrates their dedication, devotion, and commitment to helping others, but has also touched and continues to touch, the lives of countless residents across the state. Melanie Daniels, the administrator at the affordable assisted living community Gardant manages in Pekin, Illinois, wrote this nomination letter for Sherry: I am honored to nominate Sherry for the Outstanding Caregiver Award. When deciding which employee to nominate, Sherrys name did not readily come to mind. This is not because Sherry does not do an outstanding job, but because it is easy to forget she is over the age of 55 considerably older, actually, at the age of 66. She has the enthusiasm and spirit of someone half her age. "Although she now only works one day a week, it is a day that everyone looks forward to. Her smile and cheerful nature spreads through the community like sunshine. She arrives like a breath of fresh air. After her years working as a housekeeper, she has learned the little extras that each resident likes, whether it is extra carpet shampooing for Jackie or extra polishing and dusting of Bonnies angel collection. She knows that it is the little things that make a big difference. "Sherry is always gentle, patient and caring with everyone she encounters and is always happy to go above and beyond to make others happy. She makes crafts in her free time and is always happy to bring them in on her days off for the residents to share and enjoy. She has the same caring nature with our staff. She is an example of her faith, not by words or preaching, but by her patient listening skills and concern for others. "I am privileged to know and work with Sherry, even if it is only one day a week. It is one day that makes a big impact on everyone! The John Evans affordable assisted living community combines residential apartment-home living with the availability of personal assistance, help with medications, and a variety of convenience and support services. "We provide older adults with a wonderful alternative to the nursing home or struggling alone at home," Daniels said. Residents live in private apartments that they furnish and decorate to their taste. Each of the studio and one-bedroom apartments includes a kitchenette, spacious bathroom with shower and grab bars, individually-controlled heating and air conditioning, and an emergency alert system. Certified nursing assistants are on-duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Meals, housekeeping and laundry are among the included services. "Residents also benefit from all of the opportunities that are available to socialize with friends and neighbors and to participate in activities and special programs," says Daniels. The community is certified to operate through the Illinois Supportive Living program. "Our focus is on providing John Evans residents with the love, compassion and dignity they deserve and the help and assistance they need," says Rod Burkett, President of CEO of Gardant Management Solutions, the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois. "Our emphasis is on helping each resident achieve and maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible." Other communities managed by Gardant include the Grand Prairie affordable assisted living community in Macomb and the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living communities in DeKalb, Dwight, Freeport, Moline, Ottawa and Sterling, Illinois. GateWay at River City, an assisted living community that will serve adults ages 22 to 64 with physical disabilities, will open in Peoria next month. For more information about Gardant Management Solutions, the assisted living, senior living and memory care communities Gardant operates, and the company's management, development and consulting services, visit http://www.gardant.com or call 1-877-882-1495 toll-free. N. James Turner, a consumer rights and workers rights attorney, will be speaking about the Fundamentals of Student Loan Law on October 19 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, One Grand Cypress Blvd., Orlando, FL. The event will also be broadcast nationally. More than one trillion dollars is owed by student borrowers and nearly seven million borrowers are in default, said Turner, who will be speaking for LawProCLE, which provides quality education to legal professionals. This course, which offers CLE credits, will explain the differences in federal and private student loans, provide winning strategies for defending private student loan lawsuits, discuss the standards for obtaining bankruptcy discharge of student loans, and cover other crucial information necessary to represent student loan borrowers. Turner is a founding member of the Florida Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association and a member of the Labor & Employment Law Section of the Florida Bar. Defense of student loan lawsuits has become a major part of Turners practice, and in 2015 through 2016, he had over $300,000 in private student loan lawsuits dismissed. To register for Fundamentals of Student Loan Law, please visit https://lawprocle.com/products/fundamentals-of-student-loan-law-cle?variant=19503324294. About N. James Turner Attorney N. James Turner has extensive legal experience in both state and federal court at both the the trial and appellate levels. He provides professional services for wage and hour disputes, overtime and minimum wage matters, and other legal services for residents in Orlando, Kissimmee, and throughout the Central Florida area. For more information, please call (888) 877-5103, or visit http://www.ConsumerRightsOrlando.com. The law office is located at 37 N. Orange Avenue, Suite 500, Orlando, FL 32801. About the NALA The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361. You're Invited on Saturday, November 5th! "Southport Police Department is thrilled to be a recent new partner of Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. We are looking forward to being a part of Handbags for Hope and collaboratively making a difference!" -Chief Vaughn Past News Releases RSS A unique charity auction that combines the love of elegant purses, accessories and gifts with a desire to help victims of domestic violence will mark its 9th annual event at the Ritz Charles in Carmel on Saturday, November 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature celebrity appearances and the donation of some celebrity purses to be auctioned, including some beautiful offerings from Laura George and her daughter, Lauren George, and Alpha Blackburn. WTHRs Chuck Lofton will return as Master of Ceremonies for the popular event. Dozens of donated purses, jewelry, local gift baskets and unique packages will be among the items to be sold in a silent auction. A live auction will also take place with special guests modeling the purses to be sold to the highest bidder. We are so pleased to once again join together in a celebration of elegance, where mothers and daughters, wives and sisters, and even a few fathers and sons come to bid on beautiful purses and many other items just in time for the upcoming holiday season of gifts, said Sandra Ziebold, CEO of Beacon of Hope. But the true gift is not the items they take home, but the impacts they make in the lives of so many who have become victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in our community. Last years event raised over $25,000 for several victims advocacy services offered by the Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. An average of more than 1,000 victims annually receive some form of assistance through Beacon of Hope programs. Tickets for this event are $50 and include lunch. Tickets can be purchased through BeaconOfHopeIndy.Org and the link get me registered. Beacon of Hope Crisis Center provides victim advocacy services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Its victim advocacy team provides victims with emotional support and help finding resources. Advocates help victims with tasks such as filling out paperwork and sometimes go to court with victims. The Crisis Center works with other collaborative partners and organizations such as social service agencies and law enforcement for criminal justice assistance. It also has a crisis call hotline team that fields incoming crisis calls. ABOUT BEACON OF HOPE Focused on the mission of empowering victims of domestic violence to become self-sufficient by providing safety, support and education. Beacon of Hopes vision is a world in which everyone can live free from the grip of domestic violence. Beacon of Hope provides comprehensive services to domestic violence victims that include crisis intervention, court accompaniment, advocacy and outreach, assistance filing protective orders, basic needs provision, case management, counseling services, emergency hotel assistance, foster pet care assistance, emergency veterinary assistance, employment assistance, shelter and housing referrals, teen dating abuse outreach and ongoing follow-up care. Beacon of Hope, through its Victim Advocacy Service Programs offers victims of domestic violence assistance in overcoming barriers that hold them in abusive situations. Benefiting our Indianapolis community in so many positive life changing ways. Beacon of Hope is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Were looking forward to the Light the Night Walk, and we hope everyone in our community will come out and show their support by helping us raise awareness and fight cancer The Zabbia Insurance Agency, a Long Island firm offering insurance and financial planning services to families and business owners throughout the Five Boroughs, is launching a charity event to raise cancer awareness and promote the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Light the Night Walk. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Light the Night Walk is an event dedicated to raising funds used for research into cures and treatments for many types of blood cancer. The Zabbia Agency charity event will work to improve the turnout for the Light the Night Walk, as well as raising awareness and funds in memory of Victoria Tratche, a 15-year-old girl who lost her life 3 months after receiving a lymphoblastic lymphoma diagnosis. Were looking forward to the Light the Night Walk, and we hope everyone in our community will come out and show their support by helping us raise awareness and fight cancer, says Robert Zabbia, manager and owner of Zabbia Insurance Agency. Alongside his professional team, Zabbia is working to promote the Light the Night Walk and galvanize support for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society charity event by connecting with families throughout the Five Boroughs over social media and email. Zabbia Insurance is also planning a full length article discussing the Light the Night charity event, scheduled for release in an upcoming edition of the Zabbia Insurance Agency webzine Our Hometown: http://www.zabbiaagency.com/Our-Hometown-Magazine_39. Several other notable Long Island area charitable causes have received direct support from Zabbia Insurance since the beginning of the year. As members in good standing with Agents of Change, a national movement to support charitable involvement, the Zabbia team is committed to promoting local charities on a regular basis. Anyone interested in being part of the charity drive to promote the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Light the Night Walk is personally invited by the Zabbia team to visit this page and make an effort to further the event: http://www.zabbiaagency.com/Shining-Bright-for-Team-Victoria--Leukemia-Patients-_16_community_cause. Details regarding the Zabbia teams support of New York area charitable organizations in the past can be found on the companys Community Causes page: http://www.zabbiaagency.com/community-cause. About Zabbia Insurance Agency As a Personal Finance Representative in Nassau County for nearly 20 years, agency owner Robert Zabbia knows many local families. His knowledge and understanding of the people in his community ensures that clients of Zabbia Insurance Agency are provided with an outstanding level of service. Robert and his team look forward to helping families protect the things that are most important - family, home, car and more. Zabbia Insurance also offers clients a preparation strategy for achieving their financial goals. To contact an expert at Zabbia Insurance Agency, visit http://www.zabbiaagency.com/ or call (516) 799-6900. The new HD Marketing logo "Simply having a website is not enough to achieve success, clients need to promote this effectively through channels including organic search and social media. These are areas which, following this rebrand, HD Marketing are fully set up to accommodate." Heitz Digital LLC, a Maryland-based website design and marketing agency today announces a rebrand to reflect an expanding range of services. The firm, which is headquartered in Rising Sun Maryland, will now be known as HD Marketing, in a move which is also hoped to lead to greater brand recognition. Charles Heitz, President of the firm explained the reasons behind the new brand name, saying: "I felt that rebranding from Heitz Digital to HD Marketing better explained our company's offering." He continued: "Our newly expanded services are the direct result of responses and request from our clients for a wide range of services, including website design, social media marketing and SEO/search promotion." This new name is the latest evolution of a business which has constantly adapted to survive in the rapidly changing online landscape. Originally founded as an SEO company in the early 2000s, HD Marketing rebranded as Heitz Digital in 2011 and began to offer websites and other services in addition to SEO. Rebranding is a common recent phenomenon within the marketing industry, with many agencies dropping monikers such as 'SEO' and 'digital' as demand grows for more holistic marketing services which support all parts of the online experience. According to HD Marketing's website: Around 46% of US companies still do not have a website. 88% of businesses have a presence on some form of social media, however, most are not using them consistently to engage with existing and prospective customers. Leads generated by SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are 61% less expensive than more traditional forms of marketing, yet it is largely overlooked by clients. These are areas which HD Marketing is aiming to address. As Charles Heitz explains: "Simply having a website is not enough to achieve success, clients need to promote this effectively through channels including organic search and social media. These are areas which, following this rebrand, HD Marketing are fully set up to accommodate." Like many startups, Heitz was started from a kitchen table and has grown from these humble roots to become one of the most respected agencies in its field. Located in the middle of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, it is ideally located to serve clients in the Tri-State area, taking care a broad range of customers, including Charm City Natural Health, Hardbat Crossfit and Doerfer Insurance Services. The firm offers a range of self-service and managed website products, starting from just $29.99/month and has recently implemented a new help desk to help it serve clients more effectively and efficiently. You can find out more about HD Marketing by visiting their new website at: http://www.hdmarketingonline.com Notes to editors: HD Marketing is available for comment by emailing: help@hdmarketingonline.com or calling 888-846-7426 Right around the same time Mark Zuckerberg was launching his new idea for social interaction on a global scale, these parents were working on tools for communication on a much smaller scale. Companies often refer to their products as a family of brands, but Minnesota-based Beyond Adaptive and their new parent company, Connecticut-based LoganTech, take the corporate definition of family to another level. Both companies were founded by people who were searching for solutions to their own literal family members struggles in living with disabilities. Now, as these two companies come under one roof, its that same spirit of ingenuity and love for family that will propel them both forward. Right around the same time Mark Zuckerberg was launching his new idea for social interaction on a global scale, Glen Dobbs, founder of LoganTech, was hunched over a sketchpad on his kitchen table working on a tool for communication and socialization on a much smaller scale. Glens son Logan is autistic and nonverbal, meaning he cant communicate using his own voice. Instead he was using a system of symbols known as PECS. Many individuals move quite naturally from PECS into more complex, computerized augmentative and alternative communication devices, but this transition wasnt coming naturally for Logan, and his father was determined to find a solution a stepping stone from PECS into more advanced AAC technologies. The solution was released a year later and was aptly named the Logan ProxTalker. Several states away, that very same year, Julie and Cedar Vandergon were sitting at their kitchen table in Saint Paul, Minnesota brainstorming solutions for their daughter Brea, who has cerebral palsy and was facing some communication hurdles of her own. They were exploring iPad-based communication apps but Brea was unable to accurately control her hands and couldnt use the iPad without someone holding it for her. Since the iPad was still very new at the time, there werent any out-of-the-box solutions that would give Brea the independence she needed. Cedar was able to find a few products that came close but still didnt completely meet her needs, so he set to work piecing the best parts of each into a custom-made mounting arm, cradle and keyguard for Breas iPad. It wasnt long until Breas teachers and therapists took note of it and wanted the same for others in their care with similar needs. Its really no surprise that these two companies, founded by parents who are obviously kindred spirits, have found their way to one another. Beyond Adaptive is the second acquisition of this type for LoganTech. The 6dot line of Braille Products, conceived by a group of MIT students, joined the family in 2012. In speaking of this latest acquisition, Glen Dobbs said The Beyond Adaptive lines of mounting arms, device cradles and custom touchscreen keyguards are a really natural extension of our existing catalogue of products. Our target markets are very similar and the end-users of these products often use a combination of adaptive products that includes items from both sides of this coin. Cedar Vandergon added, Starting a company is very much like raising a child. You put your whole heart and soul into creating a path for it to grow and succeed. We couldnt be happier about this next step for our business and these products which have meant so much to our family. To learn more about LoganTech and their entire collection of assistive and adaptive technology products, visit: http://www.LoganTech.com. You can request a free, on-site product demonstration by visiting http://www.logantech.com/pages/demo or by calling LoganTechs assistive technology specialists at (866) 962-0966. Alpha Flight Guru The Middle East including major airport cities such as Dubai, Tel Aviv, and Abu Dhabi is a hub for both business and pleasure travel. Alpha Flight Guru, the leader in business class and first class airfare deals to cities in the Middle East such as Dubai, Tel Aviv, and Abu Dhabi, is proud to announce the latest upgrade to its region-specific informational page. The company has upgraded its page with tips and information on Middle Eastern airports, hotels, restaurants, and key sites to see at http://alphaflightguru.com/flight-deals/middle-east. The main focus, of course, is on discounted airfare, especially first and business class deals. "The Middle East including major airport cities such as Dubai, Tel Aviv, and Abu Dhabi is a hub for both business and pleasure travel," explained Alex Scoble, Chief Marketing Officer of Alpha Flight Guru. "Our upgraded informational pages helps the interested traveler begin the process of flying business class or first class at discount airfare prices as well as learn key facts and tips about the region." A Brief but Informative Travel Guide to the Middle East Persons visiting the newly updated page, should scroll down and can find more than just cheap international business class or first class ticket information. Rather, they can find a brief travel guide to the Middle East, with facts, languages, top attractions, best times to visit and more. Obviously, with Alpha Flight Guru being in the transportation sector, the information on airports and travel safety tips reflects the company's inside knowledge. For example, the newly upgraded page identifies famous restaurants for fine dining such as La Petite Maison, Dubai, where dining "doesnt get any better than this award-winning French-flavored superstar. Reservations are a must as this place is super popular." Similarly, the information page identifies the best hotels in the Middle East such as The Norman in Tel Aviv, Israel, where "This contemporary boutique hotel is certainly sophisticated in style and service. The location is right in the heart of it all, and the rooms are a posh oasis in an urban setting." Working with a Guru for Discounted Business Class or First Class International Air Fares Even better, those seeking discounted air fares can reach out to 'gurus' at Alpha Flight Guru who will combine the best of a sophisticated computer system with personal knowledge to find the best routes into the region, at the lowest prices for business class or first class air tickets to the Middle East. Interested persons can simply visit http://alphaflightguru.com/ and follow the instructions to begin a request for assistance. About Alpha Flight Guru Alpha Flight Guru brings personalized guru service to the search for cheap business class tickets and cheap first class tickets to destinations from Europe to Asia to Australia and beyond. The company's expert gurus find unpublished discount fares, both business class and first class tickets, to cities like London or Paris, New York or Los Angeles, Melbourne or Sydney. Customers simply use the company's website to enter a destination, and then let a guru find discounted, cheap, unpublished business class or first class airfares to London, Paris, Sydney and beyond. Web. http://alphaflightguru.com Tel. 800-359-5175 Many business professionals have to travel for business or to attend meetings From October 13th-17th, Skyline Marketing attended an exclusive R&R event for business leaders in the sales and marketing industry. The event saw Skyline Marketing fly out to Tenerife where they were welcomed to the 5* Gran Melia Palacio De Isora resort. The luxury resort has been voted as the best place to stay in Spain by several leading travel agencies for the past few years and offers a range of fun activities as well as a fine dining experience and luxury bar. About Skyline Marketing: http://www.skylinemarketingltd.co.uk/about-us/ Skyline Marketing were able to take part in a number of fun activities including a Jet Ski safari and a whale and dolphin watching catamaran over the R&R weekend. Additionally, the firm was able to take part in an exciting motivational meeting which saw an exciting guest speaker from within the industry share knowledge and advice to the attendees. Skyline Marketing were joined on the R&R trip by several other industry professionals which allowed them to network and gain valuable industry insight. The firm shared how the trip was not only a valuable opportunity to relax but also to develop new skills and form strong business relationships with like-minded industry professionals. Skyline Marketing reveals how they have always been focused on developing their contractors to have an entrepreneurial mindset and shared how this trip was the perfect way to show some of their contractors what they can achieve if they set their mind to it. The R&R weekend allowed the firm to connect with leading industry professionals in order to encourage this entrepreneurial attitude. The firm has returned from the exclusive R&R event having developed new marketing techniques as well as new attitudes towards planning and growth. Skyline Marketing has revealed their plans to implement these tactics in order to raise the bar, for their upcoming expansion to Manchester. Skyline Marketing offers exclusive personalised marketing services which help to drive long-lasting relationships between brand and consumer. The firm highlights how connecting with their clients ideal consumers on a face-to-face basis helps to drive these relationships as well as increase customer acquisition, brand awareness and brand loyalty for their clients. Skyline Marketing believes that travel is massively important for business professionals as it teaches them to master a number of skills including time-keeping, organisation, networking, connecting with those from different backgrounds, appreciating new cultures and much more. The firm highlights how many business professionals will have to travel for business or to attend meetings and therefore it is vital to master these skills early on which is why Skyline Marketing offers travel experiences to their contractors as a reward for hard work. Laura Trenerry, Vice President, Flight Operations West Coast Aviation Services I am excited to have the opportunity to lead such an exemplary group of aviation professionals. We are committed to raising the bar with our processes, crew training and customer service. Leading aviation services provider, West Coast Aviation Services, is pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Trenerry to the executive position of Vice President, Flight Operations. The company also welcomes back aviation veteran and newly named Director of Operations, Jerry Hansen to lead its operations team. The two newly appointed aviation professionals will bring a wealth of experience and operational knowledge further strengthening the companys commitment to providing the highest standards of aviation services. Ms. Trenerry joined West Coast Aviation Services in 2004 and has held multiple key positions within the company including her previous position as Business Operations Manager. She maintains the Drug and Alcohol Program and administers oversight with operational audits. She was instrumental to the restructuring and developmental growth of KMR Aviation, the Ontario, CA based operator and affiliate partner of West Coast Aviation Services, serving as General Manager during its transitional stage. Her leadership style and strategic planning skills have streamlined both companies business operations, flight operations and training processes. In her new position, Ms. Trenerry will be focused on safety, customer service, and operational efficiency as she manages the aircraft charter, fractional shares and management side of the company. I am excited to have the opportunity to lead such an exemplary group of aviation professionals, commented Laura Trenerry. The operational team everyone on the ground and in the air works closely together to meet challenges and develop solutions to provide our clients with the highest standards in aviation services. We are committed to raising the bar with our processes, crew training and customer service. We are focused on a growth strategy aligned with our Vision of taking the West Coast Aviation Services brand from a Western Regional operator to a nationally known service provider. A 28-year veteran in the aviation industry, Jerry Hansen returns to West Coat Aviation Services as its Director of Operations. He will be directly managing an operations team supporting numerous aircraft based in various locations while maintaining a fully compliant, safe and reliable Part 135 and Part 91 operation. He will continue to direct communications with the FAA, provide flight-line oversight, institute the companys operational plans and policies, and oversee the training of flight personnel. Mr. Hansen, along with his team Edward Walsh (Director of Safety), Ken Stave (Chief Pilot) and Jonas Bielkevicius (Assistant Chief Pilot) are committed to maintaining the highest level of safety standards and training while promoting a culture of compliance and safety. Mr. Hansen is a line pilot for the Challenger 604 charter fleet operated under the KMR certificate and holds ATP, CFI Gold Seal, MEI, CE550, HS125, and BE30 pilot certifications. We are excited to have Laura and Jerry on the team, said Gary Standel, West Coast Aviation Services President and Founder. We are looking forward to new growth to our operation. Along with the changes to its operational leadership, West Coast Aviation Services is pleased to announce the addition of a new 2016 Citation M2 to its Part 135 certificate. This highly-efficient light jet provides convenience and easy access to smaller airports not available to larger jets and airliners. Based in Henderson, NV it is available for immediate charter. About West Coast Aviation Services West Coast Aviation Services is a full-service aviation company providing Part 135 Charter Services in turboprops, light, mid-size and heavy jets; Fractional Shares of King Air B200s and 350s; Aircraft Sales & Acquisition, Management and Consulting Services; as well as Aircraft Maintenance. In business since 1987, the company is headquartered at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California (KSNA) and maintains charter aircraft at various bases throughout Southern California and Nevada. Its Part 145 Repair Station located in Long Beach, CA (KLGB) is an Authorized Hawker Beechcraft Service Center and Piper Service Center, Authorized vendor for Raisbeck Engineering, and Blackhawk, and is a Dealer for Garmin, Rockwell Collins and Bendix King Avionics among others. About KMR Aviation Established in 1989, KMR Aviation is a full service leader in Private Aviation. They specialize in personalized charter services and customized aircraft management solutions, delivering an unparalleled flying experience to corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and private individuals all over the world. KMR operates the largest charter fleet of wide-body Challenger 604 executive jets throughout the U.S. Domestic Wi-Fi, a personal Cabin Server and no fuel surcharge are complimentary for the Challenger fleet. Through an alliance with West Coast Aviation Services, KMR Aviation has access to a wider-range of charter aircraft, further expanding service capabilities to accommodate its clients travel needs. Committed to safety and security, both West Coast Aviation Services and KMR Aviation are Aviation Research Group/US Gold-Rated and Wyvern Registered charter operators. The companies combined fleet of more than 30 charter-ready aircraft offers clients a wide-range of travel solutions. Two Companies | One Experience For any aviation service needs, contact the team at charter(at)wcas.aero or at 800.352.6153. If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Cookies What are cookies ? How do we use cookies? How to control cookies? 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You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services. What Light (Razorbill, Oct. 18) is a lot more than just Jay Ashers first novel since the 2007 release of his monumentally successful Thirteen Reasons Why. Its an itch finally soothed, a check off his bucket list, a boulder off his shoulders. I had the idea for this story before I even started writing Thirteen Reasons Why, so its been percolating for a long, long time, Asher told PW. And I knew I was never going to feel fully satisfied until I wrote it. Ive been talking about it for a decade. Inspired by a story he read in his local newspaper about a family who owned a Christmas tree farm in Oregon and traveled to California every season to sell their evergreens, Asher searched for a story to tell in a setting he liked: the fragrant confines of a tree lot, visited by families in search of the perfect holiday centerpiece. He struggled. Part of the problem was hed become his own tough act to follow. Thirteen Reasons Why, his first novel, spent more than five years on the New York Times bestseller list, with more than three million copies in print in the U.S. and foreign rights sold into 37 countries. Because of the success of that book, I definitely had a hard time with trying to match what I thought people were expecting, Asher said. I had written a book that dealt with really serious issues. Was anybody going to want to read a Christmas love story from me? He voiced his concerns to his editor, Jessica Almon, who told him, Write the story you need to write. (In his acknowledgments, Asher says Almon told him What Light reminds me of a Taylor Swift song!) Like Thirteen Reasons Why, much of which is written in the voice of Hannah Baker, What Light is narrated by a teenage girl, Sierra, a stylistic choice that Asher says comes naturally to him. It felt like I was channeling her voice but Im not that sex so I did question whether I was getting it right, Asher said. He asked his wife to read an early draft to make sure 15-year-old Sierra sounded authentic. She told me, I dont know how youre doing it but dont question it. But unlike Thirteen Reasons, What Light at its heart is a romance, albeit one with plenty of friction. Sierras father has made it clear he doesnt want her flirting with the local boys he hires to load trees. The boy she falls for, Caleb, is not only a local but has a troubled past, rumored to include a violent act against his sister. It was that thread that became the most important to Asher, and how he connected the themes of Thirteen Reasons with his new novel. It says a similar thing, coming from an opposite direction. It shows the beauty of being there for people, and reaching out to them as opposed to not reaching out, Asher said. Caleb made a mistake and is trying to make up for it, but if every time you did something good, your past was brought up, youd never grow. There has to be forgiveness. The release of his second solo novel (he also co-authored The Future of Us with Carolyn Mackler) caps perhaps the biggest year of his career so far. Razorbill is issuing a 10th-anniversary edition of Thirteen Reasons Why in December. Netflix is adapting the book for a 13-episode series, tentatively scheduled for a March 2017 release, produced by Selena Gomez and Tom McCarthy, who directed the Academy-Award winning film Spotlight. Asher visited the set, north of San Francisco, when filming began. They were filming inside a coffee shop which they built and it was the exact shop that I thought had only existed in my head, Asher said. I almost cried a couple of times. These were my characters come to life, saying words I wrote a decade ago. It literally gave me goosebumps. What Light by Jay Asher. Razorbill, $18.99 Oct. 18 ISBN 978-1-59514-551-2 Thirteen Reasons Why: 10th Anniversary Edition by Jay Asher. Razorbill, $18.99 Dec. 27 ISBN 978-1-59514-788-2 After a hiatus of half a decade, literatures bossiest pig returns next April in Olivia the Spy (Atheneum/Caitlin Dlouhy, Apr. 2017), the cover of which PW unveils here for the first time. Uncharacteristically, the normally indefatigable Olivia is wearing an expression of deep concern. She happens to overhear her mother on the phone complaining about how difficult she is, and how she wishes she could send Olivia off somewhere until she develops some sense, said author-illustrator Ian Falconer. Then again, using her eavesdropping skills in the hope of finding out what she is getting for her upcoming birthday, Olivia spies on her parents. Of course, Olivia only hears part of that conversation, too, but it includes the word institution, so she asks her teacher what an institution is and he gives her a list of things, one of them being prison. Orange is the new red? At least its close to Olivias signature color. The eighth installment in Falconers bestselling series is five years in the making (although Olivia has not aged a day). Falconer, a Connecticut native and long-time Manhattan resident, switched coasts four years ago when he was hired by the Pacific Northwest Ballet to redesign the sets and costumes for their annual production of The Nutcracker, an experience he describes as wonderful but scary. Scary because a Nutcracker production is really important to a ballet company. It can mean half the companys income for a year, Falconer said. And scary because I was replacing Maurice Sendak! PNB had commissioned Sendak to design a Nutcracker for their corps in 1983, which the company used until Falconers designs debuted in 2015. Falconer had long been in awe of Sendaks work, so much so that when the legendary artist surprised Falconer by leaving him a congratulatory voice mail after the release of the original Olivia in 2000, it took Falconer a full year to work up the nerve to call him back. I was so nervous. I mean, Maurice Sendak called me? I was already overwhelmed by the success of Olivia. Every librarian in America was calling me, and all these friends, thinking I was rich and wanting to borrow money. It was hard and so sudden. Finally, Falconer screwed up his courage and dialed Sendak. After Falconer introduced himself, Sendaks response was, You absolute son of a bitch! They became friends. His work on The Nutcracker finally complete, Falconer said he felt some urgency to get back to his most famous creation. I actually had to finish this book because... ballets? They dont pay very much. They literally dont pay enough to live on, he said. No doubt Olivia is still paying his bills the series has sold more than eight million books in the U.S. alone, has been published in more than two dozen languages, and has been made into a Nickelodeon television show, which Falconer considers a grave disappointment. I could barely watch two episodes. And heres the thing. Its in my contract that I have complete artistic control, so they sent me the scripts and I would work very hard going through them, marking No. No. No, and FedEx them back the next day and the response was, Oh, were already far beyond that. We cant change anything at this point. Nickelodeons option expires soon, Falconer said, and there is interest from other animation companies, including DreamWorks. Half of me is hoping theyll pick it up and half of me is hoping it will expire so I can do something independently. I think I might be better off with a small company, somebody I could work with. Meanwhile, he was at FedEx again this week with sending his publisher the final artwork for Olivia the Spys endpapers, which feature New York Citys Lincoln Center. His years with the ballet inform the plot, too. What Olivia mishears is actually her mother making plans for a birthday surprise she asks Olivias father if he thinks Olivia is ready for a trip to the big city ballet. He answers: Of course. Its an institution. Ten minutes in, Olivia needs to use the restroom. The usher points her towards two doors, one marked Ladies, the other marked Stage, Falconer said. You can guess which door she goes through. Olivia the Spy by Ian Falconer. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, $17.99 April 4, 2017 ISBN 978-1-4814-5795-8 New York City loses another Barnes & Noble; Maine gains a bookstore; determined Oregon store stays open despite flooding; and more. Stephen King-Centric Bookstore Opens in Bangor: Monday marked the soft opening of Gerald Winters & Son Rare Books on Main Street. The store sells first editions, original manuscripts, proofs, limited editions, and ephemera of science fiction and fantasy authors, including Stephen King, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and J.K. Rowling. In addition, the store has a small selection of trade paperbacks. B&N to Close Its Last Store in the Bronx: In a case of deja vu all over again, the countrys largest chain announced that it would close its Bay Plaza store. A similar announcement was made almost exactly two years ago to the day. But at the 11th hour, Bronx president Ruben Diaz Jr. brokered a deal. Although Barnes & Noble is being turned out of its location, the property owner offered it a smaller space. Tucsons Antigone for Sale: Trudy Mills and Kate Randall, longtime business partners, are working with Paz & Associates to sell their store. The store, which opened in 1973, was originally a feminist bookstore but over the years it has expanded its inventory and space. Mills and Randall are selling the business only. They plan to continue to own the building to ensure that a bookstore stays in the location. Longwood University B&N Moves Downtown: The Farmwood, Va., university bookstore will move downtown to a larger location next summer. Its part of a bid by the university to increase foot traffic and encourage more members of the community to shop at the store. PSU Bookstore Stays Open Despite Flood: The Portland State University Bookstore is not letting cleanup from flooding caused by wind and rain over the weekend interfere with keeping the store open. Although the main entrance is blocked, students can enter through an emergency entrance. We are committed to staying open throughout the recovery, even if it means hand fetching each item students need, whether its a pencil or a textbook, said store manager Cory Adamski. When food writer and historian Joy Santlofer died unexpectedly in 2013, she was in the midst of completing her first book, a deep-dive into the history of food-making in New York City. To help see the project through to publication, Joys daughter Doria Santlofer launched a Kickstarter campaign in October 2015, raising more than $32,000, several thousand dollars past the campaign goal, to fund the work required to complete the book. Now, more than three years after her death, Joys book is set to go on saleFood City: Four Centuries of Food-Making in New York will be published by Norton on November 1. Alane Mason, v-p and executive editor at Norton, bought the book in 2009. At the time of Joys death, the manuscript was 200,000 words, full of amazing research and fine-grained, close-to-the-ground detail, said Mason. The contract targeted 75,000 to 100,000 words, and, according to Mason, it is not uncommon for historians to deliver over-long manuscripts. It is hard for even those with many books under their belts to wrestle the research they find when they go down the proverbial rabbit hole into a length and a narrative shape that consistently engages casual readers, said Mason. This was a first book, so Joy had a lot of work ahead of her. According to Doria, the book still required a substantial amount of editing, some additional research, photo permissions, and a large bibliography to compile. At first, Mason hoped an in-house team at Norton would be able to finalize the book. I had a kind of fantasy that maybe, with the help of an assistant, I could get the book into shape myself, said Mason. But really, it was too much to do an editor's work and an author's work of revision also, while managing a heavy load of other books. The authors husband, bestselling novelist Jonathan Santlofer, attempted to fine tune the book, but also found the task too overwhelming. We realized that what we needed was someone who could revise who also had the sensibility and contextual knowledge of an historian, said Mason. Using the resources raised via Kickstarter, Jonathan enlisted industry veteran Jack Beatty, a total pro of an editor, said Mason. Beatty, an author himself and former editor of Harpers, did a marvelous job stepping into Joy's shoes, bringing his own brilliant vision about how the book should be organized, but remarkably, staying true to Joy's voice, said Mason. Doria then took on the Herculean task of photo research and permissions clearing, while Jonathan and Joys sister, Kathy Rolland, former Ombudsman of Hunter College, reviewed Beattys edits. It was good to have Kathy reading along with me because she was an academic, a very savvy reader and a good shoulder to lean on, as was my daughter, said Jonathan. Jonathan added that Joys fellow food historians, including Jonathan Deutsch, Renee Marton, Ellen Stein, Meryl Rosofsky and Cathy Kaufman, were invaluable readers, while Jennifer Berg and Marion Nestle, her colleagues at New York University (where Joy taught in the Food Studies program) have been great supporters of the book. After a lengthy and collaborative editorial process, Jonathan said he is thrilled about the publication date nearing, but that the moment is still bittersweet. Food City is coming into the world without Joy, said Jonathan. It was not easy for me to be immersed in my late wifes work. Obviously, there is a strong emotional component for me. There were numerous obstacles along the way but I felt I could not quit, that I owed it Joy to make sure her lifes work made it to publication. Doria shares her fathers sentiments about getting the book to press. I couldn't be happier that my mother's work will finally be shared, but it's heartbreaking that she won't be here to enjoy it, she said. Working on Food City has kept us both connected to her over the past few years and it's an emotional process to have it finally completed. As part of a four-year review of their theological position on human sexuality, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA (IVCF), one of the largest ministries operating on over 660 college campuses around the U.S., issued a restatement of its belief that sexual activity outside of traditional marriage is immoral. While IVCF said it is not firing employees for supporting gay marriage or premarital sex, the organizationincluding its publishing arm InterVarsity Press (IVP)expects staff to align with the organizations position or face involuntary termination. "No current employees have to sign an agreement, but as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, we expect our employees will reflect our theological convictions as an organization, even if diffidently," said Jeff Crosby, IVP publisher. While the press has not lost any staff members in the move, Gregory Jao, v-p & director of campus engagement for IVCF services, estimates that 7-8 employees have left the campus ministry side of the organization. IVCF has hired an outplacement services firm to help those terminated find new jobs. According to Jao, staffers are not required to verbally affirm their beliefs, but are being asked to come forward if they disagree with InterVarsitys theological position. Then, the organization would initiate a two-week involuntary termination process. Even though we are asking staff to volunteer their disagreement, we are treating this as an involuntary termination because we want to treat departing staff with as much dignity as we can, said Jao. We recognize that they do not feel that their decision was purely voluntaryInterVarsity has made its position (and its expectation for our staff) clear. Deeming the termination involuntary may also yield better results when it comes to state unemployment compensation programs, said Jao, although that varies state to state. In Illinois, where IVP is headquartered, those applying for unemployment benefits must be unemployed through no fault of their own, as defined by Illinois law. This is why we have voluntary disclosure and an involuntary termination in the same process, said Jao. We were doing our best to honor our staff in a hard situation. Unlike employees, IVP authors are not being asked to indicate any support for IVP's theological summary on human sexuality. Amid some concerns about deterring authors, Crosby told PW that he is taking steps to reassure them that IVPs employment agreement has no impact on its publishing program. We will continue to seek out authors who can address topics on a broad range of issuesincluding human sexuality, said Crosby. The range of published works that IVP will do in the future will be just as broad as it has been throughout our 70-year history. The articulation of IVCF's theology of human sexuality does not have any fresh impact on what we desire to publish and are committed to publishing in the years ahead. Nevertheless, a group of 50 IVP authors, including Shane Claiborne, Dr. David Dark, Rev. Ian Morgan Cron, submitted a public letter to Jao, raising concerns and protesting the organizations theological paper, according to Religion News Service. Responding to the letter, Jao told PW, We hope our authors realize that this has been our historical understanding of whats been taught in the Bible. Our publishing program, attitude, and posture toward authors and our wide range in the Christian publishing field has not changed. InterVarsitys move has stirred controversy in the media, with critics calling it a theological purge. And as of Tuesday, nearly 1,600 concerned IVCF alumni had signed a petition on Change.org titled Calling for the reversal of #InterVarsityPurge. The petition states that InterVarsitys policy for employees excludes many Christian siblings and silences sincere disagreement and urges InterVarsity Christian Fellowship President Tom Lin, the executive team, and the board of trustees to reconsider the rule. If not changed, we fear for the future of the organization and its ability to continue to minister to students and faculty, to the ultimate detriment of the gospel message and the legacy of an organization we dearly love, the undersigned alumni wrote. This story has been updated to reflect the identities of some of IVP's authors who signed the public letter to IVCF. Two fantasy seriesone YA, and one adultthat sold in high six-figure deals just before the Frankfurt Book Fair are drawing notice from a number of foreign houses. The first, a YA trilogy called Ash Princess, was just acquired by Delacorte Press. The other, which is set in the Middle East and opens with a title called Daevabad: The City of Brass, was nabbed at auction by Voyager in a joint U.S./U.K. acquisition. Krista Marino at Delacorte won North American rights to Ash Princess at the end of last week, after a heated auction, paying a high six-figure advance for three books. The author, Laura Sebastian, who grew up in South Florida and volunteers at New York Citys Housing Works Bookstore, was represented by Laura Biagi at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. Biagi said the series is perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes and Red Queen, as well as those who root for Sansas grit on Game of Thrones. It follows a princess who, at age six, sees her country invaded and her mother, the queen, murdered. A decade later the princess, whos been held as a kind of prisoner in her own court, has, as Biagi put it, learned to survive under relentless abuse. When rebels infiltrate the country the princess joins with them to seduce, then kill, the prince. But, Biagi continued, the heroine will have to ultimately decide how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice along the way. The Naggar agency has received a number of offers from foreign publishers at the book fair, where Jennifer Weltz is handling sales. Biagi said that Weltz confirmed major activity in Germany with a number of houses in other countries, including the U.K. and France, who are currently reading the manuscript and [being] very active. In the second deal, S.A. Chakrabortys book was bought, jointly, by Priyanka Krishnan at Harpers Voyager imprint in the U.S. and Emma Coode at Voyager UK. Agent Jennifer Azantian, who has her own shingle, represented the author, selling world rights to the three books. The auction for the series involved nine editors, Azantian said, and the preempt happened within four days of her sending the book out on submission. An epic historical fantasy, Daevabad follows, Azantian said, the possibility of a centuries-old religious war being reignited by a young, female con artist. The con artist, who has healing abilities, as Azantian explained, strikes up a friendship with a fiery djinn prince who dreams of revolutionizing his fathers corrupt regime. But, in a world where loyalty is a magical bond and grievances last for millennia, she soon learns that working with the enemy even to make peace can have deadly consequences. Priyanka said she was drawn to the series for a multitude of reasons, including the fact that it is set in Egypt and the Middle East, as opposed to the more common western European-centric titles that most SFF series take place in. Beyond that, though, the editor said she was beguiled by the way Chakraborty drew upon the history of the Mughal Empire, the Sunni-Shia conflict, Persian and Indian folklore, and Islamic tradition to create this wonderfully rich world; it feels relevant to current events, and yet its action-packed, delicious escapist storytelling at its best. A resident of Queens, N.Y., Chakraborty has published short fiction in a number of literary magazines; shes also an organizer of the Brooklyn Speculative Fiction Writers' group. And, interestingly, Azantian found the author through social media. Chakrabortyand her manuscriptcame to the agent through a literary Twitter event called #DVpit, hosted by the Bent Agencys Beth Phelan. It was created to highlight work by, as its mission statement declares, marginalized voices. Chakraborty pitched Azantian during a #DVpit session, and the agent wound up taking on the author, and her project, in quick succession. Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that these books were drawing foreign interest from houses in Germany; the series are currently drawing general foreign interest, with the trilogy Ash Princess drawing specific interest from a publisher in Germany. Additionally, Laura Sebastian does not work at Housing Works Bookstore; she volunteers there. And in Ash Princess, the heroine does not masquerade as a commoner as initially stated; she has been kept as a prisoner, of sorts, in her own court. In Daevabad the religious war referred to is not nascent, it is centuries-old. And the auction for the book involved seven editors, not nine. Additionally the preempt for the book happened within days of sending it out, not the auction. Stand by us, the other Turkey, pleaded exiled Turkish journalist and newspaper editor Can Dundar, who presented the German translation of his new memoir We Are Arrested: A Journalists Notes from at Turkish Prison on Wednesday morning at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Sitting alongside fair director Juergen Boos and his literary agent Nermin Mollaoglu of Istanbuls Kalem Agency, Dundar spoke frankly about his frustration with the failure of Western countries to engage with the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan which has imprisoned thousands, including hundreds of writers and journalists and has effectively ended freedom of speech as we know it. Dundar was editor-in-chief of Turkeys Cumhuriyet newspaper and writes of having been was arrested and sentenced to solitary confinement in November 2015 after reporting on illegal Turkish arms shipments. He wrote the book very quickly, by hand, said Mollaoglu, who underscored the urgency in getting the story published as soon as possible. English rights to the book have been acquired by the U.K. house, Biteback Publishing. Asked if she feared for her own security in representing dissident Turkish writers, Mollaoglu replied, It is a risk, but I like this risk. It is something I must do for myself, my agency, my future and my country. Mollagous Kalem Agency celebrated its 10th anniversary with a large party in Frankfurt on Tuesday night and instructed partygoers to wear something with the color red. Erdogans crackdown was the topic of conversation at the party and several key figures in the Turkish publishing community (all of whom declined to be named) underscored that censorship was rampant and and there was a great deal of uncertainty about what the future holds. In his press conference, Dundar noted that there remains just one television station and three newspapers who are willing to criticize the government; meanwhile, scored of publishers have been closed as well. For his part, Frankfurts Boos noted that it was just eight years ago that Turkey was the guest of honor at Frankfurt and Erdogan and author Orhan Pamuk shared the same stage and exchanged ideas. That could never happen now, said Boos. In fact, the fairs opening ceremony on Tuesday night featured a speech by the European Parliament President Martin Schulz, which proclaimed his "full solidarity" with "all authors and journalists languishing in Turkish jails. In addition, Heinrich Riethmueller, who is the head of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, read a letter by novelist and rights activist Asli Erdogan which he said had been smuggled out of prison. "I cry out to you from behind stones, concrete and barbed wire, he read. Conscience is being trampled upon in my countrythey are trying to kill off truth. In a talk at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair, International Publishers Association president Richard Charkin, who is executive director Bloomsbury, said the situation in Turkey is of grave concern, and that the international publishing community stands in solidarity with Turkish publishers. I went there two or three weeks ago and it's pretty horrible, Charkin told fairgoers. Were supporting them as much as we can, but it's a really difficult situation. The plight of Turkish publishers has been a prominent issue at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair, in the midst of a so-called purge, by the Erdogan regime, following a failed coup attempt this past July. Reports suggest that upwards of 30 publishers have been shuttered, and thousands of authors, journalists, academics and intellectuals have been arrested, or dismissed. Charkin visited Turkey October 1-2, and released a statement on the IPA website after the visit condemning the governments actions. If the government continues its vengeful persecution of any individual or organization whose views differ from its own, he observed in that statement, then Turkish publishing, and the countrys creative industries as a whole risk decimation. In the 30-miunute talk, Charkin also defended last years decision to extend IPA membership to Saudi Arabia and China, a move that has generated criticism among members concerned with state censorship and abuses in those countries. Charkin stressed that the two nations were admitted by a member vote. Its called democracy, he said. There are people who disagree, and thats okay. Otherwise there wouldn't be any point in having the election the first place. But, he suggested that engagement with Saudi and Chinese publishers was the more effective path forward. It's just an instinct, he said. I am not a legal bureaucrat, I'm a publisher. And what publishers do is publish, and part of publishing is engaging. So instinctively, on a purely personal level, I think engagement is better than disengagement. Does anyone really think it would make a difference if China was not a member of the IPA? Would that help, not talking to them? I think that's crazy. The fact is, they are members, they come here, they discuss, the meet, they learn, we learn from them. I just think it's a no-brainer, frankly. Asked whether being admitted to IPA might confer respectability on some odious regimes, Charkin was blunt. Well, the United Kingdom is a member of the IPA, and we just brexited which is one of the most stupid things weve ever done, and odious, he quipped. But he stressed that countries are not members of IPA, publishing associations are, and he doubted that any nations reputation could be burnished by IPA membership. China's a member of United Nations, he added. Being a member of the IPA, or not being a member of the IPA, is neutral. Charkin also stressed the importance of IPAs work in the copyright arena. Without strong copyright protections, he said, There is no freedom to publish. He noted that copyright was currently under attack in several territories, criticizing dangerous proposals to make more exceptions to copyright. He quoted Gordon Graham, former publisher of Butterworth: Where information is free, there's little freedom of information, he said. The sum truth of that is, if you're not paying for something, someone is, and you don't necessarily know who it is. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Commerce released its latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report. GDP is defined as the total dollar-value of goods and services produced by the economy. It serves as the key indicator on the health of our economy. The clinic usually waits to bill patients their share of the total cost after the State Employee Group Insurance Program pays for the majority of the cost, The State Journal-Register reported. But payment for certain plans are at a standstill during the ongoing state budget crisis. The clinic, which is owed $68 million, has decided to ask patients to pay their share of bills regardless of whether Illinois' share has been paid. "Under normal circumstances, Springfield Clinic would not bill the patient's responsibility (co-insurance) until after the claim had been paid by insurance," said a letter sent to patients last week. "However, because the state is so delinquent in its payments, Springfield Clinic has decided to temporarily deviate from our standard billing practice." Requesting the payment from patients will help the clinic catch up, said Mark Kuhn, the clinic's chief administrative officer. He also noted the clinic does offer payment plans for its patients. "We're just doing catch-up on member balances," he said Fully insured plans that cover state workers, which include Health Alliance, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and Coventry Health Care, have continued to voluntarily pay health care professionals and hospitals. Despite the fact that the state is far behind on paying the plans their monthly premiums. The clinic's payment requests will apply to future medical services and for claims remained unpaid for the past 12 to 18 months. The clinic hasn't decided if they will ask patients in the future to also pay the state's share of their bills, however, according to Kuhn, the clinic would reimburse patients after receiving the state's payments. Some Rock Island County residents have expressed concerns at receiving invitations in the mail to apply for absentee ballots with return envelopes provided that send those applications to a post office box listed as "Vote by Mail Center." The applications also give the address of the Rock Island County Clerk's Office as an option for mailing. The invitations are perfectly legal, and the the applications end up with the county regardless of which mailing option is used, according to deputy county clerk John Brown. The clerk's office itself sends out applications for mail-in ballots only when requested to do so, he said. However, authorized political organizations can send out the applications and typically target those who have voted in party primaries. The Vote by Mail Center is authorized by the Democratic Party of Illinois, Mr. Brown said. Historically, Republican organizations have done the same thing, he said. The applications sent directly to the Vote by Mail Center are turned over to the clerk's office, which then sends the absentee ballot directly to the voter, Mr. Brown said. The application is the same as is found on the county clerk's website, including the office address for returning the completed application. On Monday, the office received 505 applications from the Vote by Mail Center along with 350 as of about midday on Tuesday, Mr. Brown said. Once received by the clerk's office, the application signature is checked by election judges, as is the returned ballot. Mr. Brown said. The Vote by Mail Center does not handle the ballots themselves, he said. In a new court filing, District Attorney Kevin R. Steele sought to counter claims by Cosbys lawyers that the 2004 allegations are too old to defend against, arguing that Cosby spent years fighting to keep under wraps damaging evidence his own testimony that ultimately helped lead to his arrest. That testimony, sealed in a 2005 deposition, was made public by a federal judge last year and became a basis for the charges in December. This wealthy, celebrity defendant, armed with a cadre of high-priced lawyers, made sure that his incriminating deposition testimony remained a closely-guarded secret for a decade, Steele wrote. It is (Cosby) himself who has used the legal system to keep the deposition secret and used a scorched earth approach to criminal justice in an attempt to delay and derail this case. Steeles arguments were in response to a sweeping motion Cosbys lawyers filed this month in yet another attempt to convince Montgomery County Judge Steven T. ONeill to throw out the case, using arguments the judge has previously rejected. ONeill has scheduled four days of hearings in November and December to settle disputes over what evidence prosecutors will be able to present to jurors at Cosbys June trial among them, a disagreement over whether they can use Cosbys testimony from the 2005 civil suit filed by accuser Andrea Constand. In his filing, Steele noted Cosbys deposition transcript in which the entertainer acknowledged sexual contact with Constand and that he had used drugs in encounters with other women offered detectives evidence they did not have in 2005, when they first investigated her claims that she had been drugged and sexually assaulted at Cosbys mansion in Cheltenham. Whats more, Steele said, the public release of Cosbys damning admissions prompted dozens of women to come forward with accusations that mirrored Constands claims. Prosecutors hope to call some of them to testify against Cosby at trial. This new information suggested that had committed scores of sexual assaults over nearly half a century on a scale rarely seen, or even imagined, Steele wrote. Cosbys lawyers argue that they cannot properly defend their client against Constands decade-old allegations and claims from other women, some of which stretch back further. His memories are too faded and he is too blind to recognize many of his accusers, they said in their filing, which also noted several key witnesses have since died. If our justice system is allowed to be distorted and abandoned for Mr. Cosby, none of us are safe, a spokesman said Tuesday. Cosby has denied sexually assaulting anyone and pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated indecent assault. EDITOR'S NOTE This is part of Divided America, AP's ongoing exploration of the economic, social and political divisions in American society. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) When Manasi Gopala immigrated to America, she finally got the chance to row crew. As a child in India, she had dreamed of the sport from watching Olympic telecasts. Now, twice a week, she pulls a pair of oars as her scull glides along tree-lined Lake Wheeler, far from her birthplace of Bangalore. Gopala is among throngs of educated Indians who have moved in recent years to North Carolina's tech-laden Research Triangle and other areas across America. A 39-year-old software developer, she peppers her emails with an adopted "y'all." She became a U.S. citizen three years ago. "America had given me the opportunity to pursue my own life," she said. Increasingly, the face of U.S. immigration resembles Gopala. For all of Donald Trump's talk of building a border wall and deporting 11 million unauthorized immigrants who are mainly Hispanic and for all of the enduring contention over illegal immigration immigrants to the U.S. are now more likely to come from Asia than from Mexico or Latin America. And compared with Americans overall, immigrants today are disproportionately well-educated and entrepreneurial. They are transforming the nation in ways largely ignored by the political jousting over how immigration is affecting America's culture, economy and national security. As of three years ago, Census figures show , India and China eclipsed Mexico as the top sources of U.S. immigrants, whether authorized or not. In 2013, 147,000 Chinese immigrants and 129,000 Indians came to the U.S., compared with 125,000 Mexicans. Most of the Asian immigrants arrived in the United States legally through work, student or family visas. Immigrants are also more likely now to be U.S. citizens. Nearly half of immigrants over the age of 25 18 million people are naturalized citizens, compared with just 30 percent back in 2000, according to Census figures. Simultaneously, more Mexicans without documentation are returning home. The number of Mexicans in the United States illegally tumbled nearly 8 percent in the past six years to 5.85 million, the Pew Research Center found. Border Patrol apprehensions, one gauge of illegal crossings, last year reached their lowest point since 1971. With the share of U.S. residents born abroad at its highest level in a century, immigrants increasingly defy the stereotypes that tend to shape conversations on the issue. Consider: About 40 percent of Indian immigrants hold a graduate degree . Fewer than 12 percent of native-born Americans do. And earnings for a median Indian immigrant household exceed $100,000 more than twice the U.S. median. A majority of Chinese immigrants have come to the United States to seek education. China has become the dominant source of foreigners attending U.S. universities, with 304,000 student visas in the past academic year. India is second, with 133,000 visas. In addition, a quarter of immigrants from China hold graduate degrees. Since 2011, a majority of Indian and Chinese immigrants have been between ages 15 and 29. Their youth means they're likely to have children born as U.S. citizens, who will then become prime contributors to American population growth in the years ahead, according to an analysis by Census officials. The influx of Asians has not only reshaped the face of America's immigrant population. It has also sharpened the divide within the immigrant population between well-educated Asians and arrivals from Mexico and Latin America who have little money or education. The result is that America's 40 million-plus immigrants more and more reflect the extremes of America's economic spectrum, from super-rich tech titans to poor agriculture workers. Yet economists say immigrants from both ends of the divide are benefiting the economy. At a time when the growth of the U.S. workforce has slowed, immigrants and their collective spending have become a key source of economic fuel. These disparate groups of immigrants have helped reshape towns and cities, populated new suburban housing developments and revived main streets in some decaying rural communities. The changes flash into view on a visit to the political swing state of North Carolina. The proportion of immigrants in the state's population has quadrupled from 1990 to nearly 8 percent. Similar trends have emerged in Georgia, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. None of these states approaches the more than 20 percent share in California and New York. Yet the transformations are evident in a drive across the dense highways that connect North Carolina's Research Triangle. The suburbs sandwiched among Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh have exploded with plazas crowded with upscale lunch spots and designer gyms. Indian immigrants have put their distinctive stamp on this area. Their prevalence here is similar to the many educated Chinese immigrants who have settled around Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. On evenings in the Research Triangle, many of the cars on Aviation Parkway pull off to stop at the 20-acre Hindu Society of North Carolina in Morrisville, which hosts yoga classes and religious services. In 2000, when the society's temple was built, Morrisville was home to just 230 Indians. Now, there are 4,300. Those with roots in the community dating to the 1960s recall a period when a grocery run for authentic Indian ingredients required a five-hour drive to Washington, D.C. Those treks are no longer necessary. Their rising numbers have established a broad community of Indians that has made it easier for new arrivals to integrate than it was for prior generations. "Now, you come from India, you don't really have to know anything else," said Pranav Patel, a 57-year-old software developer. "The system is here to help you adjust. There are no real hardships." Asked how they have been received in the community, about a dozen Asian immigrants said they have generally been warmly accepted despite the national furor over immigration. One, oncologist, Dr. Neeraj Agrawal, said he could recall a patient having to overcome an initial reluctance to be treated by a foreigner. But that was a rare exception. "There's a dramatic change in attitudes about skilled, educated immigrants: 'You're welcome. You're a good neighbor. You're a good addition to society,'" said Agrawal, who was born and educated in India. In August, Gopala went to the Hindu Society to celebrate India's independence day. Over the entrance of the temple is the symbol for "om," representing knowledge a reminder of education's vaunted status. Music blared over the crowd amid dancing and honors paid to statues of deities. Gopala enjoyed the festivities. Yet she saw few white and black guests sharing in the moment. Weeks later, she wondered: Did part of integrating mean inviting others to share your culture, to welcome neighbors with samosas and other delicacies? One prominent outsider did show up: Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican in a heated re-election campaign that has been fueled in part by a crackdown on illegal immigration. McCrory flattered the crowd. "This is the best of America," he said, sharing the stage with a life-sized statue of Mahatma Gandhi. "This is the best of India. We work together. We learn together. We can pray together. We love family values together." Not all immigrant groups enjoy that same Southern hospitality from North Carolina's government. McCrory has backed laws to deny basic services and forms of identification to immigrants without legal status and their children. The governor signed a law last year barring North Carolina cities from helping unauthorized immigrants, whom he has associated with crime, and overcrowded schools and hospital emergency rooms. His policies are premised on the belief that less-educated immigrants without legal status are burdens for taxpayers. But the arrival of Mexican immigrants helped save Duplin County, a quiet stretch of leafy tobacco fields and prefab homes about 70 miles south of Raleigh. Until the 1990s, Duplin County's population had been roughly a flat 40,000 for 50 years. Then Hispanic farmworkers began immigrating, and the population nears 60,000 today. About 7,200 immigrants now live in Duplin County, most from Latin America; there are no clear estimates of how many are there legally. Nearly three out of four didn't finish high school, but even these immigrants have helped rural North Carolina opening businesses and keeping farms in operation despite harsh work conditions. One Mexican immigrant arrived in North Carolina nearly two decades ago illegally, after a brutal crossing where he saw a fellow Mexican robbed. Having dropped out of school at 13 with little fluency in English, he took whatever jobs were available. Planting and cutting tobacco was the hardest, he said. In one case, a building contractor offered to pay $500 a week, only to give him just $350 after five long days of labor. The immigrant said there was no one to protect him from this abuse. Ultimately, this immigrant, who agreed to speak only anonymously because of his legal status, saved enough to open a small business. "For me, this my pueblo," he said of his adopted country. "I love this place." Americans' sentiments about him and other immigrants have largely hardened along racial, political and demographic lines. Overall feelings toward immigrant workers remain negative. But sentiment has improved since 2006, possibly a sign that the growth of educated immigrants has begun to reshape attitudes, according to a Pew survey released this month. Two-thirds of Republicans and 54 percent of whites said they think immigration harms U.S. workers. But a majority of Democrats, Hispanics and the college-educated said they felt immigrants made society better off. By comparison, almost all economists view immigrants as helpful even essential for the nation's continued prosperity. On the one hand, some visa programs have deprived U.S. workers of jobs. And some companies have been accused of hiring cheaper foreign workers to replace older workers in similar jobs. But academic research has debunked the claims that immigration on the whole takes jobs away from natives, said Bill Kerr, a professor at Harvard University's Business School whose research has shown that immigration helps business formation. "Ultimately, our economies are able to grow, absorb people and do a number of dynamic things," Kerr said. Because of the aging U.S. population causing more retirements, most economists say immigrants are needed to ensure that the workforce increases at a sufficient pace to sustain overall growth in the long term. Anti-immigration groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform argue that the United States should cap all immigration levels. These groups contend that lesser-educated workers from Latin America diminish economic growth because they receive government-funded health care and education. And they argue that the jobs that are going to educated immigrants should be directed toward U.S. citizens. "Trying to grow your economy through the importation of bodies is rudimentary and Neanderthal-like," said Dan Stein, FAIR's executive director. "It's backward." Other research disputes this claim, finding value among the largely Hispanic group of less-educated immigrants. For every dollar spent on health care and education, North Carolina got $11 back from Hispanic residents in terms of consumer spending and taxes paid a finding that includes unauthorized immigrants, said James Johnson, a demographer at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. While much of the debate has focused on the economic effects of immigration, many opponents fear a burden on taxpayers and the cultural changes in a nation coming to grips with its widening diversity. The anti-immigrant rhetoric has concerned Gopala. She feels fortunate to no longer be among the millions of foreigners still applying for U.S. residency. "I got very lucky that my green card was processed when immigration wasn't a bad word," Gopala said. "America had given me the opportunity to pursue my own life. On the day you're born in India, your life is written. But here, that is not true." The student was injured in September when he was thrown to the floor multiple times by a contract employee at a Columbus school, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The person involved in the alleged incident no longer is associated with the Muscogee County School District, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. The boys attorney, Renee Tucker, said Wednesday that the boy likely will remain at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, where the amputation took place, for an additional 30 days. Physical therapy likely will be necessary before he can return home. He wants to see his siblings, Tucker said. It has yet to be determined if the student will again attend the school where the alleged incident took place, she said. The boy was enrolled in an alternative program at Edgewood Student Services Center when the incident allegedly happened, the district said. The program is for students who have been temporarily removed from their regular school because of violations of behavior rules. The alleged incident happened when the boy was trying to leave the classroom for the main office so he could call his mother to pick him up, Tucker said. The contract employee allegedly stopped the boy and slammed him to the floor to prevent him from leaving. The student said he was thrown to the floor a second time when he tried to leave again. It is our understanding that there were issues concerning the safety of the child and others in the room, which called for the use of restraint per state guidance, the district said in a statement. Physical restraint is allowed in Georgia public schools and educational programs in those situations in which the student is an immediate danger to himself or others and the student is not responsive to less intensive behavioral interventions including verbal directives or other de-escalation techniques. MOSCOW (AP) Deep in the woods on the outskirts of Moscow, a sudden burst of gunfire sends a flock of birds screeching into the sky. A dozen people dressed in military fatigues scale a crumbling, abandoned high-rise with Kalashnikovs strapped to their backs. This is a "war camp" organized by the ultra-nationalist Eurasian Youth Union, known as ESM, the youth wing of the broader Eurasian movement. Such camps, which are on the rise in Russia, imitate a broader Kremlin policy of "patriotic education" that has seen a marked increase in government funding in recent years. The ESM camps serve as breeding grounds for the volunteers who fought alongside Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and are now producing a new generation of trained fighters. "We are in a state when NATO moves closer to our borders and today's youth needs to be trained in order to prevent those attacks," says ESM leader Anton Bryusov. The nationalists see the West as their key enemy, but some are dissatisfied with President Vladimir Putin's handling of the war in Ukraine and believe he has not gone nearly far enough. "War with Ukraine is inevitable, but so far we have done only half of the task," says Alexander Dugin, the leader of the Eurasian movement. "We have united with Crimea, we have provided help to Novorossiya, but we didn't liberate Novorossiya." Nationalists had believed in what was known as the Novorossiya project, which aimed to carve out a swathe of traditionally Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine and reunite it with Russia. Instead, the conflict has created two breakaway pro-Russian regions in Donetsk and Lugansk, but they formally remain part of Ukraine. Still, despite their dissatisfaction over Ukraine, the bulk of nationalists remain supportive of the current regime, said Andrei Kolesnikov, an expert on Russian domestic politics at the Carnegie Moscow Center. "Mostly, the nationalists who are more or less rational are pro-Putin. Those who are really radical are against Putin because he hasn't finished the story in Donbass," he said. Plus, he added, "if they ended up going too far and presented a real threat to the regime, their activity would be stopped." Dugin, a far-right political ideologue with close ties to the Kremlin, chalks up Putin's handling of the situation in Ukraine to the political realities of Western pressure and economic sanctions. "I am irritated by the slowness of Putin's reform," Dugin said, speaking in his TV studio a stone's throw from Red Square. "When we are hesitating, we are losing; when we are making decisive steps we are winning." Dugin denies he is in the Kremlin's pocket, insisting they regard ESM as "a dangerous force that they cannot be lead or rule because we follow a strict line of our ideology." But research carried out by the Russia-based Center of Economic and Political Reforms shows that between 2013 and 2015, the ESM received presidential grants totaling more than 18.5 million rubles (nearly $300,000). Carrying out his own training in the woods, not far from the location of the ESM "war camp", Sergei Andreev, the 25-year-old founder of a small, far-right youth group called Right Anarchist, is polishing his Kalashnikov. Unlike most of his peers, he does not support Putin's presidency. "Putin is like all other leaders in the modern world: He just wants to hoard money and resources so that his family lives well," Andreev said. Behind him, the Right Anarchist flag a skull and crossbones flutters above a crackling camp fire. "There is no great idea behind him. He uses it to cover up his political manipulations." The numbers of far-right supporters like him who openly position themselves against Putin is small, and it's unlikely this discontent poses much of a threat to the Kremlin. "Part of the Putin regime is far right and ultra-nationalist . however, Putin would crush any ultranationalist force that's not loyal to the Kremlin," says Anton Shekhovtsov, an expert on the far right who has extensively chronicled Dugin and his followers over the past decade. "If it's not instrumental to them, they would ban them or crush them or put their leaders in jail." 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... Dijksma is reportedly looking to terminate Prorails current status as a legal entity wholly-owned by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and convert the organisation into a state administration with the aim of strengthening government control and influence over the infrastructure manager. Prorail has been sharply criticised in recent years for poor performance, frequent serious disruption to operations, and exceeding budgets in new construction projects. Prorail issued a statement on October 17 expressing surprise at the unexpected media reports and asserting that it has not been informed by the ministry of any proposals to change its legal status or structure. However, Prorail states that studies into the future of the organisation are underway and negotiations are still taking place with the Ministry of Infrastructure. It also points out that disruption resulting from infrastructure-related incidents has fallen sharply since the appointment of a new senior management team under the leadership of CEO Mr Pier Eringa. Dijksma is due to meet the Parliamentary Commission for Transport and Infrastructure at the end of this month to discuss the future of Prorail. Stakeholders including Netherlands Railways (NS) and rail freight operators have urged the government to retain the existing status and structure of Prorail. The procurement is part of the Pavlodar Tram Project which aims to renew one-third of the citys 86 vehicle tram fleet and upgrade the 1524mm-gauge network which is electrified at 600V dc. This includes the replacement of turnouts, track and overhead electrification, and the installation of a GPS monitoring system, for which tenders will be sought soon. The project is being funded by a Tenge 2.5bn ($US 7.5m) loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and a Tenge 910m grant from the Kazakhstan government. The Akimat regional government will also provide support for the project. The ERBD loan was granted in May 2015 following a partnership agreement signed with Kazakhstan government a year earlier. Pavlodar is located in the northwest of the country and has a population of 330,000. Receive information about the latest railway tenders worldwide by subscribing to Global Rail Tenders. The highly anticipated natural history show Planet Earth II will be available in China at the same time as its UK debut, following a co-production deal between BBC Worldwide and Chinas Tencent. The deal , which marks the first time BBC Worldwide will co-produce a documentary with a video platform in China, will see the six part series stream in China on Tencents v.qq.com platform and its video app.Narrated by David Attenborough and produced by the BBCs Natural History Unit, Planet Earth II is shot in Ultra HD and uses the latest camera stabilisation, remote recording and aerial drone technology.A decade ago, Planet Earth redefined natural history filmmaking, giving us the ultimate portrait of life on Earth in HD. Planet Earth II is set to be another game changer. It will reveal our planet from a completely new perspective, using significant advances in both filming technology and our understanding of the natural world, said David Weiland, EVP Asia, BBC Worldwide Jeff Han, vice president, Tencent Online Media Group and general manager, Marketing & Video Content Co-operation said: Weve been partnering with BBC Worldwide for some time now, working with them to bring in premium documentaries for our audiences in China. This co-production agreement signifies a new level in our relationship which we hope to grow further.BBC Worldwides Weiland added: This production partnership is an affirmation of the shared commitment we have in producing ambitious natural history content. Tencents involvement will bring this landmark series to a wider Chinese audience across Greater China.Planet Earth II will take the audience closer to nature and allow them to experience the wilderness as if they were there, the BBC claims.The series is co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Televisions. Mattel Creations has announced a raft of content deals with Chinese broadcasters and digital platforms for its childrens TV classic Thomas & Friends. State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) has acquired the show, along with Chinese digital platforms LeEco, China Mobile and Air Media, following the theatrical release of Thomas & Friends: Sodors Legend of the Lost Treasure in China earlier this year.The Thomas & Friends franchise goes from strength to strength with its global appeal to parents and children. Thanks to our content distribution strategy, we see new generations of families all around the world discovering the contents powerful message of friendship and camaraderie as well as humour, action and fun. The brands expansion into Asia has seen phenomenal growth and this latest deal with CCTV will further cement this once it starts to TX next year, said Kate Schlomann, VP global grand marketing for Thomas & Friends.A Thomas & Friends channel has also recently launched on Youku (China), with the show now reaching around 3 billion people, across the countrys digital video platforms Other Asia-Pacific broadcasters which will take new Thomas & Friends content include Japans NHK, Global TV in Indonesia, GMA in the Philippines, South Koreas KBS, TVNZ in New Zealand and Hong Kongs TVB.Thomas the Tank Engine was created over 70 years ago by a British clergyman, the Rev W Awdry, as a book for his son. The TV series and films those books have since given birth to are now enjoyed in more than 150 territories and in over 40 languages.Mattel also announced at MIPCOM that in the UK, Thomas & Friends would move to Cartoonito from its current home on Nickelodeon Junior in 2017. Come and enjoy Read more [...] Pakistan cable operator InCable has opted for Exset to create and deploy value add and dynamic advertising services across its network. We have worked with InCable to understand the market pressures it faces. Were now supplying the powerful DMS 5.0 as well as surrounding technology. This includes high cost-effective, DMS-integrated Newland set-tops and EPG services together with dynamic ad insertion, said Mahmood Ulhaq (pictured), Exsets director of business development in Asia.InCable benefits by receiving set-tops with DMS integrated; the ability to create and launch services via the EPG; security options; and the DMS publishing engine. Then theres also the enhanced EPG UI and its smart advertising capabilities, he added.Pakistans cable industry had been working towards an analogue switch off date at the end of September, set by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authoritys ( PEMRA ), although has not recently reported on the progress of digitisation.We are providing operators with the ability to create services in a digital world over and above video, adding massive additional value to their proposition, helping them drive the digital transition. This helps them in their arguments to convince subscribers to move to digital by creating a whole range of services at a price point that is attractive to the population. In turn, this increases their revenue and will reduce churn, said Ulhaq.Irfan Goraya, managing director, InCable added: We very carefully looked at the market and we chose not to go with the cheapest option because we know that route has failed people in the past. We wanted a comprehensive solution that can help power our digital network rollout from both a technical and business perspective. Exset is providing that, not least with its consultancy services. Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) has become the first company in the Middle East to successfully broadcast a channel live over telco dus cloud-based unified IP infrastructure. As part of a demonstration at GITEX in Dubai, ADM broadcast its LIVE HD channel end-to-end through the cloud, from ingest through to editing, media asset management, playout and live transcoding for broadcast and over-the-top OTT ) service.We have a dedicated team of expert broadcasters and creative professionals working with the most advanced equipment in the region to broadcast and produce great TV. Our team is strategically located in the regional hub of Abu Dhabi, said Ali Buali, CEO of LIVE. We are thrilled to have partnered with du to deploy its innovative media cloud solution and bring next generation broadcast technologies to life for our stakeholders and viewers.UAE operator du has created an ecosystem of cloud hardware and software partners specialised in media industry to facilitate the operation. One of its leading partner companies, Imagine Communications, already provides broadcast playout, media asset management, traffic, scheduling and graphics services for ADM.We are delighted to be involved with this broadcast at ADM and have deployed a range of broadcast operations solutions to ensure that we can maintain live on-air transmission, using cloud services, in the event of a failure. This broadcast is not about getting any pictures on air but about guaranteeing the continuity of ADMs live operations is maintained from the cloud, said Paul Wallis, Imagine Communications director of sales, Middle East and North Africa.The entire live operations can be switched to the cloud and run live from anywhere using our Versio integrated playout in the cloud platform, alongside our Nexio Motion MAM and SelenioFlex Live transcoding solutions in tandem with du media cloud services, said Wallis.Hany Fahmy Aly, executive vice president enterprise business, du, added: We would like to congratulate LIVE for being so quick to act and broadcast our media cloud solution for the first time in the region. At du, we continue to work with visionary partners, including Imagine Communications, who are not afraid to push the envelope when it comes to technology. We are very pleased to be pioneering the first operator hosted media cloud solution. Mother of former Yukos security chief pleads for her sons pardon MOSCOW, October 19 (RAPSI) The mother of former Yukos security chief Alexei Pichugin sentenced to life in prison for masterminding several murders has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for pardoning her son, according to her open letter published in the Novaya Gazeta. Alla Pichugina wrote in the letter that her son is a non-public person who has not been going to litigate or to be at war with somebody as well as to be engaged in politics. Pichugin is 54 years old and he is not in good health, she added. He could not and cannot bear false witness against people in order to please somebody. It conflicts with his Christian worldview, Pichugina said in her letter to the President. In the summer of 2016, Pichugin lost an application for pardon. Alexei Pichugin has lodged a petition for pardon as this was the only legal chance for his release. He has already been refused, his lawyer Ksenia Kostromina said in June. According to investigators, a criminal group killed several people between 1998 and 2002, including Nefteyugansk mayor Vladimir Petukhov in 1998, on orders from former Yukos shareholder Leonid Nevzlin. In 2009, Nevzlin, who moved to Israel in 2003, was sentenced in absentia to life in prison. Pichugin was found guilty of murdering Petukhov and received a life sentence in 2008. The murder of Petukhov provoked a public outcry 17 years ago, when several media outlets speculated that he was directly involved in the re-division of Russias oil assets. Investigation into Petukhovs murder was suspended. In December 2015, former Yukos owner Mikhail Khodorkovsky was charged with organizing the murder of Petukhov. The Basmanny District Court of Moscow issued an arrest warrant for Khodorkovsky and put him on the international wanted list. Two Russians arrested in Colorado over alleged illegal hi-tech exports face trial in NY Context Two Russian nationals arrested in US on charges of illegal export of microelectronics MOSCOW, October 19 (RAPSI, Vladimir Yaduta) Russian nationals Dmitrii Karpenko and Alexey Krutilin arrested in Denver, Colorado, on charges of implication in illegally exporting high-technology products from the United States to Russia, are to be transferred to New York, where they face a trial. This order (a copy of which is at RAPSI disposal) was signed by Judge Kristen Mix, of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado yet on Tuesday. The Russian nationals refused to take part in pre-trial hearings in Colorado agreeing to the whole process including bail hearings to take place in New York. Matthew Belcher appointed by the court to defend Krutilin has confirmed to RAPSI that the trial is to be held in New York, since the criminal case being brought against the two Russian nationals emanates from that state. Karpenko and Krutilin were arrested along with Alexey Barysheff, a naturalized citizen of the United States. Charges brought against Karpenko, 33, and Krutilin, 27, also indicated in the case materials as David Powell and Simon Fox, are based on the evidence presented by NSA agent Susan Ruiz. According to her, the arrested men allegedly conspired to deliver cutting-edge microelectronics to Russia via companies BKLN Spectra, Inc. (Spectra) and UIP Techno Corp. (UIP Techno), registered by Barysheff in Brooklyn in 2015, without receipt of the governments permit. As law enforcers in the U.S. believe, defendants have deceived suppliers of microelectronics about product customers, provided forged shipping documentation and falsely classified the exported devices on records furnished to the Department of Commerce. However, technology products were delivered to Russia through Finland. According to Ruiz, Karpenko and Krutilin arrived to New York on October 1 and planned to return to Russia on October 7. On October 3, they travelled to Denver, Colorado, where the next day allegedly attempted to get in a U.S. Air Force base located in Colorado Springs. They could face up to 25 years in prison and a $1 million fine is convicted. MOSCOW, October 19 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) The Moscow District Military Court will question a high-ranking investigator for especially important cases of the Russian Investigative Committee, Marina Molodstova as a witness in the criminal case over killing prominent opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, RAPSI learnt in the court on Wednesday. The court has granted a motion of a prosecutor who believes that it is necessary to reveal circumstances related to a pack of bullet cases found on the crime scene as well as material evidence research protocol. Earlier it has been reported that Deputy Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee, Major General of Justice Igor Krasnov will testify in the case. Major General has not given his testimony yet. The murder of Nemtsov is considered by jury trial. On September 29, the Moscow District Military Court formed a panel of jurors selecting 22 people to make 12 main and 10 reserve members to examine the case. 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 ($237,500). 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. Google appeals dismissal of lawsuit against antimonopoly watchdog MOSCOW, October 19 (RAPSI) Google has filed an appeal against courts decisions upholding the Federal Antimonopoly Services (FAS) ruling to fine the corporation 438 million rubles ($6.7 mln), RAPSI learned in the Moscow District Commercial Court on Wednesday. On October 10, the Moscow Commercial Court dismissed one of Google's appeals against the ruling. A motion to dismiss the appeal was filed by Google itself during preliminary hearings on October 5. The corporation claimed that the court is already reviewing a similar lawsuit by Google that was filed on August 26. Duplication of lawsuits happens to commercial courts because plaintiffs file the same lawsuits in paper and digital forms simultaneously. On August 17, the Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals has dismissed an appeal filed by Google against a ruling that the US company had broken Russian anti-monopoly legislation by abusing its dominance on the Russian market of mobile applications. In early August, FAS announced that it had fined Google 438 million rubles for violating administrative legislation. On September 18, 2015, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) found Google guilty of violation the legislation. On March 15, 2016, the Moscow Commercial Court dismissed Googles petition requesting to abolish the FAS decision and order issued in September 2015, which stated that the company had violated the Federal Law on Protection of Competition and accusing it of abuse of dominance on the market of preinstalled applications in the Android operating system. Alleged Russian hacker arrested in Czech Republic MOSCOW, October 19 (RAPSI) Embassy of Russia in Czech Republic has confirmed the arrest of a Russian national on suspicion of hacker attacks, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday. As previously reported, Czech police in cooperation with FBI announced that alleged Russian hacker suspected of cyber attacks on targets in the U.S. had been arrested. The arrest of a Russian citizen was conducted by Czech authorities at the request of a court in one of the U.S. states, the agency quoted the embassys representative Aleksey Kolmakov as having said. The Russian embassy makes all possible efforts to defend the suspect in cooperation with his lawyer, according to Kolmakov. We insist that the arrested man should be turned over to Russia, he added. Russian lower house adopts bill on donated blood storage Context New law on blood donors enters into force in Russia MOSCOW, October 19 (RAPSI) The State Duma has passed in the first reading a bill on storage of donated blood, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday. The bill would amend the Federal Law on Donated Blood and Components Thereof. The draft law authorizes Russias government to lay down rules of supply, banking, transportation and clinical use of donated blood. This initiative is aimed to bring Russian legislation in line with the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, an explanatory note to the bill reads. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available We told you about the X Elles at the Rebelle Rally earlier this month. The event began on the 13th and runs through the 22nd. This 7 day off-road navigation rally [is covering] more than 2000 km through the Nevada and California deserts with no GPS or electronics. It is not a race for speed, but a unique and demanding event based on the elements of headings, hidden checkpoints, time, and distance using maps, compass, and road book. Here's a couple of updates on Team 137, the X Elles, who are sponsored by Combat Flip Flops. Rebelle Rally Day One Over 100 grueling off-road miles and 12 checkpoints. The X Elles hit all 12 and tie for first place. Rebelle Rally Day Two A day of shakeups. The X Elles are now in 4th place, missing some gear, backtracking, but still smiling and positive. Amazing fortitude and attitude. Last week, Combat Flip Flops CEO, Griff, announced that for every checkpoint The X Elles hit, they will fund a week of school for an Afghan girl. At the close of day 2, thats 25 weeks of school! Click the link to follow the race here: http://www.rebellerally.com/live/. About The X Elles as they describe themselves. The X Elles were created to do one thing, inspire women around the world. In 2012, The X Elles were established to race in the Rally Aiche des Gazelles du Maroc, the longest, hardest, all female off-road Rally raid in the world. In the 4 years since, Rhonda Cahill and Rachelle Croft have continued to race, competing twice in Morocco to bring awareness to sexual abuse and hope with their campaigns 1 in 4' and #youareloved. Whether raising their kids, speaking, training, or filming, these women live to inspire people around the world. About Combat Flip Flops in their own words. Combat Flip Flops is a veteran-owned small business creating economic, educational and life-saving opportunities for those living in conflict areas. Working with self-determined entrepreneurs affected by conflict, Combat Flip Flops willingness to take bold risks, build community connections, and create distinct designs communicate, Business, Not Bulletsflipping the view on how wars are won. In 2016, through the brands Unarmed Forces (consumers and supporters) one year of school has been funded for 134 Afghan girls and over 5,000 square meters of land mines have been cleared in Laos, allowing children to safely walk to school and farmers to harvest their land. To keep up Combat Flop Flops, please visit their website. 'We had sex almost daily';Teacher tells Dr. Phil boy threatened to 'burn (her) life down' if she broke off relationshipPOSTMEDIA NETWORKFirst posted: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 12:41 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 01:57 PM EDTA disgraced teacher fired for having sex with a 17-year-old student is claiming the boy seduced her.Mary Beth Haglin canned from her Iowa teaching job told Dr. Phil the boy swept her off her feet."He did so with such intelligence and such an elevated vocabulary that I was completely duped by the whole facade, the 24-year-old told the TV psychologist. "He caught me in my weakest moments, and he used that to his advantage.The teacher-turned-stripper said the boy wooed her with handwritten notes and steamy texts."I did ignore a lot of that at first because obviously, I knew that it was illegal, not allowed, frowned upon everything," she said.Finally, she says she succumbed to the teens charm even though she knew what was in her heart was taboo.We had sex almost daily in his car, my car, his mom's house, and his dad's house, the teaching temptress said, adding she wanted to end their illicit romps but the boy threatened to rat her out."When things got way out of control, and I wanted out, he began saying 'I will light a match and burn your life down, Haglin added.She could be jailed for two years -- even though she believes shes the victim.Meanwhile, Washington state high school teacher Olivia Sondheim, 25, has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a male student, the DailyMail.com reports The Lynnwood High School choir teacher has been charged with first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor, according to the site.Officials say in the DailyMail.com story the much married Sondheim and the student (16 at the time) became close and the relationship turned sexual. Her photo was still on the school web page.She wrote on the choir page: I am excited to get to know each and every one of you, the news agency reports.mary beth haglinolivia sonheim When voter registration concluded on Oct. 11 in Georgia, a potential swing state in the 2016 election, the push for Georgia voters to have their voices be heard was at an all-time high. Since Aprils election, the new Student Government Association administration at the University of Georgia has passed more than a dozen resolutions, several bills and made major changes to university policy. FILE - In this May 3, 2008 file photo, members of the Dixie Cups from left, Rosa Lee Hawkins, Joan Marie Johnson and Barbara Ann Hawkins perform during the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans. Johnson, one of the founding members of the New Orleans girl group who had a No. 1 hit in 1964 with Chapel of Love, died of congestive heart failure at a hospice in New Orleans on Oct. 3, 2016. She was 72. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File) SHARE By MARK KENNEDY, AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) Joan Marie Johnson, one of the founding members of the New Orleans girl group The Dixie Cups, who had a No. 1 hit in 1964 with "Chapel of Love," has died at a hospice in New Orleans. She was 72. Johnson, who was only with the group for its first few years because she was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, died of congestive heart failure Oct. 3, according to former bandmate Barbara Ann Hawkins. Their "Chapel of Love," written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, supplanted the Beatles' "Love Me Do" as the No. 1 song on both the pop and R&B charts. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later included it in the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock & Roll. It turns out the trio arranged the vocals on the spot. "When Ellie and Jeff first played 'Chapel' for us, we looked at each other, like, 'You really want us to sing that like that?' They said, 'Well, how do you want to sing it?' So I said, 'Give us a minute.' So we went in the corner and started singing. We walked back to them and when we sang it the way it was recorded, they were just, 'Wow! That was awesome,'" Hawkins said. The trio's other hits include "People Say," ''You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me" and their version of a traditional New Orleans song "Iko Iko." Though they meet all the qualifications for entry in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so far they have not been invited to join. "We went through a lot because it was the early '60s and we went through a lot as far as race and a whole lot of other things. We had a manager who wasn't really in our corner, but there were a lot of good times," Hawkins said. Johnson started the group as a teenager and asked Hawkins to join. Hawkins soon asked if her sister, Rosa Lee, could also join. When they were about to go to New York to set up music deals, Hawkins' grandmother called over to the Johnson house to find out more about her and her family. Soon the grandmother started laughing and the Hawkins sisters eventually realized that Johnson was their cousin. "I had never even met her," said Barbara Ann Hawkins. The trio would eventually be signed to Red Bird Records by the songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. But the traveling and inconsistent meal times took their toll on Johnson, who dropped out of the group. She is survived by a sister, Ida, and a brother, Howard. A memorial is planned at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Oct. 18. ___ Online: http://www.thedixiecups.org In this Oct. 2, 2016 photo, diners smoke marijuana as they eat dishes prepared by chefs during an evening of pairings of fine food and craft marijuana strains served to invited guests dining at Planet Bluegrass, an outdoor venue in Lyons, Colo. Chefs and pot growers trying to explore fine dining with weed face a legal gauntlet to make pot dinners a reality, even where the drug is legal. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley) SHARE By KRISTEN WYATT, Associated Press LYONS, Colo. (AP) How to set a tone of woodsy chic at a four-course candlelight dinner served under the stars in the Colorado foothills: Live musicians and flowers, check. Award-winning cuisine, check. Beer and wine pairings with each course, check. Marijuana pairings? Oh, yes. The 100 diners at this $200-a-plate dinner smoked a citrus-smelling marijuana strain to go with a fall salad with apples, dates and bacon, followed by a darker, sweeter strain of pot to accompany a main course of slow-roasted pork shoulder in a mole sauce with charred root vegetables and rice. And with dessert? Marijuana-infused chocolate, of course, grated over salted caramel ice cream and paired with coffee infused with non-intoxicating hemp oil. The diners received small glass pieces and lighters to smoke the pairings, or they could have their marijuana rolled into joints by professional rollers set up next to a bartender pouring wine. Welcome to fine dining in Weed Country. The marijuana industry is trying to move away from its pizza-and-Doritos roots as folks explore how to safely serve marijuana and food. Chefs are working with marijuana growers to chart the still-very-unscientific world of pairing food and weed. And a proliferation of mass-market cheap pot is driving professional growers to develop distinctive flavors and aromas to distinguish themselves in a crowded market. "We talk with the (marijuana) grower to understand what traits they saw in the marijuana ... whether it's earthy notes, citrus notes, herbal notes, things that we could play off," said Corey Buck, head of catering for Blackbelly Restaurant, a top-rated farm-to-table restaurant that provided the meal. The grower of one of the pot strains served at the dinner, Alex Perry, said it won't be long until marijuana's flavors and effects are parsed as intently as wine profiles. But that's in the future, he conceded. "It's still looked down upon as a not-very-sophisticated thing," said Perry, who grew a strain called Black Cherry Soda for his company, Headquarters Cannabis. Holding his nose to a small jar of marijuana, Perry said, "If I asked my mom or my dad what they smell, they're going to say, 'skunk,' or, 'It smells like marijuana.' But it's like wine or anything else. There's more flavor profile there." But chefs and pot growers trying to explore fine dining with weed face a legal gauntlet to make pot dinners a reality, even where the drug is as legal as beer. Colorado's marijuana retailers can't also sell food, so guests at this dinner had to buy a separate $25 "goodie bag" from a dispensary for the pot pairings. The bags came with tiny graters for diners to shave the pot chocolate onto their ice cream themselves; the wait staff could not legally serve a dish containing pot, even though the event was private and limited to people over 21. Diners were shuttled to and from the event by private bus, to avoid potentially stoned drivers leaving the dinner. Marijuana dining may become more accessible in coming months, though. Denver voters this fall will consider a proposal to allow marijuana use at some bars and restaurants as long as the drug isn't smoked, with the potential for new outdoor marijuana smoking areas. And two of the five states considering recreational marijuana in November California and Maine would allow some "social use" of the drug, leaving the potential for pot clubs or cafes. Currently, Alaska is the only legal weed state that allows on-site marijuana use, with "tasting rooms" possible in commercial dispensaries. But that state is still working on rules for how those consumption areas would work. For now, marijuana dining is limited to folks who hire private chefs to craft infused foods for meals served in their homes, or to special events like this one, limited to adults and set outside to avoid violating smoke-free air laws. Guests at the Colorado dinner were admittedly experimenting with pairing weed and food, many giggling as they toked between bites. It became apparent late in the evening that a rich meal doesn't counteract marijuana's effects. "What was I just saying?" one diner wondered aloud before dessert. "Oh, yeah. About my dog. No, your dog. Somebody's dog." The man trailed off, not finishing his thought. His neighbor patted him on the back and handed him a fresh spoon for the ice cream. Diners seemed genuinely curious about how to properly pair marijuana and food without getting too intoxicated. "I am not a savant with this," said Tamara Haddad of Lyons, who was waiting to have one of her pot samples professionally rolled into a joint. "I enjoy (marijuana) occasionally. I enjoy it with friends. I'm learning more about it." She laughed when asked whether marijuana can really move beyond its association with junk-food cravings. "I have also munched out after being at the bar and drinking martinis and thinking, 'Taco Bell sounds great,'" she said. SHARE By Sean Longoria of the Redding Record Searchlight Redding is working with other local water agencies to put together a plan to manage groundwater, city officials told the Redding City Council on Tuesday night. The city, along with Shasta County, Anderson and three water districts, are working against a June deadline to establish an agency to administer a future plan. Otherwise, the county could assume control or even the state. "This is so important because we don't want the state to come in and tell us how to manage our groundwater," Redding Mayor Missy McArthur said. State laws passed in 2014 require the groundwater management plans for Redding's water basin and others, Crane said. Redding Public Works Director Brian Crane is working with his counterparts in other agencies and local water district managers on a formal agreement for the agency, which would be composed of members from its members. From there, a public presentation is set for early December to gather input before the agency is formed by the June deadline. Absent the formation of an agency, the California State Water Resources Control Board would take control of groundwater management and Redding and other agencies would also face fees by the state. "It's not just them coming in and managing, but we're going to pay for their management" Crane said. In other action, the council asked city staffers to deliver an update on the police body camera program. The city is in negotiations with the Redding Peace Officers Association over the camera program. Redding Police Chief Rob Paoletti has said he's ready to put a pilot program in place, but is waiting on a deal with the union. City Treasurer Allyn Van Hooser provided an update to the city's upcoming change for what types of credit cards are accepted as payment for city services. Redding won't accept American Express because of high processing fees while commercial utility customers won't be able to pay with MasterCard. The move will save the city at least $250,000 per year, Van Hooser said. Community Services Director Kim Niemer also updated the council on the city's annual Community Creek Clean-up, which pulled about 1,600 pounds of trash from the north side of the Sacramento River Trail between the Market Street Bridge and the Quartz Hill Road Trailhead. Next year's cleanup is set for Oct. 7. The council also discussed in closed session but took no reportable action on an offer to buy the former Redding Police Department building on California Street downtown. This article has been updated to reflect the California State Water Resources Control Board would assume management of the area's groundwater if local agencies don't form an agency to do so. SHARE By Nathan Solis of the Redding Record Searchlight Shasta County supervisors Tuesday accepted a half-million dollar state grant to develop a stabilization unit for adults undergoing a mental health crisis. Now, the unit's fate rests on Redding voters' approval of Measures D and E in November. To operate the four-bed unit, the county would depend on a mix of funding sources. The city of Redding would provide $1 million a year for 10 years if the sales tax is approved. The other $1 million a year would come from the county, Medi-Cal funding and funds the state has provided since it implemented prison realignment under Assembly Bill 109. Without the sales tax, Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Director Donnell Ewert said he's unsure how the county would pay for the crisis unit. "We would come back to the board to identify other financing options if (Measures D and E) do not pass," Ewert said. "It would be difficult moving forward." If Redding voters approve the new tax, the county would begin its search for a provider to oversee the crisis unit. The county closed its own psychiatric hospital in 2004 and sends patients undergoing severe mental crises to other counties for treatment. HHSA has explored reopening a hospital in the past, but Ewert said nothing has materialized. Redding City Council member Gary Cadd disagrees the sales tax is needed to operate the crisis unit and said the county has the funding. Cadd wrote the opposition argument to the sales tax measures and said a stalled county courthouse project leaves extra funding on the table. "They're just sitting on the money that's earmarked for that project," Cadd said. "There are funds around that could be used for the mental health unit. It's a county problem." Cadd said the sales tax money would go into the city of Redding's general fund and, he believes, ultimately would not be spent on what is laid out in Measure E, the companion piece that spells out where the money is allocated. Proponents of the tax dispute that. The sales tax for Redding would also go to funding the Redding Police Department, Shasta County Sheriff's Office jail space, Redding Fire Department and a sobering center. Susan Power, Shasta County National Alliance on Mental Illness president, said hospital emergency rooms are crowded with people undergoing mental health crises. "It doesn't work well," Power said. "The hospitals are not equipped to work that way. A unit would make a world of difference for families who are trying to help a loved one." As a parent of an adult son who has experienced mental health problems, Power thinks any large city should have a crisis stabilization option for a person who can feel a problem building up. Having a crisis unit means someone can recover quickly and not overcrowd local emergency rooms, she said. SHARE By Damon Arthur of the Redding Record Searchlight A group has stepped forward to purchase and resume operating Iron Mountain Mine near Redding, considered one of the most toxic waste sites in the United States. Joseph Dzida, an attorney from Los Angeles, was in Shasta County Superior Court this week asking a judge to allow his client to purchase the mine from the estate of its previous owner, who died in 2013. Dzida said he represents Felicia De Jesus Rivera, the longtime companion of the former owner, Ted Arman. He is also working with Chris Costello, a consultant who said he has worked on other environmental cleanup sites in California. The group wants to buy the 4,400-acre mine site about 10 miles northwest of Redding for $10,000 and remove materials such as minerals and sulphuric acid to sell them. Dzida filed a request with the court to either purchase the property or have John McKinley, a lawyer from Stockton, removed as administrator of Arman's estate. McKinley, Dzida and lawyers for AIG Specialty Insurance Co. were in court Monday to argue the case before Superior Court Judge Monique McKee, who has not made a decision. From the late 1880s to the mid-1960s gold, sulphur, zinc, iron and copper were mined at the site. Arman purchased the property in 1977, but by the early 1980s the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had declared the area a toxic waste site. EPA officials say the water coming out of the mine is some of the most acidic in the world. The water from the mine is treated onsite by adding lime, which raises the pH level to the point the water is not dangerous. Minerals in the water are also removed when they attach to the lime, EPA officials said. The lime is separated from the water after treatment. The cleanup at the mine is expected to continue for decades. Dzida and Costello, though, said they are interested in the mine water because it is so acidic. Costello said their plan would be to ship the sulphuric acid-laden water offsite to a processing plant. Sulphuric acid has many uses, including as an agricultural fertilizer. He did not have an estimate of when work would begin or how many people would be employed in the project. "It is Joe, Felicia, her daughter Cindy, and my hope, that if we should win, we will then be able to finally move forward on a most excellent and positive win, win way for all of the stakeholders in this stalled-out dilemma," Costello said. McKinley, though, argued against selling the property or removing him as estate administrator. He said he has plans to develop materials on the site into a fertilizer called Ag-Gel, and the proceeds would benefit a charitable foundation that Arman wanted to establish. He said several other people have approached him over the years with proposals to remove minerals and other materials from the site, but nothing has come to fruition. McKinley said he was contacted by Dzida, Costello and others, but he did not reply to them because he felt they were trying to take advantage of Arman and the estate. However, Scott Davis, a lawyer for AIG, which is paying for a large portion of the cleanup, called proposals to make money off the former mine a "pipe dream." "As a practical matter, nothing of value will ever occur at this site," Davis said in court. It isn't likely the EPA would allow any work on the property and the agency's process to evaluate proposals would take many years, Davis said. EPA officials, however, did not dismiss the idea of resuming commercial activity at the site. Michelle Huitric, a spokeswoman for the EPA, said her agency would have to approve any proposals to remove materials from the property. Any work to remove material from the site could not interfere with the cleanup work, and disposal of materials would have to be done safely and according to federal and state laws, she said. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lt. DeWayne Little cleans up an irrigation hose Tuesday at a former illegal marijuana growing operation in the national forest in eastern Shasta County. The operation was raided by authorities in July, and the cleanup is being conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, which manages that section of the forest. SHARE Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lt. DeWayne Little looks at a garbage pile in a seasonal creek bed Tuesday at an illegal marijuana growing operation in eastern Shasta County. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight An irrigation hose is camouflaged Tuesday at an illegal marijuana growing operation on U.S. Forest Service land. By Joe Szydlowski of the Redding Record Searchlight BURNEY Not long after dawn Tuesday, Lake Britton's still waters reflected a dulled mix of the fiery-red oaks, more common green conifers and clouds tinged silver. But not that far from the reservoir's one-lane bridge in eastern Shasta County, state and federal law enforcement agents, scientists, fire crews and others prepared to hike through steep, rain-soaked terrain beneath towering cedars and pines. They were heading to an area on U.S. Forest Service land where water pipes weaved in and out of the earth underneath scattered, small clusters of fertilizer bags and pesticide containers and the remains of a 250-acre marijuana grow complex that was raided in July. Along the way, biologist Mourad Gabriel picks up a Halloween candy-size, yellow wrapper with a half-moon chunk bitten off. "What does that look like to you? That looks a lot like a rabbit or a rodent chewed on it," Gabriel said, holding the now-empty package of bromethalin, a poison for rodents. "Easily." GOING TO POT Among the first targets of the growers is the most critical element itself: water. The growers established an elaborate yet jury-rigged 18-mile irrigation network that drained the nearby creek, said Joyce El Kouarti, public affairs officer with the Lassen National Forest, one of 10 organizations that partnered in the cleanup. The growers work long hours to build, maintain and conceal the grow site, said Lt. DeWayne Little, an agent with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. They will thread the piping under bark, through underground roots and even under Forest Service roads to hide them, he said. Those streams' lost water leaves the local insects and amphibians, already suffering from pesticide and other chemical runoffs, even more in danger, Gabriel said. Smaller mammals are poisoned by traps left out to deter the rabbits and rodents, which eat the marijuana leaves, Gabriel said. That works its way up the food chain, affecting animals that hunt, but don't live, near the grows including the endangered spotted owl and some game animals, which growers may also poach. But the types of trash become more diverse after group members reach a camp, which was ringed by a solar-powered electric fence, said Brianne Roudeloush, public affairs officer with the California National Guard, which will airlift the piping and other rubbish out of the area on Thursday. Animals had turned over much of the camp's kitchen, Gabriel said, holding a can punctured by a bear's canines. In a nearby, dry creek bed lay several piles of garbage bags, sleeping bags, dirty clothes and food packages. Many such items peppered the camp's living area, including a relatively clean pair of boots and Star Wars flip-flops. In another area, only food garbage had been tossed likely to lure bears away from camp, Little said. MORE NEEDED El Kouarti says the cleanups arose out of a multi-organization partnership coordinated by Lassen National Forest. They hope to disrupt the much more expensive infrastructure, meaning setting up shop would become much more expensive. But they can't clean up every site. When agents raided grow sites over the summer, they only had time to eradicate the pot, whose plants were destined for other states, and arrest suspects there, said Tony Magarrell, a special agent with the Forest Service. Agents' manpower allowed only 40 raids in the eastern North State and far fewer cleanups, he said. El Kouarti expects 6,000 pounds of trash to be hauled out of the site near Lake Britton. The camp had been occupied previous years and some of previous years' trash, including a bag of used trimmers, remained in the creekbed, Little said. The problem is too few personnel, Magarrell said. The two Forest Service law enforcement personnel need at least six to 10 fellow officers to raid a site, which may have up to 20 growers with firearms, he said. As for those who stumble across such illegal grows, Gabriel suggests they follow his fellow scientists' lead: "Do a 180 and go back out the way you came." SHARE By Sean Longoria of the Redding Record Searchlight The Redding City Council on Tuesday night will hear an offer to purchase the former downtown police station. Council members will discuss the offer from Equity Streams, LLC, in closed session. City Manager Kurt Starman said the company submitted a proposal to buy the property but Tuesday will be the first time the council will consider it. Equity Streams bought the former Redding Moose Lodge property on Lake Boulevard and sold it to Best Value Storage to repurpose the building for storage units. Up to $375,000 from the sale would go toward building a sobering center, though if such a center is already built by the time the buildings are sold, the city would use the money to pay down debt on the new police headquarters next to Redding City Hall, Starman said in a report to the council. In other business the council will discuss in closed session contract negotiations with the Redding Peace Officers Association. It will also receive reports on the 2016 Community Creek Cleanup and Parke Diem, an update on the development impact fees and a report on the city's guidelines for which credit cards it will accept for payments. Reporter Sean Longoria will offer live coverage of the meeting below, on Twitter or at http://scrbliv.me/2365661. SHARE Jack Hopkins By Amber Sandhu and Joe Szydlowski, Record Searchlight Photos: Deputy Jack Hopkins procession Local law enforcement officials met a slain comrades procession in Bella Vista Thursday, falling in behind as it headed into Redding and south to the Shasta County Coroners Office. Modoc County Sheriffs Deputy Jack Hopkins died instantly after being shot Wednesday responding to a domestic disturbance near Alturas, investigators have said. Just as the procession left Alturas Thursday, they named a convicted sex offender, Jack Lee Breiner, 47, as the suspect. As the law enforcement vehicles rolled into Bella Vista, they passed under an American flag swung from an Anderson Fire Protection District ladder truck. Nearby, a few civilians watching placed their hands over their hearts, as Shasta County law enforcement vehicles left Deschutes Road and joined in the procession one by one. In Redding, more locals both in public safety uniforms and street clothes lined the street. Officials with the Redding Police Department, Shasta County Sheriffs Office, California Highway Patrol and Redding Fire Department joined the procession with the Modoc County Sheriffs Department. This is just our way of showing respect for the sacrifice that hes made and a chance for Redding to show their respect as well, Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti said. Along Lake Boulevard, across from the Walgreens pharmacy, retired Redding police Cpl. Mike Woods, 50, stood at attention as the procession passed him and his Back the Blue flag. As he and an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer saluted, Woods father, daughter and wife watched in somber silence, reminded of the risks Woods undertook. You just try not to think about it. He goes to work just like anybody goes to work. You dont think about it until he comes home and you can breathe again, said Deneen Woods, 50, Mike Woods wife. You cant think about it. Youll make yourself sick. Woods daughter Danielle Taylor, 26, brought her son Nico. The day sparked strong memories for her as well. When he (went) to work, youd make sure to tell him you love him before he left, she said. As the procession passed Woods, his father and his wife wiped the corners of their eyes. The off-duty CHP officer bit his lip and declined to comment. On Lake Boulevard, Redding firefighters had another ladder truck flying the U.S. flag in honor of Hopkins, said Capt. Ron Utvich. As the procession weaved through Redding, firefighters from each fire station stood to honor Hopkins at various points, he said. In (emergency) services, were all kind of one big family, he said. I know if we had a fallen firefighter, law enforcement, theyd be out here supporting us. The procession honored Hopkins, 31, who was shot and killed after responding to a family disturbance call at a property near Alturas around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Investigators say Breiner fled the scene but was confronted by Sheriff Mike Poindexter. He was shot and is expected to survive. Hes being treated at a Redding hospital. Shasta County Undersheriff Eric Magrini said Modoc County officials reached out to Shasta County because they have a forensic pathologist on staff at the coroners office. By 1 p.m., Hopkins body arrived at the coroners office on Breslauer Way. Shasta and Modoc county officials lined up in front of the coroners office and saluted as Hopkins body, which was covered in an American flag, was taken away. Magrini laid a rose by Hopkins feet. Officials exchanged hugs and consoled one another, some shedding tears. Sgt. Mike Main of the Modoc County Sheriffs Office said hed always remember Hopkins as a guy with the highest level of integrity and good moral character. He was a good friend, good law enforcement officer, he said. And he meant a lot to all of us and were all hurting. Live updates from earlier in the day follow: Update 1:28 p.m. Law enforcement officers consoled each other in front of the Shasta County Coroner's Office as the procession bringing Hopkins' body ended there about three hours after it began in Alturas. Update 12:56 p.m. Arriving on Lake Boulevard, the procession is now moving toward downtown Redding. Law enforcement vehicles that met it in Bella Vista followed into town. Update 12:39 p.m. The procession has passed through Bella Vista and will arrive in Redding shortly on Highway 299. Road closures are expected in Redding as the procession turns south on Market Street and heads through Downtown, starting at Market Street and Trinity Street at the north end and at least to Yuba Street on the south. Market Street downtown is also closing to southbound traffic. Law enforcement officers and members of the public lined the roads to greet the procession in Bella Vista, and as it passed people stood in the crowd with their hands over their hearts. Update 12:28 p.m. The procession is about to arrive in Bella Vista, where members of public safety professions and the public will pay respects as it passes on toward Redding. We have reporters, photographers and videographers stationed along the route and will be bringing you live updates, photos and video. Scroll down for specific information about the route. Update 12:10 p.m. The procession for Modoc County sheriff's deputy Jack Hopkins is expected to arrive in the Redding area at about 12:30 p.m. Local law enforcement will meet the procession in Bella Vista at My-T-Fine Foods, Shasta County Undersheriff Eric Magrini said. From there, the procession will head west on Highway 299, then turn onto North Market Street to California Street in downtown Redding, then to South Market Street to Breslauer Way, arriving at the Shasta County Coroner's Office. Follow along with live coverage of the precession below or at http://scrbliv.me/2368136. Update 10 a.m. Thursday The body of Modoc County sheriff's deputy Jack Hopkins will be transported to Redding today. The Modoc County Sheriff's Office said Hopkins' body will leave Modoc County at about 10 a.m. after passing through Main Street in Alturas. From there, the procession will move to Highway 299 toward Redding, the Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. The procession should arrive in Redding at about 12:30 p.m. via Highway 299, then turn onto North Market Street. From there, the procession will go on to California Street in downtown Redding, then to South Market Street to Breslauer Way. Local law enforcement will meet the procession in Bella Vista at My-T-Fine Foods, Shasta County Undersheriff Eric Magrini said. The Shasta County Coroner's Office is conducting Hopkins' autopsy. Law enforcement, emergency responders and the public are intived to view the procession in honor of Hopkins, according to the Sheriff's Office. Original story The Modoc County sheriffs deputy who was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call near Alturas was identified tonight by the sheriffs office. He was identified as Jack Hopkins, 31, who has worked as a deputy there since 2015. "He leaves behind extended family and co-workers who will miss him," a sheriff's office spokesman said. "The Modoc County Sheriffs Office is overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and generosity for all of the sheriffs office staff," the statement added. "Please continue to keep our law enforcement community and first responders in your prayers and respect the familys and law enforcements privacy." The officer is the second Modoc County law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty since 1901. A suspect in the deputy's killing was arrested Wednesday, the sheriff's office said. The violent killing shocked and saddened residents of the rural northeastern California county. Things like this dont happen in the community, said Miguel Castro, 55, of Alturas. Castro, a 12-year resident whose family owns and operates Harolds Frosty burger joint on Main Street, said his heart goes out to the officers family, as well as to the entire law enforcement community. Its sad, he said, noting that he has a number of law enforcement customers. But, he said, he has yet to learn the name of the deputy who was killed. A video of a procession this evening in Hopkin's honor and memory was posted on the Modoc County Sheriff's Office Facebook page. Deputies were responding around 10:30 a.m. to a call on County Road 115 about 10 miles south of Alturas when Hopkins was fatally shot. The California Highway Patrol, the Alturas Police Department and the U.S. Forest Service also responded to the scene after a call about an officer-involved shooting went out, the sheriffs office said. The suspect, who has not been identified, was arrested shortly afterward, the sheriffs office added. It did not say if the suspect may have been wounded. A sheriffs spokesman said Wednesday evening that additional details about the shooting are expected to be released around 10 a.m. Thursday when the office holds a news conference in Alturas. Meanwhile, the shooting is being investigated by the Shasta County Sheriffs Office and the California Highway Patrol, the sheriffs office said. The Modoc County Sheriffs Office said earlier in the day in a brief statement that the deputy was involved in an active-shooter incident, but it did not release any other details. County government offices in Alturas were placed under lockdown in the morning after the initial reports of the shooting. Modoc County Administrator Chester Robertson said he was locking down all government facilities in the Alturas area, but he had no further information about the incident. The deputy killed is the fourth law enforcement officer in California to die in the line of duty in the past two weeks. The slaying comes after two Palm Springs police officers were shot to death during a domestic disturbance call and a Los Angeles County sheriffs sergeant was shot and killed in the high desert town of Lancaster while answering a burglary call. The Modoc County deputy is the second Modoc County law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty in 115 years. According to a California law enforcement memorial website that lists the names of officers killed in the line of duty, Constable Herbert Scott Walker was shot and killed May 12, 1901. Walker, 31, was shot and killed after joining the Shasta County Sheriffs Office in a manhunt for two escaped prisoners. As the posse came upon the prisoners, a gunfight ensued and Walker was shot in the left hip. He died the following day. The Associated Press contributed to this report. SHARE Cal Thomas Modern journalists have little in common with those I was privileged to know when I was a copyboy at NBC News in Washington in the '60s. Today's "journalists" will disagree, but as numerous surveys have shown, the public trust in what is collectively called the media has sunk to an all-time low. Only the media think they don't have to change and can continue to sell a product more and more people refuse to buy. WikiLeaks dumps of Clinton campaign emails with reporters should contain enough proof for any reasonable person that big media is in the tank for her. In what may be unprecedented, The New York Times allowed Hillary to edit her own quotes. John Harwood, chief Washington correspondent for CNBC, showered praise on Hillary in emails to her campaign chief John Podesta. Clinton staffers discussed which emails to release and which to delete. She has claimed the deleted emails were personal, not work related. A Chapman University survey has found the top fear of American voters is corruption in government. If true, why do so many intend to vote for Hillary, perhaps the most corrupt politician ever to seek the presidency? The WikiLeaks documents also expose Hillary's private vs. public contradictory statements on several subjects. The Washington Examiner reports these include transcripts of paid speeches she has tried to keep secret. Three years ago, Hillary told an audience at a luncheon for the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago Vanguard that the flow of Syrian refugees into Jordan had put Jordan's security at risk. About the thousands of Syrians pouring into Jordan, she said, " ... they can't possibly vet all those refugees so they don't know if, you know, jihadists are coming in along with legitimate refugees." She wants to increase the number of Syrian refugees entering the U.S. by many times the current rate. If they pose a security threat to Jordan, why wouldn't they pose a threat to America? Even FBI director James Comey says he can't guarantee proper vetting for so many refugees and other immigrants, many of whom lack the most rudimentary forms of identification and verifiable work history. During the second presidential debate, Hillary expressed support for a no-fly zone over parts of Syria to help stem the humanitarian crisis. But, in a paid speech for Goldman Sachs in June 2013, she indicated she was skeptical about whether such a strategy would work. "To have a no-fly zone," she said then, "you have to take out all of the air defense, many of which are located in populated areas, so our missiles, even if they are standoff missiles so we're not putting our pilots at risk you're going to kill a lot of Syrians. So all of a sudden this intervention that people talk about so glibly becomes an American and NATO involvement where you take a lot of civilians." There is much more, including private praise for Wall Street and big banks that paid her six figures for speeches with little content, but public criticism and promises to exert more government control over them if she is elected. In a West Palm Beach, Florida, speech last Thursday, Donald Trump honed his attack against the media, the establishment and the Clintons: "The establishment and their media neighbors wield control over this nation. ... Anyone who challenges their control is deemed a sexist, rapist, xenophobe, and morally deformed. They will attack you. They will slander you. They will seek to destroy your career and your family ... (and) your reputation. They will lie (and) do whatever is necessary. "The Clintons are criminals ... and the establishment that protects them has engaged in a massive cover-up of widespread criminal activity at the State Department and the Clinton Foundation to keep the Clintons in power. Never in history have we seen such a cover-up as this." He's right and this should be his line of attack in the third and final debate Wednesday night. Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. This is a sentence I've always wanted to write: "I have something in common with Elton John." Dreams do come true because that something is a deep love of Chicago band and former RedEye cover stars Whitney. In an interview posted today by the New York Times, writer Nathan Reese facilitated a phone conversation between John and Whitney drummer Julien Ehrlich. It's a conversation that touches on family, new music in 2016 and the joys of playing albums live in concert. The whole piece is worth reading in full, but I will say that Elton John called "Light Upon The Lake," Whitney's debut album, one of his favorites of the year. The record is No. 1 on our mid-year list, toothat's another thing we have in common with Sir Elton John! Click the link here to read the entire interview. Advertisement By the way, this also isn't the first time John has expressed his love for this Chicago seven-piece band. In July, he played "No Woman" on his Beats1 Radio Show, "Elton John's Rocket Hour." @joshhterry | jterry@redeyechicago.com Shastri took the first big step to transform Indias agriculture, the benefits of which his successors reaped in plenty, says A K Bhattacharya. In a recent article, eminent historian Ramachandra Guha wrote about Indias second prime minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri. Mr Guha argued quite convincingly that in spite of his many achievements, Shastri did not get his due either from the nation or from the Congress party, which he had served for his entire life. Shastri took the first big step to transform Indias agriculture, the benefits of which his successors reaped in plenty, defended the country ably against Pakistan and, most importantly, made India a vibrant democracy by not allowing religion or religious considerations to come in the way of governance. And yet, Shastri remains largely a forgotten leader. Shastri died in 1966 in Tashkent soon after signing a peace treaty with Pakistan in the wake of a short-duration war. But there has been no major initiative to commemorate Shastri on his 50th death anniversary this year in a manner that befits the great leader. While Mr Guha acknowledged Shastris role as one who helped usher in Indias green revolution and successfully countered Pakistans attack, there is one aspect of his leadership that has so far been largely ignored - his changed approach to the idea of controls and statism in economic policy matters. Indeed, Shastri is arguably Indias first economic reformer, much ahead of P V Narasimha Rao, who too ushered in reforms and like Shastri has been forgotten by the Congress. One of the reasons for Shastri not getting his due is perhaps because his attempt to usher in the first phase of reforms is clouded by many misconceptions. For instance, it is widely believed that the devaluation of the Indian rupee in 1966 was decided and implemented by Indira Gandhi after she became the prime minister. It is true, that it was under her prime ministership that the rupee was devalued, but it is not often recognised that the decision to devalue the currency, a necessary step, was taken by Shastri. I G Patel, who was working in the finance ministry at that time, has recounted in one of his essays how the decision to devalue the currency had been taken in principle and conveyed informally to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) when Shastri was the prime minister. Indeed, Shastri had taken an equally bold step before intimating the IMF about his governments decision to devalue the currency. His finance minister, T T Krishnamachari, was not comfortable with the idea of devaluation. As Medha M Kudaisya notes in her biography of G D Birla, the only man that stood in the way of India agreeing to removing government controls on imports and industrial activities and devaluing the currency was Krishnamachari. For Shastri, the state of the Indian economy after the ravages of the war had left the country with no option other than agreeing to the IMF-World Bank prescriptions for economic liberalisation and currency devaluation. So, Shastri used a clever tactic to remove Krishnamachari as the finance minister. For Krishnamachari, this was the second time in his political career that he had to step down as the finance minister. Once under Nehrus prime ministership, he had to resign after the Mundhra scandal broke out. Now, under Shastri, there were allegations of malfeasance against Krishnamacharis son. Shastri refused to clear him of those charges until investigations were completed and he wanted his finance minister to step down till the inquiry to be conducted by a Supreme Court judge gave him a clean chit. Krishnamachari took it as an insult and offered his resignation, which Shastri promptly accepted and appointed Sachin Chowdhury as the new finance minister. Shastri did not live long after that. His successor, Indira Gandhi, retained Chowdhury as the finance minister and agreed to implement the decision on devaluing the currency taken by Shastri. It is, of course, a different matter that she did not fulfil the other part of the commitment to dismantle the control and permit raj. Shastris reformist credentials were also evident from his economic team. All his team members S Bhoothalingham, Dharma Vira, I G Patel and L K Jha believed in the urgent need to unshackle the economy and go in for reforms to realise the potential of the Indian economy by modernising agriculture and allowing the private sector to operate with relative freedom from controls. Even in Shastris Cabinet, the departure of V K Krishna Menon and K D Malaviya signalled his preference for a regime that would move away from licences, relying more on the markets. Winds of change were also felt in some decisions of the government under Shastri. In August 1965, the prime minister announced in Parliament that government controls over economic activity would be reconsidered. Soon thereafter, regulations for sectors such as steel and cement were relaxed. Whats more, Shastri even ordered a review of all major public sector projects which had not taken off by then. As Kudaisya writes in The Life and Times of GD Birla, Shastri even tried to decentralise governance by shifting decision-making on projects from the Planning Commission to different economic ministries. A national planning council was set up that reduced the scope and role of the Planning Commission. It is a pity that Shastri died prematurely without implementing most of his ideas on economic reforms, deregulation and decentralisation. But it is a national shame that nobody in India remembers Shastri for having dared to usher in those reforms at that time. Apart from cotton, copper, petroleum and industrial machinery, India does not export much to China. This means that India buys six times the merchandise it sells to China, points out Abhishek Waghmare. Image: Chinese crockery for sale in Mumbais Manish market. The 500-shop market, next to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, sells mainly Chinese goods, from fancy lights to toys. Photograph: Abhishek Waghmare. Indian politicians are currently leading a campaign to boycott Chinese goods. But an IndiaSpend analysis shows why this will fail: China is Indias largest trade partner, a sixth of Indias imports are Chinese, up from a tenth in 2011-12, while Indias exports to its rival have halved over the same period. Imports from China grew at 20 per cent over two years and 5 per cent over five years, to $61 billion. These goods range from power plants and set top boxes to Ganesh idols. This is despite the fact that Indias imports have generally fallen over the last five years - from $490 billion (Rs 23 lakh crore) to $380 billion (Rs 25 lakh crore) - because of a fall in global oil prices. Indias exports to China have fallen from $18 billion (Rs 86,000 crore) in 2011-12 to $9 billion (Rs 58,000 crore) in 2015-16. Apart from cotton, copper, petroleum and industrial machinery, India does not export much to China. This means that India buys six times the merchandise it sells to China. Source: Trade between India and China, Export Import Data Bank, Ministry of Commerce; figures in $ billion The export-import imbalance Cellphones, laptops, solar cells, fertilisers, keyboards, displays and communication equipment - including earphones - these are Indias chief imports from China, according to our analysis of ministry of commerce data. Source: Export Import Data Bank, Ministry of Commerce; figures in $ billion Other major imports from China include tuberculosis and leprosy drugs, antibiotics, childrens toys, industrial springs, ball bearings, LCD and LED displays, routers, TV remote controllers and set top boxes. The political storm Despite this, political leaders including Sharad Yadav of Janata Dal (United) from Bihar, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the newly inducted finance minister of Assam, and Anil Vij, health minister of Haryana, are appealing for a boycott of Made In China goods. People should not buy Chinese goods. Instead, Indian goods should be used. Trade with China is affecting our country. China is not our friend nation. China can buy weapons with whatever money it earns. There is a possibility that the weapons are given to enemy countriesWe should focus on Make in India, Vij was quoted by Indian Express on October 4, 2016. Stagnant manufacturing figures China was referred to as the worlds manufacturing powerhouse by former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan and chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian in a February 2006 research paper. India, however, failed to match its neighbor in this process, asserted the paper, published by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research. Stagnating indices for the manufacturing sector show that India is still struggling to compete with China. Despite a record foreign direct investment of $55 billion in 2015-16, private investment in manufacturing is still sluggish. Why China bazars are popular IndiaSpend visited Manish market, the hub of imported Chinese goods in Mumbais heart. Chinese products here are cheaper, available in bulk, neatly packaged and easy to buy. If the 50 different types of LED lamps that I sell were available from say, Surat, at a cheaper rate and at my doorstep, why would I go for Chinese lamps? asked a lamp distributor and retailer, requesting anonymity. If I had to buy these in India, this collection would cost me double. China moved forward with rapid market reforms from the 1980s, propelled by the establishment of special economic zones. Land and labour reforms helped it ramp up its production capacity. The result is that Indias iron, steel and fertiliser production is a tenth of Chinas. Source: Department of Fertilisers, Government of India, XFA Finance, Wikipedia; figures in million tonnes Chinas export story is also driven by ease of market access. Take the example of Sumant Kasliwal, who runs an apparel e-commerce start-up in Mumbai. After two years of shopping for merchandise in India, he switched to China two years ago. His sales have tripled since. Market access is easier in China Customers rarely have to waste time in China searching for markets and products, said Kasliwal. It took him less than a week to buy a three-month consignment that ranged from jewelry to fabric. Even small market-towns like Yiwu - comparable to Varanasi in terms of population - have a one-stop, dedicated market for all consumer durables, from fashion to home accessories, with cost and quality options, he said. In India, it would take us weeks. Source: Trade between India and China, Export Import Data Bank, Ministry of Commerce; figures in $ billion Abhishek Waghmare is an analyst with IndiaSpend. Powered by Indiaspend.org is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit Land acquisition costs have gone up to almost 50% of total project cost. High land acquisition cost may derail Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkaris ambitious plans to execute expressway projects, even as the government seems to be on track to achieve its goal of constructing 30 km of road every day. Gadkari has announced Rs 2 lakh crore investment for constructing expressways in the poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Of these, projects worth Rs 30,000 crore are already underway in UP. But officials said land acquisition cost may prove to be a real challenge because of the steep cost involved. Expressways, by definition, are greenfield projects and involve huge land acquisition cost. According to an expert, the land required for an expressway is at least five times more than what is needed for expansion of an existing highway. This is because an expressway is a 100 per cent access-controlled road with bridges and underpasses. Similarly, the cost of constructing an expressway is as many times higher than expanding an existing highway. As much as Rs 10-12 crore per km of cost is incurred in the expansion of a highway from two-lane to four-lane. The number would be five to six times higher in a greenfield project like expressway. Estimates suggest land acquisitions costs constitute around 50 per cent of the total cost of the expressway project. On an average, an expressway is built at a width of 100-feet. The cost of land acquisition varies from state to state and can even differ at two locations in the same state, an official said. However, citing an example, an analyst put the approximate cost of land in Punjab, where one of the proposed expressways will pass through, at Rs 1.5 crore per acre. Speeding up of expressways has been tried before during the United Progressive Alliance regime, a former government official told Business Standard. But, the land cost held them back, he pointed out. Also, the states had sought incentives from the central government for constructing expressways. Where will the money come from? he asked. The government needs to set aside Rs 20,000 crore worth of debt only for possession of land, as it plans to execute several projects, including one connecting Jaipur. Gadkari would soon meet the chief ministers of Haryana and Rajasthan to work out the modalities for the Delhi-Jaipur expressway, a road ministry official said. The Western Peripheral Expressway (Kundli-Manesar-Palwal) and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal) are among other projects delayed for over a decade. These are likely to be completed by December 2017. The projects would benefit Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, as they will open both the rural as well as the urban areas for developing commercial spaces and townships along the expressways, apart from generating revenue. The projects are also expected to improve air pollution levels in Delhi and decongest the national Capital. Another project is the New Delhi to Katra (Jammu & Kashmir) expressway, which would also reduce travel time to Amritsar by about two-and-a-half hours. The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway would be executed on an alignment cutting across Jind in Haryana and connecting Amritsar via Barnala in Punjab. The project -- that would come up at a cost of Rs 60,000 crore -- would reduce the distance between Delhi and Katra by 110 km. The distance from Delhi to Katra via National Highway-1 is 729 km. In addition, the government has prepared a blueprint of expressways stretching across 18,000 km. But experts remain sceptical of the ambitious announcements made by the minister, mainly on account of land acquisition cost involved. At present, there are only a clutch of expressways in the country, including the Mumbai-Pune expressway, that was built at a cost of over Rs 1,600 crore and became fully operational in April 2002. In order to complete the proposed projects on time, the road construction pace has to be set at 30 km per day, as promised by Gadkari, after he took charge in May 2014. According to officials, the central government would be able to meet the 30-km-a-day road construction target, thanks to massive project awards in 2015-16. Around 10,000 km of highway projects are expected to be constructed during FY17. For the government to keep road construction pace at 8,000-9,000 km a year, 10,000-12,000 km of projects need to be awarded each year for the next few years. Since 2013-14, on an average, around 4,000 km of projects have been awarded by the National Highways Authority of India alone. This, according to an expert, is a slow pace of project award. In April this year, the minister announced that 25,000 km of national highways will be awarded in 2016-17, against the 10,000 km awarded in 2015-16. The construction target was set at 15,000 km, against 6,000 km constructed last year. Of the total length of 25,000 km of highways, 15,000 km fell under the target of NHAI and 10,000 km under the road ministry and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation. Image: The Mumbai-Nashik expressway. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons. IRDAs condition that treatment under AYUSH has to be at a government hospital or an institute recognised by the government makes insurance cover difficult. Insurance companies have started coming out with policies covering alternative treatments after the new health insurance regulations earlier this year allowed coverage for AYUSH (ayurveda, siddha, unani and homeopathy) treatment. Religare Health Insurance recently launched a version of its healthcare plan, Care, covering AYUSH treatment. There is a renewed focus on alternative treatment. That is why we are offering AYUSH coverage in our enhanced plan, says Anuj Gulati, MD and CEO, Religare Health Insurance. Insurers, however, are taking baby steps towards it. Based on the sum insured, the cap starts at Rs 15,000 and goes up to Rs 50,000. This means that even if you opt for the highest sum assured under Care, which is Rs 75 lakh, the maximum amount you will get for AYUSH coverage is only Rs 50,000, or less than 10 per cent of the sum assured. This is the biggest drawback of such policies, says Mahavir Chopra, director-health, life and strategic initiatives, Coverfox, an insurance broker. Most of these plans dont give full cover on the sum assured. The cover can be low in case of hospitalisation. Some companies offer it as a percentage of the sum assured, say 10 per cent. In such a case, if you take a Rs 10 lakh cover, you can get up to Rs 1 lakh for AYUSH treatments. Bajaj Allianz General Insurances Health Care Supreme offers this product. The good news here is there is no cap on the sum assured and consumers can claim up to whatever sum assured they have opted for. Rashmi Nadargani, vertical head-health underwriting, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, says: We cover all ailments that are covered under allopathy and not the kind of treatment. The kind of treatment is the doctors protocol. We want to give the consumer the flexibility to undergo whatever treatment wherever he wants to get cured. However, there is no cashless facility for AYUSH treatment and it is only on reimbursement basis. This is because most ayurvedic hospitals find it difficult to meet the criteria required for empanelment of hospitals. These include a certain minimum number of beds, 24-hour monitoring, emergency care, registration of the hospital, qualified doctors, etc, explains Nadargani. As claims have to be approved on the basis of the patients history and the kind of treatment, insurers need to check whether the disease is eligible for coverage. A lot of treatment might be done for cosmetic and wellness purposes, too. Also, insurers check if hospitalisation is needed or it can be treated in the out-patient department. Religare offers cashless facility for AYUSH treatment, but only at its network hospitals. Besides these complications, the Insurance and Regulatory and Development Authority of Indias condition that cover can be provided for AYUSH treatment but the treatment has to be at a government hospital or an institute recognised by the government or accredited by the Quality Council of India or the National Accreditation Board on Health will make things difficult. Ayurveda can be very open-ended. There are several spa-like centres that offer such treatment. Hence this condition that treatment should be only at government- recognised hospitals, Chopra adds. Image: Crystal Therapy at the spa facility in ITC Grand Central, Mumbai (image used for representational purposes only). Photograph: Courtesy ITC Grand Central, Mumbai/Luxury Collection Hotels and Resorts Foxconn is yet to submit its land requirements to the Maharashtra government to set up its factories, say Sanjay Jog, T E Narasimhan and Raghu Krishnan. Maharashtra is waiting for its largest foreign direct investment of $5 billion, 14 months after Terry Gou, founder of Taiwanese electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn, committed himself to transforming electronic manufacturing in the state. Foxconn is yet to submit its land requirements to the Maharashtra government to set up its factories. It has also not begun work on an iPhone assembly unit in Navi Mumbai, slated to open in August. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation officials say they do not have a new timeline for the Navi Mumbai plant. They are also unaware of Foxconns requirement of land notified in Chakan-Talegaon near Pune and in Khalapur in Raigad district for new factories and research facilities. I dont think Foxconn had any intention of investing $5 billion in the state, said Alberto Moel, research analyst at investment management firm Sanford C Bernstein. Moel, based in Hong Kong, tracks technology firms. Foxconn did not respond to a questionnaire sent on October 13. MIDC officials are also jittery that Foxconn may look southwards to expand production in India. The Tamil Nadu government has already made a pitch to Foxconn to reopen the Nokia plant, but Gou wants a waiver of all dues and fresh incentives. For Foxconn, a unit in Chennai could be a better base than in Maharashtra, but Tamil Nadu government officials say there has been no progress on this front. To be fair, Foxconn is expanding in India. In the one-and-a-half years since it set shop in SriCity in Andhra Pradesh, Foxconn has scaled up production to one million smartphones for companies like Xiaomi, Lava, Micromax and Asus. The firm employs over 10,000 workers and plans to add another unit with the potential to employ over 3,000 people. People familiar with Foxconn's plans say the firm wants to set up seven units in India, but decision will be taken in Taiwan. It is bullish on India because of the smartphone opportunity, said an industry executive who has met Gou in his office in Taipei. Indias billion strong mobile subscribers has attracted 40 electronics and mobile manufacturing companies to the country. The government also wants to promote India as an export hub for mobiles. Foxconn is the biggest manufacturer for Apple, the world's largest smartphone maker, and could follow its client to India. But, Apples plans to produce in India, a growing market for its high-priced smartphones, are not clear after the government rejected its proposal to make refurbished iPhones in the country. If its customers (Xiaomi, OnePlus, Apple) want to sell in India and need to assemble in India, Foxconn will likely make the necessary investments, said Moel. It is not a matter of appetite, it is purely business. Image: Workers at a Foxconn factory in China. Photograph: Reuters. Note: Pankhuri Gidwani's beautiful smile, toned body and kind nature will win your heart! Lucknow-based Pankhuri Gidwani is just 18 but is already an Internet sensation. A second runner up at Femina Miss India Grand 2016, Gidwani is all set to make India proud at the prestigious pageant Miss Grand International. She'll be competing with 84 divas from across the globe on October 25 in Las Vegas, United States. She's the youngest beauty queen representing the country on an international platform after Priyanka Chopra. While we all wish for her victory, here are some pictures that prove she rightly deserves to win the title. IMAGE: Is this for real? Just see how this beautiful belle carries the colourful traditions and festivals of India embossed on her outfit for the 'National Costume Round' as part of the beauty contest. Photograph: Kind courtesy Miss Grand India 2016-Pankhuri Gidwani/Facebook IMAGE: Pankhuri just got wings to fly. Shining bright in a yellow-grey swimsuit, she is a pure patakha (bombshell). Photograph: Kind courtesy Miss Grand India 2016-Pankhuri Gidwani/Facebook IMAGE: While she soaks up the sun in a bikini, she looks nothing less than a million bucks! Photograph: Kind courtesy Miss Grand India 2016-Pankhuri Gidwani/Facebook IMAGE: An enviable slender frame only comes when you sweat it out everyday! The fitness freak is good at striking a balance between her strenuous workout sessions and relaxation hours. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Instagram IMAGE: Now how many young models get to share the frame with the Badshah (superstar) of Bollywood. For Pankhuri, second from right, it was a dream come true moment. In the picture above, she is accompanied by Femina Miss India World Priyadarshini Chatterjee, extreme left, and Femina Miss India first runner-up Sushruthi Krishna. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Instagram IMAGE: She even rocks the ethnic avatar in embroidered separates for brand FBB's (Fashion by Big Bazaar) festive collection shoot. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Instagram IMAGE: Quite evident, she loves to travel in style! She looks stunning in a white quirky print Roxxluxe skater dress when she arrived in Las Vegas. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Instagram IMAGE: When off-duty, she's goofing around with her fellow contestants and taking tours in Las Vegas. Photograph: Kind courtesy Miss Grand India 2016-Pankhuri Gidwani/Facebook IMAGE: It's all in the genes! Here she poses for the shutterbugs with her mother, right after winning the Femina Miss India Grand title this year. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Instagram IMAGE: She aims to "bring a change in the way we perceive INDIA globally." See how this young heart freely interacts with underprivileged children from a rural area in the country. Photograph: Kind courtesy Miss Grand India 2016-Pankhuri Gidwani/Facebook IMAGE: So what if it isn't a cute dog or a cat, Pankhuri is an animal lover and can cuddle up a desi goat too. Photograph: Kind courtesy Miss Grand India 2016-Pankhuri Gidwani/Facebook IMAGE: Her toned figure, glowing skin and that 100 watt smile sets Pankhuri apart. We couldn't take our eyes off this gorgeous picture from her initial modelling days. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Instagram IMAGE: Captioning this picture 'Cheat look', she proves that models don't have to starve to look their best. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Instagram IMAGE: OMG! Now that's one hell of a transformation. Notice how different our Femina Miss India Grand 2016 looked earlier, left. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pankhuri Gidwani/Facebook > More glamour features here A little while earlier in the evening, a journalist from a well-known Delhi newspaper phoned me up for a 'byte' on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's enigmatic remark on Tuesday at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Mandi in Himachal Pradesh that the Indian Army 'is no less' than the Israeli army about 'doing such a thing' as our surgical strikes on the Line of Control on September 29. That set me thinking. I first told my interlocutor evasively that it all depends on the audience Modi had in mind. Modi has an inscrutable mind because he only said the other day to his own folks, 'No more chest-thumbing, guys,' and now he himself did precisely that. So, my interlocutor asked whether Modi had in mind the electorate in Uttar Pradesh that Modi had in mind. I doubted it, because all those street-smart Tiwaris and Thakurs and Yadavs are not going to vote on the basis of such a flippant remark on election day -- not even the headstrong Jat in the western edges of UP. Now, what about the international impact? I said Modi got his facts wrong. Because, in the last big war Israel fought, the Lebanon War in 2006, it got so nicely checkmated -- and, by a resistance movement known as Hezbollah -- that for another decade the Israeli army has been staying home. Modi's reverie is about a mythical world where Moshe Dayan (the Israeli defence minister during its wars in the 1960s) lived -- and died. The Israeli army's forte now is to do sly things such as to give support to the Al Qaeda affiliate Nusra in Syria to advance the 'regime change' agenda. Or, to undertake reprisals on Palestinian communities living in the West Bank and Gaza whenever a rocket is fired from that side into Israel. Surely, Modi can't be having such 'tit-for-tat' in mind, which are, after all, a manifestation of the stalemate in the Arab-Israeli conflict and Israel's helplessness to shift the calculus of strategic balance decisively in its favour through political or military means. Internationally, Israeli army operations have been deemed excessive and adversely commented upon by the UN and the human rights bodies. Therefore, it is not a smart analogy for Modi to dwell upon when India is campaigning for permanent membership of the UN Security Council. In diplomatic terms, Modi may have even created some embarrassment for India. The Palestinian ambassador in Delhi must be a sad man. His Arab counterparts in Chanakyapuri must be furious that Modi admires the Israeli army, which humiliated the Muslim Middle East and rubbed the Arab nose in the dust. Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar must now host a party in Hyderabad House to say, 'Sorry, Excellencies, you know our prime minister.' It is entirely conceivable that even Israelis may disapprove of Modi's remark. They never hide behind alibis. Here, on the contrary, we are still quibbling whether the surgical strikes were conducted 'along' the LoC or 'across' the LoC. The government refuses to be categorical. The Israeli generals speak up like generals and won't expect merit certificates from civilians who never fought a war. Their television cameras will proudly display the audacity of their valorous acts on the battlefield. They will carry war trophies. They won't allow themselves to be portrayed on billboards in inner towns as sidekicks of some political parties. Curiously, Modi seemed to have been unaware that government officials in Delhi admitted on Tuesday that similar military operations were undertaken by previous Congress governments also. So, if the Indian Army has finally graduated to the level of the classy Israeli army in valour and professionalism, shouldn't the credit go to Pranab Mukherjee and A K Antony? Given the above, then, why did Modi say such a thing? As you know, I am always for simple explanations even when complicated people are involved. Remember, only the day before, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said something about surgical strikes -- 'I wonder that a prime minister from the land of Mahatma Gandhi and a defence minister from Goa which has no martial race and surgical strikes... maybe the RSS teaching was there, but this was a very different kind of combination.' Now, Modi couldn't have liked such a cavalier remark. Indeed, Parrikar should never have bracketed himself with Modi. That was an act of blasphemy that could invite divine retribution. Parrikar was free to speak for himself. Period. On top of it, he referred to Modi as Gandhian! Parrikar could have just glanced through Facebook to know that if the 'core constituency' adores Modi, it is because they see him as the antithesis of Gandhiji. Gandhiji's chest wasn't even 40" broad. He was a slightly built man -- a sparrow one feels protective about. Yet, if we admire his toughness, it is about the grit of the mind of a frail-looking man who took on a superpower. To my mind, Modi put Parrikar on the mat by making such a 'Martian' remark in Mandi. Modi would prefer to wear the Martian look and take the credit for surgical strikes. He may not even want to share it with the RSS -- leave alone with Parrikar. 100 days have passed since the current unrest in Kashmir began. As a tentative normalcy returns to the valley, Kashmir remains on edge. Tariq Hamid Karra, who resigned from the PDP and as the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, reveals why he feels totally irrelevant in Kashmir. IMAGE:'Modi has missed the bus in Kashmir,' says Tariq Hamid Karra. Photograph: PTI Photo Even as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tried to find ways to calm the unrest that erupted in the valley after Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was killed, Tariq Hamid Karra resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party and as the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar. Elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014, Karra was a close aide of the late chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and was one of the PDP's founding members. Karra told Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf why he resigned from the party and his Lok Sabha membership. This telephone interview was recorded a couple of days before the terrorist attack on the army camp in Uri, in which 19 soldiers died. IMAGE: Demonstrators try to hurl stones at a police vehicle during a protest in Srinagar. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters Why is a leader like you who defeated National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah in the 2014 general election disillusioned with the PDP? There are two reasons. First, the PDP alliance with the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)-driven BJP. This issue I have been raising for the last 16 months now. Second, the present dispensation's killing of innocent protestors and the extent of brutality. Were you unhappy with the PDP joining hands with the BJP to form a government when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was alive? Not at all! The PDP was floated on a certain premise and that included: Facilitate the resolution of the Kashmir issue within the parameters of the Constitution; Bring the Hurriyat and the Government of India to the table to negotiate the returning of power projects, as we have been suffering losses due to the Indus Water Treaty ; ; Return of our Pandit brethren back to Kashmir; And (deal with) the excesses meted out to people during Dr Farooq Abdullah's National Conference government. We had created the PDP as a buffer, as on the one side there were the separatists and on the other there were hyper-nationalistic forces. We wanted to have a political breathing space for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We were often branded as being soft separatists as well. After the 2014 election, we swept all three Valley seats. I was one of them, the second was Mehbooba Mufti and Muzzafar Baig was the third person. We fought this election against the National Conference. When we fought the state elections, the focus of our campaign was to keep the BJP out because the Narendra Modi wave had come into state politics as well by that time. We sought a vote against the BJP and the people responded to that. We emerged as the single largest party. Later, we shook hands with the same party whom we opposed in the elections to form the government. What was the compulsion to align with the BJP and form the government? Muftisaab gave an argument that as far as building relations with Pakistan is concerned, the Congress will not be able to help us because they were out of power. He further said that we would need liberal funds to fill the gap of infrastructure and other administrative issues because Kashmir had suffered in the devastating floods of 2014. As far as I am concerned, I was clear that getting into an alliance with the BJP would be a danger because of their past and their political ideology. I suggested that we sit in the Opposition rather than get into an alliance with the BJP. Muftisaab did not listen to me, but others followed him and got into an alliance. I publicly requested him and had warned him of dire consequences. IMAGE: A protestor in a balaclava jumps over burning debris. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters How would Muftisaab have handled this situation after Burhan Wani's killing? I cannot comment on that. Burhan Wani became a trigger. It was not that big an issue, but I do not want to undermine it. Wani's death was a flashpoint. The alienation started from day one when the BJP got into alliance with the PDP. It was an alliance between diametrically, ideologically and temperamentally opposite people. The Kashmiri temperament does not accept hyper nationalism. That does not mean Kashmiris are communal -- they are one of the most secular people on Indian soil, but they cannot accept the ideology of the RSS which I call cultural ingression, administrative ingression, ideological ingression and even religious ingression which is very visible all over India. We Kashmiris are not against Hindutva, but against Hinduisation. Modi has been, since the last two years, playing politics to Hinduise India. But Kashmiri Pandits were driven out by Kashmiri Muslim fundamentalists. How can you say Kashmiris are secular? I have a counter-question. Radicalisation of Hindu extremism in India is termed as nationalism and glorified, but radicalisation of Kashmiris is called terrorism? Kindly do an appraisal of what is defined as extremism in Kashmir and what it means in the rest of India? Why are PDP leaders not coming forward and solving problems in Kashmir? After all, the people voted for your party in the last elections. You need to come to Kashmir to seek an answer to this. Every mainstream politician has become irrelevant today in Kashmir. You have to go to the genesis of the problem. We are simply pruning the branches of the tree. We are not going to the root cause. The alienation has political history behind it. It has a history of broken promises, brutality and discrimination. We have so much of bitter history. Forget about others, I am a mainstream politician and today I feel totally irrelevant (in Kashmir). We also have a history of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir. I do not deny that. Pakistan's involvement in Kashmir could not have been possible had there not been a fertile ground for it. Passing everything on to Pakistan rather than accepting India's failure in Kashmir is not a smart policy. 5 percent of Kashmiris instigate terrorism and 95 percent want to live in peace. How far is this true? Who said that? (Chief Minister) Mehbooba Mufti said that... She has not explained this (theory). Why was curfew not lifted for the 95 percent? Why were they not allowed to perform their religious rights (on Bakri Eid)? This is contrary to what she has said. This is absurd. IMAGE: A boy looks back at a member of the security forces in Srinagar during curfew. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters One fear is that Kashmir may end up resembling the Tahrir Square in Egypt if curfew is lifted. Is this possible? This (issue) has been mismanaged from day one. This is the total failure of the government. The BJP's mindset of non-denial is adding fuel to the fire (in Kashmir). They are using veiled threats, which is infuriating the people. What can Prime Minister Modi do to win the hearts of Kashmiris? He cannot! Modi has missed the bus in Kashmir. He was rather never interested in winning over Kashmiri hearts. But he spoke of peace and went to Lahore to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. (Interrupts) Jingoism never works in politics. Has the government erred in making the Hurriyat leaders irrelevant in Kashmir's politics? The Centre and the state government made the biggest blunder by making the Hurriyat irrelevant. They (the Hurriyat) could have played a positive role despite whatever we say about their politics. By saying that they should leave for Pakistan, and that they should do this and that. This is against the national interest. Hinduisation will not be accepted by the general populace of India. Indian taxpayers' money provides for the security, safety and other facilities of the Hurriyat leaders who time and again raise anti-India slogans. You have to solve this problem politically. Jingoism will not work. If someone shouts anti-India slogans, it hurts me as an Indian... This is not only in Jammu and Kashmir. You have been going through this since Independence, in the north-east and with the Maoists. You talk to them, but are shy of talking to Kashmiris. You talk to these people unconditionally, but you put pre-conditions on Kashmiris. I don't think this is going to work. You seem to be disillusioned with the situation in Kashmir. As Ghalib would say, 'Koi umeed nazar nahi aati, Koi soorat nazar nahi aati' My uncle G M Sadiq was the state's chief minister. My aunt Zainab Begum was a minister in the Sheikh Abdullah cabinet. I have held ministerial positions like finance, law, forest, ecology, planning, tourism, housing and urban development. Our family has enjoyed power since 1947 and nobody has raised a finger against us. My sister-in-law is also in the present government, but I have not asked her to come out of the government. I have thrown an appeal to all elected people to peep into their conscience and act accordingly. If a person like me is so disillusioned, you can imagine what other Kashmiris must be thinking. I am telling you this is the last chance India has. You can eliminate terrorists, but not terrorism. You must have a heart and adopt a humane policy. You have to show the maturity of (then prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee to solve the Kashmir problem. He too was from the BJP and had an affinity with the RSS. Modi has an attitude like Alexander the Great for Kashmir. This will not work in Kashmir. Pokemon Party, Oct. 21 The Plattsmouth Public Library, in conjunction with the Community Center, is hosting a Pokemon Party on Friday, October 21, 6:00-8:00 pm, at the Community Center. Activities include making a Pokeball catapult, a scavenger hunt, and cookie decorating. Games include Plinko, Catch the Charizard, Wii Pokemon, and a Pokemon and Trainers game. Pizza is free, and so is the event. You don't have to be a member of the Community Center or the library. Join us for lots of fun! Medicare Part D Open Enrollment Sessions, Oct. 20-Dec. 1 Mary Ann Holland, Nebraska SHIIP Counselor, will be conducting three Drug Plan Comparison events in the Plattsmouth Public Library in preparation for Medicare Open Enrollment. The dates are Thursday, Oct. 20, Tuesday, Nov. 15, and Thursday, Dec. 1. Open enrollment for Medicare Part D (the prescription drug benefit) will be Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Everyone who is currently enrolled in a drug plan and those who will be new to Medicare beginning in January should seek a drug plan comparison. Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Medicare health plans, utilize the same open enrollment period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 with coverage beginning the first of January 2017. To make an appointment, contact the Extension office in Cass County at 402-267-2205. Flu Shots, Oct. 25 Sarpy/Cass County Health Department will be providing flu shots in the Plattsmouth Public Library auditorium on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. 1 p.m. The cost is $30. No appointment is needed. Adult Reading Program Ends Oct. 28 Theres only a few days left to participate in the Plattsmouth Librarys adult reading program. Recommend a book, and it will be placed on the Thumbs Up Table for others to enjoy and will earn you five tickets for the giveaways. Find tokens around the library in the scavenger hunt or answer fun questions about the library to earn more tickets. Grand prize is an Amazon Kindle Fire; other prizes are good for free meals at local restaurants. Entry is free and easy. The program ends on Oct. 28. Islamic State jihadists are barring civilians from leaving Mosul on Tuesday and using them as human shields, as the battle for the Iraqi city entered its second day, a Pentagon official said. IMAGE: Peshmerga forces advance in the east of Mosul to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq. Photograph: Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters Its quite clear Daesh (Islamic State) has started to use civilians as human shields by allowing families to stay in buildings likely to be targeted by air strikes, Abu Mahir, who lives near the citys university told Reuters. The battle, which began Monday, has so far focused on the villages surrounding Iraqs second-largest city, most of which are traditionally Kurdish. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said IS had for weeks kept Mosuls estimated population of 1.5 million from escaping, with the start of the offensive offering them no respite. United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said an estimated 200,000 people are expected to be displaced in the first weeks of the offensive, growing to as many as one million under a worst-case scenario. For now at least, Iraqi authorities and the US-led coalition want civilians to stay put, fearing they will be executed if they are caught leaving. The International Organisation for Migration said Islamic State may use tens of thousands of residents as human shields to hold onto their last city stronghold in Iraq. IMAGE: The offensive began on Monday with US President Barack Obama saying it would be a difficult fight but Islamic State will be defeated in Mosul. Photograph: Azad Lashkari/Reuters The IOM said there was a likelihood of chemical attacks by the jihadists, who had used such weapons previously against Iraqi Kurdish forces. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said safe routes had been secured for civilians who wanted to leave Mosul and it was the duty of the US.-led coalition to prevent Islamic State fighters from escaping into nearby Syria. US President Barack Obama said it would be a difficult fight but Islamic State will be defeated in Mosul. I am confident that we can succeed, although it is going to be a tough fight and a difficult fight. It is Iraqis who are doing the fighting. They are performing effectively and bravely and taking on significant casualties. There will be ups and downs in this process, but my expectation is that ultimately it will be successful, he said. A dozen workers of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena were on Wednesday arrested for protesting against the upcoming release of filmmaker Karan Johar's 'Ae Dil Hain Muskhil' as the party rejected his statement that he will not "engage with talent" from Pakistan in future. The workers from MNS' film unit Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena were protesting and raising slogans outside Metro Cinema in South Mumbai. The Raj Thackeray-led party has asked the theatre management not to hold any show of 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' which features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. The MNS had given a written appeal to the theatre management urging them not to show the movie as it features a Pakistani actor. The party workers also raised slogans outside the theatre, police officials said. "We arrested 12 MNS activists and booked them under relevant sections of Maharashtra Police Act and also CrPC," said Senior Inspector of Azad Maidan Police Station Vijay Kadam. They were produced before a local court which granted them cash bail of Rs 5,000 each in the case (carrying out procession without permission) under the Police Act. The MNS activists were also booked under the CrPC section 151 (3) (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) in which they did not get any relief and sent to judicial custody till November 4. Seeking to calm tempers over opposition to the release of his directorial venture, Johar had on Tuesday made a fervent appeal against stalling the release, saying he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future. However, the MNS said reality has dawned late on Johar. MNS cine wing head Amey Khopkar, after a meeting with senior party leaders and Raj Thackeray, said they were firm on opposing the release. "We will not allow the film to be screened in single screens and multiplexes. Reality has dawned late on the producer," Khopkar said. The MNS and some other political parties have opposed release of films with actors from Pakistan after the Uri terror attack, putting a question mark on the fate of Johar's movie, slated for release on October 28. The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India, too, decided not to screen films with Pakistani actors in four states -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa. A team from Johar's Dharma Productions along with filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt and Vijay Singh of Fox Star Studios had met Mumbai's top police officials and sought protection for the theatres to screen the film. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Dudhe had said, "Mumbai police will provide adequate protection to cinema theatres." Here's a recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tries his hand on a charkha at a ceremony to distribute charkhas to women before the National MSME Awards at Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana on Tuesday. Photograph: PIB Activists of Hindu Sena set a portrait of United States presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on fire during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi pays floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo Police detain people of Dalit community after they blocked the traffic during a protest in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo Women get their hands decorated with henna on the eve of Karwa Chauth festival in Indore on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo The mangled remains of the SUV of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abbhishek Banerjee after an accident on Durgapur Expressway at Singur in Hooghly district of Bengal on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo Students jubilate after the first convocation at Rajendra Institute of Medical Science in Ranchi on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo Rapid Action Force personnel flag march before the funeral procession of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker Rudresh in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supporters hold fire pots on their heads during a special prayer for speedy recovery of party supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in front of Apollo hospital in Chennai on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo People carry the mortal remains of Sepoy Sudhesh Kumar who lost his life in firing by Pakistan, during his funeral at his native village in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo A fireman sifts through the burnt debris of the residential apartment in Cuffe Parade's Maker Chambers in Mumbai on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo As Myanmar embarks on a journey of democracy and development, India on Wednesday assured it of unstinted support as the two traditionally close neighbours agreed to enhance ties in a range of areas including security and trade during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmars top leader Aung Sung Suu Kyi. IMAGE: State Counsellor of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi signing the visitors book, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi. Photograph: Press Information Bureau The two sides signed three agreements to boost cooperation in power, banking and insurance sectors besides deciding to step up ties in areas of oil and gas, agriculture, renewable energy and health care. It is Suu Kyis first visit to India after her National League for Democracy wrested power from the military junta in a landmark election earlier this year. Suu Kyi, who could not become Myanmars President due to a constitutional provision but has full control over the government, holds the position of state councillor and foreign minister. Welcoming Suu Kyi, the prime minister described India as her second home and assured that India and its friendship will stand with you in full support and solidarity. You are no stranger to the people of India. The sights, the sounds and vibrancy of Delhi are familiar to you. Welcome back, Excellency, to your second home! Excellency, you are an iconic leader, he said in a media statement. Suu Kyi had done her graduation from DelhiUniversity. In her comments, the Myanmerese leader invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and said Myanmar drew huge inspiration from the two Indian leaders in its struggle for democracy. The prime minister said as close and friendly neighbours, the security interests of India and Myanmar are closely aligned. The two countries agreed that close coordination to ensure security in the areas along border, and sensitivity to each others strategic interests, will help both neighbours, he said. IMAGE: The two sides signed three agreements to boost cooperation in power, banking and insurance sectors besides deciding to step up ties in areas of oil and gas, agriculture, renewable energy and health care. Photograph: Press Information Bureau Myanmar, considered one of Indias strategic neighbours, shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of northeastern states including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur. Giving details of the talks, Modi said the two countries agreed to enhance engagement in several areas including agriculture, power, renewable energy and power sector. Let me assure you, excellency, that as you lead Myanmar to become a modern, secure, economically prosperous and better connected nation, India and its friendship will stand with you in full support and solidarity, Modi said. Effusive in his praise, Modi said, Your clear vision, mature leadership, struggle and eventual success in establishing democracy in Myanmar has inspired people across the world. It is indeed an honour for us to receive you in India. We are also grateful for your participation at the BIMSTEC and the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach Summit in Goa a couple of days ago. Modi said Myanmar has commenced a new journey under Suu Kyis able leadership and India will always extend full support to it. It is a journey of hope and much promise. Talking about importance of connectivity, the Prime Minister said Myanmars new government was keen to connect more deeply with South Asia and South East Asia. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi at at Hyderabad House. Photograph: Press Information Bureau Calling the talks extensive and productive, Modi said India has a robust development cooperation programme with Myanmar and that Indias nearly $1.75 billion (Rs 11,671 crore) of development assistance is being utilised in line with the priorites of Myanmarese government and its people. From the mega connectivity projects like Kaladan and Trilateral Highway, to projects in the fields of human resource development, healthcare, training and capacity building, we are sharing our resources and expertise with Myanmar, he said. The PM said India will develop a Varietal Development and Seed Production Centre in Yezin in Myanmar to enhance the quality of seeds. We will also work to develop a mutually beneficial arrangement for trade in pulses. We have offered to scale up the power supply from Moreh in Manipur to Tamu in Myanmar. We will also partner in a pilot LED electrification project at a site designated by the government of Myanmar. He said the MOU on cooperation in the power sector will help create the framework for advancing linkages in the sector. The PM said India has also offered assistance in restoring pagodas damaged in the recent earthquake in Myanmar. Both the delegations had a working lunch. The Archaeological Survey of India will also soon begin work on restoring two old temples and inscriptions of King Mindon and King Baygyidaw in Bodh Gaya, he said. Suu Kyis visit came nearly one-and-half months after Myanmerese President U Htin Kyaw visited India. United States First Lady Michelle Obama dazzled the crowd at her final state dinner as first lady, in a floor-length rose gold chainmail gown. Bella of the ball: US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wait to greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini on the North Portico for a State Dinner at the White House in Washington. Photograph: Joshua Roberts/Reuters It was a bittersweet moment for the Obamas on Tuesday as they welcomed Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife for an official visit and the final state dinner of the presidents time in office. The US first lady, who has a tradition of wearing dresses to state dinners by designers representing the nation being honoured, chose Italian label Atelier Versace for the White House dinner. Stunning beauty: The Obamas had promised they would save the best for last and Michelle Obama didnt break her promise. She looked stunning in an Atelier Versace chainmail rose gold dress. Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty Images The sleeveless gown showcased Michelles famously sculpted arms and its draped design highlighted her figure. She enhanced the disco vibe of the sparkly dress with sleek, straight hair and side-swept bangs. The soiree for Renzi was the 13th and final state dinner for the US president, who leaves office in January. It was also one of the largest of Obamas tenure. IMAGE: Agnese Landini, the Italian Prime Minister's wife, also sparkled in a floor length, silver and grey gown next to Michelle Obama's rose gold dress. Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty Images The president paid tribute to America's relationship with Italy during the dinner, offering a toast to the 'enduring alliance' between the two countries. Obama said that American democracy has been graced by a touch of Italy, noting that both the Lincoln Memorial and the interior of the US Capitol dome were done by Italians. IMAGE: US First Lady Michelle Obama and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi chat to each other as they walk into the state dinner. Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty Images He also praised his honoured guest Renzi as someone who represents the energy, optimism, vision and values that can carry Europe forward. And although it's his final state dinner, Obama quoted a famous Italian -- the late Yogi Berra -- in saying, It aint over till its over. Umm, Mr Italian PM just where are you looking? Even Matteo Renzi looks distracted by Michelle's dazzling gown. Photograph: Shawn Thew - pool/Getty Images IMAGE: US President Barack Obama offers a toast to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at a state dinner on the South Lawn of the White House. Photograph: Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images If you love the wild and animals, this is one feature you mustnt miss. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year, developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London, announced its winners for 2016 and we guarantee you that these images will blow your mind. This years competition was one of the fiercest to date, attracting almost 50,000 entries from professionals and amateurs across 95 countries. (Please click on the photos to view hi-resolution images) Entwined lives Tim Laman, USA Winner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Close A young male orangutan makes the 30-metre (100-foot) climb up the thickest root of the strangler fig that has entwined itself around a tree emerging high above the canopy. The backdrop is the rich rainforest of the Gunung Palung National Park, in West Kalimantan, one of the few protected orangutan strongholds in Indonesian Borneo. The orangutan has returned to feast on the crop of figs. He has a mental map of the likely fruiting trees in his huge range, and he has already feasted here. Tim knew he would return and, more important, that there was no way to reach the top -- no route through the canopy -- other than up the tree. But he had to do three days of climbing up and down himself, by rope, to place in position several GoPro cameras that he could trigger remotely to give him a chance of not only a wide?angle view of the forest below but also a view of the orangutans face from above. This shot was the one he had long visualised, looking down on the orangutan within its forest home. Photograph: Tim Laman/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 The alley cat Nayan Khanolkar , India Winner, Urban Close At night, in the Aarey Milk Colony in a suburb of Mumbai bordering SanjayGandhiNational Park, leopards slip ghost-like through the maze of alleys, looking for food (especially stray dogs). The Warli people living in the area respect the big cats. Despite close encounters and occasional attacks (a particular spate coinciding with the relocation of leopards from other areas into the park), the cats are an accepted part of their lives and their culture, seen in the traditional paintings that decorate the walls of their homes. The leopard is not only the most versatile of the worlds big cats but possibly the most persecuted. With growing human-leopard conflicts elsewhere grabbing the headlines, Nayan was determined to use his pictures to show how things can be different with tolerance and planning. Once he had convinced the Warli people of his plan, they supplied him with valuable information, as well as keeping an eye on his equipment. Photograph: Nayan Khanolkar/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Star player Luis Javier Sandoval, Mexico Winner, Impressions Close As soon as Luis slipped into the water, the curious young California sea lions came over for a better look. He had arrived the night before at the island of Espiritu Santo in the Gulf of California, sleeping aboard his boat so that he would be ready to dive at sunrise. He had in mind a picture that needed warm light, a slow shutter speed and friendly subjects. One of the pups dived down, swimming gracefully with its strong fore-flippers (sea lions are also remarkably agile on land, since they can control each of their hind?flippers independently). It grabbed a starfish from the bottom and started throwing it to Luis. I love the way sea lions interact with divers and how smart they are, says Luis. Photograph: Luis Javier Sandoval/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Eviction attempt Ganesh H Shankar, India Winner, Birds Close These Indian rose-ringed parakeets were not happy. They had returned to their roosting and nesting hole high up in a tree in Indias KeoladeoNational Park (also known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) to find that a Bengal monitor lizard had taken up residence. The birds immediately set about trying to evict the squatter. They bit the monitor lizards tail, hanging on for a couple of seconds at a time, until it retreated into the hole. They would then harass it when it tried to come out to bask. This went on for two days. But the action only lasted a couple of seconds at a time and was fast-moving. The branch was also high up, and Ganesh had to shoot against the light. Eventually the parakeets gave up and left, presumably to try to find another place to rear their young. Photograph: Ganesh H Shankar/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 The moon and the crow Gideon Knight, UK Winner, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Close A crow in a tree in a park: a common enough scene. It was one that Gideon had seen many times near his home in Londons ValentinesPark, which he visits regularly to take photographs. But as the blue light of dusk crept in and the full moon rose, the scene transformed. The spindly twigs of the sycamore tree silhouetted against the sky made it feel almost supernatural, like something out of a fairy tale, says Gideon. Photograph: Gideon Knight/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Requiem for an owl Mats Andersson, Sweden Winner, Black and White Close Every day in early spring, Mats walked in the forest near his home in Bashult, southern Sweden, enjoying the company of a pair of Eurasian pygmy owls -- until the night he found one of them lying dead on the forest floor. Pygmy owls, with their distinctive rounded heads and lack of ear tufts, are the smallest owls in Europe, barely 19 centimetres (7 inches) long, though with large feet that enable them to carry prey almost as big as themselves. They also hunt in the day. Nesting in tree cavities, especially in conifer woodland, they form pair bonds in autumn that last through to spring and sometimes for more than one breeding season. The owls resting posture reflected my sadness for its lost companion, recalls Mats. Preferring to work in black and white it conveys the feeling better he captured the melancholy of the moment, framing the solitary owl within the bare branches, lit by the first light of dawn. Photograph: Mats Andersson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Snapper party Tony Wu, USA Winner, Underwater Close For several days each month (in tandem with the full moon), thousands of two?spot red snappers gather to spawn around Palau in the western Pacific Ocean. The action is intense as the fish fill the water with sperm and eggs, and predators arrive to take advantage of the bounty. Having read about the drama, Tony couldnt understand why there were so few photos of it -- until he hit the water there for the first time, in 2012. The currents were unrelenting -- ideal for eggs to be swept swiftly away but a struggle for him to keep up with the fast?moving fish. Also, the light was low, and the water was clouded with sperm and eggs. That first attempt failed, but he has returned every year to try to capture the event. Noticing that the spawning ran like a chain reaction up and down the mass of fish, his success finally came when he positioned himself so that the action came to him. Rewarded with a grandstand view, he was intrigued to see that the fish rapidly changed colour during mating from their standard red to a multitude of hues and patterns. Photograph: Tony Wu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 Wind composition Valter Binotto, Italy Winner, Plants and Fungi Close With every gust of wind, showers of pollen were released, lit up by the winter sunshine. The hazel tree was near Valters home in northern Italy, and to create the dark background, he positioned himself to backlight the flowers. Hazel has both male and female flowers on the same tree, though the pollen must be transferred between trees for fertilization. Each catkin comprises an average of 240 male flowers, while the female flower is a small bud-like structure with a red-tufted stigma. The pollen-producing catkins open early in the year, before the leaves are out, and release huge amounts of pollen to be carried away by the wind. And now recent research suggests that bees may also play a role. The catkins are an important source of pollen for early bees and have a bee?friendly structure, while the red colour of the female flowers may entice insects to land on them. Photograph: Valter Binotto/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 The pangolin pit Paul Hilton, UK/Australia Winner, The Wildlife Photojournalist Award: Single image Close Nothing prepared Paul for what he saw: some 4,000 defrosting pangolins (5 tonnes) from one of the largest seizures of the animals on record. They were destined for China and Vietnam for the exotic?meat trade or for traditional medicine (their scales are thought, wrongly, to treat a variety of ailments). Pangolins have become the worlds most trafficked animals, with all eight species targeted. These Asian victims, mostly Sunda pangolins, were part of a huge seizure -- a joint operation between Indonesias police and the World Conservation Society -- found hidden in a shipping container behind a facade of frozen fish, ready for export from the major port of Belawan in Sumatra. Also seized were 96 live pangolins (destined to be force-fed to increase their size), along with 100 kilos (220 pounds) of pangolin scales (formed from keratin, the same substance in fingernails and rhino horn) worth some $1.8 million on the black market, and 24 bear paws. Photograph: Paul Hilton/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 The sand canvas Rudi Sebastian, Germany Winner, Details Close The pristine white sand of Brazils LencoisMaranhensesNational Park offers a blank canvas to the rain. In the dry season, sand from the coast is blown by powerful Atlantic winds as far as 50 kilometres inland, sculpting a vast expanse of crescent-shaped dunes up to 40 metres (130 feet) high. With the onset of the rains, the magic begins. An impermeable layer beneath the sand allows water to collect in the dune valleys, forming thousands of transient lagoons, some more than 90 metres (295 feet) long. Bacteria and algae tint the clear water in countless shades of green and blue, while streams carrying sediment from the distant rainforest make their mark with browns and blacks. Patterns appear as the water evaporates, leaving behind organic remains. Photograph: Rudi Sebastian/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 After protracted negotiations, Russia has agreed to lease a second nuclear submarine to India in a deal which will cost around $2 billion (Rs 13,330 crore). Sources on Wednesday said the deal was struck during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 15 on the sidelines of the BRICS meet in Goa. However, it was not part of the slew of announcements made after the talks. The defence ministry and the navy did not offer any information on the subject since it was a strategic platform coming under direct purview of the Prime Ministers Office. Alexei Nikolski, a columnist with Russian daily Vedomosti, which broke the story, wrote, According to a source in the Russian defence industry, the long-discussed lease to transfer a multipurpose Project 971 nuclear submarine to India from the Russian Navy was signed in Goa. The Akula 2 class submarine is expected to arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21. The Indian Navy already operates an Akula 2 class nuclear submarine, INS Chakra (formerly known as K-152 Nerpa), which was leased by Russia for 10 years and commissioned on April 4, 2012 after India paid for its completion of its construction and sea-trials. India had been keen to lease a second nuclear submarine. Indian defence sources had said that Russia had linked the lease of the nuclear submarine to the agreement for four stealth frigates. In Goa, India and Russia announced an over $3 billion frigate deal. Under the agreement, two stealth frigates will be built in Russia while the other two would be built in India under licence production. The Akula 2 class submarine, though not the latest class of nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines in the world, is still considered one of the most advanced. Capable of sailing at speeds up to 35 knots (nearly 65 km per hour) under water, it is among the quietest Russian submarines. Image: Yuri Maltsev/Reuters Recent statistics show that the situation is no different across the country with several hospitals lacking the infrastructure to manage a breakout of a blaze. Dillip Satpathy & Nirmalya Behera report. IMAGE: A nurse peers out of the damaged SUM Hospital in Bhubaneshwar that killed at least 20. Photograph: PTI The fire mishap on Monday at Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospitals in Bhubaneswar that killed at least 20 has brought the fire safety norms and their execution under the scanner across the country. This comes barely five years after the Kolkata AMRI Hospital blaze in 2011 that had claimed 89 lives. The police have arrested four employees of SUM Hospital including its superintendent and booked them under sections of the Indian Penal Code that deal with culpable homicide and negligence on fire matters. More arrests are likely, said Y B Khurania, commissioner of police. The state government has instituted two probes, one by the revenue divisional commissioner (central zone) and other by a three-member panel led by the director medical education and training into the incident. The state health minister, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, said the health department found the hospital to have flouted safety guidelines including fire prevention system and patient evacuation management. The statistics are alarming. According to a note of the director, medical education and training, Odisha government, only three corporate hospitals in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri, where more than 500 private hospitals and nursing homes are operating, have fire safety certificates. The list did not include the name of SUM hospital, putting a question mark on how it was allowed to operate without the statutory fire safety certificate. Even director general of police, fire services, Binoy Kumar Behera, could not provide an answer on the fire safety measures in different hospitals. We do not have any list of private nursing homes and other clinical establishments operating in the state. We are, however, taking measures for the new units coming up, Behera said. On the SUM hospital tragedy, he said, We had issued a letter to the hospital in 2013 to undertake certain firefighting measures. But, nothing has been done in the past three years. The DMET and fire services department, meanwhile, have filed separate FIRs at the local police station against the SUM Hospital authorities alleging negligence. IMAGE: The state government has order a probe into the blaze at the hospital to ascertain if the hospital flouted safety guidelines. Photograph: PTI Norms issued but no follow-up The Centre and the state governments had issued fire safety guidelines to be followed at different clinical establishments after the AMRI Hospital incident in 2011. However, there was little follow up action to ensure implementation of the guidelines. In some cases, even judicial intervention was necessary to enforce the rules. Steps to curb fires >> Regular inspection of power equipment and fire safety measures at hospitals. >> Putting in place disaster management team at each hospital >> Imparting training to designated hospital staff on firefighting measures >> Drafting separate laws with strict punishment provisions on safety issues AMRI Group of hospitals, however, claims it had spent Rs 1.5-2 core at each of its four operational hospitals after the 2011 fire to create firefighting infrastructure. Its hospitals are equipped with fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and water sprinkler systems according to the norms. This apart, the hospital installed pressurised ventilators and auto dumpers which prevent the smoke from spreading across an area and evacuate it via windows. Wherever water sprinkler systems cannot be installed due danger of short circuit, we have installed carbon dioxide sprinklers which can douse the flame, Rupak Barua, Group CEO of AMRI Hospital said. The issue is pan-India. In Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, disposing of a public interest litigation in April, 2016, the Madras high court had asked various regulatory authorities to follow safety measures in hospitals, which use lot of electrical equipment and inflammable material. The court had asked the government to formulate policy on the fire safety measures for new hospital buildings like provision of safety ramps for easy evacuation of patients. In fact, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority has a separate annexure of Development Rules and Development Control rules for fire safety in hospitals, while the state health and family welfare department has come out with guidelines for desirable safety methods in existing hospital buildings. A senior official from the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Service said, various departments including the Fire and Rescue Service, CMDA, district level town planning bodies, are conducting inspections on the safety measures at different hospitals and would submit the report to the high court. Overall the hospitals in Tamil Nadu are much ahead in terms of fire safety system, he added. IMAGE: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visits the patients of SUM Hospital who were rushed to nearby hospitals after the blaze. Photograph: PTI What hospitals say Preetha Reddy, vice-chairperson of Apollo Hospital Enterprise Ltd, said Apollo has been following the fire safety stands prescribed by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals. It is our responsibility to follow the safety norms, since we are dealing with the lives of people in hospitals, she added, while declining to comment on the overall industry scenario. However, Association of Hospitals which comprises 56 top hospitals in Mumbai will meet next week to discuss fire safety measures. The managing committee of AOH is meeting next week and the fire safety issue will be discussed. We will deliberate if new guidelines need to be issued to our members. said associations vice-president and the Hinduja hospital CEO Gautam Khanna. Already some of the big hospitals have formed in-house fire fighting units and hired retired fire brigade officers to implement safety measures. In our hospital, regular mock drills are being carried out and marshallers have been identified on each floors to guide people in case of evacuation, Khanna said. We have a team of seven fire safety officers who are trained in firefighting function. Additionally, we are conducting regular training for all our staff, said Dr Rajeev Boudhankar, CEO of Bhatia Hospital. Governments take Some health ministry officials, however, said that the Centre has no plan to convene any meeting on the issue of fire accidents in hospitals due to lack of preparedness. The Centre will only act if the states require any help. Distancing themselves from the matter, officials believe ensuring hospitals have required preparedness is a states job. While the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 makes it mandatory for all buildings to have fire safety mechanisms, hospitals in the city became more proactive, following the fire in AMRI Hospital in Kolkata in 2011. In 2012, the city fire brigade issued notices to several hospitals after an inspection found violations in the premises. These included lack of proper training of staff, conversion of refuge areas in buildings into offices and blocked staircases and passages. -- With additional reporting by Aneesh Phadnis in Mumbai, Gireesh Babu in Chennai, Avishek Rakshit in Kolkata and Veena Mani in New Delhi Union Minister Babul Supriyo was on Wednesday attacked with stones allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists in West Bengals' Asansol when he was on way to a police station to stage a protest against the arrest of some Bharatiya Janata Party workers. "I was going to the police station to secure release of some of my partymen. I was hit with bricks and windowpanes of my car were damaged by TMC workers," Supriyo, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, alleged. "They also showed black flags. I don't know why the police allowed the mob to come near my car," he said. Video footage of the incident showed Supriyo standing on the footboard of a vehicle and a stone landing on his chest. BJP sources said the Union minister received injuries in the attack. L N Meena, police commissioner of Durgapur-Asansol, said BJP supporters had planned to 'gherao' the house of TMC leader and minister Malay Ghatak situated in the Asansol Uttar Police Station area when the trouble began. According to sources, BJP workers were prevented from moving towards the residence of Ghatak which prompted them to proceed towards the Asansol Dakshin Police Station. A clash ensued between the supporters of the BJP and the TMC when the saffron party workers were proceeding for the protest. In all 57 persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, Meena said. Affirming that that they have the right to stage protests, Supriyo claimed BJP workers were beaten up by the TMC men. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said his party had on Tuesday protested against cow smuggling in the area when they were beaten up by TMC workers. Some BJP workers were also allegedly picked up by the police whose release Supriyo wanted to secure. Local TMC leader Shivdasan said the BJP workers should have lodged protest with the administration instead of deciding to hold an agitation in front of the minister's house. Photographs: ANI/Twitter Desis gathered in Times Square, New York, on Sunday, October 16 to celebrate Diwali. Photographs: Paresh Gandhi/India Abroad New Yorkers celebrated Diwali a week and more ahead of the celebrations in the motherland with a grand event in Times Square, the city's most famous location, on Sunday, October 16. Hundreds of desis gathered at Times Square surrounded by colourful neon billboards for Broadway shows and in the midst of hordes of tourists from all over the world navigating their way through the throng of humanity, a hallmark of Times Square at most times of the day. Paresh Gandhi/India Abroad captures joyous scenes from the event. IMAGE: US Senator Chuck Schumer lights the lamp with some assistance from Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India's permanent representative to the United Nations, Diwali@Times Square, New York, October 16, 2016. IMAGE: Something Ambassador Akbaruddin, who most Indians will recognise from his sterling tenure as the ministry of external affairs spokesperson, said gives Senator Schumer and Ambassador Riva Das Ganguly, India's consul general in New York cause to grin. IMAGE: US Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney, who co-helmed the successful Diwali Stamp project with Ranju Batra, addresses the crowds, as her fellow Democrat, Senator Schumer looks on. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sends the crowds his Diwali greetings. IMAGE: A glimpse of the crowds at Times Square. Diwali@Times Square. IMAGE: Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, India's former permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Ganguly, Congresswoman Maloney, Ambassador Akbaruddin, Ranju Batra, the lady behind the successful Diwali Stamp campaign, Neeta Bhasin, CEO, Event Guru and lawyer Ravi Batra at Diwali@Times Square. IMAGE: And the perfomances at Diwali@Times Square begin... IMAGE: Shabbir Ahluwalia -- 'Rockstar Abhi' -- and Sriti Jha -- 'Pragya' in the popular television serial Kumkum Bhagya -- emceed the show. IMAGE: What would a desi event be without dances performed to Bollywood beats? IMAGE: Masala Bhangra's Sarina Jain, who is 34 weeks pregnant, teaches the crowd at Diwali@Times Square some moves. Superheroes, princesses and witches soon will be showing up around town. These costumed characters will be looking for treats, fun activities and maybe a few scares, and there are plenty of events planned with just those things in mind. Following is a roundup of Halloween-themed events a few of which are geared toward adults taking place in Fremont and the surrounding area: Halloween Hysteria MainStreet of Fremonts annual Halloween Hysteria is tonight. Children and their families are invited to trick-or-treat at participating downtown businesses from 5-7 p.m. The childrens costume contest will be held in the old May Brothers Building at Sixth Street and Park Avenue. Judging will begin at 5:45 p.m. There will be four age categories for boys and girls: infant to 1 year, 2-3 years, 4-6 years and 7-10 years. First National Bank at Sixth and Main streets will again be home to the popular Haunted Bank for Kids. VW Photography will be offering free spooky photos at 250 N. Main St. Non-perishable food items will be collected for Care Corps. The Fremont Area Art Association, in conjunction with Keene Memorial Library, will be hosting face painting and Halloween story time at 92 W. Sixth St. A Day of the Dead art reception at 445 N. Broad St. will feature artwork done by Geoff Semrads fifth- and sixth-grade students. Halloween Party Fremonts Hy-Vee Food Store will be hosting a Halloween party from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday. Kids are invited to trick-or-trick at Hy-Vee. There also will be a coloring activity, cookie decorating and mini pumpkin decorating. Zombie Prom A zombie prom with the theme A Night To Dismember will take place from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday at The Gathering Hall, 750 N. Clarmar Ave., in Fremont. Guests age 18 and over are invited to join in the party in their Halloween costume and/or formalwear. There will be a cash bar, food, dancing, photo opportunities, prom king and queen contest and more. Admission is $10 per person or $15 per couple. Proceeds raised will go to Uniquely Yours Stability Support. Deadly Hollows Deadly Hollows Haunted Cemetery will be open from 6:30-10 p.m. Oct. 22, 23, 29, 30 and 31 at 351 S. Garfield St. in Fremont. Entry to Deadly Hollows is a canned food item or an unwrapped toy to be donated to Low Income Ministry. Scary Corn Maze Hearts will be racing as guests try to solve a nine-acre corn maze while trying to elude the living and the dead (40 mannequins) spooks. Camp Fontanelles scary corn maze will be open from 7-10 p.m. Saturday as well as Oct. 28 and 29. There also is a dark only maze (no spooks or surprises, though still noises) for the younger crowd. A free movie will be shown at 6:45 p.m. by the petting barn. Concessions are available. Admission is $7 for ages 12 and up and $5 for ages 3-11. Search for Treats Camp Fontanelle will host Search for Treats from 2-4 p.m. Sunday. Kids and adults are invited to bring their treat bags and make their way through the corn maze looking for people giving out treats. There is no additional cost for this event, just the entrance fee for the maze. Halloween Party and Parade Kids are encouraged to dress up in their costumes and take part in a Halloween party and parade from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday at Fremont Family YMCA. Trick-or-treating of the YMCA offices will begin at 10 a.m. There also will be cookie decorating. All kids attending are asked to bring six treats to share with others. Hallo-FUN-anza Fremont Church of the Nazarene at 960 N. Johnson Road invites everyone to a free event from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday. Hallo-FUN-anza will include food, bouncy houses, hay rides and candy. Trunk N Treat & All Halls-O-Ween Midland University, Fremont Family YMCA and Sinai Lutheran Church are once again teaming up to sponsor Trunk N Treat & All Halls-O-Ween. The event will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Midland University. Parking will be available at Midlands Wikert Event Center. Kids are invited to trick-or-treat in the Midland University residence dorms and at the decorated trunk n treat vehicles parked on the campus streets, which are closed to through traffic. Members of the public who bring their vehicle to the event and hand out treats will be competing for a $25 prize for the best-decorated vehicle. Sinai Lutheran Church will offer hot coffee, juice boxes and a picture background so you can take pictures of your goblins. Fall Festival Good Shepard Lutheran Church at 1544 E. Military Ave. will be hosting a fall festival/indoor trunk or treat event from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in its Community Life Center. This free event for the whole family also will include games, activities and games. Halloween Spooktacular The annual Halloween Spooktacular is planned from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Parkview Center/Park Place Plaza on East Military Avenue in Fremont. Kids are invited to trick-or-treat at the merchants. There also will be a bounce house, cake walk, pumpkin decorating, prizes and hot dogs. A costume contest will be held from noon to 12:30 p.m. The age groups are 0-3 years, 4-7 years and 8-12 years. There also will be a category for pets. There will be prizes for first through third places. Trunk or Treat Kids ages 10 and under are invited to collect candy from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 29 at Fremont Izaak Walton Park, 2560 W. Military Ave. The event also will include hayrack rides. Boo Bash Cedar Bluffs High Schools FBLA chapter and the Cedar Bluffs Fire Department are teaming up for the annual Boo Bash. The event will take place from 3-6 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Cedar Bluffs Fire Hall on Main Street. The all-ages bash will feature ghoulish games, freaky fun and frightening food. Those attending are encouraged to dress in their best costume. All activities are free. Fremont Monster Walk This years Fremont Monster Walk will be held from 2-5:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Fremont Mall. The 5th annual event will include a costume contest at 4 p.m., games, raffle drawing at 5 p.m., food and prizes. The rock bank 3D In Your Face will be playing from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Non-perishable food items and money will be collected to support Low Income Ministry. Fall Festival Fremont Alliance Churchs annual Fall Festival will take place from 5:30-8 p.m. Oct. 31 at 1615 N. Lincoln Ave. Kids are invited to come in costume to the festival which features games, prizes, bounce houses, candy and more. Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. No one was injured in an early morning fire at a Fremont apartment complex and a fire official is grateful for a sprinkler system which exting Halloween is here! Find out when Trick-or-Treat is happening in Martinsville. The leaves are changing, the evenings are getting cooler and excitement is building as Halloween draws closer. Tom Green County commissioners on Tuesday adopted a resolution for the Sheriff's Office to use body-worn cameras. Texas lawmakers in 2015 set aside $10 million to provide 75 percent of funding for police agencies toward cameras used to document their actions. The Sheriff's Office applied and recently received a state grant of $19,610 from the Governor's Criminal Justice Division to help the TGCSO get body-worn cameras in place. The local match is $6,500. 'We have received the grant and are in the process of getting all the equipment and implementing the program,' Sheriff David Jones said in an email. Commissioners also accepted a State Criminal Alien Assistance Program grant award of $6,363. The grant is intended to offset some of the cost for housing suspects in the county jail who are undocumented immigrants. This is an annual award that the county has applied for for years. Facilities Maintenance Director Don Killam also updated commissioners on several construction and remodeling projects underway. Killam said remodeling work at the Edd B. Keyes Building, a government building, is 'rolling right along.' The project began in spring 2014 and is expected to be complete in early 2017. Killam also said 65 percent of construction-related documents for the creation of a new county detention center are ready for county officials to review. Of a proposed $53.5 million bond to be be paid off in 20 to 22 years, $45 million would be allocated for a new jail behind the Roy K. Robb Correctional Facility at 3262 U.S. 277 N., northeast of San Angelo. The remaining money will go to fund improvements to the Tom Green County Courthouse, add-ons to justice of the peace offices and other contingencies. Put John Michael Brown and Andy Knox in front of a burning building, and the Abilene firefighters are in their wheelhouse. Reading in front of a group of Bowie Elementary fifth-graders, not so much. But Brown and Knox were among the 30 or so celebrity volunteers Wednesday who took their turn reading to students at the Reading Rodeo, an annual event sponsored by Altrusa, an organization whose service projects include improving literacy. Brown and Knox read 'John, Paul, George and Ben' by Lane Smith, a somewhat historical account of the roles John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin played in the American Revolution. Their audience was 20 students in Kristen Moore's class. The students weren't the only ones who learned something, said Brown, who was a student in the original Bowie Elementary building that fronted South 20th Street. 'I learned I don't read very well in public,' he joked. The firefighters, who accompanied Joe Jones and Bob Joyce from Fire Station 2, didn't have to field any questions from the students about the American Revolution, but they did get questions about being a firefighter. For instance, do they get to run red lights? (Yes, but only when answering a call and then not without slowing down to make sure it's safe.) How much does their fire gear weigh? (50 pounds.) Do you have a dog at the station? (No.) Barbara Pollack, a retired Abilene schoolteacher, has been organizing the event for 14 years, bringing in a diverse group from the community to read. 'It's really important for the students to hear an adult from outside of the school read to them,' she said. 'So many of the students don't have parents who read to them.' The Reading Rodeo wasn't the only excitement for the students on Wednesday. Students dressed as their favorite literary characters and held a parade, as well. Taylor County commissioners amended an agreement with the city to continue housing prisoners, approved a grant resolution concerning indigent defense and honored several employees during Tuesday's regular meeting. Commissioners amended the Interlocal Cooperative Agreement between Taylor County and the city of Abilene that originated Oct. 1, 2014. The agreement allows the county to house certain prisoners for the city at a cost of $48 per inmate per day. Costs will be reviewed annually, according to the agreement. The amendment allows for automatic renewal of the agreement on Oct. 1 the beginning of a new fiscal year each year unless either party terminates. Either the city or the county can end the agreement by giving 180 days' notice, County Judge Downing Bolls said. Commissioners also approved a resolution allowing Bolls to accept a $134,571 grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to assist with indigent criminal defense services. The resolution named Bolls as the authorized official to apply for and accept the grant. The funds are in addition to the $2 million the county budgets each year for indigent defense, Bolls said. Additionally, several service awards and quarterly employee awards also were presented. If you have a need for firewood, get it now while you can A man who had locked his keys in his car at a convenience store testified Tuesday that he witnessed a vehicle strike and kill an Abilene man on Halloween 2014. Emmanuel Diaz, 18, is standing trial in 104th District Court, accused of the first-degree murder of Jesse Cortinez, 58, after witnesses say he ran over Cortinez with his mother's vehicle before fleeing. Diaz was arrested in late November 2014. He has been in the Taylor County Jail since then in lieu of a $250,000 bail bond. Osiris Washington testified that he stopped to get gasoline at the convenience store at South Seventh and Butternut streets when he accidentally locked his keys in his car. While waiting for help, Washington said, he saw a black SUV, possibly a Jeep Liberty, pull up, and a couple of guys get out. Three people stood outside the vehicle, one of whom was Cortinez, according to Washington, who then testified that Cortinez talked to the two teenagers, both male, before attempting to walk away from them. One of the young men then struck Cortinez, who walked off, Washington said. The only clerk working at the store that night, Jennifer Bolender, testified that she saw three people in the parking lot as she was getting ready to close at midnight. Bolender said the first step in closing is to lock the door, which she was doing when she noticed the teenagers and the black SUV. They had not been inside the store, she said. Bolender testified that Diaz was in the driver's seat, wearing an orange shirt, and that another young man stood outside the vehicle in a white shirt. The passenger wore a black shirt. Bolender also said she noticed Cortinez, whom she recognized as a 'regular' at the store who often would come in and buy a soda. Cortinez's back was to her and she could not hear their conversation. She said she peeked outside the door and told the boy in the white shirt that he could come in if he needed to get anything but could not buy beer because it was too late. The boy in the white shirt went inside to use the restroom after turning and telling the others 'it's too late to buy beer,' Bolender testified. That was when Cortinez started to walk away and the passenger yelled at him 'Hey, old guy! Hey, old guy!' According to Washington, Cortinez began walking toward the rear of the store. The black SUV then drove around the store, hit the curb and struck Cortinez, he said. When the boy in the white shirt walked out of the store, he asked Bolender where his cousins went, according to the clerk. She testified that she told him she didn't know and that he walked away. The next moment she looked up, police were knocking on the locked doors of the store, she said. Although Diaz was a minor when the death occurred, he is being tried as an adult. If convicted, he could serve between five and 99 years in prison. Twitter: BrookeCrum_ARN Can this presidential campaign get any weirder? Sensing nothing left to lose, according to reports, Republican hopeful Donald Trump's campaign is going for broke with a scorched earth strategy, intended to make a 'Bill Cosby' out of Bill Clinton. Just as Cosby went from national hero to national pariah after a parade of women charged him with decades of sexually predatory acts, Team Trump hopes to do the same to the former president. Yes, I know, Bill Clinton's not running. His wife is. But the Trump campaign aims to smear her as an enabler of sexual violence. 'We're going to turn him into Bill Cosby,' Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon told Trump staffers, according to a report by Bloomberg's Josh Green who quotes two unnamed Trump advisers who were present. 'He's a violent sexual predator who physically abuses women who he assaults. And she takes the lead on the intimidation of the victims.' One could question whether, with all due respect to the accusers, Team Trump believes in protecting the constitutional rights of the accused. But this particular ploy of resurrecting accusations that were investigated but never prosecuted even by special Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr at least 20 years ago is not designed to debate our criminal justice system. It is intended to tar the Clintons with crimes against women, a group that turned heavily against Trump even before the new allegations came out. The new strategy began as a defensive move. Before the second presidential debate, Trump was revealed in a 2005 'Access Hollywood' hot-mic video as boasting about using his celebrity status to go after women like a sexual predator. He apologized for what he called 'locker room talk' and accused Bill Clinton of doing worse as president. He also appeared on debate night with three of Bill Clinton's most prominent accusers Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones plus Kathy Shelton, who argues that Hillary Clinton, as an attorney, questioned Shelton's credibility in the 1970s while representing a man she says raped her. Ironically, just as Team Trump was about to launch a scorched-earth assault against the Clintons in the final weeks of the campaign, Trump was confronted with new charges, this time of sexual assault by multiple women. They said they were provoked into going public in much the way that Cosby's accusers had been by Trump's denial during the debate that he had laid his hands on any actual women. Trump responded to the new charges with forceful denials and, once again, new charges against the Clintons and the allegedly compliant media. With his polls having shrunk to little more than his hard-core base of supporters and Election Day fast approaching, Trump and his campaign have pretty much abandoned efforts to reach out to undecided swing voters. Instead, their hope is to discourage wavering young women, in particular, who might be turned off enough to stay home instead of voting for Hillary Clinton. As someone old enough to remember the 1990s quite well, I don't think that trick's going to work any better than the partisan pursuit of President Clinton did. Now, in the final days of a contest between two candidates with the highest disapproval ratings of two nominees in memory, we can expect the alley fight to get uglier. Yet a ray of sunshine and sanity appeared later in the week. First lady Michelle Obama gave a speech on Hillary Clinton's behalf in New Hampshire that seemed to put an overdue moral compass on this competition of scandals. She put aside her prepared speech, she said, because the idea that 'a candidate for President of the United States has bragged about sexually assaulting women' is 'not something that we can ignore' or sweep under the rug 'as just another disturbing footnote in a sad election season.' 'We have everything we need to stop this madness,' she said to enthusiastic applause. 'We have knowledge. We have a voice. We have a vote.' We also have a remarkably poignant and powerful voice in Michelle Obama. It is no wonder that many people wish that she was on the ballot. But this First Lady has made it clear that she's had it with Washington's political circus, an attitude so sensible that, to me, it only makes her sound more attractive for the job. Email Clarence Page, a member of the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, at cpage@tribune.com. Forty-one years ago, 14 people gathered in a small room on California Boulevard in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the wedding of an aspiring local politician and his law school sweetheart from up north. The bride wanted a small, private ceremony and got it. Ann Henry, a law professor at the University of Arkansas and a Democratic Party activist, volunteered her two-acre property for it. 'Could I have ever imagined I'd be hosting a wedding for a U.S. president, a senator, a governor and a secretary of state, and perhaps another president and they were the same two people?' Henry says now. The street on which Bill Clinton bought the $22,000 house in 1975 to persuade Hillary Rodham finally to marry him is now named after him, and so is an avenue in Little Rock. The airport in the state capital bears both spouses' names. A glittering Clinton Center, which houses the presidential library, is teeming with visitors. And yet Arkansas will be voting overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, not for Hillary Rodham Clinton, on Nov. 8. I set out to find out why. The Clintons still have close friends in Arkansas, so I started with them. Skip Rutherford, dean of the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, responded in part by ticking off Clinton projects that were still going strong: Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, the neonatal-intensive-care unit at the Arkansas Children's Hospital, a project to help poor parents with preschool youngsters and the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund, and more. That these initiatives are still alive and expanding is a testament to Hillary Clinton's doggedness and ability to build working structures rather than Potemkin villages, he said. And yet these achievements haven't endeared her to most Arkansans. 'If you go to a Walmart and ask ordinary Arkansans, they won't name a single one of these,' says Rex Nelson, senior vice president at Simmons Bank in Little Rock who worked for many years as policy and communications director for former Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican presidential contender in 2012 and 2016. Clinton's achievements in Arkansas are, admittedly, 25 to 30 years old, which means almost half the state's voting-age population isn't old enough to remember what she did when she lived here. That might not have been a problem had the local Democratic Party been around to remind them. It wasn't. Until the mid-1990s, Arkansas was thoroughly Democratic. Now, it's largely Republican, for all the well-documented demographic, economic and social reasons. In Hillary's progressivism, Gitz says, Arkansans saw contempt. Throughout her time in the state, she failed to overcome this perception because she lacked her husband's political gifts. 'Bill is perhaps a nine-plus on a 10-point scale as a retail politician,' Nelson says. 'She's a two or a three.' Hillary wasn't standoffish, her friends say. She traveled throughout the state's 65 counties to do her homework for the education reform but where her husband talked, she mostly listened. 'She's not a chit-chatter,' Henry says. Her failure to connect was a far bigger problem than any of the Clinton scandals. 'Bill was at the center of these scandals and he remained well-liked,' Nelson points out. Hillary was not so lucky. It was interesting to me that the Republicans who have taken over the running of Arkansas from Clinton Democrats are not conservative firebrands. Members of the state Republican elite, such as popular Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton are waiting out the Trump tempest, trying to make as few enemies as possible, taking no extreme positions. No revolution is going to toss out these cautious politicians. Political waves come and go, but Arkansas remains essentially the same, a relatively poor, predominantly white state with a cozy political tradition a place where centrists with personality can go a long way. Hillary Clinton may be wise to steer clear of it now but in that wisdom, there's a long-term admission of defeat in a game her husband could play better than anybody else. The house where the Clintons were married is now a museum. A TV in one of the rooms plays an endless loop of Clinton's old ads from his unsuccessful first run for Congress. One of them features a country song with lyrics about 'a new man' named Bill Clinton who is 'a lot like you and a lot like me.' The museum's director, Angie Albright, half-consciously sings along with the chorus when I ask her to play it for me. Could Hillary do an ad like this? 'Never,' Albright replies without hesitation. 'It's not her at all.' Leonid Bershidsky is a Bloomberg View columnist. Today in history: On Oct. 19, 1796, the Gazette of the United States prints an essay by a writer named 'Phocion,' who attacks presidential candidate Thomas Jefferson as having an affair with one of his slaves. The writer is Alexander Hamilton, who supports John Adams, the incumbent, for president. Alexander wrote 25 essays as Phocion, all attacking Jefferson and his republicanism. Publisher James Callender later penned reports of Alexander's adulterous affair and also Jefferson's 'concubine.' Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... Rhona Smith, UN special rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Cambodia, speaks during a press conference in Phnom Penh, Oct 19,2016. On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords that ended Cambodias war with Vietnam and pointed the way toward a modern state, the U.N.s human rights envoy to the country urged the nations leaders to bury the past. Rhona Smith, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, said on Wednesday that her 10-day tour showed a very different nation than the one that struggled to throw off the bloody Khmer Rouge, find peace with its neighbor, and, at least on paper, establish a democracy. But she also saw a government that is too willing to live in the past. The time for the government to blame the troubles of the last century for the situation today is surely over, she wrote in a statement at the end of her official fact-finding mission. Cambodia has earned its place on the international stage as an equal sovereign state and, as such, the government must take responsibility for implementing at the national and [local] levels all those rights and freedoms in the treaties it has so willingly ratified, she wrote. While the accords marked the official end of the Cambodian-Vietnamese War in 1991, allowed Cambodia to implement a new constitution and hold elections, Cambodia is embroiled in an ongoing political crises that has seen government critics mysteriously killed, opposition party members thrown in jail and a poor record on human rights. On Oct. 10 as Smith was beginning her fact finding tour, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court jailed opposition party lawmaker Um Sam An for two years and six months and security forces attacked demonstrators protesting land grabs in Cambodia. And despite repeated calls for a more open government, Prime Minister Hun Sen appears to be in no hurry to share power with anyone outside of his family and trusted members of his Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP). While the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) is hoping to hold a gathering in the capital on the Oct. 23 holiday marking the signing of the peace agreement, the full promise of the accords still appears to remain just out of reach. I think there are still elements of the Paris peace agreement which have not yet been fully delivered upon, particularly those related to ensuring free and full elections, human rights and a strong judiciary empowered to give effect (to) and enforce those human rights accepted by the country, Smith told reporters after wrapping up her mission. The Cambodian judicial system still lacks independence, while rights workers, opposition politicians and outside observers see the courts as a tool for Hun Sen to exact retribution on his political enemies. Laws applied without discrimination Rarely do CPP politicians face charges, but the list of CNRP and other opposition lawmakers dragged before the courts is long and includes party president Sam Rainsy and deputy leader Kem Sokha, as well as opposition lawmakers like Um Sam An and Meach Sovannara. Sam Rainsy has been living abroad off and on for years as Hun Sens government has charged him with a number of offenses that observers inside and outside Cambodia see as politically motivated. Kem Sokha is under virtual house arrest since police attempted to arrest him in May for ignoring court orders to appear as a witness in a pair of defamation cases related to an alleged affair with a hairdresser. Meach Sovannara was given a 20-year sentence for taking part in a protest in Phnom Penh in late 2014. He and 10 other activists were jailed on insurrection charges for clashing with police over the closure of a protest site in the capital. Um Sam An is serving a two-year-and-six-month jail term for inciting discrimination and inciting social instability. Its imperative that the laws are applied without discrimination on any grounds including political beliefs and opinions, and that the same evidentiary requirements are applied to all charges and therefore are the basis for all convictions, Smith said. Theres a need to strengthen consistency and reasoning in all cases in Cambodia. That consistency and reasoning is severely lacking, said Cambodian Center for Human Rights Executive Director Chak Sopheap. Many human rights defenders who are often involved with helping people with land disputes; community representatives who protest for inhabitants rights; people who express their opinions on the internet; opposition members who criticize the border issues; and environmental protection activists have been arrested and sentenced to prison by the courts, she said during The International Conference on Paris Peace Accords, held in Phnom Penh on Oct. 19. Analysts who dare to openly and directly criticize Cambodias social maladies are shot and killed in the heart of the capital city, she added. In July, popular government critic Kem Ley was shot and killed when he stopped in a Star Mart convenience store beside a Caltex gas station in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. In 2004 Chea Vichea, the leader of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), was shot in the head and chest early in the morning while reading a newspaper at a kiosk in Phnom Penh. Also in 2004 Ros Sovannarith, a labor activist at a major textile factory, was killed in 2004 when unidentified gunmen shot him twice as he rode his motorbike near Phnom Penh University. Three years later Hy Vuthy, a senior leader of the FTUWKC, was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle while heading home from a Phnom Penh garment factory. Peace and stability While the record looks bleak, Smith did see some bright spots. It has seen a period of relative peace and stability in this country which has benefited many, but not all Cambodians, she said. Theres much that is positive and that is worth celebrating. That was a point that government officials emphasized, saying that there is too much focus on the political battles between the ruling party and the opposition. One should not evaluate the human rights situation in Cambodia by just focusing on the political issue, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon said in a statement as he claimed the nation has a relatively free press. Cambodia ranks first with the most freedom of the press among the ASEAN countries, he said. While Cambodia does rank ahead of most of its neighbors for press freedom, it still sits at 128 of 180 nations in the 2016 Reporters Without Borders survey of press freedom. While the CNRP wants to celebrate, its unclear if they will be given permission as the government has failed to give the party a permit to use Freedom Park for its fete. Phnom Penh city government spokesperson, Mean Chanyada told RFA that city hall decided to forward the CNRP request to the Ministry of Interior because of the size of the celebration. Senior CNRP lawmaker Son Chhay told RFA that the party will stick to its plans. It is not the responsibility of the Phnom Penh city hall to grant or not grant permission to demonstrate, he said. The organizer is just required to inform the city government. Freedom Park has often been the location for protests against Hun Sens government. In 2009 the government officially designated the square as a place where Cambodians could express themselves freely, but it has often been closed to anti-government protestors. The park was the site when at least 16 people were killed and more than 150 injured in a grenade attack that came as Sam Rainsy and his supporters gathered there in 1997 to denounce the Cambodian judiciarys lack of independence and its corruption. Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Authorities in southern China have tried two members of an unofficial Protestant "house church" on spying charges, while a third has been tried for "illegal business activities," lawyers and church members said on Wednesday. Wang Yao and Yu Lei stood trial on Monday and Wednesday at the Guiyang Intermediate People's Court in the southwestern province of Guizhou on charges of "deliberately revealing state secrets," following an ongoing crackdown on their Huoshi Church by police and religious affairs officials. "Wang Yao's trial was on Monday and Yu Lei's was on Wednesday," a fellow Huoshi church member who asked to remain anonymous told RFA. "Wang Yao's family weren't allowed to attend the trial, and neither were two lawyers hired by her family to defend her," said the church member, who is under close surveillance by police and local officials. "There have been people watching me in the past few days from my neighborhood committee and the local police station," the church member said. "They follow me wherever I go. The police have placed very tight controls on all Huoshi Church members." 'Illegal business' In Guangzhou, Li Hongmin stood trial on Monday for "running an illegal business" after being accused of printing more than 11,000 copies of 125 different Protestant tracts for distribution. Li pleaded not guilty, and Beijing-based rights lawyers Li Boguang and Liu Peifu argued that Li was merely exercising a constitutional right to freedom of religion. Li's trial was attended by around 20 close relatives, including his wife and parents, Guangfu Church pastor Ma Ke told RFA on Wednesday, adding that he was denied entry to the courtroom. "I asked them why they wouldn't let me in, because I'd applied to add my name to the list a long time ago, and they said they didn't know, but they had to go by the list of names they had, and mine wasn't on it," Ma said. "I just waited outside the court instead ... The lawyers told me that the material Li Hongmin had printed was all for internal circulation within the church," he said. Torture, ill-treatment Meanwhile, lawyers for Huoshi's pastor Yang Hua said he is suffering from a number of "serious health problems" following torture and ill-treatment during his detention. Yang "has been suffering from serious health conditions and is suffering from liver pain along with various other serious diseases," lawyers Chen Jiangang and Zhao Yonglin told the U.S.-based Christian rights group ChinaAid. "Prosecutors visited him twice, applied pressure to his feet, and repeatedly threatened to kill him and harm his family members if he failed to confess his supposed crimes," the group quoted the lawyers as saying. Yang's lawyers said they plan to sue the prosecution team for "using torture to extract a confession." ChinaAid said fellow Huoshi pastor Su Tianfu is also facing charges of "revealing state secrets," linked to reports on the persecution of Protestant house churches in China that were forwarded to foreign media organizations. Controls on religion The ruling Chinese Communist Party, which embraces atheism, exercises tight controls over any form of religious practice among its citizens. China is home to an estimated 68 million Protestants, of whom 23 million worship in state-affiliated churches, and some nine million Catholics, 5.7 million of whom are in state-sponsored organizations. The administration of President Xi Jinping regards Christianity as a dangerous foreign import, with officials warning last year against the "infiltration of Western hostile forces" in the form of religion. A crackdown on Protestant churches in the eastern province of Zhejiang has widened and intensified to other regions of China during the past year, church members have told RFA. Last month, China's cabinet, the State Council, released a draft set of draconian rules setting out measures aimed at eliminating unofficial Christian worship and "separatists" among Tibetans and Muslim Uyghurs. They include bans on preaching or running religious events in schools and on "providing religious services online." Individuals and groups are also prohibited from "organizing citizens to attend religious training, conferences, and activities overseas," according to a copy of the draft rules seen by RFA. Some of the rules call on government agencies to "take precautions against separatism, terrorism, and infiltration by foreign forces." They also impose restrictions on the acceptance of teaching posts in foreign countries, while a clause forbidding "religious activities in unapproved sites" calls on local governments to extend a nationwide crackdown on house churches not affiliated with the Three-Self Patriotic Association of government-approved churches. Shrinking space Beijing-based Xu Yonghai, who heads the Beijing Sheng'ai Protestant Family Church Fellowship, said the new rules represent a worsening of the environment for religious worship in China. "The space for those of us with religious beliefs is getting smaller and smaller," Xu told RFA on Wednesday. "They are still tolerating smaller meetings held in people's homes, but they won't allow us to meet in large venues." He said the authorities usually find some excuse to keep up the pressure even then. "They'll say we can't meet at Zhang's house; we have to go to Li's house, or that we can't meet on a Sunday, and we have to meet on a different day," Xu said. "We're hanging in there," he said. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Laotian girls throw buckets of water on colleagues during the water festival celebrations in Vientiane, April 13, 2012. The Lao government is tightening conditions under which foreigners marry local women in a bid to combat human trafficking, according to officials. Under new rules introduced recently, foreigners wanting to marry local women should be a resident in Laos for at least three consecutive months and have to provide a variety of personal documents for the government to conduct background checks, the officials said. The stringent conditions are aimed at plugging the marriage loophole that foreign human trafficking syndicates have been using to smuggle Lao women out of the country. The foreigners quickly get married with local women in Laos and then take them to their countries where the women are forced into prostitution and other illicit activities, the officials said. "The government has just issued a new law that basically states that if a foreigner wants to marry a Lao girl, he must stay in Laos for three months to obtain proper documents, not just obtain documents and then leave," a Lao anti-human trafficking officer told RFA's Lao service. "Many women have been missing and sold, the officer said, without giving details on the foreign human trafficking syndicates that are linked to such marriages and smuggling Lao women. The officer said that under the new rule, a foreigner who wants to marry a Laotian has to submit documents of "his nationality, background and other necessary information to Lao authorities." "The authorities will investigate and the investigation will take at least three months. If the foreigner is trustworthy, he will be allowed to marry [much] faster; but if [the application is] in doubt, the marriage will be delayed or never permitted." Smuggling rings In recent months, officials have exposed foreign sex rings smuggling Lao women to China, Thailand, and Malaysia. In May, the government reported that hundreds of girls have been trafficked into China from the northern provinces of Laos. One official had said that over the past two years, hundreds of families from provinces bordering China had approached the government requesting help in locating their missing daughters. The girls, many of them from the ethnic Khmu minority, were lured with the prospect of work, or had married Chinese nationals. Human trafficking rings are also increasingly using Thailand as a transit country to send Lao girls to Malaysia where they are sold into prostitution, according to a Lao official, also in May. Based on statistics provided by the immigration bureau of Thailands Songkla province, which borders Malaysia to the north, 48,000 Laotians crossed into Malaysia in 2011, but only 46,000 returned. Some 35 percent of Lao nationals trafficked to Thailand end up in prostitution, U.N. figures have shown. Across the border Earlier this month, a Thai official claimed that more than 500 underage Lao girls are working as sex slaves in eastern Thailand, saying that authorities in both countries need to step up the fight against human trafficking. Chuvit Kamolvisit, a Thai member of parliament and advocate for social issues, said that the girls, aged 13 to 18 years, were discovered in a karaoke bar in the Chachoengsao district of Chachoengsao province. But Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung denied Chuvits claims in a statement to the Thai media, saying no such karaoke bar existed. He called on Lao officials to take measures which included more scrutiny of Lao girls traveling to Thailand to look for work and targeting officials who have assisted traffickers. A Lao draft law on human trafficking is currently under review and is likely to be put into law by 2014, officials have said. The U.S. State Department maintained Laos at Tier 2 in its annual report on human trafficking in June, saying it does not fully comply with minimum standards for protecting trafficking victims, but that it is making significant efforts to comply with those standards. Reported by Sidney Khotpaya for RFA's Lao service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. Regional civil society organizations said on Wednesday that ongoing conflicts between the government military and armed ethnic groups in two northern states have hurt Myanmars fragile peace process and imposed hardship on residents there. The CSOs held a news conference in the commercial capital Yangon to explain what they discussed about the fighting in Shan and Kachin states and the status of the peace talks at a forum they attended on Monday. At Mondays event, representatives from 90 CSOs also discussed the situation of people displaced by ongoing hostilities. They demanded that military and armed ethnic group leaders sign a nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) with the government that a handful of other such groups have already signed, and issue an announcement about it, said Htet Oo Wai from the CSO peace forum committee. The groups also urged the military to repair its relationship with civil society organizations. We urged the military to take the lead in regaining the good relationship between itself and civil society organizations that was destroyed many years ago, she said, but did not elaborate. Fighting in Kachin state and Shan state to its immediate south has displaced thousands of local villagers and prompted street protests by civil society groups, residents, and representatives of state political parties. We also urged military and ethnic armed groups to meet and stop the ongoing fighting, and also to resolve problems in Rakhine state as soon as possible, she said. Hostilities between Myanmar security forces and armed men flared in western Myanmars Rakhine state this month following a raid on three border guard posts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships which nine officers and eight assailants died. Other attackers, soldiers, and policemen were killed in subsequent clashes between insurgents supported by an Islamist group. The clashes have forced hundreds of schools to close and 3,000 residents to flee their homes. The CSOs also demanded the suspension of large investments in the states and of all business involved in natural resources, which are abundant in northern Myanmar, until there is peace throughout the country. Control of natural resources Several rights groups believe that armed ethnic armies in Kachin and Shan states continue to engage in fighting to get control of natural resources, especially land, and hydroelectric power along the Salween River. Shan and Kachin soldiers have also engaged in clashes with each other in northern Myanmar. The fighting between different ethnic groups is very dangerous, Ashin Wimala, a Buddhist monk who lives in Waingmaw township in Myitkyina district in Kachin state, told RFAs Myanmar Service. Everyones hatred has spiked, he said. This fighting must stop. The monk also emphasized the effects the conflicts have had on displaced residents and their children. For IDPs [internally displaced persons], the mental suffering is greater than the physical suffering because they have stayed away from their homes for six years on account of the fighting, he said. Peoples and childrens attitudes can be destroyed because they have to depend too much on others, he said. The ongoing hostilities in the two states threaten to undermine the peace process that Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has made a cornerstone of the six-month-old government. She organized the 21st-Century Panglong Conference, held at the end of August, in an effort to end decades of civil war pitting armed ethnic groups against the national military in many regions of the country. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and hindered economic development in the resource-rich country. Reported by Thiha Tun and Aung Theinkha for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. A displaced resident who is a member of the Myo ethnic group carries her child at a Buddhist monastery in Kantharyar village in Maungdaw township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Oct. 15, 2016. Members of Myanmars Rakhine advisory commission met with national government ministers on Wednesday in Naypyidaw to discuss the security situation in Maungdaw township, where recent violence has forced thousands to flee their homes. The northern part of Rakhine state where Maungdaw is located has been placed under military control following a deadly Oct. 9 attack on three border guard posts and ensuing hostilities that authorities have blamed on insurgents linked to Aqa Mul Mujahidin, an Islamic organization active in Muslim-majority Maungdaw. Security forces have locked down the area while they hunt for roughly 400 people involved in the attacks, whom they believe to be local Rohingya Muslims who received funding and training from Islamists abroad. The Myanmar government formed the Rakhine advisory commission in late August to examine conflict resolution, humanitarian assistance, and development issues in the impoverished and restive western state. Though officials from the ministries of defense and home affairs participated in Wednesdays meeting, former United Nations chief Kofi Annan, who leads the nine-member commission, did not attend. The commission members met with us to study the problems and situation in Rakhine state, said Information Minister Pe Myint. The Maungdaw attack is new, and they want to know about it as well. Rakhine is home to more than 1.1 million stateless Rohingya Muslims whom many Burmese call Bengalis because they consider them illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. The Buddhist majority has long subjected the Rohingya to persecution and attacks and denied them basic rights, including citizenship. The minority group which bore the brunt of anti-Muslim communal violence in 2012 that left more than 200 dead and displaced tens of thousands were later forced to live in camps, where they remain today. Food for IDPs Meanwhile, the mayhem in Maungdaw has now driven 3,000 displaced people to nearby towns, according to Rakhine state officials. More than 1,000 of them have sought refuge in the state capital Sittwe, while others have made their way to other parts of Maungdaw and neighboring Buthidaung township. Though officials have closed hundreds of state-run schools in Maungdaw as a result of the conflict, they will now arrange for children who have been displaced by the violence to attend classes, said Min Aung, the states city development minister. He also said the state government is supplying food to those who have been displaced. The Rakhine state government has provided whatever the IDPs [internally displaced persons] need, such as rice, cooking oil, and dried fish, he said. Civil society organizations from Rakhine and other states have been helping them as well. Local NGOs must rely on the army to deliver rice to other Maungdaw residents who have remained in their villages and are now running out of food supplies. Aqa Mul Mujahidin, the group that officials say has ties to insurgents who carried out the border post attacks, has links to the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), a small militant group active in the 1980s and the 1990s, but until recently believed to be defunct. But at a press conference on Monday, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Maj. Gen. Aung Soe said information indicating that the attacks were carried out by the Islamist group with links to Pakistan may be flawed, according to a report by Democratic Voice of Burma. Reported by Kyaw Soe Lin for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Chinese police in Sichuans Ngaba county detained and beat a Tibetan monk this week, leaving him hospitalized with severe injuries after he staged a solitary protest opposing Beijings rule in Tibetan areas, according to a local source. Lobsang Tsultrim, a monk in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) countys Kirti monastery, was taken into custody at around 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 17 after shouting slogans while walking along a street in Ngaba countys main town, a resident of the area told RFAs Tibetan Service. He called out for Tibetan freedom and for the long life of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama as he walked, and when he arrived at the street in front of the Tibetan Language Middle School he was stopped by police and taken away, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Tsultrim was then severely beaten by police and held overnight at a court house in the town, the source said. He was rushed to Ngaba Hospital the next day and is now reported to be in critical condition, he said. On Oct. 18, a group of Chinese police went to Kirti to question monks about the incident, and the presence of police and security officers has now been strengthened throughout the town, RFAs source said. Repeated protests Ngabas Kirti monastery and the countys main town have been the scene of repeated self-immolations and other protests in recent years by monks, former monks, and nuns opposed to Chinese rule. Two days before Tsultrims protest, Kirti monastery had begun a four-day event marking completion of a lavish new residence for the monasterys abbot, who lives in Dharamsala, India, seat of Tibets government in exile. Restrictions imposed on the celebration by authorities, including the banning of local students then on their holiday break, had become unbearable, and these may have triggered [Tsultrims] protest, RFAs source said. Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijings rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008. A total of 145 Tibetans living in China have set themselves ablaze in self-immolations since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009, with most protests featuring calls for Tibetan freedom and the Dalai Lamas return from India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a failed national uprising in 1959. Reported by Kunsang Tenzin for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney. NATO has confirmed that a gunmen has killed one U.S. soldier and one U.S. civilian near a military base in Kabul used by NATO-led coalition forces. A NATO statement said three other U.S. citizens -- a soldier and two civilians -- were wounded by the "unknown assailant, who was later killed." NATO said those killed and wounded by the gunman had been training Afghan soldiers. Earlier on October 19, Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said the gunman was wearing the uniform of the Afghan National Army when he shot and killed at least one U.S. soldier and wounded five others at an Afghan military base in Kabul. Waziri said the attack took place a training center for Afghan special forces in Kabul's southwestern neighborhood of Rishkor. Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and dpa A Taliban spokesman has rejected reports of secret meetings with the Afghan government. On October 18, a senior Afghan official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to RFE/RLs Radio Free Afghanistan that two secret rounds of peace talks had been held in Qatar since early September. Earlier, Britain's The Guardian newspaper reported that those attending the meetings included Mullah Abdul Manan Akhund, the brother of the late Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, and Afghanistan's intelligence chief Mohammad Massom Stanekzai. Afghanistan's Tolo TV quoted a source from the Afghan president's office as saying Afghan National Security Advisor Mohammad Hanif Atmar also attended. But in an October 19 statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected any reports of talks or meetings with the Afghan government, saying, "Our stance about the negotiations has not changed." The Taliban have long insisted on the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan as a precondition for peace talks. Based on reporting by AFP and dpa An ambitious new project involving more than 50 researchers from 30 countries will attempt the first full circumnavigation of Antarctica to measure pollution and climate change. The international team will travel on the Russian research vessel Akademik Treshnikov, which left its home port of Arkhangelsk in the Russian arctic on October 19. The main stage of the expedition will leave South Africa's Cape Town on December 20 and return on March 18, braving turbulent weather and hostile conditions in the Southern Ocean. The Antarctic Circumpolar Expedition will be the first scientific mission to study all the major islands in the vast ocean, as well as the Antarctic land mass, both of which are less well known to scientists than the Arctic. Projects include mapping whales, penguins, and albatrosses in the Southern Ocean; measuring the effect of plastic pollution on the food chain; and logging the extent of phytoplankton -- the base of the food chain -- and its role in regulating climate. Scientists will also take ice-core samples and study biodiversity on the continent in an attempt to get insight into conditions before the Industrial Revolution. Based on reporting by AFP and TASS Belarus has welcomed a U.S. decision to prolong the suspension of sanctions against nine Belarusian companies. In an October 19 statement, the Foreign Ministry in Minsk also expressed "confidence" that "full removal of all sanctions would lead to the more dynamic development of Belarus-America ties." The U.S. Treasury Department announced on October 18 that it had extended the suspension of sanctions against nine Belarusian oil and chemical companies until April 30, 2017. Washington imposed sanctions against the state-owned companies in June 2006 in response to human rights violations in Belarus. In October 2015, Washington suspended the sanctions for six months after Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka released several political prisoners and brokered cease-fire talks between Ukraine, Russia, and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. The suspension had been extended by another six months in April 2016. With reporting by BelTA PRAGUE -- Police in the Czech Republic's capital have detained a Russian citizen suspected of hacking U.S.-based websites. A Prague police spokesman said late on October 18 that the suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, was detained in a restaurant. The arrest was carried out on October 5 in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Hours after the arrest was made public, the professional networking service LinkedIn suggested that the arrest was tied to a 2012 breach of member information. A spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department declined to confirm that or comment on a possible connection. "Following the 2012 breach of LinkedIn member information, we have remained actively involved with the FBI's case to pursue those responsible," the company said in a statement on October 19. "We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of the FBI in its efforts to locate and capture the parties believed to be responsible for this criminal activity." In May, LinkedIn said that the 2012 breach resulted in more than 100 million of its users' passwords being compromised -- vastly more than previously thought. The hacker had claimed that 117 million user e-mails and passwords were stolen in the breach. Awaiting Extradition The FBI said the man arrested in Prague was "suspected of conducting criminal activities targeting U.S. interests," but didn't give any more details. "As cybercrime can originate anywhere in the world, international cooperation is crucial to successfully defeat cyber adversaries," it said. Police video from the arrest identified the man only as Yevgeniy N. The international police organization Interpol had issued a so-called Red Notice for the man, seeking his arrest, police said. Prague's Municipal Court will decide whether he will be extradited. Spokeswoman Marketa Puci said the court ruled on October 12 that the man will remain in detention until the extradition hearing. No date has yet been set. A spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Prague, Aleksei Kolmakov, told Interfax on October 19 that the embassy "insists on the transfer of the detained Russian citizen to Russia." U.S. authorities have two months to deliver to their Czech counterparts all the documents necessary for the Czech authorities to decide on the extradition request. Russian hackers have been implicated in a number of breaches of U.S. corporations and websites. Recently, the U.S. government also accused Russia of a campaign of cyberattacks against Democratic Party organizations with the intent of influencing the November 8 presidential election. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and Interfax Ecuador's government said it temporarily restricted Internet access for Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, because it opposed the group's meddling in the U.S. presidential election. Wikileaks's websites have carried numerous leaks of the private e-mails of top U.S. Democratic Party officials recently -- leaks which have been traced by U.S. intelligence officials and private experts to Russian hackers and which U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has blamed on the Russian government. Assange has lived in Ecuador's London embassy since mid-2012 to escape Western law-enforcement action. Wikileaks said that Assange lost connectivity over the weekend, shortly after it published Clinton's private speeches to Goldman Sachs. The Ecuadoran government took responsibility for the cut-off late on October 18, saying it wanted to distance itself from Wikileaks' decision to publish documents impacting on the U.S. election, which it said was entirely Wikileaks' responsibility. "Ecuador, exercising its sovereign right, has temporarily restricted access to part of its communications systems in its U.K. Embassy," the Ecuadoran Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The government of Ecuador respects the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states. It does not interfere in external electoral processes, nor does it favor any particular candidate," it said. Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has publicly supported Clinton over her opponent, Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has been quick to make political capital out of the Democratic e-mails published by Wikileaks that reveal internal party struggles and highlight Clinton's vulnerabilities. "For the good of the United States and the world...I would like Hillary to win," Correa told RT last month, adding that Clinton is someone who "I know personally and appreciate very much." Assange was granted asylum by Ecuador's leftist regime after a British court ordered him extradited to Sweden to face questioning in a sexual molestation case involving two female supporters. Wikileaks said it activated "contingency plans" after Assange got disconnected from the Web, and Ecuador said that its cut-off did not stop the group from continuing its "journalistic activities." On October 18, Wikileaks' Twitter feed released another tranche of e-mails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, suggesting that the group's ability to publish had not been compromised. Podesta has blamed the extensive leaks of his e-mails on Russia and said he was told by the FBI that the breach is part of its investigation into Russian hacking of the U.S. election. Wikileaks has not said where it got the e-mails. Shortly after Ecuador cut Assange's web link, Wikileaks said that the United States had pressured the South American country to rein in Assange -- a charge denied by the United States as well as Ecuador, which said pointedly that it "does not cede to pressures from other countries." U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby dismissed Wikileaks' charge. "While our concerns about Wikileaks are longstanding, any suggestion that Secretary [John] Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down Wikileaks is false," he said. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP A multi-billion-dollar space lander looking for traces of life on Mars is due to touch down on the red planet on October 19 in Europe's first attempt to land a craft there in a decade. The Schiaparelli probe's landing is part of the ExoMars project of the European Space Agency and Russia's Roscosmos. The automated landing maneuver starts 121 kilometers above the surface with rapid braking from a speed of 21,000 kilometers an hour. Mission Control at Darmstadt in Germany will be unable to intervene given the time delay of some 10 minutes. If all goes well, the batteries will provide power for a few days for data to be sent back to Earth from the Meridiani Planum in the Martian highlands. Schiaparelli has a sort of webcam on its underside that will shoot 15 black-and-white photographs of the Martian surface at intervals of 1.5 seconds. The probe left Earth from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in March together with the Trace Gas Orbiter, which it separated from last weekend. The trace spacecraft is set this week to enter Mars's orbit, where it will analyze the Martian atmosphere. Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa We may be witnessing the end of the extremist group Islamic State (IS) as we know it. Over the weekend, the coalition of Turkish military soldiers and Syrian rebel groups, backed by a small number of U.S. Special Operations Forces and air support, captured the Syrian city of Dabiq from IS. In and of itself, this would be an important battle. The Turkish-led coalition is now set to advance toward Al-Bab, IS's westernmost stronghold in northern Syria, a position that lies on the most important road that runs between Aleppo city and Turkey. Perhaps even more importantly, IS's propaganda states that Dabiq is the city from which the apocalypse will start. The city is so important to the extremist group that its English-language magazine, one of IS's most important recruiting tools beyond the physical borders of its "state," shares the city's name. And yet, there was no epic battle for Dabiq. The last 100 IS militants withdrew without a fight. There will be no apocalypse, it seems. But that wasn't even the main headline. On the morning of October 17, the world awoke to find that a full-throated effort to dislodge IS from its most important stronghold in Iraq, Mosul, had been launched by Kurdish Peshmerga forces and the Iraqi military, bolstered by U.S. air strikes and Special Operations Forces. An animation made by LiveUAMap shows how IS's easternmost flank began crumbling in just a few hours. Iraqi Kurdish leader Masud Barzani told Al-Jazeera that the operation had captured over 200 square kilometers of territory from IS on Day 1. Al-Jazeera also reported that this included nine villages outside the main city. Progress on Day Two was slower, but still steady. Simply put, the "dawla," the state controlled by IS, is collapsing. To be sure, the fight for Mosul will be very tough. Videos taken by international media organizations like CNN show IS fighters dug in. One fighter is seen jumping out of a hole and shooting Peshmerga fighters in an ambush before blowing himself up in an unsuccessful suicide attack. IS also launched several waves of car-bomb attacks against the Peshmerga front lines. Despite the hopes of many in the anti-IS coalition, it seems the extremists are going to fight for the villages outside Mosul, and everyone seems to fear that the fighting inside the city will be even worse. But Mosul will fall. The crumbling of the dawla is now inevitable. Turkish forces are rolling across IS's territory in Syria in the west, the battle rages in Mosul in the east, and at IS's center, Kurdish forces, backed by the United States, are within 50 kilometers from the extremist group's headquarters, Raqqa. A World War II Land Grab This situation has a historic parallel. In 1944 and 1945, the defeat of the Axis powers was already nearly guaranteed. In Europe in particular, what transpired then was a race between competing interests to capture as much territory as they could before the war came to a close. The Soviet Union stormed into German-occupied territory from the east, the allied powers of the United States, United Kingdom, and a coalition of fighters from across the world pushed from the Atlantic Ocean in the west. After the war was over, the United States sought to shape the territory it controlled through the Marshall Plan, a bid to rebuild and unify Western Europe in order to prevent future conflicts there and stop the spread of communism. The Soviets in the east were less subtle, opting to directly control the territory they had captured in the hopes of advancing their own imperial goals. The result of the final days of the war with Germany thus shaped the entire future of geopolitical and regional power dynamics, which resonate to this day. With such grand consequences, it's easy to forget that all of this was determined inch by inch, foxhole by foxhole, region by town by neighborhood, by the actions and reactions of individual soldiers and commanders on both sides. In the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq are all competing for power, but so, too, are various sectarian groups -- Sunnis, Shi'a, and Kurds. What may appear like a united front to end IS is really a fractured coalition of powers, each with competing interests. Inside Iraq, the Kurdish Peshmerga are clearly making a power play, asserting its military might while wrangling for political -- and perhaps physical -- territory. Iraq's Kurds have wanted greater autonomy or independence from Baghdad for a very long time, and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq granted them that opportunity. IS poses an existential threat to that autonomy, but it also presents a great asset. By the end of this campaign, the Kurds will have played a major role in the reestablishing of order in the country, and they will have proven their military effectiveness. Against this backdrop, the besieged government of Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi is struggling to win the narrative. Abadi has been locked in a prolonged battle with those who oppose his reform agenda, including his predecessor, Nuri al-Maliki, who has undermined him at nearly every opportunity. But Abadi has also had to placate Shi'ite militiamen, many loyal to the infamous Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who are frustrated at the lack of reforms and Abadi's desire to free Iraq from sectarian politics, which hard-line sectarians like Sadr blame for the growing influence of the Kurds and the previously unchecked power of IS: Sunni militants. Abadi has attempted to stress the involvement of Iraq's military in the victories over IS. In reality, Shi'ite militias played a major role in the victory over IS in Fallujah and are likely to be heavily involved in the Mosul campaign, as well. While the extent of the ties between the various Shi'ite militia groups and Iran is a complicated issue, clearly Iran is also seeking to increase or at least maintain its own level of influence in Iraq through Shi'ite dominance. Further complicating the picture: the involvement of Turkey in both the Syrian and Iraqi fronts. In August, just one month after a failed coup attempt aimed to topple the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish forces crossed the border into Syria to launch their own offensive against IS. At the time, however, I wrote that Turkey's primary motive was obviously not the fight against Islamic State. After all, Turkey has shared a border with IS for two years. Instead, Turkey was reacting to U.S.-backed Kurdish groups that were rapidly advancing deep into IS territory, occupying space that was once controlled by moderate Syrian rebel groups that Turkey has supported for years. Not only was Turkey watching its proxies lose territory to IS and the coalition that supports the Syrian government, Erdogan was also watching one of his principal rivals -- Kurdish groups with ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) -- fill that vacuum. In the short term, Erdogan's gamble in Syria has produced exactly the results he had hoped. IS is retreating, almost without a fight. The Kurdish groups have withdrawn from some of the territory right on Turkey's border. About one month ago, I sat down with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek on the sidelines of the Yalta European Strategy meeting in Kyiv. He was enthusiastically bragging about Turkey's intervention in Syria and broke the news to me that U.S. special operations forces were assisting the mission, dubbed Operation Euphrates Shield. But in comments made during a panel earlier that day, Simsek stressed that the Erdogan government is beset by enemies on all sides -- IS and Kurdish extremists had both ramped up terrorist attacks in the months preceding the coup, and then there was the coup itself. Simsek stressed the narrative that followers of Fethullah Gulen had infiltrated all levels of the Turkish government and the crackdown on dissenters and the purge of suspected Gulenists that many in the West claimed was authoritarian was really the reestablishment of democratic values. Journalists and experts present for Simsek's comments were rightfully skeptical. Still, the exchange was a clear illustration of the central issue in Turkish politics: Many aspects of Turkish society -- from the economy to the security situation to Turkey's regional standing -- have been challenged in recent years. Turkey's intervention in Syria, and the Turkish government's purge of suspected Gulenists, are Erdogan's attempt to reestablish some element of control, at least over the narrative, if nothing else. RFE/RL spoke with Ilhan Tanir, a Turkish analyst and journalist based in Washington, D.C., who stressed that Erdogan is busy creating a narrative. "The economy is doing terribly," Tanir said. In order to distract from Turkey's problems, Erdogan, much like Putin, has created external crises for him to fight, whether that be Gulenists and the Kurdish PKK at home, or IS and the Kurdish groups affiliated with the PKK beyond Turkey's borders. One consequence of the coup, Tanir explained, is that the Turkish media have either been targeted by the postcoup purge or are now echoing the Turkish government's party line. "There is no critical media left in Turkey, and so whatever Erdogan says right now goes straight to the public," he said. Erdogan, however, will soon face another problem with this narrative: His intervention in Syria is literally running out of room. With Dabiq having been liberated from IS, Turkey will set its sights on Al-Bab, a large and strategic town on a key road that runs from Aleppo city to the Turkish border. However, once Al-Bab is in Turkish control, Erdogan will have a new problem: In order to advance to IS's next stronghold, Raqqa, Turkey may have to move through territory currently controlled by U.S.-backed Kurdish groups or by the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. At the moment, neither of those options is attractive to Turkey as they could broaden the conflict and alienate either Russia or the United States -- or both. There may be nowhere to go. In other words, if Erdogan is dependent on external crises to serve his political needs, he may run out of crises. It is for this reason that Erdogan wants the Turkish military to get involved in the fight for Mosul. On October 18, Erdogan said that Turkey has a "historical responsibility" in Mosul and Kirkuk, as they were both historically Turkish land, therefore, "If we say we want to be both at the table and in the field, there is a reason." He also warned Iraq's Shi'ite militias, which have been accused of anti-Sunni atrocities, to not get involved in the fight. As of right now, however, the government in Baghdad has rejected Turkey's request to join the fight in Mosul, and on October 18 thousands protested outside the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad against a Turkish military presence in Iraq. Two of Turkey's best-known media organizations, Daily Sabah and Anadolu, said that the protests were "dangerous" and had been organized by Muqtada al-Sadr. If Turkey is not allowed to intervene in Mosul, will it try to anyway? Will Turkey attack Kurdish forces in Syria, even if it angers the United States? "What's going on in Iraq and Syria is a land grab," Tanir told RFE/RL. Various factions -- the Kurds, the Turks, the Shi'a -- are all using the fight against Islamic State to advance their own causes. And just like how the 1945 land grab in Europe and Asia set the stage for the Cold War, so, too, will the events in the Middle East impact the power struggle in the region for years to come. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL German Chancellor Angela Merkel said sanctions against Russia over its actions in Syria should remain an option for the European Union. Merkel said she and French President Francois Hollande will discuss Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a meeting on Ukraine in Berlin on October 19, but cautioned against expecting "miracles" to come out of the discussion. The two leaders have been sharply critical of Russia's support for the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and have accused both Russia and Syria of atrocities, such as intentionally bombing civilians and hospitals. Merkel said on October 18 that, in light of the "disastrous situation"in Syria, "no options, including that of sanctions, can be taken off the table...but the priority is that we look at lessening people's suffering in some way, and that will be an issue" in the meeting with Putin. Merkel's statement came one day after EU Foreign Minister Frederica Mogherini said the bloc was not considering putting sanctions on Russia for its actions in Syria. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP 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. Thousands of people have fled the Mosul area in northern Iraq, where an offensive is underway to drive out the Islamic State (IS) group. The charity Save the Children said on October 19 that 5,000 people had crossed the border into Syria in the last 10 days and arrived at the Al-Hol camp. "Conditions there are among the worst we've seen, and we expect thousands more people to be on their way soon," said Tarik Kadir, head of the group's response to the Mosul crisis. The UN said the camp received more than 900 people in the last 24 hours and is expecting a further 3,000 people who were dropped off by smugglers and are being cleared by security. Al-Hol, which was built to house 7,500 people but currently holds 9,000 refugees, is being expanded to eventually take in 50,000 people. Camps are also being built in the south, east, and north of Mosul in preparation for a flood of civilians fleeing the city, where up to 1.5 million people are thought to be living, with up to 5,000 IS militants. Meanwhile, the chief of the Russian military's General Staff has expressed concern that IS extremists holed up around Mosul might escape to Syria. "It's essential not to chase the terrorists from one country to another but to destroy them on the spot," General Valery Gerasimov said in an October 19 statement. Gerasimov also said the Russian military was using both space and air reconnaissance systems, including drones, to "monitor the situation in the Mosul area." Iraqi troops and Kurdish fighters have taken back control of a string of villages since their offensive to retake Mosul started on October 17. WATCH: Iraqi, Kurdish Forces Liberate Villages Outside Mosul Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, Interfax and the BBC The trial of two participants in a mass protest against Kazakhstan's land reforms has been adjourned. A court in the western city of Atyrau adjourned the trial for an indefinite time on October 19 after one of the defendants, Maks Boqaev, was unable to attend a court hearing due to health problems. The trial against Boqaev and Talghat Ayan started on October 12. The two are charged with inciting social discord, intentionally distributing false information, and organizing illegal public gatherings. Boqaev and Ayan were detained on April 24 in the center of Atyrau, where thousands of people had gathered to protest against a bill on land privatization and land leasing to foreigners. The protests in Atyrau were followed by mass protests across Kazakhstan for almost two weeks. The protesters expressed concern that the bill would allow foreigners to own farmland in Kazakhstan. Rights watchdogs have called on Kazakh authorities to release Boqaev and Ayan, saying they have a right to express their views publicly. Macedonia's parliament has set December 11 as the date for snap parliamentary elections to try to end a long-running political crisis. All four main parties confirmed on October 18 that they will take part in the elections that had been initially planned for April and rescheduled for June before being delayed again over opposition claims that conditions are not ripe for a free and fair vote. The Balkan state has been in crisis since February 2015, when the leader of the main opposition party, Zoran Zaev of the Social Democrats, began releasing tapes that appeared to reveal official and widespread wiretapping, including of journalists and politicians. The tapes also appeared to have uncovered corruption among high-ranking officials, including former conservative Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. After a string of demonstrations, the European Union stepped in to mediate a deal, urging early elections and an independent probe into the corruption allegations revealed by the tapes. The polls could pull Macedonia out of political crisis provided that "the campaign is fair and elections credible," EU delegation chief Samuel Zbogar said. Political leaders had already agreed on the December 11 date, but it was not officially approved by parliament until October 18. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa BRUSSELS -- One of the leading pro-Western candidates in this month's presidential election in Moldova has warned of "risks of massive fraud" in the vote, which has further divided the tiny post-Soviet state's already fractious political scene. Speaking to RFE/RL on October 19 during a visit to Brussels for meetings with officials from the European Union, Action and Solidarity candidate and former Education Minister Maia Sandu said she was "here to warn the international partners of Moldova about the risks of massive fraud of the election and to ask them to help." The presidential vote is Moldova's first by direct election since 1996, a change whose legitimacy is being challenged by the Communist Party and other opposition elements. "We do want to have democratic elections. We do deserve to have democratic elections," Sandu told RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent. "Unfortunately we can't count on the Moldova state institutions these days because they are not free and independent, and that is why we count so much [on] support from EU institutions." Moldova signed and began provisionally applying an Association Agreement with the European Union in 2014, opening up visa-free travel to the bloc but providing no guarantees that Chisinau would follow through with reforms or clean up its rampant corruption. Sandu and others have suggested that inaccurate voter lists and pressure on state employees could mar the results of the looming vote. Speaking to RFE/RL, she urged the international community to closely scrutinize the run-up to this month's elections and the balloting itself. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) was expected to field around 30 experts and long-term observers and some 200 short-term observers in Moldova for this month's vote. Opinion polls have consistently shown Socialist Party candidate Igor Dodon with a double-digit lead over Sandu and the rest of the pack in the presidential race ahead of the October 30 election, but a two-candidate runoff is likely to follow on November 13. A former Communist who has held senior government posts including as minister of trade and economics, Dodon has said his first foreign visit if he wins the presidency will be to the Russian capital. On October 18, Dodon pledged to "restore broad and friendly ties with Russia" and "initiate the development and signature of an agreement on strategic partnership with the Russian Federation," according to Interfax. Polling has shown the country divided between favoring closer trade ties to traditional partner Russia and its Eurasian Union, on one hand, and the European Union on the other. Moldova has struggled to get its political footing since flawed elections sparked mostly nonviolent street protests that helped push longtime Communist Party leader Vladimir Voronin from power in 2009. But pro-Western governments in Chisinau have proved quarrelsome and were hurt by their failure to prevent a massive multibank fraud that was estimated to have cost Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, more than $1 billion, or around one-eighth of its GDP. Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniester, where many residents favor the Russian language and Moscow still maintains troops, has contributed to the country's economic and political malaise. Written by Andy Heil based on an interview by Rikard Jozwiak The Pentagon has accused the Islamic State (IS) extremist group of using thousands of residents of Mosul as "human shields" to try to thwart the advance of Iraqi forces into the city. "We know they are being used as human shields, absolutely," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters on October 18. "This has been going on for several weeks where we've seen civilians being forcibly detained and their movements being prevented where they can't get out of Mosul. They are being held there against their will," he said. Around 1.5 million people still live in Mosul and the International Organization for Migration said earlier on October 18 that IS may use tens of thousands of residents as human shields to hold onto their last city stronghold in Iraq. The group also said there was a likelihood of chemical attacks by the extremists, who have used such weapons previously against Iraqi Kurdish forces. The Reuters news agency reported that the Pentagon is expecting IS to use crude chemical weapons as it tries to repel government forces, and U.S. troops have begun testing IS shell fragments for evidence of chemical agents. Davis said the operation to retake Mosul will be "an ugly fight." Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov is against cigarette smoking and his antismoking stance has led officials to adopt and strictly enforce new rules concerning tobacco use -- all reportedly with an eye on making the country tobacco-free by 2025. Although Turkmenistan now has the lowest rate of tobacco use in the world according to the WHO, the restrictions on cigarettes must rough on many citizens of the country. If there is one thing I remember from my days in Turkmenistan its that the men smoke -- a lot. There are differing accounts about the new antismoking rules. Some Iranian media were reporting in late January that smoking had been banned throughout Turkmenistan. It never actually reached that point but the lives of smokers have definitely become more complicated. RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, decided to do some investigating. The Turkmen government doesn't like Azatlyk so the country's people are understandably frightened to speak with us. But Azatlyk found a Turkish truck driver named Murad who was happy to share his experience with Turkmenistan's antismoking regulations earlier this year. "I walked out of a cafe in [the Caspian town of] Awaza and there was a market straight ahead of me," Murad said. "It was 10:30 at night. I'm walking toward the market with a cigarette in my hand. Before entering the market I put out my cigarette," Murad recounted. "At that moment someone called to me. I looked and it was a policeman." Murad asked what was wrong, to which the policeman replied, "You're smoking." 'Did I Kill Somebody?' The policeman took the bewildered Murad to the police station. Murad called home in Turkey to inform about his situation but his phone credit ran out before he could fully describe what was happening. "We were in the police station and they [police] started writing out a report," Murad continued. "I asked: 'What happened? Did I kill somebody?'" "You were smoking" a policeman shot back. Informed by Murad's family, the Turkish Consulate in Turkmenistan called Murad on his phone and he explained what happened and that he was at the police station. After the call, Murad asked again what he had done. "The police told me that people were passing by [when he was smoking]." "I said, 'What people? It's the middle of the desert. What would people be doing walking in the middle of desert at 10:30 p.m.?'" The policeman said, "You were smoking in the street. If you were smoking by your truck we still would have picked you up. You should smoke in your truck. But you can't smoke in your truck when it's moving, you have to stop." Murad's frustration was growing. He asked if he could step outside the station for a few minutes. "Where are you going?" the policeman asked. "To smoke," Murad said. "Why do you think you're in the police station in the first place?" the policeman asked. Limits On Possessing Cigarettes Another policeman who spoke Turkish arrived, apparently after the Turkish Consulate had contacted Turkmen authorities about Murad. This policeman asked Murad why he did not care about "our president's decree [on smoking in public]." "I said, 'Look, that is your law, it doesn't apply to me. My president is in Turkey."' The policeman asked Murad if people in Turkey could smoke in a public. "Absolutely," he replied. Murad told the policeman in Turkey it was prohibited to smoke in enclosed areas. "In Turkey I can openly smoke in the street and no one bothers me but here you have the opposite law," he told the policeman. The policeman reminded Murad he was in Turkmenistan and must obey the laws of the country. "I said, 'Okay, I'll obey but look at the time, it's 10:30 at night, in the middle of the desert and I was going to a shop to buy something and I threw away my cigarette before I entered the market." The police decided to release Murad and not file a report. Murad could have faced a fine of 70 manats [$18 at the official rate]. Murad shed some light on other aspects of the antismoking campaign. He said when he crossed into Turkmenistan the border guards told him an individual could enter Turkmenistan with no more than two cartons of cigarettes [equivalent to 400 cigarettes, usually]. He also said that usually when he was stopped by Turkmen traffic police they asked for a pack of cigarettes but Murad had learned you could get by with simply giving them a couple of cigarettes. He also said it was possible to purchase cigarettes all over Turkmenistan and that the prices had gone down after spiking in January when Turkmen officials erroneously interpreted President Berdymukhammedov's comments on cigarettes as meaning authorities should crack down on cigarette sales. Muhammad Tahir, the director of RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, contributed to this report. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was hosting late-night talks behind closed doors in Berlin with the presidents of Russia, France, and Ukraine in an attempt to resolve the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. The talks at Merkel's office on October 19 were under the so-called "Normandy" format, which brings together the leaders of the four countries. Before the meeting involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov began, there was a separate trilateral meeting between the leaders of Germany, France, and Ukraine about a possible settlement to the conflict between the Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said hours before the four-country summit that Moscow did not expect any breakthrough on resolving the conflict that has killed more than 9,600 people since April 2014. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko also said he did not have "very high expectations." But Peskov said Putin and Lavrov were attending with the aim of identifying obstacles to implementing the Minsk peace agreement. The February 2015 accord, brokered in Minsk by France and Germany in talks with Russia and Ukraine that lasted 17 hours, has helped end large-scale fighting in eastern Ukraine. But clashes have continued within increased frequency in recent months and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. The last time the four leaders met together under the Normandy format was in Paris in October 2015. That meeting lasted more than five hours. German media reported that Merkel and French President Francois Hollande also were pressuring Putin on October 19 to ease the suffering of Syrian civilians in rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo that have been targeted by intensive Russian and Syrian government air strikes since a fragile truce deal collapsed on September 19. Hollande told reporters after the trilateral talks in Berlin that although the Berlin summit was focusing on Ukraine, "the end of the evening will also be dedicated to Syria." Hollande also vowed to "do everything" he could to extend a temporary truce in Aleppo, Syria. Moscow announced a halt to air strikes on rebel-held neighborhoods of the city on October 18 that appeared to be continuing on October 19. It also said that it would extend an eight-hour truce that it has called for October 20 by another three hours, giving aid workers a total of 11 hours on October 20 to try to deliver humanitarian supplies to more than 250,000 civilians who are trapped in Aleppo's besieged rebel-held neighborhoods. Both Germany and France have called for Russia and Syrian President Bashar-al-Assad's regime to implement a more sustained cease-fire in Syria in order to work toward a diplomatic solution to the 5 1/2-year-old war. As Putin and Lavrov arrived at Merkel's office for the talk on October 19, hundreds of demonstrators rallied outside the building to protest Russia's human rights record and its continued bombardment of Aleppo. The noisy group of protesters lined up dozens of teddy bears outside the Chancellery to call attention to the deaths of more than 140 children as a result of the Russian and Syrian government air strikes on Aleppo. The latest round of talks between Russia, the United States, and regional powers in the Middle East ended on October 15 without achieving any concrete results. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, Interfax, and TASS The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Police in the Czech Republic's capital have detained a Russian citizen suspected of hacking U.S.-based websites. The arrest was carried out in cooperation with the FBI. Interpol had issued a so-called Red Notice for the man, seeking his arrest. (Czech police video) The International Olympic Committee stripped Russian weightlifter Apti Aukhadov of the silver medal he won at the 2012 London Games after a retest of samples came up positive for drugs. Aukhadov, 23, finished second in the men's 85-kilogram weightlifting event. Iran's Kianoush Rostami won bronze in the event, and that could now be changed to silver. The committee said on October 18 that a reanalysis of Aukhadov's samples from London resulted in positive tests for the steroids turinabol and drostanolone. The committee also found that Ukrainian pole vaulter Maksym Mazuryk, who ranked 18th in the vaulting event in London, had been disqualified after a reanalysis came back positive, also for turinabol. The ruling is the latest blow to Russia, whose track and field athletes were barred from the Rio Games and which is at the center of a unprecedented state doping scandal. A total of 98 samples have come back positive for banned substances in reanalyses from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Several Russian athletes have been stripped of their medals as a result. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Dr. Mahmud Mustafa is a pediatrician in Aleppo, Syria, where just a handful of doctors remain to treat civilians caught in the fighting. Mustafa told RFE/RL's Current Time TV that staff at a children's hospital are now working from the basement to escape bombardment. Marziya says her family and two kids are unaware of "the nature of her occupation." They have no idea that every evening, when she takes a bus to the provincial center, she won't really be working as a waitress at a disco. But now, once every three weeks, she won't be working the streets of Qurgon-Teppa as a prostitute either. Those days are reserved for the morality classes she was recently enrolled in by local police. Marziya, who declined to disclose her full name, is among some 30 women signed up for the new initiative to turn local sex workers away from their profession. The main goal, according to Qumriniso Sangalieva, deputy of Khatlon Province's department of family and women's affairs, is to "help these women to get themselves on the right path." The classes, the first of their kind in Tajikistan, were organized by the department in early April. Prostitution is technically a misdemeanor in the predominantly Muslim country, and is punishable by a fine or, in the case of repeat offenders, detention. But it is still illegal, and is by no means accepted by the authorities. RFE/RL attended the inaugural session given to the women, all of whom are considered by local police to be repeat offenders as prostitutes. The speakers -- including a doctor, police officials, and community leaders -- lectured their audience on moral values and provided advice on career options. The police officials focused on the dangers sex workers faced, including becoming victims of human trafficking. The doctor focused on the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Sangalieva concedes that such lessons alone are not enough to convince prostitutes to give up their profession. But the official wants to get the point across that authorities are ready to help sex workers rebuild their lives, "for example, by offering job retraining to widen their possibility of finding work." "While some of the women agreed, some didn't," Sangalieva said after the first class. 'Give Me A Job And I'll Stop' One woman, who introduced herself as Gulsora, says she attended the lecture "only because police told me to," after detaining her in a recent night raid. "The authorities need to lecture men, instead," Gulsora adds. "They need to tell men that it is wrong to leave wives and children without alimony after divorce." Unemployed and with no job qualifications, Gulsora says she was "forced by circumstances" to become a sex worker two years after her husband -- a migrant laborer in Russia -- left her. "I know what I do is wrong," Gulsora says. "Give me a job and I will stop. No one becomes a prostitute by choice." In an official survey conducted among women sex workers across Tajikistan by the Health Ministry in November, more than 80 percent of the respondents cited lack of income as their primary reason for turning to prostitution. They said they would give up prostitution if they could find a job. High unemployment is a major problem in Tajikistan, and has led more than 1.2 million people, mostly men, to travel to Russia to work as migrant laborers. 'Useful Information' In October, parliament amended the law to double the amount prostitutes can be fined to as much as $150, and introduced a two-week detention for repeat offenders. However, the lawmakers resisted calls to make prostitution subject to greater criminal charges, saying it would not end prostitution. The calls have intensified since 2013, when the authorities noted a significant rise in the number of sex workers, including underage girls in the capital and other cities. That year, the State Women's Affairs Committee said it had registered 1,641 prostitutes, up 25 percent on the previous year. In 2014, police said they exposed at least 275 brothels in Dushanbe, a substantial increase from the previous year, when 180 brothels were uncovered. There are no official statistics about the number of sex workers in Tajikistan overall. In Khatlon, authorities have registered some 70 sex workers detained in police raids, although they believe the real numbers are much higher. Prostitutes are often visibly waiting for customers near busy city bazaars, discos, and bus stations. Some of the women wait in groups, others -- like Marziya -- work alone. After her first morality class, Marziya went back to her roadside spot, a short walking distance from the central bazaar. Marziya says she hopes the authorities will eventually help her to find a decent job.She is planning to ask them in future meetings. For now she is taking home "some useful information," Marziya says, having learned about symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases and the address of a hospital that offers free checkups and treatment. Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL Tajik Service correspondent Orzu Karim in Khatlon Province German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Turkmenistan has agreed to discuss the possibility of giving foreign diplomats access to its prisons. Merkel was speaking on August 29 at a joint news conference with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov in Berlin. "We talked about the fact that it would be desirable having diplomats get access to the prisons in Turkmenistan," she said. "President [Berdymukhammedov] promised that the [German and Turkmen] foreign ministers will talk about [the issue] now and that international diplomats will later be able to have a look there and assess the situation." International rights group Human Rights Watch has called on Berlin to challenge the Turkmen leader to end its secretive imprisonment of political opponents, free jailed RFE/RL journalist Saparmamed Nepeskuliev, and eliminate arbitrary bans on people leaving the country. In a statement on August 25, the New York-based rights monitor called on Merkel "to stand up for those in Turkmenistan who cannot engage their own government" during her talks with Berdymukhammedov. Human Rights Watch said in the statement that Nepeskuliev, a freelance correspondent for RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, had been tried and imprisoned "on bogus drug charges." It also said that Turkmenistan's government "forced three other Radio Liberty correspondents to cease working for the service." Berdymukhammedov said after his talks with Merkel that Turkmenistan was working on reforming its constitution and will introduce a human rights ombudsman. The Turkmen leader also said his country, which has some of the world's largest natural gas reserves, is discussing diversifying its gas exports and selling gas to European Union countries. Ashgabat has already presented the European Commission with proposals for how to proceed, he added. Merkel and Berdymukhammedov last met in Berlin in 2008 when the Turkmen leader was visiting Germany and Austria. Germany is Turkmenistan's principal foreign trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral trade worth $466 million in 2014, the most recent figure available. Much of the trade focuses on Germany exporting machinery and other industrial products to Turkmenistan, Berlin's third-largest trade partner in the region after Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Authorities in Turkmenistan have announced that the country will conduct a presidential election on February 12, 2017. Incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov is certain -- barring sickness or death -- to win a third term in office. Other presidential candidates will appear, as they have the last two times Berdymukhammedov has run for president -- on February 11, 2007, and February 12, 2012. As was true in the previous two presidential elections, these "rival" candidates will probably be people little known to the Turkmen public, participating in the campaign like actors in a staged production. The campaign and its results will be similar to what's been seen before in Turkmenistan. Berdymukhammedov took 89 percent of the vote in 2007 and 97 percent of the vote in 2012. The big difference between the upcoming election and those previous two polls is that February 2017 is coming at arguably the worst of times in independent Turkmenistan's 25-year history. So I'm curious what Berdymukhammedov tells his people this time around. Why should Turkmen voters show up at polling centers on February 12 to cast their ballots for the current president, the person they called "Arkadag" (The Protector)? I am not Berdymukhammedov's speechwriter, but I am concerned he might miss some things in the campaign speeches he delivers -- if he even bothers to campaign, that is. In the interest of presenting a well-rounded portrayal of the situation in Turkmenistan, I thought I would write a speech for the Turkmen president, in his own style. Note: The situation in Turkmenistan is no laughing matter, and I am aware of that. If the tone of this blog post is lighthearted, its message is very serious. *** Greetings, great and extraordinarily patient people of Turkmenistan! I speak to you now, asking for your vote in the upcoming presidential election. I could make a lot of promises about the future, and maybe some of them could even really happen. But today I choose to speak about the last five years of my presidency. When I asked for your vote in 2012, we were just coming off a year, 2011, in which we saw 14.7 percent GDP growth, a figure given by the World Bank. Times are different now. Last year, we registered 6.5 percent GDP growth, according to the World Bank, and this year it looks like that figure will drop slightly to 6.2 percent. As I and other officials have told you, the global economic crisis -- and not your government -- is to blame for this decrease. These new external economic problems pose new challenges for Turkmenistan. Five years ago, the price of natural gas on world markets was more than twice what it is today. I don't have to tell you that gas is almost the only thing we export, and in 2012 Turkmenistan appeared to be well on its way to diversifying its gas export routes. We exported gas to three customers, and there were plans to open two new routes to major markets. As I stand before you today, we are exporting to only two customers: China and Iran. We are sorry that our friend Russia decided at the start of 2015 not to purchase any more gas from Turkmenistan and to instead buy gas from our friend Uzbekistan. It's true. Some of the gas we export to China goes toward paying our multibillion-dollar debt to that country. It's also true that Iran pays with goods, not money. But we haven't given up on projects to build a pipeline to India and another across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, where our natural gas can be sent to countries in Europe. Admittedly, those plans no longer look so promising. Our idea for a trans-Caspian pipeline to export gas to Europe has not yet been realized, and might never be, due to the objections of our Caspian littoral neighbors Russia and Iran. Our government and media continue to report about building the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline on the territory of Turkmenistan. We cannot show you any pictures of this construction, but the government will continue to remind you of progress in constructing the pipeline. Pay no attention to those who call TAPI a "virtual" pipeline. Five years ago, in northwestern Afghanistan, just across our border, people lived in relative peace. That is no longer the case. There is now fighting in all the Afghan provinces bordering Turkmenistan. So there might be some small delays constructing the pipeline through Afghanistan. The same goes for Pakistan's southern Balochistan region, which is also on TAPI's route. And since I mentioned Afghanistan, I want to repeat the words of other Turkmen government officials and tell you that there is no security problem along our border with Afghanistan. Don't listen to stories you might hear of our soldiers or border guards being involved in fighting -- or even being killed -- along the Afghan border. And don't worry that earlier this year we conducted the largest mobilization of our armed forces ever in our 25-year history and have recently been purchasing new weapons, including a missile system from China. Our policy of positive neutrality, recognized by the UN, has always been our best protection, and it is now enshrined in our constitution -- part of the same changes adopted in September that will make my third term in office a seven-year term instead of those five-years terms I've previously served. But enough about the outside world. Let's look at our achievements here at home over the last five years. As we told you earlier this year, we have reached the point in our development where the state no longer needs to provide you, its citizens, with subsidies. Turkmenistan's people are well enough off now that you do not need free electricity, gas, or water anymore, so we will soon halt these unnecessary gifts. But rest assured, these utilities will continue to be provided to you intermittently. We still face economic challenges. Some of you have lost your jobs recently, especially those in the gas and oil sector. Having brought that up, let me now mention these tales told by foreign media about unemployment in Turkmenistan being more than 50 percent. How could the foreign press and other outside organizations know this? We don't let them in. And during my third term, this government will continue to reject visa applications from undesirable foreigners seeking to come to Turkmenistan for sinister reasons of trying to obtain objective information. Our government provides facts and figures on all the things people outside the country need to know about Turkmenistan. It's all there on government websites and in state media. Some of you who are working are not receiving your wages on time. In some cases, arrears go back several months. It is especially to you that I wish to express my gratitude, because many of you, after this wait, had your wages garnished to pay for our country to build the facilities necessary to host the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games we are hosting in our capital, Ashgabat, next year. Did I say "garnished"? Forgive me. I meant to say the money you are "voluntarily" giving to help build facilities for those games. "Voluntarily" -- that's what it said on those papers that officials gave you to sign when you agreed to contribute money from your salaries. Turkmenistan continues to produce some of the highest quality basic goods. Most of you have seen the long lines in front of our stores. Turkmenistan's products are so good people are willing to queue up outside stores to wait for their chance to buy a rationed amount of these basic products. Don't forget to bring your documents with you. We do enforce purchase limits for all families. And I'll address those accusations of food shortages and higher prices for basic goods now by saying...no comment. To those of you who smoke, I say first: Shame on you. It's bad for your health. But I'll add that you can now buy one pack of cigarettes for less than $20. That's already an improvement from just a couple of months ago. True, we're limiting the number of packs you can buy, but, again, it's a bad habit. I'm talking about dollars here, but I don't need to remind you that dollar transactions are illegal now. Your government has no intention of helping these black markets that are offering seven or more manats, our national currency, for one U.S. dollar. Turkmenistan's government stands by its official rate of 3.5 manats to one U.S. dollar. Let me conclude by saying that these hard times, caused again by the economic hardships outside Turkmenistan, have not stopped this government from spending money on magnificent projects. Look at Ashgabat, the "White City," recognized in 2013 by the Guinness Book of Records as having the highest density of white marble-clad buildings. That's something to be proud of. I know most of you don't live or work in any these buildings -- very few people do -- but you do sometimes pass them. They look good, don't you think? And I'll add that the city looks much better without all those air conditioners local authorities ordered to be removed from the outside of buildings. These were only needed for the four or five months of the year when the temperature was over 40 Celsius anyway, so most of the year they were useless. And work continues at Awaza, our resort area on the Caspian Sea. We've spent billions of dollars designing Awaza and building the luxurious five-star hotels that line our Caspian coast there, hotels that already have 20 to 30 percent occupancy, on occasion. The government continues to support the arts. I don't need to remind anyone about that massive statue of yours truly on horseback in downtown Ashgabat that was unveiled in May 2015. That gold leaf really brings out the character in that work, don't you think? And I personally have been hard at work writing new books for my people to read -- 40 so far, seven this year alone. I have been working equally hard writing new songs and will continue to appear on state television performing them for you. To close, I want to speak to each and every one of you, the people of Turkmenistan, whether you're employed, or partly employed, or unemployed, a supporter of the government or one of those being treated at state expense for psychological problems, those of you who are content and those who authorities are currently trying to help find the correct, state-approved path to inner happiness. Cast your vote for me, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, on February 12. I've been your president for 10 years, and thanks to another of those amendments passed in September, there is no age limit for running for president now, so I'll be your president for who knows how long? Thanks and vote on election day! We'll know if you don't. Farruh Yusupov and Toymyrat Bugaev of RFE/RL's Turkmen Service contributed to this report The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL Thousands of people have paid their last respects to a top separatist commander in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. At least 5,000 mourners queued on October 19 outside Donetsk's opera theater, where the body of Arseny Pavlov, a Russian citizen who was better known by the nickname Motorola, was displayed. The ostentatious memorial ceremony was shown live on Russian state television. Pavlov, 33, died on October 16 when a bomb exploded in his apartment block in Donetsk. He headed a fighting force called the Sparta battalion. A top Donetsk separatist leader blamed the Ukrainian authorities for the blast and said the killing amounted to a "declaration of war," sparking concerns of new violence by separatists whose war with Kyivs forces has killed more than 9,600 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax KYIV -- A group of nationalists has violently interrupted an LGBT film event in western Ukraine, an activist says. Olena Shevchenko, an activist for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, wrote on Facebook that police did "nothing" to prevent the group of right-wing Azov and Pravy Sektor battalion members from disturbing the October 18 event in the city of Chernivtsi. Pictures shared on social media show some members wearing masks and rubber gloves, while others wore military fatigues. Contacted by RFE/RL on October 19, Shevchenko said the nationalists were around 50 in number. She also said two men -- one Ukrainian and one German -- suffered light injuries after being attacked by Azov members. Around 20 people had come to the venue to watch the 2015 documentary film "This is Gay Propaganda." Directed by a Ukrainian-Canadian filmmaker, it follows the progress of the Euromaidan revolution and the conflict in eastern Ukraine through interviews with members of Ukraine's LGBT community. LGBT advocates say the community is being ignored by Ukraine's pro-Western government as homophobic attacks continue. State media reports in Uzbekistan say nine people, including six soldiers, have been killed in the crash of a military helicopter in the eastern part of the country. The reports say the crash of a Soviet-designed Mi-171 transport helicopter occurred on October 18 in Uzbekistan's Fergana region near the border with Kyrgyzstan. A Defense Ministry statement described the crash of its helicopter as an "accident" that killed all three crew members and six soldiers on board. Uzbekistan's Defense Ministry has set up a special state commission to investigate the crash. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Uzreport We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Richmond-based Dominion Resources has acquired the development rights to a 60-megawatt solar facility in Currituck County, N.C., near the Virginia border, as part of a power purchase agreement with three Boston institutions looking to cut their carbon footprints. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology said in a news release that it will buy electricity for at least 25 years, along with Boston Medical Center and the Post Office Square Redevelopment Corporation, from the 650-acre Summit Farms facility near Moyock which it called the largest renewable energy project ever built in the U.S. through an alliance of diverse buyers. MIT said the purchase from the facilitys 255,000 solar panels, which will begin operation by the end of the year, is equivalent to 40 percent of its current electricity use and will neutralize 100 percent of electricity consumption for both the Boston Medical Center, a nearly 500-bed facility that is the primary teaching affiliate of Boston University, and the redevelopment corporation, which manages a park and parking garage. The financial terms were not disclosed. We are pleased to partner with these three outstanding organizations to add more carbon-free generation to the electric grid, said Paul D. Koonce, CEO of the Dominion Generation Group, which oversees 25,700 megawatts of electric generating capacity in 11 states, including solar in operation or under development in eight states. We will continue to seek similar opportunities helping large and small energy consumers alike reduce their carbon footprint. Dominion has committed to build at least 500 megawatts of solar electric generating capacity by 2020. Six facilities, ranging from the 80-megawatt Amazon Solar Farm in Accomack County to the 17-megawatt Scott Solar facility in Powhatan, are expected to begin operation this year and next. *** In other solar news, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the permitting of a new 20-megawatt solar farm in New Kent County under development by Correctional Solar LLC, a subsidiary of Virginia Solar. The development, near New Kent Highway and Mt. Nebo Road, which will generate enough electricity to power about 3,400 homes. Construction is projected to begin in early 2017 and is expected to last six to nine months. The New Kent County facility is the second Virginia Solar project to receive a permit by rule from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, a regulatory framework for non-utilities to develop power generation. A Richmond man was denied bond Wednesday in connection with an August homicide in the Ginter Park area off of Chamberlayne Avenue. Demontrell C. Hurdle, 30, of the 3900 block of Chamberlayne Avenue, has been charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the death of Desmond L. Holmes, 32, of the 7900 block of Tamarind Place in Henrico County. Meanwhile, police are still looking for a second suspect in the shooting, which occurred around midnight Aug. 21 in the 3900 block of Chamberlayne Avenue. Bernardo L. Jones Sr., 20, of Richmond is wanted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Jones is described as being 6 feet tall, weighing about 190 pounds and having black hair and brown eyes. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who sees him is asked to call police immediately. According to court records, a witness talked to detectives 10 days after Holmes death, and again Oct. 5, but with a different account. The first time, the witness told detectives that Holmes had gotten into an argument with a neighbor in the apartment complex and then encountered two unknown men on the steps of the building. The witness went into an apartment when gunshots were heard. Earlier this month, the witness identified Jones as one of the men on the steps who pulled a gun before the witness went inside. The second man was described only as a man with a hat and beard, according to court records. The witness also said Holmes never argued with the upstairs neighbor. Police recovered a black 9 mm pistol near Holmes body. Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Sharon M. Carr said it is believed that the gun, which had its safety mechanism activated, was Holmes. Also found at the scene were four shotgun shell casings and seven .40-caliber cartridges, which indicates there were two shooters, Carr said. A jury trial has been set for Hurdle on Feb. 16. Anyone with any information about this shooting is asked to call Major Crimes Detective Amira Sleem at (804) 646-3871 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. A former teacher at Huguenot High School began a two-month jail sentence Wednesday after pleading guilty to a pair of misdemeanor charges of sexual battery involving an underage male student attending the school. Courtney B. Stewart, 25, of the 3600 block of West Broad Street, was originally charged in March with two counts of taking indecent liberties while in a supervisory role. Both are felonies, but a plea agreement reduced the charges to misdemeanors. Richmond Circuit Court Judge Phillip L. Hairston ordered that Stewart have no contact with the victim, and she must register as a sex offender. Stewart, a Richmond native, was an exceptional-education teacher at Huguenot. It is unclear whether the student was in her class. Stewart began as a substitute with Richmond Public Schools in February 2013, and was hired for her first full-time teaching position in August 2015, according to Kenita Bowers, a spokeswoman for the schools. After her arrest, Stewart was suspended without pay, and her contract was not renewed in June, Bowers said. Stewart is no longer eligible to work in the school district in any capacity, Bowers said. A graduate of Maggie L. Walker Governors School and Virginia Commonwealth University, Stewart participated in a nontraditional graduate degree program at VCU called the Richmond Teacher Residency, which requires a four-year commitment and trains teachers to work in some of Richmonds toughest schools. Court records show the first alleged assault occurred between Nov. 24, 2015, and Dec. 24, 2015, and the second happened sometime in February. The alleged victim was the same in both cases, the records said. Detectives were investigating whether there were additional victims, but no other charges have been filed. Hairston found Stewart guilty Wednesday and sentenced her to 12 months in jail on each count. Per the plea deal, Hairston suspended one sentence completely and 10 months of the second. Ms. Stewart does wish to start her sentence today, defense attorney Craig Cooley said. He asked Hairston to give her credit for time served, about two days, when she was first arrested. Shes accepted responsibility and is ready to move on, Cooley said after court. Stewart was poised as the judge questioned her, though a crumpled tissue was balled in her hand as a sheriffs deputy escorted her to a holding cell. The Rev. Derik Jones, pastor of First Baptist Church of South Richmond, sat with the family during the short hearing and consoled them afterward. Jones currently serves on the school board, though he is not seeking re-election and his term ends this year. This doesnt define her career, doesnt define her, Jones said. This is the first step to moving on to a great career in what shes trained to do. With the elections less than three weeks away, candidates competing in two of the regions congressional districts are airing their differences not so much in debates, but in debates about debates. In the heavily Republican 7th District, Rep. Dave Brat, R-7th, and Democratic challenger Eileen Bedell, a lawyer from Bon Air, have yet to agree to a debate. In the redrawn and newly Democrat-leaning 4th District, state Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, withdrew from a forum with Henrico Sheriff Mike Wade, the Republican candidate, scheduled for today in Chesapeake, over a disagreement on the rules with the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. Debates can be risky for candidates, especially for front-runners who feel they have more to lose than to gain by engaging with a rival who is eager to knock them off stride or to prompt a headline-grabbing gaffe. Campaigns battle over rules and sponsors, seeking to gain or neutralize advantage, balancing the risk of participating with the danger of being perceived as unwilling to test their worthiness in a face-to-face encounter. In the 2014 Republican primary, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, did not debate Brat despites Brats requests. The tea party-backed Brat went on to an upset. Later that year, Brat and Democratic Jack Trammell, then both Randolph-Macon College professors, participated in three debate-like events before the general election. This year, Bedells campaign is accusing Brat of trying to avoid a debate most recently with Brats camp turning down a request to appear with Bedell at a forum hosted by the Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond. Two dates were offered Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 but Brat said he had previously committed to events on both nights. That did not convince Democrats. I am disappointed that Dave Brat cannot seem to eke out the time for even one debate or forum, said Abbi Easter, 7th District Democratic chairwoman. He owes his constituents better than that. Bedell campaign manager Grant Hallmark accused Brat of cowardly behavior. We are immensely disappointed that our opponent and Trumps surrogate, committee member, and supporter in Virginia Dave Brat has refused to debate Eileen Bedell during this election season, he said in a statement. In an interview, Brat called the Bedell accusations false, noting that a previous invitation to debate from a group came during the congressional session. He said Bedells camp has yet to contact his office, and questioned whether Bedell really wanted to debate after all. If they want a debate, they should call my office, which they have not done yet, Brat said. I want a rational debate with anyone on the most significant issues of the day, he added, citing the economy, small businesses and foreign policy among the areas he would like to discuss. But Brat said he would not debate in an environment that is not fair or one that degenerates into a food fight thats what my competition wants. In the 4th District, McEachins camp walked from the Hampton Roads forum when the organizer would not require candidates to only use video from the event in political ads if a candidates full response was included. McEachin and Wade shared a debate stage earlier in the election cycle. They are scheduled to debate again from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at WCVE studios in Chesterfield. It will be broadcast live on radio at 88.9 WCVE FM. It also will be webcast at ideastations.org/listen. Thats not kept Wades campaign from going after the Democrat, calling him Dodging Don. It is a shame that my opponent refuses to come down and debate the issues for the voters of Chesapeake, Wade said in a statement. As both he and I are from the Richmond region of the district I personally feel it is necessary to reach out and discuss the issues and our plans with the voters in Hampton Roads. Sadly, Dodging Don doesnt agree, but with a voting record so out of touch with 4th District families, can we really blame him? McEachin responded that, Unfortunately, my opponent, like his good buddy Donald Trump, has decided to resort to nasty name-calling instead of dealing in facts. This campaign should be about the issues, not schoolyard taunts. In Hampton Roads, my opponent refused to accept a fair set of rules. He demanded the right to use out-of-context clips in attack ads, McEachin said. I am a strong believer in open and honest discussion of the issues, but not the kind of misleading gotcha attacks we are all so tired of. The 4th District seat is coming open because Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, bolted the district to run in the 2nd District, anchored in Virginia Beach, in a bid to succeed retiring Rep. Scott Rigell, R-2nd. Forbes lost the Republican primary to Del. Scott W. Taylor, R-Va. Beach. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is returning to Virginia this weekend for a rally at Regent University in Virginia Beach, the strongest signal yet that his campaign has not given up on Virginia. The rally at the Christian university is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, according to Trumps official schedule. Gates will open at noon. Polls have shown Democrat Hillary Clinton with a wide lead over Trump in Virginia. Last week, the Trump campaign pushed back on reports it was pulling out of the state, saying some of its staff members were being temporarily relocated to North Carolina and insisting the campaign still intends to compete in Virginia. The rally will be Trumps first in Virginia since the campaign fired former state chairman Corey Stewart for his participation in an Oct. 10 protest outside the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington. Gov. Terry McAuliffes office said Wednesday that the governor agrees that voter registration should be extended in Virginia due to a surge in website traffic that crashed the online registration system ahead of Mondays deadline. A civil rights group filed a federal lawsuit against the state Tuesday that seeks a three-day extension of the registration period to accommodate would-be voters who couldnt register through the website Sunday and Monday. Though the case has yet to be heard by a judge, McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said the governor agrees with the goal of the lawsuit. Hes asked the attorney general to work with the court to get the most expedited ruling possible, Coy said. He agrees with the request. He thinks its a reasonable request. He expects the judge will agree as well. McAuliffes office said Tuesday that the governor has no power to extend the deadline on his own because the date is fixed in state law. Given that he has no authority, the only vehicle for that would be a court ruling requiring an extension of the period, Coy said. The Washington-based Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed the suit Tuesday night in federal court in Alexandria on behalf of two voter registration groups and a Charlottesville couple who were locked out of the system. A hearing has been scheduled for this morning, according to the office of Attorney General Mark R. Herring. Coy pointed to a recent court ruling in which a federal judge extended Floridas voter registration deadline due to disruptions caused by Hurricane Matthew, saying it could serve as a precedent for the Virginia case. Virginia election officials said their online voter registration system had slowed to the point of being nearly completely unresponsive as Mondays 11:59 p.m. deadline approached. Several people told the Richmond Times-Dispatch they tried to register for hours, but repeatedly saw an error message saying File not found. A poll conducted for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce finds that Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 9 percentage points in Virginia and that a plurality would back moving the Washington Redskins stadium from Maryland to Virginia. The poll also finds that 55 percent back the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline as described in the survey. The poll is based on telephone interviews conducted Oct. 12-15 with 500 likely voters. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. The poll, released on the day of the third and final presidential debate, found that Democrat Clinton receives 47 percent in Virginia to 38 percent for Republican Trump, 3 percent for Libertarian Gary Johnson, 2 percent for independent Evan McMullin and less than 1 percent for Green Party nominee Jill Stein. As for the Redskins, Gov. Terry McAuliffe has been courting the team, which is looking for a new stadium site. The Redskins have said they want to announce a new stadium 10 years out, which would be next year. The survey found that 46 percent would back the Redskins moving their stadium from FedEx Field in Maryland to a new stadium in Northern Virginia, while 21 percent would oppose it. The survey found that just 23 percent back state tax incentives for the team to make such a move, while 68 percent oppose it. Regionally, the strongest support for putting the stadium in Northern Virginia comes from voters in the Richmond media market, with 54 percent in support of the idea and 19 percent against it. There also was support for Dominion Resources Inc., the Richmond-based energy company, leading the $5 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline project. In the poll, 55 percent say they support the pipeline, as described in the survey, and 29 percent oppose it, with 16 percent unsure. According to the pollster, voters were read the following description: There is a proposal to build an underground natural gas pipeline called the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The pipeline would bring domestically produced natural gas to families and businesses in Virginia and North Carolina to meet energy and electricity needs. The pipeline would begin in West Virginia, travel across Virginia, and end in Eastern North Carolina. Regionally, support was at 54 percent in the Washington area, 56 percent in the Richmond area, 57 percent in the Roanoke area and 58 percent in the Norfolk area, according to the poll. A proposed right to work constitutional amendment is on the state ballot Nov. 8. The survey found that 69 percent of voters support Virginias right to work law, described in the survey as meaning it protects workers from being forced to join a union as a condition of employment. The survey found that 55 percent said they would back making right to work part of the state constitution, with 32 percent saying they would vote against it. The poll was conducted by The Tarrance Group, which describes itself as one of the most widely respected and successful Republican strategic research and polling firms in the nation. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. TWO pen pals who have been corresponding over the Atlantic Ocean for more than seven decades with hundreds of letters travelling east and west have been reunited. Dee Gray (83), of East Bawtry Road, Wickersley, has been a pen pal with Charlotte Boyd (83), of Duluth in Minnesota, in the USA for 72 years. This week, they came face-to-face again as Charlotte spent ten days in Rotherham one of a handful of times the pair have met up. Charlotte also got the chance to meet Margaret Barker (82), of Killamarsh, who has been writing to her and her late twin sister Charlene for 72 years. Dee said that the long correspondence began in 1944 when she was 12 and her Rotherham school received a copy of a Duluth newspaper asking for people to become pen pals with people from the Minnesota city. Dee chose Charlotte from the list. Charlottes sister also started writing to Margaret and it was only a few years ago that Charlotte found out that her own pen pal lived in the same area. Dee said that she enjoyed writing to Charlotte from the very beginning. We had come through the war and it was lovely to receive a letter, she said. Dee said that Charlottes letters often included items such as stockings and sweets from her mothers shop real treats in the rationing years. For Charlotte, writing to Dee helped her discover more about the UK, and in particular the Royal Family. Charlotte said: It was far away but we looked up everything we could to find out about England in the hope that some day we would actually meet. They first got together in the early 1990s when Dee travelled to the USA and Charlotte visited here in 1999 for the first time. She said: I dont want to say Rotherham was quaint but I was impressed at how tight-knit the community is, with the flowers and window boxes. You have saved a lot of your history in your architecture. But I have to listen carefully and ask for a repeat because I dont catch the accent here. Charlotte, who has lived in Duluth since 1970, has two grandchildren, was a stenographer and secretary for many years and later began to offer voluntary help to Vietnamese people. Dees career has included work as an ice cream seller, tram conductress and in the sewing trade. The friends agreed that travelling to each others countries was something of a culture shock. Dee said that the USA is so vast, while Charlotte said: England is about the size of Alabama, and certainly more populated. Trying to fit this country and all its history into Alabama is quite perverse. Dee said that the pair now wrote more frequently than ever about once a month while Charlotte revealed she carries Dees latest letter around with her so she can re-read it. She added: We are part of each others families and have shared each others lives. Dee, who has six grandchildren, said that young people these days seemed to prefer using electronic media such as Skype rather than writing letters. But she prefers pen and paper, adding: I like to get a letter. Mrs Barker, who wrote mainly to Charlottes twin sister, spent her 82nd birthday recently with Dee and Charlotte and said that writing letters had been a pleasure. Margaret said: We used write regularly about what we had been doing and it was like reading a story. Its sad that people dont write letters now. DiamondCorp said underground mining has resumed at its Lace mine in South Africa following a government shutdown last week. Its underground operations were suspended due to a fire incident. Consequently the third party with whom it had been in advanced talks for the provision of a convertible debt facility withdrew from such discussions due to the adverse movement in the company's share price. DiamondCorp was looking to raise additional equity and/or debt from one or more parties of between 2.5 million and 3.0 million in the near term to cover the anticipated cash required to fund operations through to commercial production and positive cashflow from operations. The financial impact of the four days of mining lost as a result of the shutdown instruction has been minimised by a rescheduling of programme maintenance and the fact that the mine was ahead of its planned tonnage for the month at the time of the shutdown, said DiamondCorp. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Debswanas Letlhakane mine tailings resource treatment plant project (LMTRTP) is set to be commissioned next year with construction work of the project currently 80 percent complete. The plant will undergo C5 commissioning and attain full production from the third quarter of 2017, Mining Weekly quoted Debswana corporate affairs manager Naledi Dikgomo-Goulden as saying. The construction of the plant commenced in the first quarter of 2015. The objective of the project was to deliver sustained and profitable operations at Letlhakane beyond the end-of-life of openpit mining. The LMTRTP was expected to achieve a yearly production of 800 000 carats of diamonds and would provide specifically designed mining and treatment solutions to ensure optimal economic recovery of the coarse tailings mineral resource, thereby extending the life-of-mine by 25 years, Mining Weekly reports. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished According to World Gold Council, although a weaker appetite for jewellery and slowing economy could curb purchases, demand for gold from China, the top consumer will remain strong at around 900-1,000 tons next in year 2017, which is almost 2015 levels. On the fringes of an industry conference in Singapore, Roland Wang, managing director for China at the World Gold Council told Reuters, "We believe we may keep a certain level of about 900-1,000 tonnes of annual consumption (in 2017), but it may face some challenges especially on the jewellery side and also it depends on the price and China's own economic situation." He also expects demand in 2016 to be at around 900-1,000 tonnes. China's gold demand reached 984.5 tons in 2015. Wang said jewellery traders were seeing "more demand for gold bars since late September" with investors seeking alternate investment options amid China's housing market curbs. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished He was from one of the most prominent branches of the royal family after that of the direct descendants of King Abdulaziz, who founded the modern Saudi state in 1932. Most death penalties in Saudi Arabia are carried out by beheading in a public square. It was unclear how many people watched the execution of Prince Turki on Tuesday. This was a strict interpretation of Shariah law. The greatest thing is that the citizen sees the law applied to everyone, and that there are not big people and other small people, Abdul-Rahman al-Lahim, a prominent Saudi lawyer commented. Saudi Arabia is one of the worlds few remaining absolute monarchies. In 1975, when Prince Faisal bin Musaid was beheaded in Riyadh for assassinating King Faisal. Ahead of the third and final presidential debate in Las Vegas, the results of a Monmouth University poll show Hillary Clinton has jumped ahead of Donald Trump among likely Nevada voters. Forty-seven percent of likely Nevada voters said they support Clinton, while 40 percent back Trump. Another 7 percent intend to vote for Libertarian Gary Johnson and 2 percent said they will choose Nevada's unique "none of these candidates" option. The seven-point lead for Clinton in the latest poll compares to a survey conducted last month showing Trump with a 44 percent to 42 percent advantage in Nevada. Monmouth said Clinton's resurgence is due mainly to younger, non-white voters moving into her column over the past month. "We saw this same trend in the national poll Monmouth," said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute. "Historically Democratic groups appear to be coming home to Clinton, especially among male voters in these key voting blocs." The release of the poll results comes ahead of the final face-to-face matchup between Clinton and Trump at the University of Nevada on Wednesday. Political pundits have described the debate as Trump's final opportunity to alter the momentum of the race following the real estate tycoon's slump in the polls amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Despite the shift at the top of the ticket, Monmouth noted that the Nevada Senate race has barely budged since the summer. The poll showed Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., with a 45 percent to 42 percent lead over Democratic former state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. Heck led by a similar 46 percent to 43 percent in September and by 42 percent to 40 percent in July in the race to replace Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The Monmouth survey of 413 Nevada voters was conducted October 14th through 17th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.8 percentage points. (Photo: Lorie Shaull) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News The Swiss stock market ended Wednesday's session with a slight increase, extending the gains from the previous session. The market spent a good deal of the session in negative territory, but broke out higher in the afternoon. A surge in crude oil prices helped to drive the market in late trade, following the release of the U.S. crude inventory report. Traders remained in a cautious mood Wednesday, despite the late day advance. Investors were reluctant to take positions ahead of the European Central Bank announcement Thursday. Traders will also be keeping an eye on the third and final debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton before the U.S. Presidential election. The Swiss Market Index increased 0.24 percent Wednesday and finished at 8,093.78. The Swiss Leader Index climbed 0.60 percent and the Swiss Performance Index added 0.25 percent. Dufry was the top gainer of the session, with an increase of 3.4 percent. Kepler Cheuvreux confirmed its "Buy" rating on the stock, while UBS increased its price target on the stock. Credit Suisse jumped 2.7 percent and continued UBS rose 1.2 percent. Credit Suisse announced that it had reached an agreement with Italian authorities to pay about EUR 100 million to settle a tax case. The bank stocks also received support from the strong quarterly report from U.S. bank Morgan Stanley. Adecco gained 3.0 percent. The stock benefitted from an "Outperform" rating from Credit Suisse and a "Buy" recommendation from Kepler Cheuvreux. The luxury goods companies received a boost from some solid Chinese economic data. Richemont climbed 1.9 percent and Swatch added 1.5 percent. Shares of Actelion also advanced 1.5 percent ahead of its financial report Thursday. The index heavyweights underperformed Wednesday, which limited the upside move for the overall market. Nestle and Novartis both weakened by 0.3 percent, while Roche finished with a gain of 0.1 percent. In the broad market, Barry Callebaut jumped 3.8 percent after a "Buy" rating from Kepler. Helvetia also gained 3.2 percent after it received a "Buy" rating from Baader Helvea. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Hillary Clinton could become the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Arizona in twenty years, according to the results of a new Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News poll. The poll found that 39 percent of likely Arizona voters back Clinton, while 34 percent support Republican rival Donald Trump. Another 6 percent of likely voters favor Libertarian Gary Johnson and less than 1 percent intends to vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. However, nearly 21 percent of likely Arizona voters remain undecided, suggesting the race remains up for grabs less than three weeks before Election Day. Clinton would be the first Democrat to win Arizona since her husband President Bill Clinton's successful run for re-election in 1996. Before Bill Clinton carried the Grand Canyon State, no Democrat had won Arizona since President Harry Truman in 1948. Clinton has recently dispatched a number of high-profile surrogates to Arizona, and her campaign announced Monday it is spending more than $2 million on advertising in the state. The survey of 713 likely Arizona voters was conducted October 10th through 15th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. (Photo: Lorie Shaull) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ... In the last 24 hours, India reported 1,326 new Covid-19 cases and eight cases, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday. ... News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-31. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. Several local companies successful in Best of the Best awards Several local companies them beat out national chains to take top spot in this year's Salina Best of the Best awards. The British High Commissioner, Jonathan Sinclair, has nothing but good things to say about the development of Samoa. In the country for a visit, the Wellington-based diplomat said Samoas progression from a least developing country to a middle income status country has been remarkable to observe from afar. The fact Samoa has moved from the least developing country status into middle-income status, that in itself is indication of Samoas progress over time, he told the Samoa Observer yesterday. Also listening to the governments plan to bring debt back under control the government seems to be taking sensible steps to look at controlling that. When I look at the relationship with Samoa and Samoas progress, I certainly see a country that is well run, well governed and generally prosperous. Its certainly the progress from one income bracket to the next is an international stamp of achievement. Mr. Sinclair said Samoa is extremely valuable to the United Kingdom. In some countries around the world we dont have a mission in the country, he said. So I come over as frequently as I can, probably for four or five months to bolster two way relations between the U.K. and Samoa. The focus of that cooperation is generally in the area of the Commonwealth, our joint work within the Commonwealth; its on issues on sustainable development including protecting the environment and thats an area where the countries of the E.U. and countries in the South Pacific worked very closely last year towards a successful deal in Paris. Then there are areas around good governance, supporting Samoas growth and institutions including some of the bilateral money we spend towards those projects. Theres another area of cooperation which is our scholarship programme, through that we send two bright young Samoans every year to study free of charge at one of our universities for one year masters. Thats the range of work we do while we are here. But what does the U.K. get out of this two-way relationship? There are two or three ways, Mr. Sinclair said. Often relationships are not about what you are going to get out of it, what you often see is cooperation together on the world stage. The most obvious example of that is the climate deal and the continuing work thats going on. So just last night there was a deal in Montreal to reduce H.F.C. gases which will help reduce carbon emissions by 0.5%; 0.5 degrees over the next few decades. So its not always a two way give and take, its often a collaboration on a bigger stage; thats something thats been really important over the last few years and I cant think of a more important global issue that matters to Samoa, U.K. and to New Zealand than stopping the rise of our sea temperatures. Asked whether the Brexit Referendum on the 23rd of June 2016, will cause any problems with Samoa and U.K. relations seeing that the E.U. also provides assistance to Samoa; Mr. Sinclair assures that the U.K. is still going to play their part in the European Development Fund (E.D.F.). The vote was just three months ago; I think its important to say a few things about that, he replied. First of all in the short term, nothing changes so the U.K. remains a member of the E.U. until we leave. Now that sound like a statement of the obvious and it is in a way. But it does mean that we are fully committed to playing our part and that includes the E.D.F. We provide 15% of all the money that comes under the development programme for the Pacific. So the total sum of money is about 590million ($T1,681,500,000) so our share of that is approximately 90million ($T256,500,000), so the U.K. provides 90million to the Pacific, in this from this period 2014-2020. Weve just said that we will commit to that funding until the end of that period. Now its likely that that ends after weve left the E.U. Mr. Sinclair said that what happens after that period is still being worked out. So it reinforces our point that in the short term we are committing to the region, he said. What happens in terms of relations between the U.K. and the Pacific including Samoa, after that date is still being worked out. Its only three months since the referendum and we need to work out what exactly are our strategy is towards all of these countries. Even before the referendum, there was a very important initiative that the U.K. government took called the Commonwealth Marines Economies Programme (C.M.E.P.). This is about five and a half six million pounds, purely from the U.K. to help small island developing states in the commonwealth. There is programme being piloted at the end of November in Fiji and we are inviting people from Samoa Government to come and attend that. So there is one example of us there of us committing to E.U. funds even after beyond the time weve left and another example of engaging with Samoa and other countries in the Pacific. In regards to future plans towards the U.K. and Samoa after the end of the U.Ks E.D.F. period, Mr. Sinclair said they are working that one out. There are four buckets of negotiations that are going on in the U.K. right and we have to work out our strategy, he said. One of them has to do with our relationship with the E.U. we have to disentangle our laws. The second one is to put in place a new relationship between the U.K. and the E.U. There is a third negotiation which is around updating our terms of membership with the W.T.O. And there is a fourth one which is around putting in place new arrangements with third countries. Countries we may have had a F.T.A. with through the E.U. There is quite a lot we have to work out. Whats very clear though is that the government has made it inevitable that the vote in June is not a vote to raise the drawbridge and retreat behind the English Channel. It was a vote that will unleash Global Britain and we are one of the few countries that spend 2% of our G.D.P. on defense and 0.7% of our Gross National Income on aid. All in all, the relationship between the U.K. and Samoa seems to have a bright future. It may sound a bit tripe but I really enjoy coming here and I enjoy the relationship, Mr. Sinclair said. I think there will be for the U.K. the old bump along the way in the next two year but I think at the end of this we will come out really strong. That will mean a lot of opportunities for U.K. and New Zealand, U.K. and Samoa and for other countries in the region. MEXICO CITY (AP) A Chinese-Mexican businessman who had fought extradition from the United States for years has arrived in Mexico. Deputy Attorney General Salvador Sandoval said in a news conference Tuesday that Zhenli Ye Gon would be taken to the maximum-security Altiplano prison. Sandoval showed a live feed of Ye Gon arriving at the Mexico City airport. Ye Gon had been jailed in the United States since July 2007, when authorities seized more than $205 million from his Mexico City mansion, one of the largest drug-related cash seizures ever. Ye Gon claimed chemicals he imported were for use in legitimate prescription drugs. He fought to stay in the United States because he said he couldn't receive a fair trial in Mexico. When many people deny that poverty exists in Samoa, saying lazy people are to blame, things become hard. Does it mean that there are no lazy people in Samoa therefore implying that there is no poverty or is it just a case of delusional denial? For a humble pumpkin farmer Ioane Faaola, from the village of Saleimoa, he is under no illusion that there is no poverty in Samoa. Aged 40, he agrees that the level of poverty in Samoa may not be as bad as those overseas, but there are still some forms of poverty. I do believe there is poverty in Samoa to some extent, Ioane told the Village Voice. The poverty we face in Samoa is not as bad as those other countries but its still poverty nonetheless. People are in the state of poverty because they are lazy. Thats why I work hard with my vegetable stall; I dont ever want to end up in poverty. Ioane continued on to explain that no matter how hard you work, there will always be other factors that hold us back such as the rising cost of living. For us Samoans, if we dont try to work hard to earn some money, we will end up poor, he said. A lot of money goes towards food and other basic needs like water and different obligation as well as cultural practices. The cost of goods these days isnt helping much, the prices of everything keeps climbing but you will only suffer if you start being lazy. No matter how expensive things are, just keep working hard for what you need. Ioane works hard every day to make ends meet through sales of both koko and pumpkins. I take care of my family with what I earn from pumpkin and koko sales, he said. The little I make from selling these vegetables goes straight into taking care of my childrens schooling expenses, taking care of daily meals for my family and other side expenses. I also use the money to take care of my different obligations. Even though he tries his best every day, he still runs into a few bumps along the way. Some days, the sales are really good and I earn quite a bit from the pumpkins but other days I would only be able to sell about three of them, he said. But I still stick to it no matter how well or bad the days are because it provides good money for all of us. Even on very bad days, we are still able to sell a few pumpkins so that means we earn something every day. On a good day I would make about $70. Furthermore, his everyday struggle is worth it because it takes good care of his family. My family is small and no one is employed, its just me, my wife and my children, Ioane said. This is the only way I know how to provide for my family and put my children through school. All our needs may not be met but we still manage to get by this way. We will always make money from selling these vegetables and I have come to realize that why change whats working? The outcomes, achievements and promises of the New Zealand Samoa Trade and Investment Commission (N.Z.S.T.I.C) Business Mission seminar held in Apia this week were celebrated at Letava on Tuesday night. The event, hosted by the office of the New Zealand High Commission in Apia, welcomed the 19-member delegation from New Zealand, led by Tauiliili Fatu Fuatavai, Chairman of the N.Z.S.T.I.C. The delegation made up of representatives of member companies and affiliations in the areas of shipping, freight, infrastructure, industry projects, food and beverage, real estate, farming and banking were engaged in the trade seminar held at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel for two days. Yesterday, they visited Savaii to explore business opportunities there. On Tuesday night though, the President of the Samoa Chamber of Commerce, Tuala Pat Leota, was full of optimism about the mission. New Zealand and Samoa have a long standing partnership and we hope the mission will further strengthen this partnership, he said. The private sector is also mindful of the importance of increasing Samoas trade capacity therefore we welcome any opportunities that have arisen from this trade mission. Tuala said he hopes the mission will mark the start of a strong partnership with the view of more trade missions in the near future. We do hope though, for future trade delegations, to include members of New Zealand business community who are looking to facilitate trade in areas such as Agribusiness and tourism. Those two sectors we believe, are segments of the economy that have the most potential to boost trade between our two countries. In opening the seminar on Monday, New Zealand High Commissioner to Samoa, Jackie Frizelle, said the meeting is timely. The potential trade opportunities linked to Samoa is not to be underestimated. Theres always a lot happening in Samoa; this is a very busy, vibrant and active place, she said. You have all come at a particularly good time, when the economic environment for business development is starting to really come together. Samoa is a welcoming environment for overseas businesses especially for those who want to invest in the future of Samoa and help develop local businesses and partners. The economy here is at a point where a lot of the hard ground work is starting to pay dividends. Next the Tui Cable will be in place, which is expected to lead to faster and cheaper broadband. These benefits will be a game changer for Samoa. Samoan students are among a number of students studying at the University of the South Pacific (U.S.P) who were deregistered for outstanding fees. This meant students affected were declined access to their online notes, denied access to university resources (libraries, labs etc.) and were not permitted to attend remaining classes. This happened while the final exams are just around corner. Among the students affected is June Vaisagote, who is an Australian Aid scholarship student. I have been de-registered because of remaining unpaid accommodation fees, June told the Samoa Observer. I am currently in the process of paying my accommodation through allowance deductions and it is supposed to be cleared in the following week. Unfortunately, with this new policy which was made effective on Monday (17th), we have to come up with the money immediately to pay for the remaining fees instead of waiting for the allowance in two weeks because we were told to pay up all fees by this Friday the 21st in order for us to re-register. This policy has had a huge impact on my studies leading to finals and I am not the only one affected. June said they have two more weeks before finals and yet they were not permitted to attend lectures, access the libraries and other critical learning facilities. We cannot submit assignments and access notes and we need our notes for our preparations for exams. So to put it simply, were banned from the school, she said. This is the last week of classes and we need to put in 100% effort into this and usually hints for the finals are given out on this week but we wont have the opportunity because we are not permitted to attend classes. Rather than the school motivating their student, they have created a situation that has brought us depression and discouragement. According to June, the decision to de-register students has brought nothing but disappointment for all the students. I am disappointed with this decision to de-register students with unpaid fees, she said. Several aspects should have been considered by the VC and policy makers of U.S.P first before approval. Our sponsors have already paid our full tuition and it is only the accommodation that is not yet fully paid. It is quite unfair to ban us from sitting our papers while tuitions are already paid in full. Also they should understand that not all students are from well-off families. This includes both local and international students but mostly private students. Some families may take a little while to get money to pay for their childrens fees. The old policy was to withhold student results until unpaid fees were cleared. This makes more sense, rather than stop the students from sitting exams. We are already under pressure with assignments and upcoming finals and this situation has added onto the burden. In a Fiji Times report, Fijis Shadow Minister for Education, Mika Leawere, has called on the University of the South Pacific Vice Chancellor to step down immediately. Mr. Leawere defines the new policy as an Inhumane policy that dashes all their hard work for the semester at the 11th hour. The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Richard Coll, met with students affected by the policy yesterday to discuss the matter. Contacted for a comment, U.S.P issued the following statement late yesterday evening. It is published in full below: The University of the South Pacific (USP) has re-activated student accounts today, for students who have paid their tuition fees in full but have other outstanding fees. USPs Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Coll announced yesterday evening that the University will allow students who have fully paid tuition fees, but have not paid some other fees such as the general service fee etc., to sit for their examinations and use University facilities (e.g., submit assignments online). However he stated that the University will only release their examination results upon clearance of all outstanding fees. As advised earlier, the University is not de-registering students whose fees are paid by government sponsors and scholarship providers or through Fijis Tertiary Education Loan Scheme (TELS). De-activation is for private students who have not paid tuition fees within the time permissible under the University policy. Majority of these students are from outside Fiji. Over the semester, numerous reminder emails on fee payment deadline and fee instalment payment plans had been sent out to all students, said Professor Coll. Despite this, some students affected have not made any attempt or arrangements to pay their tuition fee. Students have always been allowed to register before the semester begins, and to help them, the University allows them six (6) weeks to pay their fees. In cases where students feel they are not able to meet this deadline, they can make arrangements with the University to pay in instalments for a further four (4) weeks. This is as per our protocol stipulated in the regulations in the USP Handbook & Calendar. The University also has a substantial bursary and scholarship scheme to help financially disadvantaged students, especially those from the region. The University assures that no student will be unduly disadvantaged due to the action taken and once again requesting the students to pay their tuition fees for re-activation of their accounts. The hearing of a motion to quash charges against the suspended Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, has been adjourned for the last time. The decision was made in the Supreme Court yesterday by Justice Lesatele Rapi Vaai. It follows an application from the National Prosecution Office (N.P.O) lawyer, Leone Sua-Mailo for a further adjournment. Mrs. Mailo told the Court the N.P.O. is in the process of engaging an independent prosecutor to handle the matter. She did not say who the independent prosecutor would be but she indicated it would be a lawyer from overseas. Representing Fuiavailiili are lawyers Komisi Koria and Leinafo Taimalelagi. Mr. Koria strongly opposed to the application for another adjournment. He said the matter has been on the list for two months now and that is way too long. The lawyer also reminded that when the matter was called on Monday this week, the prosecutor did not raise any such issue. In our respectful submission, it would be unfair to force my client and some of his family that travelled from Savaii to attend the hearing to further wait for the matter, Mr. Koria said. This matter was mentioned on 29th August for the hearing of our application and I cannot see why the counsel for the prosecution would not be prepared to proceed this morning. I urge the Court to proceed with the matter today. In response, Mrs. Mailo said she had not raised the issue on Monday because circumstances have changed. She insisted it is their view that the matter be further adjourned for the prosecution to engage an overseas independent prosecutor to counter the application to quash the charges. The lawyers were then called into chambers by Justice Lesatele before he adjourned the matter until 11November 2016. I have read both submissions and I was prepared to make several rulings in favour of the applicant in this matter, said the Judge. Fuiavailili is facing charges including unlawful detainment of a person, disorderly conduct in a public place, perjury and making a false statement in relation to the wrongful arrest of a member of the public last year. His legal team is seeking to quash the charges against their client, questioning the legitimacy of the charges. Mr. Koria argued the prosecution does not understand the nature of the allegations against his client and the charges therefore should be dropped. In a civil case, the Police Commissioner is defended by the Attorney Generals office following in lawsuit from member of the public Suitupe Misa for his unlawful arrest in August last year. Lawyer Seuamuli Sarona Ponifasio representing Mr. Misa questioned the conflicting role of the Attorney Generals office with the latest development of the A.G. Lemalu Hermann Reztlaff heading N.P.O. Lemalu was given the powers as Acting Director for N.P.O. following the suspension of N.P.O. Director Mauga Precious Chang and Acting Director Muriel Lui. Seuamuli raised the conflicting role of the A.G. in the Supreme Court last week pointing out that the A.G. is defending the Commission in the civil matter yet prosecuting him in the criminal Court. The Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry tasked to investigate the work of Judges of the Land and Titles Court (L.T.C), Lopaoo Natanielu Mua, has declined to deny or confirm reports the Judges have refused to cooperate with the Inquiry. The M.P. for Vaisigano No. 1 instead told the Samoa Observer he cannot disclose anything. You will see everything when the report comes out, he said. Asked how the Commission is going to compile a report without the views of L.T.C. Judges, Lopaoo said there is a terms of reference for the Commission to follow. The report will be provided to them, he responded. According to a reliable source, the L.T.C Judges were asked to make submissions before the Commission. But the Judges did not agree with how Parliament is going about in this and have not cooperated with the call from the Prime Minister. They declined to make submissions, the Samoa Observer was told. It was not possible to get a comment from the President of the L.T.C., Fepuleai Atilla Ropati. But the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration, Papalii John Taimalelagi denied any knowledge about the claims. Im not aware of it, said Papalii. It might be between them (Commission and Judges) in a written form but I do not know. In Parliament on Tuesday, Lopaoo moved a motion asking for an extension of deadline for their report. He said the Commission needed more time to finish its work. Outside Parliament, Lopaoo told the Samoa Observer there was a lot of work for the Commission to complete. When the Commission was closed, there were about 30 more people who came (late) and wanted to make submissions, he said. We then gave them the opportunity. There were a lot of people who made submissions. In June this year, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi ordered a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the performance of the L.T.C. Judges. Tuilaepa told Parliament the Commission is to submit a report to Parliament for its October sitting. According to the Prime Minister, the privilege of being an L.T.C. Judge was being abused by some Judges who are using the opportunity as a holiday until they reach the age of 70. There needs to be checks for men and women judges of the Land and Titles Court, Tuilaepa said. If the Court does not fix its internal issues, it is the duty of Parliament to make an order with the two third support from the M.Ps in the House Tuilaepa said Parliament could submit an application to the Head of State to remove any Judge who is not performing their role with honesty. There are a few concerns about the criminal Courts which include the District and Supreme Court. But 99 percent of the complaints have shown distress from the public because of decisions from the Land and Titles Court. The truth is no matter how hard we try to make something a 100 percent, we cannot make it a 100 percent because the good wheat will always grow together with the bad ones. The Chinese government is committed to protecting the environment in the Pacific. Yesterday, the Chinese Embassy put money behind this commitment when it presented US$150,000 to the Vailima-based Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (S.P.R.E.P). The presentation made by the Chinese Ambassador to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng, marked 13 years of partnership between China and the organization. The Director General of S.P.R.E.P, Leota Kosi Latu said the donation is a symbol of the strong relationship between China and the Pacific. He commended the effort by the Chinese government in taking the lead on the global stage to address climate change. And as you are aware, the Paris agreement is now coming into force. And I believe that if not for the strong combined effort from China and U.S., the other countries would not have signed the agreement. And we continue to see the strong leadership from China, and that is something we appreciate. And this morning, this is a great opportunity for us to acknowledge that and also thank you for your support, so thank you very much on behalf of S.P.R.E.P and we look forward to strengthening our partnership in the future. Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Leota said China has been giving the same amount of money to S.P.R.E.P every year since 2003. He said there are no specific requirements of the funding. But we do know that in the past, theyve required the use of that funding for climate change activities. So we are looking at using some of that fund on some climate change activities and also we will be looking at some of that fund to support our core business. So we will sit down and have a look at that, but as I said, the Chinese funding to S.P.R.E.P is pretty flexible which is much appreciated, said Leota. Ambassador of China to Samoa, Mr. Xuefeng spoke about the vital role carried out by S.P.R.E.P. As we all know, S.P.R.E.P is an important organization in this region and is playing a more and more significant role in better addressing environmental issueS together with the Pacific Island Countries. The researches, seminars and projects that S.P.R.E.P has done are of both regional and world significance and relevance. He went on to say that the time he had spent here in Samoa as Ambassador has taught him so much about the significant roles of S.P.R.E.P in regards to environmental issues and climate change. I have come to learn more about S.P.R.E.P and realized the importance of the work they are doing. Among the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, most of them are environment related. In the Pacific Island Countries, environment is particularly crucial to the economy's development and peoples everyday life. As a responsible major developing country, China plays high priority on environmental issues. Domestically the Chinese Government has integrated Green Development into it's national strategy of economic and social development. During the G20 Hangzhou Summit concluded last month in China, China and the United States both formally ratified the Paris Climate Change Agreement, a move immediately hailed as a significant advance in the battle against global warming. Here in Samoa, we are committed to join the efforts of the Samoan government in addressing climate change. The Chinese Government and the Chinese Embassy in Samoa attach great importance to cooperation with S.P.R.E.P and have maintained a constructive relationship with S.P.R.E.P over the past years. AL-HUD, Iraq (AP) The mutilated bodies of Islamic State group fighters were still strewn on the ground of this northern Iraqi town on Wednesday. One was burned. Another's face was flattened by abuse. Iraqi troops on the march toward Mosul moved into al-Hud a day earlier and declared it liberated. But they found residents had already risen up and killed many of the militants in the town themselves. With the offensive to recapture Mosul in its third day, Iraqi forces advancing from the south and east are fighting to retake the towns and villages the dot the plains and line the Tigris River leading to the city. At times, they've met fierce resistance, with the militants sending explosives-packed vehicles careening toward the troops' positions. This area has been under control of the militants ever since the summer of 2014, when IS fighters captured Mosul and much of the north in a lightning advance. In al-Hud, a Sunni Arab town on the Tigris, residents saw their chance to get rid of them. On Monday, a man paraded through town with an Iraqi flag in a show of defiance, residents told The Associated Press. IS fighters shot and killed him. A group of residents gathered in a shop, news spread among the hundreds of people living in the town, and soon a crowd turned on the militants. One resident, Ahmed Mohammed, said he and others shot a militant who was hiding by an outhouse behind a shop. "That didn't work. Then one of our guys came and threw a grenade on him from the top," he said. Gasim Mohammed said his father was killed in the uprising against the militants. He kicked the head of one of the bodies. "This one smells like a dog," he said. "I hate them. Anyone I catch, I'll drink his blood. Even if it's a child," he said. It was not clear how many militants had been in the village or how many were killed. The Associated Press saw at least five bodies. The head of the Iraqi military's operations command for Nineveh province where the offensive its taking place confirmed the residents' account. "Before we reached the village they fought them and killed many of them," Maj. Gen. Najim al-Jobori said. On Wednesday, residents were celebrating. Children ran toward an Iraqi military convoy waving peace signs while others threw stones at the bodies of the dead IS fighters. Residents fired celebratory rounds into the air and cars long the main road still flew white flags of surrender. At Qayara air base, near al-Hud, a senior Iraqi general called on Islamic State group fighters in Mosul to surrender. Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati told reporters that up to 6,000 IS fighters are in the city. East of Mosul, troops have moved about a kilometer (half-mile) from Hamdaniyah, a historically Christian town also known as Bakhdida, to the east of Mosul, an Iraqi officer from the 9th Division told the AP. Over the past day, IS sent 12 car bombs against the troops, all of which were blown up before reaching their targets, he said, adding that Iraqi troops suffered a small number of casualties from the mortar rounds. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, did not provide specific figures. At least 5,000 people fled the Mosul area to a refugee camp in northeastern Syria in the last 10 days, with another thousand waiting to enter at the border, Save the Children said. Tarik Kadir, head of the group's Mosul response, said conditions there are "among the worst we've seen." More than 9,000 people in the camp only have access to dirty, untreated water and have to share 16 latrines, leaving the area polluted by human waste "with a looming risk of disease," the group said. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien told the U.N. Security Council that no large-scale displacement of civilians has been reported since the operation began. But he said the U.N. anticipates "a displacement wave of some 200,000 people over the coming weeks, with up to one million displaced in the course of the operation in a worst-case scenario." San Diegos first Ritz-Carlton Hotel, a Whole Foods grocery, housing for all income groups and offices were approved Tuesday by the City Council in what promises to be the biggest, most expensive and densest mixed-use building in the county. This is exactly what we should be doing in downtown San Diego, said Councilman Todd Gloria in advance of the unanimous vote. This level of density would not be appropriate to any other district in San Diego. Located at Seventh Avenue and Market Street, the $400 million project by Cisterra Development is projected to be completed by October 2021. The 39-story building with a rooftop terrace and four levels of underground parking was designed by Carrier Johnson + Culture architects. The project includes a 6,000-square-foot public plaza that matches a similar space to the south in the Sempra Energy corporate headquarters, also developed by Cisterra and designed by Carrier Johnson. Another feature is the retention of the historic Clermont Hotel, which will retain its 53 single-room occupancy units. With this project we wanted to be Class A, right to the top, said Cisterras Jason Wood. The project received support from downtown business groups and the San Diego Building Trades Council but was opposed by the Unite Here Local 30 hotel workers union. They were seeking a commitment from Marriott, which owns the Ritz-Carlton brand, for a card-check neutrality agreement, which means Marriott would not oppose unionization. Instead, the hotel has committed to paying a living wage to all non-tip-earning employees, Wood said. Rick Bates, representing Unite Here, said despite future hotel guests who pay $1,000 or more for a two-night stay, a housekeeper would earn only $6 to clean each room. We dont seem to have a developer interested in that, he said. Bates also cited issues regarding potential contaminated soil issues and other environmental concerns, which Unite Here cited in challenges to the limited environmental impact report filed on the project. Wood said Cisterra is waiting to see if the union sues over the environmental concerns. Under the terms of the disposition and development agreement, Cisterra will pay the city $20 million for the site and a projected $1.5 million in sales, property and hotel room taxes annually. The city Planning Commission is scheduled to vote Oct. 27 on an appeal to the development permits approved by Civic San Diego, the citys downtown planning agency. The commissions action cannot be appealed to the council. The project is unique in many ways to any other development downtown. It includes luxury condos, market-rate apartments, and affordable rental units in addition to the hotel units, all in one tower. The 156,000-square-foot hotel component in a separate tower shares the ground floor podium that covers the block. The design includes a portion with hotel room floors that juts out from the higher tower to connect to the lower office tower at the 20th level. Above the hotel floors will be Ritz-Carlton Residences. Those condos are expected to sell starting at around $2 million each. In an interview prior to the vote, Wood said the project might have been easier to design without the hotel but Cisterra wanted to take advantage of the strategic location between the Gaslamp Quarter and ballpark district. It took a lot of time and a lot of brain power between a lot of smart people over months to figure out how to get everything to work, especially at the ground floor, Wood said. Asked if the project, referred to as 7th & Market, sets a precedent for other similar developments downtown, Wood said, This is a special project, a special circumstance and Im not sure there will be that type of opportunity to mix so many uses on one block. He said financing, being lined up by one unnamed lender, is expected to fall into place once all entitlements are secured. The city has set April 2018 as the date for concluding the property sale. If the project ultimately does not go forward after that date, the land would revert back to the city. 7th & Market at a glance Location: Block bounded by Seventh, Eighth and Island avenues and Market Street Developer: Cisterra Development Cost: $400 million with $20 million land sale by the city, the proceeds going into citys affordable housing trust fund. Financing by one lender is in the works. Schedule: Land sale by April 2018 and construction completed by October 2021; litigation threatened by Unite Here Local 30 hotel workers union. Description: 1.16 million square feet in two towers of 39 stories at 500 feet and 19 stories at 227 feet that share a common base; 887 parking spaces in four levels below and three above ground; preservation of adjacent Clermont Hotel that will include exhibits by the Black Historical Society in recognition of African-Americans heritage downtown. Hotel: Ritz-Carlton, 153 rooms in the levels 20-27 of higher tower. Housing: Below the Ritz-Carlton, 34 affordable apartments in levels 3-5, 125 market-rate apartments in levels 7-19; 59 for-sale Ritz-Carlton condos in levels 28-39;. In adjacent Clermont Hotel, 55 single-room-occupancy units retained. Office: 156,000 square feet in lower tower. Retail: 46,000 square feet including Whole Foods market on second level and accessed from Seventh Avenue street entrance. Other amenities: Roof terrace; pool, fitness center, spa; hotel ballroom; 6,000-square-foot public plaza at Seventh and Market. Almost a year after a massive natural gas leak at a storage facility near Los Angeles forced thousands from their homes, a federal task force on Tuesday released a series of recommendations to help prevent another such incident. We wanted to take advantage of the lessons learned from Aliso Canyon and analyze how we could apply those lessons to the more than 400 underground natural gas storage facilities in the country, said Franklin Orr, an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Energy and one of the co-chairs of the task force, in a conference call with reporters. The task force made 44 specific recommendations in its 83-page report, and the U.S. Department of Transportations Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) plans on issuing a rule by the end of this year to set national standards for underground natural storage sites. Advertisement Were looking at how to make sure that nothing like Aliso Canyon happens any place else in the country, said Marie-Therese Dominguez, PHMSA administrator and co-chair of the task force. Dominguez did not estimate how much the new rule would cost but said the agency has taken part in an integrated effort with states and industry, including a pair of recommendations from the America Petroleum Institute on design, construction and operations of underground storage facilities. Some of the task forces recommendations centered on the aging state of storage sites. About 80 percent of the wells in the nations storage field were completed before 1980, with the pipes at some sites originally designed for oil production instead of natural gas. The task force also called for storage operators to phase out what is called single-point-of-failure well designs that is, requiring a secondary barrier in the casing of a well for added safety. We really need to make sure the aging infrastructure associated with this is strong enough to maintain not only our energy reliability but also public health and preserve our environment, Dominguez said. The task force report also identified 12 of the more than 400 underground storage facilities that, if suffering a major disruption of service, would potentially affect electric reliability by 2 gigawatts or more of generation capacity. California is home to two of those facilities Aliso Canyon, operated by Southern California Gas, and McDonald Island in San Joaquin County, operated by Pacific Gas & Electric. Eight of the 12 are located in the Gulf Coast region five in Mississippi and three in Louisiana. Thats one of the things were also calling for, data that will allow us to do a more detailed analysis of the vulnerabilities that exist there, Orr said. The Aliso Canyon leak occurred on Oct. 23, 2015, and took nearly four months to plug, sickening some residents in Porter Ranch and displacing thousands of households. Estimates say the leak spewed the equivalent of 84,200 metric tons of methane. California state agencies are monitoring the site and still testing the 114 wells at Aliso Canyon. SoCalGas officials said Tuesday the company is reviewing the task forces recommendations. SoCalGas, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, said it has replaced the inner tubing with new pipe at every storage well that has been approved by the states Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) and said more than 40 miles of new piping have been installed. SoCalGas has cooperated fully with the task force and is committed to supporting forward-looking and reasonable regulations that promote safety at natural gas storage facilities, said company spokesman Chris Gilbride. According to the companys website, 98 of Aliso Canyons 114 wells have completed the first phase of testing and 27 have been approved by DOGGR as of Oct. 7. SoCalGas officials said this summer they were hoping some wells could be cleared for injections by September but that has not yet happened. In an investors conference call in August, Sempra executives raised the latest cost figures for the leak to $717 million. The company says it has about $1 billion in insurance coverage and in August said it had about $34 million in recoveries. Aliso Canyon has the largest daily deliverability the amount of gas that can be withdrawn from a storage facility each day of all the storage facilities west of the Rockies, estimated at 1.9 billion cubic feet per day. Energy officials across the state have warned of potential power outages due to Aliso Canyons curtailment. Some critics have said the need for underground natural gas storage sites are overblown but Orr disagreed. I think there is no question that both nationwide and in the L.A. Basin, there is a need for storage at times of highest demand, Orr told reporters. A member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Brad Sherman, D-California, lives in the Porter Ranch community. Sherman issued a statement Tuesday saying the task force recommendations were an important first step in protecting communities. But Sherman also criticized the report for not requiring sub-surface safety shutoff valves on every well. Orr said shutoff valve requirements were discussed. Its a bit of a balancing act because they provide some useful functions but they require more well interventions and more opportunities for maintenance issues and equipment problems, he said. rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski ALSO Southern California natural gas inventories flat Last of the Porter Ranch residents back home Aliso Canyon maybe used as energy backup Most of the five candidates running for three open seats on the Encinitas City Council in November say the city paid far too much for the vacant downtown Pacific View School property, but all it can do now is try to make the best of it. One candidate says she wont second-guess the deal because she wasnt active in city politics when the purchase was made in 2014. Another, who served on the citys negotiating committee, said he believes Encinitas could resell the property for far more than its $10 million purchase price, if the city ever wished to get rid of it. The hopefuls voiced their views during a forum hosted Tuesday night by the Leucadia-Encinitas Town Council. During the event, the two incumbents in the race --- councilmen Tony Kranz and Mark Muir --- sparred several times over the $10 million school purchase, which has long divided them. Kranz negotiated the deal and voted in favor of it; Muir opposed it, saying the price tag was too high. Advertisement On Tuesday night, Muir repeatedly said that he thought Kranz could have obtained a better deal and Kranz repeatedly said that he felt the city got an amazing piece of land at a reasonable price. The fact is that land is priceless, Kranz said at one point, describing how the former school occupies a 3-acre coastal bluff site in the citys downtown. Muir said that the Encinitas Union School District would have sold it for less, and he ought to know --- his wife served on that school board at the time. Shes now a member of the San Dieguito Union High School board. The reality is we paid way too much money for it, Muir said. Fellow candidates Phil Graham and Tony Brandenburg agreed with him. Graham, who has endorsed Muir, said the city shouldnt have purchased the land because it didnt have a plan for its use. If you were in business, you just wouldnt act that way, said Graham, a manager at a research facility who has stepped down from his job to seek elected office. Brandenburg, a city planning commissioner and a retired judge, said he wouldnt have agreed to purchase the property for $10 million, but added that the deal is done. Theres no backing up on this, he said. The final candidate in the race Tasha Boerner Horvath, who serves on the Planning Commission with Brandenburg and has been endorsed by Kranz said she wasnt active in city politics when the council made the decision. She called it a difficult topic and said she wanted to look to the propertys future, not its past. We need to make this the best it can be, she said, adding that shes heard from people that theres a lot of potential for the property which is proposed to become a city arts center. The five candidates also divided along the same lines when it came to a question about reworking the citys roadways to accommodate bicyclists. Brandenburg said the city should make its downtown pedestrian and bicycle friendly, but shouldnt put bike lanes all over the city, particularly in the eastern, more rural regions because that could impact commuter vehicle traffic. Youre absolutely right, Graham said, indicating that he was surprised to find Brandenburg shared his view. Muir said he thought bike lanes wouldnt work in some neighborhoods. Kranz said Encinitas needs to pursue bicycle route projects that connect the citys eastern edges to the coastal, north-south railroad corridor trail project, which the regional San Diego Association of Governments is funding. Boerner Horvath agreed, saying people east of Interstate 5 would like to bike to the beach. There was one area where Brandenburg disagreed with all of the other candidates --- he opposes Measure T, the city-sponsored housing plan thats on the November ballot, saying theres no guarantee that it will add any much-needed, low-income housing to Encinitas. The other candidates, who have all supported the measure, said Tuesday that it complies with state law and will help keep the city from getting sued by developers. Henry is a freelance writer in Encinitas Poway could save more than $15 million in design and construction costs by partnering with the YMCA of San Diego on a jointly owned community/senior center, according to estimates the nonprofit agency recently provided to the city. On Tuesday night, the council agreed to let the YMCA spend about $40,000 to conduct a telephone survey asking Poway residents exactly what services theyd want in the building. Sometime early next year the survey results will be presented to the City Council, which would have to decide whether to enter into an agreement with the YMCA. Construction proposals submitted by eight different companies to build a city-only community/senior center recently came in much higher than expected between $20 and $28 million leading several members of the council to say those plans may have to be scrapped in favor of something cheaper, no matter what happens with the YMCA. Advertisement Poway has already set aside $8 million for the community center construction and the city was tentatively planning to finance the remaining construction costs through bonds, which would take many years to pay off. City Manager Tina White said the YMCA estimates a 36,000-square-foot community center comparable in size to the one in the citys preliminary design could be built for about $11 million through a partnership with the Y. In a letter to the council, the YMCA said if the city paid the full cost of the project, the center could be built within two years. The YMCA said if the city paid for 75 percent of the project, the center could be built within 36 months and if the city funds 50 percent of the project, it could be built in 40 months. A number of people Tuesday night spoke against the partnership. Though some of the speakers were candidates running for City Council, others were seniors who use the current center. Leslie Hoffman, the executive director of the senior center for the past 16 years, urged the City Council not to pursue the deal with the YMCA. She said shes worried the services the senior center provides wont be met by the agency. There is not one member of the senior center that supports this, Hoffman said. There is not one member on our board who supports this. She asked the council members to reconsider their position. Your citizens have spoken. Please, please reconsider this proposal and please consider the services we provide. The council made it clear no decisions have been made and all they were doing was agreeing to let the YMCA do the survey. But they all also reiterated their position that the possibility of saving so much money on a project that was already running the risk of being killed because of the high costs was a fiduciary duty they had to explore. I see this as a tremendous opportunity to gain professional and scientific input, whether or not we end up going with the Y or whether we end up going someplace else, said Mayor Steve Vaus. He said with the YMCA offering to pay for the survey we would be foolish not to take advantage of that. Councilman Barry Leonard said the YMCA has approached the city with a proposal to do us a favor. He said the council is not committing to anything. They are an invited guest and they are bringing something to the table. LAuberge Del Mar is the No. 1 hotel in Southern California, according to the latest luxury rankings to be unveiled. In its 2016 Readers Choice Awards, the prestigious high-end travel publication Conde Nast Traveler lauded the 121-room boutique hotel in the heart of Del Mar for having spectacular ocean views that take your breath away. It was the first time LAuberge Del Mar has taken the top spot in any of the categories in the magazines annual list. Advertisement We are certainly delighted to be named the number one Top Hotel in Southern California by this highly selective group of travelers, said LAuberge general manager Terry Buchholz, in a statement. Conde Nast Travelers awards, which will appear in the magazines November issue, was a nice welcome to Buchholz, who was just named G.M. earlier this month. With its bounty of luxury properties and resorts, San Diego did well overall in the poll, which surveyed over 300,000 readers, more than double the number who participated in 2015. In the category of Top 15 Large Cities in the U.S., San Diego ranked No.10, right behind Seattle and ahead of Washington, D.C. New York, Chicago and San Francisco placed 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Perennially hip destinations like Portland, Nashville and Austin made the list but Los Angeles did not. Besides LAuberge Del Mar, three other San Diego hotels were cited among the best in Southern California: the Fairmont Grand Del Mar (6); Omni San Diego Hotel (8) and Marriott Marquis San Diego (9). Once again, San Diego County dominated the list of Top Resorts in Southern California, taking nine of the 25 entries in a swanky region that spans from Santa Barbara to Dana Point and Palm Springs. Five placed in the Top 10: Cal-a-Vie (2); Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa (4); Park Hyatt Aviara Resort (6); Rancho Bernardo Inn (8); and Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (9). The editors of Conde Nast Traveler, however, predicted that Californias upscale resort dynamic was undergoing a major shift. A number of new properties are set to open in Napa and Sonoma in 2017, the magazine said. With so many people now traveling for good wine, SoCals monopoly on Left Coast resorts may just be shifting north. For the readers poll, hotels were judged based on a five-point scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor) in the areas of rooms, service, food, design, location, activities/facilities, and value. With its beach cottage-chic decor, intimate fire-pit lighted spaces, award-winning spa and fine dining restaurant, Kitchen 1540, LAuberge Del Mar scored 96.10 out of 100. That puts it in striking distance of the Top 10 hotels overall in the U.S. at No. 10 was the JW Marriott Austin, with a score of 96.71. Just over the border, in Tecate, Rancho La Puerta nabbed the No. 4 spot out the Top 25 hotels in Mexico (Western). The venerable destination resort recently added three luxury suites to the spa retreats property. Twitter: @sdeditgirl michele.parente@sduniontribune.com When it debuted in 1950, the pioneering TV variety program Your Show of Shows became such a sensation that Americans soon felt they knew the performers who crossed their tiny black-and-white screens every week. But North Coast Rep artistic director David Ellenstein actually did know some of them or would, in later years. I crossed paths with quite a number of them, says Ellenstein, who grew up in a show-biz family led by his father, the late television and stage actor-director Robert Ellenstein. Advertisement Among those he became acquainted with were such now-legendary figures as Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, both of whom were writers on Your Show of Shows. He also met Sid Caesar a version of whom Ellenstein now happens to be playing in North Coast Reps Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Neil Simons autobiographical 1994 ode to his own experiences as a writer for the program. Laughter on the 23rd Floor When: In previews. Opens Saturday. 7 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Through Nov. 20. Where: North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. Tickets: $39-$50 (discounts available) Phone: (858) 481-1055 Online: northcoastrep.org Caesar was the co-star (with Reiner, Imogene Coca and Howard Morris) and de facto ringleader of Your Show of Shows, a live program that deeply influenced much of TV to come. And Ellensteins encounters with the high-intensity actor (much later in Caesars life) came under somewhat telling circumstances. Ellenstein made ends meet as a bartender while launching his own acting career, and each year he worked a holiday party hosted by the actress Connie Stevens in L.A. Caesar, he recalls, was always there. And he spent a lot of time at the bar. The hard-driving performer had lifelong troubles with substance abuse, a reality that comes up in Laughter on the 23rd Floor. At one point in the play, his colleagues almost try to do a mini-intervention, says Ellenstein, who plays a fictionalized version of Caesar named Max Prince. Hes warring with the network, and they talk about how much he drinks and how many pills he takes. Still, the play, which had a healthy Broadway run but has not been staged locally in years, shapes up as a really funny and ultimately kind of poignant look at Caesars (and Simons) life and times. The veteran director Tom Markus is staging the Solana Beach theaters revival of the piece, with a cast that includes such NCRT favorites as Phil Johnson, Louis Lotorto, Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper, Omri Schein, Amanda Sitton and Christopher M. Williams, plus newcomers Brett Alters and Caroline Drage. Ellenstein is also returning to the NCRT stage for the first time since his turn in another Simon work, Chapter Two, in 2015. I like getting back onstage once in a while, he says. Its really hard on my life. But its really good for me, both as the artistic director and as an artist, to get back in touch with what our actors are going through. As for playing Max: Its a sizable role, and hes an intense fellow. Its full-out. Ellenstein adds: I look at the play as Neil Simons valentine to those days, because all those guys talk about (the show) as being the height of creativity in their lives. And while Caesar struggled mightily to find happiness in his life, great comedy comes out of personal pain, and being able to turn that hostility around and look at it in a funny way. DID YOU KNOW? When Sid Caesar died in 2014, Mel Brooks called him maybe the best comedian to ever practice the trade. Twitter: @jimhebert jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com The small, densely populated city of Huntington Park is peppered with schools, about two dozen in 3 square miles. At least 10 are charters, and city leaders contend theyre bringing in unwanted traffic. Their solution is to try to ban new charter schools. Huntington Park City Council members voted 4 to 1 late Tuesday to extend a moratorium on new charter schools until September 2017. Both charter advocates and opponents were at the council meeting, each side armed with public speakers, wearing color-coordinated T-shirts and carrying signs. Advertisement At the back of the chambers, one woman sat holding a white poster above her head that proclaimed, Give us a chance and Save our charter schools. On the side of the full room, another woman stood holding a yellow poster in front of her that read, Stand up to unregulated charter schools! Outside the meeting room, people on both sides lined the hallway. Some argued with each other about their goals, while others cheered loudly when they heard something they liked. During public comment, parents and teachers addressed the council in English and Spanish, with charter parents extolling the quality education their kids receive because of school choice, while teachers from United Teachers Los Angeles talked about the schools theyve taught in for years and supported city officials efforts to ban new charter schools for a year. Last month, Huntington Park City Council members voted 4 to 1 to place a temporary, 45-day moratorium on new charters in the city. On Tuesday, they voted to extend that restriction for 10 months and 15 days, effectively making the ban yearlong. Charter schools are publicly funded but often are privately run. Unlike most traditional public schools, they can accept students from anywhere, not just from the neighborhoods around them. Huntington Park Mayor Graciela Ortiz isnt sure drawing students from elsewhere is in the best interest of the city. She also said she wants to see a greater focus on revitalizing businesses. The city once was a cultural and shopping destination for Mexican and Central American immigrants in southeast Los Angeles County, but local businesses have struggled recently. Ortiz says the city needs time to review its zoning policies and determine whether it has room for more schools. Our community has enough [school] options, Ortiz said. Right now our priority is going to be development and finding park space, green space for our kids. In a September report to the council, City Manager Edgar Cisneros used increased traffic to justify the moratorium. Communities within the vicinity of charter schools have experienced impacts to vehicle circulation, parking, and noise, he wrote. Its unclear whether the city has the legal authority to ban new charter schools. School districts, counties and the state are the only bodies that can authorize or reject charter schools. Cities do control zoning, however so if a charter wants to operate in a city, it often must request a municipal conditional use permit. Huntington Park would be on more solid legal ground if the ordinance banned all new schools, including private and parochial ones, UCLA law professor Jonathan Zasloff said It is not clear whether...you can use local land use authority to make education policy, Zasloff said. The California Charter Schools Assn. will consider suing the city if the moratorium passes, its attorney Ricardo Soto said before the meeting. Ortiz said the city would consider placing moratoriums on other schools if they were trying to take up more city space. Thats not the case, she said. Theyre not knocking on our door, Ortiz said. Its charter schools specifically that have been coming. In addition to being mayor, Ortiz is a counselor at Linda Esperanza Marquez High School, a Los Angeles Unified school, and a member of United Teachers Los Angeles. Huntington Parks schools are in L.A. Unified, and the teachers union has opposed charter growth in the district. Both Ortiz and UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl said the union did not influence, or advocate for, the moratorium. At recent City Council meetings, Huntington Park residents have spoken for and against the ordinance. Some parents with children in charter schools say that more charter options are necessary because the neighborhood schools dont provide the same quality of education. On recent state standardized tests, charter students in L.A. Unified performed better than students at traditional schools. The charter school that Maria Pinedos son attends Alliance Collins Family College Ready High School in Huntington Park has smaller class sizes than the neighborhood public schools. She said she thinks the charter pays more attention to her child than those schools would have done. Our kids are succeeding and thats what should matter to them, she said of Huntington Park officials. Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli. Times staff writer Ruben Vives contributed to this report. MORE EDUCATION NEWS LAUSD may take back control of a charter school even though its doing well academically Parents who want their kids in L.A.s most competitive magnet schools face daunting odds Bilingual education has been absent from California public schools for almost 20 years. But that may soon change UPDATES: 11:05 p.m.: This article was updated with information about the Huntington Park City Council vote. This article was originally published at 3 a.m. The father of an unarmed 19-year-old who was shot and killed by Fresno police has sued the city, saying officers should have used less-than-lethal force on his son. The civil lawsuit filed Friday in Fresno County Superior Court comes more than three months after two Fresno police officers shot and killed 19-year-old Dylan Noble at a gas station. In the lawsuit, father Darren Noble contends that officers Raymond Camacho and Robert Chavez plotted to inflict injury on his son. Advertisement The officers never had an objectively reasonable basis to shoot Dylan Noble, the lawsuit claims. They failed to first use, or attempt to use, the canine at the scene. At no time did they use, or attempt to use, a Taser, OC [pepper] spray, or other non-lethal remedies. At no time did they use, or attempt to use, anything but deadly force. Dylan Nobles death was needless and avoidable, according to the lawsuit. Attorney Warren Paboojian said Darren Noble is seeking unspecified damages as well as policy changes within the city and police department. The Fresno city attorney declined to comment about the lawsuit. Our policy is not to discuss any pending or ongoing legal matters, the attorneys office said. Local and federal authorities are investigating Dylan Nobles death, which gained national attention and sparked protests. Officers encountered Dylan Nobles pickup truck while searching for an armed suspect. They signaled for Noble to stop, but the 19-year-old did not pull over. Police chased him to a Chevron gas station, where he stopped his truck. In July, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer released footage from the officers body cameras showing the confrontation between Dylan Noble and officers at the gas station. An officer is heard yelling: Turn off the truck. Get your hands out the window. Both hands out the window. Later, an officer screams: Let me see both your hands. Get both your hands out. Dylan Noble exited the truck and approached, then moved away from officers, who called for backup. Officers gave 30 commands, urging Noble to show his hands, lift his hands or lie down on the ground, the chief said. The young man ignored the officers orders and carried an object in his right hand. Noble yelled that he hated his life. According to the lawsuit, Camacho shot Noble twice, causing him to fall to the ground. The video footage showed Noble on the ground, moving his hands under his shirt. Camacho then fired a third round, and Chavez fired a fourth round after about 12 seconds. Noble was taken to a hospital, where he died three hours later. In August, the Fresno County coroners office released a toxicology report showing that Noble had a blood-alcohol content of 0.12 1.5 times the legal limit of 0.8 and traces of cocaine. The lawsuit claims that the city and Police Department have failed to properly train its officers in de-escalation tactics and response to situations involving mentally impaired and/or intoxicated individuals. There is a pattern and practice of police officers not being properly disciplined for their actions involving use of excessive force and prior unjustified shooting of the citys citizens, the lawsuit claims. As a result of this failure to address and discipline, the city of Fresno and its Police Department have fostered an environment and created a culture and belief that it is permissible to use excessive force, up to and including deadly force, against civilians without fear of repercussion, accountability or disciplinary action by the city of Fresno Police Department. veronica.rocha@latimes.com For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO: Protesters sue El Cajon police over arrests at vigil for Alfred Olango Brawl erupts in gunfire, with 4 people injured and 2 arrested in Palmdale Motorcyclist who disappeared during late-night ride found dead off Highway 39 in San Gabriel Mountains Add another item to Donald Trumps list of problems: More and more, his own supporters no longer think he can win, the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Daybreak poll has found. As the two presidential nominees prepare for their final debate Wednesday in Las Vegas, the share of Americans who expect a Hillary Clinton victory is at the highest level since the poll began in July. Among Trump supporters, the share who think he will lose has grown significantly over the last month. Thats contributing to an election that increasingly seems headed to a lopsided finish. Advertisement The Daybreak poll asks people whom they plan to vote for and which candidate they expect will win. The question of voter expectations has often, although not always, proved to be a more reliable forecaster of election outcomes than asking voters their candidate preference. Trump still has many fervent supporters who predict he will win, but, particularly among his voters who are college-educated or in higher-income brackets, expectations for a victory have dimmed. Their optimism has faded as Trumps standing in the race against Clinton has declined from a high point in mid-September. The Daybreak poll continues to show a small Trump lead, within the surveys margin of error, while the other major surveys show Clinton ahead. But the surveys all agree on the trend of declining Trump support. Ohio is crucial to win the White House. There are few signs Trump is trying to get out the vote The descent started after the first presidential debate. Despite what some analysts predicted, the public airing of a videotape in which Trump could be heard boasting that he could get away with assaulting women because of his celebrity did not trigger a meltdown of his poll standing. In the last few days, his support has shown signs of stabilizing at a lower level. That could mean Trumps backing has reached a floor, although the evidence is not yet definitive. In the polling averages, Trump receives support from about 41% of voters in a two-way matchup with Clinton and is a couple of percentage points lower in polls that include third-party candidates. That puts him in the range of lopsided losers including former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, who got 41% and lost 49 states to President Reagan in 1984, and Sen. Barry Goldwater, who took 38% against President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964s Democratic landslide. The countrys partisan division has hardened since those contests, and many more states align solidly with one party or the other. As a result, as the electoral map shows, even a Republican candidate with historically low levels of support can count on winning about 20 states with just short of 160 electoral votes and probably a few more than that. Clinton holds leads in states with 279 electoral votes more than the 270 needed to win the White House while five states remain too close to predict. The decline in Trumps standing, albeit small, has been enough to bolster Clintons edge in the largest of those toss-up states, Florida, where she has led in 10 consecutive polls over the last two weeks. Polling averages show her ahead by about 4 points there. Trumps decline has also been enough to put at least one traditionally Republican state, Arizona, into the toss-up category. The declining share of Trump voters who expect a victory could pose further problems for him. Expectations matter to campaign operatives, who try strenuously to project confidence about winning out of concern that voter beliefs about a loss can become self-fulfilling. If people believe a candidate will lose, they might be discouraged and not turn out to vote, campaign strategists worry. If that happens this year, it could trouble not only Trump but also fellow Republicans, including Senate candidates in close races in such presidential battleground states as New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Nevada. Since the Daybreak poll began in July, Clinton has led the voter expectations question. About a month ago, however, after her health suddenly became a campaign issue, her lead on that question shrank to nearly within the polls margin of error. Expectations began to shift back again in Clintons direction at the end of the month as Trump suffered one political wound after another many of them self-inflicted. Currently, 57% of those polled predict a Clinton victory and 38% say Trump will win. That expectation is consistent among all age groups and among both men and women. Those with college educations and those whose family incomes are above $75,000 a year are especially likely to predict a Clinton victory. That reflects, in part, the shift of college-educated Trump supporters toward believing that their candidate will lose. The rise in expectations of a Clinton victory comes as polls of the race have moved in her direction. Trumps support dropped about 4 percentage points from the end of September to a low point a few days ago, although it has since rebounded slightly. Currently, the Daybreak poll shows Trump narrowly ahead in voter support, 45% to 43%. In polling averages, Clinton is ahead by 7 or 8 points. The pattern of a drop of a few points since late September is consistent, however. The Daybreak poll uses a different methodology than most other surveys, which accounts for much of the difference between its result and that of the average poll. Detailed results from the USC Dornsife/LAT daily tracking poll Pinpointing what triggered Trumps decline is difficult because so many events have overlapped, starting with the first presidential debate, on Sept. 26, which a large majority of voters felt Clinton won. For much of the week after the debate, Trump quarreled with Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe who accused him of having publicly shamed her after she gained weight. An article published by the New York Times on Oct. 2 showing that Trump might have avoided paying federal income taxes for almost two decades appears to have contributed to his slide. The story showed evidence that Trump had claimed a $916 million tax loss in the mid-1990s from the collapse of his casino business. Trump subsequently confirmed that he had used the loss to wipe out his tax liability for years. Three days after the article was published about the minimum time for the Daybreak poll to respond to an event Trumps support dropped sharply. That could have been a reaction to the tax story although it may also have been in part a delayed reaction to the debate and the subsequent focus on Machado. Trumps support continued to drop for the next week. But the Daybreak poll, as well as surveys by the Washington Post and ABC News and SurveyMonkey for NBC News have not shown a big new decline since the Access Hollywood video became public and women began publicly accusing Trump of having assaulted them. One reason for that could be that a large share of voters who support Trump a majority in many surveys say their vote is more a ballot against Clinton than one for Trump. Voters motivated by dislike of the opposition may be less likely to shift their positions when confronted with negative information about their own candidate. Another reason could be Trumps already low level of support among the groups most likely to be alienated by the charges against him. In the SurveyMonkey poll, for example, which has an extremely large sample of more than 24,000 likely voters that allows analysis of groups in the electorate, women of all ages supported Clinton. The margins ranged from 35 points among those younger than 30 to six points among those 65 and older. Among men, the SurveyMonkey poll showed Clinton winning those younger than 45 and college graduates. Trumps strongest support, as has been true from the start of the campaign, comes from older white men who did not graduate from college a group whose majority has stuck with him through every controversy. David.Lauter@latimes.com For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter ALSO Michael Moore to release surprise Trump film in L.A. on Wednesday Weve updated our electoral map, as Trumps fortunes dwindle Lots of people have questions about the USC/L.A. Times tracking poll; here are some answers One big reason the WikiLeaks emails arent as damaging for Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump Mosul is full of trapped, terrified civilians but as Iraqi forces and their allies move to wrest the northern city from the militants of Islamic State, one group finds itself in particularly desperate peril. Scores, perhaps even hundreds, of Yazidi women and girls enslaved by Islamic State more than two years ago are thought to remain captive in Iraqs second-largest city as the U.S.-backed offensive gets underway in earnest. Activists fear for the lives of these women and their children, even amid hopes that the extremist groups grip on the city may be broken at last. After the horrors they have already endured, its hard to believe they may suffer even more, said Khaleel Aldakhi, an Iraqi lawyer and activist who works to help spirit captured Yazidis to safety. Advertisement Thousands of Yazidi women and children were seized and men and boys killed when their traditional heartland near Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq was overrun by Islamic State in August 2014. By a U.N. estimate earlier this year, 3,200 women and children are still caught in the maw of a vast slave-holding network extending across the groups self-declared but now-shrinking caliphate, encompassing parts of Syria and Iraq. 1 / 62 A firefighter works to extinguish an oil well set ablaze by fleeing Islamic State fighters in Qayyarah, Iraq, on Nov. 9. (Chris McGrath / Getty Images) 2 / 62 A peshmerga fighter peers through curtains as he and other Kurdish soldiers move into a new house in Bashiqa, Iraq, on Nov. 9. (Odd Andersen / AFP/Getty Images) 3 / 62 A peshmerga fighter looks for militants as he and his team move between buildings in Bashiqa. (Odd Andersen / AFP/Getty Images) 4 / 62 Iraqi forces react as they watch Donald Trump give a speech after winning the U.S. presidential election. They were taking a rest in the village of Arbid on the southern outskirts of Mosul on Nov. 9 during the operation to retake Mosul from Islamic State. (Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 62 Iraqi police try to pull a body from a mass grave they discovered in the Hamam Alil area on Nov. 7 after they recaptured the area from Islamic State. (Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP/Getty Images) 6 / 62 Kurdish peshmerga soldiers fire artillery at Islamic State positions in Bashiqa, Iraq, on Nov. 7. (Felipe Dana / Associated Press) 7 / 62 Iraqi forces patrol the Gogjali district of Mosul a day after it was liberated from Islamic State. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 62 Families flee Gogjali after the area was liberated. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 62 A girl waves a white flag as she and her family leave Gogjali. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 62 Iraqi special forces continue to clear homes in Gogjali on Nov. 2, 2016, after the area was liberated. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 62 Iraqi special forces Lt. Col Ali Hussein Fadil and his men continue to clear the Gogjali district. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 62 Iraqi troops patrol Gogjali. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 62 Iraqi army soldiers warm themselves near the Qayyarah air base, south of Mosul, on Tuesday. (Felipe Dana / Associated Press) 14 / 62 Displaced people who fled from Islamic State-held territory sit outside a mosque guarded by Iraqi soldiers in Shuwayrah, south of Mosul, on Tuesday. (Felipe Dana / Associated Press) 15 / 62 An Iraqi Counter Terrorism Section member drives a vehicles with a broken windscreen as they advance early in the morning near the village of Bazwaya, on the eastern edges of Mosul, on Monday. (Bulent Kilic / AFP/Getty Images) 16 / 62 Members of the Iraqi counter-terrorism service drive near the village of Bazwaya, on the eastern edges of Mosul, tightening the noose as the offensive to retake the Islamic State group stronghold entered its third week on Sunday. (Bulent Kilic / AFP/Getty Images) 17 / 62 Members of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service take shelter after a mortar shell hit nearby near the village of Bazwaya, on the eastern edges of Mosul, as they advance towards Iraqs last remaining Islamic State stronghold on Monday. (Bulent Kilic / AFP/Getty Images) 18 / 62 A member of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Section grimaces in pain as he receives medical treatment after clashes on Monday with Islamic State militants near the village of Bazwaya, on the eastern edge of Mosul. (Bulent Kilic / AFP/Getty Images) 19 / 62 Iraqi counterterrorism members carry an injured comrade during clashes with the Islamic State near Bazwaya on Monday. Iraqi forces took control of the village near Mosul. (Bulent Kilic / AFP/Getty Images) 20 / 62 Children playfully pose for a photo as smoke rises from burning oil fields in Qayara, some 50 kilometers south of Mosul, Iraq, Monday, Oct. 31, 2016. (Felipe Dana / AP) 21 / 62 A militia fighter prepares to go into battle with his phone and bullets. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 62 Popular mobilization units are helping to clear villages southwest of Mosul, Iraq. On Sunday, they launched mortar rounds a little more than a mile from Islamic State fighters who continued to resist their advance on the city. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 62 Militiamen chant before going into battle alongside Iraqi army forces as they fight against Islamic State near Mosul. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 62 Militiamen near the village of Zarqa stand by as mortars are launched at Islamic State fighters near Mosul. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 62 The popular mobilization units received the Iraqi governments blessing to join the battle that could break Islamic States grip in the country. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 62 Militias known as popular mobilization units fighting near Mosul are made up mostly of Shiite Muslims. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 62 In the village of Faziliya, recently liberated from Islamic State, Abdul Gafur, 38, embraces his brother Mohammad Abdul Gafur, 40. The two had not seen each other since Islamic State forces took control of the village more than two years ealier. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 62 Business is brisk at the barbershops in Faziliya after Kurdish forces retook control from Islamic State militants. A bodyguard stands by. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 62 Peshmerga, or Kurdish fighters, rest after a recent battle. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 62 The remains of a bomb factory can be seen in the village of Faziliya, recently liberated from Islamic State control. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 62 A member of the Iraqi armed forces kisses a local boy after Iraqi forces entered the town of Shura, 30 kilometers south of Mosul, Iraq. Iraqi troops approaching Mosul from the south advanced into Shura on Saturday after a wave of U.S.-led airstrikes and artillery shelling against Islamic State positions inside the town. (Marko Drobnjakovic / AP) 32 / 62 Iraqi families, who already had been displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group, flee Mosul. Iraqi paramilitary forces launched an operation to cut the Islamic State groups supply lines between its Mosul bastion and neighboring Syria. (Bulent Kilic / AFP/Getty Images) 33 / 62 Walid Abdel Nabih, 28, from Nasiriya and a father of four, moves through passageways created by Islamic State to prevent detection by drones. On the eastern front in the fight for Mosul, an Iraqi special forces unit waits for next phase of the fight to clear Islamic State operatives from Mosul. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 62 An Iraqi special forces member rides in the turret of a humvee with a Shiite religious banner flying behind him as he patrols Bartella, Iraq. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 62 As many Iraqis are returning home, others are fleeing the fighting in villages surrounding Mosul. At Camp JJadh, 3,000 people arrived in the past week, but many more are expected as the battle for Mosul continues. New arrivals line up for food, provide by the World Food Program. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 62 Children play in a dismantled car in the village of Hurriya, where fighting between Islamic State and Iraqi forces has caused many families to leave over the past months. The risk of unexploded weapons is still a concern for many in the area. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 62 Soldiers drive through the town of Qayyarah, heavily damaged in the fighting in August and again this past week as Islamic State was driven out of town. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 62 Sienna Moqtar and her daughter decorate her brothers grave with rocks. He died last week in the final days of Islamic State in Qayyarah. The bodies of two infant nephews are buried at the right. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 62 Ibrahim Atea Ahmed, left and Daham Ahmed survived the Islamic State attack, but their town was left in bad shape. Oil fires continue to burn, set by militants as a cover from air attacks. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 62 Residents wait for food and water to be handed out, but very little was distributed. The water is not fit to drink in the town. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 62 Iraqi soldiers head for the front line. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 62 An Iraqi fighter takes a position on top of a vehicle as smoke rises on the outskirts of the Qayyarah area, 35 miles south of Mosul, during an operation against Islamic State. (BULENT KILIC / AFP/Getty Images) 43 / 62 Smoke billows from an area near the Iraqi town of Nawaran, northeast of Mosul, as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters march down a dirt road during the ongoing operation to retake the city from Islamic State. (SAFIN HAMED / AFP/Getty Images) 44 / 62 Iraqs elite counterterrorism forces raise an Iraqi flag after retaking Bartella, outside Mosul, Iraq. (Khalid Mohammed / Associated Press) 45 / 62 Iraqs elite counterterrorism forces raise an Iraqi flag after retaking Bartella, outside Mosul, Iraq. (Khalid Mohammed / Associated Press) 46 / 62 The commander of Iraq Special Forces Lt. Gen Abdul Ghani al-Asadi during an interview on the Bartila front line, after the city was liberated from Islamic State militants. (AHMED JALIL / EPA) 47 / 62 Iraqi Special Forces take up position in Bartila front line, after the city was liberated from Islamic State militants. (AHMED JALIL / EPA) 48 / 62 Iraqi soldiers ride in a truck advancing through the desert on the banks of the Tigris River toward the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul. (Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP/Getty Images) 49 / 62 Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters fire rockets from a mobile launcher near the town of Bashiqa, about 25 kilometers northeast of Mosul, on Oct. 20, 2016. (Safid Hamed / AFP/Getty Images) 50 / 62 A member of Iraqs elite counterterrorism forces advances with his unit toward the city of Mosul, on Oct. 20, 2016. (Khalid Mohammed / Associated Press) 51 / 62 A villager walks on a bare street as smoke from oil fires nearby turn the sky black in the Qayyarah area, about 60 kilometers south of Mosul, on Oct. 19, 2016. (Yasin Akgul / AFP/Getty Images) 52 / 62 Iraqi soldiers look on as smoke rises from the Qayyarah area south of Mosul on Oct. 19, 2016, as Iraqi forces take part in an operation against Islamic State to retake Mosul. (YASIN AKGUL / AFP/Getty Images) 53 / 62 A man takes a selfie in front of a fire from oil that has been set ablaze in the Qayyarah area south of Mosul on Oct. 19, 2016, during an operation by Iraqi forces against Islamic State to retake Mosul. (YASIN AKGUL / AFP/Getty Images) 54 / 62 An Iraqi sniper wearing his camouflage in the village of Bajwaniyah village, about 30 kilometers south of Mosul, on Oct. 18, 2016. (Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP/Getty Images) 55 / 62 Smoke rises from an explosion as Iraqi forces retake the village of Bajwaniyah from Islamic State on their way to Mosul. (Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP/Getty Images) 56 / 62 Iraqi soldiers inspect a tunnel in a building in the recaptured village of Shaquoli, about 35 kilometers east of Mosul, on Oct. 18, 2016. (Safin Hamed / AFP/Getty Images) 57 / 62 An Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighter stands amid the rubble of a destroyed building on Oct. 18, 2016, in the village of Shaqouli, east of Mosul, after it was recaptured from the Islamic State group. (Safin Hamed / AFP/Getty Images) 58 / 62 A man carries a baby at a refugee camp in Syrias Hasakeh province for Iraqi families who fled fighting in the Mosul area on Oct. 17, 2016. (Delil Souleiman / AFP/Getty Images) 59 / 62 Lt. Col. Ali Hussein, right, addresses Iraqi security forces leading a government offensive that began Monday to oust Islamic State from the city of Mosul, the extremist groups last major stronghold in Iraq. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 62 An Iraqi police officer inspects his weapon at the Qayyarah military base, about 60 kilometers south of Mosul, on Oct. 16, 2016, amid preparations for the offensive to retake the city from Islamic State. (Ahmad Rubaye / AFP/Getty Images) 61 / 62 Iraqi forces head north toward Mosul on Monday, part of the operation to retake the city from Islamic State. (Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP/Getty Images) 62 / 62 Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters fire a mortar shell from Mount Zardak. (Safin Hamed / AFP/Getty Images) No one can say with certainty how many of these captives are in Mosul, Islamic States principal stronghold in Iraq. The city initially was a distribution hub for the enslaved women and girls, who are members of an ancient and arcane religious sect whose ethnic Kurdish adherents are despised by Islamic State as heretics and devil-worshippers. Most of the Yazidi captives were sold as slaves or given as gifts to fighters in Islamic State-held areas of Syria, human rights groups and activists say. But some either have spent the duration of their captivity in Mosul or found themselves back in the city after forced journeys between other Islamic State bastions, passed hand to hand like chattel as their husbands were killed in battle or traded them away or offered them as presents to relatives and fellow fighters. Those who have escaped or been ransomed have described conditions in Mosul as grimly similar to other areas where Islamic State holds sway: cruel medieval torments as a feature of daily life, coupled with harrowing sexual and domestic servitude in the households of fighters. Enslaved women are routinely punished by having their children abused or taken from them, with their young boys conscripted as fighters or suicide bombers. As an urban battle looms, Yazidi women and children living under the same roof as fighters face threats of a magnitude even greater than those confronted by other city residents, activists say. They could be maimed or killed in bombardment, caught up in house-to-house battles, abandoned to their fate as fighters flee or even become the target of reprisal killings. Theyre in even more danger than regular civilians, these women and children, because the fighters are all around them, watching them, living with them, said Haider Elias, president of the U.S.-based advocacy group Yazda. Some survivors have told of being forced to accompany their Islamic State captors when the fighters fled other Iraqi and Syrian cities under assault, surmising that they were intended to serve as human shields against airstrikes, said a Yazidi aid worker named Hazem, who assists freed captives in the northern Iraqi city of Dohuk. He did not want his full name published for security reasons. Yazda said that more than 1,000 Yazidi women and children were held at some point in Mosul and its environs, including the town of Tal Afar to the west, and that 100 women and girls and roughly the same number of children likely remained in the city. Lawyer Aldakhi puts the suspected total considerably higher, but some major rights groups, such as Amnesty International, believe the number of captive Yazidis in the city may have dwindled to the dozens. Really, no one knows, said Amnesty senior investigator Donatella Rovera. There isnt very much contact with those in Mosul. For those who survive and return to what remains of their scattered community, captivitys effects linger on, in the form of stigma and lack of treatment for the trauma they have suffered. The families of many freed sex slaves are dead or missing, leaving them with scant emotional and financial resources with which to rebuild their lives. Some captives face suspicion of collusion with their captors, said researcher Rothna Begum of New York-based Human Rights Watch. She described the recent arrest of one Yazidi woman by authorities in northern Iraq; out of fear, she had told police who came to the house that her fighter husband was away and then was accused of aiding him. A German organization has brought some of the freed Yazidis to Germany for psychological treatment, but that program already is closed to new arrivals. Many of those freed face years in Spartan displacement camps in northern Iraq, with no access to jobs or education. In and around Mosul, the few escape routes that existed before the offensive began were largely sealed off amid preparations for what is likely to be a long fight to retake the city, Aldakhi said. He described a nerve-racking rescue earlier this year in Mosul of a Yazidi woman, her sister and their two children. The group was sneaked into a waiting car during a brief window when their Islamic State captors attended noon prayers and then made part of the journey on foot to skirt a checkpoint where fighters who knew their captors might recognize the children, if not the women in their face-concealing veils. Such outcomes have grown rarer, he and others said. Not as many can escape as one would hope, said Begum, the Human Rights Watch researcher. And even when they are safe, the level of trauma is so very high it is very, very difficult to make a new life. laura.king@latimes.com Twitter: @laurakingLAT MORE WORLD NEWS Why thousands of Iraqi fighters have poured into Syria to aid Assad A decisive battle: Determination energizes Iraqi forces in fight to retake Mosul from Islamic State Bombs, beatings, rape: Freed Nigerian women tell harrowing tales of life as a forced Boko Haram bride Raymond Ray Mabus is proud that he has made tough decisions as Navy secretary, regrets none of them and believes history will vindicate his often controversial seven and a half years in office, he said Wednesday aboard the San Diego-based amphibious assault ship America. If youre not getting criticized, youre not doing anything, Mabus, 68, told The San Diego Union-Tribune in an exclusive interview. Mabus served as a former Navy officer aboard the missile cruiser Little Rock in the early 1970s, rose to become Mississippis governor, became an ambassador to Saudi Arabia and has now held the Navys top civilian position longer than anyone since World War I. Advertisement On Wednesday, he cited the words of the late Adm. Elmo Russell Bud Zumwalt Jr., who was chief of naval operations when Mabus was a young officer. He used to say, Ive got a long list of friends and a long list of enemies, and Im equally proud of both. And thats sort of the way I am. I dont stay up late at night over criticism, Mabus said during what will likely be his final visit to San Diego County before leaving office in January. 1 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus is escorted on board the USS America with Cpt. Joe Olson where he met with sailors and Marines and answered questions from the men and women. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus took a few questions from the men and women on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 15 On board the USS America, sailors waited to ask Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus questions about the Navys future outlook. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 15 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, USA -- OCTOBER 19, 2016MANDATORY CREDIT: PHOTO BY NELVIN C. CEPEDA, SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNESecretary of the Navy Ray Mabus listened to question asked of him by a sailor on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 15 Sailors on board the USS America await the arrival of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus took a few questions from the men and women on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus took a few questions from the men and women on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus waited to be introduced on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 15 Sailors on board the USS America await the arrival of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus took a few questions from the men and women on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 15 On board the USS America, sailors listened to the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus as he spoke about the Navy. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 15 Following is opening comments on the Navy and Marines, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus took a few questions from the men and women on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus took a few questions from the men and women on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 15 On board the USS America, Cpt. Joe Olson points to a sailor who has a question for Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 15 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus took a few questions from the men and women on board the USS America in San Diego. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) If Im doing my job, if Im making the changes, if Im not standing still, if Im making decisions, Im going to get criticized, he added. Its always astounded me that people work all their lives to get into a leadership position and then they dont lead. They dont make the decisions that you need to make. And I think that when history looks back at the actions taken and the decisions made, were going to be viewed pretty favorably. Mabus has been a lightning rod of criticism since he took the Navy job with President Barack Obamas administration in 2009. He prodded the Pentagon to end its Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy that banned openly homosexual troops from serving in uniform, angering social conservatives who thought he put political correctness before the wishes of combat commanders. He opened jobs to women on submarines, riverine patrol boats, Navy SEAL commando teams and Marine infantry rifle companies. When the Corps released a detailed study suggesting that gender integration eroded combat capabilities, Mabus dismissed it and pressed on with his plan. Mabus also tripled paid maternity leave to 18 weeks later trimmed by the Pentagon to six weeks unveiled unisex uniforms and unleashed a more stringent crackdown on alcohol and sexual abuse in the ranks. He told the Union-Tribune those were some of the decisions hes most proud of making. Were getting a more diverse force, which makes us a stronger force, said Mabus, who oversees 190,000 uniformed and civilian personnel, 3.5 million acres of land and a $170 billion annual budget. To combat global climate change and halve the militarys dependency on fossil fuels, Mabus launched an ambitious project to exploit renewable sources such as solar and wind power. That triggered a failed 2012 counter-attack on Capitol Hill to cut the flow of biofuels to warships. When we went to the floor of the Senate, we got 62 votes to keep it, including 12 Republican votes, Mabus said. So its not a partisan thing. The Mabus interview aboard the America came in the middle of a busy day for Americas 75th secretary of the Navy, with visits to workers at the General Dynamics-NASSCO shipyard and Marines at Camp Pendleton. He then spent the evening touring the reserve officer commissioning programs at UCLA and the University of Southern California. His morning began with a State of the Navy address to the San Diego Military Advisory Council, a group of defense contractors, local government agencies and nonprofits that advocate for increased military spending in Southern California. The packed audience at the Admiral Kidd Club and Conference Center inside the Point Loma Naval Base cheered Mabus for spearheading a shipbuilding drive that should lead to a 308-ship Navy by early 2021. But when Mabus concluded his talk by defending a recent decision to nix the Navys rating system for enlisted sailors, a handful of retirees denounced him with salty language and refused to stand or clap as he left the room. Combining both a sailors rank and job specialty in one long title, the Navys rating system predates the founding of the republic. Scrapping it has caused dissension in the ranks, but Mabus told the Union-Tribune that neither he nor his admirals brainstormed the plan. Recently retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Mike Stevens, unveiled it after meeting with the services highest ranking enlisted sailors worldwide, Mabus said. Mabus chided the retired community for a misplaced and unhistorical nostalgia. He imitated them in saying: When we left the Navy, when we left the Marine Corps, everything was fine. Now you guys have gone and changed it and messed it up. He added: Were at the beginning of the process. We want a lot of feedback from the fleet, but this is to make it easier to promote, easier to move to your next duty station and an easier transition out of the Navy. I dont think those are three bad things to do. The Navys combat medics called Corpsmen today were once known as Pharmacy Mates or Loblolly Boys, titles that would be absurd now, according to Mabus. I hear the things about tradition, The Navys been doing this for 241 years. Well, thats just not the case, he said. When I was in, the people in my division were radiomen and signalmen. How many of those have we got today? None. Military Videos On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal cprine@sduniontribune.com About a month ago, you may recall, my granddaughter played with a French-speaking girl she met at a restaurant. The newcomer from France, we learned, was starting second-grade at the San Diego French-American School in La Jolla. After my column appeared, Christian Jarlov, the head of the 28-year-old independent school, invited me to see how our little friend was getting along in a school where French and English are spoken interchangeably. Advertisement Like many Americans, I am terrible at languages despite years of rote classwork. In graduate school, I was required to demonstrate literacy in French and Spanish, which I could read passably well. Fortunately, no one ever asked me to say anything. When it comes to hearing and speaking Spanish or French, I am your typical dumbstruck, tongue-tied American. Its like having terrible teeth, this linguistic disability. So you can understand my envy upon hearing teachers and students alternating from French to English on a campus that stretches from preschool through eighth grade. Remarkably, Spanish is part of the curriculum, too. Its easier to learn a third language when youre fluent in two, Jarlov tells me. (I so wouldnt know.) Before visiting briefly with the French girl, I was introduced to one of her classmates, a second-grade standout, who speaks Spanish and Japanese at home, English and French at school. Just think of that stretched brain, the cerebral equivalent of a yoga master. Do you think she has a leg up on the world? Jarlov, a scholarly gentleman educated in France whos taught in Louisiana and Asia, has no interest in addressing the provincial politics of California. But the irony is not lost on me. French-American School parents are paying about $16,000 a year for an educational mission that, 18 years ago, California voters rejected as bad for English-learning students. Back then, bilingual education was widely dismissed as an academic ghetto where Latino children were warehoused, allowed to speak their native Spanish and not challenged to learn English. In this jaundiced view, large numbers of students lagged behind in English and either struggled in later grades or dropped out. The old-school solution was to subject many Latino kids to the same sink-or-swim immersion that generations of immigrants had faced. Proposition 227, which easily passed in 1998, discouraged bilingual education unless parents of non-English-speaking children specifically granted a waiver. The ghetto metaphor is powerful, but its instructive that Proposition 58, the measure on the ballot that undoes 227, is not pushing as many cultural buttons as it did in 1998. In the past 18 years, views about language have expanded, it seems. More than a 100 bilingual programs are up and running in San Diego County. (Most are Spanish-English, but two incorporate Chinese with other individual schools offering French, Hebrew, German and Vietnamese, according to the county Office of Education.) More and more, it seems, parents are looking in the mirror at their bad teeth and praying the affliction is not genetic. No question, multilingual people are better looking in an intellectual sense. What parent wouldnt want their kids to shine on a global stage? Many more parents are receptive to the self-evident notion that their children, especially during the early period of maximum plasticity (Jarlovs word), can achieve the miracle of unaccented fluency in a foreign language. Jarlov loves to talk about his students going to France with their parents. In restaurants, waiters cant understand what these French children are doing with American custodians. The magic show, however, depends on a yeasty mix of students to teach each other. About a third of the SDFAS students speak French at home. There are Asians and Russians enrolled, but the majority are English-speaking kids seeking equal immersion in French and English. The French-American School attracts native French teachers but also hires American teachers. I dare anyone to call this academic setting a ghetto. Think of Californias limitless supply of native Spanish speakers. Just as important to bilingual education, we have a supply of students who, like the French girl, speak only Spanish at home, ideal complements to English speakers who aspire to speak Spanish like natives. Interestingly, opponents of Proposition 58 talk about a menacing underlying motive: The desire of English-speaking parents to get rid of the waiver and force more native Spanish speakers to enroll into bilingual schools. The insinuation: Anglo parents are hiring Latino help to the disadvantage of English learners. I find that reasoning weirdly paternal. Whats good for Anglo kids is good for Spanish-speaking kids. Period. By the way, I did catch up with the French girl at English lab. She smiled for a photograph I texted to my granddaughter, a Los Angeles kindergartner whos taking Spanish in a traditional class. In a year, I suspect, the French girl will sound like an American girl. My granddaughter wont be ordering meals in native-sounding Spanish. For what its worth, Ill be voting for Proposition 58 in large part because of the French girl. I dont believe bilingual programs were universally good in the 90s. They may have been harmful, especially if native English speakers were not in the same classroom and on the playground. I realize its probably a bridge too far to have two teachers, one native foreign-language speaker and one American, teaching small classes, as is the case at the rigorous French-American School, which is accredited in France and California. Still, Im voting for 58 because the message needs to be sent, in English and Spanish and other languages, that public bilingual (or better, trilingual) education, when done right, is the gold, not the ghetto, standard. As we were saying goodbye, Jarlov and I watched a group of preschoolers work together to push silky fabric up to form a tent. The giggling kids rushed inside as the cloth structure collapsed around them. Theyre having fun, Jarlov said. In any language, charming. logan.jenkins@sduniontribune.com Two men charged in a robbery series that included forcing women to withdraw money from ATMs were sentenced this week to life in prison. Kha Sok, 34, and David Tonn, 29, pleaded guilty to felony charges on the day set for their trial in San Diego Superior Court. Sok admitted to seven counts including robbery, kidnapping and attempted robbery with gun-use allegations linked to four incidents in November. He was sentenced Wednesday to two consecutive terms of life with parole, plus 28 years. Advertisement Tonn pleaded guilty to kidnapping and robbery for his role in a heist on Nov. 30. He was sentenced on Tuesday to life with parole. The earliest he would be eligible for parole is in seven years. During the Nov. 30 robbery, Sok and Tonn grabbed a woman as she walked to her car outside a CVS Pharmacy on Broadway in Lemon Grove, prosecutors said. They forced her inside their black SUV and made her pull out cash at several ATMs. They dropped her off in a church parking lot. Both men were arrested days later in City Heights. Tonn later admitted to a sheriffs detective that he participated in the incident, taking $500 total. Both he and Sok told authorities that they each drove at some point. Sok told the detective he initially planned to take the womans purse but forced her into the backseat of his car because she struggled, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing. He told the detective he and Tonn targeted Asian women because they had money. Sok committed similar crimes on Nov. 23 and Nov. 27. In the first, he snatched a womans purse from her in the Whole Foods parking lot on El Cajon Boulevard in City Heights. In the second, he forced his way into a womans car at gunpoint at a CVS in City Heights and ordered her to drive to ATMs. He also held a gun to a womans head and demanded her bag earlier that day. He got her bag, but when he tried to rob her male companion, the victim had no cash. Breaking News kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis Border Patrol agents seized more than $650,000 in cocaine and methamphetamine from two cars at a checkpoint near Pine Valley on Sunday, authorities said Tuesday. The first drug bust occurred about 9:30 a.m. when drug-sniffing dogs reacted to the rear of a Nissan Versa, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said. Agents searched the car and found 15 packages of cocaine in the rear quarter panel. The cocaine weighted 38 pounds and have an estimated street value of $456,000, officials said. Advertisement The driver, a 24-year-old man, and his passenger, a 21-year-old woman, were arrested. Later, about 6 p.m., a drug-sniffing dog reacted to the inside of Nissan Altima. Agents found 40 tape-wrapped bundles of meth stashed inside the rear door panels. The meth weighted 49 pounds and have an estimated street value of $197,520, officials said. The driver, a 28-year-old woman, and her passenger, a 29-year-old woman, were arrested. The four suspects were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the narcotics. Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez A Grossmont College student reported a gunman on campus Tuesday, but no suspects were found. The male student told authorities he was in his vehicle in a campus parking lot about 2 p.m. when he spotted a man with a handgun inside another vehicle. An on-campus daycare center was briefly locked down, said Anne Krueger, spokeswoman for the GrossmontCuyamaca Community College District. Other buildings were not locked down and classes were not interrupted while deputies swept the campus. Advertisement The deputies, who were aided by sheriffs dogs and a helicopter, did not find a gunman and determined there was no threat to the Grossmont College Drive campus about 3:30 p.m. Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez A San Diego judge has ruled against the makers of a test used by pregnant women to predict an unborn childs gender, saying the company made misleading claims about whether the product worked and was safe for consumers to use at home. Some women had testified that the test exploded when they mixed its chemicals with their urine. The city of San Diego brought the consumer protection lawsuit on behalf of California residents. In a tentative ruling dated Oct. 4, the judge said it was unlikely the IntelliGender prediction test was valid, and determined that the Texas-based companys claims that the product was more than 90 percent accurate in laboratory tests were misleading or untrue. Advertisement IntelliGender had also asserted in its advertising that real-world results for use of the product were tracking at 82 percent, that the tests were manufactured in a facility certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and that they were packaged in a way that expectant mothers could use the tests safely and easily in their own homes. Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil said in his 116-page ruling that each of those claims was misleading or untrue, citing testimony from women who said the product had exploded when they tried to use it. A 27-year-old mother from Modesto said she bought the gender test in September 2015 and that it had worked for my friends. She was 10 weeks pregnant when she tried the product, following the instructions on the packaging. Within five minutes, she said, the lid popped off the test and everything exploded on the walls and on my face. She said her skin felt hot and itchy and she noticed red spots on her face. It also destroyed the paint on a wall. The test did, however, accurately predict she would give birth to a boy. The judge in his tentative ruling ordered the defendants to pay civil penalties in the amount of $250,000, far less than the millions sought by the city. Attorneys for the city, argued that the IntelliGender product was nothing more than Drano in a pretty box. According to court documents, the tests contained sodium hydroxide also known as lye and aluminum, which when mixed in a small container with the womans urine could cause a mini-explosion that, in some cases, left customers with chemical burns. IntelliGenders lawyers said explosions could occur when a cap on the product wasnt properly secured, a problem addressed by improving the packaging. The judge said even a modest number of explosions/cap failures... strikes the Court as inconsistent with the statement that expectant Mothers can safely take the tests in their own homes. Wohlfeil said an explosion, even one that caused only negligible injuries, is not a risk that consumers reasonably expected or assumed in taking the defendants gender predictor test. The kits cost $19.99 to $34.25, according to court documents. Gerry Braun, a spokesman for the city, declined to comment on the tentative ruling. He said the lawsuit was filed by the Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit of the City Attorneys Office, after the unit was contacted by a consumer and investigated the complaint. The city filed its lawsuit in 2012 against IntelliGender LLC and its managers: Teresa Garland and Rebecca Griffin, both described as the moms of IntelliGender, Don Garland, Kurt Griffin and others, including several retailers. The part of the lawsuit involving the retailers, including Amazon.com, Babies R Us, CVS Pharmacy, RiteAid Corp. and Target Corp., is expected to be tried later. Attorney John Palter, has said his clients marketed their product based on reasonable information as to how well it predicted gender soon after the company was launched a decade ago, and they continued to make improvements and labeling changes to the product long before any lawsuits were filed. In a phone interview Tuesday, he said the issues raised by the city could have been handled much more quickly had San Diego officials picked up the phone and called IntelliGender rather than filing the lawsuit. Despite our efforts to try to meet with the city to come up with changes in labeling that would be agreeable, the city believed that filing this case (and spending) taxpayers dollars was the right thing to do, Palter said. The city has not and did not effectively use taxpayers dollars to prosecute this case. He noted that the judge found the current labeling on the packaging of the gender tests contains adequate safety warnings to alert consumers of the dangers but the previous labeling that stated only keep out of the reach of children did not. The product is still being sold, Palter said, but his clients who started the company no longer work there full time because of the costs they incurred fighting the lawsuit. A status conference is scheduled for Nov. 10, when the judge is expected to hear objections to the proposed ruling from lawyers on both sides of the case. dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @danalittlefield A University of California San Diego professor was the lead researcher on a study released Tuesday by the left-leaning Center for American Progress, which found a positive impact on the economy from unauthorized immigrants who received temporary relief from deportation through the Obama administration. Those who qualify for the program receive work permits, which, according to the study give them access to higher wages and more purchasing power. The program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, does not give immigrants legal status, but it allows those who arrived without documentation in the United States as children to apply for a two-year deferment of deportation with the option to renew. Advertisement Work authorization through DACA is one step to unlocking the economic potential of these young people, said Tom Wong, the lead researcher and a political science professor at UCSD. Four years into the program, were seeing positive indicators, so imagine four years down the road what these young people will be able to achieve. I think were just seeing the tip of the iceberg here. The study found that, because of the work permit, program participants increased their average hourly wages by 42 percent, from $9.83 per hour to $13.96 per hour, and many used those raises to make big purchases. More than half of those who responded to the studys survey said they had been able to purchase their first cars after joining the program. Twelve percent said they had purchased their first home after joining the program. As DACA recipients grow older the average age of folks is 25 DACA recipients are creating these larger and larger footprints in the economy through these large purchases like homes and cars, Wong said. It shows that DACA is an integration success story. Wong said many recipients have talked to him about the responsibility they feel to succeed on behalf of the undocumented community. We hear from many DACA recipients that the reason why they want to succeed is to show folks what they can do if they have legal status, Wong said. I think there is a particularly acute sense of responsibility among DACA recipients to do well to convince the public more generally that legalization will not just benefit those who become legal but society more generally. Those surveyed worked in a variety of fields from nonprofits to retail, and 21 percent worked in education or health fields, according to the study. The study also found that six percent of those surveyed had started their own businesses, about double the rate of Americans as a whole at 3.1 percent. The businesses ranged from tech startups to online craft stores to tax preparation services. The immigration debate all too often centers on the cost of immigration, but as we see DACA recipients make large purchases as well as start businesses that create jobs, and also earn higher wages, this all adds up to increased tax revenue for the federal government as well as for state and local coffers, Wong said. Since the program began four years ago, 741,546 people have been accepted, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The study includes survey results from 1,308 participants. The future of the deferred action program remains unclear as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has vowed to end the program, while Hillary Clinton plans to continue it. The Center for American Progress is closely allied with Clinton, whose campaign chairman used to head the organization. And Wong has served as an adviser about the Asian and Pacific Islander community to the White House under Obama. kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate San Diego City Council members on Tuesday narrowly approved a new operating agreement for a controversial nonprofit that oversees downtown San Diego development. The pact, which was approved 5-4, imposes new restrictions on Civic San Diego, including more oversight and transparency and mandates for low-income housing, employee wages and local hiring. It fell short of approval in an initial vote because six votes are required for city contracts longer than five years, so supporters agreed to limit the deals term to five years so that five votes in favor would be adequate. Advertisement Supporters said the deal is imperfect, but a significant step in the right direction for CivicSD, which critics say makes backroom deals without proper transparency or oversight. It is setting a higher expectation for those who want to do business with us, providing certainty and giving us a path to go forward, said Councilman Todd Gloria, whos played a key role in the proposed pact because his district includes downtown. Gloria was joined in support by Lorie Zapf, Myrtle Cole, Mark Kersey and Chris Cate. Critics raised a wide variety of concerns. Council President Sherri Lightner wanted stricter income eligibility requirements for low-income housing in CivicSD projects. Councilwoman Marti Emerald said the pacts language wasnt firm enough and includes too many potential loopholes. Councilman Scott Sherman worried that some of the language could lead to unintended consequences and possible litigation against the city. Councilman David Alvarez said the agreement was crafted too quickly and that not enough community input was gathered. Nothing should be rushed because we are saying this is the best we can do, Alvarez said. Lightner and Emerald offered to switch their votes in favor if the pact was amended to include phasing CivicSd out of existence. The agency was created in 2012 to oversee redevelopment projects after the state eliminated redevelopment agencies. It wasnt intended to go on and on, Emerald said. In response, supporters agreed to shorten the length of the deal to five years, but declined to include any phase-out language. Prior to the vote, labor leaders and other critics said the deal wasnt strong enough to prevent CivicSD from continuing to approve projects without adequate oversight. The Downtown San Diego Partnership praised the agreement, saying its important for CivicSD to continue the work it does. A residents group from downtowns Cortez Hill neighborhood also endorsed the agreement. Councilman Gloria stressed that the council could amend or update the agreement at a future date to improve it. CivicSD board chairman Jeff Gattas called the pact a beginning and said the board was open to further revisions and review. Councilman Alvarez said promises to improve agreements after they get approved never get kept. CivicSD was created by consolidating and renaming the Centre City Development Corporation, which began overseeing redevelopment downtown in 1975, and the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation, which was created in 1981. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick Two candidates facing off for San Diego City Attorney on Nov. 8 are attacking each other on the stadium ballot measures, the handling of sexual abuse cases and whose experience fits better with the job. Democrat Mara Elliott describes Republican Robert Hickeys reluctance to take a position on the stadium measures as hiding his views from voters on the most important issue the city has faced in many years. Hickey says recent comments by Elliott indicate she might slut-shame sexual abuse victims and that her lack of experience as a prosecutor is a bad fit for an office facing a sharply increasing criminal caseload. Advertisement Elliott said last week that in sexual abuse cases involving city police officers and other workers that shed be willing to consider all evidence, including such things as the victim offering her underwear to an officer. Hickey says that position raises questions about Elliotts judgment. Its morally wrong to attack the victim in a case like that and its the wrong legal strategy, Hickey told the Union-Tribune Wednesday morning. Its going to turn the jury off and its not tactically smart. Elliott, in a separate Union-Tribune interview on Wednesday, said she strongly opposes victim shaming and that a person is never to blame for abuse they experience at the hands of others. She said the underwear offer would be information that is considered during the course of evaluating a case, noting that she has a responsibility to protect taxpayers when the city is being sued. I cant just give a black-and-white description of how any situation would be handled, she said. In the course of litigation you can discover you do have a victim. I dont think thats obvious at the beginning of a case. Lets stick to the truth and assess the case. Hickey says Elliotts position highlights her lack of any experience as a prosecutor, while he has handled 60 cases involving juries and more than 100 bench trials as a deputy district attorney. You need a leader who has tried cases to set the tone for the office, said Hickey, noting that Elliott has spent her entire career handling civil matters for the City Attorneys Office and other public agencies. He said experience as a prosecutor is particularly crucial in the wake of Californias Proposition 47, which has sharply increased the number of criminal cases handled by city attorneys. They are unquestionably handling more cases and more serious criminals than theyve ever handled before, he said. When comparing 2015 to 2014, city documents show that drug cases increased 38 percent and theft charges climbed 65 percent. Elliott said shes well aware of those spikes. But she said the increase hasnt been as large as some thought, and that the city attorneys office has softened its workload with innovative approaches like the criminal justice initiative, which allows community service instead of jail time for many non-violent offenses. Its a more manageable challenge than we knew, Elliott said. She also disputed the importance of Hickeys prosecutorial experience, noting that virtually all cases handled by the city are misdemeanors. His background is prosecuting felonies -- murder and gang cases which is vastly different than what we do, Elliott said. In addition, as a chief deputy city attorney she is more familiar with the many cases the city handles involving nuisances, consumer protection and environmental issues. He does not have the breadth of experience that this job requires, she said. On the stadium initiatives, Measure C and Measure D on the Nov. 8 ballot, Elliott has attacked Hickey for not taking a position while she opposes both because they would divert higher hotel taxes away from core city services. When you weigh in on the Chargers you are going to lose some votes, but I thought it was important to let taxpayers know that I feel very strongly about protecting their interests, Elliott said. We are looking for leaders to express how they feel on consequential decisions like this. Elliott has suggested that Hickey has been evasive because of campaign contributions hes received from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and others who would benefit from the measures. When Hickey speaks in public, he talks longer without saying anything than any lawyer Ive ever met, Elliott said. Voters deserve answers and its time for him to come clean. Hickey said its not appropriate for someone who might become city attorney to have positions on policy decisions, which are the purview of the mayor, the City Council and voters. Im striving not to take positions on policy matters that could end up on my desk as legal matters, he said. Im not the 10th or 11th council person. He said Elliotts position could create problems down the road. If you oppose it and then you are in court defending it, people are going to question the strength of your advocacy or your commitment to the cause because you are politically against it, Hickey said. Elliott said Hickey is being inconsistent because he has taken positions on other policy issues, such as expressing support for the citys pension cutbacks that are the subject of ongoing litigation. Elliott and Hickey are vying to replace City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, who will leave office in December after eight years because of term limits. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick The Clairemont mother of a victim in the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, said she will attend the final presidential debate Wednesday evening at the invitation of Republican nominee Donald Trumps camp. Patricia Smiths son, native San Diegan and State Department information officer Sean Smith, was one of four Americans killed in the terrorist assault on the U.S. diplomatic compound and a nearby CIA annex in Benghazi. She has repeatedly said the Obama administration has failed to give clear and sufficient information about its alleged missteps related to the tragedy. She also has singled out Hillary Clinton, secretary of state at the time and now the Democratic nominee for president, for the greatest blame. Smith has aired her criticism on talk radio, in TV and newspaper interviews, and during a nationally televised speech from the Republican National Convention in July. Advertisement Officials from Trumps campaign called Smith on Monday and arranged for her to fly to Las Vegas at their expense for Wednesdays debate, she said. Smith will be picked up at the airport, escorted to the University of Nevada Las Vegas for the event and then interviewed afterward by conservative broadcaster Sean Hannity, she added. I have never met Donald Trump and I dont know if Im supposed to meet him at the debate. All I care is that whenever people give me the opportunity to speak out for my son, to be his voice, I will take it, Smith said Tuesday night. I will keep calling out for justice from the government. I wont give up. hieu.phan@sduniontribune.com Two of the topics to be discussed at tonights final presidential debate are foreign policy and immigration fraught, difficult issues with huge ramifications for Americas future. On the first, Hillary Clinton is infinitely more coherent than Donald Trump. The first major group of Republicans to pronounce themselves unable to support Trump as the GOP nominee were dozens of members of the partys foreign policy and national security establishment. Their critique goes far beyond their disbelief at Trumps troubling admiration for thuggish Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. They realize the danger posed by a thin-skinned, inconsistent president, someone who alternately sounds isolationist like Pat Fortress America Buchanan and belligerent like Dick Cheney. America and its traditional allies in Europe and Asia need each other more than ever to combat international terrorism and to contain an increasingly expansionist China. But Trump routinely insults these allies and likens them to deadbeats. He shows no understanding of the crucial role our alliances have played in keeping the peace and creating prosperity since the end of World War II. Advertisement The world grew less safe while Clinton was President Barack Obamas first secretary of state. But she inherited many problems, starting with wars-turned-quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan. And it is President Obama, not Clinton, who decided to pull back the United States from its normal forceful role in trying to shape world events by instead leading from behind, as an Obama aide described it in a 2011 New Yorker article. Clinton wanted a much more active U.S. push to oust Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and in a 2015 speech indicated she wanted to do significantly more than Obama to defeat and destroy Islamic State. Her foreign policy is likely to resemble her husbands stressing cooperation with allies, willing but not eager to use military force, having as a central goal the expansion of interconnected free-market democracies around the world. This goal has been badly undercut by her flip-flop on support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, an act of pandering at odds with her history. But in general, Clinton is far more likely to be a responsible steward of foreign affairs not a wrecking ball like Trump. There is a different dynamic with immigration. When Trump says the United States should temporarily ban immigration from nations associated with Islamic terrorism until we are certain these immigrants arent inclined to terrorism, much of the media recoil and see this as biased and hateful. But to millions of Americans witnessing the chaos in parts of Europe, this seems like obvious common sense. That dichotomy holds for Trumps view that unauthorized immigrants should be deported en masse and for his blustery demand that there should be a wall on our southern border paid for by Mexico. Yet there is common sense based on a simple, vague view of the world and common sense based on the complex big picture. The United States does not have policies allowing the mass influx of refugees akin to those seen in Europe. There is relatively little evidence we do a bad job of vetting those we allow to immigrate here; exceptions dont make rules. And illegal immigration from Mexico is far less prevalent than it used to be. Broadly speaking, immigration has been an immensely important part of America and its history. That all six Americans who won Nobel prizes this month are immigrants should be a source of national pride. Clinton supports comprehensive immigration reform providing a path to citizenship for many of those without legal status, as the U.S. Senate did in 2013 on a bipartisan vote. She has joined in bipartisan votes to expand the Border Patrol. She is not the open-borders caricature that Trump pretends. On immigration, we hope Clinton realizes the next president needs to address the fears of millions of Americans, not dismiss them. But on balance, she has a much more constructive and realistic handle on the issue than her opponent and we expect that to be reflected in tonights debate. SEE ALSO: Debt, entitlements a problem Clinton ignores, Trump makes worse Donald Trump makes Joe McCarthy look good with rigged election talk Regarding Chargers need to make their case to voters (Oct. 11): A stadium is for one primary purpose to provide a venue for a sport that provides sufficient seating capacity for fans who wish to attend with a location that provides the best access, including private and public transportation and RVs. Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. E-mail letters@sduniontribune.com Mail: Andrew Kleske, Reader Outreach Editor San Diego Union-Tribune P.O. Box 120191 San Diego, CA 92112-0191. You can also leave a comment below Advertisement The stadium endorsed by our city leaders (and special interest parties) is at a location that provides the least service and benefit to the fans who are the main supporters. Mission Valley is the perfect venue for our stadium with much better access and, a reminder, it belongs to the city San Diego and is supported by the people of San Diego County. Building it downtown will make it more difficult (and expensive) for anyone to attend. J.B. Harrington La Mesa Why is WikiLeaks only focused on Clinton? WikiLeaks runs hacks from Hillary Clintons email servers. So why not Donald Trumps servers? Should be some interesting reading there too. And: sedition, as defined in the Constitution, 18 U.S. Code 2385, Advocating overthrow of Government. Also interesting reading. John Lynn Carlsbad Clinton is the bigger danger to democracy Your editorial Donald Trump is damaging to democracy (Oct. 18) is laughable and shows your see-no-evil bias. Donald Trump is not a polished politician. He is usually politically incorrect and often outlandish. But compare Trumps rhetoric to Hillary Clintons actions. She is totally corrupt, bleaches e-mails after subpoena, forgets everything when deposed by the FBI, engages in pay-for-play, acknowledges a hidden agenda when talking to the public and constantly lies, i.e., Benghazi video and so much more. It is very clear who is damaging to democracy. Frank C. Tecca Escondido Stop trying to make excuses for Obamacare Regarding Obamacare check-up (Oct. 15): That dog hasnt barked because its howling. What utter nonsense for columnist Catherine Rampell to try to rationalize and deceive everyone with. I get it, she wants to preserve some kind of legacy for her precious president and ideology. But please. Has the author forgotten all of the selling points that are false and misleading? If you like your plan, you can keep your plan. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. Premiums will fall by as much as $2,500 per family. The Affordable Care Act will cost around $900 billion over 10 years. Obamacare wont add one dime to our budget deficits. If you want to support a program, great, but please provide all the facts and then make your opinion and conclusion without selective editing. Tony Tartaro Hillcrest Science deniers are only fooling themselves Darrell Issa is probably the highest ranking Republican still backing the main climate change-denying spokesman, Donald Trump, for the Climate Change Denying Party (GOP). Meanwhile, two major cities in Issas district, Carlsbad and Del Mar, are working on plans to combat rising sea levels. Carlsbads own study experts predict a 1.6-foot sea level rise by 2050 and a 6.6-foot sea level rise by 2100. It is no longer about who is the most qualified or who is the most dishonest. It is a moral choice about human survival and Earths continued ability to sustain human life. Charlie Ballbach Santee Chicano Park cartoon captured the sentiment Regarding Tragedy at Chicano Park (Oct. 18): Steve Breens editorial drawing was at once incredibly sad and amazingly beautiful. Claire Knox Encinitas Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. Mondays apology from the nations largest police group for the historical mistreatment of communities of color at the hands of police has sparked a national conversation. The apology, delivered by the head of the International Association of Chiefs of Police at an annual meeting in San Diego, was lauded in some law enforcement circles but met mixed reactions from some black leaders, activists and other members of law enforcement for not going far enough. In widely shared remarks, Massachusetts-based chief Terrence M. Cunningham said fatal encounters between police and people of color of the past several years have fostered more mistrust between the public and the police. Cunningham called on police to rebuild that trust. For our part, the first step in this process is for law enforcement and the IACP to acknowledge and apologize for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in societys historical mistreatment of communities of color, he told the audience. https://twitter.com/ABC/status/788314194227572736 The speech was praised by some members of law enforcement, including San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman and San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. But online and elsewhere, reactions to the apology which made national headlines were more nuanced. Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson called the apology moving but said the U.S. needs real reforms and justice. Others chimed in around the country. https://twitter.com/RevJJackson/status/788185369145647105 https://twitter.com/adv_project/status/788099854773944320 https://twitter.com/owg6973/status/788359172026925057 Recent fatal police shootings in the last few years have led to tensions between police and activist groups like the Black Lives Matter movement. Some of that tension was openly displayed during a live-radio segment about the chiefs apology. Delores Jones-Brown, a founding director of CUNYs John Jay College Center on Race, Crime and Justice, told KPCCs Take Two that the apology wasnt enough because it didnt address current police practices that discriminate against African Americans. I think that is an attempt to give some credence to the feeling that folks in the African American and broader people of color community are feeling, but the apology to my tastes falls short, particularly when the president said that it's no longer the case that discriminatory policing takes place, Jones-Brown said. The conversation got heated when one of the guests, Melina Abdullah, a professor and chair of Pan-African Studies at Cal State Los Angeles and a Black Lives Matter organizer, suggested that policing comes from a history of slave-catching meant to oppress black people. Brian Moriguchi, president of the Professional Peace Officers Association in Los Angeles County, took issue with that remark. There is a strong push by those in the civil rights community to try and spin the narrative that law enforcement today is similar to the law enforcement 50 years ago, and that's not true, Moriguchi said on the air. Comments like 'slave catching' your previous guest mentioned police are not out there slave-catching. That is to inspire a racial divide and anger among people and police officers. I don't think that's appropriate at all. Like Chief Zimmerman and Sheriff Gore, other members of law enforcement lauded Cunninghams apology and said it was a good step toward repairing fraught relations between cops and the communities they serve. https://twitter.com/BrandondelPozo/status/788377919483551744 https://twitter.com/ArlingtonChief/status/788446830233214977 Yet the national Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the country, found fault with Cunninghams apology because it failed to offer workable solutions to the issues. Words and apologies do not adequately address the current issues facing law enforcement and the communities that we serve, read a statement posted on its Facebook Page. Seeking workable solutions to issues that affect us all so directly is a much more worthy endeavor, one which will do far more to foster goodwill and understanding between law enforcement and the community at large. Proactive steps that address the real concerns urban decay, jobs, education, housing, and the like would benefit all Americans and we look forward to a dialogue of action not just words at this critical time in our history. Tell us what you think of the apology. Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @RunGomez Poway City Council members unanimously agreed Tuesday night to have the San Diego YMCA proceed with a marketing survey to obtain public reaction to the possibility of a branch being built in Community Park. The council made no commitment beyond having the survey completed, at the YMCAs expense. The organization is proposing that it build a branch building at an estimated cost of about $9 million as an alternative to the city building a new community center at the same location for about $20 million. The marketing study would help determine whether there is a need for a branch, what programs are needed, what services should be offered and whether local families would be willing to join the organization. The survey will include 600 to 800 randomly selected households, cost the YMCA $30,000 to $40,000 and take up to three months to complete. Results of the survey will be made public. The city has for many years been exploring the idea of replacing the aging Community Center and Senior Center at the park and combining the two functions into a new center that would be named in memory of former Mayor Mickey Cafagna. The council has selected a mission-themed design concept and allocated $8 million in budget reserves, to be supplemented by the issuance of revenue bonds. However, city officials are now worried that the soaring cost of the building and the related costs of annual payments on the revenue bonds may place a burden on the citys general fund. Enter the YMCA with a proposal to build and run and branch instead of the city constructing a new community center. If the city paid 100 percent of the construction costs, the new branch could be completed in two years, according to the Ys proposal. It the city paid 75 percent, construction would take three years. If the city paid half, the building would be done within 40 months, according to the proposal. Before voting to proceed with the study, the council heard from a handful of audience members, most of whom said they preferred the city proceeding with a new building of its own rather than working out an arrangement with the YMCA. Issues cited included seniors being unable to afford monthly YMCA fees, the loss of city jobs and the fact that the YMCA pays less for the same positions and a feeling that the YMCA building would not be as available as the current Community Center for community and private events. Not a single member of the Senior Center supports this, Executive Director Leslie Hoffman told the council. Torrey Powers, a fourth-generation Powegian running for a council seat, said her family sold the land now used by the community center to the city for use by the community. She noted the Senior Center charges $35 a year for membership while the YMCA would be charging about $470 per year. She questioned the impact of a fully equipped fitness center on local fitness centers and questioned whether the YMCA would be receptive to allowing the branch to be used for community events. Its just not the right fit, Powers told the council. Mayor Steve Vaus said the proposed survey represented a terrific opportunity to obtain data on what the community would like to see in a new Community Park center, regardless of whether it is built and operated by the city or YMCA. Assuming the role of a skeptic was Councilman Dave Grosch. While going along with the survey idea, he noted the citys system of providing services at Community Park is not broken and that the city should look at downsizing its proposed 36,000-square-foot center in order to save costs. Many of the centers potential users live in low- and moderate-income housing in the area and might not be able to afford YMCA dues and program fees, he noted. Councilman John Mullin speculated that if the city and the YMCA cant reach an agreement, the citys fallback would not be to the current center design due to its high cost. Allocating $1.1 million a year in general funds to debt service just wont work, he said. Mullin did obtain from a YMCA representative an assurance that a scholarship program helping residents who cant afford fees could be supplemented by city funds. Eight of the nine candidates for two seats on the Poway Unified School District Board of Education were at the final public candidate forum, held Monday at the Rancho Bernardo Library. The candidates, minus challenger Carol Ware, discussed their priorities for the coming year, perceived inequities in the district, how they will keep partisanship from influencing what is best for the students and more. The event was sponsored by the Rancho Bernardo Community Council and the Rancho Penasquitos Town Council. Allison Ash from Channel 10 News was the moderator. About 30 people were in the audience to watch the forum, which ran for two hours. Each candidate had a minute to make an opening statement and one minute to answer questions, which were gathered from the audience before the event began. The candidates then had another minute for a closing statement. The first question the candidates was asked was what attributes they thought the next superintendent should have. Most gave very similar answers: the next superintendent should be honest, have integrity, possess good character and be transparent. Being able to bring stakeholders together and collaborate was another common answer, as well as the new superintendent having a vision for the future. Incumbent Kimberley Beatty said she would like to see the new superintendent have a regular presence on campuses and engage with principals and teachers, while challenger Darshana Patel said she would want the new superintendent to be a good problem solver and be able to build relationships with key stakeholders throughout the community and communicate with the community. When asked what kind of compensation the new superintendent should get, the general consensus was that it should be in line to other superintendents in California who are in districts with a similar socio-economic status to PUSD. Several candidates said they would like to see the superintendents benefits match, not exceed, those of teachers and staff. Patel said that the state Board of Education has a range of salaries and the new superintendents compensation could be around $270,000 and that she would like to see his benefits be in line with those of teachers. The candidates also had similar goals for the coming year if elected, including seeing the hiring of the new superintendent, getting the budget balanced and bringing transparency and cohesion to the community. Jimmy Karam said he would like to see a greater focus on technology in the district, especially implementing a K-12 computer science program. Terry Norwood said she would like to see an expansion to career technology education and providing more programs for alternative learners. All candidates said that they would not allow personal partisanship influence what is best for students, as being a school board member is a nonpartisan office. Debra Cooper said that while several candidates have been endorsed by political parties, it wont have any effect on what is best for students. This is not about backroom deals, said Cooper. We have to collaborate and work effectively with those groups. Chas Moriarty said that politics have never come in his decision making for teaching, just what was best for each individual child and they wouldnt enter into things on the board either. Its just what is best for the kids, he said. The candidates were also asked how the district could address inequity in schools created by foundations, as some schools have very successful foundations and others little or no funding from foundations. Several candidates suggested that a district foundation should oversee school foundations or place a limit on how much can be used per school, to help out lower-income schools. Patel said the biggest issue was schools in the middle who did not receive Title I funds but did not have parents who could spare money for a foundation. She suggested bringing back grant writing to create equity in funding for these schools. Norwood suggested sharing programs between schools and that a good leader can make the difference in disparity by directing funds where they are most needed. Nick Anastasopolous said that some schools dont have the motivation or talent to fundraise like other school foundations and that he would like to see the district get involved in creating equity, perhaps by having school foundations give 10 percent of funds raised to a district foundation. Cooper said that school foundations are independent organizations and that the district did not have the right to insist on contributions from them. Among reports at the sheriffs Ramona station: Sunday, Oct. 16 Residential burglary, 1800 block Main Street, $400 television, $800 worth of computer equipment, wallet, $150 worth of jewelry and $300 in U.S. currency. Vandalism $400 or less to farm machinery, 27800 block Slaughterhouse Road. Saturday, Oct. 15 Vehicle burglary, 16200 block Wikiup Road, purse, wallet and credit cards, occurred between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Oct. 12. Friday, Oct. 14 Male, 63, arrested, 15800 block Rosemont Lane, assault with deadly weapon: not firearm. Female, 28, and male, 25, arrested, 1200 block Main Street, use/under influence of controlled substance and possess narcotic controlled substance. Female also arrested for possess controlled substance and controlled substance paraphernalia. Thursday, Oct. 13 Male, 37, arrested, 100 block North 14th Street, exhibit deadly weapon other than firearm. Female, 33, arrested, La Brea and Letton streets, possess controlled substance. Male, 45, arrested, possess controlled substance and shoplifting at Kmart, 1800 block Main Street. Bicycle parts/accessories valued at $8.99 stolen and recovered. Hot prowl burglary and grand theft of firearms, 1600 block Wilson Road, three pistols, shotgun, two rifles, and two necklaces worth $1,700. Petty theft from vehicle, 23800 block Green Haven Lane, checkbook, sunglasses and consumable goods. Vandalism $400 or less to windows, 100 block 14th Street. Male, 26, arrested, 1500 block Main Street, post release community supervision violation. Wednesday, Oct. 12 Male, 39, arrested, 1400 block Montecito Road, felony and misdemeanor bench warrants. Tuesday, Oct. 11 Petty theft of rifle from vehicle, 300 block Seventh Street, occurred between June 1 and Oct. 11. Male, 45, arrested, Montecito Road and Main Street, use/under influence of controlled substance and possess controlled substance paraphernalia. Monday, Oct. 10 Residential burglary, 1500 block H Street, $400 television, backpack and household goods. Vandalism $400 or less, 23700 block state Route 78. Male, 19, arrested, 800 block A Street, threaten crime with intent to terrorize. Sunday, Oct. 9 Male, 46, arrested, 16100 block Arena Drive, vandalism $400 or more to pickup truck. Frontier Plumbing, 200 block Shandy Lane, victim of embezzlement over $950, occurred between March 8 and Oct. 9. The last of three presidential candidate debates arrives as Democrat Hillary Clinton expands her lead over Republican Donald Trump in national and swing-state polls. Meanwhile, Trump has continued his unsubstantiated charge that the election is rigged to favor Clinton. Election experts say the kind of fraud Trump is talking about is virtually impossible to conduct in the U.S, where national elections are decentralized and run by individual states. Advertisement San Diego Union-Tribune Government Editor Michael Smolens was interviewed by Fox 5 News about the latest developments in the presidential campaign. PREVIOUS Steve Breen sketches from tonights presidential debate in real-time. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Phoenix, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/19/2016 -- Talent Plus, Inc. is excited to announce that Talent Plus Fellow, Larry Sternberg will host former Nebraska Senator, Bob Kerrey, on his show, Mentoring with Larry Sternberg. The episode will premiere Thursday, October 20, 2016, at 10 AM Eastern Time on the VoiceAmerica Empowerment channel. Kerrey currently serves as Managing Director at Allen & Company, and is the Executive Chairman of the Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship. Kerrey served as a U.S. Navy SEAL during the Vietnam War, and for his service was awarded the Medal of Honor. While in Vietnam, he was wounded, permanently disabled and received from this injury a great gift: sympathy for those who are suffering and an appreciation for the capacity of government to save your life. Following his time in the military, Kerrey joined the United States Senate, where he was passionate about improving American lives for the better through education. This passion steered him to lead The New School as President from 2001 to 2011 where he led unprecedented growth in education. Kerrey's experiences in the military, government and education offer a multifaceted view into the world of mentoring. Kimberly Rath, Talent Plus President and Chairman, shared the following statement, "At Talent Plus, we honor and support those who commit their lives to public service. Senator Kerrey is a nationally-regarded public servant and Nebraska native, and I am looking forward to hearing how mentoring shaped who he has become." "Senator Kerrey's intelligence, authenticity and wisdom are always enlightening. He will make us think," stated Larry Sternberg, Talent Plus Fellow and Host of Mentoring with Larry Sternberg. Sternberg serves as an innovative thinker within the human resources industry. As a talented and effective teacher with a knack for teaching and a great sense of humor, he has a reputation as an expert speaker. Through a blend of humor and inspirational advice, Sternberg delivers powerful messages. Currently, he serves as Talent Plus Fellow and a member of the Board of Directors at Talent Plus, Inc. headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mentoring with Larry Sternberg, is broadcast live every Thursday at 10 AM Pacific Time on the VoiceAmerica Empowerment Channel. The program focuses on relationships shared between mentors and their mentees. Each week, Sternberg interviews a mentor or mentee to learn more about how their relationship developed and the importance a mentor plays in an individual's life, both professionally and personally. Archives of Mentoring with Larry Sternberg can be found at https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2588/mentoring The VoiceAmerica TM Network offers the latest conversations in a talk radio format, providing education, interaction and advice on key issues live, on demand as well as through podcast download. If interested in hosting a talk show on VoiceAmerica Network, contact Jeff Spenard, President of Internet Radio, 480-294-6417 or jeff.spenard@voiceamerica.com. Contact Executive Producer, Fiona King, 480-553-5750 or fiona.king@voiceamerica.com for advertising/sponsorship or other show details. Listeners can download the current versions of the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio App at: Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.airkast.VA_MASTER&hl=en iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voiceamerica-talk-radio-network/id412135954?mt=8# Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/AirKast-Inc-Voice-America/dp/B00IGH8WPO About World Talk Radio, LLC World Talk Radio, LLC is the world leader in online media broadcasting and the largest producer and distributor of live internet based talk radio and TV, delivering over 1,000 hours of programming weekly on its VoiceAmerica Network (http://www.voiceamerica.com) as well as live and on-demand video content on VoiceAmerica.TV (http://www.voiceamerica.tv). Featuring more than 200 hosts broadcasting to seven niche community based channels: its flagship VoiceAmerica Variety Channel, VoiceAmerica , Empowerment, VoiceAmerica Health & Wellness Channel, VoiceAmerica Business Channel, VoiceAmerica Sports, 7th Wave Channel, and VoiceAmerica Kids Channel. VoiceAmerica TV offers targeted and exclusive video programming channels. VoiceAmerica /World Talk Radio, LLC is one of the pioneers in internet broadcasting, producing and syndicating online audio and video, offering an innovative, effective and comprehensive digital broadcast platform. Digital Publishing through its 14 years of broadcast and media experience along with our seasoned staff of Executive Producers, Production and Host Services Group, VoiceAmerica /World Talk Radio, LLC provides an internet radio and video platform for new, emerging and veteran media personalities to expand and monetize their business and brand in an online digital medium. Talent Plus, Inc. is the Leading Talent Assessment Partner in the industry and an internationally recognized management consulting firm with over 300 clients in 20 countries delivering interviews in more than 20 languages. Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, Talent Plus also has an office in Singapore. For more information, please visit www.talentplus.com. Lewes, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/19/2016 -- Report forecast the global chocolate market to grow at a CAGR of 5.32% during the period 2016-2020. Chocolate is made from cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, milk, and an emulsifier (such as lecithin) and is available in different varieties and flavors. Vendors are launching innovative products with unique flavors using ingredients like alcohol, ginger, hibiscus, and lavender. Products that use organic ingredients are also finding high demand in the market despite their premium positioning. The total number of products launched with organic claims increased from 351 in 2012 to 705 in 2015. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global chocolate market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of chocolates to individual consumers. The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: - Americas - APAC - EMEA According to the report, premiumization will be a key driver for market growth. The demand for premium chocolates is growing around the world, particularly in countries such as the US and Brazil. Players are positioning their premium chocolates as gifting options. For instance, In India, Mondel?z has positioned its Toblerone and Bournville brands as suitable for gifting. As part of the drive toward premiumization, players are also offering single-origin chocolate products. These chocolates are made from one variety of cocoa harvested in one region. In July 2015, Harald and Nugali, two Brazilian chocolate companies, launched their single origin chocolate products in the US market. In May 2016, Haigh's Chocolates launched four new single-origin chocolates from Ecuador, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, and the Dominican Republic. Further, the report states that the increasing incidence of obesity among consumers worldwide is a challenge faced by the global chocolate market. In 2014 nearly 26% of the total world population were overweight and of that nearly 32% were obese. It is estimated that by 2030 nearly 74% of men and 64% of women in the UK will be overweight and nearly 42% of the US population will be obese. Global Chocolate 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 players in the global chocolate market: Ferrero, Hershey's, Mars, Mondel?z International, and Nestle. Other Prominent Vendors in the market are: Amul, August Storck, Barry Callebaut, Blommer Chocolate Company, Empresas Carozzi, Cemoi Chocolatier, and Chocolate Frey. Market driver - Introduction of new varieties of chocolate - For a full, detailed list, view our report Market challenge - Rising obesity among consumers - For a full, detailed list, view our report Market trend - Innovations in chocolate manufacturing - For a full, detailed list, view our report Key questions answered in this report - What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be? - What are the key market trends? - What is driving this market? - What are the challenges to market growth? - Who are the key vendors in this market space? - What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? - What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? Spanning over 62 pages and 55 Exhibits "Global Chocolate Market 2016 - 2020" report covers Executive summary, Scope of the report, Market research methodology, Introduction, Market landscape, Market segmentation by product, Market segmentation by distribution channel, Geographical segmentation, Key leading countries, Market drivers, Impact of drivers, Market challenges, Impact of drivers and challenges, Market trends, Vendor landscape, Appendix. For more information Visit at: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/technavio/global-chocolate-market-2016-2020 Related Report; Global Almond Milk Market 2016-2020 - Visit at - http://www.marketresearchreports.com/technavio/global-almond-milk-market-2016-2020 About Market Research Reports, Inc. Market Research Reports, Inc. is the world's leading source for market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest market research reports on global markets, key industries, leading companies, new products and latest industry analysis & trends. Yearly/Quarterly Report Subscription: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/subscriptions Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/19/2016 -- Firstly, the report (2016 Mobile Phone Connector Market) provides a basic overview of the Mobile Phone Connector industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Mobile Phone Connector Industry analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status. Do Inquiry Before Purchasing Report Here: https://market.biz/report/global-mobile-phone-connector-market-2016/15840/#inquiry Major Manufacturers Analysis of Mobile Phone Connector :- 1TYCO 2Molex 3Amphenol 4FCI 5Yazaki 6HIROSE 7JAE 8Taiwan Suncagey Industrial (SCG) 9KYOCERA 10LS Mtron 11UJU 12Panasonic 13OMRON 14LUXSHARE-ICT 15Acon 16LINKCONN Secondly, in the report (Worldwide Mobile Phone Connector Market) development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures regarding Mobile Phone Connector Scenario. This report on Mobile Phone Connector Market also states import/export, supply, Mobile Phone Connector consumption figures as well as cost, price, Mobile Phone Connector industry revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added. Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players (in Mobile Phone Connector Industry Scenario) with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, Mobile Phone Connector Market revenue and contact information. Purchase Report Here To Get Instant Access To the Report: https://market.biz/report/global-mobile-phone-connector-market-2016/15840/ All above Company Profile, Product Picture and Specifications, Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue, Contact Information covered in Mobile Phone Connector market report. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out in Mobile Phone Connector Market report. Whats more, the Mobile Phone Connector industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally, The Report (Worldwide Mobile Phone Connector Industry)- Feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered. Philadelphia, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/19/2016 -- Pennsylvania 6 Philly, a popular bar and restaurant located in Midtown Village, Philadelphia, is pleased to announce their "Not Your Basic Brunch: Party of the Dead" event. This "Not Your Basic Brunch" event with a Halloween twist will be held on Sunday, October 30, 2016, from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The staff at Pennsylvania 6 Philly will be transforming the venue into something incredibly scary, and they strongly encourage all who attend to come dressed up as their favorite dead celebrities, or in other costumes. Those who do come in costumes can even put themselves in the running to receive a cash prize and a complimentary table at their next "Not Your Basic Brunch" event. While many surprises will be in store for attendees, they should expect some great drinks and music. To learn more about the event please click here, and to make table reservations, please get in touch with Valerie Teachout at 508-410-4589 or vteachout@table95.com. Pennsylvania 6 Philly would also like to remind everyone that they are continuing to book 2016 holiday parties and events. Business owners or others will be pleased to know if they choose this top restaurant in Philadelphia to host their parties, they will have the freedom to customize them any way they want. Whether people want or need to have their parties at night or earlier in the evening, want to reserve one of their private dining spaces, or buyout the whole venue, Pennsylvania 6 will be able to accommodate. Lastly, interested parties will be happy to know that Pennsylvania 6 boasts an impressive party room on the third floor that will offer the ultimate private party experience. This acclaimed establishment located at 114 S. 12th St in Philadelphia, PA serves dinner every night of the week and is open early for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. To learn more about Pennsylvania 6 Philly, their specials, upcoming events, or how to make reservations to enjoy the best brunch in Philadelphia, please visit their website, or follow them on Facebook. About Pennsylvania 6 Philly Located just a few short blocks south of Market East Station, Pennsylvania 6 Philly is a contemporary American restaurant that features an extensive craft beer & wine list, along with a raw bar. Owned by Gary Cardi, Pennsylvania 6 is named after the oldest working phone number in NYC, which is the number of the Hotel Pennsylvania in Manhattan. The bar comes complete with white Carrera marble-topped tables, white subway tiles, dark wooden accents and large-scale photos of 1940's-era entertainers. Pennsylvania 6 Philly serves dinner, lunch and weekend brunch. For more information, please visit http://www.pennsylvania6philly.com/. Beijing, China -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/18/2016 -- On 11 October 2016, Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa attended the inauguration ceremony of Chinese-Portuguese-English Machine Translation Laboratory at Macao Polytechnic Institute and delivered a speech. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao Special Administrative Region, Dr. Alexis Tam Chon Weng; Deputy Director of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Xue Xiaofeng; President of Macao Polytechnic Institute, Lei Heong Iok; President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Zhong Weihe; Global Tone Communication Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (hereafter refers to "GTCOM") Chairman Huang Song and CEO Yu Yang; General Manager of Commercial Press, Yu Dianli; Rector of Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Nuno Mangas; Vice-rector of University of Coimbra, Luis Filipe Menezes and other important guests attended the inauguration ceremony. CEO of GTCOM Yu Yang, on behalf of the three parties, gave a detailed introduction of Chinese-Portuguese-English Machine Translation Laboratory. Chinese-Portuguese-English Machine Translation Laboratory is jointly established by GTCOM, Macao Polytechnic Institute and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. It is designed to align with our country's "One Belt, One Road" initiative and to establish Macao as a commercial service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. The three parties will carry out in-depth strategic cooperation in fields of cross-language big data think-tank, machine translation, computer-aided translation, speech recognition and semantic search. Meanwhile, they will take advantage of Macao as a meeting point of Chinese and Western culture and an exchange platform for China, European Union and Portuguese-speaking countries, to standardize the quality of Chinese-Portuguese translation, improve the efficiency of translation and set up a good example of coordination between industrial, educational and researching institutions of China and Portugal. Together with its inauguration ceremony, the joint laboratory launched the first version of Chinese-Portuguese machine translation engine for Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. It has achieved an outstanding quality and has become one of the world's best Chinese-Portuguese machine translation engines so far. In the future, the laboratory will lead further research and development in domains of Chinese-Portuguese & Portuguese-Chinese statistics-based machine translation (MT) technology, small-scale corpora-based MT technology, embedded MT technology, neural network-based MT technology and Portuguese speech recognition technology, etc. The laboratory will focus on improvement of performance and quality of machine translation, so as to provide advanced technology and platform support for Chinese-Portuguese exchange, as well as the governmental, commercial and cultural exchanges of Macao Special Administrative Region. Media Contact: Company Name: Global Tone Communication Technology Co., Ltd. Address: F/16, China Railway Construction Building, No. 20, Shijingshan Road, Shijingshan District, Bejing, China E-mail: marketing@gtcom.com.cn Website: http://www.gtcom.com.cn New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/19/2016 -- Thermoformed plastic products can be produced by heating a plastic sheet to a pliable forming temperature, shaping it as desirable, and trimming it to create a usable end product. Plastics can be thermoformed through various processes which include vacuum snapback, plug assist forming, and thick and thin gauge thermoforming. Different raw materials used for manufacturing thermoformed plastic products include acrylics, bio-degradable polymers, polycarbonates, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), and poly vinyl chloride (PVC). Thermoformed plastic products are usually lighter in weight and relatively-stronger compared to traditional packaging materials such as glass and woods. Thus, they are most-widely used in different packaging applications in electronic, healthcare, and food packaging industries. Browse full Report @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/thermoformed-plastic-products-market.asp Based on application, the global thermoformed plastic products market can be segmented into six categories: food packaging, appliances, electronic packaging, healthcare packaging, automotive, and others. Thermoformed plastic products find the largest application in the food packaging industry. Thermoformed plastic products are used in the food packaging industry as a barrier to bacteria, odor, and moisture to food products. In terms of geography, North America dominates the global thermoformed plastic products market due to the growing packaging industry and rapid industrialization. The U.S. represents the largest market for thermoformed plastic products followed by Canada in North America. In Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. hold major share of the thermoformed plastic products market. The thermoformed plastic products market in Asia Pacific is expected to witness high growth rates in the next five years due to rising disposable income and increasing demand for food and healthcare packaging in the region. Japan, China, and India are expected to be the fastest-growing thermoformed plastic products markets in Asia Pacific. Increasing disposable income, increasing demand for ready-to-eat food, and increasing demand for food and healthcare packaging are some of the major driving factors of the thermoformed plastic products market. Increasing demand for thermoformed plastic products in the food industry is mainly driven by increased sales of canned and packaged food products. Increased demand for canned and packaged food products are mainly driven by changing lifestyle of people, rising urbanization, and hectic life schedule . Increasing disposable income in developing countries such as India and China is expected to increase growth of the thermoformed plastic products market. Increasing disposable income allows customers to spend more on convenience, ready-to-eat, and packaged food, which indirectly boost demand for thermoformed plastic products in the food packaging industry. According to the National Bureau of Statistics China, annual per capita disposable income of urban households in China increased from USD 2,271.0 in 2008 to USD 3408.5 in 2012. The overall annual disposable income in India median household income increased from USD 1,366.2 billion in 2010 to USD 1,587.6 billion in 2013. Increasing raw material prices act as a major restraint for the thermoformed plastic product market. The most commonly -used resins in the thermoforming process are polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, and polystyrene. PP witnessed 21% increase in price from January 2011and 20% increase since January 2012 . Other resins such as PS increases by 25% on per-pound pricing since January 2012, and 13 percent since January 2012 . Data shown here is for large-volume purchases of more than 20 million pounds per year. Request for Sample Report and Table of content @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3873 Some of the major companies operating in the thermoformed plastic products market are Pactiv, LLC., Anchor Packaging, Inc., Associated Packaging, Ltd., Peninsula Packaging Company, LLC., Placon Group, Berry Plastics, CM Packaging, Clear Lam Packaging, Graham Packaging, D&W Fine Pack, Huhtamaki Group, and Silgan Plastics. Key geographies evaluated in this report are: North America U.S Canada Europe France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK Eastern Europe CIS APAC China India Japan Australia Others Latin America Argentina Brazil Others Key features of this report -Drivers, restraints, and challenges shaping the Thermoformed Plastic Products market dynamics -Latest innovations and key events in the industry -Analysis of business strategies of the top players -Thermoformed Plastic Products market estimates and forecasts(2015 -2021) About Persistence Market Research Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a 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, PMR's engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values. According to a team of researchers led by Southwest Research Institute scientist Simon Porter, Kuiper belt objects (KBO) JR1 and MU69 are as red as, if not redder than, the dwarf planet Pluto. JR1 (full name 1994 JR1) is a minor planet about 90 miles (150 km) in diameter. This object is currently an accidental quasi-satellite of Pluto and it will remain as such for 350,000 years. It is also a so-called plutino, a trans-Neptunian object in 2:3 mean-motion resonance with the gas giant Neptune. JR1 was observed by NASAs New Horizons spacecraft using the LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on November 2, 2015 from a distance of 1.85 AU (astronomical units), and again on April 7, 2016 from a distance of 0.71 AU, Dr. Porter and co-authors said. These were the first close observations of any KBO other than Pluto, and the first ever of a small KBO at close range. Combining ground-based and Hubble observations at small phase angles and the LORRI observations at higher phase angles, we produced the first disk-integrated solar phase curve of a typical in-situ KBO from 0.6 to 58 degrees phase angle. Observations at these geometries, a range only attainable using a spacecraft in the outer Solar System, constrain surface properties such as macroscopic roughness and the single particle phase function, they said. JR1 is currently 2.7 AU from Pluto. Our astrometric points enable high-precision orbit determination and integrations which show that it comes this close to Pluto every 2.4 million years, causing Pluto to perturb JR1. During the November spacecraft observation, the KBO was simultaneously observed using the NASA/ ESA Hubble Space Telescope in two colors, confirming its very red spectral slope. The Hubble data also suggest that MU69 (full name 2014 MU69), a small KBO about a billion miles (1.6 billion km) beyond Pluto and the next target for New Horizons, has the similar color as JR1. MU69 is actually the smallest KBO to have its color measured and Dr. Porter and his colleagues have used that data to confirm the object is part of the so-called cold classical region of the Kuiper Belt, which is believed to contain some of the oldest, most prehistoric material in the Solar System. The reddish color tells us the type of KBO MU69 is, said New Horizons team member Dr. Amanda Zangari, also from Southwest Research Institute. The data confirms that on New Years Day 2019, New Horizons will be looking at one of the ancient building blocks of the planets. The researchers presented their findings this week at the joint 48th annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society and 11th annual European Planetary Science Congress in Pasadena, California. _____ Simon Porter et al. 2016. The First High-Phase Observations of a KBO: New Horizons Imaging of (15810) 1994 JR 1 from the Kuiper Belt. DPS48/EPSC11, abstract #113.09 ESAs ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) will arrive at Mars later today, and will enter orbit around the planet. The ExoMars Schiaparelli module will land in a flat area in Meridiani Planum, close to the equator in Red Planets southern hemisphere. Full coverage of TGO arrival and Schiaparelli landing will be streamed live from the main control room of ESOs European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, starting after 9:00 a.m. EDT (6:00 a.m. PDT, 1:00 p.m. GMT, 3:00 p.m. CET). The TGO orbiter is in great shape and ready to swing into orbit around Mars said ExoMars mission controllers at ESOC. The most critical moment so far in TGOs journey will be todays Mars orbit insertion burn the long (134 min) engine firing that will slow the spacecraft down sufficiently to be captured into Mars orbit, added Thomas Ormston, a spacecraft operations engineer at ESOC. The burn will be performed autonomously by the orbiter, based on commands uplinked beforehand by the control team. Around half an hour before the burn starts, currently set for 9:04:47 a.m. EDT (6:04:47 a.m. PDT, 1:04:47 p.m. GMT, 3:04:47 p.m. CET), the spacecraft will begin turning around to point its big main engine toward the direction of travel. As this is happening, the large 2.2-m high gain antenna on the TGO will be locked into a safe boost position for the burn. As this doesnt point it at Earth, we will temporarily lose contact with the spacecraft. Also at almost the same time, the solar arrays will rotate and also lock into their safe boost position. Finally the orbiter will start reconfiguring its radios to send a beacon signal through its Low Gain Antenna. When this radio reconfiguration is complete, the orbiter will start sending out this carrier only signal. The signal will be acquired by NASAs big 70-m dish in Canberra, Australia and that will let the team on ground know that the orbiter is there. Critically it should also show a jump in frequency caused by Doppler shift as the orbiter fires its engine, allowing us to monitor the progress of the burn even without telemetry data. The Schiaparelli lander is programmed to wake up at about 9:37 a.m. EDT (6:37 a.m. PDT, 1:37 p.m. GMT, 3:37 p.m. CET) for its landing demonstration mission. Since its successful separation on October 16, Schiaparelli has been free-falling toward Mars. At the moment the lander is asleep, save for a timer that will wake it up just before it arrives at the top of the Martian atmosphere today, October 19, Ormston said. The purpose of Schiaparelli is to teach us and provide experience with the technology Europe needs to land on Mars. Thats why, no matter what happens during the descent, it is critical to hear as much as possible about every step of the journey so we can maximize our learning from Schiaparelli. There is a cooperative international listening in campaign ready to monitor signals from the landing module as it conducts the critical entry, descent and landing sequence today, leading to touch down and the start of surface science at about 10:48 a.m. EDT (7:48 a.m. PDT, 2:48 p.m. GMT, 4:48 p.m. CET), the mission controllers added. The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India will listen from Earth, while a fleet of NASA and ESA orbiters listen from Mars orbit. Eight communities in remote towns of Costa Rica are set to receive drugs via pilotless aerial vehicles (drones) starting from 2017, thanks to a new programme implemented by the governments public health authority. The programme will link basic health centers in these remote communities with distribution points operated by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS). The use of drones is expected to reduce the waiting time for receiving drugs to 45 minutes after an order is placed. Currently, patients in remote areas wait anywhere from several hours to three days to receive the medicine. Were talking about patients that need to travel for hours in difficult conditions to reach medical care. They live in adverse economic conditions and cant travel repeatedly, says Esteban Vega, the national coordinator of pharmaceutical services for the CCSS. The CCSS currently uses all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles or boats to deliver medicines in remote communities, but being so isolated increases the waiting time for supplies to arrive, particularly in indigenous areas of the western Talamanca mountain range. Were talking about patients that need to travel for hours in difficult conditions to reach medical care. They live in adverse economic conditions and cant travel repeatedly. Esteban Vega, CCSS In September this year the Costa Rican social security authority employed the firm Zipline, which specialises in delivering medical products with a drone system. The company is expected to make flight plans and test flights in the next six months. Each month the programme hopes to deliver 13,200 medical packages using this technology with a cost close to US $26.000. To ensure that drugs are used appropriately, requests will be made by a CCSS-affiliated doctor in the community. A worker will then prepare the package at a medical center nearby [close to the location that requests it], and the 10kg drone will deliver it to its destination.The CCSS is also taking steps to modernize the way drug requests are made by using electronic prescription, a new system piloted since May this year, which allows health professionals to request medicines digitally. Electronic prescriptions are key for this [drone delivery plan] to work, Vega said. The outcome of this first drug-delivery project will determine whether it can be applied in other parts of the country, or in emergencies. This assessment of suitability is fundamental to guarantee the correct application of technology, Kalema Gordon, main technology adviser in e-government of the Ministry of Youth and Technology of Rwanda, told SciDev.Net.Rwanda is using the same company to deliver blood samples to remote parts of the country from this month onwards.Finding the appropriate and feasible use of drones in Rwanda was also critical to build the right partnerships, equipment and financial support , Gordon explained, arguing that technological innovations are a means to an end, rather than the goal itself. Find out more about ZipLine in this video: This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Latin America and Caribbean desk. The Indo-French alliance for rockets is spread across Asia, Europe and South America. The Kourou in South America houses an expansive 700 sq km European space port in the middle of lush green rain forests. That port is a heartening sight for all Indian nationals as their tricolor soars high along with the EU and French flags. According to The Economic Times, France has been the only country that has contributed the most in the space sector in partnering with India. India has always reciprocated with same zeal as France has benefitted as well from this collaboration. France helped India in launching its first ever baby rocket, back in the year 1963, and it has aided the launch of India's heavy weight communication satellite, GSAT-18 on October 6, 2016. It is quite evident that India has strong and deep connections with France when it comes to the space sector. India and France both have designed rocket engines together, have constructed satellites for each other, assisted each other in learning things that were being to one another by the other countries, and most importantly, both countries have helped train human resources in this front. All this has successfully led both countries gain the recognition of frontline space powers, each in their own right. In recent times, the Indo-French collaboration jointly made a satellite devoted to the study of Earth's water cycle, known as Megha Tropiques. This was a 1,000 kg satellite launched using the PSLV in 2011. ISRO and CNES signed a new documentation that stated the joint continuation of the mission for next four years. Establishing a new partnership, ISRO and CNES have decided to engage in a new collaborative climate mission. The French Argos data-collection instrument will fly on the Indian Oceansat-3 satellite in 2018. India and France have also begun development of a future joint thermal infrared observation satellite, according to The Wire. "India is one of the best partners and customers for France," says CNES president, Jean-Yves Le Gall further adding that in the coming times, CNES and ISRO might explore planets like Mars and Venus jointly. "After India's Mars Orbiter Mission, the next step has to be a lander. A lander on Mars is not easy, but it will be interesting to undertake," states Le Gall. As the saying goes, in space technology neither is any frontier impossible, nor is any dream too big, especially for France and India that soar high to decrypt the codes and secrets of the universe, while not forgetting the needs of the Earthlings. Studying comets allows scientists and researchers learn various facts about the initial moments of the Solar System. Hence, having accurate and reliable knowledge about their history becomes very important. A research team from Western University, Canada used statistical analysis along with scientific computing to work out the history of origin of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko or Rosetta's comet. According to IFL Science, their model showed that just 10,000 years ago the comet landed itself into its current location, i.e., an eccentric orbit between Jupiter and Earth. It was present in the Kuiper Belt lying beyond the orbit of Neptune before moving to the present location. Around 400,000 years ago, the comet's orbit might have taken it beyond Pluto. This discovery indicates that 67P is a part of a group known as the Jupiter-family comets that are highly influenced by the gas giant. These findings and results were presented before the public at the 11th annual European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) in Pasadena, California and joint 48th annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). "These results come from computations of the comet's orbit from the present to the past, which is computationally difficult due to the chaosity of the orbit caused by close encounters with Jupiter," said Mattia Galiazzo in a statement. He added further that the details are obscure but a dynamical pathway from Comet 67P's current location to the Kuiper Belt can be established. The Kuiper Belt is that region of the Solar System that extends from the Neptune orbit towards outer side. The belt is full of comets, asteroids, and many dwarf planets such as Pluto. A majority of the small objects in this belt have remained unchanged since the birth of the Solar System. This makes the findings very fascinating. Galiazzo and Paul Wiegert, his collaborator, believe that comet 67P is made up of the primordial material that has made up all the planets. Comet 67P is just a recent arrival in the inner Solar System. Before that, the comet must have spent millions of years in the scattering disk, a far-away portion of the Kuiper Belt. At a certain point, the comet's path brought it closer to Jupiter, which started controlling 67P's orbit and trapped it on its current location. Known to many, insufficient sleep affects brain function and mood. But recent studies have shown that lack of sleep can cause more serious adverse effects particularly in one's learning and personality. According to Daily Mail, researchers have found that insufficient sleep can literally shrink the brain, increase levels of stress, and impair memory. The most vulnerable are those with regularly disrupted body clock like shift workers and nursing mothers. Among the cases studied were those of airline cabin crews. University of Bristol's scientists conducted a study wherein they measured the size of the volunteers' brains' temporal lobe region using scanning technology. Dr. Kwangkook Cho led the study. The volunteers were female air stewardesses working for five years. Half of them had working intervals that were less than five days between long-haul flights, while the other half had intervals longer than 14 days. Dr. Cho found that the temporal lobe regions shrunk among volunteers with the shortest flight intervals, whereas those with longer intervals did not suffer in the same way. The said region is critical to memory. Apparently, those whose brains shrunk had higher levels of stress hormone cortisol and worse memories. Previous studies suggested that high levels of cortisol caused by post-traumatic stress and severe depression have links to temporal lobe shrinkage. Meanwhile, Independent reported how insufficient sleep affects one's learning and personality. For instance, popular New York DJ Peter Tripp pledged to stay awake for 200 hours in 1959. This was for charity purposes, and he still continued to host his radio show amidst the "wakeathon". The act affected his personality as time went by. Usually cheerful, he started cursing and insulting people including his close friends. At the end of his endeavor, Tripp showed paranoid behaviors and started hallucinating. Independent also cited other cases like those of gamblers who made less risky decisions after being awake for significantly long hours. Furthermore, experts stressed that another brain area suffers due to insufficient sleep. It is the hippocampus, which is critical for storing memories. Studies have found that lack of sleep affects a person's ability to memorize and in turn affects the process of learning. Experts also emphasized the need to understand the value of complete rest and its benefits. Snoozing is an important factor in making better decisions, learning better, and having a happier personality and life as a whole. GARNER Two women being sued by their stepfather for defamation of character and malicious prosecution say they are the ones who have been defamed. Suzan Brunes, of Klemme, and Linda Dunshee, of Urbandale, filed a defamation counterclaim last week against their stepfather, former state legislator Henry Rayhons of Garner and his son, Dale Rayhons, of Forest City. Their claim is in response to a civil lawsuit Henry Rayhons filed against them and others last year in the wake of his acquittal on charges he sexually abused his wife, Donna Rayhons, by having sex with her at Concord Care Center in Garner. Prosecutors alleged Donna Rayhons, the mother of Brunes and Dunshee, was unable to consent to sex due to the effects of Alzheimers disease. Donna Rayhons died of natural causes in August 2015. In their counterclaim last week, Dunshee and Brunes said allegations Henry Rayhons made in his lawsuit that they wouldnt let him see their dying mother in the final weeks of her life in were untrue and defamatory. They said the same of allegations that they were the ones who demanded criminal charges be filed against him and put their mother in the rest home without his knowledge. Dunshee and Brunes also accused Dale Rayhons of defamation. Their filing does not specify what Dale Rayhons said that was allegedly defamatory. Marc Harding, Henry Rayhons attorney, did not return two phone messages left Tuesday afternoon seeking comment on the counterclaim. When reached Tuesday via e-mail, Dale Rayhons said he needed to consult with his attorneys before commenting on the counterclaim. A jury acquitted Henry Rayhons of criminal charges in April 2015. Believing Brunes and Dunshee had pushed for his prosecution, Henry Rayhons and his attorney in the criminal case, Joel Yunek, attempted after the verdict to gain access to emails between the sisters, the Iowa Attorney Generals Office and the Iowa Department of Public Safety. He filed the civil lawsuit against the sisters in July. In addition to Brunes and Dunshee, Rayhons suit also includes the prosecutor who filed the felony sex abuse charge against him, Susan Krisko, as well as Concord Care Center Medical Director Dr. John Brady, medical director at Concord Care Center and the parent company of the care center, ABCM Corporation. Rayhons accused Brady of not having an independent medical assessment done on Donna Rayhons before restricting sexual relations with her husband and also deferring to the sisters in not allowing him to take his wife on outings. Krisko has since been dropped from the case. A judge ruled she was exempt from the claim. Coffee is considered to be one of the most popular caffeinated drinks out there. However, conventional people say that having too much caffeine in your drink can affect your heart. Now, a small Brazilian study has disputed that thinking and revealed that drinking high doses of caffeine doesn't seem to increase the risk of having irregular heartbeats, especially in people with heart failure. According to UPI Health News, lead researcher Dr. Luis Rohde said: "Our data reassures that most patients with heart disease might drink moderate doses of caffeine-rich beverages with no major risks." Dr. Rohde is from the division of cardiology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre. Beverages rich in caffeine have always been believed to cause a number of heart-related symptoms including palpitations or rapid or irregular heartbeats, Dr. Rohde said. "Because of this assumption, counseling to reduce or avoid caffeine consumption is still widely recommended in clinical practice by most physicians for patients with any heart disease," he said. However, Dr. Rohde's team did not find any connection between caffeine and abnormal heartbeats. He even explained saying: "In fact, our results challenge the perception that patients with heart disease and at risk for arrhythmias should avoid or limit caffeine intake." For the study, researchers enlisted 51 patients with predominantly moderate-to-severe heart failure. Half of the group was given decaffeinated coffee combined with 500mg of caffeine over a five-hour period, while the other participants received placebo lactose powder, Global Times reported. The study also included a treadmill test an hour after the last time the participants drank the beverage. This is to test the potential proarrhythmic effect of caffeine use during exercise with the highest blood caffeine concentration. The researchers were taken aback to find no connection between consuming caffeine and episodes of arrhythmia, even during the physical stress of a treadmill test. "We did not observe any indication of a potential increased risk of ventricular or supraventricular premature beats, couplets, or non-sustained tachycardia," they wrote in the paper. Researchers' finding was published online Oct. 17 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Meanwhile, Dr. Christopher Granger, a professor of medicine at Duke University in Durham, N.C. and co-authored an accompanying journal editorial, said: "this study adds to the body of evidence that coffee and caffeine consumption appears to be safe from a cardiovascular perspective. He further explained that even in a high-risk group, which he referred to as "a group you might be most concerned about drinking caffeine," it showed that modest caffeine consumption was safe, reported US News. However, Dr. Granger also warned that caffeine is a stimulant and that it can somehow increase the blood pressure, although it didn't have an effect on the heart rate of those who joined the study. Dr. Granger noted that the study doesn't clear all forms of caffeine for heart patients either. "It did not take into account energy drinks that contain a lot of caffeine; there may be adverse effects from that," he said. The bottom line from this study is that "modest amounts of coffee are safe even for people who have heart problems," Granger said. A number of drugs have already been identified to have depression or other mood disorders as possible side effects including medications for asthma and acne, as well as corticosteroids, which treat inflammation, and some contraceptives. Now, experts are debating whether or not drugs given to treat high blood pressure should be added to the list. According to Medical Daily, about one in three Americans suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure), and although the results did not exactly explain how a new study suggests that those under medications to treat the disorder may be at risk of developing depression and several other mental health problems. The study, published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, found that common prescription medications to treat high blood pressure, such as beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin antagonists, were related to visits to hospitals for a number of mental health conditions including depression and bipolar disorder. The Washington Post reported that people taking a beta-blocker or a calcium channel blocker were two times more likely to have been admitted with a mood disorder compared to those taking an angiotensin antagonist. Researchers also found that patients taking an angiotensin antagonist were 53 percent less likely to have been hospitalized with a mood disorder than those who don't take blood pressure medication. The study also revealed that thiazide diuretics were not associated with any risk for mood disorder hospitalization. These findings were based on the medical records of 144,066 adults with an average age of 56. Among the group, 32,130 people reported taking one of the four high blood pressure medications. These individuals were followed over a five-year period and 299 out of the total number of people in the group were admitted to the hospital with complaints of a mood disorder. "There is a lot of data that depression and cardiovascular disease are related ... but current hypertensive practices do not consider depression," lead study author Dr. Sandosh Padmanabhan told CNN. "This validated those (earlier) findings, but also means blood pressure tablets could be repurposed for mental health conditions." It is also important to note that since it is only an observational study. With that being said, the researchers were not able to determine the cause and effect relationship. They are not sure what's happening to the molecular levels to generate such results. However, the researchers strongly believe that the findings could have important indications, especially prevention strategies, as well as new methods of treating depression. "There could be some people who are predisposed to depression who we should not be giving these drugs," Padmanabhan told CNN, adding "if angiotensin blockers are protective, then there is a role to repurpose them." Science is indeed a line of discoveries and breakthrough. Who would have thought that human facial expression can have a difference? A new study shows how the facial expression is not universal. A team of researchers from the United States and Spain conducted a research and discovered evidence that human facial expressions are not the same as many people thought. The study was published in a paper entitled Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In the paper, they show how they carried out facial recognition studies on native people residing in New Guinea and the difference experts found in one facial expression from the majority of people around the world. In the study, four of the research team namely Carlos Crivelli, James Russell, Jose-Miguel Fernandez-Dolsa and Sergio Jarillo went to the island of Trobriand off the coast of Papua New Guinea to live with the group of people. The culture in which the researcher lived managed to exist without the interaction from the others for hundreds it thousands of years. Before the researchers tested the group of people right away, they first engage themselves in the culture by learning the language and their everyday routine. After they have adjusted, they then asked the young people to gather and sit down. They then asked the young people to look at the images of people with different facial expressions, according to IFL Science. The result of the study found that the Trobrianders has the same interpretation the same way the westerns looked at the facial expressions. However, there was one photo that differs their interpretation. When the experts showed them wide-eyed people with mouth slightly open, they viewed is as threatening while the westerns commonly associate it with fear. The research team indicates that their findings suggest that the human facial expressions are not entirely as universal as what most commonly would know. They also acknowledge that they cannot tell whether the contrast in the interpretation was due to the influence on how does the group interprets the certain emotion or whether they feel something different while looking at the images, according to Medical Xpress. China recently launched a manned space project with its Shenzhou 11 rocket into orbit carrying two Chinese astronauts. The project was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch center in notrhtern part of China. intended to test and develop China's ability to conduct more launch and explore space. The manned launch carrying two men took place at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch center in northern part of China. The men will be docking in the Tiangong 2 space lab, an experimental space entity of the Chinese government. The orbital trip will last for 30 days for both men and it is so far the longest duration of stay in space by Chinese astronauts. This recent event together with previous launches are considered as stepping stones for Chinese space projects for a possible crewed missions to the Moon or even Mars. An earlier version of Tiangong or 'Heavenly Palace' station was decommissioned earlier this year after docking with rockets prior to this current launch. Chinese astronauts on this latest space mission were 49-year old Jing Haipeng who already has a couple of completed space mission under his belt. The other Chinese astronaut is 37-year old Chen Dong. The current launch will take the taikonauts two full days before they reach the orbiting Chinese laboratory. The men will mostly spend their time in space in analyzing plant growth and development in space. They will also be administering ultrasound to themselves to scan and analyze their body's performance while they are high up in the orbiting lab. With this great event on China, only a handful of foreign media were allowed to enter inside the high security launch base to cover the launch. China is seen to be very proud of its own version of space program. While at the time being, the communist country is being criticized for continuous expansion and show of military strength especially in the Souch China Sea. China wants the world to see that this launch is different. They would also want to be portrayed as a contributing nation into the body of knowledge in space explorations. Depression has been linked with so many deaths that include suicide. Experts have been trying to find several medications with this mental illness. The current study shows that anti-inflammatory may help cure depression. A new study found that a new group of anti-inflammatory drugs may able to treat patients suffering from depression. The connection between these drugs and depression is, it may site the inflammation that is present in the mental health condition. These new anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. In a review published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, experts also shared that the new anti-inflammatory drugs can also reduce symptoms of depression. However, the anti-inflammatory drugs were not tested to treat depression. But, when it was tested as treatment fir autoimmune conditions, the collected data shows that the patients have symptoms of depression. The experts added that for future research regarding these drugs to treat depression, the patients being tested is warranted. To further their research with the connection of the anti-inflammatory drugs and depression, the researcher conducted a meta-analysis. For example one meta-analysis the studied seven random controlled trials. They compared this anti-cytokine drug to a placebo. These seven trials are composed of 2,370 people that have an autoimmune condition, in a report by Live Science. As a result, the patients who were given the anti-inflammatory drugs have shown significant improvement, compared to those who were given the placebo. The result also shows that the anti-cytokine drugs might be helpful for people being treated with depression n cases anti-depressants does not work. Meanwhile, professor of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, Peter Jones said that "it's too early to say whether these anti-cytokine drugs can be used in clinical practice for depression. We will need clinical trials to test how effective they are in patients who do not have the chronic conditions for which the drugs have been developed," according to Medical Xpress. New observations from the Hubble Space Telescope is suggesting that NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is expected to be flying an object much redder than that of Pluto. The space telescope is seeing a very red object floating form faraway. Hubble is used by the New Horizons team in studying 11 objects within the realm of frigid bodies way past Neptune's orbit called the Kuiper Belt. One of the most famous resident of the said realm is Pluto. Out of the 11 object that are being studied, 2014 MU69 is one of them which is expected to be passed by the New Horizon spacecraft on January 1, 2019. According to Amanda Zangari, New Horizons post-doctoral rerearcher from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, upon their further observations from Hubble shows that the distant object 2014 MU69, "is even redder than Pluto, though not as red as Mars." This was during a news conference at a joint meeting of the American Astronomical Society Division for Planetary Congress in Pasadena, California. While the size of 2014 MU69's size is still a mystery to the astronomers, many of them believe that the object is just 13 to 35 miles (21 to 40km) wide. As of now, 2014 MU69 is the smallest Kuiper Belt Object that the color has been measured. Knowing the color hue of 2014 MU69, this information strongly suggests that 2014 MU69 is part of the Kuiper Belt's "cold classical" region. This region of the Kuiper Belt is said to harbor primordial objects that have changed little since the beginning of the solar system from 4.6 billion years ago. The $700 million New Horizons mission was launched way back January 2006. The spacecraft made its first-ever flyby of Pluto on July 14, 2015 and came within 7,800 miles of the distant planet's surface. The said fly-by revealed Pluto's complex and rich landscape diversity for scientists back on the ground can study. Russia is all prepared to launch its second crewed spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS), following the new line of Soyuz. This will be the first flight of its next-generation, miniature vehicle. Soyuz MS-02 will be launched on Wednesday, 19 October 2016, at 4.05 a.m. EDT from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Russian astronauts Andrei Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov will fly on board the miniature vehicle for a two-day trip to ISS along with NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough. A small model of Russia's latest piloted transport spaceship will be hanging over the astronauts' heads, slinging in red, white and blue ribbon. The nation space agency, Roscosmos, sees it as a replacement for Soyuz. "Our zero-g indicator will be a toy of the new generation spacecraft," said Ryzhikov, Soyuz MS-02's commander, in an interview with collectSPACE.com, "because the [Soyuz] MS includes equipment that will be used in the new craft." This spaceship is similar to Orion Crew Exploration vehicle by NASA. It was named "Federatsiya," or Federation by a public vote. "Federation is a perfect name for a series of new Russian spacecraft," officials with RSC Energia, the contractor that is building the vehicle for Roscosmos, stated in a press release. "Russia is a federation of 85 constituent entities and each of them will be able to give its name for one of the ships." Energia is the manufacturer for Soyuz, including the Soyuz MS-02 that will take off with Ryzhikov, Kimbrough and Borisenko today. The toy version of Federatsiya imitates the shape of the spacecraft's propulsion and descent modules, into the carrier's two solar array wings. The Soyuz MS-02 crew will stay at ISS with their Federatsiya zero-g indicator a little longer than 4 months before returning to Earth in February-end. Quite similar to NASA's Orion, the real Federatsiya is being developed to go beyond lower orbit of Earth to carry cargo and people to moon. The first space flight of the full-sized Federatsiya is aimed to launch in 2023 atop Russia's future Angara heavy-lift rocket. WEST DES MOINES | A new billboard in Des Moines and comments from a Republican colleague have rekindled the debate, but Chuck Grassley remains ever adamant that the U.S. Senate should not hold hearings on the presidents U.S. Supreme Court nominee until next year after a new president and Congress are sworn in. Grassley, the Iowa Republican who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee through which Supreme Court nominations must pass, has joined GOP Senate leadership in blocking President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nominee, saying the vacancy created in February by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia should not be filled during an election year. For that, Grassley has drawn criticism and political pressure from Democrats and liberal advocacy groups. One such group, Progress Iowa, unveiled a new billboard advertisement Tuesday near downtown Des Moines that highlights the issue. And on Monday, U.S. Sen. John McCain said in a radio interview that Senate Republicans will be united against any Supreme Court nominee presented by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, should she win. McCains office later said the senator will examine any Supreme Court nominee and vote for or against the individual, and that his comment was meant to reflect his belief that Clinton has a clear record of supporting liberal judicial nominees. Theyre basically saying that were going to process nominees, but whether we vote for them or not is a completely different thing, Grassley told reporters Tuesday after holding a public event at Unity Point Health-Methodist West Hospital here. I think based on the letter I signed on Feb. 23 to my colleagues, that we ought to let the people have a voice and a new president make a decision, it means that we will advise hopefully before they name somebody. Grassley is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate. His Democratic challenger is former Iowa ag secretary and lieutenant governor Patty Judge. Grassley said he hopes the next president, whether it is Clinton or Republican candidate Donald Trump, nominates a dispassionate judge unlike current justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor who, Grassley said, vote as a bloc all the time in an ideological way and arent always dispassionate. Grassley said he approves of a list of potential nominees presented by Trump, saying the judges have been vetted by a lot of organizations that believe the Supreme Court ought to interpret law and not make law. The new Progress Iowa billboard, which is part of a $20,000 advertising campaign, according to the organizations executive director, features a photo of Grassley and text that reads, Obstruction is not an Iowa value and points observers to the website chuckobstructs.com. West Des Moines man Dan Towers said Tuesday at a Progress Iowa news conference to unveil the billboard ad that as a U.S. Army veteran he took the same oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution as do U.S. Senators, and implored Grassley to honor that oath by holding a hearing on Obamas Supreme Court nominee. Ive voted for Sen. Grassley in the past. Ive admired Sen. Grassleys integrity, the fact that he always represented Iowans with a voice of principle and integrity, Towers said. Im asking Sen. Grassley and the senators to not only do your job in holding hearings but to uphold your sworn duty to uphold the Constitution of the United States. CLARKSVILLE Between planting and harvest this year, Randy Wedeking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization, helped Wedeking and wife Brenda harvest their 1,200 acres of corn in Butler County this week. The North Dakota-based group helps farmers in need by providing hands and equipment. Volunteers brought a combine and other equipment to help with the harvest. However, Wedeking wasnt going to sit it out. He drove his tractor and hauled his grain cart alongside the Farm Rescue combine. The harvest is what its all about, Wedeking said Tuesday. Ive got probably the best corn crop in my 44 years. The couple noticed something wasnt quite right during harvest last year. Randy Wedeking was getting easily fatigued and had trouble with fine motor skills. They finished harvest nonetheless. He wasnt much better in spring, but again the couple managed to get through planting. Wedeking was diagnosed with ALS in late June. Brenda Wedeking began to look for help with the upcoming harvest and found Farm Rescue. We knew the disease would progress, she said. We didnt know what condition he would be in by fall. Although Wedeking cant tie his shoes and needs two hands to brush his teeth, he ran the tractor and with family help harvested about one-third of his corn. Im going to do it as long as I can climb up into that cab, he said. Levi Wielenga, Farm Rescue equipment specialist, said he wasnt going to make Wedeking sit out the harvest as long as he can physically do it. I havent spilled a single grain, Wedeking said. That Wedeking is determined to work to finish the harvest wasnt a surprise to Wielenga. You will never stay farming if youre not determined, he said. Youre just an eternal optimist if youre a farmer. For years, the Wedekings have worked to upgrade their equipment. Randy Wedeking retired from Terex Crane in Waverly but continued to work on the farm he has shared with his wife for more than 35 years. A similar retirement from farming wasnt his plan, he said. I just wanted to do something useful right up to the day I died, he said. Wedeking choked up with emotion thinking this harvest might be his last. Once were done, thats ... thats probably going to be it, he said. The couple built the operation and finally acquired all the equipment they needed. Now he cant run it, Brenda Wedeking said. Knowing it may be their last harvest is hard on both Wedekings. As a farm wife, it kind of hurts, she said. I know it hurts my husband worse its his dream. It has been a fun ride for us, said Randy Wedeking. With their last harvest comes a new outlook. Wedeking said he feels more at peace than ever. He credits his faith and wife. I used to be high-strung and I worried about things that werent important, he said. Now Im actually living and trying to live my life to the fullest. To seek assistance or donate to Farm Rescue, go to farmrescue.org. The Wedekings also ask people to support the ALS Association at alsa.org. John Molseed reports for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, like the Globe Gazette a Lee Enterprises newspaper. MASON CITY Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Tuesday night Hillary Clinton has a lifetime of leadership and is ready to be president. Speaking to a crowd of about 100 at the Cerro Gordo County Democratic headquarters, Albright said, No one who has ever run for president has been more prepared than Hillary Clinton. But she warned her audience not to be confident of victory on Nov. 8. People ask me if Im an optimist or a pessimist. I tell them Im an optimist who worries a lot, she said. Albright said she has known Clinton since Clinton was head of the Childrens Defense Fund 30 years ago. She wanted to speak and help people who couldnt speak for themselves and she still does, said Albright. She said when Clinton was first lady and Albright was secretary of state, the two of them went to the Beijing Womens Conference. She was a guest but she was the superstar, said Albright. She electrified everyone with her speech on how womens rights are human rights and human rights are womens rights. She said she is indebted to Clinton for endorsing her to be secretary of state when Warren Christopher stepped down. She said a lot of names were being floated around as his successor and her name became part of what she called the great mentioning that happens so often in Washington. Albright said Clintons view was Why not Madeleine? who had been serving as U.N ambassador and she got the job. Albright, who was born in Czechoslovakia, said her proudest moment is when she became an American citizen while in college. She blasted Clintons opponent, Donald Trump, for saying the upcoming election is rigged. The American election system is the cornerstone of democracy, Albright said. Trumps contentions are foolish and are based on his thought that he is going to lose. But she spent most of her time praising Clinton and urging Democrats not to let Trump become president. It is up to you now. she said. Vote and get your friends and neighbors out. Its terribly important. CLEAR LAKE | A Clear Lake man was ordered to serve up to five years in prison after having his probation revoked last week on a felony theft conviction. Andrew R. Lukes, 36, pleaded guilty in December in Cerro Gordo County District Court to second-degree theft by check and received a suspended prison sentence and probation. He was accused of writing bad checks totaling more than $1,000 Oct. 4-6, 2015, at the Ventura Mart in Ventura. A probation violation report was filed in May of this year. Lukes was sentenced to up to two years in prison earlier this month for writing a bad check to purchase a vehicle. He also is facing revocation of his probation on a second-degree theft conviction from earlier this year in Story County. -- Mary Pieper In a letter to Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau, ICS secretary general Peter Hinchliffe points out the shipping industrys commitment to the goal of zero pollution as well its much improved and now impressive environmental record, especially of the tanker sector. There are now fewer than two significant oil spills (over 700 tonnes) per year, Hinchliffe points out, compared to around 25 such incidents thirty years ago, despite a doubling of the amount of oil transported by sea. The Exxon Valdez oil spill, which traumatised communities in Alaska and has drawn the ire of environmentalists ever since, occurred 27.5 years ago. Hinchliffe further emphasises the importance of Canada adhering to its obligations under the United Nations Law of the Sea, in particular the rights to freedom of navigation and innocent passage through a Partys territorial waters as enshrined in Articles 87 and 90. He also warns that such a draconian step as a moratorium might be emulated elsewhere, including by individual US states, and suggests instead that the Government considers alternative methods of risk management such as the establishment of marine transport corridors off the coast, as suggested by the Canadian shipping industry and in particular the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia. Wholly-owned subsidiary Nakilat Shipping Qatar Limited (NSQL) will take over the management of 25 vessels - 14 Q-Max and 11 Q-Flex LNG carriers from oil major Shell in a phased transition beginning this year. Nakilat, which operates the worlds largest LNG fleet comprising 63 vessels, signed the planned transition agreement with Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (Shell) on Wednesday. Shell has provided a range of shipping services to Nakilats LNG fleet since it was established in 2006 including the management of the 14 Q-Max and 11 Q-Flex LNG carriers and the sharing of Shells Shipping & Maritime global expertise. The management of the vessels will be transitioned in three phases to Nakilats in-house ship management arm, NSQL, which currently manages four large LPG carriers and four Q-Flex LNG carriers. Today marks a milestone in Nakilats history as we embark on consolidating a fully-fledged ship operation for our wholly-owned vessels, said Nakilat md, Eng. Abdullah Fadhalah Al Sulaiti (pictured). It is a pivotal strategic milestone towards Nakilats ambition of establishing an integrated maritime industry in Qatar. We are grateful to Shell for their professional management of our vessels over the last eight years and are confident of NSQL upholding the same excellent standards for our vessels, ensuring the safety and integrity of cargo from Qatar to the rest of the world. RELATED CONTENT Nakilat announces slight dip in Q3 profit to $205m The 25 vessels have reportedly delivered more than 320m cubic meters of Qatars LNG to more than 20 countries and have voyaged some 17m nautical miles - the equivalent of more than 780 trips around the equators circumference. Shell Shipping & Maritime provides commercial, ship management and technology services and is responsible for operations in 130 ports and terminals around the world. It manages a fleet of more than 40 LNG carriers and around 10 oil tankers and has more than 240 oil and LNG tankers on time charter. We are proud to be a partner with Nakilat and to continue to support Qatars vision of building a world-class shipping business, Dr. Grahaeme Henderson, vp of Shell Shipping & Maritime said in a statement. This world-leading fleet includes some of the largest and most technically advanced vessels of their type and their cargo helps ensure energy security for millions of people around the world. The Norwegian resigned from the Bahrain-based pan-Arab shipyard in August after just shy of three years at the helm for what were described at the time as family reasons. Magdy Mustafa, who has served the company for 38 years in various roles, has stepped in as acting ceo since September 1 in addition to fulfilling his current responsibilities as ASRYs procurement and contracts gm. However, ASRYs Chairman, H.E. Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al-Khalifa, has confirmed the selection process for a new ceo was proceeding according to plan ahead of official announcement before December 2016. Both the criteria and the process of finding the ideal candidate to lead the management of ASRY into a new era have been very carefully considered during this transition period, he said. A combination of vision and experience will be required to maintain and strengthen ASRYs competitiveness going forward. ASRYs Board of Directors confronted the challenging market conditions at their recent 145th meeting at the companys Hidd-headquarters on 13 October. Regional and international economic pressures, regional competition in the shipyard market, as well as the fluctuations in oil price have squeezed ASRYs profits in 2016 with total sales to the end of September 2016 confirmed at $114.5m. No comparative data was disclosed. RELATED CONTENT Profits squeezed as ASRY reach 100th rig repair milestone Berge resignation confirmed as ASRY outline transition to Mustafa ASRY outlined measures to combat the challenging conditions including the appointment of a business advisory firm to assist in the assessment and creation of the best possible forward strategy for the companys future success. ASRYs facilities include a 500,000 dwt drydock, two floating docks of 252mtr and 227mtr in length, 15 repair berths with a total length of approximately 4,000m, twin 255mtr slipways, as well as a full range of workshops and service centres. MASON CITY | A Mason City man hurt in a crash on Avenue of the Saints was hospitalized in serious condition Wednesday. Steven Barnish, 54, lost control of his westbound Ford F-150 pickup about 7:30 p.m. near Thrush Exit in rural Mason City, said Cerro Gordo Sheriff's Lt. Matt Klunder. Officials say the truck rolled several times. Barnish was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa and then transferred to Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. He was listed in serious condition Wednesday morning, a hospital spokeswoman said. Barnish was the only person in the truck, which was the only vehicle involved in the crash. Sheriff's deputies are still investigating. -- Molly Montag Our previous story: Man hurt in Avenue of the Saints rollover near Mason City MASON CITY A Mason City man was seriously injured when his truck rolled on the Avenue of the Saints Tuesday night. Steven Barnish, 54, of Mason City, lost control of a westbound 2004 Ford F-150 pickup about 7:30 p.m. near the exit for Thursh Avenue, said Cerro Gordo Sheriff's Lt. Matt Klunder. That's near mile marker 190. Mason City firefighters took Barnish by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. A hospital official said his condition wasn't immediately available Tuesday night, because he was still being evaluated. The crash remained under investigation Tuesday night. Molly Montag Check back at globegazette.com for updates on this developing story. Volunteers set off to fight invasives at Warren State Park. Photo by Mark Wedel. From the towering glory of Sleeping Bear Dunes to more modest southern Lake Michigan beaches, perhaps nothing in our state represents "Pure Michigan" better than our iconic sand dunes. But as with so many of Michigan's fragile native ecosystems, invasive weeds threaten to strangle the dunes. Exotic fungi and invasive bugs are killing the trees that are part of the dune ecosystem, while invasive water plants are choking coastal marshes and interdunal wetlands. There are around 550 miles of coastline on the Mitten's west that are under siege from alien invaders. Luckily, the combined forces of the The dunes are alive Shaun Howard, Eastern Lake Michigan project manager of the Nature Conservancy, says that preserving Michigan's dunes is a no-brainer. "It is the world's largest freshwater dune system," says Howard. "It's globally rare; a very, unique place. And I think a lot of us, especially in West Michigan and around the Great Lakes in general, lose sight of that. We have a tendency to take that amazing shoreline for granted." But that beauty depends on a complex system that can turn chaotic when thrown off balance. "The dunes are almost alive. They are a dynamic shifting mosaic of sand and species," Howard says. New homes and developments on the coast can stress the dunes, creating unexpected erosion, he says. And if you build in the wrong spot, expect to see your investment eventually "crumbling into the water," he says. Invasive plants can also cause the same effect. "When you have one species that outcompetes everything and dominates an area, it may alter those sand moving processes as well," he says. "Dunes are such a unique system, in that there's a set of plants and animals and processes that live or happen there, and nowhere else." That beauty is also "a major economic driver in the Great Lakes," Howard says. People from around the country flock to beach towns and parks. "Ecotourism and the draw to those areas are huge," he says. The dunes and coasts were one of the attractions of 2016's thriving tourist season, which the Detroit News And Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has been full of sand-climbers since ABC's "Good Morning America" ran a 2011 poll choosing it as " "We can't forget that we're also managing them for people. We all benefit greatly from the dunes being healthy and intact, and people wanting to go out and see them and spend their money when they go there," Howard says. But it's taken a lot of work. The Nature Conservancy first took on 1,800 acres of As the Nature Conservancy managed to get the lovely weed cleared, they learned that they needed to implement an "EDR" strategy "If you can find the first invasive plant on the landscape and remove it, it sure is a lot easier than waiting for it to be everywhere," Howard says. They also learned they needed to be a part of a larger force of invasive-fighters. So in 2007, the Nature Conservancy joined the Michigan Dune Alliance and received funding from the federal Together, the Dune Alliance partners learned to use many tools, including pulling, herbicides, burning, digging. Howard finds that "the majority of these plant species need to be controlled with chemicals, herbicide. It shows how aggressive they are -- a lot of these species, even pulling them out of the ground won't get rid of them." Martha doesn't know best Another significant threat to dunes is Melanie Manion, Natural Resources Supervisor for Ottawa County Parks, suspects it's spread into Ottawa's parks from arts and crafts shows in the area. Bittersweet is suffocating dune vegetation in Indiana, but it's not spreading into Ottawa's dune areas yet, she says. The parks system employs a dedicated paid staff supported by volunteers to manage those properties, embracing the early detection and removal strategy. Her most important tool is a GPS unit in the hands of knowledgeable staff. They are constantly surveying and mapping-out where invasives pop up. Then they turn to volunteers to start pulling. Sometimes herbicide is best; Manion says, but other times that kills native plants, which leads to erosion. Her other big targets Spotted knapweed and garlic mustard, two invasives that crowd out native plants and ruin the nesting areas for birds such as piping plover, are regularly pulled by volunteers, she says. "We had over 10,000 hours of volunteer labor last year." Don't move firewood Heidi Frei, Michigan DNR natural resources steward of Southwest Michigan, list the same "usual suspects" of duneland invasives: garlic mustard, Japanese barberry, honeysuckle, autumn olive, etc. "They definitely have an impact on ecology," she says. But the DNR is also concerned about keeping the trees at the edges of the dunes alive and in-place. "When you talk about removing whole forests of one species, say, stands of oak trees, that has a potential to leave a dune absolutely barren, or open it up to invasive woody shrubs like Japanese barberry," she says. One bad spot is P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, a thickly wooded landscape bordering dunes on Lake Michigan between Muskegon and Grand Haven. Some of its woods have been thinned by The disease was brought to the park by campers bringing in infected firewood, she says. A recent survey of campers at Hoffmaster and Holland State Park revealed people bringing wood from up to 600 miles away, in violation of federal and state quarantines. "I'm sure a lot of people aren't aware of it," she says, but each load of wood could mean another "emerald ash borer on our hands" "I would say that the biggest threat to the dunes is firewood movement," she says. "It just takes one load of firewood with just one insect or fungus on it, and then things are out of control." How you can help In her Ottawa parks office, Manion says dealing with invasives is like "playing whack-a-mole." Just as one invasive is brought under control, something new pops up. She points out that big environmental threats like climate change or massive habitat destruction can make one feel powerless. But invasive species are a threat "we can actually do something about" as individuals. "Every day I can pull something, kill something, change my behavior to make a real impact. There are many chances for regular folks to volunteer to join the fight," she says. "You don't have to be a Ph.D. to go out and pull garlic mustard." Manion hopes for better public education on the topic, to get people to look at these invasives as a form of biological pollution. "Because that's what they are," she says. "That pretty purple flower is the equivalent of an oil spill." Frei recommends involved with the 2,500-2,700 volunteers throughout the year are in state parks helping the DNR find and remove invasives, on the dunes and elsewhere. You can find more detail on how to get involved "If it were not for volunteers, those places would be entirely different," she says. You can find out more about invasive species at the following websites: MASON CITY A 29-year-old Mason City woman shot in the arm was listed in stable condition Wednesday at an Iowa City hospital, police said. Investigators were called about 7:25 p.m. Tuesday to a report of multiple gunshots in the area of Ninth Street Northwest and North Washington Avenue. A woman was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa and then flown by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City for additional treatment, said Mason City Police Lt. Rich Jensen. Police arent releasing her name. Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley said the victim was able to talk to officers and tell them what happened. He said the woman had a serious injury from a single gunshot wound, which police believe was inflicted by a handgun. "Theres good evidence to support that based on evidence we found at the scene, Brinkley said Wednesday evening. Police have accounted for all the rounds they believe were fired and do not believe anyone else was hit. Brinkley would not say how many shots were fired. Several neighborhood residents told the Globe Gazette they heard three shots fired in rapid succession. No arrests had been made as of Wednesday and the case remained under investigation. Police wouldnt say if investigators have identified a suspect. At this time we dont believe there is an ongoing threat to our community, said Brinkley. Anyone with information about the case can contact Mason City police at 641-421-3636. As expected, experts are raising doubts over the announcement last Saturday that Egypt's most magnificent pyramid, the Great Pyramid at Giza, contains two unknown voids or cavities. The news prompted speculation about the existence of secret chambers in the monument, strengthening the sense of mystery over the 4,500-year-old pharaonic mausoleum. According to Egypt's Independent, the Antiquities Ministry slammed as "inaccurate and hasty" the report on the cavities, which is the result of a year-long project presented by the group Scan Pyramids. The project, carried out by a team from Cairo University and the Paris-based non-profit Heritage, Innovation and Preservation, investigated the pyramid using innovative techniques, including thermography and 3-D simulation. The project also employs muography - using cosmic particles called muons, which permanently and naturally rain on Earth and are able to penetrate any material very deeply. The first conclusive results revealed two "anomalies." An unknown cavity was detected at a height of about 345 feet from the ground on the northeastern edge of the monument, while a "void" was found behind the northern side at the upper part of the entrance gate. The news spread around the world, and many outlets associated such cavities with secret chambers or hidden burials. "Our report is scientifically very accurate and no one has talked about secret chambers, but [instead] cavities," Mehdi Tayoubi, founder of the Heritage Innovation Preservation Institute, told Seeker. "The problem with pyramids is that people are always looking for sensationalism." RELATED: Great Pyramid Find: Two Mysterious Cavities With Unusual Features Built for the pharaoh Cheops, also known as Khufu, the Great Pyramid is the largest of a family of three pyramids on the Giza plateau, on the outskirts of Cairo. The last remaining wonder of the ancient world has long been rumored to have hidden passageways leading to secret chambers. But is there a Great Pyramid mystery after all? The attention has been long focused on four narrow shafts discovered in 1872. Two shafts extend from the upper, or "Kings Chamber" exit into open air. But the lower two, one on the south side and one on the north side in the so-called "Queen's Chamber" disappear within the structures, deepening the pyramid mystery. The 8-inch-square shafts remained unexplored until 1993, when German engineer Rudolf Gantenbrink sent a robot through the southern shaft. The investigation failed as the robot stopped in front of a mysterious limestone slab adorned with two copper pins. In 2002, Zahi Hawass, at that time head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, used another robot to explore the southern shaft. The operation, carried out on live television, raised more questions than answers. A camera pushed through a hole drilled in the copper pinned door, revealing what appeared to be another door. Hawass then sent the robot through the northern shaft, but another limestone slab stopped the ride. As with the Gantenbrink door, the stone was adorned with two copper pins. What's behind those doors? The question tortured Hawass for years. RELATED: Cosmic Rays Used to Peer Inside Pyramid: Photos In 2011 he again explored the pyramid using another robot, named Djedi after the magician who Khufu consulted when planning the layout of the pyramid. Designed by Leeds University, Djedi provided the first complete look behind Gantenbrink's door. Its "micro snake" camera sent back images of 4,500-year-old hieroglyphs believed to be engineering numbers. The Djedi project was halted following the Egypt revolution - and never resumed. For the new round of investigations, Egypt put aside the rather frustrating experience with robots and turned to innovative and non destructive technologies which include muons. Of the two anomalies ScanPyramids found, the "void" at the upper part of the entrance gate potentially has the most intriguing shape. "It's shaped like a corridor and could go up inside the pyramid," Tayoubi said. However he stressed that any conclusion is premature as more research must be done to define the size, the exact position and the function of such a void. "Muography for pyramids is like an X-ray for mummies," Tayoubi said. "You detect a broken bone, but you don't know why, when, how, who broke it. The debate is not if the voids are there or not, but what is their purpose." He agreed many questions can't be answered without the help of Egyptologists. RELATED: King Tut's Blade Made of Meteorite "Each specialist must establish a constructive dialogue. We are working with the best institutions in the world with the utmost scientific rigor," he added. A scientific committee led by the former minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass, approved Scan Pyramids's request to extend the time of the project for another year. "They really need this time to show us more data," Hawass told Seeker in a phone interview. "I really believe the void behind the entrance gate has to do with the construction of the descending corridor," Hawass said. "Therefore, we have to exclude the idea of a secret room." Egyptian authorities have already gone through embarrassment after supporting the theory that a secret room existed in the tomb of King Tut. Such a room would have contained the tomb of Queen Nefertiti. After much excitement, more detailed scans earlier this year showed that no secret room existed in the tomb of the boy's pharaoh. A similar outcome could be expected as the ScanPyramids team ends its research next year. The answer could be as simple as it is disappointing. Photo: The Great Pyramid's known internal structures. Credit: ScanPyramids mission WATCH VIDEO: We Finally Know How the Pyramids Were Made Mars in ultraviolet light is a wondrous place. By night, the dark side of the planet is aglow with nitric oxide. By day, clouds quickly merge together into banks that stretch 1,000 miles long. The new view of Mars comes from the orbiting MAVEN spacecraft, which this month begins a third year of studies about how the planet most like Earth in the solar system lost most of its atmosphere. When the spacecraft reaches the most distant part its orbit - MAVEN travels as far as 3,900 miles from Mars - its global view of the planet is giving scientists new insights, and in some cases first looks, at global wind circulation, ozone distribution and cloud formation. The data about the winds comes from MAVEN images of "nightglow," a common phenomenon in which an atmosphere shines at night, despite the complete absence of illumination, MAVEN scientist Nicholas Schneider, with the University of Colorado, Boulder, told reporters at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Pasadena, Calif., this week. RELATED: Comet Punch Threw Mars' Magnetism into Chaos "Nightglow is the result of chemical reactions in an atmosphere," Schneider said. "In the case of Mars, the molecules are broken apart on the day side of the planet ... and those atoms are carried by the winds to the night side, primarily the winter pole, where they then descend to higher density and recombine. In that act of re-combining, they have enough energy to give off ultraviolet photons." The nightglow molecules are nitric oxide and how they apparently spread over Mars means that computer models of the planet's flowing winds are in need of an upgrade. The new data indicates that the winds around the planet, already subject to strong seasonal changes, are more irregular than expected, Schneider said. That, in turn, raises questions about the transport of atmospheric molecules, and especially the chemistry that happens as a result, he said. MAVEN's UV view of Mars also confirms theories that what little ozone Mars has is concentrated in the dry, polar regions where there is little water vapor to break up the molecules. "The nature of the polar vortex and how long the ozone lasts through Spring provides insight into the evolution of ozone and water vapor, a coupled chemistry in the Mars atmosphere," Schneider said. RELATED: Interstellar Clouds Eroded Martian Atmosphere Perhaps the most striking new look at Mars is time-lapse imagery of clouds forming and moving across the planet. Clouds provide a way to trace atmospheric flows, and they affect the planet's energy balance, depending on whether sunlight is absorbed or reflected back into space, Schneider said. "They also tell us about the inventory of water vapor that would be available for forming clouds," he added. The images show which regions of Mars are relatively thick with atmosphere, such as the low-lying Meridiani Planum, where Europe's Schiaparelli lander will attempt to touch down on Wednesday. The atmosphere is thinnest above Mars' tallest volcanoes, including Olympus Mons, the largest known volcano in the solar system. Scientists do not yet know if the rapid buildup of Mars' cloud banks, which grow to 1,000 miles in about seven hours, is unusually fast or not. The MAVEN ultraviolet imagery is the first opportunity they've had for a planet-wide look. Images: Ultraviolet images, rendered in false color to optical wavelengths, from the Mars-orbiting MAVEN spacecraft show cloud formation, particularly around the planet's tall volcano. The tallest, Olympus Mons, appears as a prominent dark region near the top of the image, with a small white cloud at the summit that grows during the day. Three more volcanoes appear in a diagonal row, with their cloud cover (white areas near center) merging to span up to a thousand miles by the end of the day. Credit: NASA/MAVEN/University of Colorado Jimmy Irwin wasn't looking to get a paper published in Nature when he gave three of his University of Alabama undergraduate students an assignment. He told them to comb through archived Chandra and XMM-Newton telescope data for examples of bright X-ray emissions coming from galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The catch was to find examples emanating from globular cluster galaxies, a type of very old galaxy. "It seemed like a suitably straightforward project for undergraduates who can only dedicate a few hours a week to work on," Irwin wrote in an email to Seeker. Chandra had picked up a puzzling signal once before. In 2005, astronomers detected a flare from the general direction of galaxy NGC4697, a globular cluster located some 40 million to 50 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. "Two brief flares were seen, separated by four years," Irwin writes in this week's Nature. RELATED: NASA's Black Hole X-Ray Hunter Could Solve Solar Mystery Both times, the flares grew 90 times brighter in less than a minute, and there were no associated optical emissions in the position of the flares. "It is still a bit of a mystery," Irwin said. "It is possible that (the flare) lies far beyond NGC4697, along the same line of sight, making it much more luminous than is believed, or the opposite case -- it is much closer to us, within our own Milky Way galaxy in fact, in which case it would be much less luminous than we think." So the students went hunting. "We were only hoping to find objects that varied by modest factors of three to five or so on time scales of an hour or so," Irwin said. But the searching software Irwin wrote for them to use could search for variability on all time scales, and the kids pulled in two whoppers: X-ray flares that brightened 100- to 200 percent in less than a minute. "We were quite surprised," Irwin said. At its peak, one source, located in Virgo galaxy NGC4636, was 30 times brighter than the X-ray luminosity of the entire Milky Way, he said. The second source, located near the Centaurus A galaxy NGC 5181, had a big surprise too. So far, it has flared six times in X-ray light, with some pulses as short as 22 seconds. All flares peaked in less than a minute and lasted for about an hour. RELATED: Not So Fast: Mystery Radio Bursts Far From Solved "The peak luminosity of the flares is intriguing, because it is even greater than the luminosity that can be attained by a neutron star under normal circumstances," astronomer Sergio Campana, with Italy's National Institute of Astrophysics, wrote in a related essay in Nature. Scientists aren't sure what is producing the X-rays. One idea is that a neutron star, black hole or other extremely compact object is stealing material from a stellar companion, triggering flares as the star comes close. The flares recede as the star pulls away. Irwin and his colleagues have submitted proposals for telescope time for follow-on observations. Meanwhile, the search through the archives continues. Image: Chandra X-ray Observatory's image of the galaxy NGC5128, with its hot gas and multiple X-ray point sources. The circled source flared by a factor of 200 in less than a minute on multiple occasions. Credit: NASA/CXC/U.Birmingham/M.Burke et al. Proffitt and his team observed the monkeys looking for rounded quartzite stones at Serra da Capivara National Park . The monkeys would then use these stones as "hammers," to forcefully hit quartzite cobblestones embedded in a cliff face. This action crushed the surface and dislodged the cobblestones, while the hammer would unintentionally fracture. The monkeys would sometimes lick some of the powdered material created during the process. "We are not, at any point, arguing or suggesting that any of the known archaeological record was made by primates ," lead author Tomos Proffitt, of the University of Oxford's School of Archaeology, told Seeker. "We suggest that this new data, however, raises interesting questions about the possible ways this stone tool technology developed before the earliest examples in the archaeological record appeared. It also tells us what this stone tool technology might look like." The finding means humans are no longer considered the only makers of knife-like objects, according to the new study published in Nature. Wild bearded capuchin monkeys in Brazil deliberately break stones and, in the process, unintentionally make sharp-edged objects that are similar to cutting tools made by early humans, new research finds. "This percussive behavior undertaken by the capuchins has nothing to do with cracking nuts," Proffitt said. "It seems to be aimed at crushing the surface of quartzite cobbles in order to produce quartz dust, which is then ingested and rubbed into the fur." He added it's unclear why the capuchins do this, but "that it might be centered around ingesting a particular mineral found in the quartz powder or because the lichen attached to the surface of the cobbles may have some sort of medicinal purpose, although more work needs to be done to work out exactly why they are doing this behavior." Bearded capuchins at other sites, as well as some Japanese macaques, are known to pound stones directly against each other, but the capuchins at Serra da Capivara are the only wild primates that seem to do this for the purpose of damaging the stones. As for our closest living primate relatives, chimpanzees, they craft stick tools to fish around for termites and to help with other tasks, but they are not known to make tools out of stone. Helen Roche, a director of research at CNRS, Paris-Nanterre University, told Seeker that stone-tool making among early humans began at around 3.3 million years ago. The genus Homo doesn't seem to appear before 2.8 million years ago, leaving a time gap. RELATED: Human Spite Started in Monkey-Ape Ancestor She suggests that an australopithecine might have made the tools during this gap period. These were two-legged individuals similar to humans, but had a brain that was not much larger than that of modern apes. Capuchins likely have even smaller brains, so the new findings could shed light on the minimum brain power and physiology required to produce stone cutting tools. Scientists have previously suggested that humans could teach wild monkeys skills that they could pass on to others, potentially benefitting the entire troop. In this case, someone might show the Brazilian monkeys how to use their unintentionally produced sharp-edged objects as knives for cutting plant materials and other items, but Proffitt basically said this would be a waste of time. "Monkeys can be taught to do many things, but I'm not entirely sure why you would want to teach wild capuchins to cut things," he said. "Also, I'm not sure why you would think that it would benefit them. They have evolved perfectly adequately to survive in their environment without ever needing humans to teach them anything." Photo: A wild bearded capuchin monkey hammers with a stone in order to produce quartz dust. Credit: M.Haslam WATCH: Which Evolved First: Our Hands or Feet? Marine engineers laying an electricity cable beneath the Irish Sea may have stumbled into the wreck of a WW1 German submarine which folklore says was attacked by an enormous sea monster with large eyes and glistening teeth. The wreck appears to be that of the fabled UB-85, a U-boat that has been wrapped in mystery since her sinking on April 30, 1918. According to official reports, the submarine was sunk by a British patrol boat - the HMS Coreopsis - after it was caught on the surface of the water off the coast of Belfast, Ireland. Partially flooded through a not completely closed hatch as it dove to evade the Coreopsis' gunfire, the UB-85 resurfaced and was hastily abandoned by her crew of 34. The men surrendered without resistance to the surprise of their British counterparts. The reason behind the men's odd behavior was some sort of Loch Ness' saltwater cousin, if one believes an old sea tale. RELATED: 'Sea Monster' Figurehead Emerges From Baltic Sea The story goes that the sub was recharging batteries on the surface at night when a "strange beast" rose from the sea. Captain Gunther Krech described a "beast" with "large eyes, set in a horny sort of skull. It had a small head, but with teeth that could be seen glistening in the moonlight." "Every man on watch began firing a sidearm at the beast," Krech is believed to have said. Though the animal dropped back into the sea, the forward deck plating was damaged and the sub could no longer submerge. This was the reason why the British could catch the submarine on the surface, the tale concluded. "This is probably an Internet myth," Innes McCartney, a historian, nautical archaeologist and honorary research fellow at Bournemouth University, told Seeker. The sub was found during an underwater survey for the Western Link project, a joint venture between SP Energy Networks and National Grid, which plans to lay one of the world's largest subsea power cables, connecting Scotland and England. RELATED: British WWII Sub With Crew Inside Found Off Sardinia "The images we get back from the subsea scans are incredibly detailed," Peter Roper, senior project manager at SP Energy Networks, said in a statement. "We obviously need to be aware of what lies beneath before we can start laying a power cable. In all the years I have been building power lines, I can say that this is the most extraordinary discovery," he added. Indeed, sonar images show the 100-year-old submarine largely intact on the sea floor in the North Channel, off THE coast of Stranraer in southwest Scotland. The vessel is about approximately 147 feet long, with debris spilling out of the stern end. McCartney said that at least 12 British and German submarines are known to have sunk in the waters of the Irish Sea. The features of the wreck confirm it was a UBIII-Class submarine. Only two of such subs were lost in the area - the UB-85 and its sister boat UB-82. "The archaeology of the site, namely some late-war features such as the larger deck cannon, is the strongest evidence pointing to the UB-85," McCartney said. We're certainly closer to solving the so-called mystery of UB-85 and the reason behind its sinking - whether common mechanical failure or something that is less easily explained," McCartney said. WATCH VIDEO: Real Life Sea Monsters! Pyramid received a load of spruce off the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Cilly Cliffs project in the Swan Valley. Parke Logging out of Drummond, Mont. is taking seven million board feet of timber off the Cilly Cliffs project. All but one and a half million board feet of cedar will come to Pyramid. The sale was estimated at 14,351 tons and Pyramid bid $16.98 per ton. This made more than $702,000 for the state school trust lands in addition to the more than $200,000 they paid for forest improvement. The logs are stamped "MT DNRC Timber Sales Support Education in Montana." SEELEY LAKE As a part of Montana Forest Products Week celebrations Oct. 16-22, the Flathead Valley Habitat for Humanity chapter will be hosting a Build Day in Kalispell Saturday, Oct. 22. All seven of the large sawmills donated bunks of lumber and plywood for this Habitat for Humanity home. Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. provided siding material for the house. Being opening day of hunting season, they are short of volunteers to help with the build. No building experience is needed and there will be lots of "on the job training." If interested in helping to build a Montana-made home for an area family, RVSP to Angela Wells at awells@mt.gov. Transportation may be available. Press Release October 19, 2016 Transcript of Interview of Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin M. Drilon Q: Sir, comment ninyo sa sinabi na the President is issuing statements without consulting his cabinet? Drilon: Well, maybe he feels he does not need to consult the Cabinet, and that is his prerogative, but maybe I would suggest that more consultations be done. Precisely you appoint your cabinet as your advisory group, because no one can know everything. That is why you have experts in the various fields of governance and your Cabinet is supposed to provide you advice. Q: Was he able to respond clearly doon sa question na kung hihiwalay ba talaga tayo sa US? Drilon: Apparently he is not yet prepared, because he is to submit his recommendation to the President and to the Cabinet come November. That is why he even asked for postponement of his meeting with his US counterparts. Q: Sir, yung inter-operability raw ay magkakaproblema, so he admits na may problema talaga yung pag-shift? Drilon: That is one of the areas of serious concern: the inter-operability and that is admitted by the secretary, except in the small arms, when he said that they can live with it, but he did qualify that only in that area where the issue of inter-operability need not be addressed. Q: Yung sinabi ni Lorenzana that a decision would be made whether to terminate yung agreements sa November na, tama po ba iyon na sila-sila lang yung mag-uusap? Drilon: There are provisions in the agreement that provide for a giving of notice, and again, this is a matter for the President to decide. Of course, since he is the principal architect of our foreign policy and the commander-in-chief of our armed forces, these are political decision that he will make. Legally, it does not require any concurrence on the part of the Senate. We can make a political issue out of it but from the legal standpoint, the notice of termination can be issued by the President. Q: Yung tendency ng pangulo ng mag-issue ng statements without consulting his cabinet, is it harming our relationships with other countries? Drilon: Mas mabuti siguro na magkaroon ng consultation. Q: On Atty. James Lao, was he not prepared or...? Drilon: The problem is more than preparation, because he knew that he was going to face the Commission, and the President just came from a state visit in Brunei, he does not even know what happened there, he does now know what agreements where signed, he does not have a clear picture of what he will do in Brunei in terms of programs. I am disappointment at the responses of Atty. Lao. Q: Ma-defer siya ng CA? Drilon: His appointment has already been deferred. Q: Will he be replaced? Drilon: He should be bypassed. Whether or not the President will reappoint him during the recess is a decision on the part of the President. Q: On the PHL-US relations, will it be (unclear; healthy) for us to rescind our relationship with the US? Drilon: Will it be healthy for us? Personally and this is a personal opinion, I don't think so. I think it is to our national interest that we should maintain our relationship with our long-time ally. There is no question - and I support that proposition that we should have an independent foreign policy - but, to my mind, we can pursue that without terminating our relationship with our ally. Q: And we can even pursue our relationship with like China or Russia, without sacrificing our (relationship with the US)? Drilon: Yes, that's correct. We can pursue our relationship with China and Russia without sacrificing our relationship with our long-time ally. Q: Sir, yung mga nag-testify against Senator De Lima ay mayroon daw pending requests for executive clemency? Drilon: I don't know what is the basis of the application: is this in the regular course, or is it something out of the ordinary? I want to know the circumstances, because the Board of Pardon and Parole would process applications where it is done in regular course. If it is done out of the ordinary, I would raise the issue. But I do not know what the circumstances are. Q: Sir, is that an indication na mayroong kapalit? Drilon: For example - the reason I cannot comment immediately is because baka naman yung application ay noon pa or two years ago. Q: Sir, iyon ang pinapalabas na matagal na. Drilon: That can be checked. Q: It's still pending? Drilon: It's still pending. You cannot avoid ascribing motive in their testimony, but, to be fair, I want to see the entire picture. Q: Dapat po ba ay na-disclosed nila? Drilon: Firstly, there are certain rules before one can even be considered. Were these the sole consideration for the recommendation of pardon, or is this out of the ordinary. I want to see first. Q: Sir, di ba justice secretary yung nag-recommend? Drilon: No, it is based on the record of the national penitentiary and they submit recommendations to the Board of Pardon and Parole, which, in turn, will review this and make a recommendation to the President. Iyon ang proseso. Q: Sir, si Atty. Lao ba yung unang na-bypassed? Drilon: Good point, yes. Press Release October 19, 2016 Excerpts from the Interpellation of Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin M. Drilon during the Committee on Appointment's hearing on the appointment of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Drilon: For 100 years, we have very close relationships with the United States. The numerous agreements singed on the military level - I don't have to enumerate - and many of these resulted in very perceptible and substantial military assistance. This has happened for the last century. But in the past 100 days, there appears to be a very clear shift from United States as a treaty ally to China. Would you confirm this? There is a clear pivot from the US to China. Lorenzana: Mr. Chairman, the way I read the President is that we are not actually veering away from the US and inking a treaty alliance with the Chinese. What he wanted to do is to expand our sources of materials, maybe some investment. And China is trying to give us a very generous offers. That is why part of the mission that I will do - and I will join them tomorrow in Beijing - is to look at some of the equipment the Chinese defense ministry will be showing me. Ang sabi naman po niya ay tingnan ninyo kung kailangan natin. Hindi naman niya sinabi na bumili na kayo. Check it out and ask the end-users if they need this equipment... Drilon: Would inter-operability be an issue? Lorenzana: Yes, Sir. Definitely, it will be an issue, because practically all our equipment are US-made, or made by allies of the US, and we have been training with them for the longest time, and exercising with them. So when we inject a new equipment, especially those high-tech equipment, there will be inter-operability problems. Drilon: So how do you propose to solve these inter-operability problems in the next two, three, four years...given the fact that not only our equipment but also our training has been geared towards Western armaments? Lorenzana: Yes, I agree with you Sir. There are small items that are inter-operable...But for big-ticket items like signal equipment, or drones maybe, or shift, I think it will take a long time for us to adjust in these equipment? Drilon: So hindi po realistic itong pinag-uusapan nating shift, because I assume even the manuals are in Chinese? Lorenzana: Yes Sir... Drilon: Anyway, Mr. Secretary, what is the status of our treaties particularly EDCA and defense agreements with the US. Is there decision to terminate, suspend them? Can the committee be clarified on this? Lorenzana: Mr. Chairman, I specifically asked the President for guidance on that. I asked him to give guidance on the VFA, the US troops in Mindanao, the exercises next year, and the EDCA. He told me to present these during a Cabinet meeting next month, I think November 4 or 7. I am actually preparing for this presentation because he said I would need the inputs from the Cabinet to make the decision. As of now, there is no decision to suspend training next year, the VFA still on, everything here is going, Sir. Drilon: Being the head of the defense establishment, what is your view on this issue? Lorenzana: Mr. Chairman, if the President is really intent on what he was telling the media, I think I will recommend the scaling down of the exercises next year. Maybe we will (unclear) the big exercises like the Balikatan...the sea exercise, and maybe concentrate on the training with the US involving human assistance and disaster response in counter-terrorism. Drilon: Does the Balikatan and such other exercises benefit the defense department? Lorenzana: It benefits our troops also. I remember I was a captain in the military in 1991 during the first Balikatan. Because they left the bases there was no Balikatan until the VFA was signed in 1998. Our soldiers, the AFP are telling us that yes, they do benefit on the Balikatan. On the other hand, I believe the US benefits more in these exercises than us. Drilon: So, it is mutually beneficial insofar as the Balikatan is concerned. No foreign policy is altruistic...That the Americans benefit, we should not begrudge them. They have a foreign policy, which is also be geared towards their own national interest. But it cannot be denied that we benefit from these exercises. Then why should we terminate these? Lorenzana: Mr. Chairman, I really don't know because the President has been issuing statements without consulting the Cabinet. Drilon: At least, our nominee is very honest, very candid...But honestly, he is a gentleman who would tell this Commission the truth and what is his mind, and I certainly admire him for that...Just to be clear, is there an intention to terminate EDCA, or VFA, because we have heard statements of this nature? Lorenzana: We will have to wait until our presentation to the Cabinet and we will really get the decision from the President if he really wants the EDCA terminated. Drilon: At this point, as we are talking, the termination of this long-standing agreement is still on the table? Lorenzana: Yes, Sir. Press Release October 19, 2016 Senator Gatchalian Vindicated by Dismissal of Graft Charges in Sandiganbayan Vindication was the theme of the day as the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan resolved to dismiss all criminal charges filed against Senator Win Gatchalian in relation to the 2009 acquisition of Express Savings Bank, Inc. (ESBI) by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA). Gatchalian was exonerated by the Sandiganbayan upon its finding that there is no probable cause to compel the senator to stand trial for any of the charges levied against him by the Ombudsman. "Throughout this entire ordeal I have held my head up high, confident that these baseless accusations against me would not stick. Today, my honor as a man and my integrity as a public servant have been vindicated by the dismissal of these groundless charges before the honorable Sandiganbayan," said Gatchalian, who is currently in Beijing to accompany President Rodrigo Duterte on his state visit to the People's Republic of China. Gatchalian questioned the wisdom of the Ombudsman's aggressive pursuit of such a weak case against him, considering the fact that he had never been involved in the management or day-to-day operations of ESBI. Gatchalian also pointed out that his only involvement in ESBI at the time of its sale to LWUA in 2009 was his ownership of 14 shares of stock, representing .00001886062 percent of the total shareholdings of the company, valued at approximately P2,500. "Thankfully, the fairness and objectivity of the courts prevailed to clear my name. As always, I put my full faith and trust in the judiciary. I am hopeful that justice will also prevail to absolve the others involved in this case," said Gatchalian. Moving forward, Gatchalian said he was determined to rebuild his reputation as a public servant by working even harder to promote the interests of the Filipino people in the Senate. "This has certainly been a humbling experience. Through this hardship my purpose as a public servant - to help improve the lives of my countrymen - has been renewed. Now, more than ever, I am inspired to prove my worth as a public servant by performing my duties as senator with greater passion, competence, and dedication," said Gatchalian. MASON CITY U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said Wednesday the presidential election is not rigged, as GOP nominee Donald Trump has asserted. But there are irregularities that need fixing, he said. Rigged is not the right word, said King. There is no nationwide network set up to cheat. But there are cells of election fraud that are well documented. King spoke to a high school leadership class at the Mason City Chamber of Commerce office and then spoke with the press afterwards. He said he didnt believe what some pundits are saying that the presidential election is essentially over but I certainly feel the mood of the people who think it is. What are they basing it on? The polls? he asked. I will say this Trump has to have a good debate (the one held Wednesday night). He talked about how Trump was baited by Hillary Clinton in the last debate when she mentioned his comments about a former Miss Universes weight gain. He took the bait, hook, line and sinker, he said. King said he has had many situations in his career in which he thought he was being baited. But you never know, he laughed. I might be baiting them, too. King said the will and spine of Congress will be tested, regardless of who wins the presidential election on Nov. 8. There will be two clear paths. If Hillary wins, the Republicans will be playing defense. If Trump wins, we will be busy, busy, busy, repealing Obamacare, strengthening the military and all sorts of things, he said. King has been in Congress 14 years and is opposed by Democrat Kim Weaver in the November election. He said getting things done in Washington has changed dramatically since Bill Clinton was president and politics is the cause. When he took office, he said he wanted a cabinet that looked like America. He appointed blacks, Hispanics, women who represented a lot of different backgrounds, regardless of qualifications, said King. And Obama has raised that to an art form. If it was up to me, I wouldnt care if they were all green as long as they were qualified. Press Release October 19, 2016 Legarda: Gov't, LGUs Must Be Prepared for Typhoon Lawin As Typhoon Lawin continues to threaten Northern Luzon and its nearby areas, Senator Loren Legarda today reminded all local government units (LGUs) in the path of the storm to ensure that timely information about the typhoon is relayed to the people. Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, said that LGUs, including barangay officials, should have already conducted an information dissemination campaign on the strength of the typhoon and its effects, including an expected storm surge, and the community evacuation plan. "Every barangay should have informed citizens of possible landslides, flooding and storm surge, and those in high-risk areas should have already been evacuated to safe places," she said. The Senator also reminded government agencies to carry out their respective duties in preparing for the typhoon. "We should all be on heightened alert now. We remind LGUs to ensure that no families are living in high-risk areas, release frequently updated advisories and ensure that areas expected to be affected are prepared-activate all forms of early warning systems, set up evacuation centers, evacuate families living in landslide-prone and flood-prone areas," said Legarda. She added that LGUs should implement forced evacuation when called for. Shelters for evacuees should be well designed, built strong, and prepared ahead of time with emergency supplies of food, water, medicine, shelter, and toiletries, while government agencies are ready to augment the basic needs of evacuees. Moreover, local disaster risk reduction and management officers should be alert. "Quick communication and real-time updates are vital in ensuring effective disaster response with first responders and search and rescue teams ready for dispatch anytime," she stressed. "Let us find a way to prevent damages to critical infrastructure such as transmission lines because electricity and communication lines are more important in the aftermath of disasters," she added. The Senator also called on communities to heed disaster warnings to avoid accidents. "When warned of an impending hazard, we should take safety measures. Stay indoors and do not attempt to go out especially at the height of the typhoon to avoid accidents," she said. "National and local action must promote disaster prevention with 'zero casualty' as a mindset and approach. On the other hand, citizens must do their part by paying attention to government warnings and community advisories, especially when there is a need to evacuate," Legarda concluded. Press Release October 19, 2016 Pimentel seeks increase in candidates' campaign cap Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III seeks to increase the cap in the campaign expenditures of candidates and political parties during elections that remained the same in the last 25 years. He filed Senate Bill No. 1178 recently to amend Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166, or "An Act Providing for Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms, Authorizing Appropriations Therefor, and for Other Purposes." When approved into law, candidates with political parties would be entitled to P20 from P10 for president; P15 from P10 for vice-president; P10 from P3 for a representative; P10 from P3 for governor and mayor; P8 from P3 for vice-governor and vice-mayor; and P5 from P3 for municipal, city and provincial councils. The president of the administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) said the higher amounts pegged in the proposed measure are "per voter" in the constituency of the candidate. It would be P20 from P5 for a political party and P10 from P5 for candidates without political parties. He said candidates had difficulty in trying to limit their spending in accordance with law because the costs of materials, printing and reproduction, media ads, transportation, and other operational expenses have noticeably increased in the past two decades. Pimentel cited a report of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas which showed a 259.5 percent increase in prices of commodities from 1991 to the 2015 national and local elections. "The value of P1.00 in 1991 is now equivalent to P3.60," he said, referring to records of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). The NEDA, he said, is projecting that the P3.0 used for election-related spending in 1991 would be valued at P9.10 this year. "These amounts show that the allowable limits for campaign spending are really outdated, most especially for local candidates who cannot take advantage of the economies of scale in their purchase of materials, printing requirements, and even mass media placements," Pimentel said. He said overspending cases filed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against 35 local candidates for the 2010 and 2013 elections proved that candidates were struggling to spend within the allowable amounts provided by law. "The best way to address the concerns of our candidates, especially the local candidates, therefore, is to increase the amount of their allowable political campaign expenditures," said Pimentel. Political parties, however, should not be forgotten, he said, adding political parties are allowed to spend only P5 per currently registered voter to help their candidates in constituencies where they field candidates. Pimentel said local candidates should be aware of the importance of political parties, encouraging them to tap the assistance of their political parties for their campaign spending limit. "This measure is in line with the proposed policy to institute reforms in the Philippine political parties to resolve issues of campaign spending, among others, to attain a mature and stable democracy," he said. Pimentel said it would be beneficial to the voting public "since the increase in the allowable campaign expenditure may lead to better voter's education and awareness of the background and program of government of the candidates." However, he said the campaign cap of candidates for barangay posts should remain at P3 since barangay elections are non-partisan, and hence, should be less "bloody" than the other elections. He also wanted to substitute the term "gift tax" with "donor" tax which he added "is the proper term used in the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended." Press Release October 19, 2016 POE ASSURES OK OF FOI AS BILL ADVANCES IN SENATE Senator Grace Poe has assured the immediate passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill that gives flesh to the citizens' constitutional right to information on matters of public concern as she sought for greater transparency in government. Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, today sponsored in plenary Senate Bill No. 1208 or the proposed FOI law and sought backing from her colleagues in the light of the publicly avowed support from the administration on the measure. "We truly appreciate the administration for its keen push of the FOI that would effectively make transparency, accountability and integrity as yardsticks in government performance. We remain confident that we will pass this FOI in the present Congress because our citizens cannot afford to wait any longer to fully exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to access critical information," said Poe. The proposed FOI law, despite multi-partisan support in previous Congresses, faced deliberate delays and remained in limbo in the legislature for nearly three decades amid lukewarm backing from the Executive branch and their allies in the House of Representatives. The FOI bill is Poe's first legislation filed in the 17th Congress. The landmark measure-a consolidation of 14 bills-covers the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature, demands accountability across the public sector, prescribes procedures, remedies and defines limitations for citizens' access to government record and data and even sets criminal, civil and administrative penalties for non-disclosure of information. The measure also provides for mandatory disclosures of statements of assets, liabilities and net worth of public officials. Exempted from disclosure, however, are those that will compromise national security, defense, law enforcement operations, foreign relations, trade and economic secrets and the constitutional right to privacy and safety. Under the legislation, jail time and fines will be imposed upon individuals who acted in bad faith over non-disclosure or those who willfully destroyed requested documents. No less than President Rodrigo Duterte issued marching orders to lawmakers to pass an FOI law and implement wide-ranging reforms after Malacanang issued Executive Order No. 2 implementing FOI only in the executive branch. In his budget message to Congress after submitting the proposed P3.35 trillion national expenditure program for 2017, Duterte urged Congress to act swiftly on the "long overdue" FOI?, saying the State must "uphold the people's right to demand information on government affairs, particularly on how their taxes are spent." The Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council composed of lawmakers and Cabinet, with the President as its chairman has included the FOI as among the priority measures of the Duterte administration. Poe's public information and mass media committee conducted two hearings on the FOI last Sept. 19 and 29. In the 16th Congress, the Senate approved on third and final reading its version of the FOI bill on March 10, 2014-or in record eight months from the filing of the measure. Press Release October 19, 2016 EMPOWER THE PEOPLE, DARE THEM TO ASK Sponsorship Speech of Senator Grace Poe on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill Senate Session Hall Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, magandang hapon po. I stand here today to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1208, otherwise known as the "People's Freedom of Information Act of 2016." The said bill is a consolidation of fourteen (14) FOI legislation filed by our eminent colleagues, namely: Senators Honasan, Pangilinan, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Ejercito, Legarda, Zubiri, Angara, Aquino, Villanueva, Hontiveros, De Lima, and by this representation. Our task today is to pass a freedom of information act in order to institutionalize the constitutional right of the people to information on matters of public concern and fulfill the State's mandate to implement a policy of full public disclosure of all matters involving public interest. This is my second time to sponsor this bill, and hopefully the last. This proposed law is 24 years or one generation in the making, which compels us to finish the job during our watch, and not leave it to the next generation. Mr. President, the Senate had not only tackled the FOI bill in the past; it had, in fact, approved it on March 10, 2014, unanimously. The House, however, failed to pass the pass the bill on third reading. Natakot ata sila na malalaman na ang mga pinakatatago nilang sikreto, kung kaya ayaw nilang ipasa kaagad ang FOI. On July 23, the executive branch issued Executive Order No. 2, binding agencies under them to an FOI regime. A legislated FOI strengthens the executive FOI by filling the gaps, by funding the mandates, by providing for criminal penalties, by creating a uniform standard, by closing the loopholes, by clearly defining the exceptions, and above all, by meeting the demands of the people to create an antidote to irregularities. For example, to report on recent disturbing events, requests by journalists for drug war data were not attended to in violation of the EO, thus making the creation of a legislative measure imperative. In the quarter of a century during which this measure was in limbo, the scandals that rocked our nation had always involved infidelity in the custody of public funds. However, the collateral casualties of stealing are more heart-wrenching: When billions are lost, millions go hungry; when billions are lost, millions go to schools without classrooms; when billions are lost, millions have to endure bad public service. If there's one costly lesson we have learned from our past, it is this: Secrecy corrupts, and absolute secrecy corrupts absolutely. There are five successful general principles (SGPs) of FOI laws around the world. Please allow me to enumerate. First is to have a broad definition of information, and a legal presumption in favor of access to that information. Because openness is fundamental to the democratic life of the country, access to information should be a key feature of our government. This means that there is blanket coverage for all public information and that all official documents are presumed to be open to the public, unless expressly prohibited by the law. Our FOI bill provides for proactive disclosure, such that certain information must be published or accessible to the public, even without the public requesting for such information. Sections 8 and 9 of our bill have enumerated information that should be immediately available and uploaded on an agency's website, such as the SALN of the president, vice-president, members of the cabinet, members of Congress, Justices of the Supreme Court, among others, shall be disclosed to the public in their official website. You see, Mr. President, our proposed law is not just about transparency and accountability, it is also about creating an enabling environment for meaningful social participation in public affairs. Sa ilalim ng batas, pwede, halimbawa, kunin ang address ng mga bahay ng isang opisyal sa SALN. Pero kalabisan namang humingi pa ng litrato ng mga silid-tulugan o imbentaryo ng mga anik-anik sa loob ng bahay. Second is the requirement of having limited and strictly construed exceptions, which are enumerated in Section 7 of our bill. We will put "Do not enter' signs", but in delineating no-go zones, we must see to it that they are clearly defined. These non-disclosure areas typically cover matters of national security, operational security, trade secrets, diplomatic security, and presidential privilege. Also included are information that could compromise law enforcement operations, or endanger the life of an individual, or constitute an unwarranted invasion of an individual's right to privacy. I should stress that even if we advocate for access to information, we believe that the right of an individual to privacy is equally sacred. Hence, under section 10 our bill, the State is obligated to fully protect the right of privacy of individuals and ensure that the disclosure of personal data under the custody of the State shall be done in accordance with the provisions of the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Under our bill, all these exceptions shall be strictly construed and none of these exceptions shall be used to cover up a crime or unlawful activity. We have also provided that all exceptions shall undergo mandatory review every three years for possible reclassification and disclosure. The third trait of a successful FOI law is the creation of implementing mechanisms that cover all agencies. Thus, unlike the Executive Order, our FOI bill will cover everyone from the executive, legislative, judicial, government-owned and-controlled corporations, and even certain private individuals who have transactions with the government. Since each agency has a different department or office to which a person may request for information, we have provided under Section 11 that all government agencies shall prepare an FOI manual. The manual will be there to facilitate the effective implementation of the law. Its absence, however, cannot be used as an excuse to deny a request made in accordance with the FOI Act. This means, the FOI manual shall in no way add to the exceptions enumerated in our bill or provide for a tedious process in complying with the FOI bill as our FOI bill already provides for a uniform procedure for the access to information. Hindi naman po pwede na sa ilalim ng manual nila ay kailangan ng 12 signatories before information is made accessible to an individual. Sana kung artista pinapapirma nila e ok lang, sila pa ang magrerequest para sa autograph nila, pero hindi. Dagdag perwisyo ang dagdag na signatures. Section 12 of our bill provides that a person will have to submit either personally, by mail, or through electronic means, a request to the government agency concerned. A person who is unable to make a written request, because of illiteracy or disability may make an oral request. Once the request is submitted, the government agency should help the requesting party free of charge and provide the information within 15 days. If the government agency decides to deny the request, in whole or in part, it shall also inform the requesting party within 15 calendar days of the grounds for denial and indicate the available remedies for appeal. Again, let me remind our countrymen that 15 days may be long but certain information is already automatically uploaded in a website which can be easily accessed by our countrymen. Will the requesting party have to pay anything? Yes. A government agency may charge reasonable access and processing fees. The fourth trait of a good FOI law deals with efficiency and timeliness. For FOI to be effective, citizens must have what experts call "actionable data", which is data that is immediately usable to intervene on an urgent concern. Typically, what we see on government websites today are "after-the-fact" data. Ibig sabihin, imbes na impormasyon na makakapigil ng suntukan, ang datos na nakukuha ay yaong tapos na ang boksing. Under our bill, contracts and agreements involving an amount of at least P50 million shall be uploaded online and in full before the signing. Thus, data uploaded should not only pertain to consummated contracts but also that which will help prevent the consummation of disadvantageous contracts. The fifth trait of a good FOI is the institutionalization of penalties for non-compliance or for violation of the FOI law. This is what we call the fear factor or our whipping stick. Without penalties, kung wala pong parusa, a law will have no teeth and will simply remain lip service to the constitutional provisions upholding the people's right to information. Unlike an EO, our FOI can provide for criminal and not just administrative liabilities. Among the acts penalized are falsely denying or concealing the existence of information that should be disclosed; divulging or releasing information that is altered, tampered or modified; knowingly or wrongfully claiming an exception under the FOI law or the Constitution, when such claim is manifestly devoid of basis; and divulging or releasing information covered as an exception under the law. Our FOI bill also seeks to penalize private individuals who knowingly directed or induced or caused the commission of the foregoing acts. However, to boost compliance of government agencies, we should create a system of incentives, for more good are wrought by the carrot than by the stick. Under Section 27 of our bill we have provided for a system of incentives and rewards. Meron din pong gantimpala ang mga sumusunod nang maayos. For example, may premyo sa "Most FOI Compliant Agency of the Year". Isang milyon na halaga ng bagong equipment. Bakit hindi? The litmus test of an FOI law is how it helps the common people secure with ease, without help and without hassle, the documents he needs. Kung gustong malaman ng publiko kung bakit kada taon may bagong sasakyan ang isang opisyal ng gobyerno nila o bakit lahat ng kinakasama ng barangay captain nila ay may negosyo kahit na wala talaga silang hanapbuhay para pagkuhanan ng kapital, e di dapat may karapatan tayong suriin ang SALN ng mga opisyales nito kung ito ba ay nakalagda ng tama o hindi. Kung gustong malaman ng publiko kung saan napunta ang donasyon para sa mga nasalanata, dapat may karapatan din tayong suriin ang financial documents ng DSWD or kung anong mga ahensya na namamahala sa mga donasyon. Sa laki ng binabayad nating tax, nararapat lang na itanong ng ating mga kababayan--ni Juan at Maria kung saan napupunta ang nakakaltas sa sahod nila. Magkano ba ang magpagawa ng kalsada? Bakit kada taon parehong kalsada ang laging pinapagawa o binubungkal? Let me stress, though, that access to these documents or information should be in a language easy to comprehend, which is why the Senate's FOI version made mandatory the use of plain language in official communication. What use is information that is easily accessible if it is not easily understood? Mr. President kung hindi naman maintindhan ng ating mga kababayan ang dokumentong binigay sa kanila, balewala ang imprmasyon. Dapat madali itong maintindihan kahit pa walang abogado. Admittedly, this bill, when implemented, will incur expenses. Freedom of information does not mean that such information will come free. May gastos po sa gobyerno. That is why we provided that the amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this bill shall be charged against the agencies' current budget and shall later be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. Be that as it may, I strongly maintain that benefits far outweigh the costs of implementation. Studies show that FOI spending bears high social returns. Investments on FOI resources and technology are needed, and must be mandated, otherwise what good is a law if it ends up as an unfunded mandate? Mr. President, my dear colleagues, the FOI Act is long overdue. Let us not delay its passage anymore as it has been delayed long enough. I would like to thank the advocates, even here. I think as a junior senator, Sen. Villanueva, Sen. Zubiri and all those I've mentioned authored this more than a decade ago. I would also like to thank the Right to Know, Right Now Coalition who has always been with us to provide us with technical advice as well as feedback. Passing the FOI law is just the beginning. Beyond the law, we need to cultivate a culture of transparency and accountability. Lahat ay dapat makilahok. We need to create an environment where ordinary citizens are fearless enough to ask important questions and have the audacity to demand the truth. We should dare them to ask; dare them to act. Let us empower our people, and in doing so, improve our public institutions. Maraming salamat po. Press Release October 19, 2016 Senate adjourns session Wednesday, celebrates centennial anniversary The Senate adjourned its session today, October 19, to go on a legislative break on the same week it commemorates the institution's 100th years of service to the Filipino people. The legislative break, the first in the 17th Congress, will last until the Senate will resume its sessions on November 7, Monday. Upon resumption, the Senate is expected to turn its attention to the passage of the 2017 General Appropriations Act or the P3.35 trillion national budget for next year. Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III earlier said that he has agreed with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that Congress will focus and cooperate on passing the 2017 budget before the year ends. The 2017 GAA, the first national budget under the Duterte administration, is also the largest of its kind in Philippine history. "We will exert our best efforts to timely conduct our hearings and ensure the early passage of this most important piece of legislation" Pimentel said. The Senate will also work on its pending priority legislation such as the proposed bill on emergency powers for the traffic crisis, the bill on ending "endo" or labor contractualization, the SIM Card Registration Act, Amendments to the Bank Secrecy Law, and the bill on adjusting the indexation of income tax rates, among others. The Upper Chamber earlier approved on final reading Senate Bill No. 1112 which seeks to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 2016 to October 2017. The measure was sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara and co-sponsored by Senators Leila De Lima, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Alan Peter Cayetano and Joel Villanueva. Meanwhile, the Senate on Monday formally kicked-off its celebration of the Senate Centennial Anniversary in a series of rites to be led by Pimentel. Pimentel unveiled the official marker of the 17th Congress after a eucharistic celebration in the Senate building. An exhibition of a marching band and parade was held in the afternoon. A concert featuring "Rivermaya" and fireworks capped the centennial celebration. The Senate Centennial Anniversary commemorates the full century of the Senate of the Philippines as a democratic institution since it was establishment on October 16, 1916 during the American period. Press Release October 19, 2016 Villar opens farm school for drug rehab program Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, in partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other government agencies, will launch on Friday a drug rehabilitation training program in a bid to help reform drug surrenderees from Las Pinas City. The training program is in line with the government's goal of helping former users of illegal drugs to go back to their normal lives and become productive citizens. "We should all work together in stopping illegal drugs abuse in our country. One way to end this is by helping former users rebuild their lives so that they can have a brighter future," Villar said. Villar said the rehabilitation training program is envisioned to help drug surrenderees jumpstart their new lives by providing them with basic information about the harms of using illegal drugs and giving them ideas for alternative livelihoods. She stressed: "We must reiterate to them the evils of substance abuse. They need to remember that illegal drugs do not only destroy their minds and bodies, but also the lives of their loved ones." "But at the same time, we need to help them look for alternative sources of livelihood so they can become productive again. I believe that agri-farming is one of the easiest and best way of earning a living," Villar added. The training program, which will be called SAGIP BUKAS: A Drug Rehabilitation Training Program for a Better Life, will be launched at 9 a.m. on Friday (October 21) at the Villar SIPAG farm school in Las Pinas. The program is in partnership with Villar SIPAG, PNP, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Office of the President (OP). Other partners include the Allied Botanical Corporation, Las Pinas General Hospital (LPGH), Diocese of Paranaque, Las Pinas City Health Office, and Las Pinas City Mayor's Office. Participants to the program will be drug users from Las Pinas City who have already surrendered under the Oplan Tokhang initiative of the government. A total of 1700 drug users from Las Pinas have surrendered to the PNP. Out of this number, 120 will join the SAGIP BUKAS training program. The participants are currently undergoing medical check-ups, like X-rays and urinalysis at the LPGH. After the check-up, they will go through the assessment and screening process to be conducted by the Las Pinas City Health Office and DOH-accredited doctors. All activities are being coordinated and monitored by PNP. The drug rehabilitation training program will run for 12 weeks and will have 2 sessions a week (Thursday and Friday). The sessions will include free trainings on agri farming and health and wellness, and lectures on ethico legal aspects of substance abuse. Program participants will likewise do coastal clean-up and mangrove planting under the stewardship of DENR. They will likewise do physical training and will learn to dance Zumba. Press Release October 19, 2016 Compromise agreement on Manila Bay reclamation project alarms Villar Sen. Cynthia Villar expressed alarm over the reported compromise agreement between Cyberbay Corporation and the government on a reclamation project involving a protected area along Manila Bay. In a newspaper report, Cyberbay said its wholly-owned subsidiary, the Central Bay Reclamation and Development Corp., has entered into a compromise agreement with the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and the settlement includes the transfer of a portion of PRA's reclaimed land to Central Bay's "qualified assignee". In a 2-page letter dated October 18, 2016 addressed to PRA General Manager Peter Anthony Abaya, Villar said she is "deeply alarmed with this development considering, among others, that the joint venture agreement between PRA and Cyberbay Corporation was already nullified by the Supreme Court, as the news article itself says, and that the transfer may have included and/or may adversely affect the survival of the Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA).." "How can you give away a protected area for a reclamation project? We are mandated by domestic laws as well as international convention to protect this critical habitat," Villar pointed out. The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources also asked Abaya to furnish her a copy of the compromise agreement PRA entered into with Cyberbay Corporation and/or its subsidiary. "As the transfer is clearly a matter of public interest, there is a need for the public to know the propriety and legal basis of the transfer of a government-owned property to a private entity in order to address apprehensions that the transfer is against public interest and grossly disadvantageous to the government," Villar further said in the letter. LPPCHEA is a protected area by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1412, series of 2007. It was recognized as a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention. Dubbed as Metro Manila's last coastal frontier, LPPCHEA shelters a 36-hectare mangrove forest, which is the thickest and most diverse mangrove forest along the Manila Bay area and serves as a significant spawning ground, nursery, feeding and temporary shelter of different fish species and other forms of wildlife, as well as protects the communities of Las Pinas and Paranaque cities against storm surges and high tides. LPPCHEA likewise plays a critical role for the survival of threatened, restricted-range and vulnerable bird species. Press Release October 19, 2016 Zubiri backs continued recognition of the Negros Island Region Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed his support for the continued recognition of the Negros Island Region (NIR), amid statements from the executive branch of plans to abolish the NIR. Zubiri said, "the lopsided development of various areas in the island, the wide gap in poverty, and the tenuous peace and order situation with marked militarization in some areas can only be addressed when the NIR is fully operational." The Negros Island Region was created by virtue of Executive Order 183 issued on 29 May 2015 by former President Aquino. It carved out the adjacent provinces of Negros Occidental from Region VI (Western Visayas) and Negros Oriental from Region VII (Central Visayas), to form a new and distinct administrative region for the purpose of accelerating their social and economic development and improving the delivery of public services. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said that, "The EO on the NIR is not in the budget anymore. It will be repealed." Thus, Senator Zubiri filed Resolution No. 203, calling for the continued recognition of the Negros Island Region, citing that its creation will promote efficiency in the region, enhance decentralization from the national government, and bolster economic development for local residents. Zubiri recalled that the island has been "the center of insurgency in the 1970s and we don't want a repeat of that. Remember the CHICKS area? It was one of the poorest areas in the island. It was also the site of the US-led and directed Operation Thunderbolt which, instead of installing peace, was responsible for heightening the conflict." The CHICKS area consisted of the towns of Candoni, Hino-baan, Ilog, Cauayan, Kabankalan, and Sipalay. "Twenty-three years ago, several towns in the Negros provinces were declared as Zones of Peace and Special Development Areas, The military and rebels worked towards brokering peace. We want to preserve and enhance the progress we have achieved. That is where the NIR is very relevant." "My father, Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri, is a native of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, making us true-blooded Negrense. I support the continued existence of the NIR because I believe it is for the benefit of my kababayans," NORTHWOOD | Despite a number of vulgar statements, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst said she would continue to support Donald Trump's Republican nomination three weeks from the general election. As an outspoken advocate of military sexual assault victims, Ernst said Trump's comments from a 2005 Access Hollywood appearance reported by the Washington Post earlier this month would not cause her to withdraw her endorsement. The tape appears to show Trump stating he could use the power of his celebrity influence to commit sexual assault against women. Ernst said she believed an allegation would need to be filed in criminal court. "Well, I am going to tell you that I am not going to defend Donald Trump on those issues," she said. "I am not going to defend him and I'm not going to condone it." "I do believe the Republican Party is where I stand," Ernst said. "I would never encourage someone to go against their ideals and values in a party platform and support ideals they don't believe in, so that's why I am sticking with the Republican ticket." A Real Clear Politics poll averaging results from the Des Moines Register, Quinnipiac and and Loras between Sept. 13 and Oct. 6 show Donald Trump leading Hillary Clinton in Iowa -- 45 percent to 41.7 percent. Ernst was speaking following a town hall-style assembly to hundreds of Northwood-Kensett high school students who asked questions ranging from her thoughts on standardized testing, the benefits and drawbacks of being a woman in an election year, responsibilities of high school students in a democracy, views on gun control, and abortion. "They are engaged and they are paying attention," she said, "and that is important that we understand that they watch everything that we do." The event was part of her own 99-county tour in the state. The key for Trump at Wednesday's presidential debate will be to focus more on policy, she said. "I have yet to hear either candidate fully spell out where they stand on jobs and the economy, immigration," she said. "You know, tell us to our faces through the debate channel where you stand on these issues. Because, we need to be making up our minds and we haven't heard a lot of that so far." When Jon Moscone learned that San Franciscos hotel tax fund no longer earmarked funds specifically for the arts, he went to the only person who would be more shocked by this news than he was: his mother, Gina Moscone. Mayor George Moscones widow said he could count on her vote. Thats how Jon Moscone came to be the leading proponent of Proposition S, which would require the Board of Supervisors to designate 16 percent of the hotel tax fund to arts and family homelessness organizations. The city levies a 14 percent tax on every hotel room that is rented, raising $380 million a year for the general fund. The mayor and the Board of Supervisors have discretion over its use, and until the recession the arts always got their cut. Revenue dropped when the economy tanked, however, and the city began diverting money away from the arts. This is a promise that the city made to its community, and we are trying to make good on the promise, said Moscone, who is chief of civic engagement at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and former artistic director at the California Shakespeare Theatre. Prop. S would not raise the hotel tax: It would only specify how the money could be used. In addition to arts funding, low-income housing and family homelessness services would receive set percentages of the taxs revenue. According to an analysis by City Controller Ben Rosenfield, $69 million would go to the arts and homeless services if Prop. S passes. That figure could rise to $103 million by 2020-21. To cover that, allocations to public transit, youth services, libraries and schools would fall by $15 million in the first year and $24 million by 2020-21, Rosenfield said. Prop. S requires a two-thirds vote for approval. There is no organized opposition. Moscones argument is that with tourism and convention business booming, the hotel tax fund is growing by 4 to 10 percent a year. That increases the size of the pie. Without a designated slice, we have no assured funding stream for the arts in San Francisco, other than money that is allocated per year by the mayors office, and none of that is guaranteed, Moscone said. Under the current system, city money goes to the San Francisco Arts Commission and Grants for the Arts, which distribute it. Hundreds of arts organizations lobby for whatever they can get. It has become a battle royal among the arts groups of all sizes, as opposed to a stable foundation that worked for decades, said Shwetika Baijal, campaign manager for Yes on S. Under Prop. S, up to half of hotel tax revenue would go to the Moscone Center, the city-owned convention complex that has long been a beneficiary of the fund. The War Memorial Complex, home of the San Francisco Symphony and Opera, would get 3.3 percent, and the Arts Commission 1.6 percent. Grants for the Arts, which helps arts organizations of all sizes, and the Cultural Equity Endowment Fund, which helps small and minority-run groups, would each get 4.2 percent. The initiative would also establish an Ending Family Homelessness Fund. Backers hope Prop. S will eventually raise $17 million a year to end family homelessness, said Martha Ryan, who has been working on this issue in San Francisco for 30 years. Ryan was considering her own ballot initiative when she was invited to join Prop. S as the co-proponent. My goal for the money is that it will be used to prevent families from slipping into homelessness, Ryan said. Once you are homeless, it is hard to get out of it. Linking the two issues broadens the appeal of Prop. S to voters who might consider spending on the arts a luxury, but not the homeless. We are much stronger as a coalition, Moscone said. We are not a coalition that is saying, Give us our money back. We are a coalition saying, What makes San Francisco great is that it supports the arts. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Instagram:@sfchronicle_art Theyre more than twice as hot as habaneros. They make jalapenos taste like a walk in the park. And if youre unlucky, they can cause severe bodily harm. A 47-year-old man engaged in a daredevil eating contest in San Francisco found out the hard way just how hot a ghost pepper can be when he munched into a burger topped with a puree made out of the legendary chile. The result? A 1-inch-wide tear in his esophagus and a 23-day stay at UCSF Medical Center. The ordeal, while rare, was documented by UCSF physicians in a case study published recently in the Journal of Emergency Medicine that highlights the potential danger of extreme eating. The doctors said the man, who was not identified, survived despite violently and repeatedly retching and vomiting. Doug Cannell/Getty Images On the Scoville scale a heat index designed to measure the levels of capsaicin in peppers that make them so spicy ghost peppers weigh in at 1 million units, or super-hot territory. A jalapeno by comparison clocks in between 5,000 and 8,000 Scoville units, while the worlds hottest pepper, a cross-breeding feat of spicy engineering, measures about 1.5 million. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Courtesy photo/Houston Hot Sauce Festival Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Manish Swarup/AP Show More Show Less The restaurant where the hospitalized man got sick was also left unnamed by UCSF, but the contest was part of a trend of people consuming hotter and hotter substances in an effort to outdo one another. Is it just boredom? asked Dr. Craig Smollin, co-author of the study. Is it just this culture of, I can one-up you? Or sort of like a schoolyard culture? I honestly dont know. I dont see the attractiveness of being able to say you accomplished this. People brave or foolish enough to chew and swallow the super-hot peppers are featured in food-dare YouTube videos. They typically scream or cry, mouths held hostage by the fiery pepper that can scald the tongue for a half-hour or do worse. The man in San Francisco chugged six glasses of water after chomping down on the pepper-laced burger, to no avail. Thats when the vomiting started, and soon there was a 911 call followed by complaints of excruciating stomach pain. Smollin, consulted in the case for his expertise with the California Poison Control System, described the episode as an outlier. Theres a lot of people out there who are ingesting ghost peppers and who have been OK, who have been fine, Smollin said. But there is a possibility, yeah, you could have a reaction and have a bad complication like this. The ghost pepper itself which is spicy but not acidic couldnt alone have caused the one-inch tear in the mans esophagus, Smollin said. It was the bouts of vomiting caused by the peppers irritation. The man was released from the hospital 23 days later with a gastric tube, UCSF said, after undergoing extensive surgery to repair his throat. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Jasmine Robinson, a manager at San Franciscos Hot Licks, a chain that specializes in spicy products, said shed be surprised if the man wasnt required to sign a waiver for the challenge. Those seeking to purchase the hottest sauces in her store require such a waiver releasing the chain from liability, she said. If you have too much or you use it improperly, or if your body just has a harmful reaction to it, then we dont want to be held responsible, Robinson said. Dave Hirschkop, who set out to make the spiciest sauce in the world when he founded San Franciscos Daves Gourmet, said the question when it comes to heat has become: How far does it go? Thats why his hotter bottles now come prescribed with a label urging the customer to use one drop at a time. At some point, there is a chance that some bizarre set of circumstances will happen and someone will get hurt even worse, Hirschkop said. Or die. Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @michael_bodley Yahoos CEO Marissa Mayer said in a statement Tuesday that she remains confident in her companys value and ability to retain its users, despite a massive data breach that analysts believe could shake up the companys plans to sell its core business for $4.83 billion to Verizon. Yahoos third-quarter earnings, released Tuesday, mostly beat analysts expectations. But the company had taken the highly unusual step of not holding its earnings call, reflecting the pressure it is under after its revelation in September that at least 500 million accounts were affected by the 2014 breach. Last week, Verizons attorney said he believed the breach could constitute a material event, leaving the door open for Verizon to potentially renegotiate the deal. In her statement, which served as her first public remarks about the data breach, Mayer said she was heartened by Yahoo users continued loyalty. The company released numbers showing that user engagement remained about the same at Yahoo after it disclosed the data breach. We are busy preparing for integration with Verizon, she said. But she offered no further details on the data breach or why Yahoo did not disclose the breach while it was holding discussions to sell its Internet properties. Yahoo said its net earnings were $163 million in the third quarter, up from $76 million a year ago and beating analysts expectations on earnings per share. But the company continues to face challenges in its advertising business. The companys revenue minus traffic acquisition costs, meaning the amount of revenue that Yahoo generates minus what it pays to partners to direct traffic to its sites, declined 14 percent to $857.7 million. That slightly missed analysts expectations of $860.8 million, according to FactSet, a financial data firm. But the failure of Yahoo a business that has struggled to remain relevant against competitors like Facebook and Google to disclose the data breach when acquisition discussions were taking place has caused speculation that Verizon will use that as leverage to change the deal terms. Consumers may sue Yahoo for the data breach, which Verizon would want to account for in its sales price, analysts said. Its quite likely that Verizon will ask for a lower price, said Roger Entner, an analyst with Recon Analytics. Verizon declined to comment on whether it would ask for a lower price or renegotiate parts of the deal. The deals contract has a clause that says that if a material event were to occur that significantly impacts Yahoo or Verizons business, the companies could walk away. Craig Silliman, Verizons general counsel, said at a meeting last week that he believes that Yahoos data breach could amount to a material event. We have a reasonable basis to believe right now that the impact is material, and were looking to Yahoo to demonstrate to us the full impact, Silliman said. If they believe that its not, then theyll need to show us that. If Verizon were to renegotiate the deal, analysts say that doesnt leave Yahoo many options, and its unclear how much other bidders would be willing to pay for the company. Research firm eMarketer projects that Yahoos share of worldwide digital ad revenue will drop to 1.5 percent in 2016, from 2.1 percent in 2015. If Verizon walks away, whoever else will buy them will offer less, Entner said. There have been instances in which companies have been able to negotiate a lower price based on a material event, said Tony Schoenberg, a partner with law firm Farella Braun + Martel LLP. He pointed to a case involving private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP, which was able, after litigation over a materiality question, to renegotiate a deal for a hotel company and pay less. The extreme thing would be (for Verizon) to pull out of the deal entirely, Schoenberg said. The more likely scenario is they will seek to renegotiate for a lower price. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes But Neil Doshi, an analyst with Mizuho Securities USA Inc., warned that Verizon should be careful about asking for too big a discount. If they try to get too greedy, I think we could potentially see Yahoo talking to other potential parties just in case they try to push a much lower price, Doshi said. When Yahoo put its Internet properties up for sale, the company talked to 51 parties about a potential purchase, according to a company filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Yahoo has more than 1 billion monthly users across its properties, a figure thats valuable to businesses like Verizon that want to expand advertising. If Verizon does buy Yahoo, the deal is expected to close early next year. The drama surrounding Yahoo isnt new for Doshi, who has been covering the company since 2007. Its kind of a fitting closure to this whole saga, where once you think everything is done, lo and behold, something else pops up and creates uncertainty once again, he said. Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee A 51-year-old woman was repeatedly stabbed on Tuesday afternoon in San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood, authorities said. The suspect, a 49-year-old man whose name was not released, was arguing with the woman about 4:40 p.m. on Seventh and Market streets before the stabbing occurred. He knocked her to the ground and stabbed her multiple times in the torso before attempting to run away, police said. Officers located the suspect and placed him under arrest. The injured woman, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani MASON CITY It was full STEAM ahead for Lincoln Intermediates makerspace on Tuesday, where robots traveled down the schools hallway and sewing machines whirred alongside 3-D printers. The makerspace, which emphasizes learning in science, technology, engineering, arts and math, gives students a place to create and solve authentic problems. Theres a lot going on at once, but our groups are self-directed and independent, said teacher Morgan Leider as she worked with sixth-graders using Dash and Dot smart robots. Students used iPads to connect to the robots via Bluetooth, using an app to control movement, add sound effects and change lighting colors. Madalyn Schweitzer said shes learned to control and code electronics during her time in the makerspace. Designated groups visit the space each week for an hour and a half, generally working at two stations, which include LEGOs and circuitry. Last year it was just a library with a lot of books no one read, Schweitzer, 11, said of the makerspace, which shares space with Lincolns information center. Cameron Sackett, who was working with green screen, said he liked being able to create things, like geography projects. You can do almost everything you want, said Sackett, 11. Leider, who teaches sixth-grade science and social studies, said donations like hot glue, egg cartons and milk jugs have allowed for the geography projects. Kids have been creating amazing things with the materials, which go quickly, she said, noting each student carefully plans beforehand, to avoid waste. The makerspace will be open to the community 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, where attendees can learn more about projects fifth- and sixth-graders are working on during the school day. Hope and resolve quickly rose from the ashes of the Bay Areas worst disaster in decades. The Chronicles front page from Oct. 19, 1989, covers the aftermath of the Loma Prieta earthquake. A battered but determined Bay Area, faced with mounting casualties and soaring damage estimates, prepared yesterday to bury its dead and repair the destruction wrought by Tuesdays massive earthquake, the story read. The shaking lasted only 15 seconds, but the Bay Area would never be the same. Dozens of people were killed, many instantly when the Cypress Freeway collapsed on top of them in Oakland. While families surveyed the damage and began the trek back to normality, the region remained shaken, but resolute. This feeling was captured on the front page by The Chronicles greatest voice, Herb Caen. April 18, 1906. October 18, 1989. Yesterday dawned bright and beautiful April 18, 1906, was said to have been a gorgeous morning, too but there the comparisons stop, Caen wrote. In 06, what reporter Will Irwin described as the most pleasure-loving city of the Western continent was destroyed by the fire that followed the earthquake. As of yesterday morning, San Francisco was surviving the great shake of 5:04 p.m. the day before, but make no mistake. (Click to enlarge) It is not the same city it had been up to a split-second before the earthquake struck with devastating force. The people of what is still the most pleasure-loving city were as badly shaken as the rest of the Bay Area. Suddenly and terrifyingly, they came face to face with the reality of life in this most fragile of cities. It CAN happen here again. And yet again. The price we pay for being San Franciscans is the never-ending threat of instant disaster. More on the disaster: Read more about the Loma Prieta earthquake and see the front page from the first day of coverage. 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. See more front pages: Go to SFChronicle.com/covers to search a database of hundreds of Chronicle Covers articles that showcase the newspapers history. Chronicle Covers highlights one classic Chronicle newspaper page from our archive every day for 366 days. Library director Bill Van Niekerken and producers Kimberly Chua, Michelle Devera and Jillian Sullivan contributed to the project. Tim ORourke is the executive producer and editor of SFChronicle.com. Email: torourke@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TimothyORourke Students at San Franciscos June Jordan School for Equity were stunned and saddened Wednesday as they returned for classes following a shooting the day before that wounded four classmates in the campus parking lot. Police, meanwhile, said they were zeroing in on several suspects who fled after spraying gunfire into a group of teens, causing chaos at the small school in the citys Excelsior neighborhood, which boasts a curriculum emphasizing social justice and opposition to violence. Teachers stood silently, holding candles and burning sage, while students gathered in groups outside the school near John McLaren Park, which serves as a refuge for the students, many of whom hail from neighborhoods often plagued by crime. Of the roughly 250 students enrolled at the school, more than half did not attend classes Wednesday, officials said. This is a really difficult time for parents at the school. This is a really difficult time for the community. This is a really difficult time for the students, said an emotional Heather Lee as she dropped off her son Wednesday. I went home last night and I hugged and kissed my kids so tightly. Before classes began, students scrawled messages in chalk on the pavement of the schools parking lot, where police said the targeted shooting occurred and left four 15-year-old students wounded as school let out around 3:20 p.m. Tuesday. Police and school officials declined to specify which student or students were targeted in the attack, citing the ongoing investigation. What we will continue to do is get to the root cause of this, of why young men feel so hopeless that they would try and take another mans life so quickly, said Giulio Sorro, co-director of June Jordan. One of the victims, an unnamed girl, suffered life-threatening injuries when she was hit by the gunfire, which sent students running in panic and prompted a lockdown at the campus and at the adjoining City Arts and Technology High School. School officials said Wednesday that the girl was recovering from her injuries. Three male victims were treated for gunshot wounds and have been released from the hospital, school officials said. No one has been arrested in the attack, which school administrators said was carried out by outsiders unaffiliated with the school. Capt. Joe McFadden of the San Francisco Police Departments Ingleside Station said police were reviewing surveillance video taken from the campus and were close to making multiple arrests in the shooting. Hopefully, well have some closure on this real soon, he said. Our main priority is making sure the parents and the students feel safe. Grief counselors were on hand to speak with students while officers on foot walked around the campus, working to put students and parents at ease and prevent further violence. At least two police cars were parked near the school when classes let out for the day Wednesday. Lee said she had no apprehension about dropping off her child. Students at the school, which focuses on equity and social justice issues, trickled into class, many still dazed from the shooting. Meili Rubio, a sophomore, said she is a friend of the female victim and was focused on doing what she could to help her recover. It was shocking, she said of the moments after the gunfire erupted. It was very shocking. At least one shooter opened fire on the group, sending students, including the bleeding victims, scrambling into the school for cover. In the chaotic aftermath, police and school officials were unsure whether they were dealing with a gunman inside the school and immediately whisked students into classrooms and locked down the school and adjoining campus. Scores of officers responded within minutes, police said. And emergency personnel charged into what they thought was an active shooting situation, with no protective gear, to reach the victims quickly, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesman for the San Francisco Fire Department. Police later determined that at least one shooter fled on foot down Brazil Avenue with a group of three other young men. Officials said the shooter, who was not identified, was 15 years old. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. There has never been something like this that has happened before at the school, sophomore Nalayah Linton said. It really just made me terrified. It really just made me scared. Interim Police Chief Toney Chaplin said city health workers will be helping students process any residual trauma and get them any help they may need. This is a city that really tries to protect the youth and look out for them, he said Wednesday at an unrelated City Hall event. When something like this happens, it hits all of us. June Jordan was designed to be small and provides individualized attention to its students, many of whom are minorities and come from low-income areas where violence is prevalent. What happened (Tuesday) afternoon was tragic for us adults in this space who have worked so hard to provide a sense of safety for these kids, said the schools co-director, Jessica Huang, standing in front of the campus in a Black Lives Matter T-shirt. Administrators were mulling whether to shorten the days schedule while encouraging students to talk about the shooting and the broader themes of what causes violence. This is my home, said 17-year-old senior Maria Zaragoza. I know students that stay here until school closes because the longer it takes to get home the better. Zaragoza lives in the citys Ingleside neighborhood, where she said crime in common. The school for her, like many others, is their place away from the trouble in their neighborhoods. Its going to take lots of time to get over this to heal from this, and it will hurt every day, she said. Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker contributed to this report Since its birth after the financial crisis, a federal consumer watchdog agency has barely survived political fights over its power and nature. Now a federal appeals court is weighing in, trimming its independent status but stopping short of putting it out of business. Thats a result that everyday consumers and an unhappy banking world should accept. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proving its worth in bringing order to a nearly lawless world of payday lenders, credit card firms, mortgage issuers and mega banks. Its most recent bulls-eye may be its biggest effort to date. The agency launched an inquiry that led to a $100 million fine levied at Wells Fargo for phony sales tactics and the departure days later of the giant banks top executive. While lawmakers and candidates cry out for Wall Street justice, this bureau actually follows through and gets undeniable results. The court case followed that major outcome. It drew plenty of observers wondering whether a ruling would eviscerate the infant agency, a product of the sweeping Dodd-Frank financial overhaul in 2010. Thankfully, that didnt happen. The appeals panel instead went after an important but subordinate issue of the stature of the agencys director. Its first leader, Richard Cordray, was picked by the White House which designed the bureau to be largely independent and subject to few constraints. Its a model that some Washington agencies follow in dealing with nuclear power, communications and the Federal Reserve system, while others such as the Environmental Protection Agency operate more directly under the presidential thumb. The organizational setup pleased consumer groups who wanted insulation from conservative critics wary of financial regulators. The design dismayed Republicans and business groups who feared the Lone Ranger powers given to a combative new agency led by Democrat Cordray. The three-judge panel from the conservative court found that high and mighty independence wasnt warranted when it comes to Cordrays job. He and his successors should serve at the pleasure of the president and not be protected by a nearly ironclad five-year term. The consumer czar isnt immune from White House wishes and should be treated much like a Cabinet secretary, spy agency head or top diplomat. Thats a notable check on a new agency with a hard-charging reputation. Additionally, the court case also involved a ruling that the consumer bureau had gone too far in punishing a New Jersey mortgage firm. The case may continue on via more appeals and a possible Supreme Court showdown. There are issues of separation of powers and the role of the president in running the sprawling federal bureaucracy. But the Main Street result should reassure bill payers worried about unfair late fees or credit card users given few options to dispute a charge. For now, the bureau will still be there to hold the financial industry in check. The hard lessons of the recent recession wont be forgotten. Brant Ward/The Chronicle If you are one of the thousands of San Francisco residents who have called 311 or the San Francisco Police Department to complain about the human waste, discarded needles, garbage, crime or unsightliness associated with tent encampments, then I have good news for you. I am piloting a common-sense and humane strategy to decrease the pain associated with the citys approximately 75 identified tent encampments. If implemented, this approach would cost only a fraction of the $20.6 million spent annually on policing encampments and could significantly reduce the millions of dollars spent by the Department of Public Works for encampment clean-up. Whats more, we can do this in a way that supports the health, safety and dignity of unhoused residents while working to prevent new encampments. A year ago during my mayoral campaign, I called for a Saint Francis Super Bowl Homelessness Challenge in response to the proposed Super Bowl 50 homeless sweeps. In January, Intersection for the Arts became the fiscal sponsor for the St. Francis Homelessness Challenge. I offered the idea to develop transitional eco-villages on the citys underutilized land. These sanctioned, off-grid communities would mitigate the complaints of neighbors and local businesses while meeting the health and safety needs of unhoused residents who are unable (or unprepared) to gain access to long-term shelter or supportive housing. The underlying theory is that by increasing our accountability to those living on the street, we can also increase the accountability of encampment residents to their neighbors, local businesses, the police and city workers. MASON CITY The City Council approved three more proposals for forgivable loans Tuesday in one of the city's most successful business revitalization programs. Ten businesses have now participated in the Corridor Revitalization Loan Program (CoRL) in which the city offers up to $30,000 in a forgivable loan if the owner matches the investment. In the latest agreements, Randy and Lisa OTool, registered owners of Rusty Scooter LLC, will receive a forgivable loan of $23,152 to do exterior repairs and upgrades to their business, Real Deals Home Decor, 21-23 Fifth St. S.W. The project includes roof repair, window and door replacement, parking lot repairs, installation of a screen fence, adding a decorative stone to the facade and replacing broken concrete. Total cost is $46,304. The forgivable loan will pay for half. Scott and Jaylin Anderson will receive $30,000, the maximum allowed, for upgrades to Scottys Auto Service, 1103 N. Federal Ave. They intend to build a 1,361-square-foot addition to their main office and service building. Total cost of their project is $72,000. Harold and Beverly Platts, owners of Northtown Apartments at 720, 724 and 804 N. Federal Ave., will receive $28,583 to do exterior repairs and upgrades, including parking lot repairs, new concrete in front of the garages and construction of two six-foot fences. They will receive half of the total cost of the project, $57,166. If the owners maintain ownership and the improvements for seven years, the loans are forgiven. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Oh what a difference 18 months and a contentious election make. In the spring of 2015, Supervisor David Campos and Melissa San Miguel were praising each other on Twitter. San Miguel had nominated Campos for an award from the California Democrats Chicano Latino Caucus. Campos tweeted a beaming photo of the two at the awards ceremony and called San Miguel an amazing young leader with a great future. She tweeted back that he was truly an inspiration. Well, apparently that great future Campos foresaw didnt include San Miguel challenging his legislative aide, Hillary Ronen, to replace him as the District Nine supervisor when hes termed out in January. And apparently now that San Miguel is battling Ronen, the latters boss is no longer an inspiration. San Miguel says that at a debate last week, Campos was sitting in the front row glaring at her and looking peeved. When she said 8,000 Latino families had been displaced from the Mission during Campos tenure, he shouted out that she was lying. The number comes from census figures that dated back to 2000, whereas Campos was elected in 2008. Campos tweeted after the debate that San Miguel is not afraid to lie to promote her ambition and said shes the choice of corporate & real estate interests. San Miguel tweeted back, Funny thought from a future lobbyist ... I wont hold it against you when I am elected and working for the people #truthhurts. Can these two former Twitter pals find anything nice to say about the other now? Um, no. Campos said, When we represent ourselves to the public, its important to be truthful. San Miguel says she nominated Campos for the Latino caucus award last year only because he pushed for free Muni rides for low-income youth not because she admires him as a person. It was absolutely about the policy, she said. Thats what matters to me. Heather Knight Unlikely ally: You know GOP Rep. Darrell Issa is facing a tough re-election battle when he brings President Obama into the race on his side. Issa, an eight-term congressman from Vista in San Diego County, has spent much of Obamas term slamming the president for sins real and imagined. So there were plenty of raised eyebrows when mailers featuring a full-cover picture of the president, sitting at his Oval Office desk in full bill-signing mode, dropped into mailboxes in the 49th Congressional District. Superimposed was a message from Issa: Im very pleased that President Obama has signed into law the Survivors Bill of Rights, legislation I co-sponsored to protect the victims of sexual assault. The mailer, with a tiny photo of Issa dwarfed by that of Obama, probably marks the only time Issa has publicly said hes pleased with anything the president has done. Its a tight race that makes the difference. While Issa finished on top in the June primary, Democrat Doug Applegate was way closer than expected and has tightened the race so much that the Cook Political Report now rates it a toss-up. Its a contest that may show just how toxic Donald Trumps brand is for Republicans in California. Issa has been a key supporter of the GOP presidential nominee, and he didnt pull his endorsement even after Trumps notorious video surfaced featuring him talking about making uninvited sexual advances on women. John Wildermuth Bay Area blues: Bay Area liberals and Sen. Barbara Boxer are dissed in a new radio ad released by a super PAC supporting Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez in her race for the U.S. Senate against state Attorney General Kamala Harris. The 30-second spot features two Republican voters in conversation, venting their frustrations about their choices in the race. Both candidates are Democrat, but were Republicans. I dont know. Maybe I just wont vote, says one. When Harris name is raised in the ad, another person responds: Harris is just another Barbara Boxer: a Bay Area liberal backed by the Democratic Party establishment. The ad is an appeal to the 26 percent of voters who told the Field Poll in September that they were undecided, along with the 12 percent who said they supported neither candidate or werent going to vote in the race. According to Federal Election Commission reports, the state Democratic Party has spent $560,000 on campaign expenses such as staff and office space for Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney. Sanchezs ad disparaging Barbara Boxer really underscores to California Democrats why Kamala is the right choice in November, party spokesman Michael Soller said. The ad was created by Californias New Frontier, which describes itself as a coalition of Southern California community and business leaders. The Sanchez campaign distanced itself from the spot. This is not an ad we would run, said Sanchez spokesman Luis Vizcaino. As for Boxer, who has endorsed Harris, she said, Nothing surprises me in politics anymore. Joe Garofoli Heather Knight, John Wildermuth and Joe Garofoli are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com, jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf, @jfwildermuth, @joegarofoli Proposition 57, potentially the most significant revision of California sentencing laws in 40 years, would allow the state parole board to consider releasing inmates who have served their basic term for a crime the law defines as nonviolent. How many inmates would be eligible depends on whom you ask. And theres quite a difference one set of numbers, based on the text of Prop. 57, is more than 23 times higher than figures used by the yes on 57 campaign, which says the measure would be enforced much more narrowly. The disparity could leave voters wondering what theyre being asked to approve. The most reliable data usually come from a neutral source like the states legislative analyst, said Rory Little, a professor at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Its no surprise that the sponsors of the initiative would present the rosier picture, he said. Michael Macor/The Chronicle The Legislative Analysts Office, whose nonpartisan assessments of the costs of each measure appear on voters ballots, says about 30,000 current inmates in California, nearly one-fourth of the total, would be up for parole consideration if voters approve Prop. 57 on Nov. 8. In addition, 7,500 inmates entering prison each year would become eligible for parole starting about two years later, the office says. But the campaign for Prop. 57, led by Gov. Jerry Brown, says that only about 1,300 current prisoners would be considered for release, and that the numbers in succeeding years would be 1,000 to 1,500. Those figures, the campaign says, come from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which runs the prisons. Neither set of numbers reflects how many inmates would actually be released. Thats a decision left to parole commissioners, who are appointed by the governor and generally have backgrounds in law enforcement or prison administration. Based on input from both the Legislative Analysts Office and the Prop. 57 campaign, the difference appears to be this: The higher numbers are taken from the wording of the ballot measure and how it could be enforced, while the lower numbers reflect how the state plans to enforce it at least under Browns administration, which is already operating under federal court orders to reduce the prison population. Current sentencing is based on legislation that Brown signed into law as governor in 1976. The law requires convicted felons to serve a fixed term based on the sentence prescribed for the crime they committed and additional factors, such as prior convictions, gang membership and use of a gun, which can add decades to their confinement. The states three-strikes law, approved in 1994, requires a term of 25 years to life for a third serious or violent felony. Prop. 57 would change the 1976 law, making prisoners convicted of nonviolent felonies eligible for parole once they have served their base term. The measure doesnt define violent felonies, but a 2000 voter-approved ballot measure lists 23 crimes as violent offenses that qualify for increased sentences under the three-strikes law. They include murder and attempted murder, forcible sex crimes, child molesting, kidnapping and robbery. The Legislative Analysts Office used that measure to conclude that 30,000 current prisoners are serving time for nonviolent crimes, with increased sentences for past convictions and other factors that could be shortened by Prop. 57, said Drew Soderborg, a managing principal legislative analyst. He said about 16,000 inmates have completed their primary terms and would be immediately eligible for parole, and the others would be eligible sooner than they would be if Prop. 57 lost. The measures opponents, led by prosecutors, note that the list doesnt include some crimes most people would consider violent, such as rape of an unconscious or intoxicated person, and some cases of domestic violence or assault with a deadly weapon. Voting no, they say is essential to stop early release of violent criminals. But supporters of Prop. 57 say it would actually apply to those who clear a safety screen set up by the prison system in 2014, in response to a federal court order, to consider parole for a category of nonviolent felons serving time for their second strike under the three-strikes law. All sex offenders, as well as inmates who have recently engaged in violent acts, drug offenses or gang activity in prison would be disqualified, reducing the parole-eligible group to 7,000, said Dan Newman, spokesman for the yes on 57 campaign. In addition, he said, 5,700 of those inmates are already being considered for parole as second-strikers. That means only 1,300 would become newly eligible for parole under Prop. 57, and by the same assessment the number would be 1,000 to 1,500 a year in the future, Newman said. The campaigns calculations are one possible outcome but not an inevitable one, said Soderborg of the Legislative Analysts Office. Its difficult to be sure in the long term, he said. A new administration could exercise authority in a different way. Hadar Aviram, a UC Hastings law professor, said the lower numbers were credible and reflected the likely impact of Prop. 57 if it passed. Regardless of the size of the population, were not talking about massive early releases here, she said. Were talking about considering parole for folks with no further history or concerns about risk after the completion of their basic term. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko Pablo Picasso said that it took him a lifetime to learn to paint like a child: To create in a context untainted by convention or critics and unafraid to explore new fantasies. Perhaps thats whats so compelling about the fashion designed by the students in the SFArtsEd summer program, who range from 10 to 14 years old and attend a variety of schools across the city. At their age, clothing and art can be anything and knows no limits. In the classroom I always start by showing them a wide variety of images, says fashion camp artist mentor Tiersa Nureyev, who began the fashion program at the SFArtsEd summer camp in 2006. I like them to be aware of whats going on in fashion and art. The lessons may be for kids but the material is anything but juvenile: Nick Caves Soundsuits, the Lumps and Bumps collection by Comme des Garcons, Sandra Backlunds knitwear and the stage wardrobe of Lady Gaga are all part of the curriculum that introduces students to some of the most celebrated (and maligned) fashion/art hybrids in recent memory. Its the kind of high-concept clothing beloved by the art crowd, but Nureyev says its also remarkably accessible to kids whose views havent yet been narrowed by convention. This year, the student work was inspired by themes of identity and transformation: Every garment was made from reimagined materials Nureyev sourced from the Thrift Town store in the Mission District. TITLE Click to see the designs from SFArtsEd: "Earth Music" "Earth Music" Designer: Emilia Burkhart Model: Lily Din Inspiration: My inspirations for this piece were foxes, angler fish and many of the costumes from Hamilton. My favorite part of my costume is the fox cravat. Emilia Burkhart, 10 ? "Never Ending Blue" "Never Ending Blue" Designer: Greta Dammermann Model: Stella Nureyev-Hilburn Inspiration: My dress was inspired by a sea nymph. She lived in an ocean where the water was clear and blue and the waves were as big and as wavy as you want them to be. The sun always shone, and it was never stormy. Greta Dammermann, 12 ? "Blood Ninja" "Blood Ninja" Designer: Stella Rubin-Moore Model: Maile Din Inspiration: "My project was inspired by watching ninja shows when I was younger: I wanted to show that girls can be both strong like ninjas, and resourceful. Stella Rubin-Moore, 11 ? "Underwater" "Underwater" Designer: Ella Sinclair Model: Sofia Schuler Inspiration: The inspiration for my garment was the sea and its characteristics. For example, the main colors of my garment and their placements: The bodice consists of yellow, representing the bright live coral reefs at the surface of the ocean, and the purple skirt representing the deep dark mysteries at the bottom. Ella Sinclair, 12 ? "Night Blooming Flower" "Night Blooming Flower" Designer: Karishma Bordoni Model: Praise Odenyi Inspiration: I feel like people view flowers as a beauty of the daytime with the sun and flowers and happiness. What people dont usually think about is the beauty of flowers springing up in the night. Karishma Bordoni, 10 ? "The Meowing Mermaid" "The Meowing Mermaid" Designer: Nina Solomon Model: Drake Woodruff Inspiration: "I love cats and I was thinking a lot about whales at the time. I decided to combine the two together to make a cool creature, but I thought that a cat whale would be too difficult to do, so I changed the whale part to a mermaid." Nina Solomon, 10 ? "Once Upon a Springtime Meadow" "Once Upon a Springtime Meadow" Designer: Emma Johnson Model: Emma Johnson Inspiration: It is what I imagine a fairy would wear to camouflage herself. The vines swinging loosely around the dress give the dress movement and show how plants sway in a spring breeze. Emma Johnson, 11 ? "Forest Princess" "Forest Princess" Designer: Sophia Philpott Levi Model: Markaila Dyson Inspiration: When I started sketching this design, I noticed that it was becoming something amazing, something beautiful, a forest princess. I kept going with it, and here is the design that you see before you. Sophia Philpott Levi, 10 ? "Nerves" "Nerves" Designer: Lillian Orcutt Model: Emma Johnson Inspiration: My character Nerves is a monster that lives in the heart of the Upper West Side. She wants to be human but everybody knows she is not. Nerves has eyes all over her torso looking worried in every direction, four more shivering arms, an extra set of anxious grinding teeth on her head, and she is dripping tears. Lillian Orcutt, 10 ? "Beastiful" "Beastiful" Designer: Beatrice Waits-Mast Model: Sofia Schuler Inspiration: The story I made about my creature is that this species of octopus wanted to live on land with other humans, so she wore this outfit to try and fit in, although she never succeeded. Beatrice Waits-Mast, 10 ? "Dripping with Chains" "Dripping with Chains" Designer: Lyla Maymon Model: Tai Lum Inspiration: My garment symbolizes the concept of being trapped. The long strips of finger knitting symbolize chains; the headpiece and mask conceal a large portion of the face to illustrate oppression. A prisoner is someone who is deprived of liberty against his or her own will. Lyla Maymon, 11 ? Meet the students Meet the students Back row, from left: Designer Beatrice Waits-Mast; Maile Din modeling "Blood Ninja" by Stella Rubin-Moore; Markaila Dyson modeling "Forest Princess" by Sophia Philpott Levi; Stella Nureyev-Hilburn modeling "Never Ending Blue" by Greta Dammermann; Tai Lum modeling "Dripping with Chains" by Lyla Maymon; Praise Odenyi modeling "Night Blooming Flower" by Karishma Bordoni; Designer Karishma Bordoni; Lily Din modeling "Earth Music" by Emilia Burkhart. Front row: Sofia Schuler modeling "Beastiful" by Beatrice Waits-Mast; Drake Woodruff modeling "The Meowing Mermaid" by Nina Solomon; Emma Johnson modeling "Nerves" by Lillian Orcutt; Designer Lillian Orcutt. ? On Oct. 29, students from SFArtsEds Players performing arts program and Broadway Bound summer camp will model the costumes in a special show at the Catharine Clark Gallery as part of the gallerys Box Blur series of events inspired by artist Kambui Olujimis current show What Endures. SFArtsEd Artistic Director Emily Keeler describes the evening as a performance-art event, choreographed by Sydney Lozier, where students will create tableaux and interact with one another and the art. On a recent afternoon at the programs offices and gallery at the Minnesota Street Project, performers and designers got together to model looks from the upcoming show. As the models changed into the garments, the schoolkids vanished and the performers took over. The student designers on hand did not hesitate to adjust a seam, reposition a mask or tweak a detail to make the final look perfect. I like that were not treated like kids, says 10-year-old designer Lillian Orcutt, who attends Sunnyside Elementary. Fellow designer Beatrice Waits-Mast, also 10 and a student at Sunnyside, agrees. We get to have our own ideas, Waits-Mast says. They let us make what inspires us. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Tony Bravo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tbravo@sfchronicle.com. Photos by Stephen Lam, Special to the Chronicle. Box Blur: SFArtsED The students will model the looks and perform to Indian Summer by Jai Wolf. Free. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 29, Catharine Clark Gallery, 248 Utah St., S.F. http://www.sfartsed.org/; https://cclarkgallery.com/events/box-blur-sfartsed This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The family of Nicholas McWherter, the man suspected of shooting a San Francisco police officer before being fatally shot by the officers colleagues, said McWherter had a deep religious faith but struggled with mental illness and lost his way before last weeks violence. His heart was strong and pure, his faith was his rock and his light, even in his troubled times, read the brief statement from the McWherter family. Mental illness is unimaginable to those with sound minds, but it is real and the problem is begging for our support. Nicholas fought a long, hard, and brave battle to defeat his disease but lost his way last week. McWherter was shot Friday night by police about an hour after he opened fire on officers on Everglade Drive near the Lakeshore Plaza Shopping Center, officials said. Officer Kevin Downs was struck in the head and underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments from his brain. He was suffering paralysis on one side of his body. The officers had been responding to reports of a man acting erratically and making threats, and did not at first know McWherter was armed, police said. After he opened fire, officials said, McWherter ran across Sloat Boulevard toward Stern Grove and later emerged from bushes at 28th Avenue and Vicente Street, still armed. Despite orders to drop the weapon, he continued to hold the gun to his chest, and officers shot him during the confrontation, police said. After being shot, McWherter still refused to surrender, police said. The officers were able to take him into custody after they deployed flash-bang stun grenades and distracted him, police said. McWherter died Sunday at a hospital from his gunshot wounds. He grew up in Pacifica with several siblings, according to one of his brothers, Jordan McWherter. Downs, meanwhile, remained hospitalized Wednesday and was listed in good condition, said Brent Andrew, a spokesman for San Francisco General Hospital. Downs is in his early 20s and has been on the force for two years. Along with being an officer, Downs co-founded Ranchin Vets, an organization that helps veterans transition from military to civilian life. The gunshot was nearly fatal, and the outcome would have been different had the bullet been 1 centimeter down, interim Police Chief Toney Chaplin said at a news conference. Downs was the first San Francisco police officer shot in the line of duty in nearly 10 years. The Police Department will hold a town hall meeting to discuss the shooting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center at 2850 19th Ave. Our family is deeply saddened, yet steadied by our faith, the McWherter family statement said. Our hearts and prayers are with Officer Downs and his family. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When civilian boat Capt. Rod Stoltz took passengers out on the bay to watch the Blue Angels during Fleet Week, the last thing on his mind was piloting his vessel into the middle of a rescue mission. Stoltz recalled taking the long way around Alcatraz Island that Saturday to avoid the large crowds. Then suddenly he spotted a capsized yacht and 30 people, including three children, flailing in the water, screaming for help. There was a bunch of people in the water and a lot of debris, Stoltz said. Our main concern was getting as close as we could without hurting anyone. On Wednesday, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee honored Stoltz, city firefighters, police officers and hospital workers who sprang into action to turn what could have been a calamity into one of the most successful rescue operations in recent memory. I was aghast at how many people were in the water, Lee said at the City Hall ceremony. No one lost their lives that day. That is hugely important when you have an event of this magnitude. Stoltz was one of 18 rescuers presented with a special Hearts of San Francisco pin for their heroic efforts on Oct. 8. Lee personally bestowed the pin on Stoltz and three other honorees: Sgt. Dan Laval of the San Francisco Police Departments Marine Unit, who pulled 10 people from the water; Fire Department Division Chief Robert Postel, who coordinated rescue efforts; and nurse Yuko Murakami, who represented her colleagues at San Francisco General Hospital. Lives were not only saved in the water, on the shore and on the way to the hospital, but in the hospital, as well, Lee said. Three children and five adults were injured when the 34-foot cabin cruiser named the Khaleesi capsized and sank about 100 yards off Pier 45 in front of hundreds of witnesses observing Fleet Week festivities. All 30 individuals who had been aboard the boat were accounted for. The boat was recovered from the bottom of the bay last Thursday, but the investigation of what caused it to sink is ongoing, said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a spokeswoman for the Police Department. However, police suspect the boat, a 1984-85 Silverton cabin cruiser, was overloaded with passengers, officials told The Chronicle. Interim Police Chief Toney Chaplin and Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White presented pins to the other rescuers present at Wednesdays City Hall event. This is a first responders worst nightmare to see so many potential victims, Chaplin said. Its why we train for things just like this. These are heroes. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani In the beginning of her first book, House A (Omnidawn), Jennifer S. Cheng writes: It is important to note that before language, children experience memories as image and sound, which is to say they experience them as poetry. Composed of three sections, each written in a different form, House A reconstructs this childlike experience of the world by blending the literal and metaphorical ways in which we build our houses and our selves. The first section is a series of letters written to Mao, intimate and conjectural, that investigate the overlapping natures of memory and longing, history both personal and cultural and rootedness. By phone, Cheng said, I think a lot about how in my particular immigrant household, how does history and how does trauma and how do all these things that I never really heard about explicitly from my parents ... how do those things become part of me? She ponders how the historical figure of Mao could be a huge presence in her house, even though her parents did not tell her stories about him. I somehow still knew about it, she said. I start to think about it as if that knowledge was built into the objects in our house, or the shadows in our house, or the way my parents moved around, or the way that they structured the furniture. Cheng was born in Texas and moved to Hong Kong, where her father grew up, when she was 8 (her mother is from Taiwan). They moved back to the U.S. four years later. We moved around a lot, Cheng said, so the idea of home or house was never necessarily a stable, physical structure. I think this is often the case with immigrants and children of immigrants, and it makes me wonder then where does our sense of home or house come from, and what are we then rooted in, or what roots us? Im really interested in that question. In House A, she asks: What if the absence of a point of reference is not something to be lamented but a structural foundation on which to build a house we fill with water? In another letter, she writes: Dear Mao, I hope you understand that what I am doing is trying to give you a history of water, which, like memory and sleep, is fluid and wafting in refracted light. History as water, so that I am giving you something that spreads. House A was selected by Claudia Rankine as the winner of the 2015 Omnidawn 1st/2nd Poetry Book Prize, but Cheng is a little distressed by the idea that they represent something permanent. Im still rewriting some of these poems, and Im still moving them around, and theyre still very fluid to me in a way, she said. But because we live in the world we live in, they have to have some kind of semblance of completion or permanence. But I dont necessarily feel that thats true with a capital T. Evan Karp is the creator of Quiet Lightning and Litseen.com. Twitter: @quiet_lightning Other book events Emma Donoghue (Room) reads from and discusses her new novel, The Wonder (7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, free). www.bookpassage.com Books Inc. Laurel Village presents a panel on the theme of body, with Jen Richter (No Acute Distress), Matthew Siegel (Blood Work), Vanessa Hua (Deceit and Other Possibilities) and Ingrid Rojas Contreras (7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, 3515 California St., S.F., free). Slovenian Lidija Dimkovska discusses her novel A Spare Life (Two Lines Press), which won the 2013 European Union Prize for Literature (7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, Diesel, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave., Oakland, free). SpeCt Books celebrates the publication of an uncollected prose piece by Jack Spicer called The Wasps, with readings by Peter Gizzi and Kevin Killian (3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, Alley Cat Books, 3036 24th St., S.F., free). Andre Alexis, author of the Giller Prize-winning novel Fifteen Dogs, reads from and discusses his new book The Hidden Keys with Karen Joy Fowler (We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves) (7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, Green Apple Books on the Park, 1231 Ninth Ave., S.F. free). www.greenapplebooks.com Book party for House A: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. Free. Alley Cat Books, 3036 24th St., S.F. (415) 824-1761. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Airbnb is making a new effort to play nice with San Francisco, despite a fractious relationship that has heated up in recent months with the vacation-rental company suing its hometown and lawmakers considering new restrictions on rentals in private homes. The company said it is building into its website a way to automatically bar San Francisco hosts who control multiple listings, sometimes a sign of landlords running illegal hotels. Hosts with legitimate reasons for multiple listings, such as property-management companies, legal hotels or people with two or more rooms to rent in their homes, can request exceptions. The feature will take effect Nov. 1, but Airbnb said it already has jettisoned hundreds of San Francisco listings since April, when it promised to crack down on illegal commercial operators. In cities that identify as having housing challenges, we want to find solutions, said Chris Lehane, Airbnb head of global public policy. Our underlying objective is to get to the policy goal identified by San Francisco of making sure (illegal) commercial activity is not taking place on our platforms. Airbnb said that since April it has removed 213 entire-unit listings and 525 shared spaces many of them so-called hacker hostels. In addition, multiple-listing operators chose to remove another 180 listings, it said. San Francisco law allows homeowners to rent out only their own home. Since no one can reside in more than one home, having more than one listing on the site is a red flag. Informal hacker hostels, which cram temporary renters into bunk beds, often six or more to a room, are a phenomenon of the recent housing crunch and may violate planning, zoning and building codes. Many hostels relied on Airbnbs worldwide reach and its systems for booking and collecting payments. Airbnb still lists a few hostels that appear to be operating out of houses or apartments and said it continues to manually remove ones that are illicit. Airbnb has taken similar steps to remove illegal listings in New York. The company did not immediately respond to a question about whether it plans to remove multiple listings in other cities. San Francisco lawmakers and housing activists contend that vacation rentals divert permanent housing. Airbnb and its supporters counter that renting to travelers helps middle-class people make ends meet. The latest change comes as the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday began to consider legislation to limit short-term rentals to 60 days a year regardless of whether the host is present. (Hosts who had registered with the city by Oct. 11 would observe the current limitations: 90 days for unhosted rentals, and 365 for hosted ones.) That is even stricter than the 75-day-a-year cap that voters rejected as part of last years Proposition F, a San Francisco ballot initiative that Airbnb spent $8 million to battle. Airbnbs new move brings up a question: If Airbnb can take this step, why cant it implement others? San Francisco regulators frequently ask why the company wont pull the plug on whole-home listings once they exceed the citys 90-day annual cap and why it doesnt create a separate field in the online listings for San Francisco registration numbers, something it briefly offered but removed several months ago. Lehane said such changes would need to come as part of a comprehensive overhaul of San Francisco regulations and systems done in concert with Airbnb itself. We want to work with the city on a holistic approach to make sure the home-sharing laws are working, he said, referring to Airbnbs term for short-term rentals. If those in office want to solve some of these bigger issues, wed be interested in being able to participate in those conversations. For instance, on registration numbers, which now are buried within hosts listings, he repeated Airbnbs contention that the citys registration system is cumbersome. Thats part of a larger question of an effective registration system, he said. We could have an effective system, including a number that shows up on the site in a straightforward way, if the city was willing to work with us to figure that out. Airbnb is suing San Francisco over recent updates to its vacation-rental law that would hold Airbnb and other companies liable for steep fines and criminal penalties if they book guests into properties that failed to register with the city. That requirement took effect in February 2015, but only 1,650 hosts out of an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 have registered. A decision on Airbnbs request for an injunction to halt that provision is expected soon. Meanwhile the city has suspended enforcement of it. Jennifer Fieber, political campaign director of the San Francisco Tenants Union, said she was dubious about Airbnbs self-policing, noting that while it temporarily removed illegal listings in New York, some later popped back again. There are still 9,000 listings in the city that arent registered, she said. We want those peoples names to be turned over to the city, and Airbnb has that information. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images Starbucks is pushing ahead with its expansion into mainland China, saying Wednesday its on track to have 5,000 stores by 2021, more than doubling the number of its coffee shops in the country. The Seattle coffee chain is looking to China to fuel its growth. Its grown rapidly since opening its first Chinese store in 1999, though it famously suffered a misstep nearly a decade ago when protests over a shop inside the Forbidden City led to it being closed. CEO Howard Schultz has said China could one day surpass the U.S. as the chains largest market. There are about 13,000 Starbucks stores in the United States. A married father of three children was identified as the grocery warehouse employee killed this week when police say he was run down by a pickup-truck driver he confronted stealing wooden pallets at the San Leandro company where he worked. Takeshi Watanabe, 54, died after being struck Monday morning by a pickup truck in the rear parking lot of True World Foods on the 1800 block of Williams Street in San Leandro, the Alameda County coroners office said. Watanabe was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. He had worked at True World Foods for 23 years. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 San Leandro Police Department / San Leandro Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 5 San Leandro Police Department / San Leandro Police Department Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 San Leandro Police Department / San Leandro Police Department Show More Show Less 5 of 5 He was struck by the truck about 11:45 a.m. after confronting a suspect in the act of stealing wooden pallets from the yard of the business, said Lt. Robert McManus of the San Leandro Police Department. We grieve with his widow and three sons. Personally, I am tremendously moved by Takeshis desire to stop what he saw as a violation of the company, Robert Bleu, president of True World Group, said in a statement released Wednesday. I respect his courage, yet deeply regret that it cost him his life. The company is offering grief or trauma counseling to its employees after the incident. Outside of work, he volunteered in the community and was active in youth programs, said Sebastian Doroski, True World Foods human resources operations manager. He will be missed by many. Kadeem Edwards, 27, was arrested at 5 p.m. Monday on suspicion of murder after two Oakland police officers spotted the white Ford F-250 pickup that was seen fleeing the scene of the San Leandro hit-and-run. The officers arrested Edwards at East 12th Street and 47th Avenue in Oakland. Edwards, a Richmond resident, was taken to the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, where he is being held without bail. On behalf of the city of San Leandro, we offer our condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Mr. Watanabe during this tragic time, McManus said. Edwards is expected to appear in Superior Court in Hayward on Thursday. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani LES CAYES, Haiti | GoServ Global is sending its second mission team to Haiti since Hurricane Matthew hit the country two weeks ago. Days after the hurricane hit, co-founder Ken DeYoung flew in a small team with nearly 5,000 meals, emergency supplies and building materials. A team of 11 has arrived in Haiti while another will join them at the end of the week, GoServ Global said in a news release. They are from Iowa, Indiana, Vermont and Minnesota. Members will build Safe T Homes to replace traditional buildings badly damaged at the Center of Help Orphanage. They will also rebuild a water pump house and plant crops. All 200 of the metal homes in Haiti withstood 145 mph winds with minimal damage, according to the organization. DeYoung said crops, most fruit trees and animals were swept away in the storm. "It will be months, and in some cases years, before we can look back on this," he said. "Most of the homes in the south are destroyed or unusable. Many times it takes years or generations to build a home." GoServ Global will load a shipping container with food, 20,000 pounds of steel roofing material, a skid loader, generators, chainsaws and other items that will be shipped Thursday. Sukup Manufacturing, Sheffield, has 24 Safe T Homes ready to go, but the organization needs funds to pay for the homes. It costs $7,000 to buy, ship and install one of the homes in Haiti. Donations -- 100 percent of which will support the organization's hurricane relief efforts in Haiti -- can be made at www.goservglobal.org/give. Choose "Haiti Hurricane Matthew" in the drop-down. They can also be sent to GoServ Global, Box 193, Eagle Grove, IA 50533. Write "Hurricane Relief" in the memo line. Prosecutors believe a 36-year-old man stabbed a 40-year-old acquaintance earlier this month while the victim was picking up Uber customers at the Sea-Tac airport. Kent resident Mohamed A. Mohamed is charged with first-degree assault in the Oct. 8 stabbing that required the victim to be placed on a breathing machine and undergo surgery. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Dana Cashman wrote in charging documents that the 40-year-old man was stabbed for "no apparent reason." The victim was parked in the Uber holding area about 12:30 a.m. at Sea-Tac International Airport talking to a friend on the phone when Mohamed got into his car and sat in the passenger seat, Port of Seattle police reports say. Mohamed was also an Uber driver who had known the victim for about 20 years, the victim told investigators. Mohamed reportedly told the driver to get off the phone, but he ignored him to continue his conversation with a friend. Mohamed is alleged to have begun to yell at him, his hands shaking, reports say. As soon as the victim hung up the phone, Mohamed stabbed him in the abdomen with what looked to be a large kitchen knife, according to charging papers. The 40-year-old man suffered a stab wound about 5 inches deep, police say. The two men struggled over the knife while the victim tried to keep from being stabbed again. He suffered one more cut to his right hamstring during the tussle. The victim reportedly honked the car horn to attract attention, at which point witnesses arrived and opened a door to the car. Mohamed reportedly left the vehicle and drove off in his car. Medics took the 40-year-old to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he received surgery for his serious injuries. Police recovered a camera mounted on a nearby car that captured a vehicle quickly leaving the parking lot with several people chasing after it, reports say. The victim's family members identified Mohamed as the attacker and investigators recovered his contact and vehicle information from Uber. When he was awake, the victim positively identified Mohamed as the assailant, police reports indicate. He recounted the assault to investigators and said that while he was being attacked, he thought, "Oh my God, I'm dead." Authorities contacted Mohamed and met him at a parking lot near the Port of Seattle Fire Department in Seatac, where they arrested him. Mohamed was booked into King County Jail and released two days later on bail. Related: The rock band Oasis, Britain's hottest act in the late 1990s and early 2000s, turned down a chance to be on the soundtrack of the movie "Trainspotting" because band members thought it was about railroad buffs. The 1996 Danny Boyle film about heroin addicts and poverty in Edinburgh went on to be both a critical and commercial success, and is listed as the 10th greatest British film of all time by the British Film Institute. Kristen Wyatt/Associated Press DENVER Business owners are replacing idealists in the pot-legalization movement as the nascent marijuana industry creates a broad base of new donors, many of them entrepreneurs willing to spend to change drug policy. Unlike in the past, these supporters are not limited to a few wealthy people seeking change for personal reasons. They constitute a bigger coalition of business interests. And their support provides a significant financial advantage for pro-legalization campaigns. Christine Marie Muff, the daughter of Benjamin and Clara (Pospisil) Muff, was born Oct. 17, 1953, at Crete, Nebraska. At the age of two, she moved with her family to a farm north of Ventura. She spent time with her family until becoming a resident of Opportunity Village in 1999. She enjoyed dogs and watching movies, especially Maverick, Lassie and John Wayne movies. Christine was a true blessing to our lives. She taught our family and all that were close to her what life is all about, and that is love. Christine touched many lives at Opportunity Village and will be remembered by many, especially her special friend, Jane Trampel. Isabelle Friederika Gibbs, the daughter of Harry and Esther (Lenz) Gibbs, was born Oct. 23, 1931, on the family farm near Klemme. She was baptized and confirmed at the United Methodist Church in Klemme. Isabelle graduated from Klemme High School and continued her education at Morningside College in Sioux City where she received her degree in social work. She worked for a year for the State of Iowa Department of Human Services in Sioux City before moving to Colorado where she received her masters degree in social work from the University of Denver. Isabelle then moved to Oregon and worked as a social worker supervisor for the state of Oregon until her retirement. After her retirement, she moved back to Iowa and lived in Mason City. In 2010, she became a resident of Prairie View Apartments in Garner. Richard Lyle Dick Hill MASON CITY Richard Lyle Dick Hill, 95, of Mason City, Iowa, formerly Clear Lake, Iowa, died Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, at the Good Shepherd Health Center, Mason City, Iowa. A funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, at Faith Baptist Church, 1807 S. Kentucky Ave., Mason City, with the Rev. Greg Gosnell officiating. Interment will be at the Clear Lake Cemetery. Military honors will be presented by the Mason City American Legion. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, 2016, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake. Memorials may be given to the Faith Baptist Church or Hospice in his memory. Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, Iowa. 641-357-2193. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Students at San Franciscos June Jordan School for Equity were stunned and saddened Wednesday as they returned for classes following a shooting the day before that wounded four classmates in the campus parking lot. Police, meanwhile, said they were zeroing in on several suspects who fled after spraying gunfire into a group of teens, causing chaos at the small school in the citys Excelsior neighborhood, which boasts a curriculum emphasizing social justice and opposition to violence. Teachers stood silently, holding candles and burning sage, while students gathered in groups outside the school near John McLaren Park, which serves as a refuge for the students, many of whom hail from neighborhoods often plagued by crime. Of the roughly 250 students enrolled at the school, more than half did not attend classes Wednesday, officials said. This is a really difficult time for parents at the school. This is a really difficult time for the community. This is a really difficult time for the students, said an emotional Heather Lee as she dropped off her son Wednesday. I went home last night and I hugged and kissed my kids so tightly. Before classes began, students scrawled messages in chalk on the pavement of the schools parking lot, where police said the targeted shooting occurred and left four 15-year-old students wounded as school let out around 3:20 p.m. Tuesday. Police and school officials declined to specify which student or students were targeted in the attack, citing the ongoing investigation. What we will continue to do is get to the root cause of this, of why young men feel so hopeless that they would try and take another mans life so quickly, said Giulio Sorro, co-director of June Jordan. One of the victims, an unnamed girl, suffered life-threatening injuries when she was hit by the gunfire, which sent students running in panic and prompted a lockdown at the campus and at the adjoining City Arts and Technology High School. School officials said Wednesday that the girl was recovering from her injuries. Three male victims were treated for gunshot wounds and have been released from the hospital, school officials said. No one has been arrested in the attack, which school administrators said was carried out by outsiders unaffiliated with the school. Capt. Joe McFadden of the San Francisco Police Departments Ingleside Station said police were reviewing surveillance video taken from the campus and were close to making multiple arrests in the shooting. Hopefully, well have some closure on this real soon, he said. Our main priority is making sure the parents and the students feel safe. Grief counselors were on hand to speak with students while officers on foot walked around the campus, working to put students and parents at ease and prevent further violence. At least two police cars were parked near the school when classes let out for the day Wednesday. Lee said she had no apprehension about dropping off her child. Students at the school, which focuses on equity and social justice issues, trickled into class, many still dazed from the shooting. Meili Rubio, a sophomore, said she is a friend of the female victim and was focused on doing what she could to help her recover. It was shocking, she said of the moments after the gunfire erupted. It was very shocking. At least one shooter opened fire on the group, sending students, including the bleeding victims, scrambling into the school for cover. In the chaotic aftermath, police and school officials were unsure whether they were dealing with a gunman inside the school and immediately whisked students into classrooms and locked down the school and adjoining campus. Scores of officers responded within minutes, police said. And emergency personnel charged into what they thought was an active shooting situation, with no protective gear, to reach the victims quickly, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesman for the San Francisco Fire Department. Police later determined that at least one shooter fled on foot down Brazil Avenue with a group of three other young men. Officials said the shooter, who was not identified, was 15 years old. There has never been something like this that has happened before at the school, sophomore Nalayah Linton said. It really just made me terrified. It really just made me scared. Interim Police Chief Toney Chaplin said city health workers will be helping students process any residual trauma and get them any help they may need. This is a city that really tries to protect the youth and look out for them, he said Wednesday at an unrelated City Hall event. When something like this happens, it hits all of us. June Jordan was designed to be small and provides individualized attention to its students, many of whom are minorities and come from low-income areas where violence is prevalent. What happened (Tuesday) afternoon was tragic for us adults in this space who have worked so hard to provide a sense of safety for these kids, said the schools co-director, Jessica Huang, standing in front of the campus in a Black Lives Matter T-shirt. Administrators were mulling whether to shorten the days schedule while encouraging students to talk about the shooting and the broader themes of what causes violence. This is my home, said 17-year-old senior Maria Zaragoza. I know students that stay here until school closes because the longer it takes to get home the better. Zaragoza lives in the citys Ingleside neighborhood, where she said crime in common. The school for her, like many others, is their place away from the trouble in their neighborhoods. Its going to take lots of time to get over this to heal from this, and it will hurt every day, she said. Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker contributed to this report MASON CITY A shooting that injured a woman across the street from a Mason City day care was under investigation Tuesday night. Authorities were called at 7:25 p.m. to a report of multiple gunshots near Ninth Street Northwest and North Washington Avenue. Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley said a woman who was shot was transported by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. An officer was sent to the hospital to stand by while she was receiving treatment, he said. Details of her condition and her name were not immediately available Tuesday night. No one was arrested as of 9 p.m. Investigators also were still searching for the gun, Brinkley said. A house on the southeast corner of Ninth Street Northwest and North Washington Avenue was circled with crime scene tape. Tape also had been strung around a house just south of it on North Washington Avenue. The houses are across the street from a playground at Charlie Brown Preschool and Child Care at 700 N. Washington Ave. Police officers with flashlights were searching the area, including through piles of leaves on the edge of North Washington. Several neighborhood residents told the Globe Gazette they heard three shots fired in rapid succession. Brinkley could not confirm that number Tuesday night, though he said callers reporting the incident told emergency dispatchers they heard multiple shots. "We had several 911 calls," he said. He said officers were trying to determine if the shooting was linked to a fight reported about a half hour earlier Tuesday night behind a nearby convenience store. The station on North Federal Avenue and Ninth Street Northeast is about a block from where police say the shooting occurred. EAGLE GROVE Mike Boyd is on his way out as city administrator in Eagle Grove. A separation agreement was reached at the Eagle Grove City Council meeting Monday night, according to Councilman Wally Lorenzen. Lorenzen declined to comment further on the matter. In the agreement, Boyds resignation as city administrator will be effective Oct. 29, although the city can move that date up if needed. The document also states that Boyd has been offered at least 21 days to consider the agreement. As of Tuesday night, the document had not been signed by Boyd, according to Araceli Day, deputy clerk. If Boyd signs the agreement, he will be paid his regular salary for 32 weeks from the date the resignation becomes effective. Boyds annual salary is $70,000. Boyd was not available for comment on Tuesday. The separation is mutual, according to Mayor Sandy McGrath. It was a respectful mutual decision, she said. Things are changing and theres a lot to be done, McGrath added. The next few years we want to put our best foot forward. Prestage Foods of Iowa plans to break ground on its $240 million pork processing plant near Eagle Grove in spring 2017, according to a statement by COO Jere Null. Construction is expected to be finished by late 2018. The city will now look for an interim city administrator, according to McGrath. It will also be looking for a permanent replacement, she said. We have a lot of good things coming down the pipe, McGrath said. It will be a great opportunity for someone. Boyds contract was previously reviewed in May at a special meeting, but no action was taken at that time. Boyd was on vacation during that meeting, but was on speakerphone for the session. He has served as city administrator for about six years. FOREST CITY | Two renowned speakers and authors will visit Waldorf University next week. Iowa native John T. Price, Ph.D, will give a free public reading of his work at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 in the Louise V. Hanson Library. He is the award-winning author of three Midwestern nature memoirs. Zohra Sarwari, a Muslim, will present "No, I Am Not a Terrorist" at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 in the university's atrium. She is an international speaker, entrepreneur and publisher who promotes dialogue and tolerance of all races, religions and backgrounds. Waldorf says its Speaker Series endeavors to bring presentations to campus promoting diversity and different perspectives. ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investors purchased $1.7 billion worth of U.S. life insurance face value in 2015 and growing consumer interest in life settlements is a positive indicator for the future of the industry, reported a leading industry analyst at the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA)s 22nd Annual Fall Life Settlement & Compliance Conference. Scott Hawkins, vice president and director of insurance research at Conning & Co., shared data and analysis from Connings just-released Life Settlements Market Review and Forecast. Conning annually publishes a market review describing the current issues facing life settlement investors -- as well as market participants -- and a forecast of projected market growth. Hawkins reported that the total dollar value of life settlement transactions last year was approximately the same as those completed in 2014 ($1.7 billion) and identified six key drivers for the future of the industry, including the positive trend that consumer demand is increasing as American seniors become more familiar with the life settlement option. The LISA conference was held October 16th-18th at the scenic Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. The conference theme was Shaping the Future and was opened by Cyndi Poveda, chairman of the LISA Board of Directors. Theres a lot to like about the life settlement business right now, said Poveda. We have a maturing industry with some wind at our backs and were seeing additional investment entering the asset class as a result. Poveda encouraged industry participants to be focused on the long term as they evolve their business models to accommodate the projected growth in life settlement transactions in the years ahead. There are a number of institutions looking at the life settlement industry right now as a place to pursue attractive investment returns in an historically low-yield environment, said Darwin M. Bayston, CFA, president and chief executive officer of LISA. Moreover, we have tremendous upside opportunity in the years ahead, as more than 8 in 10 seniors are still unaware they can sell their life insurance policies. The keynote address at the conference was delivered by Barry M. Goldwater, Jr., a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California who served in Congress from 1969 to 1983. He is the son of the late Barry Goldwater, a former U.S. Senator from Arizona who was the Republican nominee in the 1964 presidential election. Goldwater addressed the current political and regulatory climate in the U.S. today and encouraged members of the industry to pro-actively communicate with elected officials in order to ensure the integrity and health of the life settlement marketplace. LISAs 2016 Fall Conference featured a lineup of several influential speakers who addressed timely issues impacting the industry, including: Seth Ard, partner at Susman Godfrey LLP, provided an in-depth review of class action litigation related to Cost of Insurance (COI) rate increases imposed by many carriers on life insurance policies; Vince Granieri, chief executive officer of Predictive Resources LLC, reviewed the 2015 Valuation Basic Tables (VBT) and their implications for life settlement portfolio management; Maggie OGara, senior counsel for GWG Life, addressed a variety of compliance and business issues related to direct-to-consumer marketing of life settlements; Nancy B. Rapoport, Garman Turner Gordon Professor of Law at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV) William S. Boyd School of Law, discussed the importance of market integrity as a key to growth of the life settlement industry; and Jeffrey Bollerman, director of the illiquid financial assets practice at Houlihan Lokey, provided an update on the condition of the tertiary market for life settlements. The main conference was preceded by a one-day Compliance Track for compliance professionals and attorneys, which featured important updates on new laws, as well as recent and pending litigation. LISA conferences are widely regarded as the gold standard for professional events in the life settlement industry. For more information, please go to http://www.lisa.org/lisa-events. About the Life Insurance Settlement Association The Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA) is the nations oldest and largest organization representing participants in the life settlement Industry, with a current membership of more than 90 companies doing business in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The mission of LISA is to promote the development, integrity and reputation of the life settlement industry, to advance the highest standards of practice and professional development for the industry, and to educate consumers and advisors about a life settlement as an alternative to lapse or surrender of a life insurance policy. For more information, visit www.lisa.org. BLAIR, Neb., Oct. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great Plains Communications, the largest middle-mile and last-mile provider in Nebraska has partnered with full-service communications solutions provider, ACT to transport the global Hurricane Electric network into the ACT Data Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. This new point of presence (POP) makes Hurricane Electric the first and only Tier One network provider in the Wyoming area. The transport took place over the Great Plains Communications diverse fiber route from Nebraska to Cheyenne, Wyoming. This is just one of several unique, low-latency routes on the 8,000-mile Great Plains Communications network. "Local businesses, ISPs and other network providers have been patiently awaiting the arrival of Tier One connectivity," Said Todd Foje, CEO of Great Plains Communications. "We were pleased to work with ACT who has been a diligent advocate for this level of connectivity in Wyoming. The partnership was a good fit, opening up Wyoming to the world and the world to Wyoming." This new Wyoming connectivity will allow regional enterprise customers, service providers, and carrier customers across these networks access to Hurricane Electric's global IPv4 and IPv6 network, access to the diverse Great Plains Communications routes to Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and of course, the ACT Wyoming and Montana footprint with handoffs scaling from 1 Gigabit to 100 Gigabit. "The presence of a major Tier One such as Hurricane Electric in ACT's footprint, combined with the expansive network Great Plains Communications offers, brings a world of opportunities to Wyoming and the surrounding region," said Advanced Communications Technology (ACT) General Manager, Aaron Sopko. "The partnership established with Great Plains Communications adds a tremendous amount of diversity to our network, opening new routes and opportunities through Wyoming and the surrounding states in the region. We look forward to working with them to bring a whole new level of connectivity to the area." About Great Plains Communications Great Plains Communications is the largest privately owned telecommunications provider in Nebraska. At the core of their service offering is an extensive, 8,000+ mile regional fiber network with community access rings, last-mile and middle-mile solutions, fully supported by their 24x7x365 Network Operations Center. The company is financially strong with a 106-year history of providing reliable and innovative solutions. Great Plains Communications prides itself on their progressive approach to accommodating the unique needs of all regional and national telecommunications carriers, LECs, ISPs, wireless carriers and other service providers utilizing superior custom engineering and custom build strategies. For more information visit www.gpcom.com About Advanced Communications Technology, Inc. Advanced Communications Technology, Inc. (ACT) is a full service communications solutions provider headquartered in Sheridan, Wyoming. ACT, a wholly owned subsidiary of Range Telephone Cooperative has been offering next generation services and high-quality bandwidth solutions throughout Wyoming and Montana since 1997. In addition to the advanced solutions ACT offers as a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier in Wyoming, the company has focused recent efforts on growing a regional network. Today the company's 1,400 mile fiber-optic network spans the entire state with connections to state-wide networks in Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, and Nebraska. All of this, coupled with ACT's involvement in INDATEL allows for diverse, unique routes to anywhere in the country. Through this network ACT is capable of offering enterprise customers, small and large, top quality high bandwidth solutions for most any application, including mobile backhaul, tier 1 connectivity, gigabit Internet services and more. ACT offers a full suite of state-of-the-art communications services such as Broadband Internet, IP transport, wavelength, dark fiber, and next generation voice services. For more information about Advanced Communications Technology, Inc., please visit www.actaccess.net. About Hurricane Electric Fremont, California-based Hurricane Electric operates its own global IPv4 and IPv6 network and is considered the largest IPv6 and IPv6 backbone in the world as measured by number of networks connected. Within its global network, Hurricane Electric is connected to 137 major exchange points and exchanges traffic directly with more than 5,600 different networks. Employing a resilient fiber-optic topology, Hurricane Electric has no less than four redundant paths crossing North America, three separate paths between the U.S. and Europe, and rings in Europe and Asia. In addition to its vast global network, Hurricane Electric owns and operates two data centers in Fremont, California, including Fremont 2, its newest 208,000 square foot facility. Hurricane Electric offers IPv4 and IPv6 transit solutions over the same connection at speeds including 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps Ethernet. For more information on Hurricane Electric, please visit http://he.net. DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Oct. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capstone Companies, Inc. (OTCQB:CAPC) (Capstone or the Company), a designer of innovative LED lighting solutions including power failure lighting, today announced preliminary third quarter 2016 revenue of $11.3 million, surpassing the quarterly record set in the trailing second quarter. Preliminary year-to-date revenue is expected to be $22.3 million, which is 11% higher than the previously expected revenue range of $19.5 million to $20.0 million. Stewart Wallach, President and CEO, commented, Our strategy to develop and market unique LED consumer lighting products, leverage our strong relationships with large retailer customers and produce high quality, low cost products has proven successful. Demand for our product is strong as they continue to be well received by end users and are quickly moving off our retailer customers shelves. And, given our business model, volume drives strong operating leverage and earnings. Also of note, we have greater visibility into the future and are building commitment pipelines into 2018. For 2016, the Company expects revenue to be approximately $28 million to $30 million, nearly doubling 2015s record revenue of $15.9 million. About Capstone Companies, Inc. Capstone Companies, Inc. is a designer of innovative LED lighting solutions including power failure lighting, for consumers and institutions. The Companys products are sold under the Capstone Lighting and Hoover HOME LED brands, to big box retailers, wholesale clubs, and home improvement stores throughout North America and in international markets. Capstones strategy is to utilize its low-cost manufacturing base to provide high-quality consumer products to its customers at a reasonable price, using primarily direct import distribution. Visit www.capstonecompaniesinc.com for more information about the Company and www.capstoneindustries.com for information on our current product offerings. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GCP Applied Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:GCP), a leading global provider of products and technology solutions for the specialty construction chemicals, specialty building materials, and packaging sealants and coatings industries, today announced that it expects to release its third quarter 2016 results at 6:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, November 9, 2016. President and Chief Executive Officer Gregory E. Poling and Chief Financial Officer Dean P. Freeman will host a conference call to discuss the results later that day at 10:00 a.m. ET. The live webcast may be accessed by visiting the Events and Presentations section of the companys website at www.gcpat.com. The call also may be accessed by dialing +1 (844) 887-9408 in the U.S. or +1 (412) 317-9261 internationally. Participants should ask to join the GCP Applied Technologies earnings call. For those unable to participate in the live conference call, a playback will be available through November 16, 2016. To listen to the playback, please dial +1 (877) 344-7529 in the U.S. or +1 (412) 317-0088 internationally; the access code is 10094188. A webcast replay will also be available in the Events and Presentations section of the companys website for approximately one year. About GCP Applied Technologies GCP Applied Technologies is a leading global provider of products and technology solutions for customers in the specialty construction chemicals, specialty building materials, and packaging sealants and coatings industries. Our products help improve the performance of our customers products, increase productivity in their application or manufacturing processes, and meet the increasing regulatory requirements impacting their industry. GCP has approximately 3,000 employees on six continents and serves customers in more than 110 countries. More information is available at www.gcpat.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Elegant and sophisticated, with a touch of personal whimsy. That might describe the perfect wedding, but it also describes the Tri-Valley area and why that region is making a successful marriage with many couples who are choosing to tie the knot in this lush, vineyard-dotted destination. One of the main reasons we have seen the wedding culture increase here is the vineyards and wineries, says Catherine Cheda, general manager for Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, which routinely offers blocks of rooms for wedding guests. Were much more approachable than other more famous wine regions. Its a sentiment shared by Michelle Peters, who as marketing director for Beets Hospitality Group has seen the Tri-Valley area change dramatically in the last decade. I grew up in the Bay Area, in San Leandro, and went to school at Saint Marys, she says. Then I left California for a while, when the Tri-Valley seemed like a place with a few wineries and bunch of cows. There wasnt a lot going on. Then, when I returned, I was amazed how much has been developed here. When it comes to weddings, Peters and Cheda say the warmth of the regions wine culture is very alluring to couples who may find places like San Francisco, Napa and Sonoma more restrictive. In Napa, there are noise and time restrictions for wedding, Peters says. In San Francisco, there are restrictions on how long you have to load and unload materials, so it gets very stressful. Here in the Tri-Valley, we welcome weddings and everything that goes along with them. She says she sees the valleys location as another point in favor of attracting weddings. Its central location to the Central Valley, the Sacramento area and the Bay Area make it an easy destination. Plus, the weather is great, Peters says. The areas 60-plus wineries help, since many couples love the idea of a vineyard wedding, says Cheda, who says that she has seen the wedding market grow by up to 25 percent over the last few years. Many people have never been down here and most of the vendors work together to really showcase what we have to offer, Cheda says Many venues, wineries and event planners work with the Tri-Valley Visitors Bureau to put together weekend packages for couples that will allow guests to enjoy more than just the ceremony and the reception, Cheda said. And when it comes down to it, its all about making the couple and their guests happy, says Alyssia Lundgren, who manages events at Casa Real at Ruby Hill, one of the two major venues run by Beets Hospitality. We have a lower price-point than other wine regions, plus we can offer more in terms of services, she says. There is just a lot more flexibility. Lundgren has noticed two major recent trends in weddings. One is providing the guests with a comfortable, rewarding experience, and the other is many brides and grooms want to personalize their ceremony and especially their reception. We are able to offer unique twists either in the food or what is offered at the reception, she says. For instance, many couples are not only celebrating their marriage, but are combining cultures. So we can offer such things as broom-jumping, a tea ceremony or something else from a familys tradition that really speaks to the couple and their families. Another way that Beets Hospitality originally started as a catering company can personalize an event is with menus that may include a special host course that could be a throwback to the couples first date, a special recipe of Grandmas or a cultural food that reflects the heritage of the couple. They can also add in fun things, Lundgren says, such as a flip book of photos for the guests, roasting marshmallows, lawn games and henna tattoos. NEW DELHI In the three months since a band of youths tortured and killed 20 hostages in a Dhaka restaurant, Bangladeshi intelligence officials say theyre rooting out radicals and restoring security to the streets. Their evidence? Police raids that have killed about 40 suspected Islamist militants; hundreds of suspects detained in police dragnets; and new information on how the attack was financed by local sympathizers. There have also been no reported extremist attacks since shortly after the restaurant killings. BERLIN The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France agreed Wednesday on a road map aimed at reviving the stalled peace process in eastern Ukraine, though details of the plan still need to be worked out by the countries foreign ministers over the coming month. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had invited Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine and Francois Hollande of France to Berlin for the first four-way talks in over a year, insisting that while major progress was unlikely it was important for top-tier negotiations to continue. Im convinced it was right to reopen the channel of talks at this level again, Merkel said after the meeting. She conceded that the four didnt achieve miracles but maintained the talks were necessary in order not to lose momentum. Also discussed was the creation of so-called disengagement areas to separate the warring parties, as well as measures to improve the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine, Merkel said. Ukraines president said an agreement had been reached that the road map should be adopted by the end of November. Poroshenko was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying it would include all security issues, including restoration of Ukraines control of its entire border with Russia. The road map is part of an effort to implement what is called the Minsk Agreement of February 2015 on ending the conflict, in which more than 9,600 people have been killed. Poroshenko was also quoted as saying that an agreement was reached on the deployment of an armed police mission in the areas held by pro-Russian separatists. But Merkel told reporters that such a step would first require Ukraine to pass laws for local elections in the disputed territory, something Kiev hasnt yet done. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in May that it would consider sending a mission to help conduct elections in the separatist east. The 2015 Minsk agreement brokered by France and Germany has helped end large-scale battles between Ukrainian troops and separatists, but clashes have continued and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. The decision to hold the meeting in Berlin follows a flurry of telephone diplomacy over the past week. Merkel told reporters afterward that the issue of Syria was also been discussed with Russia. Merkel and Hollande have been sharply critical of Russias support for Assads forces, with Merkel suggesting Tuesday that Moscow was partly responsible for atrocities, citing Syrian and Russian air strikes on helpless people, hospitals and doctors. Both indicated the possibility of imposing sanctions against Russia for its actions in Syria remained on the table and would be discussed by European Union leaders meeting in Brussels Thursday and Friday. Ah yes, IKEA: the Swedish furniture giant known for its warehouses full of inexpensive furniture, Swedish meatballs, and . . . serial-dating Chinese seniors? In recent years, IKEA cafeterias in China have mysteriously transformed into a popular destination for elderly Chinese to gather and spend time with one another, often for hours at a time. Managers at the IKEA location in Shanghai complain that many visitors do not even make purchases before settling themselves down in the canteen to socialize with strangers who are there for the same reason. Now, IKEA has had enough. The Shanghai cafeteria has announced that anyone who isn't eating iss not allowed to sit in the cafeteria, and accused the senior citizens of belonging to "illegal blind-dating groups" and participating in "uncivilized behavior." Other customers have complained that the large groups of elderly daters have at times spit in the store, and are prone to arguing with one another. "The situation has adversely affected the dining experience and security of most of our customers," read a sign put up at the Shanghai location. "It is having a negative implication for our canteen's operation. From today, the restaurant will only be for people who purchase their food first." The new rule isn't sitting so well with the elderly who relied on the space in IKEA as a meeting place. "We've been to fast food outlets like McDonald's, but there are barely any peers there," one man identified as Qiu, 86, told Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times. "We feel like aliens surrounded by youngsters. If there is another place in Shanghai where elderly people can gather, we are more than ready to pay twice as much and travel further." But maybe IKEA only has itself to blame. Most of the elderly who visit the store looking for love are family membership cardholders, a credential that earns them a free cup of coffee in the cafeteria where they're no longer welcome to sit. KHAZER, Iraq A senior Iraqi general on Wednesday called on Iraqis fighting for the Islamic State in Mosul to surrender as a wide-scale operation to retake the militant-held city entered its third day. The militants have put up fierce resistance in villages surrounding the city, where most of the fighting has been concentrated. Islamic State has sent trucks loaded with explosives careening toward the front lines and fired mortars to slow the Iraqi forces advance. Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati told reporters at a military base that up to 6,000 Islamic State fighters are inside the city. He did not say how many of them are foreigners. Islamic State captured Mosul, Iraqs second largest city, in a lightning advance in the summer of 2014. The extremist group has suffered a string of defeats over the past year, and Mosul is its last major urban bastion in Iraq. An Iraqi officer from the 9th Division said his troops were now around half a mile away from Hamdaniyah, a historically Christian town also known as Bakhdida, to the east of Mosul. Over the past day, Islamic State sent 12 car bombs, all of which were blown up before reaching their targets, he said, adding that Iraqi troops suffered a small number of casualties from the mortar rounds. . To the north, air strikes pounded Bashiqa as Kurdish forces fired mortar rounds from an area overlooking the Islamic State-held town. Save the Children said 5,000 people have fled to a refugee camp in northeastern Syria from the Mosul area in the last 10 days, with another thousand waiting to enter at the border. The group said the overwhelmed camp is littered with human waste with a looming risk of outbreaks of disease. It said there are just 16 latrines shared by more than 9,000 people, many of whom only have access to dirty, untreated water. The United Nations believes up to 1.5 million people in Mosul will be at great risk of being targeted, caught in crossfire, forcibly expelled or used as human shields. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen OBrien said the U.N. anticipates a displacement wave of some 200,000 people over the coming weeks, with up to 1 million displaced in the course of the operation in a worst-case scenario. The operation to retake Mosul is the largest launched by the Iraqi army since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. An estimated 25,000 troops, including Sunni tribal fighters, Kurdish forces and state-sanctioned Shiite militias are approaching the city from different directions. WASHINGTON Seeking to boost a close ally, President Obama threw his support Tuesday behind efforts that Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is taking to overhaul that countrys political system and enhance its economy, saying that Renzis bold and progressive leadership was exactly what Europe needs at a time of crisis and soul-searching. Obama invited Renzi to the White House for the final official visit and state dinner of his presidency, telling hundreds of spectators at the arrival ceremony that we saved the best for last. Throughout Tuesdays events, the two leaders recited a long list of issues on which they agree. They want to speed economic growth through investments in infrastructure and to move forward with a sweeping trade agreement between the U.S. and the European Union. They also spoke of the importance of strengthening the NATO alliance and the need to maintain sanctions against Russia in place until that nation and Ukraine implement commitments under a cease-fire agreement brokered early last year. Beyond action on specific issues, Obama clearly sought to use the symbolism behind Tuesdays visit to show support for a leader that Obama views as one of the most promising young politicians in Europe. The star treatment came just a few weeks before voters in Italy take up a governing referendum that Renzi has spearheaded. He has said he would resign if voters reject it. While Renzi declined to directly answer whether he would follow through on that statement if the referendum is voted down, Obama did and said, I am rooting for success, but I think you should hang around for a while no matter what. Obama kicked the White House apparatus into high gear. The sound of herald trumpets and a full dose of pomp and pageantry on the South Lawn were orchestrated to welcome Renzi, one of the few world leaders to receive such a reception from the White House. After each leader spoke, they hugged briefly and patted each other on the back. I mean, look at him, Obama gushed. Hes young, handsome. Hes put forth a vision of progress thats not rooted in peoples fears, but rather in their hopes. MOSCOW Russian and Syrian warplanes halted their air strikes on Syrias besieged city of Aleppo on Tuesday in preparation for a temporary pause in the military push that Moscow has announced for later in the week, the Russian defense minister said. According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the halt in the strikes should help pave way for militants to leave the eastern rebel-held parts of the contested city. Both Russian and Syrian air raids on the northern city of Aleppo were suspended at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Shoigu said. He described the suspension as a precursor for the opening of humanitarian corridors. Moscow on Monday announced a humanitarian pause between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday to allow civilians and militants safe passage out of the city. At that time, Russian and Syrian militaries will halt any offensive actions. Syrian rebels, including al Qaeda militants, as well as the wounded and the sick will be allowed to leave to the neighboring rebel-held province of Idlib. The early halting of air strikes is necessary to declare a humanitarian pause, Shoigu said in a televised statement. It will ... guarantee a safe exit of civilians through six corridors and prepare for the evacuation of the ill and the wounded from the eastern part of Aleppo. Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the halt in the air strikes was a goodwill gesture to pave the way for Thursdays pause. The Russian military is offering yet another chance, and we hope that our partners will allow us all to take advantage of that, Peskov said. The United Nations said Russia has communicated plans for two eight-hour cease-fires in rebel-held parts of Aleppo over consecutive days this week. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said sanctions against Russia over its actions in Syria should remain an option. Her eyelids lay heavy, struggling not to shutter completely over her hazel-spotted pale blue eyes. Tears crystallize, balancing upon the bottom lids, grasping to defy gravity. In a voiceover, she speaks softly of abandonmentthis is Lexi, the protagonist of No Light and No Land Anywhere, played with a subdued depth by newcomer Gemma Brockis. Introduced in a fragile state fueled by a broken marriage and the loss of her mother, Lexi heads from London to Los Angeles in search her father John (Richard Sealey), who abandoned her as a child. Upon arrival in the unfamiliar city, she is met with a dismal setting and feeling of alienation. Inside her motel room, an appetite for junk food and liquor appears to be the only nourishment for the frail Lexi, and the desire to reconnect with her father is the only conviction keeping her from breaking down entirely. Within this depressing odyssey, writer/director Amber Sealey (who has been more of an actor before now in British films like The Good Night and Big Nothing) confronts her audience with a miserable, uncomfortable reality in which any semblance of hope passes without a trace. Whether it's strangers or estranged family members, the few characters with whom Lexi engages are no more hopeful than she is, and meaningful emotional connection evades her with each passing minute. No Light and No Land Anywhere is bleak, and may be best viewed as a portrait of alienation and perseverance despite despondency. It is within the awkward moments of silence between characters that the drama provides its most convincing portrayal of the complexities of human sadness. For the most melancholy of viewers, the conclusion may prove unfulfilling. But in a film in which hope, resolution and meaningful connection consistently evade the protagonist, maybe it's not without reason that Sealey has denied her audience the finality of a Hollywood happy ending in favor of the more honest nature of open-endedness. No Light and No Land Anywhere Center for Contemporary Arts, NR, 75 min Santa Fe Reporter The creamy early morning sunshine was dripping off the flossy Santa Fe clouds and drenching the adobes with a glow so ethereal and unbelievable that I knew it was time to stretch and carpe diem, baby. I put on a plum pout and my koo-koo knitted, milk-hued Devo-esque cap and headed over for a splish-splash of joe and some inspiration, 'cause heyDowntown Subscription (376 Garcia St., 983-3085) always has French fashion mag L'Officiel. L'Officiel is the crack of the style set. It's all of the fashion collections from Spring/Summer 2017. Choose either Paris/NYC or Milan/London; no ads, unedited, no trendy editors picking through and telling us what is cooljust your own eyes and opinions, your own yay or nay. L'Officiel runs about $35 and is worth every penny. You will never need to swim through a plethora of musty, murky, yucky ads like in Vogue or Harper's Bazaar or even Jalouse. But on this bright autumn morning the collections were nowhere in sight. I gasped. My tummy wiggled in a nervous jitterbug. As I placed my order for a triple Americano (I needed the extra jolt to help with the grieving process), my barista (sweet-as-pie Nicholas Valdez) complimented my goofy choice of millinery and added: "My Grandmother makes knitted hats up in Los Ojos at Tierra Wools." Apparently she even created the felted look of the woolen chapeaus. Nicholas recalled when Grandma Olivia Valdez popped a knitted cap into the washing machine eons ago and, voilait fused together and created a singular and much warmer piece. Mistakes = Brilliance. Just ask Alexander Fleming (penicillin anyone?). Hand-dyed wool hat by Olivia Valdez for Tierra Wools; Hecho tee by Nuevo Cerveza/Bloody Maria; Zia necklace by Lauren Ivy. (Amy Davis) Tierra Wools (handweavers.com) is the real deal. They create incredible blankets all from their own organic sheep (of Rambioullet and Navajo-Churro breeds) and have classes on spinning, weaving and dyeing. The original Rio Grande tradition is carried on here with great respect and honor. It is living history. The wool is hand-dyed and the colors glow in an incandescent, Maxfield Parrish-esque simmering light, deep and alive. So I veered from my original Spring/Summer 2017 story to focus on what we have in our own high desert backyard a la Candide. I love shifting, turning and changing my direction; wandering down crimson vine-draped alleys, stumbling upon anything and everything. Letting Santa Fe enchant me. And that's just what I did. I decided that it was time for a light nosh of green chile cheeseburger with fries and a side of toasted marshmallow sauce. The salty, hot fries and the gooey, sugary situation is quite luscious on the taste buds. I mean, a girl's gotta keep her figure! The Burger Stand at Burro Alley (207 W San Francisco St., 989-3360) is the mucho-needed epicurean hipster burger joint (plus craft beers) off the Plaza. They also have some of the raddest Santa Fe streetwear and, let's face it, you need the balance of viejo-skool y nuevo-skool. From their T-shirts complete with the state outline of New Mexico with the word "Hecho" plunked down in the center to their colorful zia-emblazoned caps, the merchandise is designed by Nueva Cerveza/Bloody Maria and is sick-hip and dare I say slick. Owner Bobby Joe Grubb then cued me in that he's about to open Nuevo HQ, a foodie collaboration with local businesspeople Marcos Aragon, Malisa Braselle and Tait Fletcher. Its location at 411 W Water St. will have even more fab style morsels plus local beer and wine andwait for itCaveman Coffee. My appetite was sated but my style sensors wanted some yummy dessert (ie accessories). So boom-bang-bing, I popped my knitted noggin into Vida Loca Gallery (203 W San Francisco St., 988-7410) and spied some day-glo Zia acrylic necklaces that are minimalist yet still punch up your look. Created by local artist Lauren Ivy, they are the perfect gloss for your ensemble. I also remember meeting another genius artist, Kit Evans, who has created a tote bag for his Christopher Merlyn imprint featuring the right postmodern twist with a play on the state outline of NM with the word "Entrapment" emblazoned over the enchanted square in fifties script. Again, graphically brilliant with just the right amount of wink-wink nudge-nudge irony, it's very Marfa, very Ojai, very nouveau-Catskills. So there you go. The 80/20 rule. When your mind is set on one thing but the effort is taking 80 percent outta your life, switcharoo it up to that sweet and easy 20 percent. We are indeed lucky to live in a place with oodles of history as well as up-to-date streetwear. The style in New Mexico is as swift, dynamic and mutable as the weather, and that's pretty darn fabulous. Santa Fe Reporter 1 BOB DYLAN WINS NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE, has yet to accept How does it feel? 2 POLICE ARREST YET ANOTHER WRONG-WAY DRIVER ON I-25 Maybe instead of "Wrong Way," the signs should say "Turn Around for Free Drinks." 3 LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB TO SEND ALL NEW RADIOACTIVE WASTE OUT OF STATE If you've been looking to transform into a mutant/superhero, you'd better get to it. 4 RED RIVER BANK EMPLOYEE WAS IN ON HEIST WITH COUSIN Great work, geniuses. 5 GARY JOHNSON AND DARREN WHITE ARE FRIENDS AGAIN YEARS AFTER MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION FALLOUT Such is the power of weed, you guys Man, we could go for some gummi bears. 6 SF MAYOR WANTS CITY TO HELP RESIDENTS REDUCE SUGAR INTAKE He just remembered that Halloween is coming. 7 CONTROLLED BURN HAS US ALL WHEEZING And it looks kinda spooky. Santa Fe Reporter Of the four seats open this year on the New Mexico Public Education Commission, the only contested race appears to be the write-in spot for District 10, representing the northern reaches of the stateincluding portions of Santa Fe County. Two Democratic candidates, Tim Crone and Anthony Trujillo, are running write-in campaigns for the board responsible for advising the Secretary of Education and authorizing charter schools. Neither candidate could be reached for comment by press time. Crone is a retired humanities professor; Trujillo's employment could not be verified. Crone, however, has the support of the current District 10 Commissioner, Jeff Carr, who vacated the seat to run for Colfax County Commission. Crone also counts the New Mexico's American Federation of Teachers as a supporter; he serves as its higher education vice president. Crone attempted to make it onto the ballot but discrepancies regarding his address disqualified him. Both candidates' campaign finance filings with the secretary of state indicate they have neither raised nor spent a single dollar toward their campaigns. A winning write-in candidate must secure at least 2 percent of the votes cast in that jurisdiction, according to the Santa Fe County clerk's office. And in this race, pundits say that requires more than 900 votes, although the state Elections Bureau did not respond to a request to confirm that figure. If an election doesn't fill the seat, the governor appoints someone to it. The other candidates for Districts 1, 4, and 9 are unopposed Democratsto staff a board on which all members are already Democrats. The sole Republican commissioner resigned in May. Editor's note: The Elections Bureau called after publication of this story to clarify that in a contested race, write-in candidates are not held to the 2 percent rule and instead the race goes to the candidate that secures the most votes. Santa Fe Reporter Last week's cover story featured SFR's free press lawsuit against the Susana Martinez administration. Today, we have an update. On Tuesday morning we learned our pre-Thanksgiving trial is now instead set to unfold with the spring blossoms. Katherine Murray, one of two attorneys representing SFR, received exciting news this weekend: Shes going to be a mother. After waiting more than two year s to adopt a child, Murray on Monday flew to Florida and met her newborn son. Co-counsel Daniel Yohalem reached an agreement with Martinez' team and District Judge Sarah Singleton to kick off the three-day trial on March 29, a Wednesday. That gives Murray ample time to decide whether she wants to continue working on our case. If not, Yohalem may need to find another co-counsel or fly solo. "We're very appreciative that the judge was able to find time on her calendar and the defendant was amenable to this change," Yohalem says. "Sometimes events in our personal lives interrupt the work we're doing and it is important to make room in our work lives for those events." We couldn't agree more. This year, we've had two staffers go on maternity leave. SFR's trial concerns whether Gov. Martinez discriminated against this paper by ignoring our request for comment while providing other media outlets answers to nearly identical questions. We also claim the administration violated public records law by delaying or denying a number of our requests. Santa Fe Reporter Pence to Campaign in New Mexico On Tuesday, Bernie Sanders at the University of New Mexico to go vote. Now were hearing that Donald Trumps running mate, Gov. Mike Pence, in Albuquerque on Thursday. Poll: Johnson Leads Trump in New Mexico Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party presidential candidate, is of Donald Trump with at least Albuquerque-area voters. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is way up in the same poll with 47 percent of likely voters saying they support her White House bid. Ten percent were undecided. Candidates Plan Appeal to Undecided Voters For those 10 percent, tonights third and final presidential debate, which , may help them decide. Video Shows Wrong Way Driving on I-25 Its been a problem for a long time, but new video from the Santa Fe County Sheriffs office shows just how dangerous wrong way driving on a portion of I-25 in Santa Fe has become. . Senators Wants Artifacts Protected US Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich will host a hearing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center today to discuss the STOP Act, legislation which would of the trafficking of important Native American cultural artifacts. Santa Fe County District Attorney Candidates Previewed SFR previews the Santa Fe County District Attorney campaign in this weeks paper and writes that the Democrat and Republican candidates have for the office. Oops! The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the New Mexico House Clerk Denise Ramonas before sending one of the five budget tweaking bills passed in the special session, and that it still hasn't reached Gov. Susana Martinez' desk. Wolf Recovery Plan Settlement Plan Approved Lauren Villagran reports, A federal judge has requiring the US Fish and Wildlife Service to finish a long-overdue recovery plan for the endangered Mexican gray wolf within a year. Santa Fe Reporter Sky Network Television increased its annual forecast for depreciation, amortisation and impairment charges, citing a timing error. The Auckland-based pay-television broadcaster expects the costs will amount to $109.1 million in the year ending June 30, 2017, ahead of its earlier forecast of $101.3 million, owing to an error in the start date of depreciation for some assets transferred from work in progress to fixed assets, it said in a statement. The error has no cash flow impact, it said. The earlier forecast was prepared as part of documents outlining plans for the proposed merger of Sky TV and Vodafone New Zealand. Sky TV said today that the figure could be revised further if the merger is given the go-ahead because it would have to reassess the fair value of its assets and liabilities. Sky TV wants to merge with the New Zealand unit of Vodafone Group to create the country's largest telecommunications and media group, and the proposal is currently awaiting regulatory approval, with a decision due in November. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: NZK - Resignation of NZKS Chief Executive SML - Executive Leadership Team appointment SCL - Meateor and Fayman Settlement & Market Update November 1st Morning Report NZME Investor Day 2022 Virtual Event SPG - Changes to Executive Team HGH - Details for the Heartland 2022 Annual Shareholder Meeting Smartpay - Change of External Auditor AoFrio achieves 18% revenue growth in Q3-2022 SML - Annual Meeting 2022; Chair & Director Rotations New Zealand's technology export sector delivered offshore revenue of almost $7 billion, up 13.5 percent from $6.5 billion in 2015 according to the twelfth annual TIN100 report. That was mainly driven by exports to the United States rising almost 26 percent to more than $2 billion, a figure boosted by the rising value of the New Zealand dollar. Exports to Europe grew by 12.5 percent and to Asia by 11.7 percent. Total sales rose to $9.4 billion in the year since the previous report. The details were in an embargoed media release and the full report is available to purchase on its website. The Technology Investment Network (TIN), monitors the performance of New Zealands 200 largest technology exporters in information and communication technology, high-tech manufacturing, and biotechnology. It was led by Fisher & Paykel Appliances, with revenue of $1.16 billion, with IT services company Datacom Group second with revenue of $1.06 billion. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare was third, with revenues of $816 million. Greg Shanahan,TIN managing director said, "This year's data signals that an inflexion point has been passed as the industry hits critical momentum, reflecting longer term acceleration of technology growth and a significant closure of the export earnings gap between dairy and tech." Dairy delivered export earnings of $12 billion in the year to the end of June 2015. While the Information and Communication Technology sector showed the fastest increase in revenue growth, up 17.3%, Manufacturing contributed the most revenue in dollar terms. Of the emerging companies, Pushpay delivered the largest revenue growth in the sector, increasing sales by $13 million to $15 million. Wireless power company, PowerbyProxi was second, with revenue growth of $10 million to $12 million. Retail point of sale software operator Vend was third, with sales growing by $7 million to $15 million. Wellington-based virtual reality company 8i is named as the most promising early stage company, while Palmerston North's Biolumic is second. The company uses UV light to enhance crops. Canterbury's CropLogic, which uses software to deliver optimal yields, was third. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: NZK - Resignation of NZKS Chief Executive SML - Executive Leadership Team appointment SCL - Meateor and Fayman Settlement & Market Update November 1st Morning Report NZME Investor Day 2022 Virtual Event SPG - Changes to Executive Team HGH - Details for the Heartland 2022 Annual Shareholder Meeting Smartpay - Change of External Auditor AoFrio achieves 18% revenue growth in Q3-2022 SML - Annual Meeting 2022; Chair & Director Rotations Tegel shareholders say they're concerned about the potential impact of escrow shares on the market and a drop in the poultry companys share price which is trading 6 cents below the $1.55 price it sold at in its May initial public offering. Affinity Partners, which retained a 45 percent share in Tegel after the float, and a number of directors and senior management holding just under 1 percent, have just over 163 million shares in escrow. Tegel chairman James Ogden told shareholders at the companys annual meeting in Auckland today that the escrow details were fully disclosed in the product disclosure statement (PDS) ahead of the float. The first trigger date is in mid-December when Tegel announces its first-half results for the 2017 financial year. Affinity can sell half its shares provided the volume-weighted average price of the shares in the following ten days after the results announcement is at least 20 percent above the IPO price or $1.86. All the escrowed shares can be sold without restriction when Tegels full-year results are announced in June 2017. Ogden said Tegels weaker share price reflected a drop in the overall NZX 50 Index of 7.9 percent since early September. So Tegel is not the only issue, he said. The shares last traded at $1.49, and have dropped 10 percent this year. Affinity chairman and former Tegel chairman Tang Kok Yew, who along with Affinity's other director Brett Sutton was re-elected to the board, told shareholders the fund had been building a portfolio of food and beverage companies across Asia and aimed to make Tegel one of New Zealands leading exporters. Tegel shares were performing well after the May float, hitting a peak of $1.80 in mid-August, but have been mainly falling since which some commentators have blamed on the upcoming November float on the ASX of Australias largest chicken company, Inghams Group, which is Tegels largest competitor domestically. Ogden said it wasnt the board's place to comment on Inghams float but said in response to a shareholder question about the likelihood of increased competition that we compete in the supermarket every day and have been doing so for many years. Weaker prices for fresh and frozen poultry in New Zealand are also thought to have contributed to the share price drop. Chief executive Phil Hand said the lower prices had continued longer than expected due to a chicken glut. Tegels export revenue passed the $100 million mark for the first time in the 2016 financial year and its planning to start importing raw poultry into Australia by January. That follows it and the Ministry for Primary Industries negotiating changed market access conditions for export which previously required chicken products to be fully cooked. Australias poultry market is worth about A$7.1 billion and Tegel exported A$70 million worth across the Tasman last year, representing a 1 percent market share. Hand said hes expecting to significantly boost Australian exports this financial year and the improved market access could knock a year off its five-year target to double export revenue. The company already exports to Australia, the Pacific Islands, the Middle East, and Hong Kong and recently added the Philippines and Bahrain to the list. Hand said export markets are restricted by where it can negotiate access to with China unlikely in the near future. It can take up to five years to negotiate access, he said. Tegel can already export into Japan, a market it pulled out of three years ago after it struggled with distribution, the exchange rate, and to make a profitable margin. Hand said they plan to give Japan another go in the 2018 financial year and talks are also underway to gain market access in South Korea. Tegel is the dominant player in the New Zealand market, processing around 55 million chickens a year or half of the countrys poultry, and Hand said having a strong domestic market was central to having a strong export story. In terms of the trading outlook for this financial year, Hand said first-half sales to date were looking strong despite the soft pricing in the domestic market. The company said it was on track to achieve its PDS forecast for the full year of $625 million in revenue, up 7.6 percent on 2016. The forecast will be updated at the release of the first-half results in mid-December when it also expects to announce its first dividend. The dividend is also expected to be in line with PDS forecasts based on paying out around 65 percent of pro forma net profit after tax which is forecast to be $43.4 million for the full 2017 financial year. The first-half dividend is likely to be fully imputed and paid in the third quarter. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: NZK - Resignation of NZKS Chief Executive SML - Executive Leadership Team appointment SCL - Meateor and Fayman Settlement & Market Update November 1st Morning Report NZME Investor Day 2022 Virtual Event SPG - Changes to Executive Team HGH - Details for the Heartland 2022 Annual Shareholder Meeting Smartpay - Change of External Auditor AoFrio achieves 18% revenue growth in Q3-2022 SML - Annual Meeting 2022; Chair & Director Rotations Estimados amigos, Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia. Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro. Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras. There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen. You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out. No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca. Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt. Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos. Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada. History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. The saga of Alamo Drafthouse trying to break into the NYC market is almost at an end: after years of false starts, broken promises, and more delays, the NY Times reported today that Alamo Drafthouse will open for realsies in Downtown Brooklyn on October 28th. Barring any unforeseen incidents, of course. The Drafthouse will be located at the City Point center, at 445 Albee Square West in the Fulton Mall area, near where Dekalb meets Fulton. Tim League, the founder and chief executive officer of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, told the Times that the location has been ready to launch for several months (indeed, it was supposed to have opened this past summer) but construction delays and a "fire department signoff" held up the plans. "Its a lot more expensive and takes a lot longer than you think to do a construction project in New York," he noted. Here's the Times' preview of what you'll find there initially: The Drafthouse space is divided between two floors and includes seven theaters, all with dine-in service and reserved seating. Every theater has 4K digital projectors and one has 35-millimeter projection capabilities. A stand-alone bar, called the House of Wax, is also part of the multiplex. The programming will include new releases and repertory showings. Its first series, timed to the Halloween weekend, will be In the Mood for Gore, 35-millimeter prints of Asian horror films from the 1980s and 90s. A Monster Squad Halloween party will be held on Oct. 31 with an actor from that film, Andre Gower, in attendance. Other planned series include New in Town, with films about moving in (like The Muppets Take Manhattan and The Coca-Cola Kid), and Shouting at the Screen, with the hosts Wyatt Cenac and Donwill offering live commentary on blaxploitation films. Alamo Drafthouse originally announced in 2012 that it would open its doors at the former Metro Theater on the Upper West Side. Despite releasing an official menu for the location, that plan was cancelled by late 2013. Then after several years in development, they announced a Brooklyn location that was supposed to open this summerafter the official menu was released, that plan was delayed as well until today's announcement. If you're sensing a pattern about presumptive announcement, so has League: "Ive also learned, never put an opening date on a subway advertisement." Tickets for the theater will go on sale tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. here. Manhattan's largest real estate developer has agreed to invest $220 million in renovations for Grand Central Terminal in exchange for special zoning to accommodate its planned 63-story office tower One Vanderbilt in Midtown Eastsoon to be one of the tallest skyscrapers in the borough. Mayor Bill de Blasio joined SL Green CEO Marc Holliday to detail those improvements at a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, assuring a crowd of reporters alongside the massive construction site that the deal brokered between city and developer represents the "right kind of development." "This is something we would have not been able to do with public funds, given all of the demands on the MTA and all of the demands on the city, but something we could do through the right kind of development," de Blasio told the crowd. SL Green detailed that two thirds of the $220 millionthe largest private investment in MTA infrastructure in the city's historywill go towards alleviating overcrowding at Grand Central. In addition to new stairwells at both ends of the two 4/5/6 platforms, AM New York reports that the developer will also bulldoze the Hyatt Hotel basement that currently cuts into the subway, increasing mezzanine space by 40%. SL Green will also construct two new street-level subway entrances, and increase platform space by removing bulky columns that currently support the Hyatt in favor of a narrower design. (via SL Green) The city says that the renovations will make room for 2,200 more riders every hour at the station, and that the MTA will provide one additional train per hour in each direction to accommodate them. Grand Central currently accommodates about 154,000 per workday. There are also plans for a new 14,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza on Vanderbilt Avenue in the shadow of One Vanderbilt, which will take up the block between Vanderbilt and Madison Avenues and 42nd and 43rd Streets. A new concourse under One Vanderbilt will eventually connect Grand Central commuters to the $10 billion, perennially delayed East Side Access project, which will connect Long Island Rail Road trains to Grand Central. Most recently targeted for a Christmas 2022 completion, East Side Access was delayed again over the summer amid a dispute between MTA and Amtrak regarding nights and weekends construction. MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz declined to comment on how the project might impact the East Side Access timeline, instead directing us to a statement from MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast. "The MTA will continue to support innovative proposals that link development with transit investment, and we hope that One Vanderbilt is the first of many to come," the chairman said. The Grand Central renovations will be completed in 2020, according to the Mayor's office. (via SL Green). "It's understandable that there's a certain skepticism when New Yorkers hear promises about what development will do for them," de Blasio said on Tuesday. When the Barclays Center opened in Brooklyn in 2012, none of the promised 2,000 affordable apartments had been constructed (the project's first affordable housing lottery launched this past April). To appease the skeptics, SL Green has agreed to keep its most expensive upper-floor offices off the market until the ribbon cutting on the transit upgrades. "Tenants cannot move into the upper floors of this building until this infrastructure is done that the people need," de Blasio said. "I think it's a strong agreement that the city made," said Riders Alliance spokesman John Raskin on Tuesday. "Untangling these crowded subway stations is a difficult task, but these improvements are significant and meaningful." "Midtown Manhattan is an appropriate place for high-density development," he added, comparing Midtown East to neighborhoods like Downtown Brooklyn, where advocates have protested large-scale development without accompanying public transit investment. The city's 78-block Greater East Midtown rezoning proposal includes the area surrounding Grand Central, and is likely to go up for public review before the end of the year. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer called today's groundbreaking "a first step toward the future of East Midtown." "The area around Grand Central, to the east, is going to redevelop at some point anyway," predicted Bill Henderson, director of the MTA watchdog group Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. "I'd rather have more people come into the area with some transit improvements." He added that while the project likely won't speed up East Side Access, it could "really do some good," by making 4/6/5 platforms less congested, and allowing trains to run on schedule. Under the current circumstances, it's not uncommon for large crowds to queue around car doors, stalling trains in the station and reverberating delays along the line. "An extra train per hour will be great," Henderson said. "But the first step is getting on schedule." Correction: An earlier version of this piece incorrectly stated that SL Green is using Grand Central's air rights in constructing One Vanderbilt. In fact, a lawsuit over those air rights was settled over the summer, without those rights being transferred. The details of the settlement were not disclosed at the time; a spokeswoman for the mayor's office said that the tower can proceed thanks to a "special permit granted by City." Governor Cuomo has until the end of the month to sign a bill that would make it illegal within the five boroughs to advertise whole apartments for fewer than 30 days on Airbnb. That move will essentially kill the controversial home rental company's business in New York, and in a last-ditch effort to save themselves, Airbnb announced a bunch of new policies today, including one that would prevent hosts from listing more than one unit on the site. Still, some lawmakers remain unswayed Airbnb outlined what they're calling a "proposal" in a memo and op-ed today, presenting five new measures they hope might make Albany rethink the Multiple Dwelling Law of 2010 that prohibits tenants and landlords from renting whole apartments for under 30 days. The first proposal would require people renting their apartments to have only one home within the five boroughs; it would also prohibit short-term rentals in public housing and limit short-term rentals in rent-stabilized housing. The second proposal would mandate a registration system for short term rental hosts, one that Airbnb claims would make it easier for housing regulators to weed out bad actors. Other proposals include "providing landlords with the opportunity to set clear rules for short term rentals in their buildings"; imposing a "three strikes" policy that would kick a host off the site if they broke rules; and requiring host to pay all local and state lodging taxes. On a conference call today, State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, who co-authored the rental law Cuomo's currently sitting on, argued that Airbnb's "entire business model is predicated on breaking the law," and that this is an "11th-hour" effort to stay in NYC. "We do not negotiate," Rosenthal said, pointing to research that's shown rent spiking dramatically in neighborhoods where Airbnb has thrived. "Their expansion robs the city of desperately needed units of affordable housing," she said. "Our focus is on protecting hardworking families and affordable housing in this city. Airbnb and other sites like it are responsible for the loss of thousands of units of housing here." Rosenthal also criticized the new "three strikes" policy, noting that it would give commercial operators two more chances to break the law than is currently allowed. "It's really preposterous," she said. "We're not making a deal here. We have a '1 strike, you're out' policy here." State Senator Liz Krueger, who also joined in on the call, claimed that Airbnb has attempted to impose similar regulations in cities like San Francisco and elsewhere, but they haven't done anything to alleviate those housing crises. The host registration systems, she argued, have failed, since hosts don't always register, and the rules are rarely enforced. "This is not anything new. This is the model they've been attempting in various places all over the world," she said. "New York saw what was going on early, and were proactive and didn't fall for a bunch of PR stunt non-enforceable protections. Other cities around the world are coming to talk to us to ask, 'How do you stop this?'" She added, "We're trying to make sure that here in New York, we have a mechanism for enforcement. " She also noted that having New Yorkers pay business tax when renting their apartmentswhich is one of Airbnb's new regulationswould be "proof positive" that they were violating their leases, making it easier for landlords to evict tenants. Airbnb, she argued, doesn't advertise that it's illegal for tenants to rent whole apartments without being present in their homes, and doesn't care if tenants are evicted for violating the law, even though "it's very easy for platform computer companies to do pop-up screens specific to locations" that would alert users to local laws. But Krueger says Airbnb's making so much money off illegal rentals, they don't want to curb the activity. "They unfortunately don't face liabilities themselves. They're not the ones who get punished when someone gets evicted from their home," she said. "State and local lawmakers can put rules in and enforcement in to stop bad activity, but Airbnb is making money off of encouraging it." Airbnb, for its part, has long argued in favor of changing local law to allow hosts to rent out the entirety of their primary residences for short periods of time, rather than requiring a host to be present during the Airbnb stay. Rosenthal says the state does not plan on changing the law. Governor Cuomo has until October 29th to sign the new bill. nws gibson Senior Deputy Schools Chancellor Dr. Dorita Gibson will be filling in for Chancellor Carmen Farina at Wednesday's meeting of the Panel for Educational Policy in Sunnyside. (Staten Island Advance) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Senior Deputy City Schools Chancellor Dr. Dorita Gibson will be filling in for Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina during Wednesday night's meeting of the citywide Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) in the Petrides Educational Complex in Sunnyside. According to the Department of Education, Farina had a last-minute scheduling conflict that called her out of town. The move caught local school officials by surprise. "Not good," commented Community Education Council President Michael Reilly, who had been posting the meeting on his Facebook page as late as Wednesday afternoon. The PEP meeting will still take place in the auditorium of the Petrides Educational Complex, Sunnyside, to comply with its goal of increasing public access by moving the proceedings from Manhattan to the outer boroughs a few times a year. The meeting is set to begin at 6 p.m. Public comment will be allowed on the agenda items, and after that, there will be time for people to approach the microphone and have their say about whatever is on their minds. Speaker sign-up will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the door and will close at 6:30 p.m. Speakers will be limited to two minutes during the public portion of the meeting. Click here to see the agenda. NWS MCDONALDPARK McDonald Playground in West Brighton closed earlier this month for construction and will not reopen for more than a year. (Staten Island Advance/ Susan Lunny Keag) (STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE/ SUSAN LUNNY KEAG) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- McDonald Playground, a popular spot in West Brighton for youngsters and teenagers alike, will be closed for more than a year, according to the New York City Parks Department. That's the bad news. The good news, however, is that the park, located on Forest Avenue, will get a complete facelift. The project, which the Parks Department anticipates to be completed by April, 2018, will reconstruct the playground and multi-use area, according to a spokesperson. Until that time, the site will be closed, a Parks Department spokesperson confirmed. McDonald Playground is one of the initial 35 community parks selected to receive a major capital investment as part of the Community Parks Initiative. More than 60 neighborhood parks will receive full transformations, and more than 100 additional sites will receive targeted improvements and enhanced programming, according to the Parks Department. The official groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. The park honors Austin J. McDonald, (1892-1918) a Curtis High School graduate and New York City resident killed in the line of duty during World War I. It is one of nine playgrounds built by the Parks Department through a war memorial fund. They were simultaneously opened on July 15, 1934. NWS cowboy.png Attorney Richard A. Luthman, left, and his Tod "Doc" Mishler, a.k.a the "Outerbridge Cowboy" outlined a $50 million dollar lawsuit they've filed against Richmond County and New York City agencies outside the courthouse Wednesday. (Staten Island Advance/Kyle Lawson) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The ballad of the "Outerbridge Cowboy" continues, which now includes a notice of claim for a $50 million lawsuit and an ongoing criminal case. Prior to criminal charges against Tod "Doc" Mishler being continued Wednesday to a Jan. 9 court date, he sang cowboy songs outside the courthouse and detailed a notice of claim for a $50 million lawsuit he's filed against the Richmond County District Attorney's office, NYPD, the Parks Department and the city itself. Mishler, 80, of Ulster Park, N.Y., had his two horses, Hope II and Charity, confiscated in June after he rode them across the Outerbridge Crossing. He was charged with animal cruelty in July after a veterinarian examination by the ASPCA determined his horses were dehydrated, had not regularly been to see a veterinarian and had bleeding sores caused by the saddle, accusations he flatly rejects. Mishler refused a deal from District Attorney Michael E. McMahon's office that would have required him to give up his horses for two years and plead guilty to disorderly conduct. The notice of claim was confirmed by city officials Sept. 22, and a letter to Mishler from the bureau of law and adjustment stated "if we are unable to resolve your claim, any lawsuit against the City must be started within one year and ninety days from the date of the occurence." In addition to Mishler's claims that his horses were illegally taken from him, the notice of claim states he was "improperly seized, arrested, and falsely imprisoned by (the) NYPD... in concert with NYC Parks Department Officers..." Prior to his court appearance, Mishler sang a ballad outside of the Staten Island Courthouse, dedicated to "...all the ladies across the country, that have welcomed me with God's Love." Members of the Humane Society of the United States have said if Mishler is found guilty, he should be prohibited from owning and caring for horses. A Facebook group called Stop Doc Mishler was formed recently in opposition of the cowboy. Any money Mishler might recover as a result of the claim would be put toward drug treatment on Staten Island, according to Mishler and a second attorney he's retained for the civil case. "It's about human rights versus animal rights," Mishler said. "It's ludicrous to think I don't care about my horses, because if you don't take care of your horses you're not going anywhere." Attorney Richard A. Luthmann, who made the news in 2015 for requesting a trial by combat to resolve a lawsuit against him, said his client was "deprived his civil rights." "We have state actors who are horse thieves, and we're gonna get justice for (Mishler)," said Luthmann. A spokesman for the Richmond County D.A.'s office declined comment Wednesday. FullSizeRender(3).jpg Pharmacist Robert Annicharico, owner of Delco Drugs and Specialty Pharmacy (center) speaks at the press conference in which Assemblyman Michael Cusick, Senator Andrew Lanza and District Attorney Michael McMahon announce the donation by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals of 10,000 drug deactivation pouches. Also featured in the photo are members of the New York Police Department and JoAnne Materna, program director for adult and adolescent services at the South Shore YMCA, Eltingville. (Staten Island Advance/ Susan Lunny Keag) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The drug epidemic on Staten Island is at an all-time high, and local elected officials are constantly looking for a solution to the ongoing problem. Their latest weapon? Drug deactivation pouches. Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals has donated 10,000 drug deactivation pouches, which will provide a safe and responsible means of disposing prescription medicine that is often abused and misused. The pouches will be distributed free through Delco Drugs and Specialty Pharmacy, located at 3833 Richmond Ave., as well as the YMCA's South Shore and North Shore locations. The announcement was made by Assemblyman Michael Cusick, State Sen. Andrew Lanza and Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon, who were joined by Robert Annicharico, owner of Delco Drugs, along with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and YMCA Counseling Services, at the Eltingville pharmacy. The user-friendly, pouch-based systems deactivate prescription drugs and render chemical compounds safe for landfills. The instructions include adding water, sealing the bag and tossing into the normal trash. To see how the pouches work, check out this short video. Cusick said he all too often heard parents say, "My kid got hooked because they went into the medicine cabinet or somebody went into a family member's medicine cabinet without them knowing and it's that temptation that we want to take away. We want people to be able to dispose of these (drugs)." The announcement comes just days before National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which falls on Saturday, Oct. 22. Lanza said the pouches are just one way to, "combat this terrible national crisis." "This is truly one of the more critical issues of our time ... Opioid abuse death is now the number one preventable cause of death in the United States. More people die from opioid abuse than every other unintentional cause," said Lanza. Lanza said local legislators will continue to work with the district attorney, as well as the NYPD, to find solutions to the drug epidemic. "We will make sure we do whatever it takes to save the lives of our neighbors who find themselves in the the throes of addiction," Lanza said. McMahon noted that since Jan. 1, "we've had at least 74 deaths that we are investigating attributable to heroin and opioid prescription drugs. Seventy four Staten Islanders have died." "Some people think we are not going to overcome this. We're not going to win this battle," he said, adding that Staten Island has been given the negative nickname, "Heroin Island." However, McMahon believes the battle against drugs is one we can win. "I believe what we are seeing here today is the reason that we are going to be known as the 'Island of Hope' pretty soon because I believe what we are seeing is everyone pulling together to address this problem," McMahon said. Staten Island police precincts currently have secure drop-off boxes for unused prescription pills, McMahon noted. He said the pouches are another means of preventing those suffering from addiction an easy way, "to find their next fix." Annicharico said many of his Delco Drugs customers, particularly seniors, have prescription medicine at home from when a loved one was sick that they didn't know how to get rid of. "I can't tell an elderly person to go to DEA.gov,'' Annacharico said. "Their first instinct is not to type in a website ... this is a personalized approach. Someone can come into the pharmacy now and I can give this to them. This is a simple action that any of us can take to make our community safer." JoAnne Materna, program director for adult and adolescent services at the South Shore YMCA, said the pouches are, "another tool in our toolbox to drive down the number of prescription pills in our community." She urged Staten Islanders to take advantage of this free resource. "It is our hope that the community is diligent in their efforts to safeguard their medications and that individuals and families in need of support find their way into treatment programs," she said. Senior Health Fair Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis to partner with Canterbury House Senior Residence and Staten Island University Hospital to host a free Wellness and Lifestyle Fair for seniors on Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Courtesy/Advance file shot) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Senior citizens seeking free medical services and a fun, interactive chair yoga and dance class are in luck. Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, in partnership with the Canterbury House Senior Residence and Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH), will host an annual Wellness and Lifestyle Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Community Room of the Canterbury House, located at 1331 Bay St. in Rosebank. "I am very pleased to once again join Canterbury House and Staten Island University Hospital to offer this great event," said Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn). "We have so many seniors who have trouble paying for the most basic testing and screening. This event will provide an opportunity to learn about preventive measures they can take, right here in their own community." A variety of free medical services will be available, including flu shots, blood pressure screenings, diabetes screenings, BMI testing and HIV counseling. Services will be administered by New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, Priority One Ambulance Service, Community Health Action of Staten Island and SIUH. Other participating organizations include: the New York City Department for the Aging; the New York Public Library; Meals on Wheels; FDNY Fire Safety; the MTA New York City Transit Authority's Paratransit/Access-A-Ride, and Metrocard Mobile Sales units. This year's program features an exciting, new interactive class on chair yoga and chair dancing to oldies hits, presented by Living in Motion, at 11 a.m. For more information, please contact Malliotakis' office at 718-987-0197. The story of Anthony Weiner is just one tumble down the mountain after another. Today's further fall from grace: a federal grand jury will reportedly start hearing evidence soon about Weiner's alleged sexting with a 15-year-old girl. Remember when his sexting was just goofy fun because his last name was a slang synonym for penis? Yeah, me neither. The Daily Mail reports that federal investigators are looking to "move quickly" and could be introducing evidence of Weiner's alleged teen sexting to a grand jury by the end of October. Weiner's cellphone records were subpoenaed by the U.S. Attorney's office in late September to look for evidence of the sexually explicit messages he allegedly sent to a North Carolina teen. A legal expert the Mail spoke to suggested Weiner could be hit with a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child, which would land him a year in jail. That's the very low end of the spectrum though, as the NY Post suggests that Weiner could be hit with a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor, which carries a 15 to 30-year prison sentence. The Daily News sources say the grand jury might not be as imminent as the Post and the Mail make it out to be, but even that story doesn't sound good for Weiner. According to the News, investigators from both the NYPD and the Manhattan District Attorney's office have been investigating the alleged sexting, and gave what they found to federal investigators who have "taken an interest" in the case. Danger, Carlos. Danger. History chair. To help 21st-century students learn about the recent past, an alumna and her husband have endowed the Harriet Johnson Toadvine '56 Chair in 20th-Century History. In honor of her 60th reunion, Harriet and Steve Toadvine worked with Skidmore's gift-planning director to establish the $2.25 million fund through a combination of outright gifts and a bequest in their estate plan. The first Toadvine Professor, announced this summer, is Matt Hockenos, a specialist in 20th-century European history. The author of A Church Divided: German Protestants Confront the Nazi Past, he has earned Fulbright, Mellon, and other grants for his scholarship. Through the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, for example, he researched the Society for the Promotion of Christianity among the Jews, analyzing Nazi anti-Semitism and missionary attitudes. Prof. Matt Hockenos Prof. Matt Hockenos Hockenos says the donors feel strongly about "helping students understand the two world wars, the Holocaust, the Cold War, economic globalization, and American ingenuityall of which have shaped their lives whether they know it or not." By establishing the professorship, he says, their gift is "sure to have an important impact on the historical literacy of the next generations of Skidmore students." Steve Toadvine, a naval aviator in postwar Korea, ran businesses that supplied military aircraft components and electromagnetic shielding and later taught business ethics at Johns Hopkins University and University College in Dublin, Ireland. Finding his Irish students better versed in history, he wanted to help Americans understand the advancements and mistakes of the 20th century that fundamentally transformed the human experience. In just a few years, students entering college will be the first cohort not born in the 20th century. The donors hope that the new chair, funded by interest from their endowment in perpetuity, will enable a wide range of students to apply history's lessons to address current and future challenges. Chinese studies chair. Skidmore's second new professorship, the Tang Chair in Chinese Studies, was endowed by financier Oscar Tang, husband of the late Frances Young Tang '61, in whose honor Skidmores teaching museum is named. A longtime Skidmore benefactor and former trustee, he has also made major donations to Columbia, Yale, Princeton, and Harvard universities, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Philharmonic, and other institutions. To recognize his philanthropy to education and to arts and culture, Tang was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2005. When Tang offered to help Skidmore devote more curricular attention to China, the college's academic leaders agreed that several programs could benefit from such expertise, so they opened up the position to several disciplines. Their applicant of choice was a sociologist, Xiaoshuo Hou. A specialist in economics and society, Hou is the author of Community Capitalism in China: The State, the Market, and Collectivism. She was also the Asia editor and wrote about East Asian ethnicities and market transitions for the Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity and Nationalism. Prof. Xiaoshuo Hou Prof. Xiaoshuo Hou Hou's latest research is on electric vehicles in China, where the state is subsidizing e-buses and e-taxis but consumers still prefer gas-powered cars. She says some of the issues in China mirror those in the US: the higher price of e-cars, lack of enough charging stations, and opposition from the petroleum industry. Also, given frequent changes in Chinese laws and regulations, e-vehicle entrepreneurs face risks in getting private-business loans from state-run banks and in navigating an unsure business environment. Hou is pleased that the Tang Chair lets her teach in both sociology and Asian studies. She says she enjoys helping students explore current issues in China, from privatization to urban migration to evolving gender relations. She had heard that Skidmore students were bright and engaged, and "I've found that it's true," she says. After her very first class session, she recalls, "students were thanking me as they walked out! I never expected that." Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda has been officially sentenced to seven years in prison. The sentence came as part of a deal struck with prosecutors that saw the Brooklyn MC plead guilty to charges of 4th degree conspiracy to criminally possess a weapon and second-degree criminal weapons possession. Shmurda, whose legal name is Ackquille Pollard, is 22-years-old. Billboard reports he appeared alone in Manhattan Supreme Court Wednesday morning; his co-defendants Chad Marshall (aka Rowdy Rebel") and Nicholas McCoy (aka Flea Montana) were also sentenced. Shmurda will reportedly receive partial time served as part of his sentence, and could be released as early as 2021. Billboard notes that the plea deal, which reduced the maximum possible prison stint from 15 to seven years, required that Shmurda forfeit his right to appeal. After being released, all three men will also be required to submit to five years of supervision. "I was forced to take this sentence, I did not want to take this sentence. I was forced by my attorney to take this plea," Shmurda told the court this morning. Shmurda, Marshall, and McCoy were arrested in late 2014 at the Quad Recording Studios near Rockefeller Center. Police say they found 21 weapons on the young men, including two guns and a small amount of crack in Shmurda's car (in April, Shmurda sued the city for false arrest). The young rapper was initially hit with numerous gun, drug, and conspiracy charges in what investigators alleged was a close connection to the GS9 Crips street gang. Shmurda entered his guilty plea in September after having been stuck in jail for 20 months on an uncommonly-high $2 million bond that made it impossible for his record label to bail him out. "If we made bail I would've beat the case," Shmurda told Complex a week after pleading guilty. "They just look at our skin color, and look at where we're from. I didn't get caught with anything on me and the cops lied, saying they seen me with a gun in my hand. I explained the whole situation to Epic and they were behind me all the way. We had big-money lawyers and they still couldn't do nothing because of the judge, who looked at us like black thugs." Shmurda told the music site he took the seven-year plea deal over a five-year offer as means of lowering Marshall's overall sentence. Following the hearing Wednesday, Shmurda's mother, Leslie Pollard, expressed her disappointment in the process to Billboard. "You don't have any rights in that courtroom," Pollard said. "It's heartbreaking. It's disappointing." "It was a whole setup," she said. "The judge doesn't know my son. He doesn't care." For more, this 2015 New York Magazine article looks at how the NYPD aggressively pursued Shmurda in part because of his rising hip-hop celebrity. A lot of people might think of Federal Hall as that place Occupy Wall Street used to hang around, or that place where Bane made his last stand against the Batman. But Federal Hall Memorial National Historic Site, which was opened to the public as part of the Open House New York weekend, has a much richer history that goes far beyond the famed battle for the soul of Gotham City. Federal Hall, located at 26 Wall Street in the heart of the Financial District, was first built in the early 1700s to serve as NYC's second city hall (it was built by the British, who used material from the demolished wall of Wall Street). A few years after the American Revolution, it was gutted, redesigned, and retooled to serve as the first capitol building in the newly-formed country. The newly-renamed Federal Hall became the site of George Washington's inauguration as the first presidentyou can see the bible on which Washington took his inaugural oath up above. Appropriately, the Associated Press is currently presenting a photo exhibit about the presidents in the main room of the Hall; there is also a room dedicated to celebrating the National Parks' 100th anniversary, and one in which models of the various iterations of Federal Hall are displayed. During the OHNY weekend, there were two shows daily where actors portraying Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton debated "behind closed doors" as members of the first presidential cabinet. Some other fun historical facts about the deep currents of history running through Federal Hall's marble corridors: The initial City Hall building played host to the Stamp Act Congress, which assembled in October 1765 to protest "taxation without representation." The first United States Congress met here from 1789-1790, and the Bill of Rights was ratified here. In case it's not clear by now, Federal Hall went through many different permutations over the last 200+ years. The current structure on the site was initially built as a Customs House in 1842. It was modeled after the Greek Parthenon. In 1862, Customs moved to 55 Wall Street, and the building became the US Sub-Treasury, where million of dollars in gold and silver were kept in basement vaults (until the Federal Reserve Bank replaced it in 1920). That basement, which you can see in a few photos above, still has huge round columns and a low ceiling, and in the words of photographer Sai Mokhtari, it looks like "like something out of a futuristic throwback movie." In 1882, John Quincy Adams Ward's bronze George Washington statue was erected on its front steps to commemorate the inauguration. In 1920, a bomb was detonated by unknown perpetrators across the street from Federal Hall at 23 Wall Street, killing 38 people and injuring over 400 more. This became known as the Wall Street Bombing. The building was finally given its full title (Federal Hall Memorial National Historic Site) on May 26, 1939, and then re-designated a national memorial on August 11, 1955. Almost a year after 9/11, 300 members of Congress convened at Federal Hall as a symbolic show of support for the city. It marked the first meeting there by Congress since 1790. In 2004, the site was closed for renovations after the collapse of the World Trade Center weakened the foundations of the building. It reopened on June 8, 2008. In 2012, the NYPD and the U.S. Parks Service divided the front steps in half, with one side absurdly designated as a sort of "protest cage" for Occupy Wall Street. Click through to check out all the photos of the site, and learn more information about visiting it here. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today The new - temporary - host of the top-rating breakfast radio program on 666 ABC Canberra has been announced. Laura Tchilinguirian will replace outgoing host Philip Clark from November 1. But it's only for six weeks, with the permanent host to be announced in early December. Laura Tchilinguirian will take over from Philip Clak on 666 ABC breakfast. Credit:Simon Schluter Clark is finishing up this week to replace Tony Delroy on the national ABC Local Radio program Nightlife. Tchilinguirian currently presents ABC NewsRadio Evenings and has been a producer and presenter at ABC NewsRadio since 2009. A leadership ticket of Alistair Coe and Andrew Wall is being pushed to head the shell-shocked Canberra Liberals after their election loss. Internal wrangling over the post-election leadership team is continuing within the party, although current leader Jeremy Hanson is yet to publicly state whether he will stand in a spill next week. Liberal deputy Alistair Coe. Credit:Jay Cronan Three sources have confirmed that the main ticket on offer is Mr Coe as leader and Mr Wall as deputy. That has prompted some consternation within the party, who fear it would be far too conservative for Canberra, and would place two men as leaders at a time of record female representation in the Legislative Assembly. Beloved veterinarian Jan Spate was still treating animals in the morning on Wednesday as she prepared to close the doors on her business of 44 years on Wednesday afternoon. The Hall vet was suspended from practising after a number of serious complaints were made against her over a seven-year period. She signed a deed to not seek registration for two years with the ACT Veterinarians Board after an initial hearing in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal earlier this year. The final day of her registration was Wednesday. Demonstration of support for Hall based veterinarian Jan Spate whose practice has been suspended by the vet board. Credit:Rohan Thomson However, the community came out in support of Dr Spate at the eleventh hour, with hundreds of people and their pets crowding the street in front of her premises in Hall on Wednesday. The demonstration of support came as a fundraising page set up for the vet topped $20,000 in donations to help her recover legal costs. Chants of "Jan Spate, Jan Spate" rang out through the passionate crowd, as people demanded her licence be reinstated. It's 50 years on Thursday since then ANU student Megan Stoyles attracted headlines around the world by wearing a Make Love Not War t-shirt at an anti-Vietnam War protest in Canberra in 1966 as US president Lyndon Baines Johnson - LBJ - arrived in the national capital. She still has the t-shirt and can still fit into it - wearing it as she spoke about student activism in the '60s at a 70th anniversary celebration for the ANU in August. Megan Stoyles Megan Stoyles earlier this year in the t-shirt she wore in 1966 during an anti-Vietnam War protest in Canberra as president Lyndon Johnson arrived in the national capital. Credit:Stuart Hay, ANU Now living in Melbourne, Ms Stoyles on Thursday did tell us that, contrary to popular belief, the image of her in the t-shirt outside the Rex Hotel on October 20, 1966, probably never did make the cover of Time magazine. A surprise AFL ruling has opened up the path for Geelong to secure Zach Tuohy from Carlton after the Cats were given unexpected permission to trade another first-round draft pick. Geelong will give up their first-round pick next year as well as other draft picks this year and get Tuohy and draft picks back from Carlton in the deal. The deal, if it goes through, will mean Geelong will not have had a first-round pick in three successive drafts. The surprise move to be able to trade a future first-round pick was given AFL approval after clubs - including Geelong - believed they were precluded from trading another future first-round pick given they had last year traded out of this year's first round. The corporate regulator is concerned that some life insurers with low rates of customer claim denials have actually been classifying claims that had been dismissed as "withdrawn claims". There was much attention last week on the Australian Securities and Investment Commission's revelation that one life insurer was declining 37 per cent of all claims under total and permanent disability policies. A matter of defining 'claim denials'? ASIC decides to investigate further after its brutal report into the life insurance industry last week. Credit:Jim Rice Westpac's BT Investment Group eventually outed itself as the company behind the high rate of denied claims in an after-business-hours press release on Friday evening. ASIC said its data might not be accurate because some insurers had different definitions of what constitutes a denied claim, with some companies counting withdrawn and ineligible claims as claims that had been denied. Macro-prudential policies aimed at preventing another financial downturn are "untested" and it's unclear what the impact would be in the event of another financial crisis, says Bank of England veteran Dr Paul Fisher. Earlier this year Dr Fisher stepped down from Britain's Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) where he acted as deputy head. He was formerly executive director of Supervisory Risk and Regulatory Operations at the Bank of England. Dr Fisher is visiting Melbourne and Sydney this week to raise awareness about the threat of climate change on business and investors, but also spoke to Fairfax Media about other financial market risks, including uncertainty surrounding Brexit and Donald Trump, and the legal troubles engulfing Deutsche Bank. Following the 2008 financial crisis, Dr Fisher had input into the regulator's plan to manage systemic risk through new requirements, including that banks increase capital. Australia is missing out on key events aimed at improving gender diversity due to the lack of policy initiatives designed to get women into public and private sector leadership positions, says the chief executive of Business Events Sydney, Lyn Lewis-Smith. "We are not progressing as quickly as other countries," Ms Lewis-Smith, also President of the Australian Association of Convention Bureaux, told Fairfax Media. In 2015, Australia hosted 247 international meetings, sliding two places down world rankings to 15. But the nation's market share is declining in the face of both improved convention facilities and more aggressive bidding elsewhere in the world, particularly in Asia, she said. Other nations' leaders such as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were committed to the gender diversity cause Japan's goal is to ensure 30 per cent of leadership positions in Japanese society are occupied by women by 2020. On the personnel front, the Campaign for Accountability, a non-profit group, studied the to-and-fro between government and Google. It found that 183 people who worked under President Barack Obama through last year were hired by Google, while 58 headed the other way. Google is in Washington to "help policy makers understand our business and the work we do to keep the internet open and fuel economic growth," the California-based company said by e-mail in response to questions. Facebook's goals in the capital include protecting customers, "explaining how our service works, and maintaining an open Internet and a culture of innovation," it said in an e-mail. There have been other high-profile moves out of Washington: former Attorney General Eric Holder this year took a job at accommodation website Airbnb, and David Plouffe, Obama's one-time campaign manager, started at ridehailing app Uber in 2014. Persistent rumours have linked Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg with the post of Treasury secretary in a Hillary Clinton administration. Sandberg, a former chief of staff at the Treasury under Larry Summers, told a conference this month that she plans to stay at Facebook. Apple's Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and Microsoft's founder Bill Gates were on a list of Clinton's potential vice-presidential nominees, according to an e-mail allegedly from her campaign chair that was released by Wikileaks. The administration's view is that tech people are welcome in Washington because they can help make things work better - and help is certainly needed. Penny Pritzker, the commerce secretary, says the government is shifting toward using technology the way business has been doing for years. It has set up a coding boot-camp for employees, while data scientists work across federal agencies to mine the archives and help improve transportation projects. 'Data as currency' "We view data as currency," Pritzker said in an interview. She travels to Silicon Valley at least once a quarter and has an advisory council of 21 tech experts. Megan Smith, the former Google manager who took a job as Obama's chief technology officer in 2014, says the long-term goal is to make government services as smooth a user experience as that offered by, say, Amazon or Dropbox. Collaboration with tech companies pre-dates Obama's creation of a special post to oversee it. Zillow Group, the real-estate website, helped the Treasury after the housing-market collapse, according to Stan Humphries, its chief analytics officer. "I was struck by how little data the government had" in areas such as price indexes or foreclosures, Humphries said. The Seattle-based firm filled the gap, offering its micro-data to Federal Reserve researchers and even, on occasion, to Neel Kashkari, then an assistant secretary at the Treasury department and now in charge of the Minneapolis Fed. "They were soon sucking up every bit of data that we had available," said Humphries. Biggest fear In Washington, favours typically come at a price though. Tech giants, which are in the habit of buying up smaller companies and also trying to tie customers to their own platforms, keep a close watch on antitrust policy. In 2013, Google - like Microsoft before it - was threatened with a potentially costly legal battle. Federal Trade Commission staff said the company "unlawfully maintained its monopoly" over internet searches, though the 20-month probe was eventually closed. "Competition policy, that's the thing they're most scared of," said Barry Lynn, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, a Washington think-tank. "If a Microsoft-style case was brought against any of these companies, it could totally change their business prospects. It could result in radical changes to the scale and structure of their corporations." Cases have been opened in Europe against Google and Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft, said Lynn. He's a Republican, showing that concern about the growing power of the tech giants isn't confined to the political left. Not that the left doesn't share it. Clinton has talked about tougher antitrust laws aimed at ending the "abuse of economic power" by corporations. 'Their damn computers' She's also taken aim at their shifting of profits overseas to avoid taxes. Hauser, who worked at the Justice Department's antitrust division before joining the Revolving Door Project, said tech firms "are at the leading edge of tax avoidance because of the ways they've perfected moving their intellectual property overseas." He said Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew's support for Apple, after the iPhone-maker was ordered to pay back-taxes in Europe, is an unprecedented stance for a Democratic administration. Clinton's Republican rival Donald Trump proposed a tax cut for companies that repatriate profits, though it didn't win him many converts in the tech industry. Then there's the labour market. Trump has taken aim at Apple among other companies that have shifted jobs overseas. "We're going to get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country," he said in January. But the iPhone-maker announced this month it's setting up a second R&D centre in China. Big tech simply doesn't hire on the same scale as its heavy-industry predecessors. And technology is reshaping the workforce in other ways too, with Silicon Valley favourites like Uber and Taskrabbit at the forefront. They're central to the growth of a gig economy that's spurred calls for rules on health-care and employment insurance to be updated. Tech companies also typically back immigration rights for skilled labour that have become politically toxic, and they support trade accords that both presidential candidates oppose. They've clashed with the government over the balance between internet privacy and national security, notably when Apple boss Cook refused to help unlock an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters. Beyond the shopping-list of specifics, says Lynn, the industry has one overarching desire: light-touch regulation. "They want to be left alone," he said. "They want to be allowed to do what they want to do." Losers, like the Liberals, are often forced to take a new direction, such as a change of leader, but new directions are not easy if the current course reflects the composition and inclinations of the party membership. A leader who doesn't reflect his party, but is installed just for public relations, is in for a rough time. Furthermore if each election defeat is followed by a change of leader, especially in a small parliament, then a party soon runs out of decent choices and begins elevating people before their time. We are all still guessing why we got the result we did. Should either or both major parties take a new direction? Winners tend not to change course because they are triumphant. The temptation is to reject criticism but now is the chance for Labor to learn some lessons. The newly elected members must bring fresh thinking into the caucus. We are all still guessing why we got the result we did. Should either or both major parties take a new direction? Credit:Ben Plant We won't know the exact composition of this Assembly but unless there is a complete surprise we already know enough. The precise final composition does matter however. Whether the Greens win one or two seats will have an impact both on executive government and parliamentary processes. Whether the Sex Party manages to win a seat will impact on Parliament and representation. Whether a previous minister or another newcomer wins for Labor may impact on executive government. The bigger Legislative Assembly now has to deliver results. Twenty-five members must do better than 17. The increase in size was introduced not just to reflect a larger population but to enable better executive government, parliamentary processes and representation. That is the challenge facing the members of the new Assembly. Better executive government should follow a larger number of members on the government benches. This should mean not just more talent to choose from but a full suite of ministers who are able to share the ministerial load equitably and not have some ministers grossly overloaded to camouflage the weaknesses or inexperience of others. It is a truism that state and territory ministries have a long tail as the talent pool is shallower than in federal politics. ACT Labor now has the chance to prove that adage wrong. A larger government party room makes the choice of good ministers easier. But remember two factors. As the Chief Minister has already noted many of these 12 will now be new and need time to settle in. Andrew Barr may look to a temporary arrangement followed by a ministerial reshuffle in 18 months. But even that is not long for a new member to learn the ropes. Secondly, whether or not the Greens join the government or sit on the crossbench will make a huge difference. There is a conundrum. Good executive government means Shane Rattenbury should stay in the government as he is an experienced and competent minister. He is easily among the top four ministers and public personalities in the Labor-Green government. If he stays it will mean a stronger ministry and that will also enable Barr to ease one or two of his newcomers slowly into the government. However, a good parliament might be better served if there were two Greens on the crossbench. That would keep the Labor government on its toes, make for better committee work and make it easier for the Greens and the Liberals to reach out to one another, which would be a plus. The Greens will do what is best for them and what their members want, but the whole community has a stake in what is decided. The bigger Assembly also should mean a better Opposition for much the same reasons. The Opposition Leader now has more to choose from for his shadow ministry. He faces some difficult choices because now should be the time for generational change. Several of the more experienced Opposition members will probably not participate in a future Liberal government. They will move on after the next election. So newcomers must be promoted, but to do so immediately would be to throw them in the deep end. Breathless claims over lever-action shotgun are pure fiction Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss To a well-known store selling office supplies for printer ink. Our checkout queue is served by one as another staff member stands at the entrance poised to meet and greet arriving customers. When suggested by a customer he could help out on the tills, he explains he has to stand where he is because of 'company policy'. Almost as crazy as the policy of a hardware chain where, on even a brief visit, after being welcomed, it is possible to be asked by staff "Howya doin, mate" more than half a dozen times. Re Phil Fitzpatrick's quest (C8) for a word to describe the whining, self-righteous, fake sincere voice qualities of country and western artists how about 'Trumpeting'?suggests Andrew York, Chapman, ACT. "My suggestion for a whiny adjective is sybillic and the verb is to sybilate, named in honour of Sybil Fawlty who could do the best whiny, fake sincere voice in the history of television.Ted Richards of Batemans Bay. More music issues. "My brother and I were recently discussing the best " one hit wonder" from the '70s and '80s. We both agreed it was Thunderclap Newman's Something in the Air. What do other C8ers think? Rock Lobster is banned; so is Lucky Number (C8: Why?) Geoff Gilligan of Coogee. In the event of an accident between two driverless cars, who is at fault? asks Allan Johnson, Canberra. "The manufacturer of the sensors if they failed, or the programmer of the control system! Only a C8 reader can solve this dilemma." In a recent podcast from The New Yorker, the magazine's executive editor, Dorothy Wickenden, prefaced a question about the US presidential election with a reference to "two very flawed candidates". Thankfully, the quality press has largely dispensed with the idea of false equivalence between the presidential candidates coming to the belated realisation that, as Slate's editor-in-chief put it, this election is not the business-as-usual contest between apples and oranges, but one between "apples and rancid meat", which counts as one truly poetic description of Donald Trump. I guess Wickenden was yet to receive the memo. Only one candidate expresses contempt for the rule of law and the checks-and-balances of government. Only one candidate, to understate matters, is "very flawed". The other candidate simply has "flaws". Still, there's something about Hillary that precludes measured or nuanced criticism. For now, outrage over the rancid meat masks the pervasive Hillary-hatred that simmers below the surface. Though you can glimpse the antipathy in grudging remarks about Hillary being "the lesser of two evils", and even in the unofficial crowning of the undeniably impressive Michelle Obama as the feminist hero of this election. The woman poised to make history sometimes appears an extra in her own drama. The reason cannot be found solely in her character failings: Hillary-hatred is our pathology. We are immature and more sexist than we realise. Hillary Clinton. In any other field an epic CV would be a prerequisite for the top job. In the current political climate the logic is reversed and being the consummate "insider" is considered a liability. Credit:AP Hillary's errors, missteps, misjudgments and misspoken words are battle scars from her epic political experience. For all the oceans of ink devoted to these misdeeds and mistakes, not to mention the mini-industry dedicated to digging up dirt on the Clintons, there's still no evidence to support the insinuations from right and left that she's innately slippery and corrupt. The WikiLeaks dump of apparent transcripts of Hillary's admittedly unedifying paid speeches to Goldman Sachs make for underwhelming headlines, even if Trump wasn't grabbing them. Goldman Sachs should demand its money back: she dished up false flattery and pseudo-intimacy and little else. She feels Wall Street's pain about new laws tightening regulation of the banking sector in the wake of the global financial crisis. But, well, it had to be done "for political reasons". Purr. In any other field an epic CV would be a prerequisite for the top job. In the current political climate the logic is reversed and being the consummate "insider" is considered a liability. Yet there is a sexist paradox here that Hillary-haters must grapple with: only a woman with epic experience and unassailable qualifications can legitimately contest the top job. Mediocrity and under-preparedness are luxuries only men, being over-represented in positions of power, can afford. After failing to listen to consistent calls for stronger emissions reduction targets and a credible set of climate policies, the Australian government this week found itself under growing international pressure to explain what it is doing to tackle climate change and how we will meet even the modest targets set in Paris while we continue to approve new coal-fired power stations around Australia. For a fortnight the federal government has been attacking state governments including South Australia, Victoria and Queensland on their renewable energy targets despite the fact that those states have targets much closer to what's needed to meet our Paris commitments, and they will provide demonstrable economic and environmental benefits. Without retiring coal-burning power plants that pollute the equivalent of 30 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, it will be impossible for Australia to meet our commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement. Credit:Arsineh Houspian In Queensland, for example, a draft report of an independent expert panel Credible Pathways to a 50% renewable energy target for Queensland delivered to the Queensland government shows that their 50 per cent target by 2030 is not only achievable but can be cost-neutral and can provide an annual average of 6400 to 6700 full-time jobs between 2020 and 2030 while also reducing emissions. Against this backdrop, the Turnbull government has come under fire after a new UN expert review found that Australia's carbon emissions will be 11.5 per cent higher in 2020 than they were in 1990. The review also found that Australia's industrial emissions not counting those from forestry and land-clearing were expected to rise 33.5 per cent over the three decades. The Abbott government misled the public in a $10 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign promoting its higher education policies after the Education Department was warned the advertisements could breach Australian consumer law. The revelation is contained in a major review of government advertising by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) which also criticises the Department of Education and the Treasury for failing to set specific goals for controversial recent advertising campaigns. This made it impossible to assess the campaigns' "overall effectiveness and relative value for money", the review found. The campaigns examined included the 2015 Intergenerational Report campaign fronted by popular scientist Karl Kruszelnicki, who later expressed "deep regret" for appearing in the ads and vowed to donate his pay cheque to needy schools. It probably wasn't the response BHP Billiton boss Andrew Mackenzie had hoped for after he told an audience in London that the 'Big Australian' miner gets treated better by the socialist government of Chile than politicians in Australia. Hours later, Wayne Swan walked into Parliament and doubled down on his criticism of BHP as a "tax evader", describing Mr Mackenzie's public critique overnight Tuesday as a "dummy spit" In what is becoming an increasingly personal stoush, the former Labor treasurer compared BHP's use of Australia's resources to a hotel guest who stays in the penthouse, orders room service but leaves without paying the bill. BHP is in the political crosshairs at state and federal level, with new Nationals leader in Western Australia, Brendon Grylls, advocating a new $5-a-tonne mining levy on BHP and Rio Tinto to extract $3 billion more revenue a year from their vast WA iron ore operations. Defence Minister Marise Payne has refused to say whether she or Christopher Pyne is the senior minister in the critical national security portfolio. Fronting a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday morning, Senator Payne also refused to release letters detailing the division of responsibilities between herself, Mr Pyne as Defence Industry Minister, and Defence Personnel Minister Dan Tehan, amid reports of a "turf war". Senator Payne's pointed exchanges with Labor senators over who has ultimate authority over Defence underscores the unusual arrangement the Turnbull government has in place, in which the huge portfolio is divided between two senior cabinet ministers. But junior minister Dan Tehan later told Sky News that Senator Payne is the senior minister in the Defence portfolio. Outgoing green finance chief Oliver Yates has fired several parting shots at the Turnbull government, stating its carbon goal is too weak and that coal's share of the electricity sector must dive to make way for renewable energy even with the recent SA blackout. Mr Yates told Fairfax Media that Australia's goal of cutting emissions 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030 "will need to be strengthened" if the country is to move along with other nations to prevent global temperatures rising by 2 degrees. Renewable energy's share of the power sector will to have rise sharply, the chief executive said, citing a Climate Change Authority study that was largely ignored but modelled the shrinkage of coal's share to just 20 per cent by 2030 from 75 per cent now if Australia's contribution to a 2 degree warming target is to be met. In the wake of the axing of the carbon tax by the Abbott government in mid-2014, power sector emissions have risen by 4.8 per cent on an annualised rate to the end of September, consultants Pitt & Sherry say. Predicted by no one, the issue of gun control is back on the agenda following claims the government was willing to compromise an ongoing ban on the Adler A110 lever-action shotgun in return for libertarian senator David Leyonhjelm's vote on unrelated legislation. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has insisted there will be no softening of gun laws and that the controversial firearm which allows up to eight shots to be fired in eight seconds - will remain prohibited until the states come to an agreement on how it should be classified. Why was it banned? In July 2015, the Abbott government decided to suspend imports of the Adler A110 amid concerns it undermined the Howard-era National Firearms Agreement, which heavily restricted the availability of powerful, rapid-fire guns in Australia following the Port Arthur massacre. The federal government would be "crackers" to water down a ban on importing rapid-fire shotguns into Australia because of the growing terror threat, Tony Abbott says, in comments that place him at odds with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Nationals MPs. Mr Turnbull was forced on to the backfoot on Tuesday over the import of the rapid-fire, seven-shot Adler 110 shotgun, with Nationals MPs calling for the gun to be reclassified to Category B, allowing it to be imported under restricted circumstances, such as for the eradication of feral pigs and Labor claiming the government was prepared to water down a ban in exchange for the vote of Senator David Leyonhjelm on two key pieces of industrial legislation. But as the Prime Minister attempted to turn the tables on Labor and released a letter to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten demanding the ALP back mandatory five-year minimum sentences for trafficking and stronger penalties, Mr Abbott said when he was prime minister there was no way "on God's Earth, with a heightened terror threat, we were going to allow perhaps tens of thousands of rapid-fire weapons into the country". That comment contradicted Senator David Leyonhjelm's claim, backed up by email correspondence, that he had a struck a deal to allow the Adler in to the country in 2015. Maybe it was out of juice, or perhaps he couldn't find the charger, but, for some reason, the timer on Ian Macdonald's iPad was not working on Tuesday. Which might explain why Gillian Triggs, the Human Rights Commission president and familiar fixture on the witness list of Parliament's estimates hearings, gave evidence for nearly six hours beyond her allocated time. Things were very different last Friday when Senator Macdonald set his iPad timer to loudly ring every 15 minutes while Solictor-General Justin Gleeson was trying to give evidence over a feud with Attorney-General George Brandis. In this, as in all things, his wingman, Barry O'Sullivan, had his back. It was the day when Tony became Malcolm and Malcolm morphed into Tony. At least, that's how it seemed. One was clear and yet politically moderate. The other, wordy and apparently leaning to the right. Abbott, the outdoorsie hard man and darling of disgruntled conservatives everywhere, came over all dovish, declaring his government had never considered allowing the Adler lever-action rapid-fire shotgun into the country because to do so would be "crackers" in this heightened security environment. It came as Turnbull was wading mid-stream through a couple of unscheduled days of nuanced argument in which he explained why a lethal weapon might actually be allowed in - via the lifting of a federally imposed importation ban - if the states and territories could only agree to re-classify it, ensuring tighter ownership restrictions. The take-out from this was the emergence of a new "Towny-Tony" - a man in tune with the anti-gun inner cities, against the unveiling of the hitherto unknown "machine-gun Malcolm" - the ex-greenie PM giving hope to the gun-loving he-man in the regions and backblocks of rural Australia. Day 1: First stop, the Boab Prison Tree, so called because of its reputed use as a rest point for police and escorted Aboriginal prisoners en route to nearby Derby and Broome. Yes, the ancient tree, thought to be about 1500 years old, is that big. Cameras, tablets and phones whir into life. Tour guide Trevor Boughton opens a boab fruit for us and we see how the tough nuts could have floated all the way from Africa, just one of the theories of how the trees came to be here. The seeds are apparently rich in vitamin C. We've been told to bring aqua shoes and supplied with small torches. These are deployed at our next stop, Tunnel Creek, where we wade through cool water, at times in darkness. We marvel at stunning rock formations and coo over bat colonies before emerging in a rainforest waterhole at the end of the creek, so at odds with the pindan desert around us. In Windjana Gorge, we check out rock art with local guide Tex, then walk along the banks of the Lennard River, where we come upon freshwater crocodiles, mostly lurking in the water. As the sun sets, we arrive at Bell Gorge Wilderness Lodge and are shown to our individual tent cabins, where we'll stay two nights. Day 2: I wake to the soft orange glow of the ranges nearby. The birdsong is varied and beautiful and the subtle scents of the bush are magic. I linger in my comfortable bed as the dawn slowly turns up the colours of the desert. A hearty breakfast is followed by a trek into Bell Gorge, where stark cliffs surround tiered waterholes. This is quite physically challenging and one of our party decides to rest at the first shady waterhole. The rest of us press on over the gorge and down to the stunning larger waterhole. The mossy sides mean a backwards crab entrance into the water, and we slip in, grateful for the cool of it, joyous as school kids. Purnululu National Park' beehive-like Bungle Bungle Range was "discovered" only in 1983. Credit:Trevor Creighton Day 3: We abandon the 4WD vehicle for a short trek into Galvans Gorge. Boughton introduces us to green ants, which have edible abdomens that taste like limes. I am reluctant, but when in Rome. The oasis in the gorge is not for swimming but teems with exotic birdlife. On the way out we spot a docile goanna, beautifully camouflaged on the brown dirt path. He lets us pass without fear or alarm. Then it's on to Manning Gorge, where we swim in a rainforest waterhole, replete with a sandy beach. A tinny on a rope system allows people to cross the water without getting wet. A woman is ferried across, standing proud like Cleopatra on the Nile as her minions work the ropes. We're too busy splashing and swimming about in the refreshing water to pay much heed. A gorgeous day ends at Home Valley Station. Day 4: The day begins with a Station tour as Indigenous guide Alfie explains how it works as an on-site training academy designed for Indigenous men and women from the area. He tells us that cattle operations have benefited from new Brahman stock and how dedicated breeding paddocks have been introduced to improve genetics and the station's ability to manage the herd. Climbing aboard Scarlet with us, Alfie shows us where some scenes in Baz Luhrmann's Australia were filmed, adding that Hugh Jackman stayed at the Home Valley Station during the shoot, while Nicole Kidman opted for the high-end El Questro resort nearby. We make our way to Emma Gorge. Aqua shoes in the backpack are recommended for the hike in. We swap our hiking boots for them on the bank of the waterhole, with its sharp rock edges, then swim over to the droplet waterfall as cliffs tower above. When Patty Ris sat down for a meal at the senior living facility she recently moved to, she accidentally picked the best seat in the house. Though she didn't know it at the time, sitting beside her was Henry Heimlich, inventor of the first-aid procedure designed to dislodge an obstruction from a choking person's airway with a wraparound bear hug from behind and some abdomen squeezing. Dr Henry Heimlich invented the Heimlich manoeuvre, which has saved countless lives. Credit:Henry J. Heimlich/Facebook The identity of her fellow diner could have gone unnoticed, but fate intervened. "I ordered a hamburger, and the next thing I know, I could not breathe I was choking so hard," Ris told the New York Times. Still smiling: Steven is taking the fight head-on. Credit:Mark Jesser The rarity of the cancer provided Steven with one ray of hope in his struggle with the disease. A new national trial, led by Mustafa Khasraw from the Royal North Shore Hospital, is targeting unmethylated glioblastoma , which has a prognosis of 12 months, compared to methylated glioblastoma, which is almost double. "Having no methylation of the glioblastoma means more patients die in a year," Khasraw explains. "What we're trying to do is give the standard radiotherapy treatment, but instead of the chemotherapy that has been largely disappointing in this group, give them a new drug that has shown promise in other cancers." Dr. Mustafa Khasraw is the principle investigator on the revolutionary trial. Credit:Cure Brain Cancer Foundation The study is being conducted by the Co-Operative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO) and the National Health and Medical Research Council with support from the University of Sydney. In addition to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Stephen takes the experimental drug Veliparib. The growth of the tumour has slowed since he started treatment, and although it's too early to directly link this to the trial, Margot is certain it's the cause of the success. Gaby and David Wolf in Israel after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Credit:Gaby Wolf "Without the trial, I don't know where Steve would be in the next year," she says. "From my nursing perspective, these things go fast and the fact that standard brain cancer treatments don't work very well on these particular ones, it would've only been a matter of time." The trial is largely funded by the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, an umbrella organisation founded by neurosurgeon Charlie Teo, with further funding from the NSW Cancer Council and pharmaceutical researcher AbbVie. The Cure Brain Cancer Foundation is supported by smaller subsidiary charities, including the The Wolfy Foundation. David Wolf was 22-years old when he was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. He died less than a year later. His friends and family established the The Wolfy Foundation to help others affected by brain cancer. Together with Cure Brain Cancer, they raised $250,000 at their spring ball at the start of October, which goes directly to the trial keeping Steven alive. "For me and my parents, the spring ball allows us to honour my brother's legacy by celebrating life the way he did," sister Gaby explained. "David had a gift of bringing people together. He had more friends than anyone I know and he treated everyone equally, regardless of their age and background." The founders of the Wolfy Foundation, including David's parents Alan and Jackie, sister Gaby and brother-in law Alan at the fundraiser in October. Credit:Wolfy Foundation Like most young adults, David was out socialising any chance he could. His family and friends felt the perfect way to honour him was by throwing an annual party that would have made him proud. "He wouldn't want it any other way," charity co-founder and friend Brad Joffe says. While devastated by his diagnosis, David decided to live life to the fullest in the time he had. "It was a pretty big thing to face," friend Alex Goldstein said. "But he travelled a lot with his family, and started to get his mojo back. I felt he really turned a corner in terms of positivity and optimism. He was really back to his old ways. We got glimpses of his old, optimistic self." "He took it really rough in the beginning but he started to become pretty positive towards the end of it," Joffe recalled. "He enjoyed life. He said it to me a few times that 'I'm so happy this has happened to me because it's made me realise what life is'." David Wolf Centrelink fobbed-off the Commonwealth watchdog last year with a pledge to improve its performance in answering its phones that turned out to be far from the truth. The welfare agency promised the Commonwealth Ombudsman in July 2015 it would expand its "place in queue" telephone service, allowing customers to ask for a call-back and sparing them the commonplace tedium of being put on hold, sometimes for more than an hour. Senior DHS executive Hank Jongen. But the Ombudsman's office later found that the service had been "deactivated" earlier that month. The evasion has been revealed in the annual report of the Ombudsman's office, which has been on Centrelink's case for years to try to get the agency to lift its game. Former NSW Labor minister Joe Tripodi has been questioned by police after allegedly leaving the scene of a car accident in Sydney's north-west in July. Police contacted Mr Tripodi seeking clarification over the accident in Eastwood, reportedly between Mr Tripodi's BMW and a Honda Accord. The driver of the other car contacted police when he allegedly failed to stop. Mr Tripodi volunteered to answer police questions and arrived alone at Green Valley Police Station in Sydney's west on Wednesday afternoon, wearing a business shirt and jeans and holding a piece of paper. The jury in the murder trial of Gable Tostee has asked another question as they attempt to reach a verdict on the third day of deliberations. The Brisbane Supreme Court jury has been deliberating as to whether Tostee, 30, is guilty of the murder or manslaughter of his New Zealand Tinder date Warriena Wright in the early hours of August 8, 2014. On Wednesday the jury passed its fourth note to the judge asking "is language to be considered force?" Justice John Byrne told them it wasn't. Plans to built a cruise ship terminal on the Gold Coast are a step closer to becoming a reality after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she would consider the proposal. A day after Gold Coast's council voted 14-to-one in favour of the plan to build a terminal at The Spit, including a jetty up to 800 metres long, Ms Palaszczuk said she was open to the prospect of having two terminals in southeast Queensland. Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate says south-east Queensland is big enough for two cruise ship terminals. "If the mayor submits a business case and puts forward a proposal to the Queensland government I'm happy to have a look at it," the premier said. Ms Palaszczuk had previously told the ABC she did not feel the need for a terminal on the Gold Coast if one was also built at Brisbane's Luggage Point as planned. The Queensland government will set up two trial loan stores for low-income earners as a safer alternative to "unscrupulous" payday lenders. The Good Money stores, based in Cairns and on the Gold Coast, will complement 29 financial counsellors appointed next year to help lift struggling Queenslanders out of dire financial straits. Good Money stores will be based in Cairns and on the Gold Coast. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer "This is about reaching out earlier to help vulnerable Queenslanders to give them the skills they need to become productive and happy members of our community and our economy," Communities Minister Shannon Fentiman said on Wednesday. AAP The State Library of Queensland and therefore the previous Queensland Government - paid out "several hundred thousand dollars" in legal fees to thwart staff trying to take action after their breasts were secretly photographed by a former SLQ senior executive in 2012. "And this could all have been dealt with in 2013," an angry senior source says. A report will be tabled this week on the case of the illicit photos taken by a State Library of Queensland employee in 2012. "The costs would have to be several hundreds of thousands of dollars," the person said. That was revealed to Fairfax Media as Innovation Minister Leanne Enoch prepares to table the final report by Rachel Hunter into the illicit photographs taken on a State Library of Queensland-supplied mobile phone by the SLQ's former director corporate services Bruce MacGregor in 2012. "We're just going to have to learn to live with them." That's the verdict on cane toads from this year's winner of the Prime Minister's Prize for Science. Professor Rick Shine became an expert on the invasive amphibians after his snake research site on the Adelaide River floodplain near Darwin was overrun by cane toads a decade ago. In order to help his beloved reptiles survive the onslaught, he needed to learn about the behaviour of the toads and he has become very fond of them. "She has beautiful eyes," he said of his cane toad Galadriel in his Sydney University laboratory ahead of Wednesday night's awards in Canberra. The murder of Mohamud Muktar was frenzied, violent and most likely completely random. Thursday marks six months since the taxi driver's life was snuffed out on a Fitzroy footpath for no apparent reason at all. In Islam, life belongs to God and it's taken at a time pre-determined by Allah. Mohamud Muktar lived like he knew his life was going to be short. The money he didn't send to his mother and five brothers and sisters in New Zealand went to shopping and fortnightly hair-cuts, but mostly he'd blow it on food and friends. Smith Street in Collingwood was his favourite haunt. The 31-year-old went to a Thai restaurant at least once a week, and Vietnamese rolls from N. Lee bakery were his number one. A bus driver who crashed into South Melbourne's notorious Montague St bridge, causing 11 passengers to be hospitalised, has faced court charged with dangerous driving and traffic offences. Ballarat man Jack Aston, 53, appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday. The Gold Bus Ballarat bus slammed into the bridge in February. The Gold Bus Ballarat driver was driving about 14 delegates from a tourism conference when he crashed into the bridge on Montague St about 10.40am on February 22. At the time it took firefighters nearly an hour to free four people trapped inside the crushed vehicle. It needs restumping and urgent stabilisation to save it. Ned Kelly's childhood home is in danger of collapsing but it will be rescued with the state government stepping in to have it restored. The house built by Kelly's father, John Kelly, will be revived using traditional trade skills after a heritage audit found the home needed protection. The state government is negotiating to buy Ned Kelly's childhood home from owners David Consiglio and his wife Sharon and want to restore it. Credit:Paul Harris The Andrews government will spend $1 million on the house in Beveridge in Melbourne's outer north. The state government has also begun negotiations to buy the site from the landowners. Every one of Victoria's 79 councils is headed by a high-paid chief executive, who often enjoy annual pay rises of $10,000. Melbourne City Council has the highest paid CEO, earning at least $460,000, plus another 185 staff members earning more than $139,000. Bullying and bad behaviour Geelong mayor Darryn Lyons is facing the sack. Credit:Joe Armao Geelong council was sacked earlier this year after investigations found "bullying" had taken root at the bayside municipality. Celebrity mayor Darryn Lyons, above, allegedly swore at staff members, told one person they "should be picking up dog shit" and threatened to shut down a city business. Wangaratta council was also sacked in 2013 due to similar concerns. Secrecy Many decisions are made by Victoria's councils in meetings closed to the public, and remain secret indefinitely. Latrobe City Council is Victoria's most secretive, making almost half its decisions in closed meetings. Casey Council is Melbourne's worst, with 37 per cent of votes closed to the public. At Brimbank council, which is run by administrators, just 1 per cent of decisions are closed to the public, suggesting other councils are being overzealous in their use of confidentiality. Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass is so concerned about the issue she has launched an investigation into local government transparency. Dummy candidates Wyndham Council has 95 candidates running in this year's election, more than double that ran in 2012. Many can be shown to be running as "dummy candidates" - someone who stands with no intention of winning, but rather to channel their preferences to another candidate. Darebin Council also had at least five candidates whose preferences were identical - and included the same mistake on their how to vote cards. No amalgamations: Minister Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins has no appetite for pursuing forced amalgamations but she did not rule out reducing the numbers of Victorian councils in the future.She said there was a case for greater sharing of service arrangements. "When you're talking about 79 councils there is just so much scope for them to be working together and saving money for their ratepayers," she said. Ideally, Melbourne would have far fewer councils Councillor with Melbourne City Council, Stephen Mayne, says America's biggest companies should move to Melbourne. Credit:Louise Kennerley A range of sitting councillors said on background that reform of local government was long overdue, but few were to prepared to speak publicly. Melbourne City Council's finance chair Stephen Mayne, who is seeking re-election, said that ideally Melbourne would have a handful of larger councils. "If you had your druthers, you'd have a dozen in Melbourne but it's so hard [to merge them]," he said. Cr Mayne, above, said Mr Kennett's hard-fought amalgamation of Victoria's councils from 210 to 79 was "one of his best reforms. In hindsight he could have gone bigger". Like many interviewed for this story, he said Melbourne City Council and a number of inner-city councils such as Yarra and Port Phillip could easily merge into one central city municipality. "You can hit a driver out of the steps of parliament into the City of Yarra. And the two sides of St Kilda Road being governed separately is [strange]." Melbourne only needs one council Former Melbourne City Council chief executive, a previous head of the Victorian public service and current Bank of Melbourne advisory board chairwoman Elizabeth Proust in 2013 proposed one council for all of Melbourne. "I remember a lot of people told me all the reasons it was a bad idea," Ms Proust said. But she maintained it was an excellent idea, and that local government reform was needed in Melbourne. "Think how many councils, council chief executive officers and small services we have," she said. "It may not be one mega council for all of Melbourne, but you could certainly do with three to four." She pointed to a New Zealand experience of merging councils as a success. Auckland in 2010 went from having eight city and regional councils to one "super council". But mergers mean lost democracy Rob Spence, chief executive of the body representing councils, the Municipal Association of Victoria, said there were "pluses and minuses" in the idea of merging Melbourne's councils. "The plus is that you can aggregate up the back end of the business and reduce costs. But you can do that in other way with shared services." And he said citizen access to local democracy got lost if councils were too big. Sara Bice, a Melbourne School of Government research fellow, is researching the impact of forced amalgamations in rural Queensland and NSW. She said bigger councils did not necessarily achieve the efficiency they promised. After amalgamations, Dr Bice said there was often a sense that larger communities got infrastructure and other benefits at the expense of the smaller towns, who felt a sharp loss of identity when their local council was abolished. Council bureaucracy adds to costs everywhere Merging many of the city's councils would have the benefit of streamlining planning processes for builders, architects and developers and residents who use their services. One planner who asked not to be named said that one of the hardest parts of working in Melbourne was that every council "had a different set of rules and processes" that had to be understood and negotiated. "There are some councils where you can submit planning application online and others you can look at them online and others you have to do hard copy and go in and look at it." And they pointed out that Plan Melbourne, the government's central planning document, divided Melbourne into five "sub-regions" for some purposes. "Could you do this for councils too?" The recent implosion of ousted Fox News chief Roger Ailes will become fodder for a TV mini-series. And the producer is the same one as The Purge movies, because let's face it, for many women at Fox News, Ailes's reign was a real-life horror story. According to the NY Times, Tom McCarthy, who directed and co-wrote the Oscar-winning film, Spotlight, will be an executive producer while Jason Blum, known for horror movies like 'The Purge,' will produce. Blum also had a hand in HBOs Emmy Award-winning The Jinx, about allegedly murderous real estate scion Robert Durst. Gabriel Sherman, the New York magazine journalist whose years of reporting on Ailes allegedly drove the executive to scheme on how to get back at him, is also part of the project. "[Blum's production company] Blumhouse did not say whether a TV network had agreed to license the series, nor did it give a time frame for when the series might become available," Variety reports. Ailes was accused of sexually harassing female Fox News employees in a series of damning allegations resulting from Gretchen Carlson's lawsuit against him. Carlson, who claimed she was unfairly fired as well, settled with Fox News for $20 million. Ailes has insisted he is innocent and received $60 million from Fox News for his exit. A young Perth father who purchased a house with now-collapsed builder Collier Homes says he has "no idea" whether his build will go ahead. "For the last two days I haven't slept... I'm calling everybody, every government department, the liquidators...I have no idea what is happening," he said. The 33-year-old accountant, who did not wish to be named, said construction on his family's "dream home" in Riverton was due to commence within weeks, but contact with his builder went cold on Monday following the multi-million dollar collapse of parent company, Homes Australia. "The general manager, the one that signed my contract, called me on Monday and said he was really sorry, but he had to leave the office and there was nothing he could do," the man said. State prosecutors want three children, including a 12-year-old boy, facing murder charges to be trialled in an adult court with their five adult co-accused. The boys, aged 12, 14 and 17, are accused of being part of a group of eight males who killed 26-year-old Patrick Slater outside the Esplanade Train Station in a post-Australia Day brawl. Patrick 'Paddy' Slater died at the Esplanade Train Station in Perth on Australia Day 2016 The trio, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in Perth Children's Court via video link from Banksia Hill Detention Centre on Wednesday. The youngest, who was 11 years old at the time the alleged crime was committed, is believed to be the youngest person ever charged with murder in Australia. It's the robbery scenario anyone would dream of - a Perth woman contacted WA police to report a "prowler" on her property, only to receive a bunch of flowers for her trouble. The woman called Central Metro Police last week to request officer attendance to her property, to deal with a man lurking around the entrance to her house. The husband's nice gesture didn't quite work out. Credit:Stocksy The worried woman, who was reportedly staying with her young children, called her husband to let him know of the situation. WA Police said the husband started heading home "right away", and the officers arrived with lights and sirens to the property. Police raided a house in Bayswater on Tuesday night after a woman stumbled into the local police station yesterday with a possible gun-shot wound to her upper body. The 24-year-old Yangebup woman was rushed to hospital after driving herself to the station and telling police officers she had been shot. Shortly after the incident, police released a statement saying they were investigating whether the shooting occurred in the vehicle, which had a male passenger, or at another location. Nine News Perth reporter Scott Cunningham said tactical response group officers raided a home on Whatley Crescent around 9pm. Four police officers have been injured, one critically, after they were shot at during a raid on a home in southern Germany. Public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk reported when the officers entered the home in Georgensgmund, a municipality in Bavaria, a 49-year-old man "immediately opened fire". A police van in front of the home where an anti-government extremist opened fire on police on Wednesday. Credit:AP Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann told a press conference on Wednesday that one officer, a Special Deployment Commando, was critically injured in the shooting. The officer was taken to hospital, where he was operated on, but he remained in a serious condition, Mr Herrmann said. Beijing: China will consider giving Filipino fishermen conditional access to disputed waters in the South China Sea after the presidents of the two countries meet in Beijing this week, two Chinese sources with ties to the leadership said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte plans to raise the plight of Filipino fishermen when he meets his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Thursday, a Philippine official told Reuters. China seized Scarborough Shoal - claimed by Beijing as Huangyan island and by Manila as Panatag - in 2012, denying Philippine fishermen access to its rich fishing grounds. The seizure formed part of a case the Philippines took to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, which in July rejected China's territorial claims over much of the South China Sea, including its assertion of a 320 km exclusive economic zone around the disputed Spratly Islands. Bangkok: Thai authorities say they have uncovered a plot to explode bombs in Bangkok where millions of Thais are mourning the death last week of long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters authorities have "solid evidence" that five people arrested planned to carry out bombings in the capital and nearby provinces over five days late in October. "We would not have taken action [against these suspects] if we didn't have solid evidence," he said, adding the public should not panic as security forces and intelligence agencies were doing their jobs. All of the five are from Thailand's southernmost Malay-Muslim provinces, where almost 7000 people have been killed as Malay insurgents have waged a separatist war since 2004. An armed police officer stands guard outside a pub in New York after a gunman attacked at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Credit:AP Trump has little regard for due process and the notion of innocence until guilt is proven - unless it's about him. Remember his rallying calls: Mexicans are rapists and murderers, Muslims are suspect and the women who claimed he abused them are "horrible, horrible liars". Despite the charges stacking up, Trump insists he is innocent on all counts, a legal luxury he still slavishly denies to five young men of colour, dubbed the Central Park Five, whom New York cops bludgeoned into confessing to a horrific late 1980s rape of which they were innocent; after as much as 13 years in jail, they were exonerated and received $US40 million ($52 million) in compensation when the true perpetrator was convicted and jailed for life. Jamal Skinner, left, and Evan Aronowitz model ballistic body armour ahead of NYPD plans to distribute 20,000 helmets and 6,000 vests to patrol officers before the end of the year. Credit:NYPD/AP This was the infamous case of the Central Park jogger - a young white woman who was raped and brutally beaten in a park that was seen as a Manhattan sanctuary. It was at the height of a crack epidemic, crime rates were soaring and racial tension was electric. Amid a huge public outcry, Trump paid $US85,000 for a full-page ad in four city newspapers. Under the heading "BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE!" he demanded that the alleged perpetrators, who had been arrested, be brought to justice and that the death penalty be reinstated. In a TV interview he suggested that "hate" might be a proper weapon against violent crime. The US is safer today than at nearly any other time in modern history. Harvard Law School's Fair Punishment Project The teens' testimony had been coerced - they were denied food, water and sleep while being interrogated separately, with each being bullied into making a statement in which they admitted being at the scene but blamed the others for the crime. The actual rapist confessed in 2002. It was his semen and DNA that were identified on the victim and her clothing and at the scene; there was no DNA evidence to link the teenagers, whom the cops had rounded up as "the usual suspects". Furious that minority kids had finally found justice, Trump denounced the compensation payment as "a disgrace". And last week he still harped on, telling CNN: "The police doing the original investigation say they were guilty. The fact that the case was settled with so much evidence against them is outrageous. And the woman, so badly injured, will never be the same." That a bunch of black and Hispanic kids happened to be in the park on the night of the attack was good enough for Trump. None of the five had an arrest record, but Trump claimed "they don't exactly have the pasts of angels" and looking back in a subsequent tweet, he refused to accept that his argument had been well and truly debunked - claiming, well they weren't there "playing checkers". But Sarah Burns, a co-author of The Central Park Five, counters: "So we are left with Mr Trump's presumption that because they were black and brown teenagers from Harlem, they must have committed a crime." Clinton doesn't get a free pass in this debate. She felt the need to apologise for a $US30 billion crime bill her husband, former president Bill Clinton, signed in 1994, which critics say helped to decimate minority communities and accelerate mass incarceration, and, in particular, for her use at the time of the word "super-predators" to describe a supposedly new kind of remorseless juvenile criminal, who ultimately never emerged. CNN commentator Van Jones was apoplectic as he joined the dots in the crime debate: "[Trump] came on the scene politically in New York City, attacking five innocent black boys, accusing them of what? Sexual assault. He never apologised! He said Mexican immigrants are rapists, sexual assaulters. [But] it turns out the sexual assaulter, the super-predator is the man running for president!" Trump is accused of fixing on simplistic law-and-order solutions that are more about appealing to white American insecurities than about genuinely resolving social problems. His law-and-order shtick is a straight lift from the 1960s campaign book of disgraced former president Richard Nixon. Then and now, it is read as a dog whistle appeal to white voters, a promise of "zero tolerance" policing to protect them from marauding minority crime gangs. In 1968, Nixon insisted that "doubling the conviction rate would do far more to cure crime in America than quadrupling" spending on poverty. Believing the pitch still worked, Ronald Reagan won re-election in 1984, declaring: "Government's function is to protect society from the criminal, not the other way around." Ellis Cose, author of The Rage of a Privileged Class and The End of Anger, claims that such policies are disingenuous. He writes: "The law-and-order trope is inarguably potent and it fosters this wacky notion that the US is in chaos when, in fact, violent crime is lower than it has been for decades. But never mind that. The argument for getting tough on crime has never been about reducing crime; it mostly has been about fuelling racial resentments." A study by political psychologists Mark Peffley and Jon Hurwitz finds the term "law and order" to be coded language that had been used effectively for decades. "When many whites think of punitive crime policy to deal with violent offenders, they are thinking of black offenders," they write. There is a contradiction in levels of crime and public anxiety about crime - one falls while the other rises. But according to the Harvard Law School's Fair Punishment Project, the US is safer today than at nearly any other time in modern history - there are year-on-year peaks and troughs in the graphs, but property crimes, violent crime, and homicides have all plummeted over the past 25 years, nationwide. For all that Trump says, the project is adamant in its findings about a country that has the highest rate of imprisonment in the world: "no year during the George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, or Ronald Reagan presidency was as safe as 2015". Trump is demanding national application of New York's controversial and abandoned "stop and frisk" policy, despite evidence of its inordinate impact on minority communities and expert arguments that it was ineffective in reducing crime. It was effectively a system of rampant racial profiling, despite it proving that whites were more likely to be armed than blacks and Hispanics. In 2011, 90 per cent of those stopped were young men of colour who had done nothing wrong, and, while 1.8 per cent of them were armed, the rate of gun possession among whites that were frisked was 3.8 per cent. Criminal justice reform activist Matt Haney argues: "Most criminologists believe that we have long passed the point where more incarceration is having any positive impact on reducing crime rates. In fact, there is more evidence of the opposite. People are less likely to commit future crimes if they don't spend time in jail." Trump has won endorsements from unions representing hundreds of thousands of police officers and border patrolmen, but police chiefs are wary. Early in the campaign, a coalition of police chiefs and prosecutors representing about 30,000 law-enforcement professionals wrote an open letter, in which they were scathing of Trump's "zero tolerance" policy. That's probably unkind to the boxers. But here are 10 things to watch for and what Paul Keating, the Australian king of political insults, might have added to this fraught discourse God knows what to expect when Trump and Hillary Clinton face off at the University of Las Vegas on Wednesday evening (Thursday midday AEST), a showdown that some rank with the casino city's most surreal encounter when boxer Mike Tyson kept biting Evander Holyfield's ear in a match billed as "the Sound and the Fury" in 1997. Washington: Just 20 more sleeps and a debate that could be the last big night of the presidential campaign think of it as Donald Trump's last stand. Signage outside the Thomas & Mack Centre, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, promotes the third presidential debate. Credit:Bloomberg Can he pivot to substance over bluster? At fleeting moments in the first two debates, some detected a firm grasp of policy by Trump, but it seems the real Trump can't help himself. Going off like a two-bob watch, playing to base voters with wild declarations, like putting Clinton in jail, is not likely to increase his share of the vote. Trump seems to think he might change the calculus, by so disgusting likely Clinton supporters among moderate and independent voters that they'll stay at home. A problem a Trump pivot to presidential demeanour and policy specifics at this late stage might look disingenuous. Clinton could recall Keating on John Hewson: "This is the sort of little-boy, stamp your foot stuff which comes from a financial yuppie when you shoe him into parliament." 2.Republican heavies ashen faced: In the wake of Trump's latest groundless claim that 1.8 million dead people will vote, even his campaign manager, Kelly Anne Conway, rejected his claim there is a grand political-corporate-media conspiracy to rob him of victory. But as the historic authors of Trump's wild "rigged election" canard, they own it. As Trump ratchets up his groundless, demonic charges, GOP leaders watch as voters flee for the exits. By some analysts reckoning, collateral damage to down-ticket Republican candidates has already delivered the Senate to the Democrats and, unthinkably, the House could be up for grabs. Clinton might go back to Keating on John Hewson and conspiracies: "It was the Sydney Morning Herald, now it's the ABC. Now it's the Treasury with the Teachers' Federation wrapped in. I mean Mr Speaker he's going troppo." 3.Trump's big problem it's all in his boxers: Clinton wasn't to know how well she was setting the scene in the first debate, raising Trump's abusive treatment of a former Miss Universe, for Trump to become so mired in an avalanche of sexual assault accusations. First, the "grab-them-by-the-pussy" video in which he effectively admits to being a sexual predator; and then no less than nine women going on the record, claiming they were his victims. Trump's denials are unconvincing and in pushing his Bill Clinton-is-worse argument, Trump can be relied on to raise new allegations from Leslie Millwee, an Arkansas TV reporter who claims that the former president rubbed himself against her three times in 1980. But given public lack of interest in her husband's past conduct, Clinton might well echo a Keating taunt to Howard: "Come in sucker!" London: Hillary Clinton's obvious look of disdain for her opponent in the last tv debate has been dubbed 'Resting Hillary Face'. But scientific research suggests your face really can determine your fortune. The old adage may have it that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but ever since Aristotle first wrote about the art of physiognomy, people have thought it possible to deduce character traits from someone's facial features. Hillary Clinton shakes hands with Donald Trump during the second presidential debate. Credit:AP Though now dismissed as pseudoscience, perhaps there's a kernel of truth in the idea that someone's face can shape their destiny. A Princeton University study showed it takes us a tenth of a second to size up the cut of a stranger's jib and, rightly or wrongly, we react to them accordingly. Hence, research suggests that those with what we perceive to be dominant faces (fuller jaws and thicker brows) are more likely to make CEO, that juries are more inclined to believe baby-faced men are not guilty of certain crimes, and that politicians with competent-looking faces (higher cheekbones and angular jaws) have a greater chance of being elected. Yes, ramen continues to be the biggest thing to hit the New York City food scene, spawning the Ramen Burger and other spinoffs. That is why the new, 4K restoration of the hilarious and mouthwatering 1985 film Tampopo at Film Forum is essential viewing. Tampopo, written and directed by Juzo Itami, was hailed for its "erotic gusto" and "comic lustiness," as the movie weaves together various portraits of food and sex. All the stories revolve around the main narrative: Tampopo, who operates a mediocre (at best) ramen joint, and Goro, the truck driver-ramen sage who agrees to help Tampopo turn around her restaurant and become the best. Goro's character is also a satire on Clint Eastwood's characters in spaghetti Westerns, making this, ahem, a ramen Western. Roger Ebert wrote, "'Tampopo' is one of those utterly original movies that seems to exist in no known category. Like the French comedies of Jacques Tati, it's a bemused meditation on human nature in which one humorous situation flows into another offhandedly, as if life were a series of smiles," and was in thrall by its devotion to detail: Consider, for example, the tour de force of a scene near the beginning of the movie, where a noodle master explains the correct ritual for eating a bowl of noodle soup. He explains every ingredient. How to cut it, how to cook it, how to address it, how to think of it, how to regard it, how to approach it, how to smell it, how to eat it, how to thank it, how to remember it. It's a kind of gastronomic religion, and director Juzo Itami creates a scene that makes noodles in this movie more interesting than sex and violence in many another. Tampopo is playing at Film Forum starting tomorrow, Friday, October 21, through November 3. Nobuko Miyamoto, who played Tampopo and is the wife of the late Itami, will be at the 7:35 p.m. screening tomorrow night for a Q&A. Also, here is a handy guide on how to eat ramen, because after you see Tampopo, you'll definitely be craving it. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser POINTE BLANCHE:--- Port St. Maarten and the destination will be welcoming for the first time the cruise vessel Viking Star, one of Viking Ocean Cruises vessels. Viking Cruises offers both river cruises and ocean cruises through two product lines, Viking River Cruises and Viking Ocean Cruises. The global corporation headquartered in the United States with main operational headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, was established in 1997 by a Scandinavian and Dutch consortium led by Torstein Hagen. Initially, the company purchased four Russian ships and provided a Russian river cruise product to Europeans. The following year the company purchased additional ships and continued to cater to the European market. In 2000, the company expanded into the American market, establishing U.S. headquarters as Viking River Cruises in Los Angeles, California. Through rapid expansion, the purchase of KD River Cruise lines, and unprecedented new builds, the river cruise division grew to be the worlds largest river cruise line, and currently offers cruises along the rivers of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt. In May 2013, the company announced the launch of a new small-ship ocean cruising division, Viking Ocean Cruises, which began with the maiden season of Viking Star in spring of 2015, and features Baltic and Mediterranean itineraries. In 2016 and 2017, Viking Star will be joined by two equally elegant sister ships, Viking Sea and Viking Sky. The Viking Star carries 930 guests. Classified by Cruise Critic as a small ship, Viking Star features understated elegance and modern Scandinavian design. In its debut season, Viking Star was awarded the cruise industrys highest honors, including being named Best New Ocean Ship and scoring a 5-star rating by the editors of Cruise Critic, as well as receiving the highest rating in the mid-size ship category in Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2016. Port St. Maarten and the destination are looking forward to welcoming Viking Star to our shores next week Wednesday. The cruise line has introduced new itineraries to explore the Americas and the Caribbean. The Viking Star made its first transatlantic crossing and arrived in New York en route to the Caribbean to start its winter sailings as part of its 11-day West Indies Explorer itinerary. On October 11 the vessel officially commemorated its first United States port of call in Boston. We look forward to building a strong partnership with Viking Cruises as we nurture and develop this new relationship. By 2020 the company will operate six 930-passenger ocean cruise ships; currently the two ships in the fleet sail itineraries in Scandinavia and the Baltic; the Western and Eastern Mediterranean; and the Caribbean and North America. Port St. Maarten remains cognizant of the trends and developments in the cruise industry and remains committed to the destination with respect to growing our cruise sector, Port St. Maarten Management said on Tuesday. Viking Cruises is a small growing cruise line which places emphasis on new ways to bring the lines unique destination-focused approach to more regions of the world. The lines Caribbean itineraries are inspired by iconic 18th-century navigation routes and were developed to highlight the rich history and culture of the region that includes destination Sint Maarten. Viking Star will homeport out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The vessel will return to Europe in February 2017, with a transatlantic sailing from San Juan to Barcelona, Spain. PHILIPSBURG:--- Parliamentarians deserve vacations just like the rest of us which is the reason why Parliament goes on recess during the month of July. However, it is expected that in the month of August parliamentarians would resume their normal duties. This year, being an election year, parliament seemingly took the liberty to unofficially extend its recess by three additional months: August, September and October. The month of August was for postulation and campaigning. In September, parliamentarians interrupted their campaigning to attend the closing and opening of the parliamentary year. Now, in October parliamentarians apparently need to rest because meetings have been canceled due to the lack of a quorum. One would have expected that all MPs would show up to work, especially after the elections, and that parliament would have been buzzing with meetings to ensure that the peoples business be taken care of prior to the swearing in of the new parliament on October 31st. But parliamentarians dont seem to think along those lines. It is a pity that last week, two parliament meetings had to be canceled due to the lack of a quorum! What a shame, because the majority of these same parliamentarians were out campaigning, just a few weeks earlier, telling the people what they intend to do for them when they get re-elected. Yet many of these same parliamentarians do not have the sense of responsibility to show up to meetings. This type of behavior does not show respect for the people who elected them. Parliamentarians should at least have the courtesy to notify the President of Parliament ahead of time of their absence. The president should not have to be waiting and wonder if sufficient members will turn up for the meeting. Unfortunately, a discussion in Parliament on several crucial laws had to be postponed due to a lack of quorum. For example, the handling of the Timeshare ordinance, the appointment of the acting ombudsman and the amendment to the Civil Code to regulate the short-term contract could not be discussed due to a no show of the majority of our parliamentarians. Now mind you, during the campaign every political party and parliamentarian/politician promised to deal with the abuse of the six months contract. But yet after the elections, they are not willing to attend a parliamentary meeting to deal with this matter once and for all. On another note, prior to the elections, there were parliamentarians who called for the Minister of Justice to come to parliament to give an account of what transpired at the prison when one of the prisoners was killed by fellow inmates. Why are these MPs no longer insisting that the minister adheres to their request? Are we to conclude that MPs didnt take their request seriously? Or was this just a campaign stunt? In addition, several MPs also called for the Minister of Finance to appear in parliament to give more information on the Pearl of China project. Why havent these MPs insisted that the Minister appears in Parliament? Or was this also a campaign gimmick? Are our parliamentarians serious about the peoples business? In the private sector, this type of work ethic would never be tolerated. Four months in which hardly, if any work was done but yet parliamentarians collected their salaries at the end of each month. The people elected these parliamentarians and I am sure that the people expect their business in parliament to be handled in an efficient and effective manner. Instead, parliamentarians take a four-month extended recess with pay, do not attend meetings and also do not follow-up to ensure that the meetings, they themselves called, actually take place. Come on parliamentarians, you have to do better than this! In Sint Maarten, chronic absenteeism should not be the order of the day. What example are you setting? Wycliffe Smith Leader of the Sint Maarten Christian Party Parents currently zoned to send their children to two of the most coveted and crowded public elementary schools on the Upper West SidePS 199 on West 70th Street and PS 452 on West 77th Streethave spent the summer and early fall voicing their opposition to Department of Education proposals to redraw school zone lines. "I've heard about kids who were uninvited to playdates because their parents are in favor [of the rezoning]," one PS 452 parent told us back in July. Now the committee of parent volunteers that will ultimately approve or veto the rezoning has come out in favor of its most controversial components: A plan to move PS 452 sixteen blocks south to a larger campus near the NYCHA-run Amsterdam Houseslengthening commute times for many familiesand another to remove some of the buildings in the sprawling Lincoln Towers co-op community from PS 199 (ranked as one of the nation's top schools in 2013) to PS 191, a school with historically low test scores and, until recently, a contested "persistently dangerous" state ranking. "Our position is that this is the plan, and they [the DOE] can either stand with us or not," Joe Fiordaliso, president of Community Education Council 3 (CEC3), the voting parent group, told the NY Times. This week's letter [PDF] to the DOE from CEC3 also urges the city to add a third Lincoln Towers building to the PS 191 district, 205 West End Avenue, in addition to the proposed 165 and 185 West End Avenue buildings. According to CEC3, anything less could result in under-enrollment at PS 191 next fall, which is moving into a brand new campus at the nearby Riverside Center, a luxury residential high-rise. As for moving PS 452 south, CEC3 noted that the school's principal is in full support of the move to a larger building, and that it would behoove the city to place a high-performing school into the building that PS 191 is vacating (the move has also been endorsed by a contingent of PS 452 parents). The DOE has said that rezoning is crucial in Manhattan's District 3. PS 452 and PS 199 are less racially and socioeconomically diverse than the rest of the cityabout two thirds of the student body is white at each school, and only about 10% of students qualify for free lunch. For comparison, black and Latino students make up 81% of PS 191, where 73% of students qualify for free lunch. But Lincoln Towers and PS 452 parents, some of whom moved to the West 70s specifically to attend PS 452 or PS 199, have dug in their heels. "It seems that the people living closest to 199 are being punished by being sent to another school just because they want to somehow diversify the student body," posited Ziv Arazi, a parent currently in rezoning limbo, last month. Lincoln Towers residents have also protested that the current plan insures PS 199 zoning for yet-to-be-built luxury condominiums. PS 452 on West 77th Street. The principal, teachers and students would relocate to West 61st Street under the proposed plan (Jen Chung/Gothamist). City Council Member Helen Rosenthal praised CEC3's plan, which she said "allows for the creation of three strong integrated schools in the southern portion of the district." All of the rezoning plans up for final vote in November exclude the northern portion of District 3 west of Morningside Park, and CEC3 is urging the DOE to turn its attention to the struggling schools in Harlemissues include under-enrollment and low test scoresas soon as the rezoning drama to the south is resolved. But some parents worry that the damage has already been donethat focusing the overcrowding and diversity conversation on the southern part of the district has allowed privileged families to dominate the conversation. (A proposal to syphon some families from PS 199's zone last year was rejected outright amid UWS family opposition.) Maia Gelman, a parent at PS 75 on 96th Street, is a member of NYC Public School Parents for Equity and Desegregation, a group that has been pushing for "controlled choice" in District 3. The model, which CEC3 rejected this week, aims to ensure an even distribution of high and low income, special needs, and English language-learning students across all uptown schools. "The current three-year rezoning process has delivered the message that the CEC and DOE are primarily responsive to the concerns of privileged families," Gelman's group wrote in a letter Wednesday. "The right of other students to an equal and adequate education seems an afterthought." The CEC says it hopes to vote on the final proposal early next month. "We value the CEC's leadership and partnership, and will continue to solicit feedback, host meetings and engage in robust conversations as we work to submit a final proposal that best serves all of the students and families in District 3," a DOE spokeswoman stated. Claim: A list collects statements about rape made by Republican politicians. Rating: About this rating True Advertisment: A "Republicans on Rape" graphic widely circulated online since 2014 collects various comments about that crime supposedly made by GOP politicians in recent years: The remarks collected in that graphic were indeed all uttered by the persons to whom they have been attributed; below we offer four of the statements on video (also on YouTube), as well as the context in which they were made, and any clarifying remarks subsequently offered by their speakers. "Rape is kinda like the weather. If it's inevitable, relax and enjoy it." On 24 March 1990, Texas oilman Clayton Williams, the Republican nominee in the Lone Star State's upcoming gubernatorial election, was preparing for a cattle roundup at his West Texas ranch while undesirable weather conditions threatened to spoil the event. As he sat around a campfire with ranch hands, campaign workers, and reporters, Williams likened that day's cold, foggy weather to rape, saying, "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it." Later that day Williams asserted that his comment had been a joke, and a few days later his campaign offered an apologetic statement about it: Mr. Williams said it was merely a joke and apologized "if anyone's offended." "That's not a Republican women's club that we were having this morning," he said. "It's a working cow camp, a tough world where you can get kicked in the testicles if you're not careful." Asked if some people might be offended, Mr. Williams said: "I'm not going to give you a serious answer. It wasn't a serious deal. It wasn't a serious statement." But his campaign issued a statement in which Mr. Williams said: "I feel just terrible about this. I had no intention in my heart to hurt anyone, especially those women who have been traumatized by rape. "Looking back, I realize it was insensitive and had no place at the campfire or in any setting." "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to shut that thing down." On 19 August 2012, U.S. Representative Todd Akin of Missouri, a Republican who was challenging incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill for her seat in the U.S. Senate, was interviewed by St. Louis television station KTVI. During that interview, Akin was asked whether he believed abortion was justified in cases of rape, and he responded by asserting that "legitimate rapes" rarely resulted in pregnancy: "It seems to be, first of all, from what I understand from doctors, its really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down. After his words touched off widespread outrage, Akin then issued a statement maintaining that his remarks were "off-the-cuff" and that he "misspoke in this interview": As a member of Congress, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault. In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year. Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve. I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action. I also recognize that there are those who, like my opponent, support abortion and I understand I may not have their support in this election. Two years later, while appearing in another television interview with MSNBC to promote his new book Firing Back, Akin asserted that "legitimate rape" was a law enforcement term and that his original remark had been "intentionally misunderstood": "Legitimate rape is a law enforcement term, it's an abbreviation for 'legitimate case of rape,' he told Chuck Todd. "A woman calls a police station, the police investigate, she says 'I've been raped,' they investigate that. So before any of the facts are in, they call it a legitimate case of rape," explained Aiken. Akin believes that everyone took what he said out of context. "This was intentionally misunderstood and twisted for political purposes. It doesn't make any sense to say 'a conservative is saying that rape is legitimate,' that doesnt even add up." Time magazine noted that they were unable to find a law enforcement official familiar with the term "legitimate rape": But is "legitimate rape" really a law enforcement term? We asked some experts. "I've taught police officers, and worked with police officers on every continent in the world, and that's something I've never heard in my 50 years in law enforcement," says Dr. James A. Williams, former Chief of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces for the U.S Department of Justice, who also worked in municipal law enforcement in New Jersey. "I've never heard of that. Never." Richard Lichten, a veteran of the LA County Sheriff's Department and expert on sexual assault investigations agrees: "I have 30 years of experience, I'm qualified to testify in federal court on the way to investigate sexual assault crimes, and I've never heard of that," said Lichten. "In all my life I've never heard of that." "Rape victims should make the best of a bad situation." On 20 January 2012, Rick Santorum, a former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania who was then campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination, appeared on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight program and was asked by that show's host about his stance on abortion and whether he believed abortion was wrong even in cases of incest and rape. Santorum responded by saying that although a pregnancy resulting from a rape might be "horrible," it was nonetheless a "gift of human life" and that "we have to make the best out of a bad situation": MORGAN: On abortion, you did harden your position on that as you got older. Why was that? SANTORUM: Life. You know, when I decided to run for public life, I was informed very quickly people wanted to know what my position on that was. So I went through the process of trying to better understand the facts. It became very clear to me that life begins at conception and persons are covered by the Constitution and since life people, a human life is the same as a person, to me it was a pretty simple deduction to make. That's what the Constitution clearly intended to protect. MORGAN: But do you really do you really let me ask you this. Do you really believe, in every case, it should be totally wrong, in the sense that I know that you believe, even in cases of rape and incest and you've got two daughters. You know, if you have a daughter that came to you who had been raped. SANTORUM: Yes. MORGAN: And was pregnant and was begging you to let her have an abortion, would you really be able to look her in the eye and say, no, as her father? SANTORUM: I would do what every father must do, is to try to counsel your daughter to do the right thing. MORGAN: And they are looking at their daughter, saying, how can I deal with this, because if I make her have this baby, isn't it going to just ruin her life? SANTORUM: Well, you can make the argument that if she doesn't have this baby, if she kills her child, that that, too, could ruin her life. And this is not an easy choice. I understand that. As horrible as the way that that son or daughter and son was created, it still is her child. And whether she has that child or doesn't, it will always be her child. And she will always know that. And so to embrace her and to love her and to support her and get her through this very difficult time, I've always, you know, I believe and I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created in the sense of rape but nevertheless a gift in a very broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given to you. As you know, we have to, in lots of different aspects of our life. We have horrible things happen. I can't think of anything more horrible. But, nevertheless, we have to make the best out of a bad situation. "Even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen." On 23 October 2012, Richard Mourdock, the Republican candidate for one of Indiana's U.S. Senate seats, was engaged in a debate with his Democratic and Libertarian rivals when he expressed his view that "life begins at conception" and that he would only allow abortions in circumstances in which the mother's life was in danger: I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize life is that gift from God. And I think even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen. After the debate, Mourdock explained that when he said "it is something that God intended to happen," he was referring to the creation of life and not the act of rape itself: Mourdock, seeking to clarify his comments in a press conference following the debate, said he had intended to say that "God creates life," and that any interpretation of his comments to mean God "pre-ordained rape" were "sick" and "twisted." "What I said was, in answering the question form my position of faith, I said I believe that God creates life. I believe that as wholly and as fully as I can believe it. That God creates life," Mourdock said. "Are you trying to suggest that somehow I think that God pre-ordained rape? No, I don't think that. That's sick. Twisted. That's not even close to what I said. What I said is that God creates life." "In the emergency room they have what's called rape kits, where a woman can get cleaned out." On 23 June 2013, Jodie Laubenberg, a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, was debating a measure she had introduced to the House that included a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. When Rep. Senfronia Thompson proposed an exemption for victims of rape and incest, Laubenberg argued against that exemption, saying that when a victim seeks medical care after a rape, "they have what's called rape kits, that the woman can get cleaned out, basically like" [a procedure known as D and C that is often performed after a miscarriage]. She also noted that emergency contraception is available. A few days later, after she was mocked over her remark, Laubenberg said she was "confused by Democrats' questions and misspoke" and meant to say that rape victims could "obtain emergency contraception and other treatment" at medical facilities: Rape kits are used to collect evidence in hopes of prosecuting the perpetrator. They play no role in preventing pregnancy or serving as an abortion. Laubenberg was widely mocked on social media, and opponents of the bill called her comments evidence of the misguided science behind Laubenberg's proposal. Laubenberg told North Texas talk radio host Mark Davis that she was momentarily confused by Democrats' questions and misspoke. "What I was trying to say is, when a woman goes to the hospital, that they have the procedures there" to help her obtain emergency contraception and other treatment, she said. "No, rape kits do not cause an abortion." As for the reaction, Laubenberg added: "If that's the worst that you can complain about me, go ahead." "If a woman has (the right to an abortion), why shouldn't a man be free to use his superior strength to force himself on a woman? At least the rapist's pursuit of sexual freedom doesn't (in most cases) result in anyone's death." In February 2014, the Maine Democratic Party called for the resignation of Lawrence Lockman, a Republican member of the Maine House of Representatives, when a liberal activist made a blog post detailing negative public statements about gays, abortion and rape that Lockman had made years earlier: The post by Maine Peoples Alliance activist Mike Tipping mined press clippings to unearth several offensive comments. In one, Lockman implied that HIV and AIDS could be spread by bed sheets and mosquitoes. In another, he said that the progressive movement assisted the AIDS epidemic by assuring "the public that the practice of sodomy is a legitimate alternative lifestyle, rather than a perverted and depraved crime against humanity." In a 1995 letter in the Sun Journal in Lewiston, a reader quoted a press statement by Lockman, then part of the Pro Life Education Association, saying, "If a woman has (the right to an abortion), why shouldn't a man be free to use his superior strength to force himself on a woman? At least the rapist's pursuit of sexual freedom doesnt (in most cases) result in anyones death." Lockman responded to the controversy by issuing a statement affirming that he regretted his previous remarks: Conference-Review: 13th Confocal Raman Imaging Symposium ?One of the most informative and interactive symposia of recent years,? said WITec CEO Dr. Joachim Koenen about the 13th Confocal Raman Imaging Symposium held from September 26th to the 28th in Ulm, Germany. The German microscope manufacturer annually invites researchers and specialists from widely ranging fields to the international conference to share ideas and hear about the latest developments in Raman microscopy. This year 78 scientists converged to discuss topics as diverse as life science, pharmaceutics and materials research. With confocal Raman imaging the molecules of a sample can be chemically identified and their distribution can be imaged three-dimensionally. These benefits have recently gained recognition in biological, medical and pharmaceutical research. This trend can also be seen in the conference contributions: in addition to five talks almost half of the poster contributions originated from these fields. Also a poster from the pharmaceutical field won this year?s WITec Poster Award. Tatjana Lechtonen from Ruhr-University in Bochum (Germany) was delighted to receive the award. She uses Raman imaging for the analysis of anti-cancer drugs. On her poster she explained the results of cell-response and resistance of cancer cells to Erlotinib and Neratinib. She concluded that Raman imaging shows great potential as an in-vitro analytical method for the evaluation of new anti-cancer drugs. In pharmaceutical research Raman microscopy is a relatively new method that is still being established, explained Dr. Duohai Pan from the pharmaceutics company Bristol-Myers Squibb in New Brunswick (NJ, USA). However, in his company Raman microscopy is already being applied to clinical toxicology studies and the development of new drug formulations. Through Raman microscopy Pan gains information about the crystallization and precipitation characteristics that influence the stability and solubility of the end product. Additionally the identification of polymorphs plays an important role, because even though the chemical composition of polymorphs are identical, they have different impacts on the human body. Pan investigates various samples with Raman microscopy such as emulsions, powders and even entire tablets. Prof. Dr. Malgorzata Baranska is a researcher at Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Poland). During her talk she described her investigations of vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis. Baranska is particularly interested in the combined microscopy techniques of Raman-, atomic force and nearfield microscopy. She and her colleagues use mainly cell culture models of the endothelium and liver and tissue samples. Through Raman microscopy she analyzes stress- and drug-induced changes in the cellular processes and with nearfield microscopy she investigates living cells on the nanometer scale. The results are then compared to more established histological methods. Dr. Christian Matthaeus from the Institute of Photonic Technologies at Jena (Germany) also investigates arteriosclerosis. He reported on his work on macrophages, which uptake and store lipids and contribute significantly to the establishment of arteriosclerotic plaques. Matthaeus analyzes fatty acids and lipid transport proteins in the macrophages with Raman microscopy. Through the knowledge of the plaques? composition Matthaeus can classify the risk of those plaques causing thrombosis, strokes or heart attacks. For some time now confocal Raman microscopy has played an important role in materials science for the development of new or improved materials. The topics of the talk and poster contributions in the materials sections ranged from cement to atom-thin 2D materials. For thousands of years cement has been among the world?s most important building materials. During production vast resources and a great quantity of CO2 are produced. Additionally, an immense amount of waste is generated through the demolition of cement buildings. Dr. Biliana Gasharova from KIT in Karlsruhe (Germany) seeks to develop a more ecologically friendly and energy efficient cement production. She investigates the effects of modified production factors such as pressure or hydrothermal conditions on the composition of the cement phases and their characteristics. To image and chemically identify the cement phases she uses confocal Raman imaging. Thus she can differentiate crystalline structures and polymorph domains to help refine the production process. Completely different materials are analyzed by Prof. Dr. Georg Duesberg and his research group at Trinity College in Dublin (Ireland). They investigate new 2D materials that might one day be used in solar cells, transistors and electronic devices. 2D materials are single atom-thin layers of, for instance, nano-carbon, molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide or platinum diselenide. Duesberg and his colleagues are interested in the production processes that could enable the use of these materials for industrial applications. Therefore it is important to acquire information about the number of atomic layers, possible defects in the layers and the conductivity of the produced material. Besides microscopy techniques such as atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, Raman microscopy is mainly used by Duesberg and his colleagues because it is very well suited to their investigations. Raman information in the low wavenumber range is particularly interesting for materials characterization. 2D materials are currently the subject of great interest worldwide. This was shown by the talks of Prof. Dr. Nedjam Bendiab from the Institute Neel/CNRS at Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble (France), and Prof. Dr. Marcos Pimenta from Belo Horizonte University (Brazil). Bendiab introduced her work on strain, mechanical resonance and charge- and energy-transition in the nano-carbon material graphene. Pimenta described his work on atomic structures in different 2D materials and compared his results from Raman spectroscopy to results from theoretical simulations. Other fields of application suitable for confocal Raman microscopy were reviewed by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Shur from Ural Federal University in Ekaterinburg (Russia). To assist the symposium attendees in following the talks from various specialist fields, Prof. Dr. Schluecker from the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany) refreshed their basic knowledge on the physical principles of Raman spectroscopy. Along with the theoretical background Schluecker explained special Raman techniques such as resonance Raman and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Dr. Johannes Ofner from the Technical University in Vienna (Austria) explained how large data sets implemented in hyperspectral images can be efficiently analyzed. Hyperspectral images contain information from different microscopy techniques such as electron microscopy, mass spectroscopy and Raman microscopy. Instead of analyzing every image on its own, Ofner applies filters and algorithms to evaluate the images together. This facilitates the interpretation of the results. At the end of the conference the feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Gomathy Sandhya Subramanian from the A*STAR Institute for materials research and engineering in Singapore said, ?The specialty of the Confocal Raman Imaging Symposium is, that one meets experts in their fields but also system experts, from who you gain a lot of tips and tricks on how to apply Raman microscopy to your own sample.? Johannes Ofner from the Technical University in Vienna (Austria) highlighted that, ?During the scientific and social program it is easy to get into contact with principle investigators and the WITec staff. So it was the ideal base to exchange knowledge and experience.? The 14th Confocal Raman Imaging Symposium will be held from September 25th to 27th, 2017 in Ulm, Germany. More images and the conference review video can be found on the WITec Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/WITec.de WITec is the leading German manufacturer of confocal and scanning-probe microscopes for state-of-the-art Raman, Atomic Force (AFM), RISE (Raman Imaging and Scanning Electron) Microscopy and Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscopy (SNOM). WITecs headquarters is located in Ulm, Germany, where all WITec products are developed and produced. Branch offices in USA, Japan, Singapore, and Spain ensure a worldwide sales and support network. From the companys founding in 1997, WITec has been distinguished by its innovative product portfolio and a microscope design that enables combinations of the various imaging techniques within one system. An exemplar of the companys breakthrough development is the worlds first integrated Raman-AFM microscope. To this day, WITecs confocal microscopes are unrivaled in sensitivity, resolution and imaging capabilities. Significant innovation awards document WITecs enduring success and innovative strength. For more information, please visit www.witec.de. Greenwave Systems: The Internet of Things is not new or revolutionary its the evolution of compute and, as has always been, it is all about you Posted by Publisher Internet London, UK 19 October 2016: Learning from the past, taking security seriously and protecting the consumer must be at the heart of developing propositions for the Internet of Things (IoT) because its all about personal data, Greenwave Systems Chief Scientist advised today. Speaking at the Broadband World Forum, Jim Hunter told the packed show floor that the real opportunity in the Internet is in connecting it with people; being able to put individual pieces of data about peoples lives into context to make it meaningful. In his presentation titled The Internet of Things about you: Evolving from data to content and what you can do, Hunter went on to warn the audience that while pieces of data in isolation might be harmless, once theyre put together and a picture is formed, the information gained could be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. If you look at a picture, it is made up of hundreds of thousands of pixels, said Hunter. Look at one pixel in isolation and you cant identify what its for it could be of anything from anywhere and its the same with data. A single snapshot of data is meaningless without context, but align a who, what, where or when and the picture starts to build. As you begin to gather more pixels or data you can see how individual pieces fit together, then gradually you build a story and gain insight. You have information. The IoT or the IoY (Internet of You) is about defining what those individual pixels are, which can build the stories which make sense. Its then finding the part of the picture which gives the insight and information needed to provide a tailored personal service or solution. The caution, however, is around putting the right security measures in place to ensure this information cannot be used by the wrong people. As co-chair of the Privacy Security Committee on the IoT Consortium, a global group of companies helping to shape the public messaging about IoT, Hunter explained in his presentation how he is working to establish a minimum bar for understanding the importance of privacy and security when developing IoT products. Firstly we want to help companies do the right thing for the consumer and secondly, ensure theres protection in place when things go wrong, he continued. Nothing should be available online without security measures in place. Too often for developers, security is sprinkled on top rather than baked in and that just isnt good enough when youre dealing with personal data. Hunter also outlined how the IoT is not a revolution, rather an evolution of compute and about exploring the opportunities which exist in the software we develop how we make it personal. The term IoT is a misnomer the Internet was always about things connecting so were not reinventing the wheel but simply refining it for purpose and for individual users, he concluded. Anyone developing new ideas in this sector would do well to research what successes have already been achieved and build on them ensuring right from the start that security and the handling of consumer data is given the highest priority. For further information, visit www.greenwavesystems.com or to find out more about the Broadband World Forum visit www.tmt.knect365.com/bbwf. Huawei Releases Large-Capacity SuperVector Solution to Triple FTTC Site Speed LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (Marketwired) 10/19/16 At this years Broadband World Forum, Huawei released the industrys largest-capacity SuperVector solution through copper lines. This innovative solution enables a single device to support a maximum of 384 subscriber lines. Under this solution, existing VDSL2/vectoring devices in fiber to the curb (FTTC) scenarios will be accelerated to 2-3 times the rate of original sites through board replacement. This solution also supports a downstream rate of up to 300 Mbit/s within a 300-m distance. Currently, many operators owned a large number of FTTC sites and deployed the mainstream VDSL2/vectoring solution to provide 50-100 Mbit/s bandwidth for users. For most operators, efficiently and economically delivering over 100 Mbit/s rate in the FTTC sites is their top priority. Huaweis SuperVector solution can increase the bandwidth of VDSL2/vectoring devices by 2-3 times the rate of original sites, and thereby improving operators competitiveness and granting a greater return on investment (ROI). The new solution is developed based on the commercially used MA5603T device. Huawei has deployed its large-capacity vectoring algorithm chipsets and 64-channel high-density SuperVector service boards throughout this solution. Because of the solutions architecture, Huawei can provide over 100 Mbit/s bandwidth for 384 subscriber lines simultaneously. To meet the requirements of ultra-broadband services (such as 4K videos), the SuperVector solution extends the spectral bandwidth from 17 MHz to 35 MHz, uses the vectoring to reduce crosstalk, breaks VDSL2/vectoring rate limit, and delivers a downstream rate of up to 300 Mbit/s at a 300-m distance. In addition, it is compatible with existing ADSL2+/VDSL2/vectoring terminals, which enables smooth network upgrades without user perception. The idea of SuperVector was first conceived in 2012 by Huawei. In 2014, Huawei, along with its European partners, launched the industrys first SuperVector prototype. Presently, many countries such as Italy and Germany have already commercially deployed Huaweis SuperVector solution while Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and North Africa regions are conducting tests (including FOA tests) over the solution. Huawei, a leading company in the ultra-broadband field in the Gigaband era, aims to advance standardization and productization processes for new copper line technologies (including SuperVector and G.fast), expedite industry development, promote wider, faster, and smarter ultra-broadband networks, and bring better connection experience to users. Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huaweis 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the worlds population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees. For more information, please visit Huawei online at or follow us on: Huawei Miranda Liu The door opened and the smell hit me instantly: pungent and sweet, musky and funky; the room was filled with the heady aroma of fermenting grapes. It was warm and humid. I could almost taste the wine on my tongue. It's the height of harvest season at the Brooklyn Winery in Williamsburg, and tons of grapes are being stemmed, pressed, fermented and bottled in three warehouse spaces adjacent to the tasting room and restaurant. It's a process that takes place every year from late summer to late fall. The winery bulks up its staff at this crucial time, with winemaking taking place seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. and sometimes through the night. Turning grapes into wine in an urban setting takes logistical prowess. It's a game of "physical Tetris," head winemaker and partner Conor McCormack said last week. You have to really love wine to do this job. The Brooklyn Winery, which opened in 2010, is unique in that its location is not in the vicinity of the vines that supply it with grapes. Indeed, unlike a winery in Napa or the Finger Lakes, the grapes, sourced from all over the country, must be sent in refrigerated trucks to Brooklyn. Idyllic images of pickups bouncing along dirt roads with grapes overflowing from their beds are not the reality here. Instead, tractor trailers maneuver the city streets. The temperature of the truck and the safety of the grapes has to be diligently monitored, McCormack said, because prematurely crushed grapes will alter the fermentation process. Once the trucks arrive on the narrow streets of Williamsburg, the winemakers take on new roles: traffic and safety enforcers. "Fifty-four foot trucks have to park on Roebling [the Winery is on North 8th Street] and we use flags and cones on the street," said McCormack. "We have one person on safety patrol, one person blocking traffic. It's very challenging." He tries to have all deliveries arrive at 6 a.m., he said, but, "you can't predict when a truck is going to come." But once McCormack, who worked for years at California vineyards, has the grapes, the playing field is level and the urban winemaker plies his craft just like his rural counterpart. "If you can get the grapes, and you can get the wine set-up, you can do it anywhere," he said. Malbec grapes fermenting (Georgia Kral / Gothamist) The process of turning grapes into wine is very specific, with some variation depending on the type of grape and the particular style of the winemaker. McCormack, for example, does not remove the stems and crush every type of grape. Instead, he allows some zinfadels and pinot noirs, among others, to break down on their own during fermentation. It may take longer, he said, but he likes the grapes to speak for themselves. In the typical wine-making process, grapes are first sorted by people standing over a mechanical conveyer belt to make sure leaves, gloves or other items don't make it into your wine. Next, red wine grapes meet a de-stemmer machine that breaks them open, separating the fruit from the stem. The grapes then move to "fermentation vessels" where, in a dance with yeast, they begin the process of converting sugar into alcohol and CO2. The white wine grape process is different: the grapes are never de-stemmed and instead are pressed first with their skins on, and the extracted juice is fermented and typically aged in stainless steel tanks, not oak barrels. The day I visited, an 11-ton batch of malbecharvested just 19 days earlier from the Suisun Valley in Californiawas moving from its first stage of fermentation into a large machine called a press. The malbec grapes spent 14 days fermenting, and when all the sugar was gone (McCormack prefers to wait until all the sugar is converted), the grapes were ready to move to the press. Two winemakers were loading the press up with the grapes from bins that each held 1,500 pounds. Each bin produces about two barrels of wine. Using hydraulic pressure, all the soon-to-be wine was pressed out of the fermented grapes. It poured into a catch basin below the machine; as loud as a tub faucet turned to full blast. That crimson gold was then pumped into oak barrels for the malolactic fermentation stage, which alters the acids present. (Clay Williams) The Brooklyn Winery processes 150 tons of grapes each year, which translates to about 9,300 cases or 111,600 bottles. It takes approximately two years before the wine is ready to be poured, but exceptions include rose, which is meant to be drank young and does not go through the second fermentation stage. The rose at Brooklyn Winery is fermenting in tanks now, and will be ready come spring. The malbec, on the other hand, needs lots of attention before it's ready. The oak barrels, stored in a back room kept at 60 degrees, will be topped off with more wine (oxygen is the kiss of death and can turn the wine to vinegar over time) and racked (a process that removes sediment) continuously over the next two years as it continues to age and mature. And while that wine does its thing, 2011 and 2012 bottles will be poured in Williamsburg and vintage bottles at their new restaurant bkw in Crown Heights. Brooklyn Winery is located at 213 North 8th Street in Williamsburg; bkwinery.com Georgia Kral covers (mostly) food and lifestyle topics and has been published in amNewYork, WNET's MetroFocus, WNYC, The New York Times and Brooklyn Based. She likes Chinese food, cats, straight-up cocktails and ankle boots paired with skinny jeans. Follow her on social @georgiakral. In October 196650 years agoChinese leader Mao Zedong appeared on Tiananmen Square in Beijing to address an audience of 1.5 million Red Guards, the paramilitary youth he had called upon to tear down the Communist Party hierarchy. "Long live the Red Guards!" he shouted, to roars of approval. "Long live the great Cultural Revolution!" That spring, Mao first called for a "Cultural Revolution," urging the working class to "struggle against and crush those persons in authority who are taking the capitalist road" and "criticize and repudiate...the ideology of the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes." Tens of millions of Red Guards took up his call. By the revolution's end in 1976, millions of peopleespecially intellectuals and those with ties to the previous, Nationalist government or the Westhad been denounced, tortured, or murdered. Many fled to Hong Kong, and from there to the United States and elsewhere. To this day, the period remains one of the most painful traumas in China's collective memory. Outside China, the full extent of what happened during the Cultural Revolution remained largely unknown until the late 1970s. What came through were mostly propaganda messages about class struggle, economic empowerment and educational access for the poormessages that resonated with radical leftists in the United States who were fighting for civil rights and protesting the Vietnam War. "A lot of us radicals at that time didn't know exactly what was going on. But [ideas like] reforming education were quite relevant to us," said Peter Kwong, a historian at Hunter College who during the late '60s was at Columbia University writing his master's thesis about the Red Guards. "The Chinese, through propaganda, were able to have a significant impact on the way young people were thinking." People of color were particularly inspired by Mao's call to "serve the people," seeing in it a message that was relevant to poor, marginalized communities. The Black Panther Party formed just five months after the Cultural Revolution began, and it soon became commonplace to see black radicals selling copies of Mao's "Little Red Book" on street corners. The Puerto Rican nationalist Young Lords were also inspired by Maoism. Less attention has been given to the Asian-American leftist groups that formed, including the Red Guard Party and Kalayaan in San Francisco, and East Wind Collective in Los Angeles. Here in New York, in 1969, a dozen or so young Asian-Americans formed I Wor Kuen [IWK], Cantonese for "Righteous and Harmonious Fists." The name came from a group that tried to expel Westerners from China during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. Virgo Lee of IWK with a member of the Young Lords. (Corky Lee) "We believed U.S. imperialism was a criminal system that conducted a genocidal war in Vietnam and maintained an oppressive racial caste system at home. We believed it was irredeemable and the 'system' had to be overthrown," said former IWK leader Gordon H. Chang, who is now a history professor at Stanford University. That year, IWK members pooled their money and rented a cheap corner storefront at 24 Market Street in Chinatown, under the Manhattan Bridge, where they resolved to live collectively and "serve the people." Some dropped out of college. Four of the members held jobs, enabling the other eight to be full-time activists. Inspired by the Panthers, they adopted a uniform of berets and sunglasses. IWK protested poor housing conditions in Chinatown, organized child-care programs and bilingual education and conducted door-to-door testing for tuberculosis, which was endemic in the overcrowded neighborhood. They also organized Chinatowners to join other Lower East Side residents in a fight for a new hospital nearby, then demanded the hospital hire more Chinese speakers. The group led a successful protest against a Bell Telephone Company plan to tear down a block of housing for a switching station. They also protested the war in Vietnam, and taught young people ways to avoid the draft. Later, IWK would help defend small grocery owners who had been shut down by the Health Department for selling roast ducks and other traditional Chinese food items, eventually leading the agency to change its ordinances. Former IWK member Karen Low was just 14 when she joined the group. Her mother worked at a garment factory in Chinatown; after school, Low and her siblings helped her do piecework. Poor people in the community, Low recalled, faced "miseducation and ignorance and racism." Moreover, they were often unaware of the many social services they qualified for. "So when IWK came along, it was an opportunity to say, 'Yes, it's about time somebody is speaking for us, somebody's trying to do something for us,'" she said. Sometimes, the group joined with the Panthers, the Young Lords and other radical groups to protest larger issues, or attend political conventions. The Panthers' Ten Point Program inspired IWK to draw up a Twelve Point Program that called for "an end to racism," better housing and health care, and "community control of our institutions and land." The group even published a bilingual community newspaper called "Getting Together." "Chinatown is a ghetto to Chinese people like ghettoes are to Black, Spanish and other non-white peoples," IWK wrote in the inaugural issue. "We Asians (Chinese) in Chinatown are living in a colony controlled by foreigners (the rich, outside whites). In fact, Chinatown is not only a ghetto, but a colony of sorts. What we have to do is begin to gain power to run our own community." The article ended with a call to "Yellow Power." The paper helped publicize the group's work outside of Chinatown, and in 1971 IWK merged with San Francisco's Red Guards to form a national IWK. Alongside IWK, numerous fellow travelers in Chinatown took up Mao's call. One was Corky Lee, a photographer who in those days had portraits of Mao and Ho Chi Minh on his wall. Inspired by the Young Lords' "liberation" of an X-ray truck to offer free tuberculosis testing in Spanish Harlem, Lee proposed running a free health fair in Chinatown. He worked with IWK members, social workers and several community groups to organize the fair, which was held in August 1971. For 10 days, a fleet of doctors, nurses and technicians set up shop along Mott Street, and locals could come by to get tested for TB, lead poisoning, diabetes, venereal diseases and other conditions, with assistance from volunteer translators. The event was so popular2,500 people camethat the organizers decided to rent a garage on Baxter Street and turn it into a full-time clinic staffed by volunteers. They called it the Chinatown Health Clinic. Chinatown health fair. Despite their good works, these young leftists were viewed with suspicion by much of the community. In those days, Chinatown was a stronghold of sympathizers for the anti-communist Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang [KMT], which ruled China until the communist takeover in 1949. The KMT, which governed the island nation of Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, viewed New York as an important base for lobbying the international community and influencing media coverage of China. It poured resources into local institutions like the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, which for decades served as the unofficial government of Chinatown. Only the Nationalist flag flew on Mott Street. The neighborhood celebrated the founding date of the Republic of China, October 10, also known as "Double Ten Day." Public support for communist China was not tolerated. "I was called a Red Guard," said Lee. "Because we were giving out medical care for free. Some of the more conservative people in Chinatown felt this was the Cultural Revolution coming to Chinatown." Gordon Chang recalled that political differences sometimes became violent. "We had fistfights; the storefront was damaged. I was stabbed by gang youth who worked with the 'reactionaries,'" he said. Like many radical groups of that era, IWK was also dogged by the police. "The Fifth Precinct was always on top of us, the Seventh Precinct was always on top of us, we were trailed and followed by the FBI," said Low. "I mean things like that happened. In those times it was pretty much a given." The organization also clashed with other leftists, including former members who formed splinter groups. Caught in the middle of all these politics were ordinary people in Chinatown who were growing weary of the decades-long diplomatic freeze between the U.S. and the People's Republic of China and longed to reconnect with friends and family in the mainland. IWK tapped into these sentiments through public screenings of propaganda films, which showcased development projects like dam construction, as well as revolutionary operas like "The White-Haired Girl" and "The Red Detachment of Women." Low recalled people angrily pouring down buckets of water and throwing things from neighboring rooftops. And yet, thousands of people attended these screenings. "A lot of them were older people, so they hadn't seen their homeland in 20 or 30 years. The only information they were getting was what organizations like IWK distributed," said Charlotte Brooks, a historian at Baruch College and author of Between Mao and McCarthy: Chinese American Politics in the Cold War Years. "They were hungry for those details." As the '70s wound on, America's stance towards the People's Republic of China began to shift. In October 1971, the United Nations voted to expel Taiwan and admit the PRC as the acknowledged representative of China. IWK cheered the news and organized a demonstration outside the UN to welcome the arrival of PRC representatives, while conservative Chinatown leaders hung banners on Mott and Pell Streets that read, "Mao's regime does not represent the Chinese people" and "We demand bloodthirsty Mao be punished." In the Chinese-American community, too, openness toward the People's Republic of China became mainstream. When the U.S. recognized the PRC in 1978, Nationalist sympathizers were bitterly disappointed, but in the broader community, there was largely a sense of relief. The IWK logo invokes the clenched fist of "Yellow Power," as well as the "Harmonious Fist" in the group's name. That same year, IWK merged with several other radical groups to become the League of Revolutionary Struggle. But by that point, the revolutionary spirit of the '60s and '70s was fading. The League formally dissolved in 1990. With time, former radicals became business owners or professionals. They settled down and had families. Today, some remain active in progressive politics, but "in different form," as Low puts it. She's spent her career as an educator and organizer. Corky Lee worked on a successful campaign to get formal recognition from the U.S. Department of Labor for the key role played by Chinese laborers in building America's railroads. In Chinatown, the legacy of IWK is still visible. On Canal, Walker and Centre Streets, there stand branches of the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, a nonprofit that caters to medically underserved New Yorkers, particularly Asian-Americans. There are two more locations in Flushing. The Center grew out of the Chinatown Health Clinic, which in turn grew out of the 1971 health fair organized by IWK, Corky Lee, and many other idealistic young Asian-Americans. Each year, nearly 50,000 patients visit the Charles B. Wang facilities. The mission of those young radicalsto serve the peoplelives on. Eveline Chao is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn. She is the author of NIUBI!: The Real Chinese You Were Never Taught in School, a guide to Chinese slang. Chao is currently working on an oral history project about Manhattan Chinatown. Editor's note: After the publication of this story, Regina Lee, chief development officer at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, wrote in to Gothamist to express concern about our description of the origins of the Health Center. Her letter, along with a response from the author, follows: As a volunteer in the 1971 Chinatown Health Fair and co-founder of the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, I am writing to correct and clarify some significant misstatements and erroneous conclusions in your article "How Asian American Radicals Brought Yellow Power to Chinatown." The person responsible for the 1971 Chinatown Health Fair was Thomas Tam. At that time, Tom was an organizer with the Lower East Side Neighborhood Health Council. The Lower East Side, which had a very successful history of community mobilization to make health services more accountable, was the target area for one of the first neighborhood health service programs funded by the national Office of Economic Development. The Health Council served as the community council for this program, which was based at Gouverneur Hospital and sought to make services more accountable to the community and strengthen resident participation in policy making. It was Tom, Marie Lam (social worker at Chinatown Planning Council), and Kai Liu (staff at Two Bridges Neighborhood Health Council) who led the successful campaign to get the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation to hire more bilingual workers at Gouverneur. Following the tremendous community response to the health fair, Tom and the health fair organizers worked together to establish a free clinic to meet the ongoing health care needs of Chinatown residents. The Church of Our Savior on Henry Street donated free space, and we recruited volunteer doctors, nurses and students to offer 10 hours of basic health care services free of charge to all community members. We also launched patient navigator and health education programs to supplement these basic services. The volunteers who maintained the health center during those early years were mostly college students. Several years ago, the corner of Canal Street and Cortland Alley in Chinatown was named Honorable Thomas Tam Way to honor Tom's role in initiating the health fair and the clinic. IWK did not play any meaningful role in either the health fair or the health clinic. For those of us who were involved, we found inspiration from the social activism that was occurring in the US during the '60s and early '70s, such as the free clinic movement, which started in Haight Ashbury and Berkeley, and the Johnson Administrations Great Society programs that gave us Medicaid and Medicare. Our vision for a community-based health clinic was not shaped by the ideology of the Red Guards, but by Dr. Jack Geiger, who founded the first community health centers in the U.S. at Columbia Point in Boston and Mound Bayou in Mississippi. During the early '70s, several Marxist Leninist groups such as IWK, October League and the Communist Party USA had a small presence in Chinatown. I remember that many people in the community were wary about these groups because of the sharp divisions in Chinatown over US-China relations. The divisions were frequently along generational lines. The health clinic leadership was very careful to steer clear of any organizational relationships/affiliation with IWK and other radical groups out of concern that volunteers and patients would be turned off. To suggest that the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center is a legacy of IWK is an absurd conclusion. The Health Center published a 308-page history book, From Street Fair to Medical Home, in 2011 to commemorate our 40th anniversary. The book is based on oral histories conducted with Health Center founders and volunteers, as well as our archival records. The book makes no references to IWK as an initiator/influencer in the health fair or the health clinic. No founders or volunteers who participated in the interviews even mentioned IWK. Regina Lee Thanks to Regina Lee for the important supplementary information. I would like to reassure her and all the other admirable people who helped bring about the Chinatown Health Clinic and the later Charles B. Wang Community Health Center that at no point during our interviews did any former IWK members ever take credit for creating either entity. What they discussed was helping with the Chinatown Health Fair, the one-off event that preceded those entities. That involvement is corroborated in published accounts of the fair and also came up in conversations with historians, leaving me no reason to doubt the claims. I agree that IWK was not involved in the fair's later transformation into a full-time clinic; for that reason they are not mentioned in the sentence describing the founding of the Chinatown Health Clinic. I also agree that there was not a large Marxist-Leninist presence in Chinatown; as mentioned in the piece, IWK had just 12 members. As for the concluding paragraph, because the group volunteered at the fair, which became the clinic then center, I consider it fair to paint a symbolic link between the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center and the former "mission" of the group, and to portray their histories as having intersected. The story of how the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center came to be is a rich and commendable chapter in this city's history, but was not the subject of this piece. For that reason, I did not get into the important work of Thomas Tam, Regina Lee herself, and the many other people, of all political stripes, who brought about the clinic and the center. My aim in telling the story of one small group of people is certainly not to diminish the achievements of others not mentioned, and I welcome the addition of more voices and more context to this story. Author Eveline Chao responds: Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss Somerset's latest and breaking news again by signing up to our Daily Newsletter Production of historic Somerset ciders will continue at the Shepton Mallet cider mill thanks to a local firm according to a union. Brothers cider who previously appeared to rule itself out of buying the main part of the mill will be retaining 24 members of staff after striking a deal with Irish owners, the C&C Group. The Unite union contacted Somerset Live shortly before 3pm on Wednesday (October 19) with the good news. It followed local rumours that there was a meeting at the cider mill for workers at 2pm today. Unfortunately the detail of the deal appears to mean that 56 workers of the 80 currently working at the mill will need to look for new employment. But these workers and their families may at least have certainty now, following months of confusion about whether their jobs would be axed. Regional coordinator for Unite, Steve Preddy, said: "We don't have many details at the moment but it seems Brothers cider are acquiring the mill site. "C&C will retain the apple grind and the production of pulp. Brothers will retain 24 members of staff and make the local brands, on behalf of C&C, who will keep ownership of those brands. "There will be six management staff and 18 blue collar production workers." Mr Preddy who has been critical of the C&C Group for its treatment of its workers welcomed the good news. He added: "So there's finally some good news. It's good news for Shepton and good news for those historic cider brands. "And there's some certainty for the workers now. Now we have to go through the rigmarole of working out the details." The union's revelation followed official word from a C&C Group spokesman on Tuesday (October 18) that it hoped to announce good news "shortly". Matthew Showering, part of the family behind Brothers, appeared to rule out further involvement in the cider mill across town earlier this year. Brothers has already agreed to take over the Krones bottling line, located on Kilver Street, across the road from the cider mill's main site and he appeared to rule out further involvements. The Showerings are pulling out all the stops to make the bottling line a success and keep part of the cider mill site alive, having acquired a pasteurizer from Trinidad and a labelling machine from Russia. They hope to have it up and running by the end of October. Brothers has been based in Shepton for more than 173 years. Tina Geiger was stabbed 61 times, and Krissy Geiger was stabbed over 20 times, both suffering gashes to their necks. 1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'. 2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted. When and where to Trick-or-Treat? South Bend and area times listed Find out when your municipality has set the day and hours for Trick-or-Treating throughout the South Bend area. Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea A SpaceX Dragon capsule recovered after splashdown at the end of the CRS-5 mission in 2015. SpaceX plans to start reflying Dragon capsules in 2017. LAS CRUCES, N.M. SpaceX plans to reuse a Dragon cargo spacecraft for the first time next year, allowing the company to focus on production of the next generation of that spacecraft for crew and cargo missions. In a presentation at the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) here Oct. 13, Benjamin Reed, director of commercial crew mission management at SpaceX, said the company was planning to fly a used Dragon spacecrafton its eleventh Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) cargo mission to the station in early 2017. "We will be reflying our first Dragon capsule on CRS-11," he said, using the company's designation for that cargo mission, known as SpX-11 by NASA. [SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft Explained (Infographic)] While SpaceX designed Dragon to be reusable, the company's CRS contract with NASA required the use of a new Dragon spacecraft for each cargo mission. Reed said SpaceX has been working with NASA to demonstrate that the spacecraft can be safely reused for additional cargo flights. "It's a great example of the partnership we have with NASA," he said of that effort to win approval for the reuse of Dragon spacecraft. "We've carefully gone through a process of proving that you can reuse various components all the way up to a whole system, and how you certify that." The biggest challenge to reuse, he said, was stopping saltwater from getting inside the capsule after it splashes down. "We've been working hard to update the capsule, to ensure that you don't have to worry about the seawater issue," he said. Reed said SpaceX plans to reuse Dragon spacecraft through the remainder of its current CRS contract, which runs through SpX-20. He did not discuss how many Dragon spacecraft are available to be reused, or how many times SpaceX believes a Dragon capsule can be flown. If successful, Reed said it would allow SpaceX to end production of the cargo Dragon spacecraft. "We'll be reflying Dragons going forward, and be able to close down the Dragon 1 line and move all the way into Dragon 2," he said, referring to the next-generation version of the Dragon being developed for commercial crew missions. In addition to its current CRS contract, NASA awarded SpaceX a CRS-2 contract earlier this year for additional cargo missions. Those missions will use a version of the Dragon 2 spacecraft SpaceX is developing for commercial crew missions, Reed said, with greater cargo volume than the current Dragon spacecraft. Those CRS-2 Dragon missions will use "propulsive" landings, where the capsule lands on a landing pad using its SuperDraco thrusters rather than splashing down in the ocean. That will allow NASA faster access to the cargo returned by those spacecraft, and also build up experience for propulsive landings of crewed Dragon spacecraft. "That's a perfect step in the pathway to crew," he said. "We'll get very comfortable with doing propulsive landings with cargo first, and then with crew." This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. Scientists from NASAs New Horizons mission have identified some cloud candidates in the atmosphere of Pluto, using images taken by the New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager and Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera, during the spacecrafts July 2015 flight through the Pluto system. None of the features can be confirmed as clouds with stereo imaging, but the scientists say they are suggestive of possible, rare condensation clouds. PASADENA, Calif. Scientists may have spotted more than a half dozen clouds in Pluto's hazy atmosphere, researchers announced today (Oct. 18). NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto in July 2015, revealing a bounty of unexpected details about the frozen world. For instance, the mission discovered that Pluto possesses a complex, layered atmosphere. "We've noticed a large number of concentric layers of haze, more than two dozen," New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said during a news conference here at the 2016 American Astronomical Society's Division of Planetary Science meeting. "These haze layers stretch very high into the sky more than a half million feet, or 200 kilometers." [Photos of Pluto and Its Moons] Preliminary images of Pluto hinted at the presence of a cloud in the dwarf planet's atmosphere. Now, Stern and his colleagues have revealed seven bright features that might be clouds in that world's exotic skies. "If there are clouds, it would mean the weather on Pluto is even more complex than we imagined," Stern said in a statement from NASA. All these potential clouds "are similar in that they are very low-altitude, and all are very similar in length scales, measured in kilometers or tens of kilometers," Stern said. "We're not seeing decks or banks of clouds we're seeing individual, discrete cloud features," he said. All seven of these features lie near the terminator, the dividing line between day and night, "either near dawn or dusk, which suggests they may be clouds, because there are cooler conditions there where condensation processes are likely to occur," Stern said. Computer models of Pluto's atmosphere suggest that the most likely place to find clouds on Pluto are at low altitudes, where the seven features presented today are located. The models suggest that any such clouds are likely made of minor trace constituents of Pluto's atmosphere, such as acetylene, ethane and hydrogen cyanide, Stern said. The researchers cannot confirm that these bright features are clouds because New Horizons cannot confirm their altitude and thus whether they are separate from the surface, Stern said. "To confirm if these features are clouds, we need to go back to Pluto with new instruments and be there for longer periods with something like a Pluto orbiter," he said. If these clouds do exist, it remains unknown how long they might last, the researchers said. "One might expect, since they're seen near the terminator, that they're short-lived phenomena seen near dawn or dusk each day on Pluto," Stern said. "A day on Pluto is equivalent to 6.4 days on Earth, almost a week." Stern noted that Pluto is not nearly as cloudy as Earth its hazy skies appear 99 percent free of clouds. "The situation on Pluto is like that in the western United States, where the skies are not cloudy all day," Stern said. The New Horizons spacecraft is currently about 3.4 billion miles (5.5 billion kilometers) from Earth and about 340 million miles (540 million km) beyond Pluto, speeding away from the sun at about 32,400 mph (52,100 km/h). The last bits of data that the mission gathered are scheduled to be transmitted to Earth on Oct. 23, but it will still take a while for scientists to analyze all of the information. "The hard work of understanding the Pluto system is going to take years it's much more complex and nuanced than we ever expected," Stern said. Editor's note: This article previously stated that New Horizons is currently 3.4 billion miles beyond Pluto; it is 340 million miles beyond Pluto. Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. A Chinese spacecraft carrying two astronauts has successfully docked with the uncrewed Tiangong-2 space lab, according to Chinese media reports. The Shenzhou-11 spacecraft linked up with Tiangong-2 at 3:24 p.m. EDT (1924 GMT) today (Oct. 18; 3:24 a.m. Oct. 19 Beijing time), while both spacecraft were zipping around Earth at an altitude of 244 miles (393 kilometers), China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Though Shenzhou-11 carries two crewmembers, named Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, the docking was completely automated. Jing and Chen will soon enter Tiangong-2, then stay aboard the orbiting lab for 30 days. The duo are undertaking China's longest-ever crewed space mission; they lifted off on Sunday (Oct. 16) and will be in orbit for a total of 33 days if all goes according to plan, Xinhua reported. Astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, the crew of China's Shenzhou-11 mission, salute and wave from inside the country's Tiangong-2 space laboratory after arriving at the mini space station on Oct. 18, 2016. The astronauts are flying a 30-day mission to the space lab, China's longest human spaceflight yet. (Image credit: China Manned Space Engineering Program) The 34-foot-long (10.4 meters) Tiangong-2 launched to orbit on Sept. 15. The 9.5-ton module is China's second-ever space lab; the first, Tiangong-1, reached space in September 2011 and hosted three dockings two of them involving crewed Shenzhou spacecraft before ending its operational life this past March. Tiangong-1 will likely fall to Earth in late 2017, Chinese space officials have said. The Tiangong program is designed to test out the rendezvous and docking technologies that China will need to build a bona fide space station, which the nation aims to have up and running by the early 2020s. China's space station will likely be considerably smaller than the 440-ton, $100 billion International Space Station; various reports have estimated that China's orbiting complex will tip the scales at about 60 tons. Shenzhou-11 is China's first crewed spaceflight in more than three years. The most recent such effort, Shenzhou-10, sent three astronauts to Tiangong-1 in June 2013. The Shenzhou-10 crewmembers spent 14 days in space the Chinese spaceflight record that Jing and Chen are poised to break. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Soyuz Rocket Launches Expedition 49 Crew NASA/Joel Kowsky A Russian Soyuz MS-02 rocket carrying NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko (of Roscosmos) launches toward the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on Oct. 19, 2016. Soyuz MS-02 Launch View NASA/Joel Kowsky Spectactors watch as a Soyuz MS-02 rocket launches American astronaut Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, both of Roscosmos, into orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on Oct. 19, 2016. The trio is beginning a four-month mission to the International Space Station. Shane Kimbrough: Thumb's Up from Space NASA TV NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough gives a thumb's up sign as he launches into orbit aboard a Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft on Oct. 19, 2016 to begin his Expedition 49 mission to the International Space Station. Fiery Liftoff for Soyuz MS-02 NASA/Joel Kowsky The Soyuz MS-02 rocket is launched with Expedition 49 Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, flight engineer Shane Kimbrough of NASA, and flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Soyuz Liftoff for Expedition 49 Crew NASA/Joel Kowsky A Russian Soyuz MS-02 rocket lifts off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on Oct. 19, 2016 to begin a two-day journey to the International Space Station for its U.S.-Russian crew. Bon Voyage, Expedition 49 NASA/Joel Kowsky Expedition 49 flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, top, flight engineer Shane Kimbrough of NASA, middle, and Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, bottom, wave farewell prior to boarding the Soyuz MS-02 rocket for launch, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 49 Crew Says Farewell to Earth NASA/Joel Kowsky Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Borisenko (top) of Russia, NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough (middle) and cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov climb the ladder to the elevator as they prepare to board the Soyuz MS-02 rocket for launch, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Expedition 49: The Bus to Space NASA/Joel Kowsky xpedition 49 flight engineer Shane Kimbrough of NASA, left, Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, center, and flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, right, wave farewell to family and friends as they depart the Cosmonaut Hotel to suit-up for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Crew Plus Three NASA/Victor Zelentsov Three new crewmembers launched from Kazakhstan this morning (Oct. 19) on a two-day trip to the International Space Station. Expedition 49 prime crewmembers sit in their Sokol suits with the backup crewmembers behind, preparing for their first check dress rehearsal activities Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. [Read the Full Story] Putting the Pieces Together NASA/Victor Zelentsov The work platforms surrounding the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft retract in preparation for its encapsulation on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Prepping the Rocket NASA/Victor Zelentsov On Oct. 11, 2016, the team begins the process of encapsulating the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft in its fairing, one of the many steps to prepare for the Oct. 19 launch. WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. The picture-perfect launch of an Orbital ATK Antares rocket carrying NASA cargo on Monday night (Oct. 17) has experts across the space industry offering their congratulations for a spectacular performance that exceeded expectations. Prior to launch, pressures were high for Orbital ATK, the commercial spaceflight company contracted by NASA to fly cargo delivery missions to the International Space Station (ISS). Its last attempt at launching an Antares rocket in 2014 ended in a catastrophic failure, with the rocket exploding just seconds after lifting off from a launchpad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, which is part of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility here on Wallops Island. [Photos: Antares Rocket Returns to Flight in Stunning Night Launch] But on Monday, Orbital ATK did not disappoint. Not only did Antares successfully blast off into space, but the rocket's performance actually exceeded expectations by soaring higher and faster than anticipated, Frank Culbertson, President of Orbital ATK's Space Systems Group, said in a post-launch press conference. He added that the extra lift will assist the company's Cygnus cargo ship, which hitched a ride into orbit on the Antares rocket to make the ISS delivery. "There's no extra charge from the Flight Systems Group," Culbertson joked. Joel Montalbano, manager of NASA's space station program, acknowledged that the mission took longer to get off the ground than expected. The launch was initially slated to lift off during summer, but was delayed to allow more time for checks, as well as due to weather events. "These things are always harder than you expect them to be in many ways, but it was done right, and that was the most important thing," he said. "It's great when things work the way they did tonight," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said during a speech on NASA TV shortly after the launch, adding that the cargo flight is critical for the space station as well as space exploration in general even for the journey to Mars. Eric Stallmer, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF), issued a statement late Sunday congratulating Virginias Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), Orbital ATK and NASA, "on tonights successful launch of the Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo vehicle to the International Space Station." "Its great to see ISS commercial resupply missions flying out of Virginia's spaceport again, carrying commercial payloads for companies including NanoRacks and CASIS, all working together to expand the commercial space enterprise in low-Earth orbit, Stallmer added. Orbital ATK's incredible launch yesterday got Cygnus off to a great start. Now the spacecraft is on its way to the ISS, where it will dock on Sunday (Oct. 23). Astronauts aboard the space station will unload the cargo supplies and science experiments before stuffing Cygnus full of garbage and sending it off to burn up in Earth's atmosphere. Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Artist's illustration of the putative Planet Nine, which may lie undiscovered in the outer solar system. PASADENA, Calif. The putative "Planet Nine" may have tilted the entire solar system, researchers say. In January, astronomers revealed evidence for the potential existence of another planet in the solar system. Researchers suggest that if this world dubbed Planet Nine exists, it could be about 10 times Earth's mass and orbit the sun at a distance about 500 times the distance from the Earth to the sun. Previous research suggested that Planet Nine would possess a highly tilted orbit compared with the relatively thin, flat zone in which the eight official planets circle the sun. This led scientists to investigate whether Planet Nine's slant might help explain other tilting seen elsewhere in the solar system. [The Evidence for 'Planet Nine' in Images (Gallery)] Now, researchers suggest that Planet Nine's influence might have tilted the entire solar system except the sun. "Planet Nine may have tilted the other planets over the lifetime of the solar system," said study lead author Elizabeth Bailey, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Prior work found that the zone in which the eight major planets orbit the sun is tilted by about 6 degrees compared to the sun's equator. This discrepancy has long been a mystery in astronomy. Researchers say an anomaly in the orbits of distant Kuiper Belt objects points to the existence of an unknown planet orbiting the sun. Here's what we know of this potential "Planet Nine." (Image credit: by Karl Tate, Infographics artist) Bailey and her colleagues ran computer simulations that suggest that the tilt of the eight official planets can be explained by the gravitational influence of Planet Nine "over the 4.5-billion-years-ish lifetime of the solar system," Bailey told Space.com. Bailey did note that there are other potential explanations for the tilt of the solar system. One alternative is that electrically charged particles influenced by the young sun's magnetic field could have interacted with the disk of gas and dust that gave rise to the planets in ways that tilted the solar system. Another possibility is that there might have been an imbalance in the mass of the nascent sun's core. "However, all these other ways to explain why the solar system is tilted are really hard to test they all invoke processes that were possibly present really early in the solar system," Bailey said. "Planet Nine is the first thing that has been proposed to tilt the solar system that doesn't depend on early conditions, so if we find Planet Nine, we will be able to see if it's the only thing responsible for the tilt, or if anything else may have played a role." The scientists detailed their findings yesterday (Oct. 18) at a joint meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences and European Planetary Science Congress in Pasadena, California. Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. DARPA has been testing the Space Surveillance Telescope in New Mexico for the last several years before handing it over to the U.S. Air Force. WASHINGTON The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has transferred operations of a telescope designed to track objects in Earth orbit to the U.S. Air Force, ahead of a move of that telescope to Australia. In a ceremony in New Mexico Oct. 18, DARPA formally handed over operations of the Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) to Air Force Space Command. The transfer comes after several years of testing and operations of the 3.5-meter telescope by DARPA on a mountaintop at the White Sands Missile Range. DARPA developed the telescope to be able to scan large regions of the sky, particularly in the geostationary arc. "SST is focused on tracking and identifying debris and satellites about 36,000 kilometers the Earth," said Lindsay Millard, the telescope's program manager at DARPA, in a conference call with reporters. "It can survey its entire GEO belt in its field of view, which is about one-quarter of the sky above New Mexico, multiple times in one night." Millard said DARPA developed several key technologies for the telescope. They include the telescope itself, with a steeply curved primary mirror to enable a large field of view. DARPA also developed the first curved charge-coupled device detector for the telescope's camera, enabling it to take images from the telescope without distortion. A high-speed shutter allows it to take thousands of images a night. Those capabilities allow SST to see more, and smaller, objects than existing systems, like the network of optical telescopes known as the Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS). Millard declined to say how small of an object SST could detect in GEO, but said it can detect many more objects than other systems. "We can definitely see many more what we call 'uncorrelated' tracks than the Air Force can today," she said, with "about an order of magnitude better performance" than GEODSS. Millard pegged the cost of the SST program at $150 million, which covers the telescope itself, its original camera and a second, more sensitive camera. She declined to estimate how much it would cost to build a second, similar telescope, and said DARPA is currently not pursuing a next-generation telescope. With the Air Force now responsible for the telescope, it will move ahead with plans first announced in a 2013 agreement with the Australian Ministry of Defence to move SST to Australia, helping fill a gap in coverage in the Southern Hemisphere. "That's kind of a second 'DARPA-hard' challenge that we have," Millard said of moving the telescope. The Australian government will build a new dome for the telescope at the Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station in Western Australia. Air Force Space Command will disassemble the telescope, ship it to the new site and assemble it there. The telescope should be operational there by 2020, she said. The telescope has applications beyond tracking objects in Earth orbit. Millard noted that the telescope has also observed millions of asteroids, including discovering 3,600 new ones. "SST has become the most prolific tool for asteroid observations in the world," she said. NASA is in discussions with Australian officials about continued access to the telescope for asteroid observations once it's moved to Australia, she added. This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service. Twice a year, a group of local people gets together for what must be one of the grimmest meetings imaginable. Theyre experts in the fields of health, social services, law enforcement, and related disciplines, and theyre known collectively as the Fetal, Infant, Child and Maternal Mortality Review (FICMMR) team. Their unenviable job is to review the circumstances surrounding every death of a child from Lewis and Clark County. The purpose of the FICMMR team is not to assign blame for these heartbreaking deaths. Rather, its to look for patterns or trends among them in the hope that the team can identify ways to prevent similar tragedies in the future. They work in strict confidentiality. From a public health perspective, the death of an infant or child can be a measure of a community's overall social and economic well-being and health. FICMR is a critical process in identifying health or social issues that our community has a responsibility to address, whether through policy change or education. Since 1997, when the Montana Legislature passed a law encouraging the creation of multi-disciplinary teams to review fetal, infant, and child deaths, the Lewis and Clark County FICMMR team has reviewed dozens of them. The members have noticed a pattern: Several of these deaths involved infants who were sleeping in circumstances that may possibly have contributed to their sudden fate. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, was responsible for 14 percent of infant deaths in Montana from 2010-2014. Could these deaths have been prevented? Well never know, but our hearts go out to the families whose lives the syndrome has shattered. Steps to safer sleep To avoid future SIDS deaths, the local FICMMR team has a strong recommendation for parents, grandparents, babysitters, and other caretakers: take steps to provide the safest possible sleep environment for your little one. Heres how: Always place your baby on its back to sleep, both at bedtime and naptime. This is the number one way you can reduce the risk of SIDS. When your baby gets old enough to turn over on its own, you dont need to reposition it. Provide baby with a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib, covered by a fitted sheet. Avoid soft sleep surfaces, like pillows, quilts, sheepskins, sofas, waterbeds, or air mattresses. These increase the risk of suffocation. If you cant afford a safe crib, contact Lewis and Clark Public Health at 457-8900. We may be able to help you get one through the Safe Sleep for Baby Program sponsored by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, the Montana Coalition. Keep babys sleep area close to, but separate from, yours. Sleeping in the same room as your baby reduces its risk of SIDS; health experts recommend it until your baby is at least six months old. But baby shouldnt sleep in the same bed with you or anyone else because of the risk of suffocation. The risk is even greater if youre a smoker, very tired (and what new parent isnt?), or under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medications that make you sleepy. Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair alone, with you, or with anyone else. If co-sleeping is a traditional part of your culture, consider placing a cradle, bassinette, or bedside co-sleeper right next to your bed instead. Keep pillows, blankets, crib bumpers, stuffed animals, and other soft objects out of the crib when baby is sleeping. Keep pets and other children away, too. Babies can suffocate if they press their face up against anything soft. Dress baby in a sleeper instead of using blankets, again to avoid suffocation. Make sure nothing covers your babys head. Dont overdress your baby. Babies who get too warm during sleep might sleep too deeply and be unable to wake themselves up, which could play a role in SIDS. If the room temperature is comfortable for you, then its comfortable for your baby. Breastfeed your baby. Research shows that babies who are breastfed or fed with breast milk for the first six months of life are at lower risk of SIDS. If you like to bring baby to bed to breastfeed, put it back in its own bed when youre done. Give your baby a dry pacifier thats not attached to a string for naps and bedtime. Make sure no one smokes in your home or around your baby. Studies show that exposure to smoke is a health risk for your baby both before and after birth. It also has been identified as one of the greatest risk factors for SIDS. Even the smoke particles that settle on a smokers clothes and hair can harm an infants developing respiratory system. Avoid products that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death, including heart and breathing monitors. They have not been tested for safety and effectiveness. Give your baby time on its tummy when its awake and someone is watching. Tummy time helps your baby to improve motor skills; strengthen head, neck, and shoulder muscles; and prevent flat spots on the head. Finally, make sure anyone and everyone who cares for your child is aware of these recommendations. The local FICMR team would be delighted to have fewer reasons to get together. Melanie Reynolds is the Lewis and Clark County health officer. One season of "Extreme Huntress" wasnt enough for one East Helenan. Taylor Reisbeck is taking aim at the title for the online hunting show, bringing her skills from the mountains of Montana for the second time up against women from both the United States and Canada. She is the only competitor in the history of the show to make the finals twice. I really wasnt sure if I wanted to go back, but now Im really glad I did, she said. It was really good meeting the other women, and now were all friends. Extreme Huntress selects six women to compete in various hunting related skills competitions at the 777 Ranch in Texas, followed by hunting on the ranch. The adventures are featured at www.extremehuntress.com with voting following each episode. Reisbeck currently sits in second place behind Lindsey Christensen from Idaho. She hopes to get Helena-area voters and Montana behind her as the women charge towards a January finish. Encouragement from Reisbecks parents, boyfriend and some of the judges nudged her application, and competing again has allowed her to open up a bit more this season. Last year I was really shy just because I wasnt used to being in front of the camera and having it right in my face, she said. People kept asking me if I thought I had more of a chance than these other girls because I competed before. I really didnt -- the vegetation was completely overgrown over last year, and every hunting experience was a lot different. Reisbecks life has changed since first competing on the show as shed like to stake a career in the hunting industry. She makes public appearances to talk about the role of hunting in wildlife management and to encourage more women and children to spend time in the outdoors. Reisbeck will make an appearance this Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Stacks Clothing Co. and Antiques in East Helena for a meet and greet to promote her appearance on the show. Putting herself out there for both public praise and public scrutiny has been a learning experience as well. Contestants, including Reisbeck, have been subject of social media scorn and even some threats. Ive honestly learned and youve got to be patient with people that dont like hunting, and youve got to let people think in their own ways, Reisbeck said. Despite what their campaign ads might lead you to believe, neither one of Montanas gubernatorial candidates is purely good or evil. Both have their strengths. And as the candidates have made crystal clear in this particularly cantankerous race, both certainly have some weaknesses too. Republican candidate Greg Gianforte has come up with a list of the reasons he feels its time for new leadership in the Capitol. And while we agree with some of Gianfortes arguments, we dont believe any of them rise to a level that justifies interrupting the work of our current governor and starting over from scratch. No. 1 on Gianfortes list of reasons to oust Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock is Montanas lagging wages, which are among the lowest in the nation. Gianforte has said throughout his campaign that the very reason he is running for governor is to create, attract and retain high-wage jobs. He plans to remove barriers to job creation, including what he describes as burdensome, job-killing regulations, along with certain taxes. We wholeheartedly agree that Montanas state government is too bogged down in red tape, some of which is undoubtedly strangling efforts to create and maintain jobs. But we are skeptical about the feasibility of Gianfortes aggressive job-creation strategy, particularly his plans to completely freeze state spending and eliminate the business equipment tax in four years. Bullock is proposing less aggressive tax cuts for small businesses that create jobs. And while no governor can singlehandedly revamp the states business regulations overnight, we believe that Bullocks approach has a much better chance of becoming a reality, and that he has already made great strides in this area through his administrations private-public partnership known as the Main Street Montana Project. And we couldnt help but notice that Montanas existing business climate has worked out pretty well for Gianforte, who sold his global software company for $1.8 billion in 2011 after founding it in his Bozeman home in 1997. We also stand by the work Bullock has done as governor to promote fair elections, make health care available to more Montanans, and maintain an appropriate balance between public safety and Montanans cherished right to bear arms. Montanans tend to reject partisan politics by splitting their ballots, and Bullock has demonstrated the kind of moderate approach needed to work with legislators and other state leaders on the other side of the aisle during his nearly four years as governor. We dont want to discount what Gianforte has done for our state. As a private businessman, he has given hundreds of Montanans high-wage jobs and created an economic engine in the Gallatin Valley that has significantly contributed to local and state tax bases. Gianforte does make a good point about the lack of accountability in Bullocks office, particularly with regard to the governors use of the state airplane for campaign and personal purposes. And while both candidates have demonstrated an unwillingness to answer to the public about certain issues on the campaign trail, we do expect more openness and accountability from our sitting governor on this issue and others. In addition, we would be remiss to not acknowledge our concerns about the long-term and systemic management concerns identified in a recent audit of the Montana Child and Family Services Division, which has been widely accused of failing to fulfill its responsibilities in cases involving abused and neglected children. But we understand its easy for those who have never walked in Bullock's shoes to criticize his performance, and we hope he will work on these issues during his next term as Montanas governor. Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. As his campaign has progressed, it has become apparent that Trump's intended audience has gotten the message. Many Jewish journalists and intellectuals have noted in recent months that the degree of overt anti-Semitism in the United States is of an intensity that they have never before experienced. On social media, Jewish names are bracketed with triple parenthesis, the Twitter version of the yellow star, and Trump himself tweeted out a picture of Clinton against a backdrop of cash, the message "most corrupt candidate ever" printed inside a Star of David. Unhinged That image originated on the extreme right, and it is far from the only time he has retweeted or tweeted such messages and memes. He has several times, for example, passed along supportive missives from alt-right activist Jason Bergkamp, who writes for the online publication Vanguard 14, which frequently addresses "white genocide" and nationalism. Trump has likewise retweeted a montage of himself as Pepe the Frog, a comic character that has been adopted by the alt-right and is increasingly making appearances at Trump campaign rallies on T-shirts and hats. His son, Donald Trump Jr., has also tweeted out images of Pepe the Frog several times. As revealing as it is, however, decoding such symbols is hardly even necessary anymore as the campaign reaches its disgusting conclusion. On October 13, Trump held one of his most unhinged campaign speeches yet. At an event in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said that there is a "global power structure" that has robbed the American working class. He also said that Clinton "meets in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of US sovereignty" and that the election may be "in fact controlled by a small handful of global special interests rigging the system." Such anti-Semitism-tinged claims are common on the alt-right and it's no accident they made it onto Trump's teleprompter. Buzzfeed reported that the speech was co-written by Stephen Bannon, the Trump campaign's CEO. To join the Trump campaign, Bannon took a leave of absence from his position as chairman of Breitbart News, a website that, as Bannon himself has said, is a "platform for the alt-right." Another influential member of this white-supremacist cabal is Alex Jones, the widely followed right-wing conspiracy theorist/radio host who recently gained a bit of mainstream notoriety for claiming that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are demons and smelled of sulfur. In December 2015, Trump appeared on Jones' show and said his host has an "amazing reputation." A Warped Vision of America That visit was arranged by Roger Stone, a GOP strategist who was an advisor to the Trump campaign until last August, and who remains affiliated with the campaign. Stone helped organize the "Stop the Steal March" at the GOP convention to prevent the Republican establishment's alleged effort to rob Trump of the nomination. Stone made headlines in February of this year by referring to a Hispanic CNN personality an "Entitled Diva Bitch" in a tweet and referring to another as a "stupid negro." And then there is Trump's most recent claim that Hillary Clinton was "pumped up" on drugs during the second debate. Again, it is a notion that originated on the alt-right, appearing well before Trump's absurd assertion on the right-wing website Mad World News, the same site that recently revisited the racist right's pet theory that Michelle Obama is actually a man. The list, of course, could go on. But the evidence is clear: Donald Trump's vision of America is not one rooted in the Constitution, but one rooted in the notion that White America is under fire from all sides and must be rescued from the establishment. His Patriotic Movement is an identitarian crusade, open to those who dream of an America not for freedom loving democrats, but for those who seek a white male revolution to take the power back. And he has rhetorically armed the movement to continue beyond the election on Nov. 8. His utter rejection of Hillary Clinton as a legitimate candidate democratically chosen by a political party representing half or more of the American electorate, combined with his repeated warnings that the election is rigged, provides all the excuse necessary for the white right to carry on the fight after Election Day. It is difficult to view the recently exposed plot by a group calling itself The Crusaders to blow up a Somali housing complex in Kansas the day after the election as anything other than a response to Trump's hardly veiled call to arms. Will He Concede? In 2000, after the bruising campaign pitting Al Gore against George W. Bush ended in a recount in Florida and a Supreme Court decision essentially awarding the presidency to Bush, Gore held a speech. He said: "Now the US Supreme Court has spoken. Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree with the court's decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome.... And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession." Polls indicate that the outcome of this election won't be nearly as close. But for Trump and his followers, his defeat will only be more proof that true Americans -- white Americans -- are once again being robbed. His shifting of the American narrative from a country based on the Constitution to a newly imagined homeland for downtrodden whites will not allow him to hold such a speech. Having unleashed the promise of a white-power America, it seems doubtful that his followers will slide back into the background after this election. Even if Trump declines the strongman roll he has developed for himself, the movement, the alternative definition of America, will continue. History has taught us that changing definitions, altering national myths, is an extremely difficult and often bloody proposition. That though -- that and the consequences such a shift necessarily engenders -- will be the true Trump legacy. And it is a horrifying one to contemplate. Work planned at the site will help to drive vital research into the control of respiratory activity in fungi which attack the worlds major cereal crops. With the help of a recent 1m award, including a contribution of 602,390 from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Professor Tony Moore, of the University of Sussex, will collaborate with Agform Ltd to accelerate the development of fungicide resistance inhibitors. Fungal pathogens are adept at developing resistance to treatments by expressing an enzyme called the alternative oxidase (AOX). The novel compounds formulated by Professor Moore prevent this enzyme from being functional. With further development, these compounds may be effective for longer and require less frequent spraying of crops. The AOX Lab represents a significant investment in UK industry and innovation, as the only UK-owned commercial research facility for new agrochemical actives, in the country. Agforms existing nanotechnology capability is a successful example of the governments investment in innovative technology and research, with a number of commercial products already derived from this technology currently being marketed in the UK and the EU. It was partly funded by two grants from the Technology Strategy Board (now Innovate UK), supported by DEFRA and BBSRC. Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, instigated the formation of the sheep meat forum in response to the fragility of the sheep sector across Europe. He tasked the group, which involved representatives of EU member states, to consider the factors of falling sheep numbers and declining sheep meat consumption and how this jeopardises the many public goods delivered by sheep farming businesses. Such public goods include eco-system services, development of rural economies, animal welfare, rural tourism and preservation of heritage. Joanne Briggs, NSA Policy Officer for England, attended the four meetings in Brussels, which included the release of the report on Thursday last week (13th October). She says: The concise report, incorporating submissions from forum representatives including NSA, UK levy bodies and UK farming unions, was pulled together by an Irish team handpicked by Commissioner Hogan. It makes around 20 sound recommendations and highlights two in particular. NSA is very supportive of the recommendation to increase promotion of lamb within the EU to curb decline in consumption. The UK is the biggest producer of lamb in Europe and a global exporter and, as such, would like to see more people enjoy lamb and appreciate how consumption is beneficial for human health and allows sheep farmers to deliver a whole range of additional public goods in rural areas. Generic campaigns such as Lamb: Tasty, Easy, Fun have been instrumental in promoting an eat the landscape message and we need more of this. Sabrina Steketee is a brilliant choice for HD75 Representative. As a Jefferson County native myself, I have known Sabrina for most of her life. She is smart, inquisitive, collegial and a terrific listener. She has demonstrated a long-term commitment to making Jefferson County a great place to work and to live. Sabrina is a thoughtful, articulate contributor to and volunteer with the Boulder Transition Advisory Committee, created to address the impact of Montana Developmental Centers closure on the Boulder area and on its economic viability. Likewise, Senator Jim Keane, Representatives Ryan Lynch and Eddie McClafferty continue making extraordinary commitments to Jefferson County by lending their considerable expertise and support to the BTAC. Unfortunately, missing in action from our community BTAC deliberations has been HD75 Representative Kirk Wagoner. Although always invited, Mr. Wagoner has not participated. Recently I sent an invitation to Mr. Wagoner to attend an MDC Repurposing Committee meeting. No response. When I asked him in person to participate in our activities, he refused, indicating that he is a hermit and doesnt go to meetings. He did indicate that he has been following our activities online and would let us know if he has something to contribute. I dont want someone who wont interact with his constituents to represent me in the Legislature. I urge your support for Sabrina Steketee for HD75. She will actively solicit constituent input, research the issues and listen to all viewpoints. I know Sabrina; she will be a terrific, responsive Representative. Sincerely, Drew Dawson Boulder MISSOULA -- Only a few weeks before the election, many Montanans are unsure who to elect to the state Supreme Court. Those who have decided are split. Among registered and likely Montana voters, 39 percent said they were undecided, according to a Mason-Dixon poll commissioned by Lee Newspapers with a margin of error of 3 percentage points. In a race thats too close to call, the rest divide between Dirk Sandefur, a longtime Cascade County District Judge, and Kristen Juras, a Great Falls attorney and former adjunct professor from the University of Montana law school. Juras polled at 31 percent and Sandefur at 30 percent. This is by far the most fluid race among all the statewide races this year, University of Montana political scientist Christopher Muste said. This is the kind of situation that combines danger and opportunity for the candidates. The number of undecided voters is like a welcome mat for independent groups to spend. Montana State University political scientist David Parker agreed. It just shows you how little people know what the heck is going on here, he said. No one knows this race. It is not unusual for so many voters to be undecided in a judicial race. Analysts said it is difficult for many people to gauge what effect each candidate could have on future decisions, especially when the people running insist their job is to be impartial and avoid comments that might be viewed as evidence they would legislate from the bench. And because Montanas race is nonpartisan without party labels to which voters might default, there is little information left to guide a decision. Many end up skipping the race on their ballots. In 2014, two of the courts seven seats were contested. Nearly 374,000 Montanans cast ballots, but 71,464 people did not make a selection between incumbent Justice Jim Rice and Billings attorney David Herbert. And 43,624 people skipped the race between incumbent Justice Mike Wheat and former solicitor general Lawrence VanDyke. The gap of nearly 30,000 votes between the two races might be explained by one simple thing: money. A record $1.6 million was spent to influence the Wheat-VanDyke race, mostly by independent groups rather than the candidates own campaigns. Political action committees funded by the Montana Trial Lawyers Association and its members backed Wheat. The Republican State Leadership Committees Judicial Fairness Initiative, Americans for Prosperity and others supported VanDyke. The groups traded attack ads on television and flooded mailboxes with contradictory descriptions of the candidates. People will take that information and act upon it, Parker said. Thats why negative ads work. This years race might beat that 2014 fundraising record. Many of the same groups have returned, with the trial lawyers supporting Sandefur and the GOP group backing Juras. The latest campaign finance filings through the end of September show more than $1.1 million has been raised, about $900,000 by Sandefur or his supporters. The Republican group, however, has millions in the bank that it might direct into Montana during the final weeks as it has done in other states. To some extent, this is just name ID, name ID, name ID, Parker said of the campaigns likely strategy to pick up undecided voters. Muste noted that almost half of the uncertain voters identified as Republicans. Both candidates are going to go for that group before Election Day, he said. Its an opportunity for Juras, who is perceived as more conservative than Sandefur on some of the issues. Sandefurs ads have focused on him being a policeman and are largely designed to appeal to conservatives. Lee Banville thinks the way Juras has discussed issues and her legal expertise in the campaign is different from most previous races, which could be why she polled on par with Sandefur. I am struck by how well shes faring because not only has Sandefur spent a lot and raised a lot of money, hes also got institutional support, said Banville, the University of Montana political researcher and journalism professor. I think in some part (its) because of her overt political campaigning and all the media attention shes gotten. Usually Supreme Court candidates are like, Im going to support the law and Im going to uphold the Montana Constitution. Its apple pie and fair court, and she has been pretty outspoken about the positions she has. The independent spending in the race has been a focal point of debate between the candidates. Sandefur condemned the influence of the GOP group, which May tax filings compiled by the Center for Public Integrity show to largely be funded by business interests such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He has repeatedly argued that his experience as a district court judge has prepared him to make impartial decisions. The negative advertising is despicable, frankly, but not unexpected from these out-of-state corporate interests and their local bag men who have been doing this type of thing in other states, he said, seeing the polling numbers as a sign voters are starting to pay attention to the race. The lights are now on and people are waking up to the sharp contrast between my proven judicial experience and public service record on the one hand and on the other hand my opponents ideological agenda and a lack of relevant experience. He noted that attack ads paid for by the GOP-backed committee leave out the fact that the sentences referenced were the result of plea deals requested by the prosecutor, not prison time he decided upon after a trial conviction. Likewise, Juras has raised concerns about individual trial lawyers, many of whom have contributed more than $50,000 each to independent committees opposing her campaign and frequently have cases appear before the states top court. She dismissed Sandefurs attacks on her integrity as false, noting that she is running to bring new expertise to the court she developed in private practice. I am not the supposed activist my opponent tries to characterize me, she said. These groups are supporting Sandefur because they believe hes the best candidate to align with their special interests. What the Chamber of Commerce is seeking an attorney who brings business expertise to the court. Not an ideology that favors business, but business expertise on the court that will be helpful in analyzing and applying complicated business, farm, ranch, water and property laws. While the lawyers group had to report who contributes to their committee under state campaign finance laws, the national organizations do not have to disclose spending or who supported them financially, in large part, because of a 2010 decision by Supreme Court of the United States that gutted many disclosure requirements and ended caps on corporate spending in politics including Montanas outright ban. Some, but not all, of the GOP groups funders can be gleaned from tax filings months after Election Day. The rising tide of unaccountable, secret money in judicial elections raises serious concerns about the integrity of our courts, said Alicia Bannon, a researcher with the Brennan Center for Justice. The political pressure and potential conflicts of interest that come with it are a threat to basic fairness and to the judicial independence that is so vital to a functioning democracy. Studies by the center show that most negative ads in judicial campaigns focus on criminal justice issues or try to paint a candidate as soft on crime -- even if the money funding that advertisement comes from business interests that generally have little or no clear investment in justice issues. Instead, Bannon said those topics are chosen because they are emotional and likely to influence to voters. In Montanas race, Parker said that leaves Sandefur weakened by his 14 years as judge. Juras doesnt have a judicial record. She doesnt have a court case you can pick apart, he said. The perverse thing is it has the potential for us to be electing people who are less experienced. To combat that, Parker said Sandefur or his trial lawyer supporters would need to hit Juras hard with negative imaging of their own more than they have done so far. Muste agreed. Were in such a negative election environment this year. It would be hard, but maybe refreshing, for a candidate to try to put forward a positive message, he said. Voters are frustrated and angry. A negative campaign is more likely to resonate with that. P olice swooped on the London boss of Barratt Developments on Wednesday as the housebuilder was engulfed in an alleged cash-for-contracts scandal. Alastair Baird, 52, a near-30-year veteran of the business, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police alongside an unnamed former Barratt employee. The arrest comes 14 months after the builder launched a probe following an internal audit which relates to possible misconduct in the process for awarding and managing certain material and subcontract supply contracts in the London region, Barratt told the stock market. Barratt referred its investigation to the Met in April. It also led to civil action against a third employee which began last October, before the worker was fired in February. Baird, who has been suspended following his arrest, lives in Hampstead on one of Londons most exclusive streets, according to Companies House records. The seven-bedroom mansion, with indoor heated swimming pool and gym complex, is worth an estimated 15 million, according to Zoopla. Barratts website describes Baird as renowned for his superb relationships with key public and private-sector stakeholders and his outstanding grasp of the construction and financial issues that underpin successful development. He has been London regional managing director for five years. Two months ago Baird was toasting the completion of the purchase of West Ham Uniteds former home, the Boleyn Ground, from Galliard Homes, where Barratt aims to build 842 homes. One housebuilding boss told the Evening Standard: He is known as a really great guy who knows his business. He is very well liked, a nice, nice man. He is well respected in the industry. Following the early findings of the investigation, Barratt appointed a leading accounting firm to conduct an external review of the controls relating to the tendering and procurement processes in the London business, which was reported to the companys audit committee. Barratt said it had adopted additional controls. The builders London procurement processes differ from the rest of the group, due to the one-off nature of construction projects in the capital. Gary Ennis, manager of Barratts Southern region, will take interim responsibility for London as well, supported by other senior management. Barratt does not anticipate any material financial impact. The shares rose 5.3p to 489.1p. Chief executive David Thomas said: We are committed to meeting the highest ethical standards in all aspects of our business. We have acted decisively, launching our own thorough and comprehensive investigation. T im Allan must have one of the best contacts books in London. The public relations man began working for Tony Blair in 1992, served as Alastair Campbells deputy in Number 10 and then Rupert Murdochs director of communications at Sky, before launching his agency, Portland, at the age of 31 in 2001. Now he has sheikhs and oligarchs as well as ministers and media moguls on speed dial. But as Allan prepares to celebrate Portlands 15th anniversary with a big party at the Natural History Museum this week, he says PR has changed from a contacts business to a content business. His agency has grown from four people in a box room in Bloomsbury Square who called a few journalists to a 200-strong team on the Strand that advises on strategy, with an in-house studio that creates advertising, magazines, websites and infographics. Recent work includes an advertising takeover of the ticket barriers at Westminster Tube station for drugs giant Pfizer, a Can the Tax website for the British Soft Drinks Association in protest at plans for a fizzy drinks tax, and a glossy magazine for Qatars embassies. Asked to name other clients, he pauses to remember which ones are public. Google, Apple, McDonalds, Heathrows third runway campaign and the governments of Kazakhstan, Jordan and Morocco give a flavour, as do Portlands offices in Nairobi, Doha, New York and Washington. He is very happy to defend the work that he has done for foreign governments on openness and engagement. Clients pay well, especially if they have an unsavoury reputation or legal problems. Turnover more than doubled in three years to 22.7 million in 2015 and is heading towards 30 million, which would make it one of Londons top 10 PR agencies, rivalling Freuds and Teneo Blue Rubicon but behind Brunswick and Edelman. Allan avoids financial PR, which he says hasnt changed much in 15 years, and focuses on corporate PR, which has grown because of what he calls externalities scrutiny from social media and parliamentary select committees as well as the publics demand to know more about companies. Portland has also benefited from Londons growth as a global news and financial hub, and Allan hopes it stays that way after Brexit. More than half of Portlands work now comes from clients outside the UK. PR rivals wonder how much Blair has helped Allan. Portland grew slowly in its early years and gained momentum after 2007 when the former prime minister started advising foreign governments like Kazakhstan, a project on which Blair and Portland collaborated. Allan hasnt worked with his old boss for years and hes never sent me an invoice. Has he ever invoiced Blair? I cant remember how things were structured. Still, it says something about Portland that Jeremy Corbyns allies recently accused the agency of plotting against him, a claim that Allan says was ludicrous (as do most neutral observers). He sold 81% to Omnicom in an estimated 20 million deal in 2012 and Portlands latest accounts reveal the US ad giant has exercised its right to buy the remainder from staff, including Allans 11% stake. The price depends on Portlands profits by 2019. I love running my own business, he says, although he maintains the company is less dependent on him than many other founder-led agencies. Inside his personal office, where there are framed cuttings about Portlands 2001 launch rather than flashy art, he works at a stand-up desk, with not a chair in sight. He isnt sentimental. Portlands first client was Sky but they parted ways eventually and he agreed a non-compete deal for six months. After six months and a day, he began working for arch-rival Virgin Media. Despite all his talk about content, contacts still matter. At least half a dozen Portland staff used to work in Number 10, which he regards as an unrivalled training ground. He has also recruited a starry list of advisers, including Campbell, Michael Portillo, ex-Sky boss Tony Ball, former Treasury minister Kitty Ussher and ex-Polish foreign minister Radek Sikorski. Allans career is proof that in the world of high-end PR, its still about who you know. Gideon Spanier is head of media at Campaign I t's hard to think of a worse time for a decision on expanding aviation in the South-East to be strung out. Yet that is the signal we are getting from the Government: a decision, probably in favour of Heathrow, will be announced next week but it will go to public consultation and MPs may well vote on it only late next year. Obviously any big development such as this will have to go through rigorous planning procedures and due process, and the charitable view is that this is what the Government is doing, besides clarifying that the public and dissenting ministers will have an opportunity to have a say on its proposals and that MPs will duly approve the measure. Granted, too, some councils will want to oppose Heathrow expansion; some have fighting funds put aside. But what this risks looking like is yet more procrastination on the critical question of aviation expansion, yet another bid to kick a contentious issue into the long grass a tactic deployed by successive governments, notably David Camerons. Yet what we need now is boldness in pursuing our strategic goals. Post-Brexit Britain needs to show it is open to world trade and has a global reach. China has already expanded the number of destinations for flights from Britain. The City wants to make clear it is an international centre, hospitable to all comers. So the one thing London needs is an airport, or two, sufficiently large to accommodate greater numbers of both business visitors and tourists. This paper is not dogmatic on the site for expansion; our preference is for greater capacity at both Heathrow and Gatwick but we would welcome any decision that would meet the objective of expanding capacity. It is the function of strong government to make decisions on strategic issues. Mrs Mays preferred method in government is to consult widely and then make a decisive move: well, on this issue, where the stakes are about as high as they could be, she must give a lead. It matters. Calais children The arrival here of the first child refugees from the Calais Jungle camp has provoked controversy, with commentators questioning whether all the young people are under the age of 18. David Davies, MP for Monmouth, has been condemned by the British Dental Association for suggesting that new arrivals should be subjected to an examination of their teeth as a means of proving age. Of course it is important that the relevant authorities including the British and French governments have screening processes. But as the Home Office has made clear, there is no single technique which can be decisive. Instead, officials rely on a combination of documentation and judgment of individuals appearance. They know there is an imperative to get their analysis right. In truth, 17-year-olds can often pass for adults in any circumstances. Travelling across Europe and living in a refugee camp is hardly the recipe for maintaining a childish demeanour. There cannot be a free-for-all; the system must be credible. But once the authorities have determined that a candidate is under 18, we should trust that judgment and put compassion before cynicism. Cooking starts young Our report on the Kids Cookery School, which teaches children in schools in deprived areas how to cook, using surplus food donated by The Felix Project, which is backed by this papers Food for London campaign, is inspirational. Unless children learn to make the most of ingredients, they will struggle to eat healthily and economically. We should be teaching all children to cook. W hen the American people look at you, they see who they want to be. When they look at me, they see who they are. So says Anthony Hopkins, playing Richard Nixon in Oliver Stones film Nixon. Gazing at a portrait of John F Kennedy, the half-drunk Nixon understands the idealism the youthful President projected. He recognised himself, in contrast, as a vulgar, flawed but more accurate representation of what the American people were really like. In the same way, Donald Trump is very much a real character. He is earthy, brash and insensitive. He openly boasts of destroying Americas enemies and restoring the greatness of a lost America. His attitudes to women and minorities reflect the values of a bygone era. Yet he is as American as apple pie. The brash New Yorkers emergence as a political phenomenon has been one of the strangest developments in decades. Not since Dwight D Eisenhower has a major presidential candidate never held elected office before. Yet Eisenhower in 1952 was a widely respected national hero, a five-star general who had defeated the Nazis. He projected strength but also good old-fashioned frontier values: independence, reserve and an unfailing sense of duty. Now, 64 years later, Trump is a billionaire with a penchant for bad language and puerile antics. American friends say to me that he is very New York, meaning he is unashamedly crass and vulgar about his desire for money, women and power. Yet Trumps appeal is simple to explain. He rails against political correctness, just as he lashes out at the Chinese for stealing American jobs in lop-sided trade deals. Like every American president since the Nineties, Trump berates China for deliberately manipulating their currency. The Chinese keep the yuan undervalued to keep their exports cheap. Unlike other politicians, Trump suggests actually doing something about this. He proposes a 45 per cent tariff on Chinese imports to America. The tough-guy act is appealing to an American middle class that hasnt seen its wages increase in real terms for 15 years. To many of these ordinary, mostly white, voters in the Midwest and the South, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have done anything to improve their situation. For 25 years, both major parties have preached the gospel of open borders, free trade and globalisation. With his talk of tariffs, massive walls and mass deportations Trump is saying in stark terms, enough is enough. Its easy to suggest that Brexit taps into the same concerns. After the referendum, a narrative quickly built up that Brexit was caused by disaffected northern voters rejecting the EU in a cry of desperation. It was widely suggested that these were the forgotten people, whom globalisation had left behind. Of course, this was a crude simplification of what Brexit was about. Its often forgotten that 58 per cent of Conservative voters (not activists) chose to leave the EU. In Maidstone and Sevenoaks, in Spelthorne and Chelmsford, across large parts of the South and West of England, Vote Leave won decisive majorities. Across the eastern seaboard of England, EU membership was rejected by a landslide. The vote in Sevenoaks was 54 per cent to leave. This reflected the English average. Sevenoaks is not known for its lack of opportunities, or its levels of deprivation. Brexit is not just about economics. It is also about culture and a sense of national identity. In this way, it does share a loose affinity with that is going on in America. Brexit voters across Britain did not share the urban-elite views of their political masters. A friend of mine, a successful City lawyer, expressed total incredulity at the thought that anyone could vote for Brexit. Theyve got to be mad, he complained. Life had been good to him. For 10 years he had worked in the City, earning huge amounts of money with which he can pay his Slovakian nanny. As far as he was concerned, his own merits had secured the enviable lifestyle he enjoyed. He remains, to this day, blithely unconcerned about the wider national picture. Trump instinctively understands the lack of connection between the governing classes and an industrial worker in, say, Ohio. Industrial workers in large parts of America are frightened that illegal immigrants will undercut their wages. They are also worried about their industrial plant moving to Guangdong province, China. Trump also appeals to a section of the population with whom Im familiar in Britain. These people feel that politicians never get anything done and are too often apologetic about their country. Make America Great Again is a powerful slogan. It implies that America was great but has stopped being so. The implicit assumption is that a strong man, perhaps even a messianic figure, will restore that greatness and lead the struggling people of America to a promised land. British politics, one hopes, is more sophisticated than this. Nigel Farage was never really taken seriously as a messiah. His beery image, complete with cigarette and blazer, did not quite have the same air of pompous megalomania as the Donald. Trumps grotesque behaviour, his obscene language and histrionics may condemn him to defeat in November. The ideas he represents, however, are likely to survive. In Europe there is growing acknowledgement that the times are out of joint. In Britain, our Prime Minister speaks of a country that works for everyone. Even the high priestess of globalisation, Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, has spoken of a softer, kinder IMF to address public anger. For Trump and his supporters in America, these may just be pious words. But it is clear that politicians in Europe and the United States will actually have to deliver real policies to prevent populist discontent growing to dangerous levels. People in an exaggerated way have sometimes compared the world today to the 1930s, which W H Auden famously described as a low, dishonest decade. In the same verse, he writes, waves of anger and fear circulate over the bright / And darkened lands of the earth. This is what todays politicians are fighting against. Kwasi Kwarteng is the Conservative MP for Spelthorne T he biting cold weather is finally here thankfully. Because icy days make it legitimate to eat yourself warm: to fill your boots with all kinds of rich, creamy, cheesy fare that will warm your very bones. Eating is so much more fun when it involves double carbs and a mulled chaser. You thoroughly enjoy cultivating that extra layer of blubber. And Londons menus have filled up with food to help you get started. You should start with a Sunday roast. A long, bracing countryside walk followed by a huge plate of roasted meat with a lake of gravy is the distillation of a British winter. But even if all youve achieved by Sunday lunchtime is a crawl from your hangover pit to a pub, thats reason enough to head to the new Dirty Bones in Shoreditch: rather than serving plain old roasted chicken, they fry it in buttermilk, preventing any chance of dried-up breast. Order an extra skillet of mac and cheese to soak up the meaty juices. If (or rather when) you catch the inevitable office cold, there are worse places to fling yourself, face first, than into a stonking bowl of creamy, umami-ish soup. Laksa is the perfect comfort food, says David Tjong of Laksa Kitchen, which is settling into Kentish Towns Tolli Cafe for a winter residency on October 28. Besides traditional Malaysian soups, theres also Assam Laksa, a sour, pungent soup with tamarind and mackerel. Theres also Sambal Shiok at Blend Cafe in Harringay: Mandy Yins silky- rich curried broth has a cult following in London. Its thick and coconut-heavy with an oily, orange slick of spice an unbeatable winter-lurgy killer. For a spicy take on the trad meat and potatoes combo, go to Jikoni and order scrag end pie - the meat is cooked slowly so that it becomes tender and spicy, and topped with a fat layer of mash. Once youve blasted away your cold with spice, youll be able to smell properly the fantastically autumnal, musty musk of in-season black truffles. At Puglian restaurant Ostuni theres a heady truffle menu in which to bury your nose, like the very pigs who snuffled them out. Theres truffled-up braised ox cheek, and buttery olive-leaf pasta scattered wantonly with black Puglian tartufo and dollops of melty burrata. Its like someones cuddling you from the inside. Perfect comfort fare: Laksa / Clerkenwell Boy While youre truffling, head to Le Buns residency at Birthdays specifically for a Le Mac, its nostalgic take on a Big Mac, the godfather of all burgers, according to co-founder Andy Taylor. [Those] flavours of acidic pickle, beef, creamy burger sauce, cheap US cheese and sweet bun they stay with you, he enthuses. Its one of the ultimate tastes of childhood. And whether or not a cheeky Maccy Ds is your Proustian madeleine, a Le Bun will bring you out in the meat sweats, no matter how chilly it is outside. Its a burger of two rare-breed patties, soaked in black-truffle burger sauce, smoked pickles, American cheese, truffle beurre noisette glaze and veal jus. At brunch, try the Truffles n Waffles (waffles with truffled beurre noisette and confit chicken). Putting slow-cooked beef stew and gooey raclette in a bun and adding a dollop of Bearnaise sauce is what The Patate do best. Its a newcomer to KERBs Camden Market and the sloppy deliciousness makes icy winds blowing off Camden Lock bearable. Godfather of burgers: Le Bun Then theres new Italian market, Mercato Metropolitano, home to the focaccia col formaggio di Recco: a thin, crispy melting stracciatella cheese pie. Pizza writer Daniel Young, aka Young and Foodish, says that it elicits uncontrollable cravings even before youve taken a bite. The Poutinerie is another cheesefest its chips weighed down with curd and gravy are sure to warm you up. Over in Borough Market, people brave long queues for cheese toasties from Kappacasein Dairy, while The Lodge in Clapham is transforming into an Alpine Lodge for Jimmy Garcias Apres Ski pop-up. It starts on Friday and will be on until February. Expect fondue and hot cocktails. Youll need them winters coming. @franklymccoy Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from Londons food scene. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout A s the French authorities prepare to dismantle the Calais Jungle, Londons restaurateurs and chefs have committed themselves to the cause of refugees, devising fund-raising menus and organising trips to the camp. Now you can get involved. Food Instagrammer Clerkenwell Boys #CookForSyria campaign has organised a (sold-out) feast on October 31, while there will also be supperclubs from restaurants such as Salon next month. In addition, 60 top restaurants will add a dish with a Syrian twist to November menus, with 2 from each one sold going to Unicefs Children of Syria fund. It taps into the frustration people have in feeling helpless in the face of what they see happening in Syria, says Clerkenwell Boy. Special dishes include Syrian beef tartare at Chiltern Firehouse and rice pudding with dates at Jamie Olivers Fifteen. We loved the cause and the people behind it and were keen to get involved as soon as we heard about this initiative, says Karan Gokani, manager at Hoppers in Soho. For its charity special, Gokani took inspiration from a traditional Syrian Christian beef curry and added a Hoppers touch, bringing in our favourite Sri Lankan ingredients. The result is a fantastic-sounding beef brisket kari with Ceylonese stretched roti, walnut, chickpea and pistachio sambol, smoked aubergine and pomegranate raita. Arabica Bar and Kitchen is hosting a Syrian feast on November 27 for #CookForSyria and it is involved with the Soup for Syria campaign 2 from every bowl of its chilled sweetcorn and tahini soup goes to the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR. So far more than 2,000 has been raised. Then theres roaming kitchen Mazi Mas, which cuts out the donations part by hiring female refugees as chefs. You dont have to eat out to get involved. World Vision is supporting Syrian refugee children by encouraging people to carve hearts rather than scary faces into pumpkins and sharing images on social media. Celebrities including the actress Elizabeth McGovern will compete to make the most creative heart and win a prize. You can also text HEART to 70060 to donate 3. Today Matthew Carver and Tayler Groom set off to Calais with a van full of sleeping bags, tents and other camping equipment. Carver makes Londons best cheese toasties from his van The Cheese Truck, while at Grooms Sloshed Sorbets its all about alcoholic slushies. When we heard about the planned demolition of the Jungle we decided we wanted to do something to help, explains Carver. Tents, sleeping bags and the like are in demand. Having just done 26 festivals, our unit is full of unclaimed staff camping equipment so it felt like a natural fit. Carver isnt taking toasties to Calais this time but hopes to help in the future via One Small Something. Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from Londons food scene. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout M ixing your drinks is a high-stakes game but mix them with ice cream and it all changes, with sparkling effects. The latest result of this alchemy is sgroppino, combining sorbet, vodka and prosecco. Even the Italians who invented it debate whether this light, sweet concoction is best described as a dessert or a drink. At Artusi in Peckham it acts as a palate cleanser after rich cheese-and-meat based main courses. Sgroppino is a nod to the affogato ice cream drowned in coffee but the fizz peps you up. The name comes from the Venetian verb sgropare, which means to loosen or untie. It does have an unburdening effect. The prosecco and ice cream are standard but you can play with sgroppino. At The Bulgari it is mixed with gin and bergamot sorbet. Polpo has an Aperol-based take on the dessert. Owner Russell Norman says: It looks fantastic, glow-in-the-dark bright orange, and it covers the Italian tradition of agrodolce bitter and sweet at the same time. Those in the know ask for Aperol Sorbet corretto. This means corrected and the way you correct sorbet is, of course, by adding an extra shot of Aperol. Perky. The best bars in London 1 /64 The best bars in London Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London 252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN, rosewoodhotels.com/london The Rosewood is doubly wonderful for drinkers, as theyve two fine spots. In the modern Dining Room, sit at the gin bar, which outstocks anywhere else in London, with more than 400 gins and 27 tonics. Trying to choose is impossible, but what a lovely impossibility to have. The bar staff clearly had one hell of a tasting session as they know the list perfectly. Across the way is Scarfes Bar, a brilliant, brilliant bar gladly shaken free from all the stuffiness usually found in hotel bars. The drinks are stunning, theyve often live music, it gets wonderfully busy and crackles with laughter. Go a little later and its busier, people drink more, everything is better. Bar Americain 20 Sherwood St, W1F 7ED, brasseriezedel.com As the name suggests, this is a classic American bar, and done near perfectly. One can become very fond of Bar Americain and very quickly: passing through Piccadilly Circus, it acts as a magnet a quick negroni becomes a temptation impossible to resist. Its a very beautiful place, calling to mind grand Parisian hotels of the 20s and 30s, bottles winking from the bar, staff floating through with their finery and litres of charm. Youre here to drink the classics: theyve a killer Clover Club and a straight-down-the-line Manhattan. But ask: the bartenders know their stuff and bring their A-game to any challenge tell them what you like, and theyll bring you something new. They often have specials on, as well. Top marks for the attentive staff, bringing plenty of water and bowl after bowl of popcorn both essential after a few here. Oriole Smithfield Markets, E Poultry Ave, EC1A 9LH, oriolebar.com The team behind Nightjar took their winning formula, gave it a bit of a shake up and created Oriole. Theyve live music throughout the week from Wednesday to Saturday, theres a charge per person, so watch out for that which gives any night here a bit of zip. This is a strictly seated spot, so be sure to book: once inside, its a whirlwind tour of the world, with fine details from across the globe, both in the styling and the drinks and so much cheaper than booking a holiday. Drinks are excellent, whether youre into New Orleans style classics or something from the depths of Asia: explore the menu (split into Old World, New World and The Orient) and expect something unusual and faintly brilliant, with a touch of the Tiki. Put it this way: Oriole is ideal whether you prefer drinking from a crystal tumbler, a teacup or, er, a silver crocodile. Piano Works 113-117 Farringdon Road, Farringdon EC1R 3BX, pianoworks.bar Full credit to this fun Farringdon spot: theyve worked hard to make the place better and better since opening, which is pretty good going for what was already a decent spot to begin with. The Piano Works sounds like a quiet jazz bar but instead is a hell-raising house of sound, splendidly raucous, where a house band take requests and belt out your favourite songs. The more you get involved, the more fun it is, and the place heats up the later it gets. Wine starts at 16, house cocktails are 8, but they've tons of terrific deals during the week including cocktails for a fiver (!!) Drink lots, dance lots and leave in the early hours with someone you shouldnt do. Thats what we did. Hawksmoor, Spitalfields 157A Commercial St, E1 6BJ, thehawksmoor.com Its hardly surprising the bar snacks are a highlight here have the oxcheek nuggets with a side of chips, then call the waiter over to order them over again given how good the steak upstairs is. The drinks and setting, though, match them pound for pound. The old tube tiles on the walls, the beautiful parquet floor, the copper tops and silvery black ceiling make the large space a place to settle in for the night no matter your seat, while the cocktails come with oodles of thought in each one: the new menu has homemade bitters, shrubs and syrups, and its bloody obvious everyone behind the bar is more than a little nerdy about building drinks. Shaky Petes Ginger Brew is the classic, so have it, but follow up with the Shadow Boxer, a mix of scotch, sherry and Fernet-Branca. Odd, oddly delicious. Its also a cracking place to sit for a bottle of wine. Andrew Edmunds 46 Lexington St, W1F 0LP, andrewedmunds.com Perhaps better than its ever been, Andrew Edmunds recently won The Good Drinking prize in our Restaurant Awards, and for good reason. Its a small spot, cramped to the point that coming here on a first date feels like youre being very forward indeed , with the best tables upstairs and not much to look at just settle for being distracted by someone beautiful. The food, French-ish/English-ish, is fine, but its the wine that's extraordinary. And youre here for wine: forget cocktails, they have. What a list, and so quietly marked up that youre getting a steal with almost every bottle indeed, the more expensive the better the deal. Having been going 30 years, those who knew old Soho say its one of the last bastion of such things. Drink too much gorgeous wine and come back often. The Connaught Bar Connaught, Carlos Place, W1K 2AL, the-connaught.co.uk A bar for the impossibly beautiful, a bar of high heels and glimmering lights, of perfume and leather. Aside from oddly thumping music, the Connaught is wonderfully detached from the world a place of its own, cosy and winter warm when it needs to be, light and summer when desired. The drinks, naturally pricey, are well put together and while classic in tone, come with crackles of theatre: washes in perfume bottles, branches as garnishes, smoke, the lot. Still, the martini trolley is what theyre famed for, so its only right to indulge. Afterward, head to the Champagne Room: sadly the law stops it being the cigar haven it once was, but it's still gorgeous: romantic and charming with its fireplace, dramatic with its glass ceiling and sculpture swan diving. Treat yourself to the Ruinart blanc de blanc. Damned good olives, too. Milk & Honey 61 Poland St, W1F 7NU, mlkhny.com You know a bar is good when local bartenders love it, and Milk & Honey has long been a Soho favourite for those in the know. Hidden in plain sight this terrific bar has been doing its thing for just shy of 15 years. The talent hasnt diminished, and neither has the care put into the drinks. Cocktails are strong and proper and happily, they're updating the list soon to freshen things up. At around 10 a drink, M&H is also a bargain for central London, and the quality outstrips the price. It functions as a members bar, but non-members can book up until 11pm though going earlier in the week means youre more likely to score a table. Milk & Honey is civilised, without the crushing formality. Next door is the Blind Pig, another top 'hidden' spot. Mark's Bar HIX Soho, 66- 70 Brewer St, W1F 9UP, hixrestaurants.co.uk The bad: you might not get in. If its busy, they dont squeeze people into this basement, so either be there early, or bamboozle them with charm, or dazzle them with your brilliant wit. Were kidding: just take someone hot. The good: pretty much everything else. Naturally, the bar snacks are distractingly tasty, but the drinks list is excellent, and unusual too, with a few historical recipes brought back to life. Attention to detail is everything here, so if youre not sharing one of the big old Chesterfields, head to the bar and sit and watch theres something about it thats like seeing a cardmaster turn tricks. And have a Hix Fix, just to say you have. The Beaufort bar and the American Bar at The Savoy The Savoy, Strand, WC2R 0EU, fairmont.com Glitz, glamour and lots of gold: both Savoy bars are wonderfully opulent. The world-famous American bar, recently revamped, is still up there as one of the best bars on our humble planet. The bartenders bible, Harry Craddocks The Savoy Cocktail Book, was written here, and the cocktails served today remain as finely tuned as they ever were. Whereas as other bars try to recreate the glamour of such places, The Savoy neednt pretend: everything is genuine. The palatial Beaufort is absurdly romantic, and drinks are extravagantly presented: it works for the most special of special occasions, and theres something undeniably grand about sipping away in the same place Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway all did. If youre planning a few drinks, either be rich or take someone rich seriously. Artesian 1C Portland Pl, W1B 1JA, artesian-bar.co.uk Artesian won its accolades for its team, Alex Kratena and Simone Caporale, who ran the place for eight years and earned its reputation as the best bar in the world. Theyve sadly departed, but have left the place in capable hands, and the feel is much the same as it ever was, which is chic, glamorous, and not taking itself too seriously. While the beautiful and the rich rub shoulders, the bartenders are mixing up excellent but often slightly silly drinks but its their mischievousness that makes them so winning. Seriously impressive. Les Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturels 8-10 Neal's Yard, WC2H 9DP, cvssevendials.com Call it CVS and your night becomes considerably easier to pronounce. Sat in Neils Yard, it is one of Londons finest wine bars. Thoroughly French, of course: New World wines barely get a sideways glance, while even Italys finest is only begrudgingly given a little space on the considerable menu. This doesn't mean there is a lack of choice to the contrary, it is almost overwhelming, though they have a short by-the-glass list, and the charming staff are both well informed and passionate about what to have. In the summer, sit outdoors, in the winter, cosy up by the bar. Wherever you are, try the mystery wine; if you guess it, youll win a bottle. Have food small plates made to share, and terrifically good and drink plenty, so the bill doesnt hit as hard. The Shrub & Shutter 336 Coldharbour Ln, SW9 8QH, theshrubandshutter.com This Brixton bar felt new in the area, taking a little of east London and bringing it down south. Theyve a pleasingly patchwork approach to decor: there are jars and bottles and shakers everywhere, which gives the place a kitchen feel. The cocktails, lovely to drink on their own, are made better with the food, which is designed to match what youre drinking. The pairings initially sound a little gimmicky crayfish with vodka, venison on the side of The Deerhunter (an old fashioned, basically) but they work, so drop that sceptical streak for a moment. It gets busy, so book up, get in early, and stay late. Theyve a license until 3am, so itd be rude not to. Sky Pod at the Sky Garden 1 Sky Garden Walk, EC3M 8AF, skygarden.london The truth of it is, you come for the view, but good God it's a great view, and 360-degrees at that. Up 35 floors, if you can think of a London icon, you can probably see it. When the weather's good, get outside for some fresh air. With completely free entry and minimal security fuss, its worth making a reservation, though if youre ok to queue, theyll have you in. Cocktails arent torturously expensive, at around 11.50, and are very enjoyable the cognac-chocolate-caramel-port mix that is Black and Gold is particularly good so it doesn't feel like they're relying on the sights. Theres a sense of special occasion, and all the more so with live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. Theyre hoping for jazz on Wednesdays, too. If youre tempted to eat, Fenchurch and the Darwin Brasserie are well worth trying Fenchurch is particularly good for veggies. The Gilbert Scott St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, NW1 2AR, thegilbertscott.co.uk Given the golden hue here, where luxury hangs in the air like perfume, its remarkable that wine starts at as little as 5 a glass. Wine is its strong point, and likeable head sommelier Joris Beijn is a man worth knowing: he is passionate about his list, knowledgeable and accommodating. The bar is flexible, in that it is by turns ideal for a date, or a catch up with old friends, or a pre/post dinner drinks. The room is a stunner: high painted ceilings, dramatic red walls, great big bells as art, marble bar top and crystal glasses catching the light. Cocktails come in at around 14, and err on the light side: lots of gin and floral concoctions. The restaurant, next door, isnt to be missed, either, just be prepared to get an Uber home: invariably, youll stretch and tease out the evening to stay just a little longer. Gerry's Club 52 Dean Street, W1D 5BJ, gerrysclub.com A word of warning: this is technically a member's club, but you'll probably be fine if you flirt enough and don't ask for Gerry, he's long since passed. Michael looks after this place now. We've only been once very late, very drunk and with very good friends. Most old-school Soho drinking dens are dead, but this hub of actors and writers is what remains of 'Old Soho'. If you're boring, steer clear: it is a place to drink wine and beer and tell stories, to laugh uproariously and to give yourself a monumental hangover in a faintly discreet way. 68 and Boston 4-5 Greek St, Soho, W1D 4DD, 68andboston.com Boston, the bar upstairs, looks like glamorous train carriage from the golden age of cocktails but plays it a little bit safe. Wine bar 68, downstairs, is the real gem, with a wonderful way of pricing: every bottle on the list is 20, so choose what you like, not what you can afford. Better yet, if you don't fancy a bottle, they're served by the carafe (14) or glass (5.50). Wines are well picked and Denise Medrano, wine blogger and lover found behind the bar, is always working to update the list so go back to try something new. Youll probably end up getting drunk here: the pull of another bottle at just 20 is monumentally hard to resist, but hey, thats what Soho is for. If you fancy drinking something more upscale, ask theyve a few hidden wines kept hidden away for those in the know. Thats you, now. The Pink Chihuahua at El Camion 25-27 Brewer St, W1F 0RR, elcamion.co.uk Forget house infusions and drinks that take half an hour to make: sometimes a good night needs tequila and dancing. The Pink Chihuahua is built for it: theyre providing the tequila more than 300 different types of it, in fact youre there to drink it down and dance it up. Theyve all sorts of twists on Margaritas and Daiquiris, and, given youre downstairs from Mexican restaurant El Camion, plenty of bar food to indulge in too. Lots of fun, and if youre feeling more in the mood just to sit back and sip something slowly, ask about their choice of Mezcal. There's real talent here, but fun too. The Gibson 44 Old St, EC1V 9AQ, thegibsonbar.london Given the dearth of decent cocktails in Farringdon, the tiny Gibson is a God-send. Its a parlour pitched somewhere between Edwardian and Art Deco, and drinks arent simply poured here, theyre tended to, built, thought about, adored. All unsurprising, really, given the team learnt their trade at the likes of Nightjar and The Connaught. This place is doing more creatively to push bartending forward than any bar that's opened up in a while, so ask the team for recommendations and youll be presented with something magic. Youll need to ask, actually, as the menu is a novel and theres the risk of wasting the evening reading instead of drinking, and that simply wouldnt do at all. Peg+Patriot Patriot Square, E2 9NF, talentedmrfox.com The Talented Mr Fox, Matt Whiley, offers is a nice blend of things here: while the menu takes a sophisticated trip around London, with each cocktail a column of flavour, some managing chameleonic taste all within the space of a sip, the actual bar is surprisingly spare and understated. The effect is such that while drinks are upmarket, one doesnt feel obliged to sit demurely to enjoy them. Relax, have a few you might want to, as the serves arent huge. It should be said that these cocktails are among Londons most interesting, rather than Londons best: they are talking points, oddities, they put flavours together in a way that isnt available elsewhere. If youre big on trying new things, different experiences, seeing what a cocktail can do, come, its a must. If its just something reliably delicious you fancy, elsewhere may be better. Worship Street Whistling Shop 63 Worship St, EC2A 2DU, whistlingshop.com One presumes the staff here have night vision, otherwise its a complete and utter mystery how they see customers, let alone their ingredients. Still, they must do, for the output is pretty much excellent through and through at this dark spot. Its Victorian-inspired, which sounds tired and not a little tacky, but the gang from Purl have done it properly. Drinks are busy lots of fusions, blends, gasses and pressure and all sorts so its appropriate they come out of a lab. Still, all this engineering seems to be worth it, as the drinks slip down easily, the alcohol often hidden away. Make sure to take a seat in the Dram Shop, and pop in to the Gin Closet too, which operates as an honesty bar. Kansas Smitty's 63-65 Broadway Market, E8 4PH, kansassmittys.com Below bar Off Broadway a long way off, its Mexican sits this glorious den of jazz and juleps. It is a speakeasy for 2016: that is to say, it has none of the contrived mannerisms of bars which proclaim to be speakeasies, it just happens to actually be one: youll need to knock to get in, the music raves loud and hot, and the place is so crowded strangers become family after a drink or two. The house band, for which the place is named, have envy-inducing talent, and the bar has fairly recently overhauled its drinks list, and the results are good. Youll be absorbed by the music, and stay afterwards to ride the buzz of the crowd. GONG 52, Shangri-La Hotel, the Shard, SE1 9QU, .gong-shangri-la.com Gong is in the Shard, so youre there for the view alone. View it certainly does: at 52 floors up, its by far Londons highest spot to drink: consequently, sipping on a martini, one feels a little like a Bond villain pondering all thats below. Its not a huge bar, but that somewhat adds to the sense of exclusivity. Prices are, naturally, sky high: expect to pay at least 18. The drinks have plenty about them to compete with the view: presentation is everything. Theyve not skipped on the spirits making the mix, either: expect the likes of Zacapa 23 rum (heavenly stuff), Talisker scotch and Tanqueray 10 for the gin. All top drawer stuff. If this all sounds a bit intimidating, bear in mind they operate a no reservations policy, so youve as good a chance of getting in as anyone else. Mr Fogg's Salon 58 St Martin's Lane, Theatreland, WC2N 4EA, mr-foggs.com Downstairs is a pretty decent pub, busy from theatreland. Upstairs, the salon is quieter, but only a little. The walls are a glittering ballgown of 19th century curiosities, unsubtle nonsense winking away. Head to a chaise longues with a couple of friends or a date and take in something from each one of the five acts which split the menu. Drinks seem to smell especially good here, rich, relying heavily on the likes of rum, cognac and sherry. Gin lovers need not despair: theyve a room with 300 different types next door. Come elegantly dressed. Bar Termini 7 Old Compton St, W1D 5JE, bar-termini.com Do Bar Termini right and youll love it: do it wrong, and you may be underwhelmed. Tony Conigliaro, cocktail chap par excellence, and coffee maestro Marco Arrigo have built a revolving-door of a place: dont come here to linger. Expect a night of cocktails and youll leave disappointed: instead, love it in the day for the 1 espressos, and swing by in the evening for a negroni (6). Theyre small, but some of the best in the capital. One swishes in and out here, and that way, it adds a touch of Italian glamour to any evening. Trisha's (New Evaristo Club) 57 Greek St, Soho, W1D 3DX Drinks dont make a bar, and thank goodness, as the stuff served at Trishas named for its owner is uniformly pretty awful: red and white wine youd consider an insult if a friend served it at supper, prosecco wildly overpriced, terrible spirits ecetera ecetera. At more than 70, the club is Sohos oldest, and while nobody who goes there can ever remember anything changing its often quite hard to recall much about Trishas in crystal detail, as it happens nothing needs to. The bad wine and expensive mixers and paint stripper spirits are all part of the point: its a glorious drinking den, and marvellous, marvellous fun. There are characters here: the last time we were in, we sat being scared witless by an old East End gangster who said hes known the Krays. Tremendous. Long may this place live. The Fumoir Claridge's, 49 Brook St, W1K 4HR, claridges.co.uk The Fumoir will confuse you, as youll be torn between shouting about it and keeping it all to yourself. This plush purple and leather spot, deco decadence with a touch of welcome pomp, is hidden away behind a secret door at Claridges. Tiny and glitzy enough to feel like a Hollywood dressing room from the Golden Age, its little surprise the likes of Christina Hendricks adore it. For such a small place, they squeeze an awful lot in: plenty of wines, classic cocktails given a stern shake up, buckets of gin, a lovely choice of armagnac and a magnificent scotch list, gleaming with rarities. 69 Colebrooke Row 69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA, 69colebrookerow.com Once known as the bar with no name, henceforth they shall be called the bar with Bernards watch, as there is no other explanation for the speed with which their finely mixed cocktails arrive. Another bar from Tony Conigliaro, its earned its reputation for turning out hit after hit: the drinks list is endlessly tempting. The piano is a nice touch; that is gets played a much nicer one, and make sure to order the Prairie Oyster fun to drink, and one even for those who cant eat seafood. Bear in mind its a small spot, so youre close to your neighbours, and if you dont like strong drinks where the booze kicks, this wont be for you. Happiness Forgets 8-9 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU, happinessforgets.com Dont expect frills and fuss or the rest of it here: Happiness Forgets is cocktail bar distilled down to its very essence, and done very well their tag High End Cocktails/Low End Rent sums it up best. The bartenders are all top drawer, and their creations impeccable. Unsurprisingly, this Hoxton space has its regulars, so the crowd is always good. Tables can be booked, but half are always kept for walk-ins: try your luck, its worth it. Dry Martini by Javier de las Muelas Melia White House Hotel, Albany Street, NW1 3UP, melia.com Come to this one to brag: Dry Martini is known as Barcelonas best cocktail bar, and has been rated the fifth best bar in the world by the Worlds 50 Best Bars panel. Renowned bartender Javier de las Muelas has bought over his concept to us lucky Londoners, and with it, finely mixed and classic cocktails. No prizes for guessing that the Dry Martini is the house special if you dont think you like them, heres a place to change your mind. With more than 80 gins on the list, you could easily lose a week here. Gordon's 47 Villiers St, WC2N 6NE, gordonswinebar.com Gordons seems to get more and more crowded with each passing day, but perhaps rightly so: the beloved Embankment institution is made for knocking back bottles of wine in. Eat a few cold bites and chat into a long, unwinding evening. The wine list is good enough, but youre really here for the atmosphere: in summer, the terrace, buzzing, in winter, the caves indoors, crammed with noise, spilt wine, and joy. Social bar at City Social 25 Old Broad St, EC2N 1HQ, citysociallondon.com Youd think youre at City Social, up 24 stories of Tower 42, to eat, but if you stop in the bar, theres a good chance you wont make it to your table. The drinks come as something of a surprise: theyre so much better than one expects from a restaurant bar, inventive, put together carefully but not staidly, retaining a sense of fun. And, crucially, damned tasty. Its a dark room, and full of city types, but perfect for a few late night cocktails soaking up the view, which is really quite wonderful. Bloody pricey, but thats part of it. Ladies and Gentlemen 2 Highgate Rd, NW5 1NR, twitter.com William Borrells bolthole transcends its gimmick (which, if you hadnt guessed, is that its a converted public loo), with the help of some very handy bartenders, and its house-brewed gin, Highwayman, of which twelve bottles a day get distilled. Ladies & Gents manages well as a place for a quiet drink, or better yet, a place to quietly get roaringly drunk. Convenient indeed. The drinks are strong, very interesting, and theres plenty of odd sods on the wall to keep your conversation up. It maintains a veneer of being somewhere faintly upmarket, but youll probably end up reading from one of the books scattered around or trying to dance to the live music. Perfect for a date that gets out of hand. Bull In A China Shop 196 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6LG, bullinachinashop.london Truth it, youll need to catch this place on a good night, as weve been in often enough to know it has its good nights and its meh nights. But when the place is on, its really cooking, and easily one of the best bars in town. The cocktail list is short, but thought through, and care is taken in even the small things: they even make sure the water glasses are chilled. The chamomile and charcoal Old-Fashioned is a must, and any whisky lovers should get chatting to the bar staff, as theyve bottles which arent available anywhere else in the capital. Sager + Wilde Arch, 250 Paradise Row, E2 9LE, sagerandwilde.com Wine lovers rejoice, wine bores look elsewhere. Sager + Wilde admirably keep things unpretentious: the exposed brickwork sets the tone: theyre keeping things low key. The specials list changes regularly, and always with interesting choices introduced. Some of the wines are exclusive to this place, so youre all but guaranteed to try something new. Have a SHE + T (sherry with tonic, delicious), and absolutely do not leave without having the grilled cheese sandwich. 7 Tales at Sosharu 64 Turnmill St, EC1M 5RR, sosharulondon.com Underneath Jason Athertons Sosharu is this sexy, seedy Japanese drinking den, where youll find the hazy, debauched glamour of Tokyo after dark. Unlike so many bars underneath restaurants, 7 Tales doesnt feel like a holding pen, and drinks are precision made, with flavours leaning beyond the usual think rice-washed gin, sake, infusions of sesame, snacks like tempura. Bar snacks are an irresistible must. Callooh Callay 65 Rivington St, EC2A 3AY, calloohcallaybar.com Eccentric doesnt seem to quite cover it: enter the surreal world of Callooh Callay through an old Victorian wardrobe, catch sight of a throne and order punch out of a gramophone from a menu thats more of a sticker book. It sounds a bit ridiculous, but the bartenders really know their stuff, so for all the quirks, drinks are fundamentally pretty excellent. On the weekends, its a party bar, and DJs spin music to match: youre here for a good time. Any detectives in your gang will find there are two extra rooms in Callooh Callay to explore theyre hidden away, too, naturally. If youre good, you might even get an invite upstairs to the Jub Jub Room, where the 10-long cocktail list changes every three weeks. Fans should also head to their new offering in Angel, Little Bat. Dukes Bar Dukes Hotel, 35 St James's Pl, SW1A 1NY, dukeshotel.com Dukes is known for one reason: martinis. The St Jamess hotel was a favourite haunt of James Bond author and (very) keen drinker, Ian Fleming, who supposedly came up with the shaken, not stirred line here. Their martinis are exceptionally strong, and very large: theres a reason they wont serve you more than two. But look, break the mould: theyre a classic hotel bar, they serve a fine range of classic cocktails. Theres also a cognac and cigar garden, if youre so inclined. NOLA 1st Floor, 68 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY, nola-london.com It would be too easy to miss this place, so do your homework and saunter in: its must more attractive than sweatily asking anyone if theyve seen the place. Drawing inspiration from the home of proper cocktails, New Orleans, the bar loves traditional drinks, builds them properly and serves them in a den of music and laughter. Unlike some places specialising in old school serves, NOLA is a place for fun: sure, it seems to say, you could have a quiet drink but why would you want to? Theres a cracking cigar terrace too, small enough that everyone talks before heading back in for one hell of a Vieux Carre. Call Me Mr Lucky 11 Southwark St, SE1 1RQ, twitter.com All the hidden bars at the Breakfast Clubs around the capital are popular, with perhaps The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town being the best known. Call Me Mr Lucky, on Southwark Street, happens to be our favourite. Once youve flirted with the staff ask to get lucky youre taken through the restaurants kitchens to a lively bar decorated like some twisted take on a kids party. Have a go on the wheel of fortune, where youll really want to get lucky, and win a free shot, and then work your way through the cocktail list. Like any good-time bar worth its salt, this place is big on tequila, and the drinks are light-hearted fun, but here we go getting lucky again along with the quirks comes quality. By the of the evening, before youre porured back onto the street, youll swear tequila is your new favourite drink, and youll be singing the party hits they play all the way home. K Bar at The Kensington 109 - 113 Queen's Gate, SW7 5LP, townhousekensington.com K bar feels majestic and there is no other word for it because drinking here is a little like being in the captains quarters of the Titanic, albeit without the sinking feeling. There is glamour here: a kind of place to be seduced in. Cocktails wise, bar manager Ben Manchester is the man to ask for, but theres a fine list to choose from. It avoids stuffiness, and just needs to be packed out to really get cooking. Nightjar 129 City Rd, EC1V 1JB, barnightjar.com Nightjar has fame which means writing about it is redundant: people think it marvellously good, and theyve live music most of the week. Its seating only and worth booking: just be sure not to cancel, or theyll charge a steep 10 per person. They do the speakeasy theme, but well enough that it isnt too tired yet, and have plenty of old school style on the list. Pick up a pack of cards from the bar on your way out. Reverend J W Simpson 32 Goodge St, W1T 2QJ, revjwsimpson.com Bourne and Hollingsworth run this rather lovely little bar, downstairs from a small doorway on Goodge St. Service is friendly and speedy, it's comfortable, and drinks more than hold their own there's both obscure traditional mixes and modern serves made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Luckily, with good drinks come good people, and it's a loud, happy place. Albertine 1 Wood Ln, W12 7DP, albertinewinebar.co.uk Albertine hasnt changed much since the day East Enders was commissioned there. A wine bar through and through, youll struggle to get anything else (though there are a couple of ales on the menu.) Its a place with spirit, which draws a regular, devoted crowd. They sell everything they serve, and its well worth splashing out: the mark-up gets less and less as the bottles get more expensive, meaning you can get an absolute bargain at the top end of the list. Its also the kind of wine bar you go to to overindulge. First Aid Box 119 Dulwich Rd, SE24 0NG, firstaidbox2015.com This place really is worth travelling to Herne Hill to, which must be saying something. The team behind Shrub & Shutter have thickly laid on the pharmacy theme here, with cure-all drinks. Its not an idea which sounds like it should work, and yet, how much better life would be if they were one of the emergency services. Expect saline drips, syringes, and the likes of plastic lungs their take on thirst aid but rest assured, flavours arent medicinal in the slightest. At 8 - 10 a drink, its reasonable for London, and wonderful to see a bar really trying something new. Bravo. Media Wisdom Photography - Giles Christopher Nam Long Le Shaker 159 Old Brompton Rd, SW5 0LJ, namlong.co.uk It gained fame for its celebrity fans, which include Mick Jagger and Prince Harry, but Nam Long has held on longer than most A-list haunts: its been going 30 years, and recently was given an overhaul. Its quite possibly the most Chelsea place imaginable there are literally MIC cast members floating about and its a go-to spot to drink far too much and party. The upstairs area is bright, airy, and well looked after by the excellent bartenders, while downstairs "the Opium Den" is as it sounds (though there was no opium available when we asked... ) The drinks upstairs were made with more care, but downstairs is more intimate, opulent, and better for a small groups. Some of those Chelsea types who go really are the very worst, and the drinks are outrageously expensive, but hey, its a laugh. The Vault at Milroy's 3 Greek St, Soho, W1D 4NX, shop.milroys.co.uk A bar through a bookcase: were sold. Better yet, its underneath one of Sohos finest whisky shops with stiff competition from The Vintage House so if youre taken with something downstairs, buy it on your way out. Its a simple little bar and the service is decidedly so-so, but its usually pretty busy, they play good music and have an excellent range of spirits. The menu is changed regularly, but its a good place to cram into with friends or on a date. You mightnt spend the entire night here, but for a couple of drinks on the way somewhere, or on the way back, it fits the bill perfectly. Bounce 241 Old St, EC1V 9EY, bouncepingpong.com There are two Bounce bars, one on Old Street and one on Holborn. The Old Street spot is a little more fun, graffiti adorning the walls,the Holborn spot somewhat more upmarket. Still, they both deserve a mention, and for the simple reason theyre damned good fun. Drinks here are good, with a decent spirit selection at both (and a huge number of gins in Farringdon) and a respectable selection of beers. Food is fine, simple. Still, you come to play ping pong. Theyve tables everywhere. Theres little to fault with Bounce: its a laugh, and sometimes thats all somewhere needs to be. Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from Londons food scene. @susannahbutter Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout I ts tempting to think about human emotions as universal. If the joy, grief, or jealousy we experience today is the same as that felt by those living on the other side of the world, or by people hundreds of years ago, then cultural and historical distance becomes less significant; inner life less dauntingly complex. From Descartes, to Darwin, to Pixars Inside Out (2015), the idea that we have basic emotions continues to offer a satisfyingly neat account of a mystifying subject. Usually we are given around six to play with: anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. These emotions, we are told, have been felt in the same way by all people throughout time, because they are biological responses to age-old human problems. But what if its not that simple? What if the way we experience emotion is constantly changing, infinitely vulnerable to the shifting preoccupations and values of our cultures? To explore this idea, Ladybeard spoke to Dr. Elsa Richardson, from The Queen Mary Centre for The History of Emotions, about the ways in which our most private emotional experiences are socially constructed, and how everything from government policy, to gender roles, to the economy, is shaping the way we feel. You work with the first UK research centre dedicated to the history of emotions. How can emotions have histories? The word emotion itself didnt come into common usage until the 1830s. Before that, people described their passions, affectations, appetites, sentiments, or humours. It is possible to argue that human feelings have remained the same through time and only our means of expressing them has changed, but I would argue that the tools we have to describe our feelings the theoretical categories, imaginative descriptions, and cultural images that are made available to us effectively shape the way we experience the feelings themselves. If you believe, like the Greeks and Romans did, that the black bile of the liver is the cause of sadness that changes the way you feel that sadness. The meaning that individuals ascribe to their own emotional experience helps to create that experience. What is an example of an emotion that has changed over time or across cultures? Happiness has changed in interesting ways. As my colleague Tiffany Watt Smith writes in The Book of Human Emotions(2015) , in the 16th century, authors of self-help books were encouraging people to be sad. Today, happiness is seen as the most important life goal. Governments and psychologists have developed ways to measure and quantify happiness in the population, and theres a whole industry built around creating it. Happiness has always been considered a fleeting emotion, but the idea that we can actually engineer it is new. Whats particularly significant is the way that happiness has become bound up with the drive for success. So that one cannot simply be happy, one must put that happiness to work to achieve goals and thus become even happier. We have really limited the scope of what happiness might be, by binding it so closely to the idea of success and material gain. By entangling the idea of happiness with measures of health and achievement, I fear that we have transformed the feeling into another kind of work. Best books on mindfulness 1 /14 Best books on mindfulness Find your inner peace with our pick of the best mindfulness and meditation books... Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world This bestseller will get you in the right frame of mind for 2016. Based on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) a successful form of brief meditation this book's success relies on the way in which authors Mark Williams and Danny Penman optimistically focus on adding joy to your life as opposed to ridding it of unhappiness. 10.50, Amazon, Buy it now Anti-Stress Dot-to-Dot Always thought that dot-to-dots were an activity for children? Apprently you're wrong be wrong the pictures in this book, featuring elegant buildings and nature scenes, will relax and focus your mind in a way you never thought a dot-to-dot book could. 5, Amazon, Buy it now I Am Here Now This will help enhance both your observation and creativity; with an audio track (featuring musings from mindfulness teacher Tara Brach) and a field notes page for recording purposes, I Am Here Now will enable your thoughts and emotions to take on a new lease of life. 7, Amazon, Buy it now The Mindful Workplace What better time to deploy the theories of mindfulness than at work? This book, filled with Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques, provides an eight-week training course to keep your workplace attitude at its peak. 30.50, Amazon, Buy it now Get some headspace This book from Andy Puddicombe, founder of popular digital health platform Headspace, attempts to get people to take ten minutes out of their day for meditation purposes. Once the technique's been learned, these skills will stay with you for the rest of your life. 10, Amazon, Buy it now The Mindfulness Colouring Book Much like the dot-to-dot book above, this pocket-sized adult colouring book is the perfect activity for a 10-minute breather. Consider your stress and anxiety soothed. 4, Amazon, Buy it now The Little Book of Mindfulness In this day and age, it's more important to be in the moment than ever this book will help you with that. From Dr Patrizia Collard, these brief practices will rid your day of stress and have you feeling more optimistic. 4, Amazon, Buy it now Body Calm The saying mind over matter derives from the idea that our minds have the power to control our bodies if we really want them to. Equally, mental stress can have a damaging effect on our bodies. Newbigging teaches us a new self-healing meditation technique to help keep our bodies healthy and to understand the source of common stress and anxiety triggers. 11, Amazon, Buy it now The Power of Now The Power of Now has become one of the most famous mindfulness books out there. Helping us to tap into our innermost Being, Tolle guides us through various techniques to help us understand that the present moment is all that really matters. 8, Amazon, Buy it now A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled An ambassador for mental health awareness, Ruby Wax OBE has helped to make mindfulness accessible to all. Having suffered from depression herself, in this book she explores how modern living is causing us more stress and anxiety than ever as we know and see too much. Included are mindfulness exercises and tips for everyone from babies to adults; all with sound underlying scientific reasoning. 4, Amazon, Buy it now If culture determines what and how an individual feels, do our emotional repertoires differ across continents? What emotions are we missing because they are not valued by British society? Different languages contain different emotional vocabularies. In Japan there is a word, amae, which means the feeling of dependence on another person a family member, a lover, a friend and the knowledge that your needs will be met unconditionally by that person. Anthropologists have argued that amae is a key example of the way that our emotions are socially constructed: in Japans more collectivist culture, absolute trust in other members of the group is necessary in a way that it is not in more individualistic environments. That we dont have a word for amae in the English language might give us insight into what emotions are made possible within a given society. Does the fact that we have no equivalent reveal something about our attitude to gratitude or our privileging of self-sufficiency? Are there any striking examples of governments attempting to shape or control peoples emotions? My feeling is that we should be very wary of the ways that powerful institutions and governmental bodies can place particular emotions in the service of dominant ideology. Envy is an interesting example. Where jealousy is usually defined in terms of interpersonal relationships, envy is associated with the desire for someone elses material possessions. What is interesting is the way that envy has also served a political purpose: by dismissing complaints regarding wealth disparity as simply manifestations of a negative emotion, it is possible to discredit the quite legitimate grievances of the marginalised. When someone from a low-income background expresses anger at the ostentatious wealth of a city banker, say, it is easy to diffuse the political power of that righteous anger by reclassifying it as, simply, envy. Being overly emotional is something that is associated with women; if a man is emotional he is labelled effeminate. Why are there different emotional expectations for different genders? What I love about looking at the history of emotions is that it forces us to test assumptions about what is universal, constant, and pre-determined about our emotional experiences. This is particularly useful in relation to the question of how gender determines feeling. The assumption that women are more feeling than men is based on the division between rationality and emotionality, and the privileging of the former as a route to power, success, and dominance. Aligning women with the realm of the emotions has served as a highly effective way of excluding them from public discourse and action. Courage, for instance, has been predominantly thought of as a masculine virtue (at least since the time of the Ancient Greeks): to be courageous is to be manful but it also to reject the urge to be girlish, which is code for afraid. Conversely, emotional comfort has primarily been associated with women, and especially with the kind of maternal care that they are often asked to perform. Im not saying that either courage or comfort is naturally superior to the other, but its worth noting that we build monuments to the former and not to the latter. At the Wellcome Collections Feeling Emotional event in February 2016, Susie Orbach spoke about a period in her life in which she went on emotional strike. Does our culture raise women to act as conduits for the men in their lives? If so, how? Women are asked to take on the bulk of what has been described as emotional labour: we are still the primary caregivers in the home, and in the workplace we are expected to placate and please our male colleagues. This unfair division of labour is upheld by a flawed essentialist understanding of women as somehow naturally more emotionally attuned to the needs and sensitivities of others. What is especially interesting about Orbachs threat to go on emotional strike, is that this brings the language of industrial relations to bear on how we balance or manage our feelings at home. In doing so, she invites us to think about how emotions might be a kind of work in and of themselves a hidden and unpaid labour that falls disproportionately to women. Is social media changing the way we feel emotions? The kind of affective networks that social media facilitates suggest that they may be reshaping the way we feel emotions. In February 2016, Facebook replaced the like button with a range of responses Love, Sad, Angry and so on. This encourages us to formulate our response to a news story or a friends status in terms of the limited emotional categories Facebook has made available. Critics also suggest that social networks can actually fuel a kind of emotional contagion. Negative emotions spread the fastest online, with studies showing that anger is the most viral emotion. But we should be wary of viewing the relationship between media and emotions as in anyway unique to our time. Throughout history, print and images have provoked the same basic questions we are dealing with today, namely how emotions are presented, provoked and created by media? Can talking about our feelings ever be a bad thing? Ours is the culture of the over-share. Are we in danger of becoming overwhelmed or obsessed with our own feelings? Researching the history of emotions, Im struck by how often emotions are described as physically overwhelming. Less than 100 years ago it was actually possible to die of nostalgia. The last person to die of nostalgia was a U.S. soldier fighting in the First World War. Another example is love: to be in love in the Medieval period was to risk lovesickness, an amorous melancholy and erotic obsession that threatened the bodily health of the patient. Lovesickness was described by early modern writers as burning in the blood and liver a humoral imbalance caused by fixing the image of the lover in the mind. Commonly, the lovesickness patient wasnt able to understand any conversation unless it was about the beloved. A Parisian physician writing in the 12th century noted that: From the souls part are depressed thoughts and worries, so that if someone talks about something, the patient scarcely understands; if, however, he speaks of the beloved, he is immediately moved. The danger of becoming obsessed with our own feelings, and boring our friends to death with them, is apparently not specific to our own time. Ladybeard magazine is a UK print magazine that takes the form of a glossy magazine, but revolutionises the content, working in themed issues to open up old topics to vital new perspectives. Their latest edition, the 'Mind Issue' looks at the blurred spaces between the conventional ideas of 'mad' and 'sane', and in doing so, touches on a range of mental health issues. They are celebrating the launch of the issue on the 12th November in London (tickets here). The below article, from the Mind Issue, has been reprinted with permission of Ladybeard magazine, Copyright 2016 . All rights reserved. Read more from Refinery29: 30 Sleep Tips For People With Anxiety I Tried A Deprivation Tank For My Anxiety More People Were Calling RAINN's Sexual Assault Hotline After Trump's Video Leaked P rince Harry will meet the man who inspired The Horse Whisperer to learn about his pioneering methods to help traumatised soldiers. Monty Roberts will teach Harry his secrets when the two meet at the Queens Sandringham estate. Roberts, 81, said the 32-year-old prince, who left the Army last year, was keen to experience how working with horses could help former soldiers tackle post-traumatic stress disorder. The Californian cowboys work has already helped transform the lives of US veterans with psychological problems, or what Roberts calls hidden wounds. He said: The prince has learned of this work and wanted to get a greater understanding. It will be an honour to show him. Monty Roberts inspired the bestselling novel The Horse Whisperer. Roberts, who has been a trusted adviser to the Queen on her horses and corgis for more than a quarter of a century, became known as the real horse whisperer when his book on non-violent training methods was published. He was said to be the inspiration behind the character Tom Booker in Nicholas Evanss bestselling book The Horse Whisperer, which was adapted into a film with Robert Redford in the title role although Evans has since claimed he met Roberts only once and based the character on several different people. Roberts has developed a three-day programme, called Horse Sense And Healing, to help veterans. He said: I call it join-up. It is a way of communicating with a horse and offers a powerful tool to help deal effectively with the emotional trauma of combat stress and the resulting anger, social withdrawal and mistrust. Experiencing a join-up, and the all-important moment of causing a horse to trust you, can be a powerful catalyst for finding hope and positivity as part of their recovery. Prince Harry attends the Wellchild awards in London 1 /13 Prince Harry attends the Wellchild awards in London Warm embrance: Prince Harry was hugged by five-year-old Ollie Carroll who is terminally ill at the WellChild awards PA The prince delighted Ollie Carroll by making faces as they were introduced PA Prince Harry (right) reacts as he greets Noah and Oscar, the children of WellChild Special Recognition Award Winner PA Prince Harry (right) reacts as he meets Inspirational Young Person Award Winner Myles Sketchley PA PA Prince Harry gestures as he attends the WellChild Awards in London PA PA Prince Harry (centre) reacts as he meets Good Morning Britain Inspirational Young Hero Award Winner Jessica Davis PA Prince Harry (right) attends the WellChild Awards at The Dorchester Hotel in London PA Prince Harry (centre) gestures as he talks with guest PA Horses act as a mirror for a persons emotions, and participants quickly tune in as to how to manage their reactions and responses useful tools which can be used to cope with everyday life, confront painful memories and progress their recovery. It is humbling to watch how moving and transformational even such a short interaction with a horse can be. On the Queen, Roberts said: I owe Her Majesty everything. If she hadnt pushed me, I would still be a cowboy from Salinas and the world would not know about my methods of training horses with non-violence. They still regularly talk about all things equine. She always takes my calls, he said. Every year, two, three, four times a year that we get together, we discuss whats happened, we discuss what we want to do. Roberts and his team are looking for the UKs trickiest horse. Apply for your horse to feature in a demonstration at intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk C roatias coastal cities of Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar are increasingly big players on Europes beach tourism scene. But the countrys inland capital remains relatively overlooked. There are many reasons why this is a mistake, but for those in the know it is also a boon the citys relatively quiet, untouristy streets only add to its appeal. The lowdown: With a relatively small population of around a million, Zagreb is not trying to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Berlin in the city stakes. But it really punches above its weight when it comes to its culture, history and food and drink scene. Zagreb from above / Croatian National Tourist Board A large part of this is down to its long, diverse (and often troubled) history. Since originating from a Roman settlement between the 1st and 5th centuries, the city has stood firm while Croatia has varyingly been a part of Venetian, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires as well as more recently Yugoslavia. Modern day Croatia only founded in 1991 pulls together influences from all of these eras, resulting in a fascinatingly hotchpotch country where Soviet and Germanic influences nestle comfortably with those from Italy and the Mediterranean. Zagreb is the beating heart of this: think Bologna meets Berlin. What is there to do? Zagreb is teeming with cultural attractions. At the top of the historical sightseeing agenda are Medieval St Marks Church and Neo Gothic Zagreb Cathedral, while the fascinating Museum of Broken Relationships is an exhibition truly unlike those youll find in other cities. Zagreb's atmospheric winding streets / Croatian National Tourist Board Visit the maze-like narrow streets of the citys Upper Town for great drinking spots, and better still take a guided tour to discover the dramatic history that has unfolded where you walk. The citys main attractions are all in easy wandering distance, though you may want to add a trip on one of the citys famous trams onto your list for good measure. Food and drink should feature highly on your itinerary, with excellent Italian restaurants and superb pizza on offer alongside meat-oriented traditional dishes at laid-back bistros with streetside seating. Locally produced wine and olive oil are matters of national pride for Croatians, so make sure you indulge relatively little money can get you something really quite special. Traditional dish: Octopus salad with lemon and olive oil / Restaurant Vinodol Theres also a burgeoning craft beer scene, mainly to be found in the citys many hip bars which also offer live music into the early hours. Where should I stay? Palace Hotel, set between the citys main railway station and the Upper Town, is housed within an Art Nouveau palace built in 1891 with grand features to match, while the centrally located Art Hotel is a less expensive but still impressive choice. For something ultra-plush, Hotel Esplanade is the where guests travelling to the city via the Orient Express used to choose to stay. How much does it cost? A city break in Zagreb is still affordable in the post-Brexit landscape, with flights regularly available from 120 return, and both food and drink relatively cheap once you land. That said, its far from the dirt cheap place that this part of the world was not too many years ago. When should I visit? Youll discover very different sides of Zagreb whether you visit in sunny summer or snowy winter. Go between June and September for Mediterranean-style sun-drenched streets or visit in December when the city goes large on Christmas markets its market was recently voted best in Europe ahead of its German and Austrian rivals. You should go here if You fancy a food and culture-filled European city break with a difference, and fewer crowds than the usual suspects. Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum T he parents of a shy and loving business student left fighting for life after being stabbed by a gang of up to ten teenagers in south London today begged witnesses to come forward. Scotland Yard today released these CCTV images of three suspects, including one walking with the aid of a crutch, who they are hunting in connection with the vicious, unprovoked attack. Jamel Boyce, 17, a student at St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College, was stabbed multiple times in the chest and legs when he was ambushed by the gang behind a Sainsburys supermarket in Clapham at 7.10pm on Friday. Three people have so far been arrested in connection with the attack but police believe up to ten young men were in the area at the time of the stabbing. The teenagers parents, Pansy and Patrick Boyce, today made an emotional appeal for anyone with information to help catch their sons attackers. Police issued images of three suspects they want to trace after the stabbing His father said: Jamel is a very loving son, who is kind and considerate always putting others before himself. This should never have happened to Jamel and Im asking if anyone has any information concerning who has done this to please contact the police. His mother described her son as a shy, loving boy who is always smiling, adding: Jamel is my only child and Im asking if anyone knows anything no matter how small to please contact the police. Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 7.10pm on Friday to reports that the teenager had been stabbed in Triangle Place, a residential street behind Clapham High Street. Officers and paramedics found 17-year-old Jamal, who had been with a group of friends, suffering stab wounds to the chest and legs. He was taken to a south London hospital where he remains in a critical condition. Detectives had said they particularly want to speak to members of the public who gave first aid to the stricken teenager. One of the suspects was pictured walking with a crutch Detective Sergeant Paul Graves, from Lambeth CID, said: This appears to have been an unprovoked attack on a young student who was simply going about his business that day. Jamel currently remains in a critical condition and this has caused much distress to his parents and loved ones. We believe a number of those involved in the incident are around the same age as Jamel and I am directly appealing to their family and friends. "If you have the slightest indication that someone you know may have been involved in this incident I would encourage you to get them to hand themselves into the police. We understand that some might have some concerns about speaking to the police but it is important that those with vital information do come forward and help us with our inquiry. Anyone with any information or anyone who recognises the individuals in the images is asked to contact Lambeth CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Two men, both 20, arrested in connection with stabbing have been bailed until January. A 17-year-old arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on Monday is being held in custody. A second inmate has been arrested after a man was stabbed to death and another two were left fighting for their lives at Pentonville prison. Scotland Yard launched a murder investigation following reports of a stabbing at the north London jail on Tuesday at around 3.30pm. When police arrived at the scene they found three men suffering from stab wounds. An inmate in his 20s was declared dead at the scene. The victim has yet to be formally identified and police said they are in the process of informing his next of kin. A post-mortem examination will take place in due course. Two other men, aged 21 and 30, were rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Police said last night a 34-year-old prisoner was arrested in connection with the stabbing. Today, Scotland Yard confirmed a 26-year-old inmate has also been held. Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating and enquiries continue. A female commuter chased a thug down a Tube platform after he allegedly threatened and assaulted an unsuspecting passenger. Footage shared online shows a bald man punching an Asian man in the face on a train at Upton Park in an apparent random attack. As the attacker flees, a woman sitting next to the victim leaps from her seat and gives chase down the length of the platform. The video, which has been shared on social media, was brought to the attention of police who confirmed they are investigating. Pursuit: The woman sprints down the platform after a 'racist' attack on the Tube / Twitter The incident took place at around 3:40pm on Monday, 17 October. Attack: The assault was captured on video by a Tube passenger / Twitter The British Transport Police said the footage was being studied as part of an ongoing investigation" and that it could not comment further. Vigilante: The woman leapt off the train to challenge the man / Twitter Outraged social media users condemned the attack but questioned what prompted the altercation in the firts place, and why it was being filmed. One tweeter wrote: Despicable but seems more to the story. No one films videos of other people randomly. Another described the attackers behaviour as disgusting. Police later said a 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident after officers were made aware of the video. The man was arrested on suspicion of "assault occasioning actual bodily harm and using threatening or abusive words/behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harrassment, alarm or distress". He has been bailed until November 14. Do you know the woman in the footage? Contact our news desk on 0203 6152500 or news@standard.co.uk T he eight-year-olds arrived mid-afternoon at Kids Cookery School, impatient to get to work. What are we cooking today? asked Douglas, looking expectantly at Cordon Bleu chef Fiona Hamilton-Fairley. Whats the thing you do before you start cooking? the founder of the Kids Cookery School asked them. Off they ran. Minutes later, hands washed, aprons neatly tied, the eight youngsters from Berrymede Junior School on the South Acton estate stood smartly at their work stations, ready to cook stuffed jacket potatoes for their dinner and fruit muffins for dessert. But first came tips about cutting down on salt, not cooking in deep fat oil and a quiz on the ingredients of muffins. Um, eggs, um, self-raising flour, now can we start cooking? demanded Douglas. Every year, more than 3,000 children aged three to 16 are taught to cook by Fiona at her base in Acton, or via the mobile unit she takes into community centres and schools. Sixty per cent of these children come from families in poverty or have special needs, including those who are dyslexic, blind, deaf, who use oxygen tanks or wheelchairs. Children mix ingredients which would have been thrown away / Matt Writtle The kids learn basic hygiene, food preparation and how to cook a meal from scratch using surplus food, said Fiona, 53, a mother of three. We might teach them how to make a pizza, lasagna, omelette, quiche or chicken and mushroom pie. Our ingredients are super healthy and super fresh. She gestured to several large cardboard boxes of peppers, mushrooms, leeks and broccoli. And for that we have Felix to thank. Kids Cookery School gets 90 per cent of its food ingredients free, delivered by The Felix Project, a charity that picks up surplus food from supermarkets and takes it to charities and which has been at the heart of our Food for London campaign. Fionas charity is also an example of the type of organisation that could benefit from grants of up to 20,000 as part of the campaigns 320,000 grants programme. Fiona Hamilton-Fairly teaches youngsters how to cook / Matt Writtle Felix saves us around 70 a week, or 3,500 a year, which is a critical saving for a small charity like ours and we will also be applying for a grant because the work we do with kids is vital to tackling food poverty and food waste in London, said Fiona. The importance of teaching children how to cook was highlighted at last weeks Evening Standard food forum when Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of the Leon Restaurants chain, advocated mandatory cookery classes for children up to age 11. We need to urgently improve the next generations cooking skills if we are to tackle food waste and food poverty, he said. Our Food for London campaign What is it? This 1 million-plus initiative seeks to redistribute surplus food to tackle food poverty. What are we doing? 1. Backing the scale-up of The Felix Project our flagship charity which picks up surplus fresh produce from food suppliers and delivers it to a range of charities that provide meals for those in need. 2. Awarding grants to groups through an open grants programme. Who can apply for grants? If you are a charity, community group or social enterprise tackling food waste and/or using fresh food to address food poverty, you can apply for a grant of up to 20,000. Apply by November 11 to The London Community Foundation at: londoncf.org.uk/grants/food-for-london.aspx Who are our backers? We have raised more than 800,000 for Felix from Citi, Sainsburys, Lush founders Mark and Mo Constantine, The Dispossessed Fund, a hedge-fund boss and the Felix Byam Shaw Foundation, which has pledged to match money raised for Felix with up to 750,000. The 320,000 grants programme is funded by Citi, D&D London and The Dispossessed Fund. HOW YOU CAN HELP The Felix Project is looking for more: 1) Food suppliers, including supermarkets, wholesalers and food outlets. 2) Charities that provide meals for those in need and could benefit from free fresh food. Please email Daisy@TheFelixProject.org Almost half of British 16-year-olds have never cooked a family meal, found a survey on behalf of Unilever and environmental charity Hubbub. It also indicated a growing reliance on convenience foods, with the number of British families eating a home-cooked meal at least six nights a week dropping from 47 per cent 30 years ago to 15 per cent today. Researchers found that, by the age of 11, 44 per cent of children had never boiled an egg and 28 per cent had never peeled a potato. For Fiona, exposing children to new ingredients, teaching them how to use food effectively and to embrace cooking as part of their skill-set is the key. The fact that food poverty co-exists with supermarkets wasting good food is plain bonkers, but I have no doubt that the solution includes educating kids to be more adept, resourceful and adventurous in their own kitchens. Fiona was a high-end freelance caterer working for bankers and corporate types in the City before she was inspired by her oldest son to start Kids Cookery School. Twenty years ago, I watched my sons school rip out their home economics kitchen and turn it into a computer suite, she said. My eldest son was five at the time and in a special needs unit for high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome kids. I thought, if he doesnt eat well and healthily, he cant learn, he cant get on in life. So I took him and five friends and did a cookery class around the kitchen table at home. The kids loved it. And thats when Kids Cookery School began. Fiona reckons that she has taught more than 50,000 children in the past 20 years. Many of the kids who come to us eat junk food because its easily accessible. What we do is teach them how to peel a potato and how to connect with fresh food, so that they can interact with it. The children take home what they make and the recipes as well. Some of them will no doubt be teaching their parents. For 90 minutes, I watched as eight youngsters became totally immersed in stuffing potatoes with green peppers, K umbuka the gorilla, who sparked panic when he escaped from his cage at London Zoo, downed five litres of undiluted squash during his bid for freedom, it has been revealed. Zoological Director, Professor David Field, made the claim in a blog outlining the Zoological Society of London's initial investigation into what happened. Despite claims amde at the time, Professor Field said there were no broken locks and Kumbuka did not smash any windows, denying that he was ever actually "on the loose". He wrote the silverback gorilla had been taken into his private night quarters for dinner on October 13 when the incident happened Professor Field explained: "Unfortunately the door to his den had not been properly secured and a secondary security door had not yet been locked. "Weve since established that Kumbuka made an opportunistic escape from his unlocked den into the staff-only service corridor where a zookeeper was working. London Zoo gorilla returned safely after escaping enclosure "Thanks to the incredibly close bond and relationship shared by the zookeeper and Kumbuka, the zookeeper was able to continually reassure Kumbuka, talking to him calmly and in the same light-hearted tone he would always use, as he removed himself from the area." He went on: "Staff raised the alarm that triggered our standard escape response, while Kumbuka briefly explored the zookeeper area next door to his den, where he opened and drank five litres of undiluted blackcurrant squash. Escape: The gorilla seemed calm and peaceful before the incident / Rob Hogan. "Kumbuka was immediately contained in the non-public area by quick-thinking zookeepers responding to the alarm, where he was tranquilised and moved back into his den." The director said Kumbuka had been put safely back in his home within two hours and was soon "snacking on treats, and probably wondering what all the fuss was about". He wrote: "Now that the initial facts have been established, its our job to understand any contributing factors that allowed an experienced and highly trained zookeeper to make a mistake with the doors." Some have argued that, after what happened, the animal should never be put back on show. Sir David Attenborough discusses gorillas and zoos on Good Morning Britain Professor Lee, former president of the Primate Society of Great Britain, said the silverback gorillas attempted break-out signals a sense of crisis and desperation. But Professor Field said the animal had only prtrayed typical behaviour for an alpha male gorilla. He wrote: "The magnitude of personal responsibility that zookeepers feel for the animals in their care, the colleagues they work with every day and the thousands of visitors to their zoo is indescribable. "It is this sense of responsibility that provides some of our strongest security measures. We know that humans sometimes make mistakes, but these are rare. "We also know that automating every security system poses a greater risk of mechanical failure, and could lead to an over-reliance on technology that will create the kind of complacency that has no place here. "We will continue to work with our keeping teams to identify any adjustments or modifications that can help avoid any repeat mistake in future, but ultimately our trust in our people is not shaken." A young woman today told of how she fears to get in a minicab again after an Uber driver punched her in the face and racially abused her in a row over drop-offs. Taleka White, 27, was dragged from the car and hit twice across the face after her driver, Shahab Akbar, 33, flew into a rage in Addiscombe, south London. Non-emergency paramedic Ms White, who has a four-year-old son, was left with a lump on her head, bruising to her face and a bloodied wrist and knuckles. Akbar was handed a 16-week suspended prison sentence and a community order at Croydon magistrates court yesterday after being found guilty of one count of racially aggravated common assault on September 23. Ms White described the attack as a nightmare part of her life and said she has been left feeling too frightened to get into a minicab again. Injuries: Her reddened hand / Taleka White She said: I no longer trust minicab drivers. I have become very concerned about how I get home from a night out. It has taken the fun out of my life. I have become the designated driver for my friends. Prosecutor Angela Mahadeo told the court the Ms White and her friend had taken a lift using the Uber minicab app after a night out in Croydon on November 29 last year. Guilty: Shahab Akbar / Guilty: Shahab Akbar She said Akbar grew angry when he became confused over where to drop her friend. He then began to insult Ms White and called her a black c*** as she continued the journey alone before he attacked her, she said. Akbar, who is married to a teacher, had his private hire vehicle licence revoked after the assault and no longer drives for Uber. Mitigating, Ernest Aduwa told the court it was an isolated incident and that Akbar, who had been an Uber driver for two years at the time of the assault, was of a man of good character with no previous convictions. Raw: A photo of Ms White's knuckles shared on Twitter / Taleka White He told the court: Whilst he doesnt accept that he committed the offence, he does accept that the behaviour alleged is unacceptable. He would like me to tell the court that this whole experience has been embarrassing for him and has been quite traumatic and left him feeling ashamed. Speaking to the Standard after the verdict, Ms White said: I think more than anything I wanted him to admit to what he had done. He has shown no remorse at all and what he did was quite serious. In court, they said he was of good character - good character would have been to hold his hands up after he was found guilty and offer an apology. It was insulting for him to say that he was ashamed and embarrassed by what happened. He is just upset that he got caught. A spokesman for Uber said: We were appalled by this horrific incident. Uber does not tolerate violence or discrimination of any kind. "We assisted the police with their investigation and immediately stopped this licensed driver from being able to use our app. Akbar was sentenced to a 16 week prison sentence suspended for 24 months and a 200 hour community order. He was ordered to pay 500 in compensation to the victim, an 150 victim surcharge and 600 in costs. F OREIGN Secretary Boris Johnson found time in his busy schedule to rally the troops at Conservative Party HQ last night, manning the phone banks for the Witney by-election. It was, of course, David Camerons old seat, and Boris praised him. David Cameron is such a nice man, he said. Such a generous man. I dont think he would mind, I dont think he would be insulted if we got an even bigger majority. But was the party being faithful to Boris? What was notable were the jolly hecklers trying to get Johnson into hot water with their cries. Theres only one problem we face, he said, one cloud on the horizon, bigger than a mans hand what is that? Trump, an audience member heckled. No, um... its not Trump. Im becoming a master of diplomacy, as you know, and nothing would induce me to pass any comment whatsoever about the American elections. Or the Russians? another voice piped up. Cue much bluster from Boris. But then he got himself into his own tangle. The Lib-Dems are insurgent in Witney, and Boris launched into an attack on them. Just when you think youve eradicated them they seam themselves again into the byways of the countryside of Oxfordshire like ragwood, he said. Like yellow ragwood is it Japanese knotweed? Thats orange, isnt it? Nasty, Japanese, orange knotweed. Gasps followed. But not because its Japanese, he hastily added. We are on very good relations with Tokyo but we need to eradicate them. The Liberal Democrats. Crisis averted for now. -- DIRECTOR Oliver Stones new drama Snowden, based on the controversial whistleblower, sees Joely Richardson play former Guardian US editor-in-chief Janine Gibson. Does the favourable casting mean Gibson made a beeline for the premiere? I havent seen it, Gibson, now at the helm of BuzzFeed, told us yesterday. And no, I havent ever met or spoken to Joely. I hear she said that she looks nothing like me, and I can indeed confirm that I look nothing like the gorgeous, six-foot blonde glamazon Joely Richardson. Peyton and Byrne curdles and separates WE SHALL fight them on the beaches. We shall fight them in the cafes. Last month EU Brexit chief and Malta PM Joseph Muscat sent a message to Britain: You cant have your cake and eat it. It seems that he may have been correct. Restaurateur and Great British Menu judge Oliver Peytons catering company, Peyton and Byrne, is in administration. It will be split in two, with the Peyton family taking charge of the baking operations, and respected French brand Sodexo buying the arm that supplies nibbles to British landmarks like the ICA, National Gallery and Imperial War Museum.Those Europeans, coming over to our country and selling us fig rolls. Strictly and Camilla are on the menu at Fortnums Last night Fortnum & Mason launched The Cook Book, by Tom Parker Bowles featuring 300 years of the stores most delicious secrets. Strictly hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman showed support but were they on the hunt for a new addition to the programme? Judge Craig Revel Horwood has previously said the Duchess of Cornwall would be his choice. Asked about Prince Charles winning Londoner of the Decade at the Evening Standard Progress 1000 awards, the Duchess said: He didnt think he deserved it. He was thrilled but he wasnt expecting it. -- CHILDRENS charity Variety threw its inaugural Hall of Fame gala at the London Hilton on Park Lane last night, toasting performers such as Gary Barlow and Elaine Paige. Comedian Al Murray hosted, and afterwards The Londoner wondered if his incarnation, The Pub Landlord, would have voted for Brexit. Technically the pub landlord cant vote because hes died in five consecutive pub fires for tax and insurance purposes, Murray laughed. But if he could, he definitely would have voted for Brexit. Hed regret it now, though. Sometimes youve got to be careful what you wish for in life. Blessed by the royal touch Its not every day that the Queen sends a personal memo to a party, but when the celebration in question is for the re-opening of The Queens House, it all makes perfect sense. The doors to the Greenwich landmark, which was built by Palladian architect Inigo Jones for Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I, opened again for the first time in 15 months after a 3 million refurbishment, and the evening was marked by a dinner and a speech by Sir Charles Dunstone, the philanthropic co-founder of Carphone Warehouse. A huge amount of work and conservation has been undertaken for its reopening, and there are exciting new displays of paintings, said Her Majesty through Dunstone. I am also pleased to note the acquisition for the nation of the Armada portrait of the first Elizabeth especially so in my 90th year I send my warm good wishes for a happy and successful event. There isnt quite a party like a party with royal approval, is there? Melania the cover girl FOR the first time in history, US Vogue yesterday declared its official support of a presidential candidate: Hillary Clinton. Back in 2005, however, Anna Wintour made Melania Trump (nee Knauss, right) a cover star with a 14-page, Testino-lensed editorial titled How to Marry a Billionaire. In it, Vogue helps Melania organise her opulent wedding. The magazine also reveals that Donald popped the question at Wintours 2004 Met Ball, with Melania in a Versace dress that he won at a Vogue auction. He enjoyed the bidding so much that, to the thunderous applause of all present, he outbid himself from $27,000 to $30,000, observed the magazine. More recently, Wintour secured exclusive coverage of Amal and George Clooneys wedding. Perhaps she has high political hopes for them too. -- Lyrical rejection of the day: after the Nobel Prize for Literature committee failed to contact winner Bob Dylan, fans beg them to Stop knock knockin on Dylans door. M Ps have elected Labour's Hilary Benn to lead the new cross-party select committee on Brexit, with Labour's Yvette Cooper chairing scrutiny on Home Affairs. Mr Benn, who campaigned against Britain leaving the EU, will now scrutinise David Davis's department. Ms Cooper is the latest chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, replacing Keith Vaz who stood down after being embroiled in a rent boy scandal. Former cabinet minister Ms Cooper shared a kiss on the cheek with Chuka Umunna, who missed out on the position, after the announcements were made in the House of Commons. Tory MP Damian Collins was named as the new chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. Fellow Tory MP Stephen Metcalfe was named chair of the Science and Technology Committee. T he governments announcement that tea, jam and biscuits will be at the centre of the UKs Brexit trade strategy has been ridiculed by critics as embarrassing. The digital backlash came after Environment Minister Andrea Leadsom unveiled plans to export food and drink to foreign countries in a bid to galvanise the economy post-Brexit. Speaking at a trade fair in Paris, Ms Leadsom said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched an International Action Plan for Food and Drink. She hopes it will bring 2.9bn to the British economy over five years by tapping into nine markets across 18 countries. Andrea Leadsom announced a five-year "international action plan" setting out ways to tap into nine markets across 18 countries / PA It includes an extra 185 million in exports of British products such as tea, jam and biscuits to Japan and an additional 293 million worth of exports to Australia and New Zealand to meet a growing demand for British beer and cider. Latin America's increasing interest in a wide range of British products, such as whisky and gin, could mean a potential 215 million export boost to the area, according to the plan. But the idea has been ridiculed on Twitter with users describing it as crazed and out of touch about British identity. One user, tweeting under the handle Citizen of nowhere in reference to the PM's controversial remark last week, posted: Britains Brexit plan is to sell PG Tips to India, penguins to Antarctica and Bonne Maman to France. Good job. Another wrote: So Britains Brexit plan is to sell jam and tea, to think I had no faith in the government, it's obviously being run by scholars and academics. Others pointed out that tea is not actually grown in this country. Ross Purves said: "Britain's Brexit plan is to sell tea to other countries. You know that we don't grow tea here right?" Ms Leadsom said at Monday's trade fair: Our food and drink is renowned for having the very best standards of animal welfare, quality and safety and I want even more of the world to enjoy what we have to offer. Scottish salmon, Welsh beef, Northern Irish whiskey and English cheese are already well-known globally and I want us to build on this success by helping even more companies send their top quality food and drink abroad. Theresa May announced at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham earlier this month that she would invoke Article 50 by the end of March 2017 at the latest. This means the UK will be outside the EU by 2019. T he British Army has been forced to apologise after it posted and then deleted an allegedly racist tweet. It showed a camouflaged soldier pulling a surprised face, accompanied by the caption: Being a #soldier in the jungle requires a robust sense of humour. But many outraged social media users were quick to claim the soldier is blacking up and labelled the post disgraceful. An army spokesman told the Standard: The content of the tweet shows a picture of a soldier wearing camouflage and concealment measures, standard for jungle training in Belize. Deleted: the post was removed after a barrage of furious comments We can see how the tweet may have been misinterpreted, have immediately removed it and apologise for any offence it may have caused. The image, which was posted at 10.21 this morning, shows a soldier crouched on the ground with a firearm in one hand, turning back to look at the camera. His face is entirely covered in dark green camouflage paint and he is making a shocked face, with open eyes and mouth. Despite quickly garnering 70 likes, the post was also met with a barrage of criticism and was deleted after less than an hour. Furious Twitter users claimed the sense of humour refers to the soldiers face paint and not the face he is pulling. One tweeter wrote: I detest the idea of non-white people fighting for a country that sees their skin colour as something to joke about. Several suggested that a new social media management position will be opening up at the army soon. Zoe Davis added: Looks like British Army deleted their tweet. Luckily screenshots exist! This really isnt appropriate is it! However, lots of Twitter users also leapt to the armys defence, saying that that the paint was simply camouflage required for the job and the sense of humour referred to the soldiers facial expressions. One wrote: Would you rather A. Be considered a racist or B. Be seen, then captured and possibly tortured. Its camouflage not blacking up. A deadly black widow spider was found hiding in a box of aeroplane parts at Gatwick airport by terrified workers. Staff at Aerfin, an aviation supply company, found the 4cm venomous spider while unpacking a large box of brake parts from Arizona. Stores and Logistics Officer, Rob Green, managed to coax the spider, which is native to North America, into a plastic tub before calling the RSPCA for help. Veminous: The red spots on the spider's abedoman indicate that she is a black widow / RSPCA Mr Green, 36, said: It was a bit of a shock finding her in the box. She mustve been in there for quite a while as the box was packaged up in Arizona back in December and arrived over here in July. She has done very well to survive that long in there." He said he quickly realised that the spider, which he has since nicknamed Nadia, was not a UK native. But it wasnt until I saw the red spot on her abdomen that alarm bells rang and we looked up what she was. Mr Green added: We werent frightened as I think there have been hardly any deaths from these spider bites - and Nadia was fine. We popped her in the box and called the RSPCA for help. The spider was found with two sacks filled with her eggs. Eggs: Nadia was found with two sacks of her eggs / RSPCA RSPCA inspector Tony Woodley removed the spider from the depot taking it to a specialist centre in East Sussex. Mr Woodley said: We certainly dont have many of these spiders coming into our care or call outs for their rescue! It was great these guys saved her and kept her safe - many other people probably would not have been as compassionate and kind. Spiders do give a lot of people the heebie jeebies! G ary Lineker found himself at the centre of a furious social media backlash after he described some attitudes towards young refugees in Britain as hideously racist. The former England striker and Match of the Day host posted the tweet after the first wave of young refugees arrived in London from the notorious Calais Jungle camp. He tweeted: The treatment by some towards these young refugees is hideously racist and utterly heartless. What's happening to our country? The comment prompted a storm of abuse from some tweeters who demanded Mr Lineker take refugees into his own home to back up the remark. Fourteen teenage boys arrived in Croydon on Monday but some, including MPs, expressed fears that some of the group looked older than their supposed ages. Former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson replied: They are not children you clown. If you care that much why don't you adopt one of these "children" While William Stewart added: How about we look after OUR own before other countries? Answer that one Lineker! The Home Office defended its age assessment process against criticism, saying it worked closely with French authorities to ensure refugees were qualified to claim asylum. A US fast food chain opening branches in Malaysia has been told it cannot use the word 'dog' on menus because it will offend the country's Muslim population. Auntie Annes Pretzel Dog must be renamed Pretzel Sausage, say officials. The Malaysian Islamic Development Department told the U.S. company that the word dog should not appear on any of its menus as part of conditions to obtain halal certification. Dogs are thought to be unclean in Islam. Auntie Annes, which already has 45 outlets in Malaysia, said it will comply with the request. Malaysia is a majority Muslim country, where Muslims represent approximately 60 per cent of the countrys 30 million people. M ore than 900 people have fled the Iraqi city of Mosul and crossed the border into Syria, the UN refugee agency said today It is the first large group of civilians confirmed to have escaped since the Iraqi government began its offensive to liberate the city from Islamic State (IS). Up to 1.5 million people are thought to be in Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, with up to 5,000 fighters. A spokeswoman for the Office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the 900 people from Mosul were now at a refugee camp in Syria. Residents reached by telephone by Reuters said IS had tried to prevent people fleeing the city and had directed some towards buildings likely to be targeted by air strikes. But the movement of a significant number of people indicates that IS militants are not able to stop everyone leaving. However, it has raised fears that some fighters might try to use the same route to flee. Iraqi Government troops are moving up from the south towards Mosul while their Kurdish allies are approaching from the east in a two-pronged campaign which began on Monday. They are still between 19 and 25 miles from the city. Progress has been slowed by suicide bomb attacks and roadside bombs. Loading.... US defence officials have accused IS of stopping civilians leaving Mosul so it can use them as human shields. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said: They are being held there against their will. We have not seen any change in the last day of people leaving or fleeing. Residents said IS was preventing people fleeing and had directed some of them towards buildings likely to be targeted by air strikes. The International Organisation for Migration fears IS might even use chemical weapons. The capture of Mosul in 2014 signalled the rise of IS as a major force. Government and Iraqi forces are still besieging Qaraqosh to the east, where snipers have been holding up the advance. US President Barack Obama has sought to allay concerns about an exodus of civilians from the area, saying plans and infrastructure are in place for dealing with a potential humanitarian crisis. A Texas vet who shot a cat dead with a bow and arrow and posted the gruesome photo online has been banned from working as a vet for a year. Kristen Lindsey, 33, posted a photo of a dead cat with an arrow through its head on Facebook last year. The caption alongside the distressing photo read: My first bow kill lol. The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through its head! Vet of the year awardgladly accepted. The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners decided on Tuesday to suspend Ms Lindseys vet licence for one year, banning her from practising. After the one-year ban is up she will only be able to work as a vet under conditions of probation for four years. The controversial photo of dead cat Tiger sparked uproar among animal activists and a string of debates on what action to take, if any, against Ms Lindsey. Ms Lindsey, who is a vegetarian, was fired from her job at the Washington Animal Clinic, US news site My San Antonio reported. Shortly after it happened the clinic said they were absolutely appalled, shocked, upset and disgusted by the conduct. The Austin County Sheriffs Office launched an investigation but in June last year decided not to charge Ms Lindsey with a crime. The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners received 700 formal complaints and more than 27,000 emails about Ms Lindsey in just over five months. Many people took to Twitter to complain the one-year ban was not long enough, Alyssa Flysiak called it "disgusting" while Amanda Palmer called the decision "a joke". A mericans living in London are being urged to register to vote in the upcoming US presidential election. The campaign group, Democrats Abroad UK, are making a final push to reach out to American expats in the UK who are eligible to vote. According to DAUK figures, only four to six percent of the 61,000 Americans in London are voting in this presidential election. Karin Robinson, former Vice-Chair at Democrats Abroad UK, said: Its depressing, considering that volume of people can make the difference in close races. We know that Americans abroad did make the difference in swing states in previous elections, we think it can make a difference in this one too. Cardboard cut-out of Hillary Clinton looks over the Democrats Abroad office in central London / Michael Clarke Democrats Abroad have enlisted the help of hundreds of volunteers in their central London office to connect with US voters in the UK. Karin Robinson said: I think one of the reasons you are seeing so much enthusiasm from the volunteers in this room is that they feel very strongly that Donald Trump is the worst possible face for America. Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump enter the final televised debate tonight with Clinton leading in most national polls in the closely fought race. Robert Ravelli, Chairman of Democrats Abroad said: It is very important that all Americans vote and they are entitled to vote when they live overseas. "In a close election and in certain swing states in the US, where electoral votes really do count, it is important that everybody does cast their ballots. How does the US election work? The final presidential debate takes place tonight - October 19 - in Las Vegas. Votes are cast on November 8 to decide the next President of the United States. T he worlds top chess grandmaster went incognito in New York when he challenged local hustlers while film star friend Liv Tyler watched on. Mozart of chess Magnus Carlsen, 25, sat down to play hustlers who had no idea of his real identity in Washington Square Park, in New York. The Norwegian chess supremo, who is the highest-ranking grandmaster in the world, was joined by close friend Liv Tyler, who looked on smiling as she took photos of the face-offs on her phone. A video shows the chess expert taking on a number of the hustlers, who said they didnt know who he was but knew he was a strong player. That moment, I didnt know who he was, said one of the players who was beaten by Mr Carlsen. 'I was just playing. I tried to win, but when I saw him make a move, already I knew it was like, you know, he's a very strong player. Movie star: Lord of the Rings actress Liv Tyler watches on. / Ian Sohr/YouTube. In like 10 moves he checkmated me. Mr Carlsen was awarded the accolade of grandmaster the highest title a player can be awarded by world chess organisation FIDE when he was just 13. By 19, he was considered the worlds best player. Unaware: One of the chess hustlers in Washington Square Park in New York. / Ian Sohr/YouTube. He and Lord of the Rings star Liv Tyler have been seen in public together on a number of occasions since they starred together in a fashion campaign in 2010. The 39-year-old movie actress smiled as she watched Mr Carlsen play in the park. 'Mozart of chess': Mr Carlsen, 25, became a grandmaster at the age of just 13. / Ian Sohr/YouTube. Another of the chess hustlers said in the video: Some people came to me and say, do you know who you are playing and I remember that I said, Im playing a strong player. Mr Carlsen said the men didnt play too badly. A North Korean zoo has been slammed by animal rights campaigners over its chain-smoking chimpanzee Azalea - who has a 20-a-day habit. The Pyongyang chimp gets through a full pack each day, can use a lighter and has also learned to ignite her smokes with discarded butts. According to her trainer, the 19-year-old primate does not actually inhale. But pictures taken at the zoo, which recently reopened after a huge refurbishment, appear to show her blowing out a huge cloud of cigarette smoke. Addicted: The chimpanzee smokes a pack a day / AP Locals are said to be delighted by the animal's tricks, which also include an ability to dance. But president of animal rights organisation PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, told Time magazine: How cruel to wilfully addict a chimpanzee to tobacco for human amusement. North Korea: Her trainer says she doesn't inhale / AP Gradually, zoos are learning that spectacles like chimpanzee tea parties, elephant rides and photo ops with tiger cubs are inappropriate and exploitive, with the big question now being, why are we keeping wild animals behind bars at all? Y ou may be reading this and wonder why in October we are suggesting that you browse the best beauty advent calendars. Its simple really: these seasonal goodies have become so wildly popular that brands have taken to releasing them when the temperature is still in the mid-20s. London may be in an official drought, but as far as some of the biggest labels on the market are concerned - it is time to start thinking about Christmas. The countdown to the big day is on and there is no better way to mark the lead up to the most magical time of the year than with a daily makeup, fragrance, candles, skin or haircare treat. While we will never turn down the joy of a chocolate-filled option, advent calendars have become much more inventive. There is one to suit every taste, interest and recipient - from cheese and jewellery to socks and treats for your pets. The most sought-after of all are the ones filled with beauty products behind the festive windows. The ever-growing demand for this type of advent calender means that they sell out fast, so dont wait to snap up the one from your favourite brand or retailer. Each year, they become more and more popular. At Boots, advent calendar sales increased by 20 per cent compared to the year before. One calendar sold every minute in the lead up to Christmas. What brands have beauty advent calendars? When it comes to choosing an advent calendar, you can be sure that your favourite beauty label will be offering some sort of Christmas-ready countdown, whether its the traditional 24 or 25 day iteration or a smaller offering for 12 days. Some of the seemingly endless selection of brands on offer are Diptyque, Jo Malone or Charlotte Tilbury, which are typically some of the most covetable as well as The Body Shop, LOccitane and Elemis. But this is only where the fun begins. You can also get multi-brand iterations from retailers like FeelUnique, LOOKFANTASTIC, Harrods, Cult Beauty, Liberty and more. The latter of which pack bestsellers from their respective virtual or IRL beauty halls with each day revealing a special surprise. What types of products feature in advent calendars? There are advent calendars in every category across the spectrum of beauty. There are designated beauty advent calendars for hair, skincare, candles, fragrance, makeup, nail polishes, face masks and ones that combine them. Some even feature golden tickets to win epic prices and vouchers, as good as cash. Some beauty advent calendars are filled with full-sized versions of the products, while others include minis. The latter gives you the opportunity to sample the formulas before committing and provides travel-friendly options that will simplify the packing process. To avoid disappointment and ensure bang for your buck, pay close attention to the quantity specified on the product line-up list. Are advent calendars worth the money? Beauty advent calendars may be packed with miniatures, which is great for all the reasons listed above, but this can also feel deceptive. Some brands claim that the advent calendars are worth extraordinary amounts and some truly are. However others are filled with small sizes of the products and the worth amount would be if you purchased the bigger sizes individually. Lets also not forget that to bulk out the days, some brands throw in other items like stickers or accessories that will just end up in landfill. On the whole, if you are already a fan of the brand or you are looking for an official introduction, the beauty advent calendars for that specific label are a great place to start. If you want lots of great products from different brands, go for the retailer route (Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty, John Lewis etc)as they will give you the greatest mix free from brand loyalty. These also tend to hold the best value. When will beauty advent calendars go on sale? Many brands will be unveiling their pre-sale links as early as right now. In the next couple of months, they will start to be sold directly on the brands websites but each one differs. We have specified release dates per calendar below. Shop the best advent calendars by price point below J ustin Timberlake left Susanna Reid red-faced after describing her as a super-hot grandma. The Good Morning Britain host couldnt stop blushing after the A-lister delivered her the rather odd compliment on Wednesdays show. Despite the fact that 35-year-old Timberlake is only ten years younger than Reid, the GMB host actually voices the role of his grandmother in the film Trolls. Seeing Reid for the first time, Timberlake seemed taken aback by her youthful appearance. Blushing: Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain / ITV Via video link-up, the pop star and actor held up a photo of Reid, saying: Good morning Britain! Susanna, look youre here with us. You play my grandmother in Trolls and you look way too young to be a grandmother. He then moved the photo in front of his face, saying: I have a super-hot grandma. His co-star Anna Kendrick added: Your grandmother is a babe. Piers Morgan then proceeded to tease his co-star, saying: Oh my God! Thats astonishing. Thats very cool Timberlake giving it the youre too young to be a grandmother hes right in your target range. A confused Reid replied: What does that mean? Reid had a rather awkward interview with A-lister Jeremy Renner last week after he refused to take off his coat inside the studio. As she introduced the weather, she turned to the actor and said: Here is something you will be interested in - the weather forecast. You can decide whether you can take your coat off after that. J im Carrey has hit back at the mother of his dead girlfriend, saying that she became angry and bitter when he refused to buy her a house. The A-list star, who is facing wrongful death lawsuits filed by Cathriona Whites mother and her ex-husband Mark Burton, has now submitted his own 10-page declaration. Slamming Brigid Sweetmans claims that he illegally provided her daughter with prescription drugs which contributed to her suicide, Carrey has provided a detailed description of their relationship. Between 2012 and 2015, I was involved in two romantic relationships with Cathriona White, he wrote. Cathriona White and Jim Carrey split just days befrore her death in 2015 / NIGNY/Splash News Although there were times during this period we were broken up, for much of the time between 2012 and 2015 we were together as a couple, including after she reached out to me in November 2014 to reconcile and resume our relationship which lasted until her death. Carrey claims that White only married Burton for a green card after he refused to do so, despite the fact that they were still dating. To my surprise, I later learned that in January 2013 Cat married a man in Las Vegas for her green card, while at the same time maintaining her actual relationship with me, he wrote. Hitting back at Sweetmans claims that he had given his then girlfriend three sexually transmitted diseases, Carrey wrote: Normally Cat was very sweet, but when she felt rejected or upset she was prone to making up horrible stories and acting out in vindictive ways. Despite the rocky ending of our first relationship, Cat and I decided to put our breakup behind us and start seeing each other again. What followed was a new relationship, with ten wonderful, loving months together of the most beautiful relationship ever. The documents go on to claim that Sweetman asked Carrey to buy her a house in 2015 and when he declined she became angry and bitter. Sweetmans lawyer Michael Avenatt has now called the actor disgusting and dishonest in a new statement. He said: "Earlier today, Jim Carrey filed a baseless motion with the court as part of his continued attack on a grieving mother. His conduct is disgusting and dishonest. Who attacks a mother of a dead girl? When he is forced to testify under oath, the ugly truth will be laid bare. We are confident that the court will see through the nonsense Carrey is peddling. Irish born White died from a multiple drug overdose just a few days after splitting from Carey in September 2015. T he first snow of winter has arrived in Britain with the Pennines glistening bright white this morning. Pictures show a sheet of snow covering Great Dun Fell, the second tallest mountain in the range, while more snowflakes swirl in the wind. Yesterday hikers in the Highlands reported seeing snow-capped mountains as daytime temperatures dipped to just below 8C in Scotland. The rest of the UK is set for a mix of sun and showers today, with no snow on the horizon for London yet. The capital is set for a dry and sunny end to the week and weekend, as temperatures reach 15C during the day and just dip below 10C at night. Some forecasters have predicted winter 2016 will be the snowiest and coldest for years, with Accuweather claiming the UK is set for 15-18 storms between now and April 2017. L orraine Kelly suffered an awkward mix-up on her ITV chat show this morning during an interview with Patrick Robinson. The Casualty actor was asked about his time on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 while clips of current contestant Ore Oduba played on the screen. Twinkle-toes got to the semi-finals of Strictly Come Dancing, she said, inviting him to talk about his stint on the dancefloor. You were brilliant in that. I had you tipped for a winner. Patrick Robinson on Lorraine / ITV Clips of Ore Odubas high-scoring jive from last Saturday were broadcast while Robinson answered but he wasn't fazed by it. Now heres my man, Robinson said, referring to Oduba. I mean, Ive watched the recent Strictly and this jive was just out of this world. Kelly herself pointed out the clip confusion, saying: That was Ore there that we showed but it showed [Patrick] before that. I dont know why we showed him, but never mind. Strictly Come Dancing 2016 1 /58 Strictly Come Dancing 2016 Ed Balls with his dance partner Katya Jones during Saturday's live edition of the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday October 8, 2016 Guy Levy/BBC host Tess Daly with Tameka Empson and her dance partner Gorka Marquez after she was voted off Strictly Come Dancing Guy Levy/BBC Judge Robert Rinder with his dance partner Oksana Platero during Saturday's live edition of the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing Guy Levy/BBC Claudia Fragapane with her dance partner AJ Pritchard during Saturday's live edition of the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing Guy Levy/BBC Ed Balls with his dance partner Katya Jones during Saturday's live edition of the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing Guy Levy/BBC Will Young with his dance partner Karen Clifton during a dress rehearsal Guy Levy/BBC Tameka Empson with her dance partner Gorka Marquez Guy Levy/BBC Danny Mac with his dance partner Oti Mabuse during a dress rehearsal Guy Levy/BBC Ed Balls Guy Levy/BBC Claudia Fragapane with her dance partner AJ Pritchard Guy Levy/BBC Lesley Joseph with her dance partner Anton Du Beke Guy Levy/BBC Naga Munchetty with her dance partner Pasha Kovalev Guy Levy/BBC Danny Mac with his dance partner Oti Mabuse Guy Levy/BBC Daisy Lowe with her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec Guy Levy/BBC Will Young with his dance partner Karen Clifton Guy Levy/BBC Louise Redknapp Guy Levy/BBC Laura Whitmore with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice Guy Levy/BBC Ed Balls with dance partner Katya Jones Guy Levy/BBC Melvin Odoom and Janette Manrara leaving the competition, during the results show Guy Levy/BBC Anastacia with her dance partner Brendan Cole Guy Levy/BBC Laura Whitmore with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice Guy Levy/BBC Ore Oduba with his dance partner Joanne Clifton Guy Levy/BBC Daisy Lowe with dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec Guy Levy/BBC Ore Oduba with his dance partner Joanne Clifton Guy Levy/BBC Naga Munchetty with her dance partner Pasha Kovalev during a dress rehearsa Guy Levy/BBC Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly Guy Levy/BBC Louise Redknapp with her dance partner Kevin Clifton Guy Levy/BBC Naga Munchetty with her dance partner Pasha Kovalev Guy Levy/BBC Will Young with his dance partner Karen Clifton Guy Levy/BBC Lesley Joseph with her dance partner Anton Du Beke Guy Levy/BBC Judge Robert Rinder with his dance partner Oksana Platero Guy Levy/BBC Pasha Kovalev (right) and Naga Munchetty Guy Levy/BBC Lesley Joseph (left) and Anton Du Beke Guy Levy/BBC Natalie Lowe (left) and Greg Rutherford Guy Levy/BBC Ed Balls with his dance partner Katya Jones Guy Levy/BBC Ore Oduba with his dance partner Joanne Clifton Guy Levy/BBC Greg Rutherford with his dance partner Natalie Lowe Guy Levy/BBC Anastacia with her dance partner Brendan Cole Guy Levy/BBC Robert Rinder Robert Rinder and Oksana Platero dance the cha cha Guy Levy/BBC Greg Rutherford Natalie Lowe and Greg Rutherford dance the jive Guy Levy/BBC Ore Oduba Joanne Clifton and Ore Oduba dance the tango Guy Levy/BBC Naga Munchetty Pasha Kovalev and Naga Munchetty dance the waltz Guy Levy/BBC Laura Whitmore Laura Whitmore and Giovanni Pernice dance the Cha Cha Guy Levy/BBC Lesley Joseph Lesley Joseph and Anton Du Beke dance the waltz Guy Levy/BBC A spokesperson for the show revealed the reason behind the mishap: "Prior to the interview, Patrick Robinson had told the Lorraine team that Ore Oduba was his favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing so a clip of Ore on the show was prepared to be shown during the interview. "There was no suggestion that it was a clip of Patrick, or that it was a case of mistaken identity." The mix-up comes amid accusations of racism surrounding the BBC dancing competition, due to the first three contestants leaving the show being non-white. So far, Melvin Odoom, Tameka Empson and Naga Munchetty have left the show after finding themselves in the bottom two, sparking complaints on Twitter. The BBC have defended the show from claims of racism, saying: Judges judge the dancing and the dancing alone, not anything else. Ore Oduba scored the highest mark of the series so far on Saturday night, earning 39 points for his jive. Let's see if I can understand your editorial support for Clinton over Trump. He is rightfully criticized for some disgusting things he said 11 years ago. If past is prologue, then how can you accept Clinton when her history includes being: Anti-women when defending the adulterous life of her husband. Anti-business with her demand for higher taxes which will encourage more companies to leave the country. Anti-minorities with her demand for higher taxes that will diminish entry level jobs. Anti-minorities with her demand for open borders that will increase competition for entry level jobs. Incompetent as Secretary of State. Because of her actions we are re-fighting old wars that Bush had won. By leaving Iraq too soon, against all professional military advice, she opened the door to Isis and the thousands slaughtered by those criminals. Is this commander-in-chief material? Destroyed Libya, with no stable government to take over. Isis now controls a portion of Libya. Lied about the reasons for four Americans being killed in the Benghazi attack. When asked about the four dead Americans, she shrilly shouted, "What does it matter now?" How's that for a temperate mind? Her so-called reset with Russia. That was before Putin attacked Ukraine. Condescending and intemperate when calling millions deplorable. Twofaced vis-a-vis Wall Street. Publicly, she rails against them. Privately, she goes looking for money from them. Willing to lie about her computer scandal. Willing to sell access to most anyone who gave her, or her Foundation, money. The most recent outrage is the news that her campaign manager, John Podesta, and the Democrat's money man, George Soros, and the Democrat Party have set up two groups to attack the Catholic church. If their attacks are successful, then which religious faith is next? Robert Mooth, Decatur FORSYTH Ken and Linda McCollum sent their own children to parochial school, and when grandson Micah Thompson came along, they encouraged his parents to send him to Decatur Christian School. We believe in Christian schools, Linda McCollum said. We have nothing against public schools, but in Christian schools, they learn Christian values. On Tuesday, Decatur Christian held its annual Race for Education, and the McCollums were there to volunteer, as they often are. Parochial schools don't receive state funding, so fundraising is important. Tuition alone can't cover all the costs of running a school and paying the staff. The Race for Education is one of two annual fundraisers, said administrator Randy Grigg. Students ask friends and family to pledge either a flat amount or a per-lap amount, and the kids run or walk around a course behind the school building in Forsyth. Especially the elementary, they send out notes and try to get people to support them for however many laps they do, Grigg said. This is really one of our biggest fundraisers for the year and the kids just try to solicit support. High school students stood next to the course and handed out tickets as younger students passed them as a way to keep track of the number of laps each student ran. Junior Grace Miller said she's attended Decatur Christian since kindergarten and while the high school students don't do the Race, volunteering for it is their way of contributing. It's one of our biggest events and brings in a lot of money to the school, she said. The McKinneys have 13 children, 10 of them adopted, and 10 of the 13 attend Decatur Christian. Two are in preschool, three in fifth grade, one in eighth grade, three are high school juniors and one is a senior. My tuition (payment) is more than my house payment and it's worth every penny, said mom Ann McKinney, who was also volunteering at the event, where her two preschool boys, twins from China, were wildly popular with the older students. The little boys wore T-shirts with the Chinese for brother and the translation in English under it. Without the fundraisers, McKinney said, the school couldn't afford salaries and other expenses, and as it is, some of the equipment is sorely in need of updating. In addition to the Race for Education, Decatur Christian holds a spring dinner event and in November, Investment Planners and IPI Wealth Management will present The Jersey Tenors at the Lincoln Theatre, with Broadway star Brian Noonan, which will also benefit the school, Grigg said. Most of that event's proceeds will be dedicated to the scholarship fund. The money raised by the Race for Education goes into a general fund. DECATUR With over a decade over experience in nonprofits and fundraising, Julie Melton is ready to bring her skills to Richland Community College. Melton was unanimously appointed as the new executive director of the colleges foundation during Tuesday evenings meeting of the colleges board of trustees. She will begin her new role next Monday. Aside from her current role as the Director of Gift Administration for the University of Illinois Foundation, Melton has previously worked with the American Cancer Society, Eastern Illinois Foodbank, and the Presence Covenant Foundation. After her approval, Melton said she was excited to bring all the skills she has learned over the years to Richland and bring in more donors and dollars to the institution. I love how close-knit Richland is, everything is under one roof and you can really see the impact of the donations right in front of you, everyday, she said. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation seeking the private funds that provide distinction in the educational programs and facilities at Richland Community College. Melton will replace Richard McGowan, who retired this summer. One of the projects that private funds have helped to bring closer to fruition is the Carroll Center for Business, as board members were given a better idea on the progress of the estimated $3.5 million facility. Greg Florian, Richland vice president of finance and administration, told the board that programming and concept design were finished earlier this month, with schematic designs to be finished by the end of the month. If things stay on schedule, the board would receive bids and approve one by its February meeting, with construction to start on May 14. Construction is expected to take one year. Four schematic designs from BLDD Architects were presented to staff and faculty, who were able to provide input to better shape a single design concept that will be the basis for future construction plans. As they take those comments into consideration, Florian said they still aim to hit the $3.5 million cost estimate for the project. Funding is currently at $3.3 million, though the foundation is awaiting word of a gift from several donors. Every election, I see people lamenting the candidates and saying there isnt any reason to vote this year. Sometimes, I think its more popular to complain about the candidates and claim not to vote than to enthusiastically say that you plan to vote. Ive never understood that. I have voted every election since I turned 18. Call it being a feminist (like thats a bad word), but it took several decades of work before women were able to vote in our country. And, though women were given the legal right to vote in 1920, according to wikipedia, women did not vote at the same numbers as men until 1980. I was probably playing with my Rainbow Brites and My Little Ponies in 1980. While it was 36 years ago, it sure doesnt seem that long ago. Im excited to cast my vote each election. This year, Im excited about the presidential election. People on both sides of the aisle will tell you that your vote doesnt count. Pffft. I dont care. I get to cast a vote. In some countries, men and women are not given the right to vote. How can voting not count? Even if the conspiracy theorists who bemoan the electoral college, toss around silly statements about media conspiracies or other many excuses were right, Id still cast my vote. On this years ballot, youll find local races, such as the school board and city council. Youll see an initiative to retain or repeal the Nebraska Legislatures action to repeal the death penalty. Some of us in the Panhandle will choose our Nebraska Legislative representative. There is plenty on the ballot that affects me personally, even Early voting began last week and I plan to cast my vote via early voting this year. Ive done it a handful of times in the past and I find it most convenient. Its easy to plan into my day. According to the Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale, 26 percent of people voted early in the last presidential election, either by mail or in person. Are you interested in early voting? If so, Gale reminds voters that they have until Oct. 28 to ask that an early voting ballot be mailed and mailed ballots must be returned by 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. If you dont plan on early voting, make sure to get out to the polls. This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. 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Attending the event were DIICOT prosecutors and officials of the Romanian judiciary. "It is a real pleasure to me, esteemed Mrs chief prosecutor, to welcome you to the French Residence to present you with the National Merit Order in rank of Knight, in the company of your close collaborators, representatives of the Romanian judiciary and your DIICOT colleagues. (...) The quality of your activities inside DIICOT has already been rewarded with three awards bestowed on you by Romania's President and Romania's attorney general. These decorations confirm your professional commitment and devotion to DIICOT, a specialist body of the Public Prosecution Service that you have made famous on the judiciary stages in Europe," Saint-Paul said at the beginning of the award ceremony. He added that Ceh is a remarkable example of professionalism combined with a European vision. "Because in the eyes of many you are a remarkable example of professionalism combined with a European vision, I would like that to be an inspiration to the young European magistrates in general, and the young Romanian magistrates, in particular," said Saint-Paul. In 2012-2013, Ceh was seconded to the Justice Ministry to liaise with France. agerpres. The National Liberal Party (PNL) is a 'privileged partner' of Premier Dacian Ciolos, says PNL Chair Alina Gorghiu, adding that a meeting with the government head is needed to talk about a possible joint governance. "I'm certain a meeting is necessary to talk, in the near future, about all these joint projects, about possible joint governance, about his platform, about (...) the liberal government programme. (...) Mister Ciolos is not a person who has locked himself in a tower of ivory, he is not a man who won't communicate with the PNL or other parties on the Romanian stages, and yet I still think we are a privileged partner of his," Gorghiu told B1 TV private broadcaster on Tuesday. According to Alina Gorghiu, Ciolos in 'Romania 100' Platform displays some principles, but one could rule only on a government programme. The PNL leader stressed that the political party she is heading has 'voluntarily' decided to back Dacian Ciolos after the 11 December general election, as 'a decent, civilised, balanced, of stability' solution. At the same time, Gorghiu said she did not talk to president Klaus Iohannis on PNL backing Dacian Ciolos for premier after the election. "No. On what we do, in politics, we'll never discuss with the president. The president is not doing petty politics, of the political parties," concluded Gorghiu. agerpres. Romania's Police have participated alongside Europol, law enforcement authorities of other 51 countries and four international bodies in the Operation Ciconia Alba aimed to dismantle organised crime groups that were operating inside and outside the EU, ending up with 314 persons arrested, says a press release sent to agerpres on Wednesday by the Romanian Police General Inspectorate (IGPR). The operation aimed at fighting illegal migration, human trafficking, drug dealing and fraud by electronic means of payment. "As many as 314 persons were arrested during the operations, 529 human trafficking victims were identified, and 2.38 tonnes of cocaine were seized, as over 540,000 persons and motor vehicles were checked," says the source. The information collected during these global actions was used to start 449 new investigations. As part of the operation, the Romanian Police unfolded two actions to dismantle groupings specialising in human trafficking. "As many as 15 searches were conducted, with seven members of the targeted criminal groups getting arrested. Likewise, on 12 October, five Romanian police staff participated in the UK in domiciliary visits," the IGPR release adds. The deployed Police officers were constantly supported by colleagues at the operational centre at the Europol seat in The Hague. There, the Europol officers, the liaison officers and the national experts from the participating countries carried out a quick swap of information using the Europol network. As many as 24 non-EU countries participated in the operation, alongside all of the EU member states. The Operation Ciconia Alba is a third in a series of joint action days that are making the object of the EU policy for 2013 - 2017. National Liberal Party (PNL) founder chairman Radu Campeanu died on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. Liberal Radu Anton Campeanu was born on February 28, 1922, in Bucharest. He graduated the Law School and Economic Sciences in Bucharest (1945). Radu Campeanu was the chairman of the National Liberal University Youth and the leader of the students' committee on the organisaiton of the last great anti-communist protest of November 8, 1945 - initiated and headed by students. In the period 1947-1956 he was a political prisoner. After the release from prison, he worked in constructions in Bucharest. Through his family from France and Switzerland demarches, he left for Paris in exile, where he obtained political asylum on July 30,1973. There he worked with two big construction companies. Back in Romania, on January 5, 1990, he re-established the National Liberal Party (PNL), and the second day he was elected secretary general of this political formation. In the period March 31, 1990 - February 28, 1993, he was PNL chairman, and between Feb 9 - May 11, 1990, deputy chairman of the Provisional Council of National Union (CPUN). He ran for Romania's president on PNL rolls in the elections of May 20, 1990, obtaining 10.64 percent of the valid votes. In the parliamentary elections of May 20, 1990, he was elected Senator of Bucharest (until October 14, 1992) and between June 9, 1990 and October 14, 1992 he was Senate Vice President. On November 3, 1996, he ran again for Romania's president, on the rolls of the Liberal Ecologist National Alliance, obtaining 0.5 percent of the valid votes. He was Senator of Bucharest of the National Liberal Party - Democratic Party Alliance, elected on November 28, 2004, until December 12, 2008. Radu Campeanu was bestowed the 'Faithful Service' National Order, in rank of Knight, offered by Romania's Presidency (December 5, 2002). In 2008, Radu Campeanu announced he decided to withdraw from Parliament and write his memoires. Agerpres Last week, I took a break from reporting on the Trump campaign's well-deserved and long-awaited implosion to observe Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. On this day, we symbolically beat our breasts with fists as we say the Ashamnu (literally, "we are guilty") confession: "We betray. We steal. We scorn. We act perversely. We are cruel. We scheme. We are violent. We slander. We devise evil. We lie. We ridicule. We disobey. We abuse. We defy. We corrupt ..." The confessional reads, in short, like a summary of Donald Trump's strategy over the past 16 months. But it also is a road map to recovery. This ancient ritual is based on the concept of collective responsibility: Each of us may not have committed every sin, but we atone for all sins anyway, because we are indirectly responsible for the sins of the community. The concept comes from Deuteronomy 21:1-9: If a murder victim is found and the killer is unknown, the elders of the nearest town must perform an animal sacrifice to atone for the bloodshed. Medieval rabbis developed the concept further in the Talmud, giving us the Aramaic phrase, "Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh": All of Israel is responsible for one another. At the end of the ugliest political season any of us has ever seen, the need to be responsible for one another has new relevance. Trump, those running his hate-filled campaign and the weak leaders of the Republican Party are directly to blame for the damage they've done to democracy and civil society. But we are all responsible for creating the environment that allowed Trump to rise. And we are all responsible for repairing our broken politics so this can't happen again. But the Trump fiasco has been more than two decades in the making, going back to Newt Gingrich's destruction of civility; Bill Clinton's personal misconduct; a Supreme Court that, in Bush v. Gore, delegitimized democracy; George W. Bush and Dick Cheney squandering the warm courage of national unity after 9/11; a bipartisan cycle of revenge in Congress; angry liberals portraying Bush as a war criminal; the fury and racial animus of the tea party and the birthers; GOP leaders too timid to tamp down the excesses; and Supreme Court decisions that allowed anonymous groups to spend unlimited sums poisoning the airwaves with vicious and false political speech. My colleagues and I in the news business deserve much of the blame. Fox News essentially created Trump as a political figure, validating his birther nonsense and giving him an unparalleled platform before he launched his campaign. The rest of the news media, and most visibly CNN, gave the entertainer undiluted and uncritical coverage (at least until he secured the nomination), sacrificing journalistic integrity for viewers and readers. If you don't report on Trump's latest action, utterance or outrage, you won't get the clicks or the ratings. And the combination of social media and a news industry fragmented by ideology allows an increasingly polarized public to choose only information that confirms their political views. Trump exploited all this. Shame on him. But shame on us for letting him. So how do we atone? Make sure he's defeated, and resoundingly, to limit his hold over the GOP going forward. At the same time, we bind up the nation's wounds by helping those non-college-educated workers who gravitated toward Trump because they've been hurt by trade, urbanization and a changing economy; a huge infrastructure-and-training bill would help. The Senate needs to return the Supreme Court to full power, and the justices need to consider how their campaign-finance rulings are destroying the electoral process. President Hillary Clinton needs to help House Speaker Paul Ryan, or whoever passes for a reasonable voice in the GOP, to isolate the extremists. We in the media -- and I fault myself for this -- need to find a way back to civic responsibility rather than rewarding the most entertaining candidate or whoever leads in the polls. And all of us need to recognize that our institutions are more fragile than we suspected. "We all own a piece of this," my rabbi, Danny Zemel, told me the morning after Yom Kippur. "The community has to own it." Just as the Old Testament required city elders to atone for an unsolved murder in their jurisdiction, "the day after the election, we all face the collective challenge of what we do next to make sure that this does not continue, to get ourselves out of this morass." Trump is to blame, but we are all guilty. Ashamnu. In the latest apparent spoof on a U.S. securities regulator's online filing system, a Chicago-area artist with a fondness for inspirational quotes claimed to have acquired about $88 billion worth of Bank of America Corp. shares on Wednesday. The filing did not appear to influence the stock price of the second-largest U.S. bank, which joins companies including Avon Products Inc., Integrated Device Technology Inc. and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. to have had fake filings attached to their ticker symbols on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Edgar system. While the SEC did not respond to a request for comment and Bank of America declined to comment, securities experts said there was no doubt the filing was a hoax. In it, a company called YNOFACE Holdings Inc. purportedly run by Antonio Lee said it had acquired 798.4 million Bank of America shares in an exchange on Aug. 15, and purchased another 4.2 billion common shares and 100 million preferred shares on Sept. 22. The common shares alone would represent nearly half the bank's total market cap. Bank of America's largest shareholder, The Vanguard Group, has roughly 610 million shares, a stake of less than 6 percent. In an earlier filing, YNOFACE said it had implausibly raised over $1 trillion for an art fund. A quick Google search for Lee found several promotional sites describing him as a "world renowned artist, and YouTube celebrity specializing in acrylic painting." A YouTube account characterizes YNOFACE as a company that "acquires, markets, and holds original art as a capital appreciation investment based off the fundamental metrics." Lee's Twitter posts showcase colorful paintings of a beach, elephants in love and a naked person with a bird's head, along with quotes like, "When an artist follows their intuition & dreams, society can only benefit." Its avatar is a painting of a man with a big red question mark over his face. Reuters' attempts to reach Lee were unsuccessful. While Bank of America appeared unscathed by the apparent scam, past phony filings have had real world consequences. Last year, Avon shares soared 20 percent on a filing about a fake takeover bid. The alleged fraudster was arrested earlier this year. The SEC's vulnerability to phony filings has attracted the attention of Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who wrote to the regulator last year to express his concern. The YNOFACE filing is so bizarre it is more likely a prank than a scam intended to generate profits, according to Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida. "Serious scamsters aren't so amateurish," he said. SAN DIEGO They may not get it this year, but boosters of energy storage technologies want their sector to get the same tax credits that the federal government extends to the wind and solar industries. It would be a good economic investment for us as a government and as a nation to invest in advancing these technologies, said Matt Roberts, executive director for the industrys trade group, the Energy Storage Association. Under a bill introduced by Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., qualifying energy storage technologies such as batteries, thermal energy storage and regenerative fuel cells would get a 30 percent investment tax credit. The Heinrich bill essentially runs parallel with the 30 percent tax credit that wind and solar receive from the federal government and, like the wind and solar credits, eventually would taper off. Reps. Michael M. Honda, D-Calif., and Tom Reed, R-N.Y., have introduced a similar but more complicated bill in the House of Representatives. The prospect of a tax credit created some buzz at the Energy Storage North America conference held earlier this month in San Diego. Storage is too expensive, said Keith Martin, an attorney at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Chadbourne & Parke, one of the panelists at the conference. If the government can help with the cost-sharing, it will then get more people into the market. Under current rules, energy storage can receive a federal tax credit only if it is paired with wind and solar electricity production, most often seen when a storage component is matched with a rooftop solar system. The proposed legislation would establish tax credits for standalone storage systems. Extending the tax credit would encourage deployment of storage throughout our electric power sector, said Janice Lin, executive director of the California Energy Storage Alliance, an advocacy group. The consequences of that are dramatic for ratepayers. But in addition to the political hurdles the legislation would have to clear on Capitol Hill, there are other questions. For example, while wind and solar generate energy for the electrical grid, storage by definition captures energy produced at one time and then deploys it later. Were getting to a really tenuous connection, said William Yeatman, senior fellow specializing in environmental policy and energy markets for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a free-market think tank based in Washington, D.C. The subsidy for wind and solar energy is already an indirect subsidy for the energy storage industry, Yeatman said, pointing to the intermittency of wind and solar that is, how solar production slumps when the sun isnt shining and wind power wanes when the breeze isnt blowing. Deploying energy storage is designed to smooth out those peaks and valleys on the grid. If the energy storage industry receives a taxpayer-funded tax credit, its basically double-dipping, Yeatman said. Those wind and solar subsidies are helping (the energy storage industry) too. The St. Louis Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday authorized up to $120 million in bonds to finance site preparation for the new headquarters of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The bonds will pay for acquiring property, environmental remediation, infrastructure and other work in order to deliver the 100-acre site in north St. Louis to the federal government next year. The NGA plans to build a new, $1.7 billion western headquarters at the intersection of Cass and Jefferson avenues to replace its aging facility on the south St. Louis riverfront. Paying off the principal and interest on the bonds will be the annual $1.5 million pledged by St. Louis in earnings taxes generated from the 3,100 NGA employees. NGA employees currently pay about $2 million to the city per year from the 1 percent earnings tax, a number officials expect to grow. The state of Missouri has pledged $131 million for the project, and it will make annual bond payments of some $5.75 million by diverting state income tax payments from NGA employees. The bonds are expected to be paid off before their 30-year maturity, bond attorneys told the citys LCRA board Tuesday. Almost five months after NGA made it official it would stay in St. Louis rather than move to a site near Scott Air Force Base, St. Louis has already acquired title to most of the 551 parcels in the NGA project footprint, some through eminent domain. Some of the initial bond proceeds will go to pay off two $10 million credit lines the city used to finance initial site activities and property acquisition. It's been clear for some time now that Amazon.com has ambitions of competing more seriously in the fashion business: The e-commerce site has been investing in private-label clothing brands. It launched a nightly, QVC-like streaming show to tout its apparel. And it has lured big-name brands such as Kate Spade to sell goods on its site. It appears those efforts are paying off. New data from Slice Intelligence, an e-commerce analytics firm, underscores just how much of a threat Amazon now poses to traditional clothing retailers. Over a one-year period, Slice examined shoppers' online purchases of two wardrobe staples: Denim and leggings. The analysis included about 236,000 shoppers, and the findings show that Amazon has hustled its way to some big market share. For leggings, Amazon had the largest market share of any retailer, drawing 11.6 percent of purchases. Nordstrom was close behind with 10.8 percent market share. But other chains should be shaken by what they see here: Amazon's market share is more than triple that of Macy's, and it's more than double that of the Gap. When it came to denim, Amazon also gobbled up greater share than many brands that have been in the jeans game for much longer. Amazon had the third-largest market share in denim, capturing 9.3 percent of purchases, putting it behind only Old Navy and Nordstrom. The e-commerce site came in just ahead of Gap, which had 8.6 percent share of denim orders, and it was far ahead of Macy's, Kohl's and Levi's. Indeed, this data only reflects how people are buying two specific garments. But leggings and jeans are particularly important garments: Industry insiders have been known to say that "bottoms" are key to building loyalty to a clothing chain. When a woman finds that pants from a certain store fit her, she's hooked, and she'll hit that store up for jackets, blouses, shoes and so on. In this way, Amazon's strength in these wardrobe staples might be an early indicator that the e-commerce giant has momentum in other apparel categories. The Slice findings dovetail with other analyses that have found Amazon is turning up the heat in the clothing business. Investment firm Cowen & Co. back in 2015 forecast Amazon would easily surpass Macy's in 2017 as the largest seller of clothing in the United States. This leaves clothing and accessories brands with some difficult choices to make: They can start selling their wares on Amazon, acknowledging they might as well go where their shoppers are already on the hunt. Especially at a moment when department stores are struggling, this might be an important avenue for reaching new customers. And yet, Amazon's site doesn't exactly have a sheen of exclusivity or glamour to it. It's the so-called "everything store," the place where you buy paper towels and baby formula. For example, the chief financial officer of Louis Vuitton's parent company recently told investors, "We believe that the existing business of Amazon doesn't fit with luxury, full stop. " Even for brands that aren't as wallet-busting as Louis Vuitton, that's a trade off they'll have to consider: Will shoppers really perceive a brand as aspirational if they see its cocktail dresses next to cat food? The Slice Intelligence report also examined how online orders of leggings a cornerstone of the red-hot "athleisure" look were generally stacking up against orders of jeans. Online purchases of leggings were up 41 percent over the last year, compared to a 3 percent increase in orders of jeans. This difference is not terribly surprising, since jeans have been a staple of women's wardrobes for decades. More interesting, though, was that Slice found that, leggings are not just on a growth tear: The volume of orders for these items actually surpassed orders of denim in each of the last three months. While there is a big push in the apparel industry this season to introduce fresh denim looks such as wide-leg styles and asymmetric hems, these findings might suggest these new aesthetics may not quite have captured women's imaginations yet. SAN FRANCISCO Yahoo Inc. on Wednesday asked U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to declassify a surveillance order the company had received so it can respond to a Reuters report that it set up a special program last year to scan all Yahoo Mail users' incoming messages. Separately, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a motion before the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court asking it to release the Yahoo order and over 20 other significant rulings dating back more than a decade. Reuters reported on Oct. 4 that Yahoo had secretly installed custom software to search all of its customers' incoming emails to isolate those containing specific data matching a digital file provided by U.S. intelligence officials. The program ran for a brief period of time in the spring of 2015 before it was discovered by Yahoo's security team and taken down, according to people familiar with the matter. Privacy advocates have criticized Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer's decision not to appeal the order and said the company exposed hundreds of millions of email users to secret searches. "At Yahoo, we are deeply committed to transparency and to protecting the rights of our users. Yahoo was mentioned specifically in these reports and we find ourselves unable to respond in detail," Yahoo General Counsel Ron Bell wrote in a letter to Clapper that the company published online. Bell asked Clapper to confirm the existence of the government order, to declassify all or part of it, and to "make a sufficiently detailed public and contextual comment to clarify the alleged facts and circumstances." Timothy Barrett, a spokesman for Clapper's office, said in a statement, "We can confirm that we have received the letter and will respond to Yahoo directly." Yahoo had previously said the Reuters report was "misleading" and that the "mail scanning described in the article does not exist on our systems." When asked to give specifics on how the story was misleading, or whether the operation described by Reuters had previously existed, Yahoo had declined to comment. Pressure to declassify A number of political leaders in the United States and Europe have already been pressing U.S. intelligence officials to declassify and release the order. U.S. government sources said officials were considering whether to release more about the justification for the court order served on Yahoo under Title 1 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The ACLU filing was aided by a Yale Law School team and follows a study released this week by the Brennan Center for Justice that tallied more than 25 major unreleased rulings by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and other authorities. The ACLU said the courts have approved government hacking, attempts to force companies to weaken their encryption, and bulk collection of financial records. The ACLU team acknowledged that the government could protect parts of orders that identified specific undisclosed targets or otherwise had a "substantial probability" of hurting a compelling interest. But it said a body of opinions that constitutes secret law is incompatible with the First Amendment and the basic functioning of the judicial and executive branches of American democracy. "Judicial opinions interpreting constitutional and statutory limits on governmental authorities - including those relevance to foreign-intelligence surveillance - have regularly been available for inspection by the public ... their release is manifestly fundamental in a democracy committed to the rule of law," the motion said. Yahoo said that while its letter to Clapper specifically related to the Reuters report, "it is intended to set a stronger precedent of transparency for our users and all citizens who could be affected by government requests for user data." Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 59F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 59F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. ST. LOUIS Jurors on Tuesday believed the self-defense claim of one man charged with fatally shooting another in an argument over drug money last year. Paul E. Clayton Jr., 30, of the 8800 block of Corwin Drive in Jennings, was acquitted of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the April 2, 2015, shooting death of Clifford Williams in the citys Mark Twain neighborhood. Williams, 42, was killed at his home in the 5000 block of Queens Avenue. According to police, Williams heard a knock at the door, opened it and was pulled out onto the porch and down the front steps. Clayton then shot Williams five times in the abdomen, arm and leg. Williams uncle emerged and shot Clayton in the back as he tried to run, severing his spine and paralyzing him from the waist down. Claytons public defender, Matt Mueller, said his client went to the home to buy marijuana and the men argued over the price. Mueller said a felony amount of marijuana was found packaged inside. Clayton testified that it was Williams who brought out the gun and was shot during a struggle, Mueller said. The 9 mm caliber semi-automatic weapon was never found. We had confidence in the evidence and we believe the jury reached the right result, Mueller said. Based on the evidence, the prosecutors disagreed with the self-defense claim, a spokeswoman said. Tuesdays verdict marked the second murder trial in St. Louis Circuit Court in less than a week to end in an acquittal. On Friday, jurors found Pierre L. Davis, 37, not guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Feb. 14, 2014, shooting death of Antoine Farrell. Davis claimed self-defense in shooting Farrell 12 times. ST. LOUIS John Brunner and Eric Greitens, whose political blood-feud rocked this years Missouri Republican primary for governor, are going at it again this time within the pages of a defamation lawsuit. Brunner was hit with the suit earlier this year by a Greitens contributor because of things Brunner said about the contributor during the campaign. New court documents show Brunner now is trying to pull Greitens into the case as part of his defense, filing a subpoena for information about discussions between Greitens and the contributor, California investor Michael Goguen. Greitens who beat Brunner and two other contenders for the Republican nomination for governor in August had been scheduled to give a deposition in the case on Wednesday, less than three weeks before the election Nov. 8, his attorneys noted in a motion filed Monday seeking to quash the subpoena. Wednesdays scheduled deposition didnt happen, pending the motion to quash. Greitens attorneys are arguing the request for information is unduly burdensome, unreasonable, and oppressive. They also seek a protective order asking that discovery not be had from Mr. Greitens ... or any other member of the Greitens for Missouri gubernatorial campaign until after Election Day. As of Wednesday afternoon, there was no hearing yet scheduled on Greitens motion to quash the subpoena. The defamation suit stems from comments that Brunner made about Goguen, a Silicon Valley investor who in 2015 donated $1 million to Greitens campaign. In March 2016, Goguen was sued by a female acquaintance who alleges years of sexual abuse. Goguen denied the allegation and filed a counter-suit against her alleging extortion. During the campaign, Brunner and two other Greitens opponents in the primary race former Missouri House Speaker Catherine Hanaway and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder all criticized Greitens for refusing to send back Goguens money in light of the allegations. But Brunner took it a step further, falsely referring to Goguen during one gubernatorial debate as the owner of a teenage sex slave. The woman in question wasnt a teenager during her interactions with Goguen, and she didnt allege she was a sex slave. Goguens defamation suit also claims Brunner gave the public the false impression that Goguen had been criminally charged. The womans allegations were made in a civil suit. Goguen filed his defamation suit against Brunner the week before Missouris Aug. 2 primary, and it was widely publicized at the time. The latest subpoena may indicate Brunner is planning to argue that Goguens defamation suit was coordinated with Greitens campaign. The subpoena seeks all communications between Greitens and Goguen that in any way mention, reference, or discuss plaintiff Michael Goguens lawsuit against John Brunner, or ... (Goguens) intention to file or maintain a lawsuit against John Brunner. Greitens campaign declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. Brunners attorneys couldnt immediately be reached for comment. Brunners previous defense strategies in the defamation suit have included the contention that his comments were merely an expression of opinion made in the course of political discourse, according to documents. Shortly after losing the Aug. 2 primary, Brunner released a statement taking back his original comments about Goguen: I now believe erroneous and retract any statements that a contributor to the Greitens campaign was the owner of a teenage sex slave. Brunner, the wealthy former CEO of St. Louis-based Vi-Jon skin-care products, has never held public office, but has tried twice for top Missouri posts with self-funded campaigns. His bids for governor this year, and for the U.S. Senate in 2012, both ended with defeat in the primaries. Records show he spent a combined total of more than $14 million of his own money on the two races. The primary contest against Greitens was especially bitter, with the two men trading personal insults during an angry telephone conversation between them late last year which Brunner secretly recorded, and which was later publicized. Following Greitens primary victory, Brunner declined to appear at a scheduled Republican unity rally with Greitens the next day, prompting organizers to cancel the event. Joel Currier and Ashley Jost of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. JEFFERSON CITY Although the Democratic candidate for attorney general is now backing Chris Kosters bid to become governor of Missouri, there was a time when she was highly critical of his management style. In a video clip from a debate 10 years ago, Teresa Hensley ripped Koster in his role as Cass County prosecutor, where he launched his political career in 1994. I have not tried a case since I got to the prosecutors office, Hensley says in the clip. The office was such a mess that it took me 22 months to get 18 people working together. Kosters opponent, Republican Eric Greitens, has seized on those comments, calling them a scathing indictment of Kosters time in office." But Hensley, a former Cass County prosecutor who faces Republican Josh Hawley of Columbia in her bid for attorney general, said her statement reflects a different time in Missouri politics. In 2006, when the comments were made, Koster was a Republican who was supporting Hensleys Republican opponent. Koster, who was then serving in the Senate after spending a decade as prosecutor, switched parties in 2007 and later announced he was running for attorney general, which he won in the 2008 election. Not only was there a change in the prosecutor, but also a change in that persons political party, Hensley said. Additionally, there were differences in leadership style and direction. That amount of change is difficult for any organization to handle at one time. As I have gotten to know Chris better over the years, I have developed a respect for his legal mind and leadership skills. He has a proven record of working in a bipartisan manner to accomplish things for the people of Missouri, and that is one of the many reasons I am supporting him for governor, Hensley added. Greitens' campaign manager, Austin Chambers, scoffed at Hensley's explanation. "Those are the typical words of career politicians who will always support one other when it is in their interest to do so," he said in an email. "Hensley is admitting that she decides to say negative or positive things about someone based on what party they are in and who they are running against." JEFFERSON CITY The state is on the hook for an additional $900,000 awarded to a former Missouri veterans ombudsman who won a sexual and age discrimination lawsuit against the state in July. As first reported by The Kansas City Star, a judge ruled last week that the state owes Pat Rowe Kerr the money she paid to bring her case forward, compensating her attorneys fees. The same judge also denied the states motion for a new trial. She was already awarded $1.3 million in actual damages and $1.6 million in punitive damages. A Post-Dispatch review of payouts from the states legal fund showed Kerrs award as the largest since 2013. Kerr was 56 when she was fired from her position as the Missouri Veteran Commissions senior adviser of veterans outreach. She sued on the grounds that she lost her job because her boss, Larry Kay who is still serving as the commissions director has a problem with older, successful women. For his part, Kay argued he had fired Kerr because of budget cuts that put stress on the commission. After the trial, Kay was placed on a paid leave of absence, but in a closed-door meeting the commission reinstated him as director less than three weeks later. One senator on the commission called for his resignation, and the labor union representing Missouris state workers implored Gov. Jay Nixon to step in. Celeste Bott 573-556-6186 @celestebott on Twitter cbott@post-dispatch.com JEFFERSON CITY Going into the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday, Donald Trumps national poll numbers have fallen, in part because he has lost support among women after the release of a 2005 tape featuring the GOP nominee referring to women in vulgar terms. But for female supporters such as Sara Walsh, a Republican National Convention delegate and state committeewoman for the Missouri Republican Party, questions about his recent rhetoric have been asked and answered enough times already. On and on that point is hammered. He apologized, Walsh said. If the controversy has repelled Republican women in Missouri, Walsh hasnt witnessed it. She said she had largely seen nothing but enthusiasm for Trump, often coming from women who care more about the issues than the latest scandal. Women are concerned with policy, what the future of America is going to look like, she said. Overall, Clinton leads Trump by 7 percentage points, 48.9 percent to 41.9 percent, in RealClear Politics average of national polls. Trump had been trailing among women nationally, 45 percent to 40 percent, in a Sept. 18 CBS poll, but that had gone to a Clinton advantage of 51 percent to 36 percent among women in the poll released Sunday. And Clintons surge to a 6-point lead in 13 swing states in the most recent CBS poll was due almost entirely to Trumps losing ground among Republican women, which fell from 83 percent before the tape and the allegations of sexual assault to 77 percent afterward. Still, Joyce Mushaben, a professor of comparative politics and gender policies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, said conservative female voters might find Trump easier to relate to than Clinton. They see Trump sticking it to Hillary, Mushaben said. In his efforts to put down women, hes putting down women like Hillary. For the Missouri Federation of Republican Women, a group made up of more than 1,000 conservative women in eight districts, Trump remains the clear choice over Clinton, who will bring more regulations, higher taxes, open borders and an end to civil liberties, said Janice DeWeese, the organizations vice president. As for controversy over Trumps treatment of women, DeWeese said that it had already been addressed and that women had to decide individually how they felt. Still, for a number of Trumps former advocates in Congress, the leaked tape was the last straw. Some local Republicans, most notably Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, took back their endorsements after the leaked tape. Wagner said Trumps comments on the tape were predatory and reprehensible, but she has not spoken publicly about Trump since. Ann has said everything she is going to say on the presidential race, Wagners communications director, Meghan Burris, said Tuesday. Its not the worst move, politically, Mushaben said. Wagner and other Republicans have taken the chance to distance themselves from Trump, she said, while still pushing for GOP candidates down the ballot. But others criticized Wagners walkback. After praising Trumps performance in the second debate, Bill Hennessy, co-founder of the St. Louis Tea Party, wrote about a fly that repeatedly landed on Clinton during the forum and used it to slam Wagner. Im guessing theres a fly in Ann Wagners face tonight. Its eating the egg, he wrote. In an earlier post, he said, Ms. Wagner seems to believe that being a woman gives her some unique moral vantage point. She forgets that shes not the only woman in America. Unlike Wagner, the other Republican woman in the Missouri delegation, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, has stuck with Trump. She said that starting with the debate, she believed Trump still had time to make the case that he has the best plan forward for the country, irrespective of the damage that may have been done by the allegations. I think he needs to separate the allegations from the past with what he wants to do for the county now because his policies are what this country needs, she said Tuesday. Hartzler said that when she first heard the allegations against Trump and the 2005 tape that surfaced just before the last debate, I was disgusted. But Hartzler added that I was also disgusted with President Bill Clintons behavior when he was the president. One of my first thoughts was how ironic I think it is that Hillary Clinton says someone is unfit to be president if they say these things, yet when her husband actually did these things it was acceptable. Hartzler said she didnt think Trump needed to make gender-specific appeals to women because the case against Clinton was self-evident and strong. I think we need to focus on what (Trump) wants to do for the country now and how he is going to get it back on the right track, Hartzler continued. Hillary Clintons policies would be disastrous for this country. And I think it is important for (Trump) to continue to draw that contrast. Kristen Soltis Anderson, a Republican pollster, said that polling numbers reflected a drop in enthusiasm among Trump supporters but that he might be able to get that back if he focused on issues and populist messages on Wednesday. The best thing he has going for him is that a lot of people still kind of agree with him on the issues, said Anderson, who has conducted focus groups on what voters want. If he in this final debate can resist the temptation to make this all about bad things Bill Clinton has done I think he will be in a much better place, Anderson said. Missouri ranks among the top-performing states in the nation for boosting high school graduation rates, according to White House figures released this week. On the face of it, thats great news because the alternative returning to the dropout-factory formula is unacceptable. Missouri has marked steady and dramatic improvement in high school graduation rates during the past four years, moving from 81 percent of students receiving diplomas in the 2010-2011 school year to 87.8 percent in the 2014-2015 school year. So why not celebrate this achievement with unbridled enthusiasm? Our reluctance is based on the fact that test scores for college readiness are either flat or falling nationwide. On the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, Missouri students currently lag behind the national performance average, and the national average is far from inspiring. Americas high schools are churning out record numbers of graduates who still appear unprepared in basic reading, writing and math skills to address the real-world challenges that come with a high school degree. For many students, a high school diploma is not a passport to opportunity, its a ticket to nowhere, Michael Cohen, president of Achieve, a national nonprofit, told National Public Radio. Cohen wants higher standards and graduation requirements. This has broad implications across the job and educational spectrum. For junior colleges and four-year universities, higher numbers of underprepared freshmen mean greater demand for remedial instruction. No wonder the nationwide college dropout rate hovers near 50 percent. High schools are simply passing the basic educational burden up the chain to the college level. Increasingly, university professors say they encounter students who cannot read basic texts or compose simple, grammatically correct sentences. It means someone at the high school level has given those students a passing grade when it wasnt deserved. Employers must now question the true worth of a high school diploma if they cannot rely on it as an accurate barometer of basic skills. The nation is already flush with college graduates who are struggling to find employment, giving employers even less of an incentive to treat a high school diploma as a badge of distinction. For states like Missouri, student underpreparedness matters in terms of being able to attract companies that need a ready workforce to handle complex production demands. If employers have to worry about remedial instruction just to ensure their production stays on track, they will gladly choose to be based in other states or countries where the work force is more reliable. The terms college- and career-ready, which roll off the tongues of politicians and school superintendents with stunning regularity, are meaningless if they dont actually apply to the students who proudly don cap and gown to receive their diplomas each year. 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? Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (OTC: ASTI) announced that the Company has entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement ("Agreement") with a new accredited investor ("Investor") for the private placement of $1 million of the Company's newly designated Series J-1 10% Convertible Preferred Stock ("Series J-1 Preferred Stock"). Pursuant to the Agreement, shares of the Series J-1 Preferred Stock, including the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon, will be convertible at the option of the Investor into common stock at a fixed conversion price of $0.0125 per share. There are no registration rights applicable to the Series J-1 Preferred Stock. At closing, the Company issued a total of 100 shares of Series J-1 Preferred Stock to the investor in exchange for gross proceeds of $100,000. The Company will issue an additional 900 shares of Series J-1 Preferred Stock in exchange for gross proceeds of $900,000 in six subsequent closings scheduled to occur between November 2016 and February 2017. "We are pleased to secure yet another investment commitment from a new investor," commented Victor Lee, President and CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. "The funding will provide us with ongoing working capital needs as we continue to focus on the high value specialty PV market. The new investment reinforces our Investor's belief in Ascent's strategy and the tremendous potential of the Company's unmatched award-winning flexible CIGS solar technology." By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The California Attorney General's Office has launched a criminal investigation into Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) over allegations it opened millions of unauthorized customer accounts and credit cards, according to a seizure warrant seen by Reuters. Attorney General Kamala Harris authorized a seizure warrant against the bank that seeks customer records and other documents, saying there is probable cause to believe the bank committed felonies. The probe marks the latest setback for the bank in a growing scandal that led to the abrupt retirement of its chief executive officer, monetary penalties, compensation clawbacks, lost business and damage to its reputation. Wells Fargo spokesman Mark Folk did not immediately provide a comment in response to requests from Reuters, but was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying the bank is "cooperating in providing the requested information." A spokeswoman for the California Department of Justice said she could not comment on the probe. The bank's downward spiral kicked into high gear last month. The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other regulators ordered the United States' third-largest bank by assets to pay $190 million in fines and restitution to settle civil charges that its branch staff created as many as 2 million accounts without customers' knowledge in order to meet internal sales targets. The CFPB said that high pressure sales tactics and financial incentives fueled the fraud, which was largely carried out by low-level branch employees. About 5,300 of those employees were fired. Shortly after the civil settlement was made public, CEO John Stumpf was called to testify before Congress. Observers have widely criticized his performance, with many saying he appeared ill-prepared to deal with tough questioning by lawmakers including Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who called for his resignation and accused him of him "gutless" leadership. Last week, Stumpf resigned and was replaced by Chief Operating Officer Tim Sloan. This is at least the second criminal probe to be opened into Wells Fargo since last month. In September a source told Reuters that federal prosecutors are also looking into the matter. An affidavit filed by Special Agent Supervisor James Hirt with the California Department of Justice reveals that interviews with possible victims of the fraud have already started. One victim, identified only as "Ms. B," told the investigator that she had declined a request by a Wells Fargo teller in late 2011 or 2012 to open new accounts. But sometime in late 2013 or early 2014, she started to receive notices that she and her husband "allegedly owned on three life insurance policies held by the bank," the affidavit says. She also told the investigator that Wells Fargo often claimed that her accounts had to be closed and reopened because of "problems" that it could never fully explain. The constant changes, she added, sometimes caused her to incur fees because her checks would bounce. Another alleged victim, identified as "Ms. C," told the investigator she noticed the bank was transferring money from her checking account to her savings account in amounts that grew over time, from $50 to $150. The bank claimed the transfers were done as overdraft protection, but it refused to provide her bank statements when she asked to see them. The seizure warrants by the state are seeking a variety of documents from Wells Fargo, including a list of all unauthorized California customer accounts created between May 2011 and July 2015. It also seeks information about fees, charges and other costs that were incurred and the identity of all Wells Fargo employees that may have opened the accounts. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Chris Reese and Alan Crosby) Network-1 Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: NTIP) announced that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board ("PTAB") of the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") issued its Final Written Decision in the pending Covered Business Method Patent Review proceeding ("CBM") relating to a challenge made by Google, Inc. ("Google") and YouTube, LLC ("YouTube") to the patentability of one of the patents of Network-1's Cox Patent Portfolio. In the Final Written Decision, the PTAB ruled that Google had failed to show that any of the thirty-four (34) claims of U.S. Patent 8,904,464 were unpatentable. In April 2015, Google and YouTube petitioned the USPTO to cancel as unpatentable the claims of the patent which is one of 12 issued patents of Network-1's Cox Patent Portfolio. In October 2015, the PTAB agreed to review all of the claims. A hearing on the merits of the CBM proceeding was held in May 2016. "We are extremely pleased with today's PTAB decision," said Corey M. Horowitz, Chairman and CEO of Network-1. "We have worked very hard with Professor Ingemar Cox to develop and protect the value of his inventions and we will continue to do so," he added. As previously announced, in June 2016, the PTAB issued its Final Written Decisions in four Inter Partes Review proceedings ("IPRs") relating to challenges made by Google, Inc. ("Google") and YouTube, LLC ("YouTube") to the patentability of four other patents from Network-1's Cox Patent Portfolio. As a result of the PTAB's latest Final Written Decisions in the CBM proceeding and the four prior IPRs, one-hundred twenty (120) claims have been found to be "not unpatentable" (i.e. valid), and in total, one hundred and fifty-three (153) out of one hundred and sixty-three (163) claims or ninety-three percent (93%) of the challenged claims of the patents have survived Google's patent challenges in the IPRs and the CBM. None of Network-1's asserted claims from the patents in its pending litigations against Google and YouTube in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York were found invalid. In April 2014 and December 2014, Network-1 initiated litigation against Google and YouTube in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York for infringement of several of its patents within the Cox Patent Portfolio acquired from Dr. Ingemar Cox which relate to the identification of media content on the Internet. The lawsuits allege that Google and YouTube have infringed and continue to infringe certain of the Network-1's patents by making, using, selling and offering to sell unlicensed systems and related products and services, which include YouTube's Content ID system. The above referenced litigations are currently subject to a stay which has been in effect since July 2015 as a result of the then pending IPRs and CBM proceedings at the PTAB. The Cox Patent Portfolio includes patents relating to enabling technology for identifying media content, such as music and videos, and taking further actions to be performed based on such identification. Since the acquisition of the portfolio, Network-1 has filed twelve (12) additional patent applications (seven (7) of which have been issued) bringing the total portfolio of granted patents to twelve (12). Five (5) applications relating to the original specification are still pending and Network-1 anticipates further issuances of additional claims for this portfolio. Dr. Ingemar Cox is currently a Professor at the University of Copenhagen and a Professor at the University College London where he is Head of its Media Futures Group. Dr. Cox was formerly a member of the Technical Staff at AT&T Bell Labs and a Fellow at NEC Research Institute. In connection with the acquisition of the Portfolio, Dr. Cox provides consulting services to Network-1 with respect to the acquired patents and the related pending and future patent applications and assists in Network-1's efforts to develop the portfolio. BARCELONA, SPAIN -- (Marketwired) -- 10/19/16 -- As VMworld comes to a close, exhibitors and customers alike take time to digest the plate of current industry offerings, as well as how these offerings will be relevant in the digital transformation race. Hitachi Data Systems' VP of Infrastructure Products and Solutions, Bob Madaio, describes these initiatives and more, including HDS involvement in flash storage, convergence, and VM integration in this timely and easy-to-digest blog, A Tapas Sampler of VMworld Barcelona. Excerpt: "Hitachi Data Systems is working on a number of cloud initiatives including storage tiering to the cloud, object storage clouds and the most obvious and closely aligned to VMware, last week's announcement of Hitachi Enterprise Cloud. Available as either a usage/outcome based managed cloud or as a traditionally purchased system, it creates a ready-to-use cloud platform that's pre-engineered (on top of the HDS Unified Compute Platform converged infrastructure, automation and APIs) with VMware vRealize Suite and all the HDS or HDS Partner services a user needs to get important applications migrated and into the cloud environment." "Hitachi Enterprise Cloud creates a powerful on-ramp for our mutual customers to leverage VMware vRealize Suite as their cloud management platform in order to lower operational costs and increase business agility." -- Rob Smoot, VMware VP or Product Marketing Learn More. Join the Conversation. About Hitachi Data Systems Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., offers an integrated portfolio of services and solutions that enable digital transformation through enhanced data management, governance, mobility and analytics. We help global organizations open new revenue streams, increase efficiencies, improve customer experience and ensure rapid time to market in the digital age. Only Hitachi Data Systems powers the digital enterprise by integrating the best information technology and operational technology from across the Hitachi family of companies. We combine this experience with Hitachi expertise in the internet of things to deliver the exceptional insights business and society need to transform and thrive. Visit us at www.hds.com. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2014 (ended March 31, 2015) totaled 9,761 billion yen ($81.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com. Company Contact: Emily Meyer Hitachi Data Systems [email protected] Source: Hitachi Data Systems EATONTOWN, N.J., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Facebook, Microsoft, and TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd. company and an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology, today announced that TE SubCom has been named the system supply partner for the new MAREA submarine cable across the Atlantic Ocean. TE SubCom has completed the route survey and begun manufacture of the system at its facility in Newington, New Hampshire. The parties are on track to begin laying cable using TE SubCom's state-of-the-art cable installation ships next year, with a scheduled completion date of October 2017. As announced by Facebook and Microsoft in May 2016, MAREA will be the highest-capacity subsea cable to ever cross the Atlantic featuring eight fiber-pairs and an initial estimated design capacity of 160 Terabits/sec. The new 6,600 km submarine cable system will also be the first to connect the United States to southern Europe: from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Bilbao, Spain. This new southern route will provide greater diversity of connections and enhanced reliability for customers, as well as optimal connectivity to data centers on the East Coast of the United States. Led by Facebook and Microsoft, TE SubCom is constructing MAREA to be interoperable with a wide variety of network equipment. This new "open" design brings significant benefits for customers: lower costs and easier equipment upgrades, which lead to faster growth in the speed of communications for users since the system can evolve at the pace of optical technology innovation. "TE SubCom strives to provide customers with the highest standards of design, manufacture, and system installation," said Aaron Stucki, president of TE SubCom. "Being named the installation partner for the ground-breaking MAREA cable system further strengthens our position as a leading supplier of the world's most reliable fiber optic cable systems. We look forward to working with Microsoft and Facebook on what will be a highly advanced and scalable new system." "We're pleased to work with TE SubCom to advance state-of-the-art transoceanic fiber connections. This is one example of how Microsoft collaborates with industry leaders to drive innovation and build the next generation infrastructure of the internet. MAREA will offer better connections to users in Europe and beyond," said Frank Rey, director, global network acquisition, Microsoft Corp. About TE SubComTE SubCom (SubCom), a TE Connectivity Ltd. company, is an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology and marine services, and a leading global supplier for today's undersea communications requirements. As a vertically integrated supplier, SubCom designs, manufactures, deploys, and maintains the industry's most reliable fiber optic cable systems. Its solutions include long-haul and regional systems, repeaterless networks, capacity upgrades, offshore oil and gas, and scientific research applications. SubCom brings end-to-end network knowledge and global experience to support on-time delivery and the needs of customers worldwide. To date, the company has deployed more than 100 cable systems and enough subsea communication cable to circle the globe 15 times at the equator. For more information, visit www.SubCom.com. About TE ConnectivityTE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) is a $12 billion global technology leader. Our connectivity and sensor solutions are essential in today's increasingly connected world. We collaborate with engineers to transform their concepts into creations - redefining what's possible using intelligent, efficient and high-performing TE products and solutions proven in harsh environments. Our 72,000 people, including over 7,000 engineers, partner with customers in close to 150 countries across a wide range of industries. We believe EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS - www.TE.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430226LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/te-subcom-supplies-marea-submarine-cable-system-300347318.html SOURCE TE Connectivity Ltd. LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WOW air, the ultra-low-cost transatlantic airline from Iceland, will now offer daily flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Keflavik International Airport (KEF), making it even easier to travel to Europe from the West Coast. Fares from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Reykjavik will begin as low as $99* including taxes. Travellers can purchase tickets with a short one hour stopover in Iceland allowing them to continue their trip to one of WOW airs 31 European destinations Prices from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Amsterdam, Paris and London are now available for as low as $179* one way including taxes. Tickets reflecting these prices go on sale today. "We saw a great response to our new routes in Calfiornia this summer and are excited to begin daily flights from the West Coast to Europe beginning next Spring," said Skuli Mogensen, founder and CEO of WOW air. "WOW air is dedicated to providing customers with an easy and affordable way to travel, and continue to do so by offering low-fares and high-performance." WOW air announced its entry into the U.S. West Coast market in January 2016 with services beginning this past June. Currently, flights from San Francisco to Iceland are available five days a week, with service from Los Angeles scheduled four days a week. California routes are serviced by Airbus A330-300 aircrafts, the first wide-body planes in the WOW air fleet, which each carry 350 passengers in a single-class configuration. Seat pitch will vary from 30 inches as standard to 34 inches at an additional charge. Launched in November 2011, WOW air now connects 31 destinations across the U.S. and Europe with the Icelandic capital. WOW air's annual passenger capacity is projected to more than double in 2016 to over 1.8 million, up from approximately 840,000 in 2015. For more information on flights to Iceland and North America please visit www.wow.us. About WOW airThe airline services 31 destinations across Europe and North America including Dublin, London, Paris, Berlin, and Copenhagen. Established in November 2011 by Icelandic entrepreneur Skuli Mogensen, the purple airline currently operates six Airbus A321 aircraft and recently purchased four. WOW airs fleet also consists of three Airbus A330-300 planes and two A 320-200 planes. By the end of 2017 the fleet will consist of 17 aircraft with the average age of the whole fleet only 2.5 years. For additional information and bookings please visit www.wowair.com. Contact:Anna Romano[email protected]310 854 8296 WOW air corporateSvana FridriksdottirVP Communications[email protected] 354 695 9359 *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles to Reykjavik (KEF), including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX on Tuesdays from January 17, 2017 through April 4, 2017 and April 25, 2017 through May 30, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from San Francisco to Reykjavik (KEF), including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from SFO on Fridays from January 13, 2017 through April 7, 2017 and April 28, 2017 through May 26, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Paris (CDG) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX and SFO on Tuesdays from January 17, 2017 through April 4, 2017 and April 25, 2017 through May 30, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles to Amsterdam (AMS) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX on Thursdays from January 12, 2017 through April 6, 2017 and April 27, 2017 through May 25, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from Los Angeles to London (LGW) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from LAX on Saturdays from January 14, 2017 through April 8, 2017 and April 29, 2017 through May 27, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from San Francisco to Amsterdam (AMS) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from SFO on Saturdays from January 14, 2017 through April 8, 2017 and April 29, 2017 through May 27, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. *Based on lowest one-way fare from San Francisco to London (LGW) including taxes and charges, booked on www.wowair.com. Available for travel from SFO on Thursdays from January 12, 2017 through April 6, 2017 and April 27, 2017 through May 25, 2017. Restrictions and baggage fees may apply. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wow-air-offers-daily-flights-from-the-west-coast-to-europe-300347250.html SOURCE WOW air Croatia's Prime Minister-designate Andrej Plenkovic speaks in the parliament before the government is approved in Zagreb, Croatia, October 19, 2016. REUTERS/Antonio Bronic By Igor Ilic ZAGREB (Reuters) - The Croatian parliament approved on Wednesday a new government led by the conservative HDZ party leader Andrej Plenkovic whose main task will be to boost growth and sort out fragile public finances in one of the weakest European Union economies. The new government was formed by the HDZ and its junior center-right reformist partner Most ("Bridge") after several weeks of negotiations following a Sept. 11 snap election. The government got support of 91 out of 151 parliamentary deputies. "We will be the government that knows how to bring about changes," Plenkovic told the parliamentary deputies while presenting his cabinet. He said that spurring growth and improving the business climate would be his government's priorities. "We will ease conditions for doing business and implement tax reform to make the taxation system simpler and ease burden for citizens and businesses," Plenkovic said. In the past many investors have largely shunned Croatia due to red tape, high taxes, frequently changing regulations and a slow judiciary. Plenkovic said that the 2017 budget, which is expected in November, will clearly reflect efforts to reduce the fiscal gap and public debt which now stands at around 85 percent of gross domestic product. Tentatively, the government wants to reduce the gap to two percent next year from some 2.5 percent expected this year. Among the main challenges for the new government will be disputes with Hungary's MOL over decision-making in jointly owned Croatian energy group INA, with public sector trade unions over wage hike promise, and with local banks over the forced conversion of Swiss franc loans into euros. Disputes over the promise of higher wages, dating back to 2009, and CHF loans, whose conversion cost was entirely imposed on the banks, could potentially inflict costs worth billions of kuna and undermine fiscal consolidation plans. Analysts widely believe that without measures to significantly improve the business climate, the country is unlikely to surpass the 2.5 percent growth figure in the coming years. HDZ won most parliamentary seats in the snap election following a collapse of the previous HDZ-Most government in June, after just five months in power, due to a row over a conflict of interest case involving a former HDZ leader.. Analysts believe the new government, led by the new HDZ leader, has a good chance of completing the four-year term. (Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Angus MacSwan) BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hundreds of insurgents and their families left the besieged Syrian town of Mouadamiya near Damascus on Wednesday, witnesses said, in the latest rebel withdrawal from remaining pockets of opposition around the Syrian capital. Under an amnesty deal with the government, 1,800 people including 700 rebels left Mouadamiya for Idlib, the largest area under control of the myriad insurgent groups seeking to oust President Bashar al-Assad, the witnesses said. Assad has in recent months used siege and bombardment to force rebels from areas they control around Syria's main cities, allowing them to leave with their families and light weapons and surrendering territory to the government. In the last two months, while attention has focused on the battle for Aleppo further north, rebels pulled out of Daraya, west of Damascus, and two suburbs to the north, allowing Assad to consolidate control around the capital which his opponents came close to encircling at one stage in the five-year conflict. Rebels still hold areas south and east of Damascus. Assad has made a similar offer to the besieged rebels in eastern Aleppo, where the army backed by Russian jets, have been launching an offensive and where they have declared temporary ceasefires to encourage residents to depart. Rebels have accused the government of compelling them to accept such deals or face full scale assaults on besieged areas risking very high civilian casualties. They also say the deals are designed to remove Sunni Muslims from sensitive areas in cities, a charge the government denies. Wednesday's departure of rebels from Mouadamiya was not officially covered by state media and there was no announcement of the terms under which they and their families left for Idlib. Previous agreements, including the one for neighboring Daraya in August, allowed rebels to take with them light weapons and offered civilians the option of also traveling to Idlib or moving to new accommodation in government-held areas. Smaller groups of people have been leaving Mouadamiya since September under agreements struck with the government, including displaced people from Daraya who had sought refuge after their own homes were threatened. Last week hundreds of insurgents and their families left two towns on the northern outskirts of Damascus, Qudsiya and al-Hama under a similar agreement. (Reporting By Angus McDowall; Additional reporting by Kinda Makieh in Damascus; Editing by Dominic Evans) By Rory Carroll (Reuters) - A man from Topeka, Kansas, on Tuesday was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for helping a would-be jihadist's unsuccessful plot to bomb a U.S. military base, prosecutors said. Alexander Blair, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for helping his friend, John Booker Jr., store equipment to make a bomb to kill American service members, prosecutors said. Blair admitted that he and Booker plotted to detonate a vehicle bomb at Fort Riley military base near Manhattan, Kansas. Prosecutors said that after Blair was arrested and was asked about the plan to kill service members, Blair said: "That's what they signed (up) for." Blair's attorney Chris Joseph said his client has a genetic condition, Williams syndrome, that made him easily manipulated and unable to appreciate the gravity of his conduct. A defense expert testified that he functioned at the level of an 11-year old. Joseph said he appreciated that the judge in the case saw the government's demand for five years in prison as overreaching. He said no decision has been made yet on whether to appeal. Blair's co-defendant Booker, 22, made statements on Facebook and to FBI agents that he wanted to join Islamic State and kill people and was willing to die in the process, according to prosecutors. He was arrested on April 10 in a sting operation in which he went to Fort Riley with two undercover FBI agents to detonate what he did not know was an inert bomb, prosecutors said. Booker pleaded guilty to one count each of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy government property with an explosive, according to court documents. He is awaiting sentencing, but has agreed to spend 30 years in prison in the plea deal. According to court documents, Blair and Booker shared extremist views in support of Islamic State and against the U.S. military. (Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Sandra Maler) Lebanese Christian leader and founder of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Michel Aoun greets his supporters during a rally to show support for him and to mark the October 13 anniversary, near the presidential palace in Baabda, near Beirut, Lebanon Octobe By Tom Perry and Laila Bassam BEIRUT (Reuters) - Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri intends to endorse Michel Aoun for the vacant presidency, senior political sources said, and the Hezbollah ally could be elected head of state later this month. Long an opponent of the Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah, Hariri would become prime minister again under the plan that could reshape Lebanese politics. It has drawn opposition in his party and a final decision has not yet been taken, allies said. The presidency, which is reserved for a Maronite Christian in the country's sectarian power-sharing arrangements, has been vacant for 2 1/2 years due to political conflicts. Aoun, a veteran politician in his 80s, has long coveted the post. It was not immediately clear if Aoun's candidacy would enjoy enough support among other politicians to secure the necessary two-thirds quorum for the vote in the 128-seat parliament. The next scheduled parliamentary session to elect a president is set for Oct. 31. Opponents of Aoun's candidacy include Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, head of the Shi'ite Amal Movement and a close ally of Hezbollah, which itself has yet to comment. Hariri, 46, led the "March 14" alliance against Hezbollah and its allies, after the 2005 assassination of his father Rafik al-Hariri. He remains a fierce critic of Hezbollah, which is fighting in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad. The proposal, unthinkable until recently, casts new light on the predicament facing Hariri, whose standing as Lebanon's most influential Sunni politician has been shaken by a financial crisis at his Saudi-based construction business. The troubles at Saudi Oger, which has been hit by falling oil prices and cuts in Saudi state spending, have led to a cash crunch in Hariri's Future Movement. Diplomats say Hariri has fallen from favor in Saudi Arabia, which these days cares far more about confronting Iranian influence in the Gulf and Syria than about Lebanon. OPPOSITION FROM WITHIN Two senior politicians told Reuters that Hariri had expressed his intention to nominate Aoun for the presidency as part of the power-sharing deal. A third source, a member of Hariri's Future Movement, confirmed Hariri had expressed this intention, but members of his own parliamentary bloc opposed it. Fouad Siniora, a former prime minister and head of the Future Movement's parliamentary bloc, told the newspaper Daily Star that Hariri had told his MPs on Tuesday that he had decided to support Aoun's candidacy, but added that there was "no final decision yet on this matter". One of the senior sources said Hariri would announce his support for Aoun "within the coming few days". The current government of Prime Minister Tammam Salam has been paralyzed by rivalries exacerbated by regional conflict. Hariri became prime minister for the first time in 2009, but his cabinet was toppled in 2011 when Hezbollah and its allies resigned. Since then, he spent most of his time abroad. Last year, he nominated Hezbollah ally Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency, but Hezbollah stuck by Aoun. Aoun, a former army commander, heads the largest Christian bloc in parliament and has a large following in the divided Christian community. He has been a political ally of Hezbollah since 2006. A significant figure in Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, Aoun led one of two rival governments during the final years of the conflict. In 1990, the Syrian army forced him into exile. He returned in 2005 after Syrian forces withdrew under international pressure following the Hariri assassination. Aoun's main Christian rival, wartime enemy Samir Geagea, earlier this year also endorsed Aoun's candidacy. (Reporting by Tom Perry and Laila Bassam Editing by Tom Heneghan) MAPUTO (Reuters) - The Mozambique government and opposition party Renamo have resumed talks despite the Oct. 9 killing of a senior Renamo official by unidentified gunmen, the state news agency AIM said on Wednesday. The death of Jeremias Pondeca, a member of the Joint Commission set up to find ways to overcome a standoff between the government and Renamo over a range of issues, cast a cloud over the negotiations. AIM said the talks, which were originally supposed to have resumed on Monday, did so on Tuesday after a minute's silence for Pondeca. The commission has so far reached no definitive agreement on any of the matters on its agenda, including Renamo's demands for six provincial governors and the inclusion of its militia in the army and police. The commission was also set up to prepare the ground for a face-to-face meeting between President Filipe Nyusi and Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama. There has been no progress toward such a meeting yet, with Dhlakama saying he had no interest in seeing Nyusi before signing a final agreement, AIM reported. Renamo and the government were on opposing sides in a civil war from the late 1970s until the early 1990s before a peace accord ended the fighting. But Renamo retains its own militia. In the run-up to elections in October 2014, Renamo partisans clashed sporadically with troops and police. Renamo contended that the election outcome was rigged. (Writing by Ed Stoddard; editing by Mark Heinrich) Valuers will be visiting properties in the Western Bay over the coming month to assess current land and capital values. Revaluations are done every two to three years by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to give a snapshot of property values district-wide so it can accurately assess the value of properties at a given time. With such large movement in property values across the District since our last revaluation in 2014, its really important to bring people up to date with the value of their property, says WBOPC community relations manager Frank Begley. The valuers are out and about now and will be working in the district until the end of November. If no one is home when the valuer visits, a calling card will be left explaining the process to the property owner, says Frank. The valuers are employees of independent valuation firm Landmass Technology and have been approved by the Office of the Valuer-General. These valuations are for the sole purpose of rating and do not reflect the value of your property on the open market, nor do they reflect the sales price of any property. Also, they dont influence the total amount of rates collected by council. However, if the new value of a property has increased or decreased more than the average for the district, the new value will impact on the rates paid. Some valuations will go up, others will go down and some wont change. Valuation results on the land and capital value of properties will be advised by public notice from 12 December 2016. All property owners will receive notice of their new valuation plus a brochure with all the necessary information about the revaluation process and how to make an objection. Property owners who disagree with the new valuation are welcome to lodge an objection up until January 27, 2017. In 2014 about two percent of people objected to their valuation and all were settled through the objection process. Objection forms are available from Western Bay of Plenty Council offices and on Councils website. Completed forms should be posted to: Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Private Bag 12803, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga, 3134, by January 27, 2017. Mount Maunganuis Pacific Coast Lodge & Backpackers have taken out the Tourism & Hospitality Award 2016 at the Westpac Tauranga Business Awards. Its the latest in a long list of accolades presented to the Mount business by industry organisations and consumer voting panels both in New Zealand Australia over the past three years. Co-owners Sarah Meadows and Matt Young say this latest award has given them the extra confidence they needed to maintain their growth path. Its great to be acknowledged for not just our hard work but our wonderful staff as well over the years, we couldnt have done it without our fantastic teams at both hostels, says Sarah. In recent years Pacific Coast Lodge won the TNT Golden Backpacker Award for best accommodation in New Zealand in 2014, and the Trip Advisors Certificate in Excellence in 2015. Sarah and Matt purchased the business four years ago to complement their other business, Harbourside City Backpackers, and the couple have worked hard to build both into leading accommodation and tourism businesses for the Bay of Plenty region. The awards judges noted Pacific Coast Lodge & Backpackers stood out from the other finalists by demonstrating a level of excellence across all areas. Sarah Meadows and Matt Young operate a successful business model based on a deep understanding of, and delivery to, their two diverse customer groups: backpackers and school/sporting groups. Matt believes this award shows they now have their formula right. Weve got great staff who understand how the business works, and weve got a great culture not just in the hostel but within the team - everyone is aligned together. WESTPAC TAURANGA BUSINESS AWARDS 2016 Retail Excellence Small Business: Sponsored by Gartshore Retail Interiors Winner: Furnish Finalist: Waihi Beach Chemist Retail Excellence Large Business: Sponsored by Gartshore Retail Interiors Winner: YOU Travel Finalist: Z Retail Outlets Finalist: Modern Office & Office Furniture Warehouse Manufacturing &/or Logistics Award: Sponsored by Cooney Lees Morgan Modern Office & Office Furniture Warehouse Tourism & Hospitality Award: Sponsored by Tourism Bay of Plenty Winner: Pacific Coast Lodge & Backpackers Finalist: 850 Cameron Motel Finalist: The Phoenix Finalist: Waimareno Finalist: Little Big Events Service Excellence Award: Sponsored by YOU Travel Winner: Nurtured at Home Finalist: The Relocatable House Company Finalist: Modern Office & Office Furniture Warehouse Social Enterprise Award: Sponsored by Bay of Connections Winner: EmployNZ Finalist: Waipuna Hospice Customer Service Award: Sponsored by Trustpower Winner: Fresh One Finalist: YOU Travel Finalist: EmployNZ Finalist: AJC Distribution Finalist: Waipuna Hospice Workplace Safety Award: Sponsored by ACC Winner: Z Retail Outlets Finalist: Waipuna Hospice Digital Innovation Award: Sponsored by Vodafone Winner: Waipuna Hospice Business Innovation Award: Sponsored by Ballance Agri-Nutrients Winner: Modern Office & Office Furniture Warehouse Finalist: EmployNZ Finalist: Waimarino Finalist: Waipuna Hospice Business Leadership Award: Sponsored by Powerco Winner: Tom Roper Corporate Leadership Award: Sponsored by Waikato Management School Winner: Sanford Westpac Tauranga Business of the Year: The annual event proved as popular as ever, with a large number of specially invited guests and Auto Tour partners travelling the route in cherished classic or super cars, ably supported by a beautiful Harley Davidson, with stops at France's most exclusive chateaux along the way. Following a safe passage on and off the Euro Tunnel, the first afternoons drive headed south taking the fleet in to the centre of Frances renowned Champagne region for the first night. The evening commenced with a talk from Hambledon Vineyards founder and aficionado, followed by a wine tasting with Hambledons English Sparkling Premier Cuvee going head to head with a well-known French champagne. The second mornings route took the Tour to a beautiful lunch stop in an old Cistercian Abbey in Burgundy. Following an al fresco lunch and the chance to refresh, the cars then all set off for a relaxed afternoon of driving along winding roads and breath-taking scenery. Despite the heavens opening, the spirit of expectation was not dampened as the Tour arrived at an enchanting medieval castle, with stunning views across green rolling hills and acres of vineyards well known as a haven of tranquillity. Continuing south and taking the scenic route to northern Rhone, cars gathered again, this time for a highly competitive boules competition against the local team. The next stop was Provence for delicious local wines and a gastronomic treat before and the Tours official awards ceremony with more prize giving. The following day provided the opportunity for those prepared to get up early to venture up one of the most renowned and challenging stages of the Tour de France, Mont Ventoux, and catch the sunrise. Having taken in the incredible horizon and fresh air, it was then time to negotiate the hair pin bends back down for breakfast and the final briefing. The Tour then headed towards Castellane for the last lunch at a picturesque sailing club gloriously set right on the side of an emerald lake. After a relatively short afternoons drive, the entourage gathered once more in preparation for the final descent in to Monte Carlo. The Tour was escorted by the Monegasque motorcycle police into Casino Square for the traditional welcome reception on the Salle Empire terrace at Hotel de Paris. The RWD Auto Tour was established in 2008 and has since become a traditional curtain raiser to the Monaco Yacht Show. An abandoned church is one of the locations visited in the haunting documentary "Homo Sapiens." You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Nishith Amin, M.D. joins St. Joseph's Physicians to their team of cardiovascular specialists as an interventional cardiologist. A fellowship-trained interventional cardiologist, he will see patients at the Medical Office Centre in Syracuse and their Brittonfield office in East Syracuse. Dr. Amin earned his doctor of medicine from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School at the University of London, London, England. Following one year of family practice at Albany Medical Center, he did his Internal Medicine residency, held the role of chief resident and was a cardiology fellow at Upstate Medical University, Syracuse. Amin completed a fellowship in interventional cardiology at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa., and worked more than 10 years as an interventional and general cardiologist at New York Heart Center following fellowship. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and of the Society of Coronary Angiography and Interventions (FSCAI). Greenfield, Pa. -- An Onondaga County man was killed Tuesday afternoon in a hit-and-run accident as he and another man were changing a tire on Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania. Around 12:15 p.m. John Fiore, 57, of Clay, and John Sauta, 25, of Bridgeport, stopped outside Scranton on I-81 after their vehicle got a flat tire, WNEP reported. They stopped in Greenfield Township, about 100 miles south of Syracuse. A third man -- whose name police have not released -- was with Fiore and Sauta, said The Times Tribune. The Times-Tribune reported Fiore and the other man watched as Sauta changed the tire when a pickup and trailer hit them and did not stop. Fiore and the unidentified man was rushed to a hospital, where Fiore died from his injuries, WNEP reported. It was not immediately clear how severe the second man's injuries were. The vehicle that hit the men was described by police as likely to be a white, heavy-duty pickup pulling a red trailer with several cars on. It may have damage on its the right side, including white- and green-paint markings. The Pennsylvania State Police asked anyone with information to contact 570-963-3156. Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Sauta had been hit by a vehicle. An unidentified man was hit, not Sauta. 2014-01-30-mg-ascioti's1.JPG The death of Philomena Ascioti, center, the sole owner of Ascioti's Meat Market's, 2239 Milton Ave., will shut the store through the end of the month. In this picture, taken at the time of the shop's 100th anniversary in 2014, she stands with her sisters Rose Spagnoletti, left, and Frances Quattrone, right. (Michelle Gabel) In its first 102 years, the owners of the family-owned Ascioti's Meat Market in Solvay spanned just two generations. Ascioti's, 2239 Milton Avenue, Solvay, is closed through the end of this month due to the death of its owner, Philomena Ascioti. Her parents founded the shop in 1914. Ascioti's is now closed through the end of the month due to the death of its owner, Philomena "Fannie" Ascioti. She was 94 and the daughter of Antonio and Caterina Ascioti, who founded the grocery store at 2239 Milton Ave. in 1914. Ascioti's Market announced the news on its Facebook page: "It is with great sadness that due to the passing of the owner, Philomena Ascioti, Ascioti's Market will be closed for the remainder of the month. We appreciate your support and understanding. Thank you." Ascioti died Saturday. She is survived by two sisters and dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews, but she was the "sole proprietor" of the shop. The long-term future of the market, best known for its meats, Italian sausage and meatball mix, is not clear. Philomena's parents were natives of Italy who came to Solvay more than 100 years ago by way of Philadelphia. They initially operated the market as a full-service neighborhood grocery, but eventually it specialized in meat and related products. Over the years, it withstood the onslaught of big chain supermarkets, the expansion of the suburbs and the closing of major local industries, especially Solvay's own Allied Chemical Co. "To have a business, especially in retail, in the same family, in the same place, for 100 years is pretty rare," Dennis Connors, curator of history at the Onondaga Historical Association, told syracuse.com on the occasion of the shop's 100th anniversary in 2014. "Those that survive have strong family ties, and succeeding generations that want to be a part of it. But 100 years and just two generations? That's really unusual." In the obituary posted at syracuse.com, Philomena Ascioti was described as "a devout and generous Catholic who gave willingly and often to many charities. Fannie loved her family and enjoyed family get-togethers. Spending time with her great-great nieces and great-great nephews brought much joy to her life and many smiles to her face. After retiring, she loved to cook and discuss recipes with her sisters and nieces. She also was a caregiver for many family members." Don Cazentre writes about food, beverages, restaurants and bars for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact him by email, on Twitter, at Google+ or via Facebook. winefest.JPG The Syracuse Wine & Chocolate Festival (Provided photo ) The annual Wine & Chocolate Festival held each fall at the New York State Fairgrounds was a bit of a disaster last year, perhaps a victim of its own previous success. Part of the team behind the 2016 Syracuse Wine & Chocolate Festival: Pam Levine of Galaxy Events, chef Cody Dedischew of the Marriott Downtown Syracuse, Jacqueline Baldwin-Calveric of the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund, and Cheryl Pohlman of Summitt Federal Credit Union. This year, the event has a new main sponsor and a new commitment to fix the problems that led one fest-goer to call it an "epic fail" in 2015. The 2016 fest, sponsored by Summit Federal Credit Union, is set for Nov. 26 at the fairgrounds' Horticulture Building. "We heard the complaints and this year we are making a lot of changes," said Pam Levine, whose company, Galaxy Events, stages the event each year and uses it as a fundraiser for the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. The major change this year is that the fest will be split into two, separately ticketed, sessions: The first is 2 to 5 p.m. and the second is 6 to 9 p.m. Each session will be limited to about 1,500 people, Levine said. That should solve the major problems that plagued last year's event: The 2015 event drew more than 4,000 people, almost double the number of previous fests. That meant long, long lines, prolonged waits for service and an inadequate supply of wine and chocolate -- the reason people pay the $25 (advance price) to attend. "We know we can handle 2,200 or so (total)," Levine said. "So this gets us there." Breaking the event in two also assures every guest will get to the chocolate fountain, said Carrie Wotjaszek of Galaxy Events. The festival features dozens of vendors, offering wine, chocolate, plus spirits and other foods. The ticket price includes unlimited samplings of wine and a visit to the fountain. Other items are available for purchase. Bottles of wine are available for purchase, and the fest donates $1 from each sale to the Baldwin cancer fund. Buy tickets online. The fest also returns to the Horticulture Building this year after moving to the Exhibit Center last year. Although the exhibit center (during the fair it's the Dairy Cattle Building) sis larger, the Horticulture Building allows for a better layout to move people through, Levine said. It also offers a center space for the cooking and tasting demonstration, which will be led this year by Cody Dedischew, executive sous chef of the Eleven Waters bistro and other restaurants at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown / Hotel Syracuse. The festival is also renewing is emphasis on support for breast cancer research. Among other things, the fest encourages attendees to "pin out," or wear as much pink as possible and compete for prizes. "This year there's more chocolate and totally more pink," Levine said. Galaxy runs similar wine and chocolate events each year in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Utica, Binghamton and Watertown. Don Cazentre writes about food, beverages, restaurants and bars for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact him by email, on Twitter, at Google+ or via Facebook. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. 2015-04-27-eb-perlman8.JPG Alain Kaloyeros, former president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, has been granted permission by the judge overseeing his federal bid-rigging case to go to a job interview in Pennsylvania. He is shown in a 2015 file photo. (Ellen M. Blalock) Alain Kaloyeros, a former New York state university president who resigned amid felony charges of bid-rigging, this week asked the federal judge overseeing his case for permission to travel to Pennsylvania for a job interview. U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Pitman granted the request, according to court papers filed Monday. It's not clear from the documents what sort of work Kaloyeros is seeking, or whether it involves a permanent job. He asked for permission to travel to Pennsylvania "for employment purposes,'' according to the letter from his attorney, Michael Miller. "Dr. Kaloyeros has been invited to meet in Pennsylvania in connection with a potential consulting opportunity,'' Miller wrote. Federal prosecutors did not object to the request, Miller said. The court had previously restricted Kaloyeros to travel within New York and New Jersey. Kaloyeros was suspended without pay last month from his job as president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, where he was one of the state's highest paid employees. He later resigned the post. But in his resignation letter Kaloyeros said he intended to return to his job as a SUNY Poly professor, where he formerly made $800,000 a year. SUNY officials have said they are "evaluating his request to return.'' Kaloyeros was arrested Sept. 22 on federal charges alleging that he steered SUNY Poly construction projects to favored companies in violation of state bidding requirements. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has alleged in a criminal complaint that Kaloyeros, among other things, conspired with lobbyist Todd Howe and Cor Development Co. officials to rig the competition for construction contracts at a state-funded nanotech hub in DeWitt. The same day the federal complaint was filed, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman charged Kaloyeros with bid-rigging in a separate case involving an Albany construction project and other contracts in the Capital District. Kaloyeros' attorney has said he is innocent of all the charges. He is due Monday in federal court in Manhattan for a preliminary hearing, along with other defendants in the federal case. Contact reporter Tim Knauss anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023 2011-03-15-mjg-aNuke2.JPG A group of companies that own non-nuclear power plants has sued to prevent New York from paying subsidies to Upstate nuclear plants including the three reactors in Scriba, Oswego County. (Michael Greenlar) SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Several owners of fossil fuel-burning power plants sued New York utility regulators today seeking to block millions of dollars in subsidy payments for the struggling nuclear generators in Oswego and Wayne counties. The plaintiffs, including companies that own the Sithe Independence and Oswego Steam generating stations in Oswego, contend that New York's new nuclear subsidy program illegally interferes with wholesale power markets. Officials at the state Public Service Commission responded by calling the lawsuit a "frivolous'' attempt to thwart efforts to combat climate change. The PSC in August approved a new "clean energy standard'' aimed at boosting renewable energy and cutting carbon emissions. The most controversial provision was a plan to subsidize Upstate nuclear plants that might otherwise close for financial reasons, preserving their carbon-free power output for 12 years. The nuclear subsidies are a critical part of a plan to keep the 850-megawatt FitzPatrick nuclear plant running. Exelon Corp. agreed to buy the facility from Entergy Corp. and keep it running, on the condition that subsidy contracts are approved by Nov. 18. Today's lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan by a coalition of generating companies, including NRG Energy, owner of the Oswego Steam Station, and Dynegy, owner of Sithe Independence. Opponents of the nuclear subsidies contend that they will prop up inefficient generators that can't otherwise compete, artificially increasing the supply of power and reducing market prices. Meanwhile, they say, utility customers across the state are forced to pay the subsidies, which are expected to cost nearly $1 billion in the first two years and as much as $7.6 billion over 12 years. The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction nullifying the nuclear subsidies. Officials at the PSC said in August they looked into this legal argument, after generators raised it during the PSC deliberations, and found it without merit. They say the nuclear subsidies are provided in return for an environmental benefit, similar to wind and solar subsidies that have been paid for years. Audrey Zibelman, PSC chair, denounced the lawsuit today. "The frivolous lawsuit is right out of (the) fossil fuel industry's playbook to deny and thwart actions to combat climate change,'' she said. "The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the rights of states to protect their environment for the welfare (of) citizens.'' According to a study by The Brattle Group, funded by Exelon and other nuclear supporters, the three reactors in Oswego County and another in Wayne County eliminate nearly 16 million tons of carbon dioxide a year that would otherwise be emitted by fossil fuel power plants. Exelon today issued a statement saying its effort to acquire FitzPatrick will continue, "notwithstanding attempts to stop it.'' Contact reporter Tim Knauss anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023 Read the federal complaint by Tim Knauss on Scribd Chuck Schumer Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will speak with the Syracuse Media Group editorial board today. In this photo provided by CBS News, on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks on CBS' "Face the Nation" in Washington. (Chris Usher) Sen. Charles Schumer is scheduled to meet with Syracuse Media Group's editorial board at 9:30 a.m. today to ask for its endorsement as he runs for his fourth six-year term. Schumer, a Democrat, was first elected to the Senate in 1998 after long stints in Congress and in the New York state Assembly. Should his party claim a majority in the chamber on Nov. 8 - and should he be re-elected - Schumer is in line to become Senate Majority Leader. Schumer's opponent is Republican Wendy Long, a New York City lawyer who ran unsuccessfully against junior Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2012. Last month, Long canceled a meeting with the editorial board due to a scheduling conflict and she declined to reschedule. We'll be live-tweeting from the Schumer editorial board meeting from the @CNYOpinion Twitter account. You can follow along on Twitter or in the comments below. Pose a good question and we'll ask the senator to answer, if time permits. Policeman's hand on gun A police officer holsters his gun. Syracuse police recently faced two situations where deadly force would have been justified -- but they held their fire, writes Syracuse PBA President Jeff Piedmonte. (Jupiterimages) Jeff Piedmonte is president of the Syracuse Police Benevolent Association, which represents Syracuse police officers. By Jeff Piedmonte During the past few weeks, two potential deadly force incidents involving Syracuse police officers were written about by Syracuse.com. Both of the deadly situations ended with the suspects being uninjured, arrested and taken to jail. I want to point these out as these situations occur everyday throughout police departments across the country but the media usually doesn't give them the attention they deserve. These cases were similar situations where the suspects, both times African-American males, followed police instructions and were uninjured by the officers. This illustrates how people should react when confronted by the police and how to avoid being shot. If more suspects followed officers' instructions, the officers wouldn't be faced with deciding if they need to shoot or, in some cases, hesitate and get shot themselves. Deadly confrontations similar to these end without violence everyday in this country but the public is unaware of them because the officers ended the situation without being forced to fire their weapons. In the first reported incident, a victim of a burglary armed himself then chased the suspect down the street with a knife and was violently stabbing the suspect when a Syracuse officer drove up on the scene. The officer ordered him to drop his knife and he complied. He was then handcuffed and taken into custody without incident. This "suspect" could have argued with our officer that he was actually the "victim" because of the burglary at his house and refused to drop the knife, but thankfully this was not the case. Although he was originally the victim of a crime, his actions made him a suspect who was clearly agitated. However, he complied with the orders of the officer and lived. In the second case, two officers were chasing another black male who then pulled a gun from his waistband and turned toward the officers. The officers would have been justified in shooting this suspect, but he threw the weapon on the roof of a building and surrendered. Thankfully for all involved, the suspect complied with officers' commands and avoided a tragic incident. In both of these cases, the officers could have shot the suspect, but they didn't because the suspects complied with their commands. Both of these suspects are very fortunate to have survived these encounters without being shot but they also have their own reaction to police commands to thank for it. Across the country, protesters want to focus on the very few incidents when officers shoot African-American males. If the suspects would simply comply with officers' commands, like these two suspects did, most of them would simply be taken to jail. I'm not going to say that mistakes aren't made by officers, but they are very few in comparison to the number of police encounters across the country. The two most recent cases in Tulsa and Charlotte illustrate what can happen when suspects don't comply with police orders. In the first incident in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the officer was arrested. While all of the facts are not yet in, there was enough evidence to bring charges against the officer, showing that the current system does work. However, also in this case, the suspect's refusal to follow the officer's commands put himself in the position where the officer felt compelled to shoot him. The courts will now determine if the officer acted as a reasonable officer under similar circumstances would have reacted, which is the standard of proof when force is used by law enforcement, but the situation could have been prevented if the suspect followed the original orders. In Charlotte, North Carolina, where protestors looted, injured officers, killed a protester and damaged property, the suspect did not comply with the commands and pleas from both the police and from his wife. Based on the reports that I have read, this suspect has himself to blame for his death and nobody else. Drop the gun and you live, don't drop it and remain a threat and you may die. It's pretty simple. Police officers do not come to work hoping that they will face a deadly force situation, and most never fire their weapon during their careers, but in the cases when officers are forced to shoot a suspect that trauma lives with the officer forever. In both of the cases in Syracuse, the officers were proactive and stopped the suspects based on their own observations. I feel that our community should be grateful that our officers are still proactive when there are so many people taking anti-police positions. Many officers from various agencies have the attitude that they will not be proactive because it only leads to complaints against them. This leads to high crime statistics like in Chicago. From the police standpoint these deadly situations boil down to the suspects complying with the commands of the police. If more of these suspects started following commands of the police, there would be less of these deadly encounters throughout the nation.From the police side of this situation, that is the simplest way to analyze these deadly encounters that are fracturing our relations with the community. math lesson In this file photo, Neela Goodwin, in Colleen Brigati's third grade class works out a math problem on the smart board. The teacher is teaching under the Common Core standards. They are learning measurement capacity in liquid on a vertical line in liters and milliliters. Ellen M. Blalock / eblalock@syracuse.com (Ellen M. Blalock | eblalock@syracuse.com) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Math test scores may have increased slightly statewide, but a look at middle school grades reveals a concerning trend: Students are doing worse in math as they get older. Last year's three through eight math test scores show a precipitous drop in scores in eighth grade. The trend downward begins in fifth grade. In Central New York, only 15 percent of eighth graders scored proficient in math. Third graders scored 40 percent proficient. The problem persists beyond CNY. Statewide, third graders score 44 percent proficient, but just 24 percent of eighth graders passed. See how students in each grade and school performed in math by searching our database below. So, what's happening? Common Core is tough, especially on older students The new math ushered in by Common Core is, by design, more rigorous than previous math standards and tests. Older students are especially disadvantaged by the changes occurring in New York state because they don't have the foundation from earlier grades to build on more difficult material. Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said in an interview that the state standards and the revision they are currently undergoing are designed to introduce concepts and skills at a young age and build on them year over year. Elia said she expects students to do better as more have the foundations of Common Core from the earlier grades. "You have a longer period of time where that student would have had exposure to the standard and it spiraled up through the grade levels," she said. From tricks to concepts The Common Core also represented a shift in how math is taught. For a long time, math was about drills, tricks and memorization. Now, math is more focused on understanding concepts. So instead of just knowing to "FOIL" -- first, outside, inside, last -- when they see an algebraic equation with two x's, students are expected to understand what a polynomial is and how it behaves when you try multiplying or dividing it. Concepts get tougher starting in about fifth grade, said Melanie Cifonelli, the Syracuse City School District's director of mathematics. "It is my feeling that the concepts get more difficult as you move from whole number operations into operating with decimals and fractions," Cifonelli said. "They behave differently. The concepts get more complex." Parents in the dark One of the first criticisms of Common Core was how its new math left parents in the dark. Where parents would see a simple division problem, students are expected now to show their work and explain how they arrived at their answer. "This isn't the way that grown-ups are used to doing this," said Sally Fisher, a math teacher at Lincoln Middle School. "Just being able to support our students at home from a young age -- it's not happening as frequently as it used to because there's not a lot of knowledge" of the concepts, she said. Best students' scores don't count in 8th grade It's worth noting that part of the reason for declines in eighth grade math scores is that the strongest math students often take a different exam. Eighth grade students can choose to take the regular eighth grade math course, or Algebra I. The scores for eighth graders who take Alegbra aren't counted in the school's averages. Often, those are the best math students in a middle school. Click here to load this Caspio Cloud Database Reporter Julie McMahon covers Syracuse University and Syracuse city schools. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 Google Top Searches of 2014 List An Arizona man is facing charges in Manhattan federal court of providing material support to the Islamic State helped a New York college student who was later killed fighting in Syria join the terror group, prosecutors said in a new court filing. In this file photo, demonstrators chant pro-Islamic State group, slogans as they carry the group's flags in front of the provincial government headquarters in Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. I (AP) NEW YORK -- An Arizona man facing charges in Manhattan federal court of providing material support to the Islamic State helped a New York college student who was later killed fighting in Syria join the terror group, prosecutors said in a new court filing. The government, in a motion late Monday night describing evidence it wants to use at Mohammed Ahmed el-Gammal's scheduled Dec. 5 trial, identified the student as Samy Mohammed el-Goarany, a 24-year-old student from Middletown who was attending college in New York City. Prosecutors also want to offer into evidence a picture of a handwritten letter from el-Goarany sent to a relative last November via an instant messaging service, informing them that he had been killed fighting in Syria. "If you're reading this then know that I've been killed in battle and am now with our Lord InshaAllah," the letter said. " ... We will win this war one day, this war between Iman (Belief) and kufr (Disbelief) between Good and Evil." When el-Gammal was charged in September 2015, he was accused of helping a student to join the Islamic State, but the student was not named, and the government did not previously reveal evidence that the student was later killed. In Tuesday's filings, prosecutors also revealed that el-Gammal and el-Goarany first met over Facebook in 2014, and then at el-Goarany's suggestion started using an encrypted messaging app that former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden used when he was on the run. Defense lawyers for el-Gammal, in a filing, opposed allowing a jury to hear about the letter, saying el-Goarany had died. They said it hadn't been authenticated and might have been fabricated so that el-Goarany could disappear and be presumed dead. An inmate at the Erie County Holding Center suffered a violent death in November 2012 by the hands of poorly-trained deputies, according to a new 25-page report from state investigators. This includes county corrections officers severely beating and strangling the inmate while he was shackled at the hands and feet. A medical examiner originally ruled the inmate died from a heart attack. The report was released in September and became public after a Freedom of Information request from the Buffalo News. Richard Metcalf was in custody after he exhibited strange behavior, WIVB reports. This includes Metcalf acting paranoid, running out of his house into the snow and breaking into the catering business where he worked. Metcalf resisted arrest after breaking into this workplace, and police used a Taser on him twice before taking him to a holding cell in Depew, New York. After his arraignment, officers transported Metcalf to the Erie County Holding Center, pending a mental health evaluation ordered by a judge, according to the state report. His treatment at the holding center has led to disputes as to the cause of his death. At the time of his death, Depew police and medical personnel told state officials that Metcalf had no significant injuries when he arrived at the holding center, which is in direct contrast of what Erie County jail authorities said, claiming Metcalf arrived with visible injuries. Metcalf's booking photo shows small cuts on his left eye and a small abrasion near his right eye, but both of those could have resulted from a fall after officers used the Taser. As he was being transported, Metcalf soiled himself, WIVB reports. That required Metcalf to shower once he arrived to the holding center. While in the shower, Metcalf "freaked out," and officers had to "take him down" to control him. Medical staff tended to Metcalf after and observed cuts and bruises all over his face. One doctor noted multiple skin abrasion and lesions to his hands and feet, and new bruises to his face, arms and legs. Once Metcalf was taken back to the holding center, his behavior worsened--and so did the beatings, according to the state report. Suffering from hallucinations, Metcalf started biting and punching himself, scraping and stabbing himself with a utensil, banging his head on the cell bars, telling officers he was radioactive and yelling the word "slaughterhouse." Officers restrained Metcalf with shackles at the hands and ankles. At least four officers tried to hold down Metcalf, who continued to resist after they took him the infirmary. When officers placed a spit mask on Metcalf, the inmate chewed through it and began spitting blood. Surveillance video showed an officer leaving the room and returning with a pillow case, which officers used to loosely tie over Metcalf's head, the report states. EMTs arrived to the scene, but officers prevented them from assisting Metcalf due to safety concerns. Metcalf was being held down on his chest to the table with his head covered, and his breathing could be heard fading away. Thirty minutes after EMTs were called, they lifted Metcalf into the ambulance and turned him onto his back. The spit mask Metcalf chewed through was still around his neck, which required scissors to remove because of how tight it was. Metcalf was no longer breathing and his heart stopped, the reports states. Deputies told investigators that they don't remember who tied the spit mask around Metcalf's neck. While emergency room doctors brought Metcalf back to life, his organs were failing, he had four broken ribs, there was visible bruising all over his body and he never regained consciousness. His family signed an order for him to be resuscitated and he died two days later. The Erie County medical examiner initially ruled Metcalf's death a homicide that resulted from heart attack caused by an outside force, noting the inmate's pre-existing heart condition. In the state investigators' report, the Medical Review Board rejected that ruling. They said the restraint methods used by Erie County Deputies caused Metcalf's death. The report states death was caused by "traumatic asphyxia with compression of the torso and neck." The Medical Review Board also found no evidence of a heart attack: "Significantly, the results of Metcalf's autopsy did not demonstrate that he had any coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis heart disease that would support the pathological diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction." The state report recommended acting Erie County District Attorney Michael Flaherty conduct a full criminal investigation and the U.S. Justice Department to again examine the Sheriff's Office for civil rights violations. Former district attorney Frank A. Sedita III initially declined to file any charges in Metcalf's death. "I offer my sympathies to the family of Richard Metcalf," Flaherty wrote in a statement. "I have received the report from the NYS Commission of Correction, and I am in the process of discussing with my colleagues our next course of action. It would be inappropriate for me to offer any further comment at this time." Warning: The video contains graphic images. Overland Park, Kan. A man tried to choke a 4-month-old child at a Wal-Mart in Kansas this morning. The baby was not injured, according to the Kansas City Star. A woman was standing in line with her child when a man she didn't know walked up and started to choke the infant. Bystanders intervened and subdued the man until police arrived and arrested him, the Star said. The baby's mother, Quisha Hill, told Fox 4 in Kansas that she often shops at the Wal-Mart where the incident took place. "I come in to grab a couple items and while I was at the counter top, speaking with the lady and bagging up my groceries, this random man comes out of nowhere and yanks the car seat out of the cart, has my baby and he's like I'm taking the baby, I'm stealing her, I'm taking her," Hill said, according to Fox 4. Photos from the scene where police say a man walked up to woman in a checkout lane & started choking her baby https://t.co/UjzNVlpmcO pic.twitter.com/v1NT0Bhnbb FOX4 News (@fox4kc) October 19, 2016 After that, the man started choking the child and Hill started screaming for help, Fox said. That's when several nearby shoppers wrestled the man to the ground. Hill said the child turned red for a few moments, but is expected to be fine. At one point, the man took the baby's car seat and put it over his head and tried to wear it like a hat, Hill told Fox. Police told the Star the man appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "Our main concern right now is for our customer and her child," a spokesperson for Wal-Mart said, according to Fox. "We're appalled this happened in our store and we're working with police to make sure they have all the information they need." Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112 The status of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange grew a bit murky on Tuesday after the group accused the U.S. State Department of pressuring Ecuadorian officials to block him from posting additional emails linked to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The Ecuadorian foreign ministry on Tuesday acknowledged placing temporary restrictions on Assanges access, saying in a statement that it did not wish to interfere in a foreign election. It also said that it was acting on its own and not in response to any outside pressures. Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012 to shield himself from two outstanding sex assault charges stemming from a 2010 trip he made to Sweden. He has continued to lead the WikiLeaks organization from there. WikiLeaks earlier on Tuesday had accused U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry of pressuring his counterparts in Ecuador to crack down on the email leaks during a round of peace negotiations to end the decades-old conflict between Marxist FARC rebels and the Columbian military. Kerry held private meetings with Ecuador during a sideline period in negotiations with Columbia that began on Sept. 26, WikiLeaks claimed. The John Kerry private meeting with Ecuador was made on the sidelines of the negotiations which took place pricipally on Sep 26 in Colombia. WikiLeaks (@WikiLeaks) October 18, 2016 Assange lost his Internet connection at the Embassy at 5 p.m. on Saturday GMT, shortly after the group published Clintons Goldman Sachs speech, WikiLeaks said in an earlier tweet. We can confirm Ecuador cut off Assange's internet access Saturday, 5pm GMT, shortly after publication of Clinton's Goldman Sachs speechs. WikiLeaks (@WikiLeaks) October 17, 2016 Code Blue WikiLeaks initially claimed that a state party intentionally severed Assanges Internet link and that it had activated the appropriate contingency plans. WikiLeaks also released three tweets called pre-commitment 1: John Kerry, pre-commitment 2: Ecuador and pre-commitment 3: UK FCO. Each tweet included what appeared to be alpha-numeric cryptokeys, more than 60 characters long. The tweets set off a frenzy of speculation, including rumors that Assange had died. However, that rumor was quickly shot down. Assange had warned for several months that he would release information that was damaging to Clinton before the November presidential election. Method and Madness The method and motivation of the various actors in this most recent drama left Troy Hunt, a Microsoft regional director and MVP, at a loss as to exactly what happened this weekend. Seems a bit weird to me Ecuador has granted him asylum, he told the E-Commerce Times. Why pull his Internet? And how was the U.S. able to do it when hes holed up in a building in London? Or was it political pressure rather than technical means used by the U.S.? Kerry had nothing to do with Assanges loss of Internet access, according to State Department spokesperson John Kirby. While our concerns about WikiLeaks are longstanding, any suggestion that Secretary Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down WikiLeaks is false, he said. Reports that Secretary Kerry had conversations with Ecuadorian officials about this are simply untrue. Period. US Will Strike Back Assange made headlines earlier this year when WikiLeaks was connected to suspected Russian hacks of emails belonging to Hillary Clinton and her associates, as well as network intrusions of several Democratic Party organizations. The leaked emails are part of the Russian governments targeted campaign to undermine the confidence in the U.S. presidential election and possibly influence the outcome, according to U.S. government officials and cybersecurity experts. The Obama administration earlier this month officially accused the Russian government of orchestrating the cyberattacks and promised to deliver a proportional response. Officials at Ecuadors U.S. embassy referred us to the countrys Foreign Ministry, which did not respond to our request to comment on this story. WikiLeaks recently released a new batch of emails belonging to longtime Clinton associate John Podesta, who is the current chairman of the Clinton presidential campaign and was chief of staff under President Bill Clinton and counselor to President Barack Obama. Shares of Samsung Electronics fell sharply on Tuesday after the company confirmed reports that it had halted production of its flagship Galaxy Note7 smartphone, just launched this summer. The move came after several replacement phones reportedly smoldered or caught fire. Shares fell 8 percent in the Korean market. Samsung had been working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on a voluntary recall and replacement program, spurred by reports that dozens of the new devices had burst into flames due to faulty lithium-ion batteries. Regulators also had banned them from commercial aircraft. Regulators Investigate The CPSC will continue its active investigation into the reports of phones overheating and burning in multiple states, said Chairman Elliot Kaye, who praised Samsung, along with retailers and carriers, for suspending Note7 sales and replacements. No one should have to be concerned that their phone will endanger them, their family or their property, Kaye said. Due to the ongoing safety concerns associated with Galaxy Note7 phones, it is the right move for Samsung to suspend the sale and exchange of all Galaxy Notes7s. The Federal Aviation Administration has urged passengers not to use, charge or stow any of the Galaxy Note7 phones in checked baggage. The FAA referred to last months safety alert, which notes that dangerous or defective lithium-ion batteries cannot be transported via air cargo and carry heavy restrictions for passenger or crew transit. One of the highest-profile incidents involving a Galaxy Note7 phone occurred last week, after a passenger who had boarded a Southwest Airlines plane scheduled to fly from Louisville to Baltimore reported smoke emitting from his Galaxy Note7 replacement device, according to Lori Crabtree, spokesperson for Southwest. All passengers and crew safely exited the plane through the main cabin door, she told the E-Commerce Times. Brand Damage The Samsung brand, which has enjoyed a longstanding reputation for quality, likely will take a beating, as the recall and subsequent halt of sales expose something seriously amiss in the production and quality control process at the company. This is a disaster that keeps on growing for Samsung and their brand, observed wireless analyst Jeff Kagan. This problem should never have occurred. The devices should have been tested thoroughly, and this problem should have been found before it hit the market, he told the E-Commerce Times. While Samsung has other mobile phones and other devices in its product line, the damage has spilled over to some of those other devices as well, Kagan noted. Some consumers have lost trust in the overall brand. Other companies have been dethroned for less than this, he said. Theres a perception based on anecdotal evidence and analyst forecasts that Samsung has been losing market share to Apple, which happened to release its top-of-the-line iPhone 7 within weeks of the Galaxy Note7 release. Samsung was the market leader for mobile phones worldwide during the first half of the year, with 22.8 percent of the market compared to Apples 13.8 percent, according to market share data from Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen. In the U.S., Apple led in the first half with 36.8 percent market share, compared to Samsungs 26 percent. If you've ever worked at a business with at least 20 employees, you've undoubtedly run into "them"---the oft-dreaded, generally misunderstood, secretly sneered at (though sometimes revered) IT department. The goal of Information Technology (IT) professionals, of course, is to provide companies and their employees with the technical tools they need to not only get their jobs done, but to do so in an increasingly fast, flexible manner. Frankly, it's a tough, and often times thankless job. If your computer stops working, the network goes down, or some aspect of the company web site stops functioning, IT gets the brunt of the frustration that inevitably occurs. Beyond these day-to-day issues, however, IT is also tasked with driving changes to the infrastructure that underlie today's modern businesses. For that reason, IT has long been considered a strategic asset to most organizations. In fact, this central role has also turned the CIO---who typically runs IT---into a critical member of many business organizational structures. But the situation for IT (and CIOs) appears to be changing---ironically because of some of the very same factors that led to its rise: most notably, the need for increased agility and flexibility. The problem is, after several years (or more) of IT driven technological initiatives designed to improve reliability, increase efficiency, and reduce costs for key business processes, a large percentage of these companies have come to realize that the best solution is to have someone else outside the company take over. From more traditional business process outsourcing, through the evolution of nearly everything "as a service," to the growth of public cloud computing resources, we're witnessing the trickle of projects leaving the four walls of an organization grow into a fast-moving stream. As a result, IT departments are often doing less of the technical work and more of the management. In the process, though, they're moving from a strategic asset to a growing cost center. The implications of this change are profound, not only for IT departments, but to the entire industry of companies who've built up businesses designed to cater to IT. All of a sudden, equipment suppliers have to think about very different types of customers, and IT departments have to start thinking about very different types of partners. Arguably, it's also driving the kinds of consolidations and new partnerships between these suppliers that seem to be on the rise. All of a sudden, equipment suppliers have to think about very different types of customers, and IT departments have to start thinking about very different types of partners. The causes for these kinds of changes are many. Fundamentally, the revolution in the technology side of the business computing world has been even more extensive over the last few years than many first realized. To put it another way, though we've been hearing about the impact of the cloud seemingly forever, it's only now that we're really starting to feel it in the business computing world. Another cause is an interesting bifurcation in the challenges and complexities of the products and services that have traditionally sat under the watchful eye of the IT department. On the one hand, many previously complex technologies and systems that required specialized IT expertise have become easy enough for non-IT line of business leaders to purchase and successfully deploy. Converged and hyperconverged appliances, for example, have brought datacenter-grade compute, networking and storage capabilities into a single box that even moderately technically people can easily manage through a simple interface. In addition, managed service providers, hosted data exchanges, public cloud providers and a host of other companies that didn't even exist just a few years back are offering utility-like computing servicesthat, again, are offering increasingly easy solutions for business departments and other non-technical divisions of a company to quickly and economically put into production. More importantly, they're doing it at a significantly faster pace than what many overburdened and highly process-driven IT organizations can possibly achieve. Some IT professionals are dubious (and highly concerned) about these type of rogue shadow IT initiatives, but they don't appear to be slowing down. In fact, in the case of a hot new area like Enterprise IoT, research has shown that it's often a branch of a company's Operations department (sometimes even called OT, or Operations Technology) that's driving the deployment of devices like smart gateways and other critical new IoT technologies---not the IT department. At the other technological extreme, many companies are also finding that making the move to more cost-effective and more agile cloud-based solutions is actually proving to be much more technically complex and challenging than first thought. In fact, there's recently been talk of a slowdown within some companies' efforts to move more of their compute, software and services offerings to the cloud because of the lack of internal skill sets within IT to handle these new kinds of tasks. In addition, much of the most advanced computing work, in areas such as machine learning, AI and related areas, often requires access to specialized hardware and software that many companies don't currently have. Many IT departments are finding themselves in an awkward position in the middle where the now-easier tasks no longer require their help, and the tougher tasks take a larger supply of employees with skill sets or resources they don't currently have. The result is that many IT departments are finding themselves in an awkward position in the middle where the now-easier tasks no longer require their help, and the tougher tasks take a larger supply of employees with skill sets or resources they don't currently have. Ironically, the very technology that started to create new opportunities for IT professionals (and which many feared would take away more traditional jobs) is poised to now start taking back jobs from IT as well. Needless to say, it's a tough spot to be in. Despite these concerns, however, there is still clearly an important role for IT in businesses today---it's just becoming much different than what it used to be. For CIOs and IT to succeed, it's going to take a different way of thinking. For example, instead of evaluating products, it's increasingly going to require evaluating and managing partners and services. Instead of sticking with slow, burdensome, "we'll build it here" types of internal processes, it's going to require a willingness to explore more external options. The importance of technology in business will only continue to increase over time. As technological solutions become more ubiquitous, however, the concept of distributed responsibility for these solutions will likely become the new reality. Bob O'Donnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a technology consulting and market research firm. You can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech. This article was originally published on Tech.pinions. Julian Assange may have been cut off from the internet when his access was "intentionally severed by a state party." But the talk online surrounding the WikiLeaks founder's expose on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is not about to die down. Netizens and media observers on Twitter and Facebook have trended with support for Assange. Others have expressed shock over Clinton's supposed backdoor dealings to court Wall Street and her alleged tactics to "galvanize" demographics such as the Latino voters. Ecuador Shut Down Assange's Internet Access On Monday, WikiLeaks said Assange had been denied internet access by the government of Ecuador, putting allegations to rest that the United States or United Kingdom may have been behind a supposed cyber attack to silence him. "We can confirm Ecuador cut off Assange's internet access Saturday, 5 p.m. GMT, shortly after publication of [Hillary] Clinton's Goldman Sachs speeches," WikiLeaks announced on Twitter. The anti-secrecy group maintained it has "contingency plans" in place and a fresh batch of emails exposing Clinton. Assange has been in asylum at the Embassy of Ecuador in London since 2012, after the leftist government of Rafael Correa guaranteed Assange's right to free speech. But the recent internet shutdown by the embassy may soon test the limit of Ecuador's support for the transparency activist. It is unclear at this point what exactly prompted the embassy to cut off Assange's access, although reports point to a reminder that Correa openly supports Clinton in the presidential race. "For the good of the United States and the world ... I would like Hillary to win," said Correa before media outfit Russia Today. But a representative of Ecuador, who spoke with Press Association, says the country remains committed to protecting Assange and upholding the political asylum. #FreeJulian Trends On Twitter And Facebook Despite the shutdown, netizens have rallied around the new information dumped by WikiLeaks concerning Clinton. The move has sparked interest in the content of about 40,000 to 50,000 emails stolen from the personal accounts of former White House adviser John Podesta, who is now in charge of the Clinton campaign. Among the issues exposed in the dump were Clinton's supposed willingness to have a "covert" role in Syria operations; her seemingly close ties to investment bank Goldman Sachs; and her campaign team's alleged strategies for defending her "flip-flopping" on gay marriage. The Clinton camp has neither confirmed nor denied the veracity of the leaks. On Facebook, more than a million netizens were talking about "Julian Assange" and his "silencing." Among Twitter's top trends on Monday morning was the hashtag #FreeJulian virtually becoming the battlecry of Assange supporters, anti-Clinton forces and those calling for government transparency. Anonymous stands with @WikiLeaks and getting out the truth of a rigged system. Censorship is never acceptable. #FreeJulian pic.twitter.com/OQgbZ0SEGw Anonymous (@LatestAnonNews) October 17, 2016 When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say#FreeJulian WikileaksTRUTH (@babushka_tasi) October 17, 2016 #podestaemails10 is now trending #10 with 29k tweets. Keep it going RT the corruption tell your friend, share articles on FB #freejulian Ant (@antidote925) October 17, 2016 The notion that silencing @wikileaks is ok b/c they had an agenda is sickening,dangerous & against everything America stands for#FreeJulian Amir (@amiraminiMD) October 17, 2016 If the news you watch hasn't reported anything that's going on w #wikileaks; stop watching it. It's government-controlled media. #FreeJulian Alana Mastrangelo (@ARmastrangelo) October 17, 2016 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca's ongoing Darth Vader comic for Marvel has shown exactly why Darth Vader became the pop culture icon he is today. He's ruthless while also being mysterious and complex. Did we mention ruthless? That ruthlessness is on full display in the final issue of Darth Vader, where the dark lord of the Sith personally executes not one but three characters who have wronged him. Major spoilers for Darth Vader #25 below! Turn back now if you don't want the surprises ruined! The past several issues have led up to Darth Vader's confrontation with Cylo, a scientist working on creating cybernetically enhanced individuals who could perhaps replace Darth Vader as Emperor Palpatine's enforcer. Once Vader finds out about Palpatine and Cylo's plan, he's hardly happy. After fighting through Cylo's various clones, Vader uses the Force to do a Jedi mind trick on Cylo's organic spaceship, sending it flying straight into a nearby sun. Vader, of course, escapes, but Cylo and his clones aren't so lucky. Forcing somebody to fly into a sun might seem pretty darn evil, but Vader isn't even close to being done. The series has seen Vader working closely with a woman by the name of Aphra, who helped Vader secure a personal army of battle droids, among other things. Aphra and Vader have been working behind the Emperor's back, but she at long last spills the beans to Palpatine. That meeting goes better than one might expect. Rather than being enraged by Vader's actions, Emperor Palpatine is actually pleased by them. Vader, on the other hand, is hardly pleased by Aphra ratting him out. When the two meet once again on the Super Star Destroyer Executor, Vader promptly locks Aphra in an airlock. She begs for mercy, pleading "Not like this. Please not like this." With no words or hesitation, he ejects her out into the darkness of space. It doesn't get any more ruthless than that, but Vader has one more problem to take care of. The always critical General Tagge, who is actually seen in A New Hope and manages to survive the destruction of the first Death Star, is the next subject of Vader's wrath. He force-chokes the general to death, taking command of the Executor in the process. The issue goes a long way toward reminding fans that Darth Vader, is in fact, a bad guy. However, in a post-credits scene, it's revealed that even he can be outsmarted. Aphra knew her encounter with Vader likely wouldn't go well, and so she planned accordingly by having her ship secretly parked on the far side of a nearby asteroid. After being shot out of the airlock, she is quickly reeled into her ship by her companions. Aphra, it seems, lives to fight another day. All in all, it's a fitting conclusion to the series, one that returns Vader to the formidable presence fans knew him to be in the early days of the Star Wars saga. As for Gillen, he's not done writing Star Wars just yet. He will be penning a new, still-unrevealed Star Wars comic set to start in December. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung announced the global launch of its quantum dot curved gaming monitors today, targeted for professional gamers. Samsung first showcased the CFG70 curved monitor during Gamescom 2016 and IFA 2016, featuring enhanced picture quality and gamer-friendly features that all add up to an immersive gaming experience. Samsung is the first company to launch a curved gaming monitor that takes advantage of quantum dot technology, which means that the CFG70 will feature vibrant and accurate color display across a percent sRGB spectrum. Samsung claims that the monitor will feature a 3,000:1 contrast ratio, which brings out fine visual detail in games during light and dark settings. The CFG70 allows players to see more luminance alongside finer and accurately rendered details, which brings the player closer to the experience. The CFG70 represents "Samsung's most powerful and visually-compelling curved monitor to date," as stated on a press release. The curved display will be available in 24-inch and 27-inch variants. Both feature a uniform 178-degree ultra-wide viewing angle and a 1,800R curvature, which Samsung calls "Super Arena." Both monitors are integrated with AMD's FreeSync technology that enables synchronization with AMD graphics cards, delivering a refresh rate of 144 Hz that reduces stutter, input latency and image tearing. Traditional underpowered displays typically don't support these features readily, causing for some highly nauseating visual experiences due to stutter and clunky color reproduction. A dedicated and intuitive gaming user interface account for the monitor being "player-friendly" alongside hotkeys in the display's front and back panels, allowing for adjusting game settings with ease. On top of quantum dot technology features embedded in Samsung's industry-standard gaming monitor, all CFG70 units undergo rigorous factory calibration before they are shipped. The calibrations allow the monitors to deliver optimum performance and settings including white balance levels, black gamma and contrast ratios. All of these dynamic and accurate color reproduction technology ensures that a gamer never misses stellar visual components as intended by game developers. The CFG70 will rock a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution for both the 24-inch and 27-inch models. For those still unfamiliar with quantum dot technology, quantum dots are crystal semiconductors as small as a few nanometers that emit colored light. Quantum dots produce more accurate colors than mainstream display technology. While acclaimed for their technology, many have criticized quantum dot displays manufacturing-wise since it requires the use of cadmium, an element that doesn't sit well with numerous environmental agencies. However, Samsung claims that its gaming monitor employs a cadmium-free design, so it's environmentally safe. The 24-inch model will retail for $399, and the 27-inch model will retail for $499. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. HBO just released the first trailer for its upcoming mini-series Big Little Lies, and from the looks of it this show will be all everyone will be talking about when it premieres in 2017. Created by David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal) and directed by Jean-Marc Vallee (Dallas Buyer's Club, Wild), Big Little Lies is based on the best-selling novel of the same name written by Liane Moriarty. Those who have read the novel know how exciting it will be to get to see the story plays out on the small screen. Those who haven't read it yet might want to now (you won't be able to put this page-turner down) to be able to understand the hype and compare it to the book, or might instead opt to wait and be surprised to see what happens each week to week. The series will include seven episodes that follows the story of three mothers who become close friends. The women all are dealing with their own personal struggles, which include abuse and divorce among other relationship issues, along with one of their children being accused repetitively for being a bully. Along with small secrets being revealed throughout the story, it all leads up to who is behind the murder that happens during the school's anticipated Trivia Night - and the killer will shock you. The novel itself is filled with raw emotions from the women - especially when it comes to the domestic violence one of the characters endures - but is also lighthearted at times and has been praised for being the perfect "chick lit" kind of title. Despite the serious topics addressed in the book, the series is being described as a "dark comedy," with the comedy helping to balance out some of the more tough moments. Moriarty does an excellent job at pacing the story and building up the suspense, so the reader (and surely the viewer) is left wondering who is behind all the secrets and lies until the end. The trailer for the HBO series does the same thing by teasing its sexy vibe and coming to a bang with the sound of a gunshot. There are lots of twisted tales along the ride, which will help to make the new series everyone's next obsession. While the story is enough to leave a viewer hooked after each chapter, Big Little Lies features an all-star cast that includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley in the three lead roles. Also starring in the series is Laura Dern, Adam Scott, James Tupper, Alexander Skarsgard and Zoe Kravitz. This lineup of actors alone is enough to have audiences ready to check out the series, while the trailer further adds to its mystery and charm. Big Little Lies will premiere on HBO in 2017, with no official date yet announced. Check out the first teaser below. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Rumors have been claiming that Apple will be unveiling the new models of the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air this month. With October past the halfway point though, many fans have started doubting that the company will indeed be announcing the updated MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models before the month ends. A new report, however, claims that Apple is still on track to make the announcement this October on a new lineup of MacBooks. Japanese website Mac Otakara, citing information acquired from a reliable Chinese supplier, said that Apple will be launching both 13-inch and 15-inch models of an updated MacBook Pro within the month, continuing the sizes that are currently available for the laptop. The new Macbook Pro models are expected to support USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3, with traditional USB ports, MagSafe and Thunderbolt 2 to be dropped in the upcoming devices. The report, however, claims that it will be a different story for the MacBook Air, with the company to discontinue the 11-inch model of the laptop once the new MacBook Pros have been unveiled. Apple will instead be focusing on the 13-inch MacBook Air. It should be noted that not all the reports of Mac Otakara have been spot on. The website acquires information from companies operating within the Asian supply chain of Apple, but its track record is not a flawless one. However, with several other websites claiming that Apple will be announcing new MacBook models this month, it becomes easier to believe in the truth of this report. With about two weeks to go before the end of the month though, it is still not clear if Apple will be holding an event for the announcement of the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models. It is entirely possible that the release will be a quieter one, made only through a simple press release and the addition of the new devices in physical and online stores. It was previously reported that with an October release of the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, it would mean that the laptops will not yet be powered by the new Intel Kaby Lake processors. The MacBook Pro is also claimed to be coming with an OLED touch panel that will replace the function keys at the top of the keyboard and Touch ID technology. There were also rumors that the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models will come with trackpads that provide Apple Pencil support, which would expand the uses of the accessory beyond the iPad Pro. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Amid the fallout of the decision to stop production and sales of the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung said that it will be compensating suppliers of components for the controversial smartphone. Samsung said that it will be making full payments for Galaxy Note 7 parts that have already been manufactured but are still unused. In addition, the company will be sending compensation to the suppliers for unfinished parts and the materials that have been purchased for the production of the components. "Samsung will determine the inventory levels for the partner companies and carry out compensation quickly," said the company in a statement. There is no indication, however, on how much Samsung is expecting to pay in the planned payments. Shortly after deciding to temporarily suspend the production of the Galaxy Note 7 just over a week ago due to replacement units still reported to be catching fire with exploding batteries, Samsung shut down sales of the smartphone worldwide. The company then also requested owners of the device to turn off the Galaxy Note 7 and to take advantage of the different replacements offers available for the smartphone. The Galaxy Note 7 situation forced Samsung to lower its expected operating profits for the third quarter by $2.3 billion, as the company had to take into account the financial impact of the worldwide recall program launched for the smartphone and the decision to end its production and sales. The impact might not only be felt by Samsung though. Officials of the government of South Korea and its central bank have voiced their concerns that the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco could affect the entire domestic economy of the Asian country, as Samsung is an important customer for many component suppliers in South Korea. A deputy finance minister added that the effects might damage the South Korean economy over the remaining two quarters of the year. Samsung's decision to compensate suppliers will look to mitigate the impact and keep the financial burden largely within the conglomerate. It was recently revealed that tests made on the battery of the Galaxy Note 7 were done in-house, which is unconventional in the tech industry as most companies resort to third-party firms to provide the testing. Samsung's tests did not reveal any issues with the batteries for both the original batch of the smartphones and the replacement units. Galaxy Note 7 owners who still have the smartphone with them should immediately have their device replaced with another model, as the fire hazard that it carries is something that should not be taken lightly. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Since the discovery of Zika virus-infected mosquitoes in Miami Beach two months ago, the city has become ground zero of the disease in the United States. There were dozens of reported cases of infection, and the first confirmations took place back in August. Because of the news, the local economy suffered dramatically, especially after travel warnings were announced. Since then, efforts have been made to combat Zika, but aerial sprayings have proven to be inefficient in the Miami Beach area that is home to the virus-carrying mosquitoes. After multiple rounds of spraying, the county officials discovered a new pool of Zika-positive mosquitoes on Sept. 23. This week, however, Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, the Miami Beach commissioner, has unveiled a new proposal to get rid of the mosquitoes: attract bats into the city. The idea behind this is to reduce the mosquito population in a natural manner, by using other members of the ecosystem. "Aerial spraying of Naled has been used by Miami-Dade County to help eradicate the disease-carrying mosquitoes, but the presence of Zika-infected mosquitoes in the City of Miami Beach continues to be reported by County health officials," as noted in the commissioner's ordinance. The bats will not be affected by the exposure to the virus, according to most of the scientific views. However, it's entirely possible that the measure will fail to be effective, as mosquitoes fly during the day, while bats are usually active during the night, which may prevent the two species from ever entering in contact with one another. "Bats can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes per hour and offer an environmentally friendly approach to mosquito control," explained Rosen Gonzalez. The pilot program would involve creating bat houses as a first step in attracting the animals. Additional concerns were expressed on the use of pesticides during the bats' stay in the area, as spraying pesticides could kill the animals, according to the national organization Bat Conservation International. There are previously documented attempts to attract bats into certain areas. Back in 1929, a real-estate developer faced a similar situation. However, the bats flew away instead of just moving into the environment he had especially created, which turned the entire plan into a fiasco. As of Oct. 17, there are 160 non-travel-related cases reported with Zika and 739 travel-related ones, as four new non-travel related cases and another travel-related one were reported. More than 100 of these involved pregnant women. "Large, concentrated populations of mosquitoes could provide adequate nutrition in the absence of alternative food. However, a moth provides much more nutritional value per capture than a mosquito," noted the American Mosquito Control Association. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung is doubling down on its efforts to recall all Galaxy Note 7 devices. The company will install booths inside airports where users can surrender and exchange their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 device. The special booths will make it easier for users to avoid violating a serious federal ban pre-flight. Samsung is calling these booths as "customer service points" and they will appear at airports in the United States, South Korea and Australia. Samsung has recently decided to halt production of Galaxy Note 7 devices following numerous reports of the smartphone combusting randomly, often causing injuries for users who were carrying the device on their person at the time of the explosion. Samsung attempted to undo the situation by administering a recall program that lets users trade their current Galaxy Note 7 devices for a replacement unit. The fiasco seemed to have been ironed out by the recall program, that is until replacement units were found to carry the same problems found in the original ones, overheating, battery-draining and still catching fire. The U.S. Department of Transportation officially banned passengers from carrying the Galaxy Note 7 in U.S. airline flights mid-October, sending a very strong message that the devices were indeed a hazard and a detriment to safety. As per Samsung's official notice there will be seven customer service points in Australia, open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, except for Canberra, which will be open until 6 p.m. The exchange points will be located before security screening, and will offer users an alternative device as a replacement for the Galaxy Note 7. The company is working with officials to add more customer service points in additional airports. A customer representative will assist all those who plan on exchanging their Galaxy Note 7 device, and they will get a replacement unit immediately on-site. Samsung didn't provide information regarding what the replacement phones would be, although it's likely that it'll be its other flagship device, the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge. The representatives will help the users transfer their data to the new replacement devices, and apply users' trade-in credit to their next billing. The existence of these booths suggest that Samsung is intent on rounding up all Galaxy Note 7 devices still in circulation, which per app research company Apteligent's estimate could still be over a million worldwide, as of last week. The company is currently muscling efforts to restore consumer loyalty to its own brand despite the serious effect of the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. Even with the Galaxy Note 7 officially pulled from life support, Samsung is still set to publicly disclose just what went wrong with the explosive units. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google Now Allows Users To Book A Cab From Search Results | TechTree.com Google has today announced a new feature that would allow users to book an Ola or Uber directly from Google Search. The feature comes with an option that allows users to choose from a menu of ride service options, directly from the Google Search App. It is also being said that the new feature is available on Mobile Search Browser as well. To refresh you, this feature was made available on the latest version of Google Maps earlier this year - featuring a dedicated tab with information for cab services in addition to the existing driving, public transport, or walking options. Further speaking on the new feature, it provides users fare estimates and pick up times as well. On request for specific information such as Taxi to Bangalore airport or more specifically Uber to Bangalore airport or Ola to Bangalore airport, the app/ browser directs the user to select a service and automatically opens the app to book the ride, all in just one tap. In cases where the app is not installed on the device, Google Search will show a link to install the app. Choosing the best transit option can be a task at times, our aim is to help users simplify their everyday travel. With this, users will be able to order, explore and make quick comparisons about the best estimated taxi fare directly from Google Search results on their mobile, said Sanket Gupta, Program Manager, Google. TAGS: Google search Its been more than three years since Louis Carr Jr. took on the CIO role for Nevadas Clark County, but now he is moving on to head up IT operations for Los Angeles premier utility provider."My last day with Clark County will be Friday November 11th," Carr wrote in an email to friends and colleagues on Oct. 14. "Since IT plays a significant role in supporting the Elections Department, this is a watershed election and Nevada is a 'purple' state, I wanted to stay through the November 8th election."In an internal bulletin, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power General (LADWP) Manager David Wright announced that Carr would be joining the municipal utility agency as the chief information technology officer effective Nov. 14.In addition to serving as the CIO for Nevadas most populated county, Carr also served as CIO for the Texas Department of Transportation and of Arlington, Texas, prior to that. During his tenure at Clark County, Carr managed $45 million in operations, 160 employees and IT across 38 departments.According to the bulletin, Carr will report to Wright on the status of critical information technology systems and infrastructure, cybersecurity and system integration. Apple fires store employees for stealing intimate photos from iPhones brought in for repairs by female customers When you take down your smartphone to a service center for repairs you generally go to the manufacturers authorised dealership to avoid any prolifering of your data from your mobile. And iPhone owners are specially lucky as Apple has very good Apple Stores to cater to repairs and service requests from millions of its Mac and iPhone buyers. But something went wrong in one such Apple retail store in Brisbane, Australia. The staff posted there allegedly stole intimate images of female customers who brought in their iPhones for repairs. Apple promptly responded by firing the staff responsible for stealing and rating customers pictures as part of a photo-sharing ring. The issue came to light after a staff member at the Carindale store noticed a technician looking through a customers phone in the repair room, The Courier-Mail reported. According to the report, the Apple store staff from Carindale store were stealing photos from female customers and sharing them on a photo-sharing ring. Further, such stolen photos were allegedly giving ranking of 1 to 10 based on their bodies on a ten point scale. One Apple staff member told The Courier Mail that such disgusting practice was also occurring at other Apple stores. In a statement, Apple confirmed the Carindale store was under investigation and staff had been fired. In a statement on the matter, an Apple spokesperson said: Apple believe in treating everyone equally and with respect, and we do not tolerate behaviour that goes against our values. We have met with our store team to let them know about the investigation and inform them about the steps Apple is taking to protect their privacy. However, there is more to it than what meets the eye. The employees from that particular store have been fired but Apple maintains that the images of such female customers have not been shared. Apple maintains that there is no evidence that female customers were victimized. Based on our investigation thus far, Apple said, we have seen no evidence that customer data or photos were inappropriately transferred or that anyone was photographed by these former employees. The Australian Privacy Commissioner is also looking into the alleged privacy breach. We are aware of the reports and will be making enquiries with Apple to seek further information, said commissioner Timothy Pilgrim. This is an important reminder that all organisations that collect and manage personal information need to embed a culture of privacy and ensure employees understand their responsibilities, he added. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Monday that he agreed with Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to resume the cooperation agenda between both nations. | Read More Patrick Kraemer was declared mentally competent Monday to face trial in January for the April 2013 death of Traci Rataczak, his then live-in girlfriend. Kraemer, 48, appeared in Columbia County Circuit Court following transfer from the Columbia County Jail to Mendota Mental Health Institute for treatment and for competency recommendation. Judge W. Andrew Voigt ordered Kramer to be transferred to Mendota in a competency hearing on March 14 in which Kraemer argued for representing himself through his upcoming trial. Throughout proceedings, Kraemer told the court that given the opportunity, he would present facts that would speak for themselves. In 2013 the Columbia County Sheriffs Office responded to a call from a man a neighbor who had stopped by who, on the evening of April 8, told officers he went into the basement of the house and halfway down the stairs, saw the 43-year-old Rataczak hanging by an extension cord from one of the floor joists. On Sept. 11, 2014, a warrant was issued for Kraemers arrest and four days later he was charged with first-degree homicide and jailed on a $450,000 cash bond. Complicating the April hearing was Kraemers disorganized delivery and occasional cryptic comments referring to Rataczak and other members of the family. The hearing also came after a request by Kraemer to have a speedy trial within 60 days of request, shifting the timeline by months, a request that was later dropped as Kraemer also dismissed defense attorneys Steven Sarbacker and Gerald Boyle. On Monday the prosecution side of the court was filled with friends and family of Rataczak, with family of Kraemer sitting behind the defense table. I went out to Mendota with the report and we discussed it, said defense attorney Mark Frank, and he and I are both in agreement with the recommendations made within the report. Before an official decision was made, Frank asked that Kraemer be directly addressed. Mr. Kraemer, my recollection is that you claimed to be competent at all times during this proceeding and it was really only after some exploration that we went down the road that we went, said Voigt. What is your position today, do you believe that you are competent or not? Yes, I do judge, Kraemer said. Then, I have heard from everybody I could hear from about the topic and will find that Mr. Kraemer is competent to proceed at this time, said Voigt. Before moving on, Frank pointed out that in the competency report, the doctor diagnosed Kraemer with a severe bi-polar condition in partial remission. I think Mr. Kraemers ability to focus and stay on topic has a lot to do with medications he has been receiving in Mendota, said Frank. So, just to indicate for the record, I agree with the doctor, he needs to continue with those medications and if there is a failure at the jail, he could become incompetent. Voigt agreed with Frank in being hopeful of continued treatment, but that he would not make any orders of the jail or Columbia County Sheriffs Office before any indication of an imminent issue. Moving on to the trial, scheduled for Jan. 17 to Jan. 27, Voigt asked Frank, Do you think that first, the nine days will be enough time? Yes. Is it too much time? I think you would have to talk to the prosecutor on that, said Frank. Its not too much time, judge, said Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Robert Kaiser, going on to suggest a lengthening of the court day by an hour. We would think we can do it in that amount of time. We would hope if we start at 8:30 a.m. we can go until 5:30 p.m. That would help. So youre concerned that nine days isnt enough, asked Voigt. No, I think we can do it assuming we can put in that size of day. RACINE The staff at the Racine County Jail staff received a big surprise during their shift change Monday afternoon. Kaylee, 9, and Jaydyn Kott, 6, of Silver Lake, brought 87 decorated bags filled with candy and DVDs of their favorite movie, Courageous, to give to the guards and other jail workers to thank them for their service to Racine County. In addition, the staff was treated to pizza, lemonade and cookie cakes with We Back the Blue written on them in frosting. The girls wanted to give back to the officers amidst the recent community/police tensions in the country. Were here to give back to the officers because we care about them, Kaylee said. We love them. The Kott girls were accompanied by their parents as well as their friends who helped make the bags. More than 30 people showed up Saturday at the Kott home to help the girls decorate and fill the bags. In July, the Kott sisters stopped by the Racine County Fair to give gift bags to deputies assigned to the fairgrounds. But they also wanted to thank the officers behind the scenes who staff the jail. They also plan similar deliveries to other area law enforcement agencies. When I was at the County Fair, the first thing these two did was wrap their arms around me, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said. We appreciate everything these girls do for us and cannot thank them enough. Hugs and prayers During the shift change on Monday, each jail staff member was greeted by the children, given a gift bag and then given a hug as they entered the room. Multiple groups of staff members came in throughout the event. Each time the Kott sisters brought the staff members into a circle to pray for them. Dear Jesus, please help that these officers get all of the bad guys and please help that they will go to heaven and see the Courageous movie, Jaydyn prayed with a group of officers. Please help that they will be safe. Courageous is an independently produced, Christian-themed movie. The theme of ths movie centers on a sheriffs deputy who endures a terrible personal tragedy that causes him to question what is really important to him. The Kott sisters also were recipients on Monday. To thank the girls for their generosity to the Sheriffs Office, the Kott sisters were presented with certificates and challenge coins. This is a nice recognition and well-needed, Schmaling said. We are just taken aback by the kindness of these two little girls. Jonathan Hart for more than a year raped a young teen after telling her they were meant to be together in Gods eye. You took her childhood, her innocence and, in some ways, her life, the victims mother testified Tuesday. In Gods eye, youre going to hell. Its reprehensible to use religion to justify sexual assault, La Crosse County Circuit Judge Ramona Gonzalez told Hart before sending him to prison for six years. You did not have a relationship with a 13, 14-year-old girl. You sexually abused her, she said. You took your penis and you put it in a child, repeatedly. Hart, 47, brainwashed the victim by claiming they were in a spiritual marriage to pressure her into sex, assistant district attorney Noel Lawrence said. He justified a sexual relationship with a teen under his interpretation of the Bible, she said. This was no relationship. This was repeated sexual assault. Hart, of La Crosse, entered an Alford plea to one count of repeated sexual assault of a child for his conduct from 2014-15. The plea means he admitted no wrongdoing but conceded a jury likely would convict him. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to ask for no more than 15 years in prison. The assaults left the victim frightened and suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. Its surreal to me that were here today and the defense is going to argue that probation is appropriate, Lawrence said. He raped a child repeatedly. If justice means anything, than he deserves to go to prison today. Harts supporters described him as helpful and compassionate, a savior to those in need. I know he will show you that he is a good person, his daughter said. Please take mercy on him. Harts conduct was totally out of character, said his attorney, James Thibodeau, who argued that Hart is not a risk to the public. He asked the judge impose an extended period of community supervision with continued counseling. Hart, who also will serve four years on extended supervision, apologized to his victim and begged for forgiveness. Three Milwaukee men are in custody in Columbia County Jail after a Saturday morning traffic stop resulted in drunken driving, drug and weapons charges. The incident began Saturday around 1:40 a.m. when, according to court documents, a Portage police officer stopped a vehicle for making a U-turn on DeWitt Street near Pohlks Pub. The officer asked the driver, Tyrus J. Love, 27, to perform a field sobriety test. Love showed positive signs during the test and refused a preliminary breath test. During a search, the officer found the man had been carrying a bag of what later tested to be marijuana. As Love was being arrested another officer searched the vehicle, finding a baggie containing smaller baggies of what was proved to be cocaine, weighing 34 grams. A third officer arrived on the scene and spoke with two passengers who were in the vehicle, Jack Washington, 40, and Andre Love, 32. According to the criminal complaint, because they were cold, the two men asked to sit in the back of the squad car. The officer checked the back of the squad before having them sit inside. The officer later let Andre Love out of the back and then Washington, who, upon exiting, pointed to a baggie of cocaine on the floorboard, telling the officer it didnt belong to him. In addition to finding cocaine during the search of the vehicle Tyrus Love was driving, the officer found a .45 caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun with one round in the chamber along with three magazines, including a high-capacity magazine. Tyrus Love was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated as a second offense, felony possession of marijuana as a second offense, and carrying a concealed weapon. Andre Love was charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine as a party to a crime and obstructing an officer after giving the officer the name Michael Lee Richards, which was corrected after fingerprinting by jail staff. Washington was charged with one count of intent to deliver cocaine as a party to a crime. Tyrus Love was ordered to be held on $100 cash bond, while Washington and Andre Love were ordered to be held on $500 cash bond. His previous history revolves around in 2014 resisting and obstructing; in Sauk County theres another conviction for possession of cocaine and in Milwaukee, disorderly conduct, Assistant District Attorney Troy Cross said in requesting a $500 cash bond for Washington. The more troublesome one is the Sauk County case for two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine for which he was convicted in May 2009. In that case, Washington was given a withheld sentence and placed on probation, which was then revoked in 2011, after which he was sent to prison for 42 months, followed by 30 months of extended supervision. So that is five years ago, for a very similar type of offense, said Cross, for which he was shipped off to prison for three and a half years. The court does feel that cash is necessary in this case to ensure that Mr. Washington comes back to court, said Judge Todd Hepler, to face what could be up to a 25-year imprisonment. Each of the men were scheduled for return hearings on Jan. 10, 11, and 12, respectively for Washington, Andre Love, and Tyrus Love. The top five candidates for the U.S. Senate clashed Tuesday night over the Affordable Care Act, President Obama and how to fight for Louisiana in Washington, during the first televised debate in the race to replace outgoing Sen. David Vitter. After a mostly sedate campaign that has failed to galvanize voters, the five candidates sought to draw distinctions with the others, three weeks before Election Day. Top five Senate candidates to compete for voters' attention in Tuesday night forum televised statewide The top five candidates vying for the U.S. Senate will square off Tuesday night in the first U.S. Rep. John Fleming, who represents northwest Louisiana, repeatedly painted himself as the one true conservative, dismissing the other two Republican candidates U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany and state Treasurer John Kennedy as wannabees. Boustany, who represents southwest Louisiana and most coastal parishes, presented himself as a thoughtful conservative who achieves results. The 90-minute debate from Louisiana Tech also featured two Democratic candidates New Orleans attorney Caroline Fayard and Foster Campbell, a member of the Public Service Commission from Bossier Parish. Not seeing the video below? Click here. Campbell said he is proud to call himself a politician because he has the mindset to work with others to get things done. He repeatedly said he has challenged powerful business interests on behalf of ordinary citizens. Fayard waited until her closing statement to depict a sharp contrast between herself and Campbell and the other three elected officials. She noted that she was the only one not being paid by you to be here and added, They talk a lot about themselves. They dont talk about you ... Im not one of the good old boys. Kennedy said he has made a career out of standing up to other politicians in Baton Rouge and Washington. At one point, he ridiculed congressional spending programs for Swedish massage and pets, saying he represented the change needed in the nations Capital. Kennedy and Campbell both said they wanted voters to know that they had stood up to the spending plans of then-Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican who left behind a large budget deficit when he stepped down in January. Campbell noted that he is the only one of the five candidates who believes that humans are responsible for climate change and who supports lawsuits filed against the oil and gas industry demanding that they pay to restore the loss of coastal land caused by their drilling and exploration activities. The three Republicans all panned the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, while the two Democrats said it has provided needed care to the poor. At one point, Campbell said Kennedy ought to apologize for saying during campaign events that he would rather drink weed killer than support Obamacare. Campbell said it was an inappropriate joke about suicide. Mental health is not a joking matter, agreed Boustany. Kennedy didnt back down when asked if he wanted to respond. Id rather drink weed killer than answer that, he said, prompting an audible groan from the audience at the Howard Performing Arts Center. At another point, Fleming reminded viewers that Kennedy endorsed then-Sen. John Kerry for president in 2004 when Kennedy was a Democrat running for the Senate. When you get kicked in the rear, it usually means youre out front, shot back Kennedy. Fleming, Boustany and Kennedy all said they would oppose Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Boustanys statement Tuesday night represented a change from two weeks ago when he told The Advocate that he didnt know enough about Garland to take a position. Campbell and Fayard said the Senate should hold hearings on Garland but said they needed to know more before saying whether they would confirm him. All three Republicans said they would vote for Donald Trump, the partys nominee, while Fayard said she would vote for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. The Democratic nominee, is all Campbell would say, unwilling to say her name publicly, apparently to forestall a Republican attack ad in the runoff election that would tie him to Clinton. Tuesday nights debate, which took place in Ruston, aired statewide on Louisiana Public Broadcasting three weeks before the Nov. 8 primary, when voters in Louisiana will not only choose their presidential candidate but which two Senate candidates advance to the runoff election. Under Louisianas jungle primary, both candidates who advance could be Republicans or Democrats, but the likeliest scenario will pit a Republican versus a Democrat. Analysts expect a Republican ultimately to prevail in a state where Gov. John Bel Edwards is the only Democrat elected statewide. Polls have not established a clear frontrunner, giving each of the five candidates at Tuesday nights debate reason to argue that he and or she will make the runoff. In all, 24 candidates will be on the Nov. 8 ballot in the Senate race. Early voting begins Tuesday, Oct. 25. Tuesday nights debate required candidates to register at least 5 percent in an independent poll and to have raised $1 million in campaign funds. Two prominent Republicans who also didnt make the cut were white supremacist David Duke, who is the best known candidate but is widely disliked, and retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness, a favorite of tea party Republicans. The absence of Duke and Maness benefited Fleming because the three men all fervent supporters of Trump are pitching themselves to the same bloc of voters. Troy Hebert, who spent 15 years in the state Legislature and is running as a political independent, sued to be included but lost the case. Louisiana judge refuses challenge to U.S. Senate debate criteria; only 5 of 24 candidates allowed in debate A Baton Rouge state judge refused Thursday to either block Tuesday's scheduled televised U.S Hebert injected a dose of Louisiana humor into the race Tuesday by posting a 25-minute video online where he lampoons the event and the $1 million rule by taking turns dressing up as the five candidates and the two moderators, including LPBs president and chief executive officer, Beth Courtney. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO -- The Southeast Louisiana Gumbo Group, from left, includes Kimmie Carlos, River Parishes Tourist Commission; Kyle Edmonton, Louisiana Office of Tourism; Audrey Faciane, East Feliciana Tourist Commission; Johnathon 'JT' Taylor, Livingston Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau; Tracy Browning, Ascension Parish Tourist Commission, Sharon Stam, West Baton Rouge Visitors Welcome Center; Laurie Walsh, West Feliciana Tourist Commission; Carla Tate, Tangipahoa Convention and Visitors Bureau; Tracy Frances, Visit Baton Rouge; and Eric Edwards, Livingston Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau. Growing attention to the crisis in paying for criminal defense of the indigent has led to lawsuits across the nation, with the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups challenging governments for failing to provide adequate legal defense for the poor. Louisiana is among the states affected, and ultimately our state's crime problem will be worsened if we cannot find a way to adequately fund the difficult job of criminal defense for the poor. The famous Gideon decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1960s mandates a right to an attorney when one's freedom is at risk. Even in good times, indigent defense is a hard sell politically; all too often, political leaders denounce it as welfare for criminals. Until, that is, dangerous criminals go free because they did not have a constitutionally required defense at their trials. Then, our communities suffer because we are not taking care of business. In Louisiana, indigent defense is the subject of legislative tussles on a regular basis. Some indigent defense offices either shut down or refuse to take new clients because the hodgepodge of state funding and traffic fines and other revenue sources simply isn't enough to pay the tab. A reform initiative in the last decade gave some state oversight to the local offices, improving efficiency -- but not enough to make up for the lack of funding. A report from The Marshall Project outlined the sometimes humorous results of business lawyers leaned on by judges to take indigent criminal cases in Caddo Parish. Bond lawyers handling a shooting case? Maybe it's funny to a point, but the lawyers know they don't have the expertise to really help their clients, because like anything else criminal law requires experience to do well. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2016/09/08/when-real-estate-and-tax-lawyers-are-forced-to-do-a-public-defender-s-job The problems of indigent defense have made headlines in New Orleans and Lafayette in particular in the past year, but we are no closer to a solution now. If the lawsuits over the quality of defense are successful, once again we shall find that a federal judge will be mandating a solution to a widely recognized problem that Louisiana did not find the good judgment to address in a timely fashion. Queensland's resources minister has made a spirited defence of the state's coal seam gas industry at a forum of resource-dependent councils at the Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference on the Gold Coast. During the forum on Wednesday afternoon, Natural Resources Minister Anthony Lynham said he envisaged gas-fired power stations to do the heavy lifting in Queensland going forward, even as the state heads towards its 50 per cent renewable energy 2030 target. Quilpie Shire mayor Stuart Mackenzie, from a region with a significant coal seam gas industry, told Dr Lynham he feared gas was being left out of the energy conversation as renewables became more and more politically important. "Gas seems to be off the agenda and has been lumped in as a fossil fuel with coal and, especially from an environmental point of view, it's not really talked about, especially when you're talking about future power generation," Cr Mackenzie said. The operations of wind farms nationwide are to be reviewed following the South Australian blackout, after a new study found technical issues shut many wind generators down. A second report by the Australian Energy Markets Operator into the incident was released on Wednesday and pointed to a series of voltage disturbances, which caused nine of the 13 wind farms in operation in South Australia at the time to shut down. South Australian Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis says the blackout was a ''a software issue''. Credit:ABC News via twitter "Nine of the 13 wind farms online at the time of the event did not ride through the six voltage disturbances, resulting in a loss of 445MW of generation," it said in the report, which follows a preliminary report released almost a fortnight ago. "Preliminary discussions with wind farm operators suggest this inability to ride through all disturbances was due to 'voltage ride-through' settings", which automatically disconnect or reduce output when between three to six disturbances are detected within a short timeframe, the report notes. Gary Wolter will step down as president and CEO of Madison Gas & Electric and its parent company, MGE Energy, in early 2017. Wolter, 62, will retire March 1, 2017, and will be succeeded by Jeffrey Keebler, senior vice president of energy supply and planning. Wolter will stay on as chairman of the boards of both MGE and MGE Energy. In a lot of ways, I have very mixed feelings excitement about the new chapter ahead of me; on the other hand, I put a lot of my heart and soul into Madison Gas & Electric, so its not easy, Wolter said in an interview Wednesday. Wolter has served as president and CEO of the companies since February 2000, when he took over from David Mebane in those positions, and as chairman since 2002. When he retires, Wolter will be the longest serving chair and CEO in MGEs history, the utility company said. A native of Dubuque, Iowa, Wolter has worked at MGE since 1984. He has overseen several transitions in the sources of MGEs electricity, including converting its Blount Street power plant Downtown from coal to natural gas, ending part-ownership of the now-closed Kewaunee nuclear power plant and adding solar and wind power. Wolter also guided the utility through more turbulent times when a 2014 proposal to dramatically raise the monthly fixed fee for electric customers drew a big public outcry. As a result, the company modified its request and held a series of meetings with ratepayers and local officials that concluded in April. One of the things weve tried to do is we really ramped up the community energy company, the interaction we have with the community, said Wolter. We recognize our role to try to make the community better. RePower Madison, the citizen group formed in 2014 to fight the proposed rate increase, said it welcomes the prospect of a new leader for the utility company. We call on the incoming CEO, Jeff Keebler, to help make Madison a national leader in clean energy with fair and affordable bills. Mr. Keebler can show MGEs support for this vision by immediately announcing an intention to reduce mandatory fees and accelerate renewable energy deployment, RePower spokesman Mitch Brey said in a written statement. Madison environmental group Clean Wisconsin said it has had, during Wolters tenure, a strong professional relationship with MGE as weve worked with the company to try to forge a clean energy path forward. Clean Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Citizens Utility Board formed a working group with MGE during the stormy period after the utility introduced its controversial rate proposal in 2014. Weve gotten to know Jeff Keebler and have a great respect for his understanding of the issues and his leadership, Clean Wisconsin president and CEO Mark Redsten said in an email. We are encouraged by Jeffs appointment and expect that relationship to continue, Redsten said. The Sierra Club said Keebler will take over at a time of dramatic changes in the electric industry. Sierra Club launched a campaign this summer to make Madison coal-free. Utilities around the Midwest have seized the opportunity to modernize their energy portfolios with clean energy and its past time for MGE to do the same, said Sierra Clubs Elizabeth Katt Reinders, in Madison. Keebler, 44, has been with MGE since 1995. He has a bachelors degree in finance and economics from UW-La Crosse and a masters degree in business administration from UW-Whitewater. I look forward to building on the foundation laid by my predecessors and addressing the challenges of the future, Keebler said in a news release. Established in 1896, MGE has about 700 employees. The utility reported $564 million in revenue in 2015 and earnings of $71.3 million. It provides electricity to 146,000 customers in Dane County and natural gas to 152,000 customers in south central and western Wisconsin. Its stock (Nasdaq: MGEE) has soared from $12.08 a share on Wolters first day as CEO to close at $55.90 on Wednesday, even with a three-for-two stock split in 2014. It hit a peak of $58.99 on Sept. 22, 2016. Wolter received a total compensation package of just under $1.9 million in 2015, according to MGEs proxy, filed with federal regulators. That included $938,687 in salary and bonuses; stock valued at $330,000 to be paid in 2020; and a $611,000 increase in the value of his pension account. Wolters pension will cap at $210,000 a year; his total future payments are estimated at $5.25 million. In his new role as board chairman, he also will receive annual pay of $150,000 and a $45,000 retainer fee; $1,500 per board or committee meeting or directors education program; and possible long-term incentive pay, according to a filing with the SEC on Wednesday. Wolter has been active in community organizations, as well, having chaired boards of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Dane County and MadREP (formerly Thrive). He currently serves on the boards of American Transmission Co. (ATC), UW Hospital and Clinics, University Research Park, United Way, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce MadREP and National Guardian Life Insurance Co. Gary has been an effective leader at Madison Gas & Electric Co., as well as within the greater Madison community, said Patricia Kampling, chairman, president and CEO of Alliant Energy, Madison. I have enjoyed working with Gary, and he has always been helpful and gracious to me with his time. Wolter said hes extremely grateful for the opportunities that have come with his position. Ive had the opportunity to work with great people, both internally at MGE and great people throughout the community. He said he has no specific plans at this time but he and his wife, Mari, will stay in Madison. Mike Baird has said his decision to overturn the ban on greyhound dog racing shows he is prepared to admit when his government has got it wrong. If this is true, it's time he admitted he is wrong about his support of coal mining and take back his "no doubt coal is good" statement. News that the Baird government is about to launch a major overhaul of environmental planning rules that will make miners more accountable to mining communities and the environment is welcome news. Premier Mike Baird must grasp the harm to Australia's climate pledge by the intent of his government to expand the coal industry in NSW. Credit:Peter Rae The question is: will the overhaul of the flawed environmental planning rules that affect major coal mines be in any way effective by addressing health and process, or will they be used to delay a transition from coal and an inevitable moratorium on new coal mines? Perhaps Baird has never had an expert independent scientific, medical and diplomatic briefing on the coal industry in his state. He needs to grasp the harm to Australia's climate pledge by the intent of his government to expand the coal industry in NSW, and coal's impact on the health of Australians and world citizens, especially our neighbours in the Pacific Island nations. For many of us, any discussion of gun control in this country turns our thoughts to the Port Arthur massacre, that nightmare day 20 years ago when 35 people were murdered by a madman with a rifle. Out of that tragedy came then prime minister John Howard's gun laws, and those powerful changes have unquestionably made this country safer. Reports this week that the Turnbull government may have been considering relaxing gun laws in return for Senate support for its industrial legislation are of grave concern. There is overwhelming evidence of the need to restrict guns in our communities. Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm is leading the call to allow the rapid-fire Adler shotgun to be imported into Australia, and has recently gained support from Nationals MPs Mark Coulton and Bridget McKenzie. While Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has, albeit belatedly, said the ban on the Adler will remain and that his government wants to see firearms laws made stronger, not weaker, his actions have been far from definitive and do not show the leadership demanded on such a profoundly important national issue. First lady Michelle Obama speaks Credit:AP The internet is practically "begging" Obama to run for president, as several headlines have put it. And so it seems will Democrats, if they haven't started already. On Tuesday, party figures in her home state of Illinois were quoted as saying they would try to recruit her for a tilt at the US Senate or the Chicago mayoralty in the future. Illustration John Shakespeare "We would encourage her and put pressure on her," said one. But all this is probably wishful thinking. Most importantly, Michelle Obama herself has been emphatic about her desire never to run for elected office. While it's the oldest trick in the book to play coy right up until the moment you announce a campaign (as Hillary Clinton did in the '90s), Obama's insistence feels authentic. She was famously wary of her husband running for office in the first place, and has been candid about her dislike of partisan politics and the demands of political life since. As first lady, she's spoken of her horror at seeing her children being placed in bullet-proof vehicles, and her frustration at not being able to say what she thinks or do what she wants. She's been involved in select issues (with a maternal flavour) while in the White House - campaigning for healthier food and girls' education - but hasn't got involved in policy in the way Clinton did in the '90s. "There are three things that are certain in life death, taxes, and Michelle is not running for president," Barack Obama said earlier this year. Her own very clear feelings aside, would all the goodwill she enjoys now translate directly into votes anyway, as many assume? Of course she's more than capable of holding office and would be in a stellar starting position. But much of Obama's power in this election lies precisely in the fact that she's not a candidate or politician. Though she's campaigning for a Democrat, she doesn't speak in party political terms, but rather addresses audiences as a concerned mother, wife and American, in very personal, often emotional terms, with her voice shaking and her hand on her heart. Coming from a politician, especially a woman, would a speech like the one she delivered last week have been received so warmly? By some, yes, but it's likely she would have been slammed by a chunk of the political commentariat as "playing the gender card", as Julia Gillard learnt, or being too soft. Obama is in a position to do this though as someone above the political fray, the "mom-in-chief" of the nation. As many outsider candidates have learnt the hard way, it's difficult to maintain your pure idealism and hero status when you delve into the messy world of electoral politics. Especially when it's about seeking a leadership role, and especially for women. As Chloe Angyal, an Australian-American journalist put it after the Democratic convention: "I know folks think FLOTUS would be a lock if she ran; I'm not so sure. So far, people don't love it when first ladies ask for 'real' power." Angyal went on to point out Clinton's own approval ratings crashed in the short space of time between when she left the White House, as Bill's cheated-on-but-loyal wife, and ran for the Senate in New York a year later. They went up again when she was appointed Secretary of State, but came down when she ran for the presidency. While Obama wouldn't bring the same level of baggage that Clinton would - hers and Barack's time in the White House has not been surrounded in scandal in the same way - it seems naive to think that an ambitious, party-political streak in her wouldn't be met with some of the same displeasure, distrust and plain old sexism it has in Clinton's case. Lucky for her supporters, though, she wants to continue to play a role in public life outside elected office - something "mission-based and service-focused". The power she could wield here shouldn't be written off - unburdened by being first lady, she could become an even more powerful voice or actor on whatever she wanted, but critically perhaps on issues too thorny or partisan for her previous role, such as racism or gun violence. Loading The White House isn't the only place from which to lead in America, and hopefully Michelle Obama's voice will be even stronger out than in. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spent an estimated $215,000 or more sending nearly two dozen senior bureaucrats from Canberra to Paris to attend an inhouse talkfest about ways to save money. Fairfax Media can reveal the two day junket in September included business class return travel for all 23 DFAT officers. They included John Philp, Australia's former ambassador to Afghanistan and current first assistant secretary of the consular and crisis management division and John Fisher, first assistant secretary of DFAT's corporate management division. But the entourage, which was hosted for the two day conference by Australia's ambassador to France, Stephen Brady, included a departmental psychologist, a conduct and ethics manager, and a health and safety officer, according to a list of attendees obtained by Fairfax Media. The ABC has hit back at criticism of Four Corners' investigation into the lives of asylum seeker children on Nauru, accusing those attacking the program of producing "no evidence" to back up their claims of bias. The Nauruan government has slammed the program as "an embarrassment to journalism" and Coalition senators accused the ABC of acting as a mouthpiece for activist organisations at heated Senate estimates hearings on Tuesday. Critics have accused the ABC of poor journalism by painting a dire picture of the conditions on Nauru despite not having visited the island and not seeking comment from the government of Nauru. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said reporters at the ABC and other outlets were "advocates dressed up as journalists" who were determined to undo the tough policies that had prevented hundreds of deaths at sea. The RSL NSW has nearly $350 million in cash and liquid assets held across hundreds of sub-branches, much of which critics say is not being properly used to help needy veterans. A detailed analysis by Fairfax Media of the state RSL's finances reveals huge wealth that is concentrated in larger metropolitan sub-branches and regional centres, and that RSL headquarters acknowledges needs to be better exploited for veterans services. Fairfax Media has been told of cases in which sub-branches were handing out "beer cards" of up to $500 value with every membership renewal, sub-branch executives wanting to fly themselves and their spouses to Thailand and Indonesia to personally view the tailoring of their RSL blazers, and fully-paid trips for executives and their spouses to overseas battlefield sites. There have also been cases of sub-branches having gold commemorative badges made for members. Tony Abbott has a new answer to the question that has been dogging him for more than a year: Do you want to make a return as prime minister? "It's not a question of what I might like, it's a question of what the party room wants and the party room wants to end the revolving door prime ministership," Mr Abbott told ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales on Wednesday night. "The party room wants this government, this PM to succeed. That's what I want and that's what I'm doing my best to bring about." Continuing to frustrate Malcolm Turnbull, Mr Abbott said he wasn't expecting a vacancy in the Liberal leadership "any time soon" but he retained his right to speak out. Amanda Seyfried has never been afraid of discussing her struggles with mental illness and in her latest interview the actress opened up about living with obsessive-compulsive disorder and the stigmas that surround seeking help. In a candid discussion with Allure magazine, Seyfried, 30, revealed she has been taking anti-anxiety medication for 11 years. And the Mamma Mia and Les Miserables star happily admitted she will keep taking the medication for the forseeable future, just like individuals would for any other illness. "You don't see the mental illness: It's not a mass; it's not a cyst. But it's there." Credit:Lintao Zhang "I had pretty bad health anxiety that came from the OCD and thought I had a tumour in my brain," says Seyfried. "I'm on Lexapro, and I'll never get off of it. I've been on it since I was 19, so 11 years. I'm on the lowest dose. "I don't see the point of getting off of it. Whether it's placebo or not, I don't want to risk it. And what are you fighting against? Just the stigma of using a tool?" "Knowing that a lot of my fears are not reality-based really helps" Credit:Scott Trindle/ Allure Magazine She continued, "A mental illness is a thing that people cast in a different category [from other illnesses], but I don't think it is. It should be taken as seriously as anything else. You don't see the mental illness: It's not a mass; it's not a cyst. But it's there. Why do you need to prove it? If you can treat it, you treat it." Discussion of her mental health arose after Seyfried revealed that she had the stove removed from a guest house on her Stone Ridge, New York property for fear that someone could start a fire. "I always worry about people and how they use stoves. Which is just a controlling thing," she said. "(It's) about the gas. You could so easily burn down something if you leave the stove on. Or the oven." Before being diagnosed with OCD, Seyfried believed her anxiety was manifesting from a physical health problem. While the actor continues to battle her insecurities and fears she says she has coped better with age. In the days before her unexpected death, life appeared happy for Maria Claudia Lutz. The 43-year-old had recently finished a teaching degree she had juggled while looking after the complex needs of her two children, Martin and Elisa, who both had autism. That juggle had been significantly aided with a recent increase in disability assistance to help her family. On the last day Mrs Lutz's closest friends saw her alive, they remembered her appearing "excited" after a meeting with a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) team. 6/6 Kerry Washington attends the Smithsonian Associates's "Scandal-ous!" discussion with the cast and executive producers of ABC's "Scandal" at the University of District of Columbia Theater of the Arts on April 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. Credit:Getty Le Tigre Lounge, one of Madison's most distinctive bars, full of kitschy tiger decor, is closed, at least temporarily, its owner said Wednesday. "It might be a month, it might be two months. I'm not sure for how long right now," said Steve Josheff, who bartended beside his father, the elder Steve Josheff, for almost 18 years before his father's death in August 2015. It was just the two of them behind the bar always, the younger Josheff, 45, said. "It was just me and him. I was the young one, he was the old one." The younger Josheff goes by his middle name, Paul, because as his dad liked to say, 'It's too small of a place to have two Steves,' " Josheff said. Josheff put word out on social media about his bar's temporary closing because he didn't want people to stop by and find it closed, but he is not yet ready to talk about its future. "I'm just trying to figure stuff out," he said. "It was the hardest decision for me to close down for the time being. Josheff made the decision Saturday, but made the announcement of its temporary closure Wednesday. A sign on the door says, "Sorry everyone, Le Tigre Lounge will be closed temporarily. Friend us on Facebook for approximation of reopening. Thanks, Paul." Josheff said his father started the business in the 1950s as the Fireside Lounge on Regent Street and moved it to its current location, 1328 S. Midvale Blvd., in the 1960s, when it became Le Tigre. "Le Tigre is a Madison staple that has an iconic status and I will reopen ASAP," Josheff said. It's had the same liquor license that whole time, he noted. The bar is part of an aging shopping strip next to the Beltline. Josheff said it will be nice to get the construction on Verona Road done by the time he reopens. Building unions have slapped a construction ban on the site of a historic Carlton pub demolished illegally on the weekend. And they say the company that purchased the Corkman Irish Pub for $4.76 million last year should be forced to surrender the land to Melbourne City Council. The 159-year-old pub, formerly known as the Carlton Inn, was knocked down without a demolition or planning permit sparking five separate government investigations into what laws may have been broken. The pub, which had a heritage overlay, was already at the centre of a police arson investigation over a fire that broke out there the week before. Young house hunters of Australia, continue munching on $22 smashed avocado on sourdough. The real problem keeping you out of the property market may be the "exorbitant" price of coffee, Australia's most senior treasury official has suggested. Smashed avocado can set punters back $20. Credit:Chris Hopkins Under a grilling in a Senate estimates hearing Treasury secretary John Fraser said Melbourne had the most expensive coffee prices in the world. He made that bold assertion after being asked if he had "upgraded" his advice on whether "millennials" were spending too much on extravagant breakfasts rather than saving for a house. A volunteer firefighter who had a beef with his local CFA station and lit bushfires as payback has been jailed. County Court judge Mark Taft said Andrew Robert Briggs' crimes struck "at the heart" of communities such as Great Western, in western Victoria, where the disgruntled firefighter lit a fire in March 2013 and four more in November and December of 2014. Briggs lit the first fire after being left off a CFA team that fought an extensive blaze. Credit:AFR Briggs lit the first fire about a month he had been left off a CFA team that fought an extensive fire, the court heard on Wednesday. Briggs' fire was contained to five square metres and investigators found paper there, including an IGA receipt with his name on it. It sounds like a scene ripped out of a Charles Dickens novel; a homeless man standing in court charged over a few silver coins. But that's exactly what Billy Griffiths says happened to him in Melbourne, after he was found by police begging on Swanston Street. Billy Griffiths, who has been homeless for about three years Credit:Justin McManus Sitting in the cap at his feet was 15 cents. In a hangover from the Vagrancy Act, which was abolished in 2005, "begging or gathering alms" remains an offence in Victoria and is still enforced, with 825 begging charges laid in the past 5 years. Vienna: The building where Adolf Hitler was born may be spared demolition, but emerge heavily disguised. On Monday, Austria's Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka told the daily Die Presse, "The Hitler house will be demolished." "Debatable": Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka. Credit:AP On Tuesday, he told reporters that the term "demolished" was debatable but the building would be so thoroughly redesigned that it "will not be recognisable". The "house", a large, three-storey Renaissance-era structure in the town of Braunau am Inn, next to the Austrian-German border, had a tavern on the ground level and apartments on the upper floors. Anti-American protests turned violent in Manila on Wednesday as a Philippine police van rammed into protesters, injuring about 10. People screamed in horror as the van repeatedly drove wildly back and forwards as protesters hit it with wooden batons they had seized from police. Associated Press TV footage showed people being run over. Police fired tear-gas and arrested at least 23 people among the crowd of about 1,000. Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign needled Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday over his suggestion that if he is elected president, he might hold a pre-inaugural meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, joking that any strategy session would be redundant. "It's unclear why Donald Trump needs to meet with Vladimir Putin on November 9 since he's already repeating all his talking points, pushing his policy agenda and taking advantage of his espionage operation," Clinton spokesman Glen Caplin said. "Rest assured that as president, Hillary Clinton will stand up to Putin in the face of his unacceptable behaviour, not coddle him." Trump said Monday that he would be willing to meet with Putin before Inauguration Day if he is elected president on November 8. Such a meeting would break sharply with the precedent that a newly elected president defers to the sitting one in matters of state. "I think I could see myself meeting with Putin and meeting with Russia prior to the start of the administration," Trump told conservative radio host Michael Savage during an interview. "I think it would be wonderful." She had seen her face superimposed on the body of a concentration camp inmate. She had been called "a slimy Jewess." She had been told she "deserved the oven." One anonymous individual had electronically harassed her for 19 hours straight. Things got so bad that Bethany Mandel, a 30-year-old freelance writer in Highland Park, New Jersey, decided one afternoon last spring to drive to a nearby gun shop. A mother of two small children, she now keeps a .22 in her home. The report found 2.6 million anti-Semitic messages were posted on Twitter in one year. Credit:Glenn Hunt What had she done to provoke so much vitriol? She posted some messages on Twitter drawing attention to the fact that Donald Trump seemed to have a lot of anti-Semitic supporters. In some respects, Ms Mandel's story has become a familiar one. She is among hundreds of Jewish journalists who have been the target of anti-Semitic attacks on Twitter during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League. Washington: Donald Trump's family is further from the national spotlight than usual as the Republican presidential nominee gets closer and closer to the biggest test of his life: Election Day. Trump lifted his children up to the highest levels of his company and the television show that put him in millions of households across the US. But they're playing less visible roles in his campaign as the nation focuses on its closing weeks, a surprising turn after headlining all four nights of July's Republican National Convention. Viewed as a crucial asset in her father's play for millennial and female voters, Trump's daughter Ivanka received rave reviews for her convention speech and was poised for a leading role in advocating for his candidacy. But Ivanka, who had a confrontational interview in September with Cosmopolitan.com, a popular site for young women, has been mostly limiting her appearances on the trail to smaller events. After more than a week of silence on the remarks her father made in 2005 boasting of groping women - he denies actually committing sexual assault - Ivanka finally said flatly that the lewd remarks were wrong. A crack cocaine dealer formerly from the village of Oregon has been sentenced to three years, one month in prison. Arwin Lacy, 26, of Madison, was sentenced by U.S. Circuit Judge James Peterson in federal court in Madison on Tuesday. Lacy pled guilty in August to a charge of distributing cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine. The U.S. Attorney's Office said an investigation into Lacy's drug activity started in April of 2015, when he sold 3.5 grams of crack to an undercover investigator. Lacy was arrested in April of 2016, with 287.3 grams of marijuana, 8.31 grams of crack and a stolen firearm found in his vehicle. Veronica Dunne, the star of the Disney Channel's K.C. Undercover, made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre on October 17. She will be in the musical until November 26. In addition to her work on the Disney Channel, Dunne recently wrapped production on the Lionsgate film The Ninth Passenger with Jesse Metcalfe. The actress got her start onstage in the Lythgoe Family Production of Cinderella with Broadway veterans Shoshana Bean and Jennifer Leigh Warren, and went on to star in the stage productions of Into the Woods, Chicago, Cabaret, and most recently, the world premiere of Joe Iconis' new musical, The Black Suits. Loading... Featuring classic tunes by John Kander and Fred Ebb, Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, a nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her crime into a barrage of sensational headlines. Recipient of six 1997 Tony Awards, the revival is directed by Walter Bobbie. For tickets and more information, click here. Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... A pulseless, non-breathing man who had overdosed on heroin was guarded by his dog, who bit a paramedic trying to help revive the man, the man eventually coming around and the paramedic treated for the dog bite. The incident happened Tuesday afternoon at a West Side residence, the Madison Fire Department said. The man was found unconscious in the basement. Someone told the responders the man had just come back from an addiction assistance meeting. "The patient's dog was resting on his chest when paramedics approached to administer emergency medical care," said spokeswoman Cynthia Schuster. "The dog growled and barked just before lunging at and biting one paramedic on the hand." Paramedics were able to shoo the dog out of the room so the victim could be helped. "The man was not breathing and paramedics determined he had no pulse," Schuster said. Narcan, epinephrine and oxygen was given to the man, and chest compressions were administered, but no pulse was found until after about eight minutes of chest compressions. By the time he arrived at the hospital emergency room, his pulse was strong. "Hospital staff also treated the paramedic who had been bitten by the patient's dog, stitching up a small laceration on her hand," Schuster said. On the latest round of statewide tests, fewer than half of Wisconsin public school students in grades three through eight scored proficient or better in English language arts or math. The results, released Tuesday by the state Department of Public Instruction, showed 42.5 percent of students scored in those top two categories in English language arts, while slightly fewer, 42.3 percent, scored proficient or advanced in math. The state simultaneously released scores from the ACT college readiness assessment, now required of all high school juniors in Wisconsin. In this second year of the requirement, the composite ACT score for public school students was 20.1 out of a possible 36, up one-tenth of a point from the prior year. The test in the lower grades, administered last spring, is called the Wisconsin Forward Exam. Its equivalent for students with significant cognitive disabilities is called the Dynamic Learning Maps exam. The statewide scores reported by DPI include results from both tests. The Forward Exam replaced the problematic Badger Exam, which was used only once and had itself replaced the long-running Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam. Because of this upheaval three tests in three years state officials say comparisons across years should not be made. While the latest results generally show scores lower than those on the Badger Exam, the decline does not mean students are losing ground, said Viji Somasundaram, director of DPIs student assessment office. The Forward Exams cut scores the methodology used to determine categories of achievement align with the states increased expectations for students and are thus more stringent than before, she said. The state also released results Tuesday from the much smaller pool of students who took the Forward Exam in private schools that are part of the states controversial voucher program. At these choice schools, as they are called, only 19.1 percent of students in grades 3-8 scored proficient or advanced in English language arts and only 14 percent scored proficient or advanced in math. Jim Bender, president of School Choice Wisconsin, said those scores dont tell the full story. Choice programs are composed predominantly of low-income students, so their scores should be compared to the subset of public school students who are economically disadvantaged, he said. When we make those comparisons, voucher students actually score higher on every metric across every program, he said. To cite one example, 19 percent of voucher students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program scored proficient or advanced in English language arts, compared to 14.9 percent of economically disadvantaged students in Milwaukee Public Schools, Bender said. It was all part of a day that saw a huge amount of achievement data released by the state, including scores in social studies in grades four, eight and 10 and in science in grades four and eight. About half of public school students passed the science and social studies portions. Achievement gap Scores from both the Forward Exam and the ACT continued to reflect stark achievement gaps across racial, ethnic and income groups. Gaps also are apparent for English language learners and students with disabilities. For instance, while 50.9 percent of white third-graders tested proficient or advanced in English language arts, the comparable figures were 15.1 percent for black students and 26.5 percent for Hispanic students. Economically disadvantaged students had a composite ACT score of 17.4, compared to 21.3 for those students who are not economically disadvantaged. I remain troubled by the achievement gaps that persist in Wisconsin, State Superintendent Tony Evers said in a statement. As a state and within our communities, we must work together to raise awareness of this problem and implement policy-driven solutions. It is not an issue of one student or one school district, it is an issue that impacts us all. Local results Scores on the Forward Exam in the Madison School District were lower than state averages, though last years high school juniors in Madison improved on prior ACT scores in the district and exceeded state averages. In grades three through eight, 34.5 percent of Madison students scored proficient or advanced in English language arts, while 35.4 percent scored proficient or better in math. Student results are given one of four labels advanced, proficient, basic or below basic. Andrew Statz, executive director of accountability for the Madison School District, said the district continues to rely more heavily on its internal testing through the Measures of Academic Progress test, or MAP, than on a statewide assessment. Thats in part because MAP measures a students growth over time, not just proficiency, and it can be given at intervals throughout the year, he said. Also, like so many other assessment officials in districts throughout the state, Statz said the instability in statewide tests continues to make year-to-year comparisons difficult for now. In the first year of any test, its always wise to be cautious, he said. Were seeing some good movement in the right areas on the (MAP) tests were using, and we think that, given time, we might see the same movement on the Forward Exam. We certainly have a very concerted planning effort in place to improve student achievement and narrow gaps. The Forward Exam data will become much more useful once we have another year or two of trends, said Tim Schell, director of curriculum and instruction for the Waunakee School District. Im really hoping the states able to stay with a consistent assessment for a few years. That absolutely will be the case, said DPI spokesman Tom McCarthy. State officials signed a 10-year contract with Minnesota-based Data Recognition Corp. to provide the Forward Exam. On the ACT, 45.8 percent of Madison juniors scored proficient or advanced in English language arts, up from 44.3 percent the prior year and better than the state average of 40.8 percent. In math, 38.7 percent scored proficient or advanced, up from 36.8 percent the prior year and above the state average of 34.8 percent. Opting out The percentage of Wisconsin students opting out of statewide testing dropped but was still sizable in some districts, including Madison. The number of opt-outs had ballooned during the 2014-15 school year, part of a national movement of parents souring on standardized testing. In Madison, 737 elementary and middle school students chose not to take the Badger Exam, about 7 percent of eligible students. Statewide, about 2.7 percent of students opted out that year. For the Forward Exam, 492 Madison students in grades three to eight opted out, about 4 percent of the tested student body, Statz said. Thats still a pretty big percentage, he said. He speculated that more parents are willing to sign on to the Forward Exam because it appears it will be around for a while. I think the one-time nature of the Badger Exam caused some people to say, Why bother? he said. So they took a pass. Statewide, about 98.8 percent of public school students took the Forward Exam, DPI said. In the first year of any test, its always wise to be cautious. Andrew Statz, executive director of accountability for the Madison School District Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. Telecom Argentina S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in Argentina and internationally. The company offers telephone services, including local, domestic, and international long-distance telephone services, as well as public telephone services; and other related supplementary services, such as call waiting, call forwarding, conference calls, caller ID, voice mail, itemized billing, and maintenance services. It also provides interconnection services, such as traffic and interconnection resource, dedicated Internet access, video signals transportation in standard and high definitions, audio and video streaming, dedicated links, backhaul links for mobile operators, data center hosting/housing services, dedicated links, layer 2 and layer 3 transport networks, video links, value-added services, and other services. In addition, the company offers mobile telecommunications services, including voice communications, high-speed mobile Internet content and applications download, online streaming, and other services; and sells mobile communication devices, such as handsets, Modems MiFi and wingles, and smart watches under the Personal brand. Further, it provides internet connectivity products, including virtual private network services, traditional Internet protocol links, and other products; data services; and programming and other cable television services. The company was formerly known as Cablevision S.A. and changed its name to Telecom Argentina S.A. in January 2018. Telecom Argentina S.A. was founded in 1979 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Banc of California, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Banc of California, National Association that provides banking products and services in the United States. The company offers deposit products, including checking, savings, money market, retirement, and interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing demand accounts, as well as certificate of deposits. It also provides various commercial and consumer loan products, such as commercial and industrial loans; commercial real estate and multifamily loans; construction loans; single family residential mortgage loans; warehouse and indirect/direct leveraged lending; home equity lines of credit; small business administration loans; and other consumer loans. In addition, the company offers automated bill payment, cash and treasury management, foreign exchange, card payment, remote and mobile deposit capture, automated clearing house origination, wire transfer, direct deposit, and internet banking services; and master demand accounts, interest rate swaps, and safe deposit boxes. Further, it invests in collateralized loan obligations, agency securities, municipal bonds, agency residential mortgage-backed securities, and corporate debt securities. As of December 31, 2020, the company operated 29 full-service branches in Southern California. The company was formerly known as First PacTrust Bancorp, Inc. and changed its name to Banc of California, Inc. in July 2013. Banc of California, Inc. was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California. Democrats plan to introduce a bill next session that would block candidates from coordinating with supposedly independent groups and regulate so-called issue ads in the run-up to an election. The proposals, which have little chance of passing a Republican-controlled Legislature, come on the heels of a shuttered John Doe investigation into Gov. Scott Walkers recall campaign. Investigators found evidence Walker raised millions of dollars including from corporations that stood to benefit from legislation that later passed for the Wisconsin Club for Growth, which used the money to help Walker and Senate Republicans win the 2011 and 2012 recall elections. Unlike a campaign committee, Wisconsin Club for Growth isnt subject to campaign finance limits and isnt required to disclose its donors. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled such coordination was protected by the First Amendment and that advertising sponsored by Wisconsin Club for Growth was issue, not express, advocacy. Last session, Republicans amended state law to make clear that candidates can coordinate with groups as long as the groups dont expressly advocate for them or against their opponent. Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, said her bill would specify that coordination includes any election activity not made entirely independently of a candidate. She also would regulate so-called issue ads which dont use specific words such as vote for or vote against a candidate, but are intended to influence the outcome of an election based on federal election law. Federal law defines electioneering communications as any broadcast, cable or satellite communication that refers to a clearly identified candidate for federal office 30 days before a primary or 60 days before the general election, and is targeted to the relevant electorate. Taylor would have any group that spends $10,000 or more on an electioneering communication report the disbursement and the identities of donors giving $1,000 or more. Taylors bill also would include in the definition of express advocacy the functional equivalent of vote for and vote against, which Republicans removed from the law because it was subject to broad interpretation. And it would also ban candidates from controlling separate political action committees or segregated accounts. The State Ethics Commission recently ruled that a state lawmaker could legally launch his own PAC. There are candidate campaign limits for a reason, Taylor said. Candidates arent supposed to be able to get around those by coordinating with these outside groups and funneling their donors to these outside groups that can take secret, unlimited money. Thats really where we see this danger of corruption. Republican leaders didnt respond to a request for comment. Taylor announced the proposal at a press conference Wednesday where Democrats also called on the Ethics Commission to open a new investigation into Walkers fundraising activities based on evidence from the John Doe investigation leaked to a British newspaper. They previously asked Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne to investigate. The U.S. Supreme Court recently turned down a request from Ozanne and two other Democratic district attorneys to hear their appeal of the state courts decision to halt the investigation. Madison Ald. Rebecca Kemble told fellow City Council members Tuesday she will fight criminal charges after she was arrested Oct. 10 in North Dakota where protests are continuing over a controversial oil pipeline. Kemble, 18th District, told council members that a court date is set for Jan. 12 on the four charges she is facing: destruction of evidence, resisting arrest, engaging in a riot and criminal trespassing. Kemble, who was acting as a legal observer, told council members she witnessed peaceful prayer demonstrations and peaceful encampments of folks who have been historically oppressed and pushed to the limits. The Morton County Sheriffs Department said it was a riot. In a press release, the sheriffs department said two people had locked themselves onto private equipment near St. Anthony, and later two dozen people were arrested after refusing to leave private property near the pipeline site. Kemble was in North Dakota to deliver to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe a copy of a resolution the City Council passed expressing solidarity with the protesters. Kemble said Tuesday that after she was arrested, she was strip searched by authorities, describing it as very humiliating. It was really awful, you guys, and Im still coming out of the shock of having witnessed things and experienced things that are happening. You cant even believe that theyre happening, she said. Last week, Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney cut short the length of time some of his deputies would be in North Dakota to assist authorities there, citing community concerns about their involvement in the situation and reduced reimbursement. Mahoney said his office originally planned to have deputies rotate on one-week shifts for three weeks, but he ended the arrangement after the first week, in which Kemble was arrested. Kemble said she was glad Mahoney decided to stop sending deputies to North Dakota. Pipeline opponents say the 1,200-mile-long project could endanger water quality and encroaches on sacred tribal land. A recent NBC News poll (taken before the infamous tape of Donald Trump bragging of sexual assault) showed that if the election were held today, only 63 percent of LGBT voters would vote for Hillary Clinton. Thats well below the 76 percent of LGBT voters who voted for Barack Obama in 2012. The remaining 37 percent of LGBTs are split among Trump (15 percent), Gary Johnson (13 percent), and Jill Stein (8 percent). Given the choice between Clinton and Trump alone, the LGBT voters split 72-20with Clinton still polling below Obamas 2012 numbers. WTF is going on? No one can deny that Clinton is by far the better candidate on LGBT issues; indeed, she (or her campaign) penned a remarkable op-ed on the subject earlier this month. Rather, the reason seems to be that people believe LGBT issues are not at stake in this election, and so theyre voting based on other factors. (Indeed, LGBT issues didnt even come up in the vice presidential debate, with one of the most anti-gay governors in the nation sitting at the table.) Of course, there have always been gay Republicansmostly wealthy, white gay menand theyve always had the same basic point of view: that while they disagree with the GOP on gay issues, they agree on a whole lot of other things, and those other things are more important. Peter Thiel, who just announced a $1.25 million donation to the Trump campaign, is just the latest, libertarian-ish version. But now, with same-sex marriage in the rearview mirror, there appear to be more gay people with that perspective. And not just the publicity-seeking provocateurs, bumbling second-tier celebrities, and the same old neoconservative, homonationalist gay Republicans who have backed Trump so far. Those guys cant account for 37 percent of the LGBT community. And yet, LGBT issues are indeed at stake, and a Trump/Pence administration would be a disaster for LGBT people. Here are five reasons why. 1. The Supreme Court With marriage equality the law of the land, the Supreme Court has returned to its usual role as electoral sleep aid. But gay voters should wake the hell up. Trump hasnt just proposed conservative justiceshes proposed ultra-conservative justices to the right of the late Justice Scalia. Mark my words, if Trump is elected, gay marriage will be overturned within a decade. And thats just marriage. Its not hard to envision the federalists on the court allowing states to pass sodomy laws again. Not to mention upholding Turn the Gays Away and other anti-LGBT laws like North Carolinas HB2. Not to mention denying LGBT people the status of a legally protected class deserving of extra protection. Not to mention denying that transgender people even exist. If you dont think the Supreme Court is a vital LGBT issue, youre not paying attention. 2. Mike Pence Its generally understood that Donald Trump intends to delegate much of the grunt work of the presidency to his vice president, Mike Pence. This will be especially true on cultural issues, which Trump doesnt care about but half of the Republican base does. In terms of social policy, a Trump administration will be a Pence administration. And that should be terrifying. In a famous interview on ABC News, Pence refused to say whether his religious liberty law, one of the worst in the nation, would or wouldnt allow businesses to discriminate against gays, despite being prompted six times by George Stephanopoulos. Pence refused to say whether its OK to fire gay people for being gay. He has endorsed the horrifying and ineffective practice of gay conversion therapy. But those specific examples really are just the superficial symptoms of a much deeper, and sincere, religious conservatism. This isnt meant to demean Pences views; its not about homophobia, or some kind of pathology. These positions reflect what Pence, like 30 percent of Americans, sincerely believe is the right way forward for America: a return to traditional Judeo-Christian values and morality. And that is the foundation for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of policies. A Trump-Pence administration will promote creationism and traditional sexual/gender norms in schools, end funding for HIV prevention and research, return us to the Reagan-Bush days of abstinence-only education, increase faith-based initiatives and funding to conservative religious organizations, and undertake a thousand tiny actions that wont make the headlines but will gradually turn back the clock of Americas moral progress. Pence doesnt think its been progress, he thinks that our new freedoms are a sign of moral decay. 3. Transgender People Weve reported many times on how the transgender community has experienced a backlash before even getting a frontlash: the outrageous anti-trans bathroom panics around the country, the horrifying levels of violence against trans people (especially trans women of color), the discrimination and economic hardship faced by trans people every day. But I think weve all understated the threat here. Transgender, as a category, barely exists in federal law. What few protections exist are predicated on a legal theory that sex discrimination includes gender-identity discrimination. That is a delicate thread. And lets remember, many people, especially religious conservatives, simply dont think that trans is a thing. They think that Caitlyn Jenner is just a confused man, that transgender identity is a mental illness. In other words, transgender will stop being a thing as far as the federal government is concerned. Protecting trans people from discrimination? Might as well protect dragons from being hunted. Its easy to turn back the clock on gay rightsbut on trans rights, the clock hasnt even started ticking yet. 4. The Rest of the World While life for most LGBT people has definitely gotten better here in the United States, it has not in many parts of the world. In Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia, East Africa, and Central Asia, life has gotten worse: more dangerous, more violent, less protected by law. One of Clintons unheralded accomplishments was remaking the State Departments policy on LGBT equality worldwide. Under her watch, the notion that LGBT rights are human rights became U.S. government policyand with that shift came funding, diplomatic efforts, and countless internal policies that have helped LGBT people who live in dangerous places. All that would be instantly erased in a Trump administrationand reversed. At the very least, Trumps America First isolationism would bring about a withdrawal of all of this support. Almost certainly, however, the U.S. would join with Russia in promoting the so-called natural familyi.e., heterosexual marriage with fixed gender roles. Pences constituency in the Christian right has made it a top-tier issue, and it will almost certainly become U.S. government policy to oppose LGBT equality anywhere in the worldincluding where LGBT people are most vulnerable. 5. Discrimination in the Name of Religion For the last two years, weve been talking about the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts that are the latest weapon in the rights culture war against women and LGBT people. Pence, of course, is king of the RFRAs. Well, get ready for a new acronym: FADA, the First Amendment Defense Act, which Trump has pledged to sign if elected. FADA is RFRA on steroids. It allows businesses and individuals (including doctors, pharmacists, teachers, and counselors) to refuse to serve gay people, protects anti-gay hate speech (because religion), enables adoption providers to refuse to place children with same-sex families, and allows a host of other anti-LGBT actionsall with the mere pretext of religious belief. Forget the North Carolina law. FADA would be a nationwide law that would go well beyond anything North Carolina or Indiana has done. It would be a national catastrophe for LGBT people, instantly superseding and erasing non-discrimination laws across the country. It would be the worst anti-gay law in a generationand Trump has promised to sign it. Had enough? Ive got more. Trump would undo all of Obamas pro-LGBT executive orders, thus enabling government contractors to discriminate against LGBT people again, and enabling gay government workers to be fired for being gay. Trump would ensure that it remains legal to fire someone for being gay or transas it currently is in 28 states. A Trump-Pence administration could easily make it extremely difficult for same-sex couples to adopt children. I could go on and on. It doesnt matter that Trump isnt personally homophobic. It doesnt matter who Trump hung out with at Studio 54. It matters who hes hanging out with today, what his stated positions are, who his base is, who his running mate is, and what his political calculations would be as president. If you care about LGBT equality but think its irrelevant enough that you can cast a protest vote, or a vote on other issues, you are wrong. Approaching the new season of Black Mirror, series creator Charlie Brooker found himself spitballing new techno-nightmare ideas to fuel the acclaimed dystopian anthologys jump to Netflix. Once again, he took inspiration from the gadgets, apps, and programs weve come to rely on IRLthe digital tools we eagerly upload into our lives without considering how each like, swipe, and double tap might be changing how were hardwired. Whenever he pitched a concept to co-executive producer Annabel Jones that made her recoil with an, Oh, that would be horrible, he knew he was onto an idea worth turning into its own episode. And yet for all the disturbing visions he served up in Black Mirrors first two seasons and its slate of six new stories, Brooker maintains hes an avid advocate of technology. Hed just like us all to think twice about what its doing to us as we scroll through our daily lives, increasingly connected and yet more disconnected than ever from one another. Im quite dweeby and Im actually really quite pro-technology, which people dont expect, he told The Daily Beast last month in Toronto, grinning gregariously at the irony. The story ideas come out not from us going, Whats the Black Mirror take on Tinder, but more like, Heywouldnt it be WEIRD if this happened? Im not the Unabomber! he laughed. I dont think that social media should be shut down for the millennials who stare at their phones all day long. I think that we are coming to terms with very powerful tools that weve invented that have ramifications its like weve suddenly grown a massive new limb and were flailing it around. And its amazing! Its astounding. Its brilliant. But its also causing us to sometimes inadvertently, and sometimes deliberately, cause harm. So thats what were coming to terms with. The result of Brookers continued meditation on our brave new tech-addled future is a new sixer of unrelated near-future nightmares that hit with more urgency than ever. Having greater resources at his disposal this time around means theyre longerthe riveting Hated in the Nation is a chilling 90-minute police procedural that, of course, takes even more sinister and unexpected turns involving the internet and honeybeesbut Brooker also seems more thematically ambitious in his third and biggest season to date. Men Against Fire tackles the ugliness of incentivized war. Shut Up and Dance plays on paranoia over the privacies we unknowingly give up on the internet. Playtest ventures into the alt-reality escapism of gaming with dazzling visuals and a visceral gut-punch. Black Mirror, streaming Oct. 21 on Netflix, is undoubtedly the best horror movie of this Halloween season. But critics instantly noticed a shocking undercurrent coursing through this new season: optimism. The hopefulness is particularly strong in its best episodes, the social media-obsessed Nosedive and the exquisite 1980s neon dream San Junipero, which have other crucial elements in common: Theyre both led by strong female performances and feature Bechdel test-shattering plotlines. Half of this seasons episodes are anchored by fiercely written female characters, two by non-white stars, and one unfolds the most romantic thread yet in the series between two women. Brooker says that the diversity of this season came partly in the casting, and partly by shaking up the writing processand that the show is all the richer for it. I was conscious that previously we had a lot of male protagonists on the show, he said. I remember thinking, Well, what happens if I just default to female leads for a while and see what happens? I also dont tend to comment on race in things that I do because I think it would be kind of patronizing. Its more interesting to not do that; to have the most diverse casting you can get. I dont tend to specify the race of characters. I quite often swap the gender of characters as well. The Joe Wright-directed satire Nosedive hits closest to How We Live Today, anchored by an unself-conscious turn by Bryce Dallas Howard as Lacie, a woman clinging desperately to the fragile anxiety-ridden sanity wrought by a world driven by likes, people-pleasing, and her social-media profile. Brooker describes it as a pastel nightmare, one where Howards Lacie is trapped in a vortex of projection in which the facade of happiness and success belies the truest, bitterest, most human expression of all: that nobody is as perfect as they seem to be online. But if Nosedive (and the also female-driven Hated in the Nation) are examples of how Black Mirrors capsule allegories can instantly change your perspective on firing off that next selfie or tweet into the ether, San Junipero is a different kind of rarified gem. Directed by Owen Harris, who also helmed the deeply affecting Be Right Back, the 1980s-set tale stars Halt and Catch Fires Mackenzie Davis as a shy young woman named Yorkie, who meets Gugu Mbatha-Raws hedonistic Kelly one night in an idyllic California seaside town and has her life changed forever. For Davis in particular, San Junipero arrives in the middle of a run of high-profile science-fiction-tinged roles including The Martian, her not-sci-fi but sci-tech AMC show Halt and Catch Fire, and the upcoming Blade Runner sequel Blade Runner 2049, which she recently wrapped in Budapest. The showrunners initially had her in mind to play Kelly, but Davis gravitated toward the painfully reserved Yorkie, she told me. Maybe because I felt like I had done a Kelly in some capacity before, she said. I understood her, but with Yorkie Id never played a woman like this. I wanted to have some kind of interior experience with this person who wasnt comfortable in her own skin, this blossoming young female experience. She strikes a crackling balance with the magnetic Mbatha-Raw, the pair unfolding one of Black Mirrors most surprising and soulful episodes with a chemistry that carries the narrative through an unexpected conceptual leap. Its one that also marks the series first same-sex love story with an unshowy sense of naturalism. Its the most progressive story! exclaimed Brooker. Davis revealed that the series stars are just like us: Large doses of Black Mirror doom and gloom send them into an existential panic, too. I cant watch consecutive Black Mirror episodes, she admitted. I go into a black hole and think about shit and examine my decisions and things that Im tacitly agreeing to. Its a very intense experience for me to watch an episode. But San Junipero and Owens other episode, which is also heartbreaking, have a more palpable optimism to them than a lot of Black Mirror. Between her Black Mirror stint and her turn as punk programming prodigy Cameron Howe on Halt and Catch Fire, Davis is still, like Brooker, not as wary of our brave new tech future as you might think. She mostly only lurks on Twitter and deletes apps on the regular. [But] what we talk about and think about so much on Halt is that theres so much goodwill in creating technology and new innovations, she said. Its to connect, and its to educate, to improve. The idea is often pure at heart and comes from quite an idealistic place. But the idea does not equal the execution and the intent doesnt equal the reality of a thing. What I like about San Junipero is that it is very optimistic but it doesnt end with you going, Its bad, or Its good, Davis added. There is a darkness to it even though it is very hopeful. But it does show that everything comes from a very beautiful place. Of course we want to create a world where you have chances. But there will be people who pervert that technology or misuse it. You cant pretend that it will ever exist in the intended way. Brooker himself reached a point of clarity in recent years, turned off from the alluring toxicity of Twitter so much so that he penned a warning against online outrage into Hated in the Nation. And last September, the news hed been waiting years to hear seeped into the international news cycle: The very first episode of Black Mirror, in which a British prime minister modeled after David Cameron is forced to have sex with a pig, had apparently come true. The real-life David Cameron allegations did briefly make Brooker question if he was living in his own surreal Black Mirror-esque nightmare, he admitted. Genuinely, when that happened, it was so weird, he marveled. But as much as Id love it to be true, I bet it isnt. I did that evening think that maybe the whole of reality is a simulation that I am imagining or is designed to fuck with me, which is not a thought that you should really entertain. Its quite narcissistic and mind-mangling. He considered how politics might factor into the next season of Black Mirror. I kind of miss when everything was meheveryone was like, meh, and I fucking hated it. But now everythings either fucking brilliant or a disaster and politics has gone the same way. A few years ago everyone was complaining that politicians were all bland or the same and now youve got Donald Trump or weve got Jeremy Corbyn. I miss the middle. I miss the boring, bland middle. It felt more stable. Everyones just so fucking angry. Theres definitely something in everything becoming so polarized, he added, furrowing his brow. But I dont quite know what the story is yet. I asked the onetime videogame journalist what he makes of Gamergate culture since in this season he tackles gaming and Twitter, but not where those worlds so loudly overlap online. I found [Gamergate] just inexplicable and saddening, he said. The fundamental thing at the heart of that, which I dont understand, is why its a problem critiquing the content of games. In the 90s, Duke Nukem was machine-gunning lapdogs. Even then it was like, Well, thats not great. Why its a controversial thought, I simply dont understand. Maybe there was an innate defensiveness of being a sort of traditional old-school gamer where youre being told that games are evil and violent, and I wonder if this reaction was at the core of it. It is a small minority of people who were very active in it. But no ones deleting old games. Twitter, he declared to controversial reactions in his 2013 Channel 4 documentary How Videogames Changed The World, is the ultimate videogame, even if most of its 313 million active monthly users dont realize it. It encourages polarized debate; it means that you are rewarded for having an extreme point of view, he explained, unintentionally echoing anti-Gamergate critic Anita Sarkeesians theories on the psychological rewards of trolling on the internet. I think generally social media encourages you to be entertaining, and when I say entertaining I mean strident. It encourages that thinking and that expression. It feels like being in a pub at about 11 oclock at night when everyone could go either way. The man behind Black Mirror, then, seems more cautiously wary of technology than necessarily for or against itand hyperaware of the fact that whatever the doodad, Twitter or Tinder or Oculus or beyond, these apparatuses only amplify the human impulses that have always existed within us. San Junipero is the ultimate optimistic view of where we could end up, he mused of Black Mirrors most philosophically uplifting story yet. But I alternate between the two. I look at my kids, who are 2 and 4, and I look at the world theyre in. In some ways Im really jealous that the 4-year-old gets to look at something like Minecraft on an iPad at the age of 4. I learned to find my way about playing Doom. I had a terrible sense of direction but playing Doom forced you to retrace your steps all the time, so I learned to find my way around London by playing it, he laughed. But I also had a lot of nightmares. LAGOS, Nigeria For two and a half years, their parents, their fellow citizens and people around the world have been demanding, pleading, begging the terrorists of Boko Haram to bring back our girls. Indeed, soon after more than 200 young women were kidnapped in the northeastern Nigerian town of Chibok in April 2014, the campaign to win their freedom went viral. Even the first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, held up the famous hashtag on Twitter: #BringBackOurGirls. But it is only now, after long negotiationsindeed, what some officials are calling confidence buildingbetween Nigerias government and a faction of the terror organization, that we have seen a few of the victims released, and of those 21 girls, as many as 18 reportedly are now mothers. The extent of their trauma and confusion, at this point, one can only begin to imagine. These were educated young women sitting for a science exam when the Boko Haram militants abducted them. Afterward, when the Christians among them had been forced to convert to Islam and most or all were compelled to marry their kidnappers, which is to say they were raped, some may have found ways to try to accept their situation. And then the babies were born, and with them came new and difficult emotions, as we have seen in other parts of Africa where rape has been used as a weapon of war. All that is clear at the moment is that the negotiations to free those released so far, and perhaps many more in the future, were prolonged, difficult, and demonstrate just how complicated the war against Boko Haram has become. A statement on Twitter last Thursday by Nigerian presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said the liberation of the 21 Chibok girls is an outcome of negotiations between the administration and Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government and that negotiations will continue for the release of the remaining young women held captive. The Swiss government confirmed it was involved in the release, and that it helped coordinate talks between Nigerian officials and Boko Haram. At the request of the Nigerian government, Switzerland facilitated contacts between government representatives and emissaries from Boko Haram, Swiss foreign ministry spokesman Pierre-Alain Eltschinger said. Switzerlands engagement was motivated by humanitarian reasons. Various media are reporting that the released girls were exchanged for four Boko Haram prisoners in the northeastern town of Banki, close to the border with Cameroon. Nigerias information minister, Lai Mohammed, denied any such trade was made. This is not a swap, it is a release [of the hostage women], the product of painstaking negotiations and trust on both sides, Mohammed said. As soon as the necessary confidence was built on both sides, the parties agreed on the date and the location of the release of the 21 girls. Just what those confidence-building measures were, and whether they included the release of prisoners, Mohammed did not say. After the girls were handed over to security officials who assessed them, they were taken to Nigerias capital, Abuja, where they met with the countrys vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, for an official welcome. I can confirm they are in good health, Osinbajo told reporters. In the next few days or months we will be able to negotiate the release of more of the girls. The Nigerian government late on Thursday identified the girls as Mary Usman Bulama, Jummai John, Blessing Abana, Lugwa Sanda, Comfort Habila, Maryam Basheer, Comfort Amos, Glory Mainta, Saratu Emannuel, Deborah Jaafaru, Rahab Ibrahim, Helen Musa, Maryamu Lawan, Rebecca Ibrahim, Asabe Goni, Deborah Andrawus, Agnes Gapani, Saratu Markus, Glory Dama, Pindah Nuhu, and Rebecca Mallam. All 21 girls were reunited with their families on Sunday in a highly emotional atmosphere during a special Church service in Abuja. I did not know that a day like this will come that we will be dancing and giving thanks to God among people, Glory Dame, one of the rescued girls said on behalf of her fellow captives, hinting at the hardships they had experienced. We had no food for one month and 10 days, be we did not die. We thank God. She said she narrowly escaped a bomb blast in the forest. Nigerias president, Muhammadu Buhari, while speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Friday said about 100 more schoolgirls are still in the hands of the terrorists somewhere in the Lake Chad Basin area which include Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria, and that the government hopes to get enough intelligence to go about securing the rest of them. Earlier this week, Buharis office said Boko Haram jihadists have expressed a willingness to negotiate the release of 83 more Chibok girls, and that the release of the 21 girls on Thursday was a demonstration that the particular Islamist group negotiating with the Buhari administration truly does hold the women it says it does. These 21 released girls are supposed to be tale bearers to tell the Nigerian government that this faction of Boko Haram has 83 more Chibok girls, Buharis spokesman, Shehu, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The faction said it is ready to negotiate if the government is willing to sit down with them. As many as 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped from their dormitory in Chibok in April 2014 as they prepared to sit for a major science exam. About 57 of them escaped not long after, and one was rescued by Nigerian forces with help from local vigilantes in May. The release of the 21 schoolgirls reduces the number of students still unaccounted for to 197. We see this as a credible first step in the eventual release of all the Chibok girls in captivity, said Information Minister Lai Mohammed. It is also a major step in confidence-building between us as a government and the Boko Haram leadership on the issue of the Chibok girls. Just last month the government announced that it had entered into talks with Boko Haram, but those broke down when the jihadists, after agreeing on a prisoner swap, issued a new set of demands. The pattern was a familiar one. John Paden, an American scholar who is close to the president, writes in his just-published biography, Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria, that Boko Haram originally demanded 5 billion (about $5.6 billion) in exchange for the release of the schoolgirls. On several occasions, prisoners were taken to Maiduguri to facilitate an exchange. But these negotiations stalled when Boko Haram demanded a ransom of 5 billion for the girls, writes Paden, a professor of International Studies at the George Mason University in Virginia. The Nigerian government was not going to accede to Boko Harams extra-ordinary demand for a vast sum of money which would no doubt be used to fund future attacks, Paden concluded. A Nigerian government official The Daily Beast privately last month that the jihadists also asked for the release of terrorists linked to the al Qaeda-backed group that masterminded the bombing of a United Nations building in Nigerias capital, Abuja, in 2011, and which has murdered a number of foreign nationals. The government wasnt willing to negotiate the release of these persons, the official said. Freeing them will put the country greatly at risk. Boko Haram has been plagued with dissension and divisions, as some factions have pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State, or ISIS, while others are more closely aligned with the core al Qaeda organization. The Boko Haram leader originally associated with the Chibok kidnapping was Abubakar Shekau. But he appears to have been overthrown earlier this year by a man calling himself Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who vowed to end attacks on Muslims and places used by Muslim faithful. He accused Shekau of failing to adhere to the teachings of Islam by killing fellow Muslims, including members of his own jihadist group. It appears that the Nigerian governments negotiations have been with the new Boko Haram leadership, not the old. And, indeed, the Nigerian military announced recently that it had killed a number of Boko Haram top commanders and fatally wounded Shekau in an airstrikea claim Shekau later surfaced to refute. It is not clear if Shekau and his loyalists still hold some of the Chibok girls. Although the government denies there was a swap and says no ransom was paid for the release of the 21 schoolgirls, those with knowledge of how the jihadists operate are of a different opinion. Its hard to come to terms with the fact that the schoolgirls release did not involve a prisoner swap, says Bala Chabiya, co-founder of the Hands of Love Organization, an initiative that works with rescued victims of Boko Haram. The militants have over time demanded for the release of fighters in exchange for the schoolgirls, and I tend to believe that is what happened, said Chabiya, who has counseled a large number of Boko Haram victims. For those who have campaigned more than 900 days for the girls release, all that matters for the moment is that theyve returned, and have brought hope with them for others still held. I can only weep right now. You know that kind of cry that is a mix of multiple emotions, tweeted Obiageli Ezekwesili, co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls movement. We cry out and use them as a Point -Of-Contact for the rest 197. A Kentucky cop was accused of excessive force for nearly two decades. Now hes heading to federal prison for tasing and arresting a man who swore at him. Matthew Corder, 52, was sentenced to 27 months on Monday for violating Deric Baizes civil rightsan incident captured on Corders body camera and which the Department of Justice used to seal his conviction. According to prosecutors, the Bullitt County sheriffs deputy fired on Baize with an electroshock weapon after Baize told the cop to fuck off. The October 2014 tussle began when Baize came home to find Corders squad car in front of his trailer and asked him to park elsewhere. Corder, who had been responding to another call in the trailer park, told Baize to mind his own business. In response, Baize told Corder to fuck off, twice, before he entered his residence, prosecutors say. But the officer wouldnt let it go. Corder banged on Baizes front door and ordered him to come outside. Youre gonna come out here or youre gonna be issued [a citation], Corder said, according to court documents reviewed by The Daily Beast. Baize again refused to exit his trailer and told Corder to get a warrant. I dont need no warrant, dude, Corder replied. Right now you were out here hollering at me, and you ran in, which means theres exigent circumstances, so back yourself out here. Corder then stepped inside the trailer and wrestled Baize to the ground, saying, I aint playing with you. Youre about to get your ass tased. Seconds later, Corder tased Baize in the neck, the side, and the back, court papers say. Its not the first time Corder allegedly abused his authority. According to prosecutors, in 1997, while working for the Louisville Police Department, he pepper-sprayed a mans face during a traffic stop. A year later, he allegedly broke a black suspects nose with a flashlight. (The man, Adrian Reynolds, would later die of unrelated injuries in jail.) In 2002, Corder allegedly pulled out his gun and handcuffed a tow-truck driver who came to repossess his SUV. He released the driver after he agreed to let Corder keep his vehicle, prosecutors say. Yet Corders career in law enforcement didnt end until 2015, when authorities determined he filed a false report to arrest Baize. According to court papers, Baize apologized for swearing as the deputy handcuffed him. Fuck that. You get to go to jail tonight, Corder seethed in his own body-cam footage, before adding, I told you that you was gonna get tased, didnt I, if you didnt put your hands behind your back? Thats why I was asking you why Baize tried telling Corder. You know why, Slick, Corder fumed. You sit up there and tell me to fuck off? After Corder threw Baize into the patrol car, he warned, Next time you tell a police officer to fuck off, you might want to think about it. Corder charged Baize with disorderly conduct, fleeing and evading, and resisting arrest. But a sheriffs office supervisor reviewed Corders arrest report and body camera footage and determined there wasnt enough evidence against him. Even though the charges were dropped, Baize would spend two weeks in jail, lose his job, and get evicted from his trailer, court papers show. Baize was unable to file a civil suit, prosecutors say, because the Bullitt County district attorney had him sign a probable cause stipulation before the charges were dropped. The sheriff forwarded the Corder probe to the FBI, according to WDRB, which first published Corders body-cam footage. After a four-day trial in July, a jury convicted Corder of two counts of willfully depriving Baize of his constitutional rights under color of law. He faced 11 years in prison for the charges, the Courier-Journal reported. When reached by phone Tuesday, Corder declined to comment on the case but said he plans to appeal his conviction. Corders attorney, Donald Meier, did not return messages for comment. Court papers show Meier asked for probation or home incarceration for Corder, stating that losing his job is a significant, serious punishment. As a convicted felon, Corders plans of becoming an aircraft mechanic in the future are ruined, Meier wrote. To place Mr. Corder, a former law enforcement officer, in prison, can be problematic and possibly place him in a situation more dangerous and punitive than what would be the case for an ordinary citizen, Meier wrote. The attorney made note of multiple awards Corder received over the years, including a Medal of Valor for disarming a man threatening customers at a White Castle. Mr. Corder has no criminal record, Meier said in court papers. He is absolutely not a danger to society. He has no desire, nor possibility of ever becoming a law enforcement officer again. The feds, however, didnt take Corders past lightly. Prosecutors said Corder was fired from three law enforcement agencies over his 15-year career as a police officer. Corder was allegedly investigated four times for excessive force during his employment with Louisville police from 1991 to 2003. The department reprimanded him twice for conduct unbecoming an officer and suspended him for insubordination, prosecutors say. In 2009, Corder joined the Audubon Park Police Department but was allegedly fired during his probationary period over an off-duty road rage incident. He was employed by the Bullitt County sheriffs office from 2013 to 2015. Prosecutors noted two prior incidents where Corder abused his official authority to retaliate against civilians who disrespected him, court papers show. In June 1997, a painter identified only as J.W. and two coworkers were stuck in rush-hour traffic on Interstate 265. They decided to follow several other vehicles using an emergency lane to access the exit, court papers state. Corder blocked J.W.s van when he attempted to drive around Corders patrol car to reach the exit. Then the cop got out, pointed his gun at the crew and ordered, Put your fucking hands in the air, prosecutors allege. Corder allegedly grabbed J.W., handcuffed him and shoved him into the squad car. At one point, J.W. yelled, Fuck you, to which Corder replied, What the fuck did you say, boy? before pepper spraying J.W. in the face. Corder arrested J.W. on charges of reckless driving and resisting arrest. The case was eventually dismissed, and J.W. filed a civil lawsuit alleging Corder violated his civil rights. The city settled the suit for an undisclosed sum, court papers state. In October 2002, Corder ambushed three agents who were attempting to repossess his Lincoln Navigator. The supervisory agent showed Corder paperwork to identify themselves, but Corder said he didnt care who they werehed shoot anyone who moved, prosecutors claim. When the tow-truck driver asked the supervisor to call cops, Corder brandished his badge and barked, I am the fucking police, court documents allege. Corder allegedly pushed the driver against his patrol car and arrested him for disorderly conduct. Then the cop made a deal: Hed release the driver if the repo agents would leave and let him keep his vehicle. But before he removed the handcuffs, Corder warned the trio hed arrest them if they reported the encounter to internal affairs, prosecutors say. (Corder's defense attorney denied any such deal at trial.) Louisvilles then-police chief Robert C. White fired Corder over the incident months later. White also accused Corder of violating policy by moonlighting while on leave, when he was supposed to be recuperating from a car wreck, the Courier-Journal reported. (In 2006, the cop fought his firing but the police merit board unanimously upheld his termination.) Jefferson County prosecutors charged Corder with tampering with a witness, unlawful imprisonment, and official misconduct among other violations. A jury ultimately acquitted Corder of all criminal charges. Corders ex-wife testified that Corder had no idea of the repossession and that he believed the agents were thieves. In 1998, Corder also came under scrutiny after the death of Adrian Reynolds, a black man who was arrested for domestic violence on New Years Day. An internal affairs probe found that Corder punched Reynolds, 34, breaking his nose, but that his actions were justified, the Courier-Journal reported. Corder told authorities Reynolds attacked him and that he hit Reynolds with a flashlight to defend himself. Reynolds died six days later of a blunt head injury, following a struggle with corrections officers who allegedly tried to stop him from suicide in jail. (That officer, Timothy Barnes, was acquitted during a 2002 retrial.) The man had already arrived at the jail badly beaten by Corder, and his bloody mugshot spurred protests in Louisville. Its not brutality. Its not racism. Its police work, said Rick McCubbin, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, at the time. Reynoldss mother sees things differently. She keeps an enlarged photo of his swollen eyes and nearly unrecognizable face, injuries he suffered during his arrest. In a 2002 interview, Reynolds told Louisville mag Todays Woman that local police treat minority suspects differently. I want justice, not just for Adrian but for all black men, she said. Last week, the mother-turned-activist told WDRB she was pleased with Corders conviction in the unrelated case. That old saying that goes around comes around, Reynolds said. Just wait, and it will happen. How many millionaires do you think there are in New York City? Ive asked this question more than a thousand times. The answer might surprise you. Late last year, the consulting firm Capgemini released its annual United States Wealth Report, which put the number of these high-net-worth individuals living in the New York metropolitan area at an astonishing 963,000. Why do I keep asking this question? Because as a cofounder of a public high school in the Bronx, and founder of a small educational nonprofit, the Foundation for Letters, Ive seen our public education system struggle for attention and funding for years. Im always trying to convince those with significant means to give a small percentage of their fortune to improve urban public educationa cause that tends to be low on their list of charitable priorities because they dont tend to live in underserved communities of color. They don't see themselves as natural stakeholders in the fight to improve urban public education. But they should. Ironically, getting millionaires to support public education isnt always the fiercest fight. Theres been an increasingly bitter debate in Democratic and education reform circles about the ethics of asking for external support for public schools. Some activists and educators believe that private support for public schools isnt progressive. They believe that the mere mention of the words "external" or private are threats to teachers and insults their understanding of the role that poverty plays in the existence of the achievement gap. In their view, the only ideologically pure way to improve public education is by demanding more public funds. I believe theres a practical problem with this approach. This year, the New York City Department of Education will spend $23 billion to serve just over one million students, translating to $23,000 per student. Thats roughly 25 percent of the entire New York City budget, and its unrealistic to think there will be the political will to raise taxes enough or cut other areas sufficiently to allow for a doubling of the education funding. Thats likely what it would take to achieve something close to parity with private schools. At many private boarding schools, tuition now regularly exceeds $58,000 per year. Their boards then direct additional funds annually from multimillion-dollar endowments to offer scholarships to low income students. I was once one of those lucky students. I was raised in Newark, New Jerseya challenging urban environment today, and even more so 30 years ago. In 1985, when I was 13, I was in trouble. I was expelled from one middle school (coincidentally, the same one attended by Newarks current mayor, Ras Baraka), and was surrounded by crime and gang violence. My family, neighborhood, and existence were racked by the poverty, drug abuse, and violence that are still endemic to urban life. Then, Williston Northampton, a private boarding high school in New England, sent an admissions officer to recruit at my school in New Jersey, as part of an effort to improve diversity on Willistons campus. What he saw was an ordinary kid. I was far from the smartest kid in my class. I was not the best athlete, the funniest, or the most artistic. I wasnt even close to the hardest working or the most popular. But for some reason, Mr. Southworth poked his head into Mr. Bankss science class, took a look at my unspectacular project (a motor made with a shoebox, a battery, and a stick), and saw something in me. In my English class, he peeked into my book of rhymes, then asked me to interview. Thanks to that interview, I was accepted to Williston, given the chance to escape a difficult environment and exposed to educational opportunities that would never have been possible for me otherwise. I was given the opportunity to graduate from Yale, to work on Wall Street, and to become a high-net-worth individual. I was one of the lucky onesthe exception, not the rule. In 2016, 38 percent of New York students in grades 38 achieved a proficient (passing) score on the English Language Arts (ELA) test. Yet only 26.5 percent and 27.2 percent of Black and Hispanic students did so. White and Asian students, by comparison, achieved proficiency at dramatically higher rates: 58.8 percent and 58.9 percent respectively. These percentages show that students of color, often residents of low-income urban areas, enter ninth grade well behind their more affluent, often white or Asian contemporaries. From my own involvement in helping to educate them, I know that these students struggle not only to reach college readiness, but to enterand more importantly, to stay enrolledin college. The difference isnt just moneyits the culture of support surrounding the students. Most urban, lower-income parents dont have the means, the time, or in some cases the education to advocate for their children in the same way a private schools PTA can. And public schools dont have individual boards of trustees to advocate for them. At my nonprofit, the Foundation for Letters, our goal is to create such advocacy groups. We call them External Support Organizations. Just like our private-school counterparts, we work to facilitate coordinated support fromamong othersas many of those 963,000 local millionaires as possible to help us close that funding gap, and to participate firsthand in how the funds are used. Our first ESO, the Advisory Board of the Urban Assembly Bronx Academy of Letters, the school I cofounded, raised over $4 million overallmore than $2.5 million of it from individual donations. [Disclosure: Daily Beast Editor-in-Chief John Avlon served on the Bronx Academy of Letters board.] In 2013, the New York Daily News ranked the Bronx Academy of Letters among the citys top 25 high schools. The approach has proven its value. But its also shown us that donor dollars arent enough. Writing a check makes you a donor. Becoming involved in the educational experiences of children you dont know, makes you a stakeholder. Sadly, its much easier to get a millionaire to write a $1,000 check than to volunteer for three hours on a Saturday to help a high school senior with a college essay. But the combination of financial and volunteer support from a single individual is transformative. So when I ask you how many millionaires there are in New York City, its not only because Im imagining the potential impact that could come from the fact that there are 500 millionaires in NYC for each of its 1,856 public schools. Im also elated at the prospect of 500 volunteers showing up at an urban school in an under-served neighborhood to help kids write better college essays. Education reform has barely been a topic of conversation in the general election, let alone the presidential debates. But its one of the few areas where there is a proven path for transcending the divisiveness that characterizes contemporary politics while making measurable progress in closing the income gap and achievement gap, one person at a time. Mike Jackson is executive vice president of Capital Markets at Supernova Companies, co-based in Chicago and New York. He is founder and volunteer CEO at the Foundation for Letters, a co-founder of the Bronx Academy of Letters, and chair of the investment committee at the Williston-Northampton School. He holds a B.A. from Yale University. On the day of the third and final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton , the Trump-aligned supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer published its latest alleged scoop: and, as luck would have it, its a bombshell. The WORLD EXCLUSIVE 9-PAGE SPECIAL INVESTIGATION breathlessly details how the former Secretary of State and First Lady is a sex-crazed, evil, prolifically polyamorous, bisexual (or at least bi-curious), and ruthless power-hungry supervillain, with a taste for criminal conspiracy and character assassination aimed at enemy bimbos. Its a story that has everything you could want in a sleazy, so-bad-its-good Hollywood productionlike the plots of Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct and the intrigue and open-marriage-ness of House of Cards were rolled into one story, but with even cheesier dialogue, somehow. It has clandestine sex romps, mysterious death, dirty tricks, prostitutes, LIES AND SPIES, secret plots, and a woman hell-bent on manipulating her sex-crazed self all the way to the White House. It also has exclamation points! Lots and lots of exclamation points!! The Enquirers conspiracy-theory-mongering investigation (some of which you can read below) is divided into four chapters, including THE BOMBSHELL PROOF HILLARY SILENCED BILLS SEX VICTIMS, HILLARYS PLOT TO KILL MONICA (via smear campaign), HILLARYS GAY LOVERS & THE VINCE FOSTER DEATH COVER-UPTHE TRUTH AT LAST, and concluding with CONFESSIONS OF A CLINTON BAGMAN! IN HIS OWN WORDS. The centerpiece of the cover story is Hillarys BAGMANa fixer who has seen the errors of his Clinton-loyalist ways, and spilled his guts to the Enquirer about the Clintons sex-hypocrisy, describing an endless string of sexual stories arising from what effectively was the Clintons open, polyamorous marriage. I am coming forward now because of the endless attention the alleged indiscretions of Donald Trump have received, the source says, explaining the convenient timing of this Enquirer yarn. Nothing I have heard comes close to the sexual and moral corruption of the Clintons. And why hasnt the full scope of Hillary Clintons sexual corruption reached the front page of The New York Times, yet?? Money, of course. Loads and loads of filthy Clinton hush money. Hollywood superstars, busty bimbos, strippers, hookers and shady figures from Americas underworld have all been SECRETLY paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in hush money for more than two decades in a sordid scheme to help Hillary Clinton become president! the story begins. The women received the sleazy payoffs through Hillarys political hitman recruited from the ranks of Hollywoods devious fixers by a top film and television executive. The juiciest part of the Enquirers cover story lies in the alleged revelations on amorous Hillarys wild, swinging sex life. [Her fixer] arranged a lesbian romp for bi-sexual Hillary with a prominent Hollywood identity! the Enquirer blares. [He] squealed about a lusty rendezvous he arranged for Hillary that FINALLY proves the lesbian rumors that have dogged her for decades! Hillary Clinton is a secret sex freak who paid fixers to set up illicit romps with both men AND women! the report continues. Oddly enough, rumors that Hillary Clinton is a lesbian murdereror that Bill Clinton is a cocaine-addled deviantare nothing new. Authors Robert Morrow, Edward Klein, and Trumps longtime adviser and political ally Roger Stone have written books making such outlandish claims about the Clintons supposed drug habits, sexual preferences, and blood-splattered history. Trump himself suggested earlier this month that Hillary was also screwing around behind Bills back. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment regarding whether Trump sees any merit in the Enquirers latest bombshell on his rivals torrid lesbian dalliances and sexual corruption. And much in the same way that the rise of Trumpism has helped push leading conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his team at Infowars more and more into the American mainstream consciousness, the success of the Trump presidential campaign has elevated the National Enquirer, a publication long famous for printing unsubstantiated gossip and ridiculous stories about the Illuminati and space aliens. Early this year, the Enquirer officially endorsed Trump, making it one of the very few printed news sources in the country to do so. In the same March issue that TRUMP MUST BE PREZ! the Enquirer also bashed Trumps primary opponent Marco Rubio as nerdy. The Republican presidential nominee has long been a fan of the pro-Trump supermarket tabloid, and has reportedly forged during this election a political alliance with his friend David Peckerthe CEO of American Media, Inc., which publishes the Enquirer. Theyre very close, a source close to the Enquirer told New York magazine last October. The insider also told New York that Team Trump was the source behind a cover story on rival candidate Ben Carson, headlined, Bungling Surgeon Ben Carson Left Sponge in Patients Brain! (Both the Trump campaign and Pecker denied the allegations of collusion.) Trump is a big friend of Pecker, a source told the Daily News, stating that the real-estate mogul is protected by the Enquirer. So no John Edwards-type investigations Some of the staff are furious. Trumps such fertile ground, and it drives them crazy to not only be staying away from it, but running puff pieces for him. In March, when the Enquirer published a hit piece on Ted Cruz involving A HOOKER, A TEACHER & COWORKERS: 5 romps that will destroy Ted Cruz! and a sex-in-closet tale, Trump and his campaign used the article as a weapon against Cruz. The National Enquirer did a story, Trump said at the time. It was their storyI have no idea if its right or not. They actually have a very good record of being right. Months later, when the publication ran a story suggesting that Cruzs dad was in New Orleans passing out pro-Castro pamphlets with President John F. Kennedys assassin (sidenote: there is no actual evidence for this), Trump widely promoted the news, and got his allies in mainstream media, including Fox News host Sean Hannity, to help him to do so. Now, with Trumps rivals in the GOP primary long since vanquished, it is only rational that the Trump-loving tabloid would turn its attention to Hillary Clinton BLOCKBUSTERS. Despite their extremely cozy relationship, the Enquirer hasnt always been kind to to Trump. In years past, it would publish thinly sourced stories about Trumps own sex life, particularly ones about him getting cuckolded or two-timed. TRUMPS MISTRESS CHEATS ON DONALD WITH TOM CRUISE, a cover story, dated March 27, 1990, alleged, promising sizzling details inside. (Another issue from the same month declared that TRUMP MISTRESS IS PREGNANT, leading to Ivana Trumps heartbreak.) The love affair between the mogul and the tabloid is now, however, very much mutual. There have been few presidential candidates in recent history that have generated the kind of discussion that Donald Trump has, Pecker told The Daily Beast back in March. Its no surprise that the readership of the Enquirer recently told us that they wanted to read more about Trump than any other 2016 candidate. A national liberal political group reportedly fired a Wisconsin operative after heavily edited secret video recordings by a conservative group showed him boasting about recruiting agitators to stir trouble at Donald Trump rallies. Scott Foval, former national field director for the group Americans United for Change, also is seen discussing a hypothetical plan to carry out voter fraud. The hidden-cam video footage was released by conservative activist James OKeefe and his group, Project Veritas Action. Foval responded Wednesday by telling the Wisconsin State Journal in a statement that the secret recordings are a ruse designed to distort his comments. Foval said he and his associates only did above-board, legal, legitimate organizing work. He did not directly address in the statement whether he helped send agitators to Trump events, as he appeared to discuss in one video. All who view these recordings should remember that they were speculative conversations where we attempted to correct a misguided idea put forth by OKeefe and his cronies, and we did not take the bait, Foval said. Fox News reported late Monday that Foval is no longer associated with Americans United for Change, which does media outreach and organizing on behalf of Democratic causes. CNN reported Tuesday that Foval has been fired. Social media profiles for Foval said he is from the Madison area. The Veritas videos show a series of spliced footage of Foval interspersed with hidden footage of other operatives supporting Democrats, narrated by OKeefe who has a history of releasing secret footage that critics said was edited to intentionally mislead viewers. In the first of the Veritas videos, Foval discusses efforts to send volunteers to Trump rallies to provoke his supporters waiting in line to enter the events, in the hope that they will respond with violence. Conflict engagement in the lines at Trump rallies were starting anarchy here, Foval says in one clip. He also suggests at one point that skirting laws to win elections is acceptable. It doesnt matter what the ... legal and ethics people say, we need to win this (expletive)! Foval says in one recording. Foval says in the video that his firm, Foval Group, contracts with an intermediary group, Democracy Partners, thats on the payroll of the Democratic National Committee. The DNC distanced itself from Foval. In a statement to CNN on Tuesday, DNC interim chairwoman Donna Brazile described Foval as a temporary regional subcontractor whose statements dont follow DNC policies or values. We do not believe or have any evidence to suggest that the activities articulated in the video actually occurred, Brazile told CNN. A second Project Veritas video released Tuesday depicts Foval discussing what appears to be a hypothetical plan of voter fraud. It is not clear from the recordings if there is a plan to carry it out or if the discussion is purely speculative. Lets just say in theory if a major investigation came up, of major vote fraud that way, how would they prove it? And who would they charge? Foval says. Americans United for Change and the Democratic National Committee did not respond to requests for comment from the Wisconsin State Journal. In July, the DNC paid $26,000 to Mobilize, the consulting firm of liberal activist Robert Creamer, to, among other things, stage Democratic events outside Trump rallies. Creamer, who also was caught on tape and stepped away from campaign activities after the videos aired, hired Foval as a subcontractor. A Clinton campaign spokesman said the campaign backs cutting ties with Creamer and Foval. OKeefes group has a history of hidden-camera stings in Wisconsin. He has secretly recorded and released footage of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold and former Republican state Senate President Mike Ellis. OKeefe was convicted in 2010 as part of a scheme to illegally make recordings at the office of then-Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat. There were 2.6 million anti-Semitic tweets on Twitter last year, with a total reach of 10 billion impressions. Of that, 19,253 of them were specifically directed at Jewish journalistsmyself, and my Daily Beast colleague Sally Kohn, included. Remarkably, two-thirds of the tweets originated from just 1,600 accounts. And even more remarkably, Twitter has deleted only 21 percent of them. These are some of the numbers from the report released Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League, entitled Anti-Semitic Targeting of Journalists During the 2016 Presidential Campaign. For the first time, the report quantifieswith some significant surprisesthe extent of anti-Semitic harassment online on Twitter since the rise of the Donald Trump campaign and the resurgence of the alt-right, specifically the period from August 2015 to July 2016. But the numbers dont tell the whole story. I was an adviser to the ADLs task force on harassment, although the hate-tweets I was tagged inpictures of me in death-camp gas chambers (with Donald Trump pressing the gas button and the caption Youre Fired); an endless torrent of kike, faggot, and other slurs; lots of gleeful boasts that Trump would finish the work Hitler startedpale in comparison to those aimed at the primary targets in the ADL report. Indeed, one of the reports most shocking revelations is that 83 percent of the anti-Semitic tweets directed at journalists targeted only 10 people. People like Ben Shapiro and Bethany Mandel, two conservative writers turned Trump critics. And Julia Ioffe and Jonathan Weisman, who warned of the looming fascism in the Trump movement (which, of course, the hate tweets exemplify). And others whose great offense was reporting on Trump while being Jewish. The true alt-right is steeped in Jew-hatred, Shapiro told The Daily Beast. Writing that off as mischievous and trolly as publicists for the alt-right do, is a vicious lie. The result, anecdotally, has been a profound chilling effect, and a normalization of the abnormal. Weisman quit Twitter entirely, frustrated with the social-media giants refusal to honor its own terms of service and inability to distinguish between legitimate political speech and bigoted harassment. Personally, I am quite certain this piece will provoke another storm of anti-Semitic tweets. Part of me wants not to write it. Second, as the ADL report emphasizes, when there are 10 billion chances to see the kind of vicious, murderous, slanderous, filthy, and, yes, deplorable bigotry that we thought had been consigned to the dustbin of history, the hateful becomes normalized. Machen Amerika Great photoshopped onto the gates of Auschwitz. Jude stars photoshopped onto pictures of Jewish journalists. Endless variations on anti-Semitic images and language. I think the alt-right rock has been turned over, said Shapiro. If they believe theyre gaining power and credibility, this is just the start. Whos to blame? Well, obviously, the trolls themselves, first and foremost, and secondarily, white supremacists like Andrew Anglin and Lee Rogers. But racist scum like them have always existed. And while, as a 501(c)(3) eager to work with businesses to solve problems, the ADL dances around the two most obvious villains, I am not thus constrained. They are Donald Trump and Twitter itself. First, despite nearly a full year of anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish journalists, Trump has not once condemned it. Where the fuck are you, Donald Trump? This is your daughter and son-in-law whom your followers are calling rats and bloodsuckers; its your grandchildren they want to burn in ovens. And yet, noonly repeated dog-whistling, like Trumps recent references to global conspiracy of bankers and media elites. Sad! Further, as the ADL report notes, incidents of anti-Semitic tweets spike together with Trump-related news events: Feb. 29, when Trump refused to disavow the Ku Klux Klan; May 17, when Melania Trump accused Ioffe of provoking the attacks against her; March 13, when Trump blamed Bernie Sanders for violent protesters at his rallies. And then, of course, theres Trumps starring role in the tweets themselves; the cozy relationship, via Steve Bannon, between Trump and the alt-right (and anti-Semitic conspiracy nuts like Alex Jones); and the entire race-baiting, white-America-first themes of his campaign. Hope Hicks, press secretary for the Trump campaign, told the Daily Beast that we have no knowledge of this activity and strongly condemn any commentary that is anti-semitic. We totally disavow hateful rhetoric online or otherwise. Reallyno knowledge of this activity thats been going on for months, features Trumps name and likeness, and has been reported throughout the mainstream media? Trump is not encouraging these tweets; the ADL report makes clear that a small handful of alt-right demagogues are. But hes not condemning them either, and hes clearly seen, by the tweeters themselves, as the great anti-Semitic messiah. Its worse than sad; its a national disgrace. And then theres Twitter. Waving the tattered flags of the Arab Spring, Twitters position is that it is a platform for the free, basically anonymous exchange of ideas, and that includes offensive ideas. If you require users to identify themselves, they cant be safe from authoritarian regimes, snooping bosses, or the NSA. Plus, they point out, you can easily block users you dont want to see, although your name, likeness, and personal information can still be shared with those users thousands of followers. In the words of one targeted journalist, thats like walking down the street with your ears plugged, while right behind you a bigot is shouting that youre a bloodsucking kike. I cant hear you! The biggest shock in the ADL report is that this entire campaign of harassment is coordinated by a relatively small number of trolls, most of whom have words like white, nationalist, and Trump in their bios. Gosh, couldnt Twitter, a company with a $11.9 billion (and falling) market capitalization, come up with some innovative solutions to go after these 1,600 bad actors? How about requiring users to identify themselves if they repeatedly tweet out offensive images? How about adding more staff to investigate reports of harassment? How about actually enforcing your own terms of service, rather than hiding behind the free speech banner? Or maybe Twitter doesnt want to lose the trolls and their ad-viewing eyeballs? The situation, it must be noted, is similar to Twitters anemic response to the epidemic of rape threats directed at women, and racist bile directed at people of color. (Or, in the case of comedian Leslie Jones, both at the same time.) Yes, some people are banned, before popping up again in a hateful game of Whack-a-Mole. But too few, too late, and with too much effort. Twitter is not doing remotely enough. Indeed, we don't even know where these tweets are coming from. Bethany Mandel, one of the journalists most targeted by them, said that In a perfect world I wouldve loved to see information on the origins of these accounts. Many people, myself included, believe these accounts not to be American supporters of Trump, but instead Russian troll farms. If that is the case, the Russian government is interfering even more than we originally thought in our electoral process, trying to intimidate journalists who are covering the campaign. But with Twitter either lacking the ability or the will to track these users, we dont know the answer. Racist lowlifes have long drifted in the backwaters of Americas political sewer. They are, to quote their hero, sad, pathetic losers. And I am sure that if Twitter decides to finally cut them off, theyll slink back to Reddit, 4Chan, and other, seedier venues. But Twitter ought to be different. Its technology enables the rapid sharing of information, and often productive dialogues across political lines. It is an invaluable tool for journalists in particular. It would be a shame if it went down, a victim of its own pseudo-libertarianism. I dread going on Twitter after this article runs. In part, Im afraid of the real-world damage these trolls can inflict; colleagues of mine have been doxxed, stalked, and harassed in person. But in part, the online harassment itself is degrading. Theres something uniquely disturbing about being humiliated in front of tens of thousands of virtual users, in bigoted terms that most of us thought belonged to the distant past. Its debasing; youre pulled down into the muck where these trolls live. And its demeaning, because youre powerless to stop them, because Twitter prefers them to you. I lost a dozen members of my grandparents families in the Holocaust. I know it will not happen again, not in the United States anyway. I know that the people sending me pictures of mass graves are among the most profound losers in our society. And I know that I should have a thick skin. But Twitter is letting these racists spit on my grandparents graves. 2.6 million times. Updated 11:45 am, 10/19: This piece was updated to include quotations from sources and additional reporting by Lloyd Grove. Your reputation is amazing. I will not let you down. Donald Trump, the former reality-show host turned Republican presidential nominee, uttered those very words to Alex Jones during an appearance on the round Texans Infowars program in December. Jonesfor the blissfully uninitiatedis an alt-right conspiracy theorist who believes the United States government was behind the Oklahoma City bombing, the September 11 attacks, and is poisoning our drinking water in order to turn American citizens gay. He is also, by his own admission, a close adviser to candidate Trump. Joness most despicable theory is his belief that the Sandy Hook massacre was staged. On Dec. 14, 2012, Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 young children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Sandy Hook is a synthetic completely fake with actors, in my view, manufactured, said Jones on the Jan. 13, 2015, edition of his radio show. I couldnt believe it at first. I knew they had actors there, clearly, but I thought they killed some real kids. And it just shows how bold they are, that they clearly used actors. (There is absolutely no evidence to support this odious claim.) Trumps Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, condemned his disturbing alliance with Jones in an Aug. 25 speech targeting the alt-right, along with an anti-Trump ad released by the Clinton campaign on Oct. 16. Mark Barden, whose 7-year-old son Daniel was murdered in the Sandy Hook shooting, is also appalled by the cozy relationship between Trump and Jones. The Republican presidential nominee of the United States is being advised by a delusional sociopath. It speaks for itself, Barden tells me. What else can you say about that? Its disgusting. The occasion for our chat is Newtown, Kim A. Snyders heartrending documentaryone of the very best of the year, in factthat follows the parents, first responders, and school staff as they deal with the aftermath of that horrific day at Sandy Hook Elementary. Snyders film delicately articulates the concentric circles of impact, as we witness the tragedys toll on this once-idyllic, tight-knit community. Most of the films screen time is devoted to Barden, a loving, sympathetic father and husband by day and a musician by night. Daniel was the youngest of three children he had with his wife, Jackie, and the loss still haunts him. This is almost four years now, so for everyone else its kind of ancient history. But our particular journey through this has not been one of creeping in and out of consciousness, says Barden. Every second of the day I am forced to consider the fact that my sweet little Daniel is gone and hes gone forever, and hes gone because someone shot him to death. Those are the recurring themes that I live with every waking and sleeping moment. Its unrelenting. The couple used to go for long walks around the neighborhood, counting their blessings that they were able to live in such a picturesque place filled with the friendliest of people. In the wake of this unspeakable tragedy, its been the experience of my wife and me that this community has wrapped itself around us with love and support in a way that I didnt even know was possible, he says. Newtowns opening chapters are devoted to testimonials from grieving parents who lost their children in the tragedy, and the effect is devastating. At around 9 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 14, 2012, Lanza, a deeply troubled young man with Aspergers syndrome, shot his mother, Nancy, in the head. He proceeded to take her car and, armed with two semiautomatic pistols, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a Bushmaster XM-15 E2S semiautomatic rifle, drive five miles to Sandy Hook Elementary School. There, he targeted two of the schools first-grade classrooms, killing 14 children in one and six in the other, along with six adults. After firing 154 rounds, Lanza turned the gun on himself. Many of the parents interviewed in Snyders film lay part of the blame on Lanzas parentsin particular his mother, whod not only neglected to seek the proper treatment for her disturbed son, but also encouraged the 20-year-olds gun fetish. Their home was a veritable armory, filled with multiple weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Police even discovered a gun safe in Lanzas bedroom. I definitely hold both parents responsible. They absolutely were partially negligent, says Barden. I think they made some really bad choices and lacked a fundamental understanding of what their child was dealing with, and how to manage that. I think it should be a wake-up call for parents across America to be intimately in touch with their children and more proactive with how they are living their lives. In the wake of the shooting, the Sandy Hook families filed a lawsuit against Remington, the gun manufacturer responsible for the Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, alleging negligent entrustmentor that the gun maker knew of the risks posed by the deadly semiautomatic weapon yet sold them to the private citizens anyway. Just last week, a Connecticut judge dismissed the suit citing the PLCAA, or Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (the families plan to appeal). Theyve also gone toe-to-toe with the National Rifle Association, fighting for common-sense gun-law reformsincluding closing the gun-show loophole and calling for more extensive background checks. The thing to know about the NRA is that the majority of the membership does not agree with what the leadership is doing, or the way theyre doing it, says Barden. Most of the membership of that organization would agree that we can do a better job of modest reforms around firearm ownership. The NRA is not the organization it once was. The organization used to be an honorable hunter-sportsman group that promoted firearm safety, and theyve subsequently morphed into nothing more than a lobby for the gun manufacturing industry with the sole intent of selling more units for the almighty dollar. Its unfortunate that they use fear to increase their profit marginno matter what the cost. He pauses. After a mass shooting, the NRA jumps on it and tries to capitalize on it by selling more unitswhich is despicable. The whole notion of more guns will make us safer is a fallacy every way you look at it, whether philosophically or statistically. Whos the good guy with the gun? Is it an undercover officer? A vigilante? Who knows who that is? If you play it out, it just doesnt work. If you allow yourself to be fed that and act on it, then youre part of the problem. Barden and many of the other Sandy Hook families have also formed Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation by providing programs and practices that protect children from gun violence. Sandy Hook Promise helps to train teachers, students, and parents to know the signs of a troubled person and then take the necessary steps to get that person the help they need before it turns into a tragedy. So far they have trained one million students. I look back to December 13, to the days, the weeks, the months before my sweet little Daniel was murdered, says an emotional Barden, who serves as the advocacy director for Sandy Hook Promise. I think of all the signs and the signals that were offered where somebody who was trained could have intervened and changed that trajectory. I want to be able to do that for other families. In January, Barden introduced President Obama as he unveiled new executive actions to reduce gun violenceincluding improving background checks, providing 200 more ATF agents to help enforce existing gun laws, researching smart gun technology, and investing $500 million in mental-health care. Barden commends Obamas efforts to implement modest, common-sense gun reforms, saying he feels a fatherly kinship with him, while criticizing the intransigent Congress, many of whom seem beholden to the gun lobby. The 2016 election is also a consequential one when it comes to gun laws. On one side you have Hillary Clinton, whos fought for gun control her entire political career, and on the other you have Donald Trump, whos not only aligned himself with a deplorable Sandy Hook truther and been endorsed by the NRA, but also wants to make concealed-carry permits valid nationwide, and believes more gunsnot fewerare the key to reducing gun violence in America. The voters need to look into their hearts and see it for what it is, says Barden. They need to look beyond the fear-mongering and the lies that the gun lobby sells to its constituents with the sole interest of profiting off their misinformation and lack of education on the issue. Americans need to look into their hearts, educate themselves on this issue, and vote accordingly. Its clear that despite their best efforts, Russia has failed to shift the polls in Donald Trumps favor, The Daily Show host Trevor Noah said Tuesday night. So yesterday, Trump turned to his other Eastern European ally for help. Of course, Noah was talking about Melania Trump, who finally sat down for a pair of interviews with CNN and Fox News following a rash of sexual-assault accusations against the Republican nominee. Wondering why it took her 10 days from the release of the 2005 tape in which Trump boasts of grabbing women by the pussy, the host said, from the looks of it, she was using that time to practice her lines. Viewed side-by-side, Melania Trumps interviews on Fox News and CNN sounded remarkably similar. She may not have been plagiarizing Michelle Obama this time, but on the bright side, Noah said, At least shes only plagiarizing herself now. On top of that, she seemed to blame Billy Bush for egging on her husband. So, wait, youre telling me the guy who says hes going to tax China, wall Mexico, and knock the hell out of ISIS, that guy cant handle himself in a conversation with Billy Bush? Noah asked. He got egged on? Yeah, apparently Donald Trump gives in to peer pressure a lot quicker than we realize. With that, he suggested Trump jump into a volcano, saying, Youre only supposed to only do it if you have a mega-big penis and have sex with a lot of supermodels. On Melania Trumps attempt to equate her then-59-year-old husband with a teenage boy, Noah said, I guess I understand that, because if you convert, then 59 is technically only 16 in douche years. But this left Noah with one question: If he does act like a teenage boy, why would we let him be president? Finally, Melania Trump told Anderson Cooper that fighting cyberbullying would be one of her top priorities should she make it to the White House. Thats a smart move by Melania Trump, pledging to fight online bullying, the host said. Because you realize she can probably cut it in half just by taking her husbands phone away. Has she seen Donald Trumps tweets? Noah asked. Melania fighting cyberbullies would be like if Ted Cruzs wife started a campaign to end creepy smiles. With Donald Trump calling on Hillary Clinton to take a drug test before their third debate Wednesday evening, its the perfect time to bring up one of the biggest campaign issues that major news organizations have avoided: His long, deep, and strange involvement with a major cocaine and marijuana trafficker. Trump presents himself as the most ardent law-and-order politician ever. Yet throughout his adult life Trump sought outand worked closely withmore than a score of criminals, including Mafia associates, Russian mob associates, violent felons, con artists, swindlers, and most significant of all, the embezzler and mob associate Joseph Weichselbaum, a thrice-convicted felon. Long ago, when Trump was the big man in Atlantic City, he got his helicopters to bring his high-rollers in and out of town through a company formed by Weichselbaum, to whom he also entrusted maintenance of the Ivana, Trumps personal helicopter. Spy, a satirical magazine that often made fun of Trump, reported that Weichselbaumat that point a twice-convicted felonpersonally piloted the Trumps in that copter. Weichselbaum also had another business: importing drugs from Colombia and shipping them from Bradford Motors, a Miami-area car dealership he partly owned, to Cincinnati. When Weichselbaum got caught, his case was handled in a most unusual way, with both Donald Trump and one of his siblings in starring roles. This relationship between the Republican presidential nominee and a major drug trafficker, revealed in court filings and other public documents, has never been explained by the candidate. Trump should be asked in every venue right up to Election Day for a complete and detailed accounting of this relationship. Trumps loud sniffling through the first two debates prompted all sorts of speculation. His lagging performance at the end of the first debate, when he lost focus and went off on yet another attack on comedian Rosie ODonnell, further fueled that speculation. Former Vermont governor and prominent Democrat Howard Dean suggested that Trump snorted cocaine ahead of the first debate, an especially fraught diagnosis even for a physician. The candidate says that he does not drink or use drugs and never has. I have no evidence to the contrary. Deans rank speculation, and the questions raised on social media about Trumps sniffling in the second debate, might have been the end of the issue except that Trump decided to breathe new life into it. At campaign rallies Trump said that it seemed to him that Clinton was the one on drugs. Trump declared, against the visible evidence, that Clinton was the one exhausted by debating, suggesting this was because the effects of drugs had worn off. Trump is well known for projectingtaking things that apply to himself and saying that they apply to others. His comments about Clinton, who was alert and stood with good posture through both debates, did not help him. But any questions about his personal drug use are small potatoes compared to his long, deep embrace of Weichselbaum. Trump risked his lucrative casino license to demonstrate his unflagging loyalty to a convicted drug trafficker. The unusual relationship between Trump and Weichselbaum deserves at least as much attention as the Republican nominees refusal to make public any of his tax returns or the questions about what was contained in the Democratic nominees tens of thousands of emails that she says were private and that State Department staff deleted. Yet, to use Trumpian language, I alone am raising the issue of his drug-distributor pal. Law enforcement reports long ago identified Weichselbaum as a Mafia associate. At one time he was actively involved in cigarette-boat racing in Miami, a sport that attracted a number of high-level criminals ranging from fellow drug traffickers to corrupt financiers like Charles Keating, the poster boy for the savings-and-loan scandals of quarter century ago, who came in second in a race where Weichselbaum ran third. Trump needed helicopters to fly high-rollers to Atlantic City. The selection of Damin Aviation was odd given that there were better-financed helicopter companies with longer track records. Damin was set up as a lightly financed tax-sheltered operation that benefited from lavish state of New Jersey subsidies. Despite that structure, it soon went bust and reemerged as NimadDamin spelled backward. It went bust again. Through all this Trump stayed with Damin, run by Josephs brother and continuing to him, instead of switching to any of the other helicopter providers. Because Weichselbaum was then a twice-convicted felon, New Jersey gambling regulators eventually insisted he not be involved with providing helicopter services to the Trump casinos. Yet Weichselbaum continued collecting a $100,000 salary (more than $220,000 in todays money) and a company car and driver from Nimad. And Trump kept using the company that paid Weichselbaum even though he was supposedly no longer involved, which technically met the requirements imposed by casino regulators. According to his indictment, Weichselbaums more lucrative business was having drugs delivered to Bradford Motors, the Miami-area car dealership he had an ownership stake in. At one point, he helped load up to 1,500 pounds of drugs at the time into cars that mules drove to the Cincinnati area for distribution in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, testimony and his confession established. Trump learned of the indictment shortly after it was filed in October 1985, New Jersey Casino Control Commission records show. At that point Trump should have cut off all connections to Weichselbaum because failing to do so could cost him his casino license. The New Jersey Casino Control Act requires owners to prove by clear and convincing evidence that they do not consort with criminals. The United States Supreme Court upheld this law because a casino license is a privilege, not a right. Instead of abandoning Weichselbaum, Trump did him the first of several favors. Two months after the indictment, Trump rented apartment 32C in the Trump Plaza Apartments on E. 61st St. in Manhattan to the Weichselbaum brothers, according to New Jersey Casino Control Commission records. Trump personally owned the unit. It was an odd arrangement. The brothers were to pay about half the rent in cash and the rest in unspecified helicopter services, which would be hard to establish without a thorough audit, according to those casino regulatory files. Meanwhile, Weichselbaum agreed to plead guilty in Federal District Court in Cincinnati. His Ohio lawyer, Arnold Morelli, asked that sentencing be done either in Miami, where Bradford Motors is located, or Manhattan where the confessed drug trafficker lived. Instead the case somehow ended up in New Jerseyand in not just any courtroom, either. It came before Judge Maryanne Trump Barry, Trumps older sister. After three weeks Judge Barry recused herself, explaining to the chief judge that her husband, Trump casino lawyer John Barry, and she had flown in the helicopters of a confessed drug trafficker. At the time, there was only a signed order reassigning the case, but not explaining the reasons for doing so. Six years passed before Barrys reason for recusalpotentially damaging to the federal judiciaryemerged in a book by investigative reporter Wayne Barrett. Then Trump wrote a letter on Trump Organization stationery pleading for mercy for Weichselbaum. He called him a credit to the community. Trump also described the drug trafficker as conscientious, forthright and diligent, not the sort of language a law-and-order presidential candidate would be expected to apply to a drug trafficker who moved more than 11 pounds of cocaine in one shipment alone and more than three quarters of a ton of marijuana in another. When New Jersey gaming regulators first asked Trump about this letter he denied writing it. When they came back with a copy of the letter, Trump said under oath that his signature was on the page. What else he may have been asked is unknown because the New Jersey Attorney Generals Division of Gaming Enforcements report did not indicate that Trump was asked the obvious questions: What prompted you to write the letter knowing you could lose your casino license over it? What were your business dealings with Weichselbaum beyond helicopter services? Did you invest in the drug deals? Trump has never answered questions about this, including when he called me at my home on April 27 to tell me that unless he liked what I wrote about him he would sue me, something no other candidate for office has ever done in my half century of reporting. Trumps letter worked. Weichselbaum served just 18 months, while the mules who merely drove the drugs got sentences of up to 20 years. When time came for parole, Weichselbaum said he had the required job and a place to live. He told authorities he would be Trumps helicopter guy. Then he moved into Trump Tower. Its more than reasonable, indeed critical, that Trump be pinned down on just what motivated his unusual actions in the Weichselbaum case. He needs to be asked why, as he is now doing with Vladimir Putin, he went out of his way to make sure Weichselbaum knew that in Donald Trump he had a totally loyal ally who would never turn on him. Having a tax cheat in the White House four decades ago and another a heartbeat away was bad enough. Why in the world would we want the ally of a drug trafficker anywhere near the Oval Office? Wednesday evening, debate moderator Chris Wallace will have the opportunity to ask Trump why he stood by this convicted felon, risking his casino empire in the process. Until Trump offers real answers, we have no way of knowing whether he simply displayed the kind of bad judgement he attributes to Clinton or was knowingly involved in Weichselbaums drug business. When Donald Trump loses the presidential election, Republicans and conservatives will start looking for people to blame. That is, if Trump concedes. To the constantly growing list of outrages against common decency and democratic traditions Trump has committed throughout this campaign we can now add sowing mistrust about the legitimacy of our electoral system. Trump is fomenting an hysteria amongst his already fanatical supporters that, when he loses, could lead to civil disorder and even violent insurrection. The Trump campaigns hunt for turncoats has already begun. Among Trumps most die-hard supporters, literally nothing their candidate has done or could do will ever convince them that nominating a racist, dictatorial, misogynistic, conspiratorial, sociopathic, reality television show star for the highest office in the land might have been a bad idea, never mind unpatriotic. No, they will say come November 9, Trumps loss will have been the fault of, in the words of Laura Ingraham, a globalist cabal of Republicans-in-name-only and highfalutin conservative intellectuals who refused to support the nominee. I will hold all these arrogant Never Trump people accountable after they have sabotaged DT, Fox News host Sean Hannity angrily tweeted in August. Lets be clear: Trump backers have no one but themselves to blame for having foisted a mentally unstable man-child with literally no redeeming qualities upon the country. So determined are they to avoid responsibility for this that they have crafted an elaborate theory assigning culpability for Trumps impending defeat not upon the candidate but those who warned he would lose. Considering these conservatives soft spot for Weimar-like stab-in-the-back myths, a more fitting historical analogy for the confrontation were soon to witness amidst the rubble of the GOP is the political state of affairs in postwar Berlin. Like the victorious Allies who worked to rid Germany of National Socialist influence, so too will the GOP need to cleanse itself thoroughly of the cowards, opportunists, and authoritarians who collaborated in the rise of the closest thing this country has ever had to a nationwide fascist movement. Whats needed after Trump loses isnt, as writers more magnanimous than I have proposed, an amnesty wherein everyone simply forgives and forgets, but something closer to de-Nazification, or the lustration of communist officialdom that Central and Eastern European countries carried out after the collapse of the Soviet Union. For as much as the candidate and his supporters like to portray his campaign as a bottom-up movement that successfully seized the reins of power from a resistant cabal of Republican elected officials and conservative elites, the Trump phenomenon was all along aided and abetted by people in positions of influence and responsibility who repeatedly displayed a shocking lack of judgment, moral courage and patriotism. Herewith is a list of those individuals and institutions that made a conscious decision to enable a ludicrously unfit reality television show star in his quest to become leader of the free world, thereby conscripting themselves in what has become a Russian influence operation, and thus taking America to the brink of disaster. Ill always remember where I was when (1) Chris Christie endorsed Trump. Christie was first of the 16 Republican presidential contenders to support the eventual nominee, and his announcement was all the more startling coming from a twice-elected, moderate Republican Governor with solid establishment credentials. Christies endorsement was a decisive moment, opening the floodgates for other Republican elected officials to back Trump. Almost immediately after joining the Trump Trainand in a sign of things to come for others who would hop on itChristie began debasing himself, audibly taking orders from Trump on the campaign trail and allegedly fetching him fast food. Despite the serial humiliations, Christie has remained one of Trumps most servile surrogates, defending the nominees five-year history of challenging President Barack Obamas citizenship with arrant nonsense such as, It wasnt like he was talking about it on a regular basis. In the summer of 2015, Buzzfeeds McKay Coppins reported rumors that Trump was secretly funneling cash to (2) Breitbart.com in exchange for favorable coverage. Today, considering the seamless integration of Breitbart as a quasi-official mouthpiece into the Trump campaign (whose new CEO Steve Bannon was previously chairman of the conservative website), that allegation is moot. Breitbart.com is now the leading voice of the alt right, an innocuous euphemism for the peddlers of white nationalism, xenophobia and conspiracy theory invigorated by Trump. Trump has broken with GOP orthodoxy on a whole host of issues ranging from free trade to entitlement reform to foreign policy. So one would think that, if Trumps threatening violence at the Republican National Convention did not prevail upon party officials to oppose his candidacy, his repudiation of GOP policies would. Yet (3) Reince Priebus and the (4) Republican National Committee he chairs have done nothing to resist Trumps rise. On the contrary, Priebus blocked any attempt to challenge Trump from the floor of the convention and has gone so far as to threaten penalties against those Republican presidential candidates who refuse to endorse Trump. What makes Priebuss betrayal especially egregious is that he was the RNC Chairman who commissioned an autopsy on the partys 2012 electoral loss urging greater Republican engagement with women, youth and minorities. These are precisely the groups most repelled by the man Priebus now embraces, riding on his private jet like a giddy school boy. Decent Republicans should oust Priebus from the party chairmanship; the only job suitable for him is cleaning toilets at Trump Tower. Not long ago, (5) Sean Hannity berated Republicans who failed to meet his absurdly high threshold of conservative ideological purity. Today the Fox News host has become Trumps most sycophantic media supplicant, regularly hosting the candidate for televised town halls that are little more than campaign rallies. Bluto Blutarsky meets Brick Tamland with a little bit of Archie Bunker thrown in. This meathead, overgrown frat boy would have made a fine broadcaster on East German state television circa 1973 so boundless is his ideological flexibility and opportunism. According to Republican operative Dan Senor, (6) Mike Pence once told him that Trump would be unacceptable as the GOP presidential nominee. Fast forward a few months and the Indiana Governor, facing a competitive reelection, accepted Trumps offer to become his running mate. The ostentatiously Christian Pence remains loyal to Trump, whom he describes as this good man, despite Trumps admission (in essence, to Billy Bush and Howard Stern) to being a sexual predator. Many of the Republicans now calling upon Trump to leave the ticket have suggested Pence take his place, as if the vice presidential nominee wasnt tainted by putting a more respectable, professional gloss on what is an explicitly racist and authoritarian political enterprise. When (7) Newt Gingrich assumed the House speakership after the 1994 Republican revolution, he included NATO expansion in his fabled Contract with America. Today, echoing the Kremlin-friendly rhetoric of the Republican nominee, Gingrich shamefully says that Estoniaone of Americas strongest allies in Europe and a NATO member in good standingis a suburb of St. Petersburg and not worth defending from Russian attack, despite our sacred treaty obligation to do so. Gingrichs embrace of Trumpism (and its attendant ideological contortions) has been one of the more remarkable debasements of this election season, proving once and for all that this porcine pseudo-intellectual is not only a moral disgrace but also a complete and utter fraud. When he ran for president in 2008, former New York City Mayor (8) Rudy Giuliani campaigned on an embrace of the Bush Doctrine. Now, he supports a candidate who accuses George W. Bush of not keeping us safe and lying America into war. When the tape of Trump bragging about grabbing womens genitalia became public, Giuliani was one of the few Trump surrogates willing to go on television in his defense. Though his anti-crime policies were often the target of unfair criticism from lefty civil libertarians, Giulianis hysterical defense of the despotic Trump means that no one can reasonably deny his authoritarian instincts, and we should shudder at how Americas Mayor might deploy them were he to receive a cabinet appointment in a Trump administration. Perhaps due to her beauty, serene composure, and ability to translate her fathers half-literate ramblings into semi-coherent policy proposals, (9) Ivanka Trump has remained unscathed by her fathers 16-month effort to ruin the family name. Which is inexplicable, because all that Ivankas involvement in this campaign has revealed is that shes the pretty face of a white nationalist political movement, a truly bizarre place for a University of Pennsylvania-educated, Upper East Side doyenne to wind up. As for her husband, the pathetic and pussy-whipped (10) Jared Kushner, he is equally if not more appalling in his role as the Jewish facade of a campaign steeped in anti-Semitic innuendo. Trumps thuggish sons (11) Donald Jr. and (12) Eric would be hawking flyers for $150 suits on Sixth Avenue had they not been born into massive wealth, and if actual billionaire Mark Cuban is right that the stigma attached to the Trump brand is permanent, the inheritances of the entire Trump brood will be wiped out and theyll be forced to undergo some sort of humiliating, permanent pauperization a la Trading Places. As Republican leaders in the Senate and House, respectively, (13) Mitch McConnell and (14) Paul Ryan could have communicated to their caucuses that non-endorsement in this years presidential race was a viable option. Instead, they behaved as gutless followers, refusing to embrace Trump wholeheartedly but endorsing his candidacy nonetheless. For their trouble, they have had to repeatedly and explicitly condemn Trumps transgressions against decency and common sense, all the while telling voters that this man is equipped to be President of the United States. The trio of Trumpkin CNN talking heads (15) Kayleigh McEnaney, (16) Jeffrey Lord and (17) Corey Lewandowski are the Baghdad Bobs of this election cycle, literally willing to defend any and all of Trumps absurdities. Their motto might as well be the title of the classic 1989 John Cusack film: say anything. No one ever heard of these grasping opportunists before the summer of 2015 and if theyre lucky no one will remember them after this election is over. Like many of the GOP operatives who have glommed onto him, pollster (18) Kellyanne Conway was once a Trump critic, accusing him of building a lot of his business on the backs of the little guy and saying things that arent true. Conway, who made a name for herself as the go-to consultant for GOP candidates trying to appeal to women, now finds herself defending a sexual predator in her role as Trump campaign manager. Throughout the GOP primary, Trump ridiculed (19) Marco Rubio as little Marco. One of the first candidates to really hit hard at Trump on the campaign trail, Rubio rightly called him a con man and an erratic individual who could not be trusted with the nuclear codes. Shortly after dropping out, however, Rubio endorsed the man who just weeks earlier he had warned could bring about nuclear holocaust and said he would be honored to speak on his behalf at the Republican National Convention. Little Marco indeed. His supporters claimed that (20) Ted Cruzs refusal to endorse Trump at the GOP Convention was a characteristic example of his commitment to principle. But Cruzs reputation as a politician who would never sacrifice his sense of integrity has always been undeserved. Since entering the Senate in 2012, Cruz cultivated the very sort of rejectionist, radical right constituency Trump later exploited, and he was chummy with Trump throughout the first six months of the race, hoping to win over the frontrunners base. Its only fitting that Cruz is now manning Trump phone banks trying to convince people to vote for the man who speculated that his father was involved in the JFK assassination. The California-based (21) Claremont Institute bills itself as devoted to Recovering the American Idea, namely, individual liberty, constitutional democracy, and small r republicanism. Which is why its so bizarre that Claremont would emerge as the leading center of intellectual advocacy for Trumpism, an ethno-nationalist, populist creed that scorns the very ideals upon which this country was founded. About 20 Claremonsters people associated with the Institute or its intellectual godfather, the deceased political scientist Harry Jaffasigned a declaration entitled Scholars and Writers for America in favor of Trump. None of the conservative movements constituencies has been so supportive of Trump as evangelical Christians, with the troglodytic triumvirate of (22) Ralph Reed, (23) Tony Perkins (23) and (24) Jerry Falwell Jr leading the flock. These are men so shameless, craven and hypocritical that they expect their endorsements of an admitted sexual predator and perpetual adulterer to be taken seriously after having zealously supported the impeachment of Bill Clinton on account of his sexual ethics. Finally, no list of Trump enablers would be complete without the plurality of (25) Republican primary voters who awarded him their nomination. These people, who would without question surpass Trumps loyalty test by supporting him even if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue, are just as Hillary Clinton described: deplorable. Ridding the GOP of Trumpism and its enablers means more than just a few pink slips. To heal the corrosive damage inflicted upon the body politic by the Trump campaigns normalization of mendacity, rank bigotry and authoritarianism, conservatives must purge these people from polite society and shun them for the rest of their professional lives, much as William F. Buckley Jr. did with the John Birch Society. (Though I agree with George Takei, who writes in this space that those transgressors and offenders who one day come to regret their actions and atone for their mistakes ought be forgiven.) Everyone who played a part in this outrage, from the RNC bigwigs to the Breitbarters on down to the Pepe-the-Frog avatar-wielding Twitter trolls, need to face consequences for their dangerous and disgusting behavior. Let the record show that, when America came as close as its ever come to electing a bona fide authoritarian president, the above individuals collaborated with evil. Hillary Clinton is heading to Vegas, and she has everything to lose. The last debate of the ugliest presidential contest in modern memory will tee off tonight and Clintons latest email scandalcosponsored by WikiLeaks and, quite possibly, the Russianswill be top of mind. Since WikiLeaks first released internal Democratic National Committee communications in July, the Trump campaign has for all practical purposes outsourced its opposition research efforts to Julian Assange. And as a result, everyone with internet access now has an unprecedented view into the inner workings of a notoriously secretive and press-averse campaign. The emailsthe validity of which the campaign wont confirm or denydepict a team consumed by poll numbers, optics, and conference calls. And though Clintons aides have pushed to frame the debate as a chance for Clinton to a finally talk policy, the drip-drip-drip-drip-drip of Assanges email dumps could drown out any high-minded debating about, say, entitlements. After all, who wants to talk about reforming the tax code when hackers just leaked emails of top Hillary aides saying she hates to apologize? Chris Wallace, who will host the debate, last interviewed Hillary Clinton on July 31 of this year, right after WikiLeaks released hacked emails from the DNC that precipitated the resignation of DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz. And he pressed her on whether or not she thought Putin wanted Trump to win. Clinton didnt answer the question, instead of arguing that it certainly looks that way. And thanks to the latest email releases, Putins alleged interference is more interesting than ever. Tonight, Wallace will have more material than ever, not the least of which are the transcripts to three speeches she gave to Goldman Sachs and then tried to keep from being publicized. WikiLeaks released what it says are those transcripts, and they have lots of interesting tidbitsfor instance, her claim that Congress passed the Dodd-Frank financial regulation package in a hurry because it felt like it had to do something, rather than out of pure devotion to the principle of stricter Wall Street regulation. The emails also show one of her long-time allies saying her trouble with apologizing is a pathology, and another top aide suggesting she wouldnt push for anti-bribery legislation on the campaign trail because the issue is REALLY dicey territory for her. Clintons team is betting that the circumstances of the emails release will be more interesting than their actual contents. We expect that Donald Trump is going to have to answer for his refusal to even acknowledge the Russian role in the recent election-related hacks, emailed campaign spokesman Brian Fallon. (While its true that the U.S. intelligence community is confident that the Russians participated in the hacks, those same spies have been notably silent on the issue of how the hacked files made their way into Assanges hands.) At the last debate, he again dodged the issue of the Russians involvement, even though he had already been briefed by U.S. intelligence officials about the state-sponsored nature of the hack. His unwillingness to speak out against this unprecedented interference in our electionscombined with his campaigns and companies many connections to Russiaraise troubling questions about whether he has had advance knowledge of any of these activities. And if his non-stop Twitter feed is any indicator, hell rip Clinton for comments her aides made in the WikiLeaks emails. Those emails, thus far, dont include anything proving Clintons campaign engaged in criminal behavior. We have nothing to do with the hacks and we certainly had nothing to do with the terrible content of the emails. Hillary Clinton and her campaign continue to try and evade responsibility for these emails, along with Benghazi, her private server, and all of the other disasters that she should own once and for all. Despite the steady stream of emails (many of which show Clinton aides and allies making uncharitable comments about each otherfor instance, Podesta saying a Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was stalking him), Clinton has seized a comfortable lead in the national polls, as well as in most battleground states. The RealClearPolitics average shows her with nearly a seven point lead in polling that includes the two third-party candidates. In other words, Clinton has largely been able to skate on WikiLeaks revelations, despite Assanges best effort to maximize their damage. Meanwhile, Trumpwho dominated campaign coverage for a year and a halfnow complains the national media isnt doing enough to push his preferred narrative on the WikiLeaks emails. He even suggested that one leaked email, where a Politico columnist asked Podesta to fact-check part of a story he was writing, was evidence this is a media-rigged election. Unlike Clinton, Trumps polling numbers have only nosedived for the last two weeks since The Washington Post reported he once bragged about grabbing women by the pussy without their consent. In the last presidential debate, he promised to try to incarcerate Clinton if elected and tried to make an issue out of Bill Clintons past sexual misconduct. He also said he had never sexually assaulted anyonea remark that prompted ten women to publicly accuse him of sexual misconduct. His campaigns circumstances have only grown more dire since then, which means hes likely to feel completely liberated on the debate stage. After all, when youre Donald Trump, how bad can things get? And Assange has given him a host of ways to needle Clinton. For instance, he might point to an email that long-time Clinton ally Neera Tandennow the president of the Center for American Progresssent Sept. 4, 2015 where she said apologies were Clintons Achilles heel. She gets into a rhythm when theres tons of interviews, Tanden continued. But I definitely recommend having her beat up a punching bag (or a staffer but that is unpleasant) before she goes on. She really needs to exorcise the injustice of it all. A few days later, Tanden expressed more frustration at Clintons struggles with saying she was sorry for using a private email address to conduct State Department business. This apology thing has become like a pathology, she wrote in an email to Podesta on Sept. 9. I can only imagine whats happening in the campaign. And apologies werent the only problem area for Clinton that her aides highlighted. In another email, top Clinton advisor Jake Sullivan concedes she isnt great at talking about the issue of bribery. He sent that email on March 1 of this year to Podesta and Center for American Progress president Neera Tanden. In it, he shared a list of a ideas for government reform that really have currency. Second on his list was this: Strengthen bribery laws to ensure that politicians dont change legislation for political donations. He then wrote the number 62, indicating that 62 percent of soft partisan voters the campaign had polled would like the idea. Further down in the email, though, Sullivan suggested that an anti-bribery campaign message would be a strategic error when Bernie Sanders was getting momentum by lambasting Clinton for her ties to Wall Street banks. The second idea is a favorite of mine, as you know, he wrote, but REALLY dicey territory for HRC, right? Sanders used her off-the-record speeches at Goldman Sachs events as a cudgel, arguing she should release the transcripts to prove there was nothing untoward about her interactions with the bank. Clinton and her team studiously refused to release those transcripts, and we never would have known what was in themexcept that just this past weekend, WikiLeaks released them, too. And those transcripts included their fair share of eyebrow-raising commentsincluding the suggestion on Clintons part that more wealthy people should run for office because donors cant manipulate them, and that deep-pocketed donors should push Republicans to be more compromising. Another eye-popping tidbit from the leaked emails is that Chelsea Clinton had serious concerns that a consulting firm helmed by Clinton family allies was trying to profit off its connection to them in ways that could have been ethically suspect. Chelseas concerns generated enough tension that Doug Band, who heads the firm, Teneo, emailed Podesta to call her a spoiled brat kid who hasnt found her way and has a lack of focus in her life. All available polling evidence indicates Clinton is likely to win the presidency in November. So Wednesday night, she could set a high-minded tone for her would-be presidency to an audience of upwards of 80 million Americans. Or Trump, with a major assist from Assange, could use the unprecedented leaks to remind voters why so many of them view her as dishonest and untrustworthy. The audience will be massive, the pressure will be astounding, and the world will be watchingincluding, if he can, the most famous resident of Londons Ecuadorian embassy. Sometimes you cant just plan for the ball. You have to plan for the hangover, too. No matter how 2016 ends, headache will haunt the country for years to come. Lets start with the most obvious but less likely scenario: Donald Trump wins the presidency in perhaps the biggest black swan event in the history of American politics. Whether you think Trumps presidency would be an unfolding disaster of biblical proportions (The Potomac! Its turned to blood!), or the unfolding of a biblical prophecy to save America (The Winning! So. Much. Winning!), or something in between, no one can deny the enormous change it would represent, and the hostility and fear it would likely elicit from various institutions and constituencies, particularly the news media, but also Hollywood, higher education, our NATO allies, unions, left-wing activists and perhaps even Wall Street, the Pentagon and much of the federal bureaucracy. Fortunately, Donald Trump has the Lincolnesque qualities of political subtlety, magnanimity and foresight to quell any such misgivings. Theres no need to dwell on that scenario right now, as Trump seems poised for the worst showing by a GOP nominee since Barry Goldwaters drubbing in 1964. But a Trump defeat may carry quite a wallop as well. Over the last few days, as hes begun to realize that hes self-sabotaged a winnable race, Trump has taken to claiming that any loss will be the result of a rigged election. When his surrogates, including running mate Mike Pence, Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich, insisted Trump was merely complaining about hostile media coverage, Trump ran to Twitter to insist that, no, no, many polling places are rigged too. Trump never misses an opportunity to humiliate those who would try to save him from himself. Trumps strategy makes no sense in terms of cobbling together a winning electoral coalition, but it is a cynically savvy way of locking in market share for what may be his next venture: a media empire designed to fan the flames of cynicism, paranoia and alienation for the populist forces fueling his presidential bid. If that happens, one can expect the feuding on the right to continue well into 2017 and beyond. And even if Trump shows a level of graciousness in defeat that is hard to fathom right now, the hard feelings on the right will endure for a long time to come. All of this has gotten a lot more attention than the equally inevitable headaches a Clinton victory will entail. During the Cold War, the Russians mastered the use of slow-acting poisons to kill victims long after they were stabbed with an umbrella tip. Fittingly, the WikiLeaks emails may act like ricin or anthrax, wreaking havoc on Clintons presidency long after theyre released. In a normal election year with a normal GOP nominee, the WikiLeaks revelations might prove fatal to Clintons candidacy. Instead, it seems almost a sure thing that they will poison Clintons presidency for years to come. The allegations of pay-for-play between her foundation and the State Department, her speeches to Wall Street, the animosity of some of her closest advisers for Catholics: All of these things will have a long half-life. As will her manifest lies about the use of her private server. The populist Sanders-Warren wing of the Democratic Party has been given ample evidence to support their suspicions of Clinton as a conniving and cynical politician. The populist Trump wing of the Republican Party and large swaths of the rest of it is already locked into the belief that Clinton is a singularly nefarious force in our politics. If elected, she will have fulfilled the only mandate that unites large numbers of voters: Shes not Trump. (Nearly a third of her voters say that is the No. 1 reason they are voting for her.) Right now, and for the foreseeable future, America is being torn asunder by populist passions on the left and right that lead people to distrust nearly every major institution in this country. Fortunately, Hillary Clinton has the Lincolnesque qualities of political subtlety, magnanimity and foresight to quell any such misgivings, right? I have learned the hard way not to put my personal life on the Internet. But suffice it to say that, God willing, things should be pretty much back to norm... 2 weeks ago Love old or unusual movies but never know when they're on? Here are several I recommend: THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS. The great Carl Reiner directed this fabulously daffy comedy about a neurosurgeon (Martin) who ends up with +1 brains. Kathleen Turner really shines in a great comedy role, as does an uncredited Sissy Spacek as the voice of the extra brain. Also, Martin's character has arguably the greatest name in cinema history. Trust me. This is a ridiculous 80s comedy that I heartily recommend! Best line: "Into the mud, Scum Queen!" THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS (1983). Cinemax, Monday, October 17, 7:10 a.m. THE GOOD EARTH. I saw this film for the very first time in 2010 at the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. At the screening we had the extraordinary experience of watching Luise Ranier, the 100-year old star of the film, discuss it with TCM's Robert Osborne. The movie, which stars Ranier and the great Paul Muni, is an adaptation of Pearl S. Buck's classic novel of the struggles of a pair of poor Chinese peasants in the early 20th Century. It's a beautiful movie, with tremendous art direction, writing and acting. The locust attack is quite impressive, even by today's special-effects standards. THE GOOD EARTH (1937). Turner Classic Movies, Thursday, October 20, 8:45 a.m. THE SHALLOWS. It's Beauty vs. the Beast in this taught, well-made guilty pleasure. The underrated Blake Lively stars as a comely surfer playing hooky from medical school to visit a beautiful, hidden beach her dead mother loved. The only problem is, there's a monstrous great white shark there to ruin her plans. It's true that the shark does seem a bit more interested in biting things to death than eating them (check the dead whale) but who cares, it's a movie. The scenery and the star are beautiful and director Jaume Collett-Serra keeps ratcheting up the stakes and the tension admirably. This is the best shark movie since "Open Water." THE SHALLOWS (2016). Now available on Amazon Instant Video and Vudu. HIGH-RISE. Not for the faint of heart! This brand-new adaptation of the famous dystopian novel by J.G. Ballard. Tom Hiddleston stars as a young doctor in 1970s Britain who moves into a self-sufficient ultra-modern high-rise apartment building. Designed so the residents would basically never need to leave the premises, the building gradually descends into class warfare between the rich residents of the upper floors and the mere peasants beneath. The strong cast includes Luke Evans, Jeremy Irons, Siena Miller and Elisabeth Moss. The movie is violent, disturbing, and fascinating. HIGH-RISE (2016). Now available on Netflix. Trivia Question #655: Which epic Steven Spielberg film is based on another of J.G. Ballard's books? Answer to Trivia Question #653: "Slum Dog Millionaire" has a plot that hinges on a Three Musketeers trivia question. Bryan native Ray Ivey is a writer and movie fan in Hollywood, Calif. He would love to hear from you at rayivey@ca.rr.com. You can also visit his blog at www.starkravingray.com. I think that's the main message, the main conclusion and observation that I have found while doing this report. Who is responsible? I think of course the ones that are really mainly responsible for implementing and deliniating protected areas are states, because that is what they do. But the ones that are also facilitating the establishment of this kind of protected area are conservation organisations, and donors. I think all of them collectively will have to bear some of the blame, because each of them have roles to play in the establishment of these protected areas. Of course the degree might be different in different cases, but still it's the state that has the obligation to protect the rights of indigenous peoples. "The traditional lands of indigenous peoples are being declared protected for purposes of conservation at a rapidly increasing rate. Current estimates indicate that 50 per cent of protected areas worldwide have been established on lands traditionally occupied and used by indigenous peoples and in some regions this territorial overlap is higher, such as in Central America, where it reaches around 90%. "In this regard, it is important to underline that studies have demonstrated that the territories of indigenous peoples who have been given land rights have been significantly better conserved and protected against deforestation than the adjacent lands." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. The donors and the conservation organisations know very well that there are existing standards that should be implemented by the states. But somehow I don't think they are actively engaged in encouraging and supporting the states to be able to comply with the human rights obligations. What is your message to the funders of such initiatives, and how accountable are they for any wrong-doing at the ground level? Well I think that the ones that are funding these kind of organisations and initiatives have to take responsibility in terms of doing the necessary due diligence in designing and shaping these protected areas, in terms of whether these initiatives are going to involve indigenous peoples. Has their consent been obtained? Were they informed about it? I think that's a basic thing to do. I think that donors should think seriously about these things. They cannot abdicate the responsibility to do proper due diligence. The agencies granting money or investing money in a particular endeavour wouldn't like that money to be used for something that will violate human rights, or that will further even destroy the kind of biodiversity that they are wanting to protect. "The loss of the guardianship of indigenous peoples has often placed their lands under the control of Government authorities who have lacked the capacity and the political will to protect the land effectively. "It is particularly disconcerting that in many countries where indigenous peoples have not been awarded land rights over their traditional territories there are increasing incursions of extractive industries, agribusiness expansion and mega-infrastructure development, even inside protected areas." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. In my report, I asked the donors to ensure that whenever they are giving money that these rights are also being taken care of. They cannot give money away and then when something goes wrong just disown it, or say they have no responsibility for that. I think everybody has a responsibility for the wrong that's happened because of all these initiatives. And I think it's right for all these different players to acknowledge these kinds of things that are happening. Of course they will say that these are things that happened in the past, not really much now, but I don't think so. And the report that you came up with from the Rainforest Foundation UK shows that it's still continuing up to the present. I wouldn't be receiving the complaints, the allegations, if everything is happening in the right way. What is your message to the general public? Do you think that they can trust the vision of conservation that is being promoted? I think that the general public has to be made aware about the reality of the findings in the world today of the areas that are still protected in a better sense, in terms of biodiversity being still vibrant and being protected, in terms of biodiversity being used in a sustainable way. Those areas are overlapping with indigenous peoples' territories. That kind of message has to be made more public, be made more known. In truth the better protected areas are areas where indigenous peoples live. It's because they still continue to practice their traditional systems of protection. Their livelihoods are very much aware of sustainable use of this biodiversity. So the world should know that. "Traditional indigenous territories encompass around 22 per cent of the world's land surface and they coincide with areas that hold 80 per cent of the planet's biodiversity. There is increasing recognition that the ancestral lands of indigenous peoples contain the most intact ecosystems and provide the most effective and sustainable form of conservation." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. The world should see the maps where protected areas being managed by government are destroyed, while protected areas for the management by indigenous peoples are better, the forest is more, the forests are kept in better shape. Even the flora and the fauna in those forests are still there. The public has to know that. Because if that is known, then the direct correlation between respect for human rights and particularly land rights, territorial rights, resource rights, the respect for those rights is correlated directly with the protection of the ecosystem. And I think that is the message that's not being made widely known. I believe that if people really see the evidence, they will know that that is what's really happening. Then there will be a stronger push for the governments to respect human rights, and to decrease the kind of discrimination that they have against indigenous peoples, or the mis-perceptions that they have about indigenous peoples, and support them in their bid to have their land rights respected as well as give them the chance and support to be able to continue doing what they are doing, which is keeping these ecosystems in a better shape. What role do you see for participatory approaches like community mapping? Those activities have really helped a lot in terms of making visible the contribution of indigenous peoples in ecosystem management. Because it's the maps that will show the overlap of indigenous territories with better sustained protected areas. It's the resource inventories that are being made that makes all this visible as well. But more importantly, the participatory mapping processes, the participatory resource inventories, the community based monitoring systems, are the kinds of approaches that should be provided to indigenous peoples so that they will be able to produce the evidence that it's their knowledge system that they are using that allows for this kind of picture to emerge. It's also important, of course, if they have all this data in their hands, then they can also influence the land use plans, even at the government level. We have examples where indigenous peoples map their territories, they did the resource inventories, and on the basis of that they made the plans of how to use the lands in more sustainable ways. "In Honduras, I witnessed that the lack of full recognition, protection and enjoyment of indigenous peoples' rights to ancestral lands and natural resources is a fundamental problem as is impunity for the increasing violence against indigenous peoples. "During my visit, I met with Berta Caceres, an indigenous Lenca activist who was killed four months later (on 3 March 2016) because of her protests against the Agua Zarca dam project, even though she had been awarded precautionary protection measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. "I will continue to monitor the investigations into Ms. Caceres' murder and urge the State to hold the perpetrators accountable and break the vicious cycle of impunity." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. They have the plans in terms of integrated approaches like landscape approaches, and then they go to the municipal government and tell them, "These are the plans that we would like you to implement because these are the plans that, these are what we have been doing in the past and this is what has protected our forest, our water sources. "And if you are not going to support this plan, and do the kinds of plans that you do, which came from top down, from the national government down to you, then there's no hope for us to sustain our territories." I think there should be much more support for those kinds of things, because that's the way to ensure participation. That's the way to ensure respect for the rights of indigenous peoples. Those are the ways that will emerge, that will come up with all this data, and information, that proves what they have been saying since time immemorial. Any technology, any approach, that will surface these kinds of contributions, can be used by indigenous peoples collectively to get states to respect their rights better, and conservation organisations to change the ways that they are doing things. What is the role of Rainforest Foundation UK and similar kinds of solidarity organisations in your view? Vicky Tauli-Corpuz: I think RFUK and other similar organisations, I think that your role is really to help document these kinds of realities that are happening on the ground, bringing it widely for the public to know more about. And helping in the advocacy work to both international organisations, to the UN, or to the governments so that they will change the ways that they are acting in relation to parks and conservation initiatives. I think that kind of role is very important. It's something that a lot of indigenous peoples are still learning: how to communicate this more widely; how to write it in a way that's understood by the dominant populations. So I think that's one role that RFUK can play. "Rights-based conservation measures continue to be hampered by the legacy of past violations and by the lack of legal recognition by States of indigenous peoples' rights. Conservation organisations and indigenous organizations could be powerful allies in their mutually shared goals to safeguard biodiversity and protect nature from external threats such as unsustainable resource exploitation. "Protected areas continue to expand, yet threats against them from extractive industry, agribusiness, energy and infrastructure projects are also increasing, and thus the urgency to address effective, collaborative and long-term conservation is of paramount importance. "The escalating incidence of killings of indigenous environmentalists further underlines the urgency that conservationists and indigenous peoples join forces to protect land and biodiversity from external threats." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. The other role is of course for you to work jointly with indigenous peoples in their bid to strengthen their campaigns to get their rights protected and fulfilled, in their bid to be really protected, you know, from being killed. A lot of indigenous activists protecting their lands have been killed in the process. I think that RFUK and others, if you hear of these kinds of things or if you are monitoring that there might be a possibility that this will happen, you can help alert the world about it, so that it might be prevented. In terms of advocacy, you are the ones who can help advocate, at least in terms of areas where indigenous peoples themselves cannot even go. I mean you are working with the Pygmies, and you know how difficult it is for them to even go to the capital. If you can bring them along with you, so that when you do your advocacy work they are also with you, that will be very helpful and that will strengthen the possibilities for them to talk directly with those who are creating these problems for them. What is your vision for indigenous peoples currently negatively affected by conservation? What does sustainable conservation mean to you? Vicky Tauli-Corpuz: I hope they will be brought back to their territories, and I don't think that we should give up on them being in that kind of situation. I think that's so inhuman. There are some human conditions where they are found, in places where they are forced to live because they have been displaced from their territories. It's really unacceptable. My vision is that one day they will be able to be brought back to their own traditional territories that their rights to these lands will finally be recognised, that their identities as indigenous peoples will also be recognised. "While there is increasing evidence that indigenous peoples' traditional lands and territories hold highly preserved ecosystems and biodiversity rates, the important role played by indigenous peoples as environmental guardians still fails to gain due recognition. According to the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, in 2014, only less than 5 per cent of protected areas worldwide are governed by indigenous peoples and local communities." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. Then they will be working in equal partnerships with states and conservation organisations, in securing those lands as well as protecting them. That's my dream, for those that have displaced. I hope that there's a possibility for those kinds of things to happen. I hope that the conservation organisations who somehow had a role to play in this will also develop programmes that will eventually bring them back to their own traditional territories and let them assume the livelihoods that they have been doing. Your report is great! What's your hope in terms of how it can provoke change in how the UN system works on conservation issues? Well, the UN system is composed of all different players. The main owners of the UN, of course, are the states. So when we talk of the UN system we are talking about the states, and we talk about what states should be doing in terms of their compliance with international human rights standards and environmental standards as well. So that's one thing. But UN agencies or programmes who have something to do with conservation have to do better as well. For instance, I mentioned something in the report about UNESCO, the World Heritage Commission, where in some instances, it resulted in the same thing, indigenous peoples also are being displaced. So I'm calling on the UNESCO for instance, to also abide by the UN principles, ensuring better participation, respecting the rights, etc. "Under international human rights law, indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination, land rights and to participate in decisions affecting them, such as the establishment and management of protected areas. States should recognise and protect the rights of indigenous peoples to own, develop, control and use their communal lands and to participate in the management and conservation of the associated natural resources." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. I hope the UN bodies, the agencies, the programmes, they will be able to show in practice that they are the leaders of respecting human rights, in promoting sustainable development, or sustainable conservation. Those are the kinds of actions that they need to take. Then, of course, the other players within the UN. I mean the ones working at the national level whether this is UNDP, or the UN country teams. In terms of helping or building the capacities of governments to be able to abide by their obligations, they should not shy away from pushing governments - I mean in terms of preventing governments from evicting indigenous peoples from their territories because these are designated as protected areas. If you are there at the country level and there is such a report that comes out, then it is your responsibility to at least reach out to those who can do something about it. And I think that's just right, because you are the UN, the UN has its own principles, its own values, that it's supposed to be implementing. "Since 2003, IUCN has committed to promote that all protected areas be managed with participation of indigenous representatives in compliance with the rights of indigenous peoples and that mechanisms be established for the restitution of indigenous peoples' traditional lands and territories that were incorporated in protected areas without their free and informed consent. "The majority of the large conservation organisations have adopted specific policies on indigenous peoples' rights, and several have developed specific guidelines on how to implement free, prior and informed consent in their projects. However, these policies have been slow in transferring from paper to practice." From Statement to the UN General Assembly. Unfortunately in some cases it's like they don't know, they don't really do what is needed. Especially at the national level. I think there are many standards existing already, I mentioned that in my report. The problem is the implementation of these standards, and implementation is something that is always faced with a lot of challenges and obstacles. I think that everybody that's engaged in this process should join hands and push themselves, make themselves more sensitive to human rights and human rights based approaches, so that lives of those people whose rights have been violated will improve, they will finally be able to have more dignity, and they will be able to pursue the kind of development or conservation that they themselves want to pursue. Joe Eisen is Research and Policy Coordinator for the Rainforest Foundation UK. The report: Vicky Tauli-Corpuz presented her 'Statement of Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to the UN General Assembly' on 17th October 2016. This article was originally published on Conservation Watch. Proposals to get fracking started in South Africa first surfaced in 2008 when three multinational oil and gas companies asked for permission to prospect in the Karoo. Those applications are still pending and so whilst to date, fracking has not commenced either in the Karoo or elsewhere in the country those companies anxious to get started have not gone away and if current applications are successful, an initial fracking exploratory phase could start in a matter of weeks. While oil and gas companies insist on the prospect of job creation, economic growth and energy sovereignty, concerned communities including farmers, conservationists, and environmental activists warn that arable land and water resources would be rapidly depleted if fracking were to go ahead. Several transnational as well as local companies have registered their interest in prospecting for unconventional gas resources in South Africa but whilst the application to frack the Karoo came to a halt due to a government-initiated strategic assessment that was released earlier this month, there are still sustained efforts to advance with the applications to prospect in large parts of KwaZulu-Natal province, as well as in the Free State and in the Eastern Cape. A joint report by the Academy of Science in collaboration with the Department of Technology concluded there has not been enough research to date to take an informed decision and in addition, scientists have expressed concern that regulatory oversight for potential fracking might also be insufficient. Under existing laws, oil and gas companies have to go through three to four separate environmental impact assessments before they can actually start extracting. However, the initial scoping rights have been granted by South African Petroleum Agency (PASA), which considers fracking a viable option' to obtain gas in principle. President Jacob Zuma is also willing to give fracking a chance stating: "We will find practical opportunities to enhance the economic opportunities the shale gas sector has to present." But even the promised prospect of significant job creation is in doubt following a debate in the recently published Shale Gas report which pointed out the specialist skills set needed for shale gas exploration would be virtually non-existent in the country. The most advanced exploration application proposing to explore a vast stretch in the Eastern Cape from South of Lesotho to Mount Fletcher is currently under review with PASA. Texas-based Rhino Oil & Gas has submitted an environmental impact assessment that might trigger the first exploration phase in a matter of weeks in and around the Matatiele municipality. Local residents are concerned not only that the exploratory boreholes might cause harm, but that future fracking operations would wreak havoc to the agriculture and water supply. Matatiele local municipality has identified "Nature, Agriculture and Tourism" as its "investments of choice". And councillors have argued that fracking would be incompatible with the municipality's agenda, an anti-fracking view that is shared by traditional leaders who fear that grazing land and agriculture would also suffer if fracking were to go ahead. Among Asian Americans, Filipinos have the largest percentage of registered voters supporting the candidacy of Donald Trump for US president, a recent survey shows. Based on the results of the National Asian American Survey released October 5, 27 percent of Filipino-American participants were for Trump, followed by Japanese-Americans (22 percent) and Vietnamese-Americans (20 percent). On the other hand, at 7 percent, Asian Indians have the smallest percentage of registered voters supporting the Republican candidate. Many Filipinos see Trump as an alter-ego of their new president Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte like Trump promised, and still promises, to make the Philippines great again. With powerful conviction he promised his people that he would end crime in six months, would provide great jobs for everyone and would stand up to all the foreign countries that were bringing The Philippines down. The survey also showed 57 percent of Fil-Ams prefer Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate, over Trump, while 6 percent would vote for the "other candidate," and 10 percent did not know who to vote or refused to identify their candidate. Trump, a 70-year-old mogul who has portrayed himself as tough on national security, launched his presidential campaign with his vow to build a wall on the US-Mexican border. He also said he would prioritize the deportation of illegal aliens who have committed crimes and who are overstaying in the US. He also once proposed to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US. Interestingly, the same survey showed a large percentage of Filipinos, or 65 percent, oppose the proposed ban on Muslims. However, the survey also shows Fil-Ams have the largest percentage who oppose giving Blacks equal rights as Whites (22 percent), and largest percentage of opposing entry of Syrian refugees (41 percent). Fil-Am Psychology professor EJR David said it is not surprising that many Filipinos are anti-immigration and anti-People with color. In his August 6 article on Psychology Today titled "A Brief Note on Immigration, Colonial Mentality, and Kapwa," David said this could be chalked up to "colonial mentality." "Colonialism and contemporary oppression has taught us that the United States of America is utopia, that White is right, that West is best, and that Christianization is civilization," he said. David said he found out through research that colonial mentality could also be expressed by a desire to "separate ones self from others who are perceived as inferior." Telephone (landline and cell phone) surveys of 2,238 Asian American and 305 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI) adults were conducted between Aug. 10 and Sept. 29, and respondents were offered to complete the survey in English or in one of nine Asian ethnic languages. Given that two-thirds of the Asian American population is immigrantsa figure that reaches four-fifths among Asian American adultsoffering the survey in languages other than English ensures a more representative sample of the Asian American population than typical surveys. A report released by the team on Oct. 5 details results from the initial wave of data collection focuses on 1,694 registered Asian Americans and 261 registered NHPIs. Specific Asian groups included Chinese, Asian Indians, Filipinos, Koreans, Vietnamese, Japanese, Hmong, Cambodians, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. Additional results focusing on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders will be released in the coming weeks. Among other key findings of the survey: Asian American and NHPI registered voters rank the economy, national security, racism, government, and immigration as the most important problems facing the country. Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of Asian American millennials (between the ages of 18 and 34) state that racism is the most important problem facing the country, and close to three-quarters (72 percent) of all Asian Americans support the government doing more to give blacks equal rights with whites. Asian Americans hold progressive views on many policy issues, including health care, education spending, racial justice, and the treatment of Muslim immigrants. But, they are split on allowing Syrian refugees to enter the U.S. and are conservative on legalizing marijuana. Guest Commentary By Hugh Stephens The news that Canada and China have agreed to begin negotiations toward reaching an extradition treaty has led to a hasty rush to judgment. A number of commentators have been quick to pillory the proposal, citing amongst other concerns: Chinas high rate of executions, lack of due process and transparency in its brutal judicial system, and political motivations behind the current anti-corruption drive. There have also been suggestions that Canadas agreement to start discussions was a quid pro quo for the release of Kevin Garratt. The criticisms of Chinas legal system, while fully justified, miss the essential point, which is that there are a number of good reasons for Canada to try to negotiate an extradition treaty with China. When I say reach an extradition treaty, I mean the right extradition treaty, as was made clear by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he stated that Canada has high standards for such treaties and would follow a rigorous process consistent with Canadian values. Canadas most recent extradition treaty (with Italy, replacing an earlier treaty) defines an extraditable offence (it must be a crime in both countries), outlines standards of evidence required, and lists a number of mandatory and discretionary reasons why either party can refuse extradition. One can assume that a treaty with China will contain these conditions, and more. While China does not have an extradition treaty with most western countries, it has one with Australia (not yet ratified by Australia), France, and Spainall countries with a strong rule-of-law tradition (Spain in recent years). Therefore it is not inconceivable that Canada and China can find common ground, although the negotiation will not be easy and could take a number of years. The federal government has assured Canadians that there was no direct connection between the release of Kevin Garratt and its agreement to start discussing a treaty; and there probably wasnt any explicit linkage. The Chinese wanted to get an irritant out of the way before Premier Li Keqiang visited Canada and couldnt lose face by releasing Garratt during Trudeaus visit. The fact that there was constructive dialogue between the two countries at the most senior level no doubt helped resolve the issue. It is most unlikely that the Trudeau government would agree to begin negotiations on a long-term and complex extradition treaty just to secure release on one consular case. Rather, the decision to proceed rests on the need to put legal issues with China on a firm and transparent basis. It has been reported that Chinese agents have entered Canada posing as tourists in an attempt to track down fugitives from President Xi Jinpings anti-corruption campaign, and to persuade them to return to China to face the music. These activities, known as Operation Fox Hunt, are widely known and have taken place in a number of countries besides Canada. While not excusing these actions, which offend Canadian sovereignty, it is worth noting that such activities go back a long way, even before the launch of Xis anti-corruption drive. Notorious smuggler (and briber of Chinese officials) Lai Changxing, who entered Canada in 1999, claimed refugee status and fought extradition to China for 12 years before he was finally repatriated. Lais saga was no doubt a contributing factor to Chinas ill-advised self-help methods of pursuing convicted criminals abroad, but the best way to deal with these matters is to establish a front-door mechanism to replace the current back-door approach. Regular dialogue with Chinese authorities and a legal framework to handle cases like Lais would be a marked improvement over the status quo, and would help put an end to Chinese freelancing. That is the first benefit for Canada. A second would be a means to control the enormous flows of hot money from China to Canada. No one knows for sure how much money is flooding into Canada, but the results are well known in terms of an inflated property market in metro Vancouver and suspicious high rollers at British Columbia casinos. Canada gets its fair share of the illegal outflow of money from China, in part because of weak enforcement of money-laundering regulations and lax enforcement at airports where suitcases of undeclared money have been seized, and then returned to their owners on payment of a nominal fine. In most other countries the funds are confiscated. According to a report in the International Business Times last year, 26 of the top Chinese economic fugitives had sought refuge in Canada. Canada does not need these people. The surest way to stop the flow of hot money and corrupt officials from fleeing to Canada is to put in place an extradition treaty. They will quickly go elsewhere. Just the fact that Canada and China are talking about extradition (and the talks may go on for many years), will act as a significant disincentive. This is a second major benefit for Canada. If Canada is able to conclude an agreement with China on the basis of its current extradition model and the assurances given by the prime minister, it will have helped nudge China closer to international judicial standards, and in the process will have removed a potential bilateral irritant, thus allowing Canada-China relations to move forward in other areas. China is pushing an agreement, in part to help it expand its network of bilateral treaties and tighten the noose on corrupt officials. This gives Canada leverage to get the kind of agreement that will be acceptable to the Canadian public. Here is yet another collateral benefit for Canada. The critics are quick to condemn the Chinese judicial system, and to jump to the conclusion that Canada will become complicit. The best way to deal with China is to engage on the basis of Canadian interests and values and build a network of bilateral, legally-based treaty arrangements that will define the terms of co-operation. That is far better than decrying the Chinese system, but doing nothing about it. Hugh Stephens is a distinguished fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and an executive fellow at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. Grab a homebrew with these Burlington Makers of Beer The Burlington M.O.B. Makers of Beer meets nearly every month to discuss and sample each other's beers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Apple is taking a new approach to it's physical presence by redesigning its retail locations into "town squares." But how soon will any changes hit Greenwich Avenue? At a Fortune Most Powerful Women conference in Laguna Niguel, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, Apple's retail chief Angela Ahrendts said the approach is all part of an effort to market retail locations as products themselves and as potential "town squares" in the cities they reside. "The store is now the biggest product we produce and we have five new features [these include iPads, iPhones, Watches, Macbooks and Apple TVs]. Accessories are avenues, and the huge digital screen in each store is the forum," Ahrendts told Fortune. Fortune reports 95 Apple stores will be fully redesigned by the end of the year, the first of which have already taken place in San Francisco and Londoncheck out the gallery for a look inside San Francisco's Apple Union Square location. Associates at Greenwich Avenue's Apple store said they were unaware of any potential redesigns for their store coming soon. A request from Apple on whether Greenwich's store would see a redesign was not immediately returned. Any alterations planned for Greenwich's store may change the name too, as Ahrendts told Fortune Apple is no longer referring to retail locations as "stores." "Apple Greenwich Avenue Square," perhaps? This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK Wheels Bus riders and other Norwalk Transit District customers voiced alarm over proposed service cuts during a public hearing at City Hall on Tuesday evening. Barbara Garner said she relies upon Wheels Routes 7 and 8 to get to work, her credit union and shopping. She envisioned life becoming more difficult if the routes are eliminated on weekends, as proposed for Jan. 1. I cant bank, I cant work, and its hard enough to live in Norwalk, Garner said. Im willing to get out here and work to support my family, and you guys are taking away our rides. And youre also taking away bus drivers, who are family people. They have to earn a living also, and you have some awesome drivers. Garner was among about 40 people at the hearing in the Community Room of City Hall. A second hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Community Room of the South Norwalk Community Center, 98 South Main St. The hearings come as the Transit District puts forward fare hikes and extensive service cuts to close a $3 million deficit that officials say is growing. We chose and we selected the non-productive services with the least amount of impact on our riders, Transit District Executive Director Kimberlee A. Morton said. The Transit District has proposed boosting Wheels fares from $1.50 to $1.75. Rides for seniors and disabled persons would go from 75 cents to 85 cents. Transfers would be eliminated and replaced with a 90-minute pass good throughout the larger system. Riders at the hearing complained more about the cuts than about the fare increases. Josephine Kaye, a Westport resident, noted that the door-to-door service for disabled people is on the cutting block. She said she relies upon the service to get to the Darien YMCA for therapy. People tend to take things for granted, Kaye said. If you know other towns and other places and other cities, youll know what a marvelous job is being done here. Transit District officials trace the growing deficit to rising operational costs and cuts in state aid. State Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, blamed the latter on lawmakers in Hartford. Im really saddened by the outcome of a lot of budget cuts that didnt have to be, Boucher said. David Levinson, Norwalk Community Colleges president, urged the Transit District not to eliminate the shuttle service that runs between the college and South Norwalk Train Station. A large number of students, faculty and staff rely on the shuttle for (the) daily commute to college and work, Levinson said. Lydia Tucker showed a petition which she said contained the signatures of 541 riders opposed to the various service cuts. The Transit District has put forward alternatives to ease the pain. For example, NCC shuttle riders would be encouraged to use the Wheels Route 11 bus. After two public informational sessions, the district has put forward other alternatives, which were laid out in a summary sheet Tuesday night. In one example, although the Wheels Route 2 service would be eliminated, a new Route 1 service would be introduced with Route 2 destinations. And while Danbury Link trips operated by the Norwalk Transit District would be cut, the Wheels Route 4 service would be extended to Wilton Center, Monday through Friday every 60 minutes. The Casa de Vampiros in Managua, Nicaragua stood in the heart of the second poorest country in Latin America during the reign of the brutal dictator, Anastasio Somoza. Blood was drawn there the blood of poor Nicaraguans. Then the plasma was separated out and sent to the United States. Not for nothing, of course. The recipient paid for the donors plasma. Fifteen dollars was the going fee. Somoza got $10. The donor received $5. That gave a professor of engineering an idea. The professor asked his students to design a pipeline to transport human blood from Nicaragua to the United States. The students began by discussing the optimal diameter for the pipe and methods for keeping the blood from coagulating. But the professor did not allow the discussion to continue for long before he demanded to know why not one of them had objected to the question. This is a class in engineering not ethics, was the answer he was given. Jose Ortega y Gasset would not have been surprised. In 1930 as the Nazis were rising to power in Germany the Spanish philosopher published his The Revolt of the Masses in which he wrote your modern day specialist is a learned ignoramus, which is a very serious matter because in politics, in art, in social usages and in other areas outside his field of expertise he will adopt the attitude of primitive, ignorant man and be capable of serving barbaric causes. Then, as Ortega y Gasset predicted, we had learned ignoramuses serving the causes of Adolph Hitler and Hideki Tojo. Soon it will be Halloween and children will be confronted with fictional monsters of all kinds. But as the years pass they will need to learn to contend with real life monsters. And in order for them to develop the skills to do just that more and more universities around the world are offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in human rights and more and more high schools are challenging their students to address human rights issues. Therefore, to encourage high school students to think about those issues and consider a career in human rights, every year the Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation (khref.org) offers a prize to a student judged to have written the best answer to a human rights question. Last year Michael Tashash, a student at Norwalks Brien McMahon High School, won an award for his essay Black Lives and Rights Matter. This year the prize is $1,000 and the question is: What do you think is the most important human rights issue the next President of the United States will face and what do you think s/he should do about it? Richard M. Kemper, a lieutenant in the United States army, was killed in France during World War II. The Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2008 that seeks to motivate students to contribute to the effort to create a world where everyones human rights are realized. That is the world for which Lieutenant Kemper and others died fighting. You can learn more about the Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation and its human rights essay contest by going to khref.org. Paul Cantor is a resident of Norwalk. This years presidential campaign has been very contentious and many will be happy when the election is over. But there are so many extremely important decisions the voters must make in Hall County, across Nebraska and throughout the country on Nov. 8. Its especially important to residents of Grand Island who will be asked to decide whether the city should be allowed to levy an additional half-cent sales tax in order to pay for infrastructure work. Most of Grand Islands voters also will decide who will be representing them in the Legislature, with the District 35 seat to be filled. We urge anyone who isnt already registered to vote to complete the registration process by the Oct. 28 deadline. With only 10 days left, now is the time to ensure that you can have a voice in this election. If you want registration materials mailed to you, the request must be postmarked by this Friday. You can also register online at www.nebraska.gov/apps-sos-voter-registration/ through 5 p.m. Friday. In-person registration can be taken care of at Hall Countys election office in the Hall County Administration Building at 121 S. Pine St. Voters can register there or update their registration if they have moved from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 28. Early voting is also underway and any registered voter can go to that office to vote until 5 p.m. Nov. 7. Hall County has more than 32,500 registered voters. Election Commissioner Dale Baker expects more than 30 percent of them to cast ballots in this election. Thats a larger percentage than in most elections, but its still discouraging to know that less than one-third of those who are registered will exercise their right to vote. We all tend to complain when we think our elected leaders arent making the right decisions or are just ignoring the needs of their constituents. But the best way for us to speak up is to vote for the people we believe will do the best job in our local, state and federal governments. In Nebraska we have a big advantage in being able to vote in advance of the election. We dont have to be available to vote on Nov. 8. But we do have to make the effort to cast a vote. Now is the time to vote. Lets well surpass our election commissioners expectations. Montgomery County woman gets prison sentence in Bensalem drug death Corrine Smith will spend up to 10 years in prison for providing the drugs that killed a man in Bensalem in 2020. When Philip Alabi, a Nigerian chemistry graduate student and teaching assistant at SIUE, saw how quickly college textbooks became outdated and of little value in the United States, he felt compelled to salvage the textbooks and ship them to his alma mater in Nigeria, Tai Solarin University of Education. Since June, Alabi has accumulated over 900 used textbooks which he plans to ship to Nigeria on Oct. 21. Hes seeking funding support to pay for the shipping costs through an online crowd-funding site, www.generosity.com/education-fundraising/1000-books-for-a-nigerian-university-tasued. Alabi explained that he first realized the difference in the value of a textbook in the U.S. versus at home not long after he arrived at SIUE. When a stack of textbooks remained on a table in front of the chemistry office for a few days after the spring semester, Alabi said he inquired about the books. I had seen the books there for days, and Im like, are these books for sale? he recalled wondering. And I went in and asked one of the professors and he said, 'Oh, you can have any of them. Pick any one you like. They are giving them out.' I think somebody retired from the department. I looked at these books and I said, so they have this much books to give out to just the classmates, maybe they have this much books to give out to somewhere else, Alabi recalled. He explained that access to textbooks in Nigeria is nothing like it is in the U.S. He talked about how students in Nigeria rely primarily on professors notes because there are no subject-specific, current textbooks in Nigeria like what Americans have readily available for their use. He also commented about the extreme expense of textbooks and how he as an undergraduate student struggled to be able to afford purchasing a textbook. Personally, while studying for my undergraduate degree, I experienced difficulties sourcing for and acquiring academic materials. This, no doubt, had a tremendous downside effect on my performance, Alabi said. The fact that American colleges tend to replace textbooks each year with the most current textbook available was also a major difference to textbook use in Alabis home country. He marveled at how in the U.S. Americans consider a textbook published in 2013 or 2014 as old, while in Nigeria a textbook published in 2010 would be considered old. He began a book drive collecting college textbooks from others in his department and then reached out to other departments via email within SIUE. This (book) drive was born out of the need to help more Nigerians get access to relevant information and textbooks that are needed for advancing their careers, education, and lives, Alabi noted. Since Alabi began collecting textbooks in June, hes quickly accumulated over 900 which he stores in his graduate assistant office in the Science Lab West building on campus. His attention turned to raising the necessary funds to ship the books home when he learned that it would cost $840 just for the transportation, via ship, to Ghana, and then an additional fee would be incurred to transfer the books to a bus for transportation to the library of his alma mater, Tai Solarin University of Education, in Nigeria. Alabi created a crowd-funding page on generosity.com with a goal to raise $1,050 which will cover the shipping fee, the bus transportation costs and credit card fees on his crowd-funding page. Any money left over after paying the shipping costs and fees will be donated to similar book projects like Books for Africa or Textbooks for Change. As of Thursday, Alabi had raised 20 percent of his goal, but hes hopeful he can reach the full amount by the end of next week. These books should be shipped on the 21st of October. It takes five weeks to get to Ghana on a ship, Alabi noted. Since embarking on this project, I have learned a lot and have come to understand that love and the desire to help is still a significant part of our society today, Alabi said. My ultimate desire will be to see these books in the hands of a student back home enjoying the read and learning new things from the texts, illustrations and pictures displayed. The lasting social and economic change that comes from more Nigerians knowing better is what I seek to achieve. Visit www.generosity.com/education-fundraising/1000-books-for-a-nigerian-university-tasued to learn more or make a donation. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tangguh Chairil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, an infantry major in the Army and first son of ex-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has joined the race for the Jakarta gubernatorial seat. He will face incumbent governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and the ex-minister of education and culture, Anies Baswedan. Among the candidates, Agus nomination is the most surprising. He had not even been named in opinion polls before he registered for the election. His military background has also generated negative sentiment, with some suggesting his candidacy represents the militarys comeback to social and political affairs, an echo of the past dwifungsi (dual function) doctrine during the New Order era. Agus is not alone. There are other former military men participating in local elections all over the country. In Poso, Central Sulawesi, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Darmin Sigilipu just lost the 2015 regent election. In Merangin, Jambi, Try Herman Efendi has declared his candidacy in the 2018 regent election. In South Sulawesi, Maj. Gen. (ret) Andi Tanribali Lamo and Navy Col. Abdul Rivai Ras have announced their bid for the 2018 gubernatorial election. Concern over a military comeback may have been fueled by some lawmakers, who proposed a revision of Law No. 8/2015 on regional elections, which, if realized, would no longer require candidates from the military or police force to quit before they contest elections. The move faltered as the revision was deemed contradictory to Law No. 34/2004 on the Indonesian Military (TNI). Another reason may have been a statement by TNI commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, who wishes to see soldiers exercise their right to vote someday. Agus candidacy, as well as that of other former military men, will not be narrowly viewed as representation of the militarys return to public service. Like Agus, they have to retire before registering for the contest. Besides, the TNI has declared neutrality in elections. The candidacies of men with military backgrounds shall be perceived in terms of the constraints that the TNI places on their career paths. In Kompas on Aug. 16, Evan A. Laksmana wrote about Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) research on the pattern of TNI officer transfers, which found stagnancy in officer promotions from 2005-2015 and a lack of transparency in the TNIs personnel policy. Indeed, there have been a large number of TNI transfers recently. In August, the TNI transferred 43 generals and in September, 45 more. Most of them were horizontal transfers, where a position was reassigned to another officer of equal rank or a graduate of the same military academy. The problem with these transfers within the TNI stems from the increasing number of military academy graduates, the decreasing number of strategic positions within the TNI in the Reformation era and a longer military career path than in the past. Now, the TNI has 395,500 active personnel, 300,400 of which are from the Army, 65,000 from the Navy and 30,100 from the Air Force. When the government remains unable to fully guarantee soldiers welfare, a personnel-heavy TNI posture is unwarranted. Personnel expenditure has taken the largest share of the defense budget for many years approximately 40-45 percent leaving very little for the greatly required military modernization to achieve the Minimum Essential Force by 2024. Highlighting the clash between personnel and modernization expenditures, recently Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said the government would cut defense equipment purchases and committed the budget to the needs of TNI personnel in border areas. Under the Yudhoyono administration, personnel growth was curbed to zero in order to increase the budget for defense system modernization. The personnel-heavy approach also clashes with the decreasing number of strategic positions within the TNI in the Reformation era, which restricts the TNI from taking social and political offices. The need to accommodate the large number of personnel within the few positions available has led the TNI to adding new military appointments, transferring personnel to agencies that are supposed to be civilian in nature (e.g. Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, State Intelligence Agency [BIN], National Search and Rescue Agency [Basarnas], Maritime Security Coordinating Board [Bakorkamla], State Secretariat), or extending territorial command. Other problems in the TNI personnel policy a lack of institutionalization, professionalism and transparency have a negative impact on TNI organizational unity. In the midst of these organizational constraints, a military career now is not as promising as it used to be. Unsurprisingly, many TNI personnel now look for other career options outside the military domain: local government positions, only now they compete for those positions not under the privilege of dwifungsi. __________________________________ The writer, who lectures at the Department of International Relations at Binus University specializing in international security, obtained a Masters degree in defense studies from the Indonesia Defense University and a Masters degree in intelligence studies from the University of Indonesia. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin James McGrane (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Human deaths caused by infections of superbugs, or drug-resistant bacteria, are increasing. And, the superbugs themselves are a nightmare for medical staff as they are notoriously difficult to treat. Importantly, while the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human healthcare have stoked fears, another issue not highlighted enough in the conversation on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is whether the way we produce our food and manage our farms contributes to AMR. Put simply, food and farms are alternative routes through which the superbugs spread. Over the past 50 years, food production methods have been intensified in response to population and economic growth. As a result, the use of antimicrobial drugs in agriculture has been steadily increasing. Antimicrobials are undeniably important in treating diseases of farm animals and plants, but their misuse puts us at great risk, as in many cases they are used in healthy animals for promoting animal growth and preventing disease outbreaks. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that about 60,000 tons of antimicrobials are used in livestock each year. With the growing demand for animal products, global use is projected to rise by 67 percent by 2030 to 106,000 tons. Antibiotics are also being used in aquaculture fish farms and in crop production, leaving residues of these drugs to be found in water, soil and plants (albeit to a lesser degree). As flagged by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The spread of antibiotic-resistant infections from live farm animals to meat and people has been documented. This is a major concern. Despite the serious threat posed by AMR, unfortunately, there are insufficient data from countries on the level of antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR related to animals and their products. Much improved surveillance systems are urgently required to address this deficit before this global threat intensifies. This is where FAO, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) joined forces in a Tripartite partnership that elaborated a Global Action Plan on AMR that can be used as a blueprint for countries to develop their national action plans. During the much applauded 71st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Sept. 21, 2016, global leaders reaffirmed their commitment to developing such national action plans. By mid-2017, governments must already have put in place national strategies for tackling AMR and AMU in their food and agricultural sectors. FAO has pledged to assist countries in fulfilling this goal, and will encourage governments in doing so to adopt a One Health approach that involves public health and veterinary authorities, the food and agriculture sectors, environmental specialists, financial planners, and consumers. Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the Indonesian economy and collaborative actions are indeed crucial. Based on livestock intensification patterns, Indonesia is already among future hotspots for AMR, along with Myanmar, Nigeria, Peru and Vietnam, as noted by veterinary epidemiologist and food safety expert Delia Grace in the Review of Evidence on AMR and Animal Agriculture in Developing Countries, published by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Also, based on aquaculture growth projections, Indonesia is again a future hotspot, along with Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India and Chile. This should serve as an early warning for Indonesia to pay attention to AMR in the aquaculture sector too. So, whats on Indonesias checklist? In addressing AMR in food and agriculture, efforts should be focused on four key areas: awareness; evidence; governance; and practices as proposed in the FAO Action Plan on AMR for 2016-2020, and as aligned with the Global Action Plan. This means improving awareness of AMR; building national capacities for surveillance and monitoring of AMR and AMU; strengthening governance related to AMR and AMU; and promoting good practices in food and agricultural systems and the prudent use of antimicrobials. On the farm, prevention is the key, so animals do not get sick and need antibiotics in the first place. Best practices for hygiene, biosecurity and animal health care and husbandry therefore need to be implemented. This includes observing the withdrawal period the time needed for animals to eliminate antibiotics from their bodies after treatment and so avoid residues in meat. Indonesia already has shown a positive trend to limit the low-dose use of antimicrobial drugs to promote the growth of livestock. FAO is currently working in close collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry in the finalization of the AMR Road Map and the National Action Plan for AMR Control. A decree establishing the AMR Control Committee (KPRA) based at the Ministry of Agriculture is also on its way. Once established, the Agriculture Ministry-based KPRA will collaborate on AMR control activities with the KPRA based at the Health Ministry. A Minister of Agriculture Regulation (Permentan) on AMR Control is also being prepared, along with guidelines for monitoring and surveillance for AMR and AMU. Yes, there is still a long way to go. But with strong international cooperation and solid multi-sectoral collaboration at the national level, Indonesia is set to be on the right track in combating superbugs. Indonesian farmers and producers, veterinary professionals and authorities, policymakers, and food consumers are all responsible for curbing the threat. As Jose Graziano da Silva, director-general of FAO, puts it, agriculture must shoulder its share of responsibility []. *** The writer is a veterinarian with extensive experience in managing animal health programs in developing countries. Currently he is the team leader of the FAO Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) Program in Indonesia supporting the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture in the control of zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. For more information click here. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sri Probo Sudarmo (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Commuting in and out of Jakarta is characterized by packed buses, crowded trains, congestion and pollution. While apartment buildings proliferate, attracting residents with their investment potential, the poor are gradually pushed to the periphery. It leads to a burning question: Who belongs in the city? We tend to forget that Jakarta extends beyond the special capital region (DKI). In developing business centers, we are left with the issue of finding space for housing and other residential needs. It makes us wonder whether or not a director general or deputy minister should coordinate the capital. Jakarta is home to 9.7 million people at night, but 12.7 million people inhabit the city in the daytime according to 2014 data. The disparity of 3 million people can be accounted for by adults who commute to the city by day but reside outside the city with their families. Naturally, the Jakarta workforce resembles a pyramid with the richest few at the top and the impoverished masses at the bottom. Some people reside in Jakarta in luxury houses, apartments, dense villages or on the outskirts of the city, while others reside outside the capital in Bekasi, Tagerang, Depok and Bogor or even in Karawang and Rangkasbitung. If we divide the pyramid by location, most likely the upper middle class can afford to live closer to the center of the city and those who possess less wealth further outside the center of the city. We watch the consequences of this every day, passengers aboard a train or a bus smashed in like canned sardines and immobile automobiles frozen in traffic. We often complain about global inequality. It is said that roughly 67 people control the assets for 1.5 billion people. In terms of inequality, Indonesia remains below the average ASEAN country. While equality is increasing in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, Indonesias income gap is widening. The GINI index measurement moved up from 0.35 in 2007 to 0.4 in 2015 according to the Central Statistics Bureau (BPS). In Jakarta inequality is growing. A multitude of evictions have relocated low income residents to housing far from their jobs, severing their social and economic ties and adding to their living costs. The city has become increasingly exclusive. At the end of 2015, World Bank identified the main causes of income gaps as inequality of opportunity, unequal jobs, high wealth concentration and low resilience among the poor. Indonesia has ratified the UN-Habitat Agenda, which states the right of every person to receive adequate nutrition and housing. It implies spatial justice, peoples right to have access to public services and security of tenure, to be affordable to everyone. If this cannot be achieved due to soaring property prices, then the consequence is to stop serving the concentration of capital. It is the governments responsibility to induce growth centers in areas to deliver space for every citizen and regulate the market. There are mechanisms available to the government, including controlling land usage, allocating specially designated areas, housing management through co-ops, assistance for land registration and President Joko Jokowi Widodos kampung deret (village neighborhoods). Many of the evicted settlements occurred before the Law on Water Resources, and its regulations, Government Regulation No. 38/2011, and some occurred before independence. Efforts have been lacking to enlighten citizens on spatial plans or on how to build along rivers. Various rights to register land, including the 1961 Agrarian Law or Government Regulation No. 24/194 on registering land without documents, have not been explained to people in villages. Meanwhile Jokowis agenda Nawacita requires citizens to be knowledgeable as a prerequisite of human development. The late governor Ali Sadikin said in 1977 people that are forced to live in the margins of the city are those who need more attention and to receive the benefits of development. Residents replied, we want to be guided, so that we can do business without the fear of being targeted by the police. Instead of evictions that involve hundreds of police, military personnel, public order officers, costly equipment and clouds of asbestos fiber escaping from roofs during demolitions, why not help people decide on optimal solutions and to resettle peacefully without destroying their assets? There are many groups of volunteers and academics who have been working in villages and have appealed to the governor for participatory approach. This week, Indonesia is attending the Habitat III - UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development in Quito. It is difficult to imagine what ideas will represent Jakarta in this conference, especially in response to the sustainability challenge. A key question that the government needs to answer is: Who belongs in the city? *** The writer, an architect and urban planner, is a member of the Settlement Forum (Forkim). --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. For more information click here. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Daniel Murdiyarso Bogor, West Java Wed, October 19, 2016 The ratification of the Paris Agreement by the EU, representing 28 countries, on Oct. 4 marked the surpassing of the 55 percent global emissions threshold for the agreement to enter into force. Having been ratified by 75 countries that account for 58.9 percent of global emissions, the agreement will enter into force on Nov. 4 (30 days after EU submission), just a few days before the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties (COP22) starts on Nov. 7 in Marrakech, Morocco. Although Indonesia is not one of the parties that make the Paris Agreement enter into force, the House of Representatives Commission VII approved its ratification bill on Monday. The House has set Oct. 19 as date for ratifying the agreement. Like in other cases of international treaty ratification, the House only adopts one article stating that Indonesia ratifies the treaty. The process took longer than expected because the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) document was attached to it. Lawmakers needed to be convinced that the intention to reduce national emissions by 29 percent from the business-as-usual level in 2030 will not harm economic development. Now, Indonesian delegates are full of confidence as they head to Marrakech. There are at least four reasons for Indonesia to get excited and work harder. First, ratification will allow Indonesia to sit in the first Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement, known as CMA1. Indonesia can take part in shaping the new treaty that will be implemented in 2020. It is important to set the new tone of the common but differentiated responsibility and respective capacity (CBDR-RC) principle. Second, Indonesia can start interacting in the funding mechanism under the Paris Agreement, including the Green Climate Fund. It is well known that Indonesias bulk work in the NDC is land use. Early action may be pursued to realize the implementation of the long-awaited REDD+ mechanism under the Paris Agreement. Third, being an archipelagic country that is vulnerable to sea level rise, it is also timely to explore adaptation mechanisms under the Paris Agreement, such as joint mitigation and adaptation and legally binding loss and damage. Fourth, Indonesia is to expand coal-fired power generation, which will be the biggest emission factor after land use. Technology transfer under the Paris Agreement has to be tapped and integrated into the domestic development agenda. The main goal of the Paris Agreement is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping the global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The Paris Agreement pursues efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees. That does not mean that the agreement only deals with climate change mitigation. The Paris Agreement also aims at strengthening the ability of countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change. After two decades of climate negotiations, Paris finally managed to put mitigation and adaptation measures on equal footing. The notion of integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation in the Paris Agreement is very strong. To meet these ambitious goals, a new technology framework and an enhanced capacity building framework will be put in place, supporting action by developing countries and the most vulnerable countries in line with their national objectives. Starting in 2020 the Green Climate Fund will be mobilized to raise US$100 billion per annum. Globally, under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change high scenario parties have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 36 billion tons of CO2 equivalent by 2030. The pledge was initiated at COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, known as the Copenhagen Accord, within which countries were encouraged to state their emission reduction target, base year and date of achievement. After five years of waiting, COP20 in Lima came out with the so-called Intended Nationally Determined Contribution to guide parties to submit their pledge prior to COP21 in Paris, which then transformed into NDC to be submitted prior to Marrakechs COP22 this year. Domestically, Indonesia will have to nurture the submitted pledge. Ratification places responsibility on the entire society. It is the role of the government to address any identified weaknesses and mobilize strength, including by enhancing the capacity to combat land-based emissions, which are by far the largest burden as far as emission reduction is concerned. ___________________________ The writer is a professor at the Department of Geophysics and Meteorology at the Bogor Agriculture University (IPB), principal scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) and former national focal point to the UNFCCC. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Donald Trump is precious cant get enough of him! I confess, I have a morbid fascination for the buffoonish, hyper-narcissistic, xenophobic, misogynistic, mentally and emotionally retarded Republican presidential candidate who could have his name included in a sex offender registry. If the unthinkable happened, and he did become the US commander in chief, youd have to add the title Groper in Chief, the epithet Nickolas Kristof, a New York Times columnist had for Trump. Ironically, one of the largest democracies and the self-proclaimed leader of the freeworld is giving a great example of what not to do through its current US presidential election on so many different aspects of political and social life (see excellent piece by Warren Fernandez, Toxic Trump and trumped up foes, The Jakarta Post, Oct 15). The latest scandal Trump scandal emerged on Oct. 7 in the form of a leaked video where Trump made lewd comments about women, bragging that he had assaulted women and that he was entitled to do so. When youre a star, you can do anything [] grab them by the [...]. The video was from 2005, the year he married his third wife, the former Slovenian model Melania Knavs. Newly married and already itching to get into other womens pants? Poor Melania. But then, she must have known of his reputation with women when she married him. In an interview with CNNs Anderson Cooper, she dismissed the lewd language in the video as boy talk. OK, shes the kind of wife who stands her man, as did Hillary when the Monika Lewinsky-Bill Clinton sex scandal broke out. But what about a Trump supporter who wore a T-shirt with the words Trump can grab my, followed by an arrow pointing to her crotch? As Hillary would say, deplorable not to mention degenerate, disgusting and imbecilic too! As could be expected, the controversial video drew a barrage of responses, and more than a dozen women who came out saying that Trump had made unwelcome advances by kissing them and touching them inappropriately. There was condemnation, not just from women activists and leaders but even Trumps erstwhile supporters and 54 fellow GOP members who withdrew their support for Trump. The most meaningful statement against Trump came from Michelle Obama. On Oct. 14, she gave an impassioned, powerful speech in New Hampshire, as part of her campaign to support Hillary Clinton to be the first female president of the US. She pointed out that it was a week of contrasts, as on Oct. 11, they had just celebrated the International Year of the Child at the White House. She claimed the lewd video had shaken her to the core. Imagine, exposing children to language that was painful for adults, let alone kids. Dismissing Trumps language as locker room talk is an insult to decent men who use locker rooms. Further, this was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior [] bragging about kissing and groping women. Obama rightly pointed out that strong men notably those who are supposed to be role models dont need to put down women to make themselves feel powerful. But while Trumps case is particularly obnoxious, there are in fact many men like him, secretly insecure men who need to belittle women to make themselves feel superior. Even so-called educated, intellectual men display this kind of behavior in subtle or overt ways. The theme for this years International Year of the Girl Child is Girls Progress = Goals Progress: A Global Girl Data Movement. It makes sense: figures from the UN Women tell the true picture. Some fast facts: 700 million women alive today were married before 18 more than one third were married before 15. Its worse for poor girls: They are 2.5 times more likely to marry during childhood. The figure in developing countries is even scarier: one in three girls is married before age 18. This means the futures of 47,700 girls are side-tracked every day. Every day! The detrimental effects of early marriages are widely known: they are more prone to face sexual and physical violence; they are less educated because they are pulled out of school to engage in domestic duties. Due to being poorly educated, they cant advocate for themselves. Pregnancy happens soon after marriage, even when they are not mentally or physically ready. This has an effect on the offspring, and so the cycle continues. According to UN Women, every day over 20,000 girls in developing countries give birth. Thats over 7 million a year. On the other hand, educated girls marry later. With secondary schooling alone, girls are six times less likely to marry than their uneducated sisters. The highest rates of child marriage are in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa. How does Indonesia fare? With Islamic conservatism on the rise, its getting even harder to abolish this practice despite the fact that the law stipulates the marrying age for females is 18. This is the reason Indonesia still ranks among the ten countries with the highest number of young brides. UNICEF estimates that in Indonesia each year 50,000 girls under 15 gets married and 340,000 under 18. While women activists in Indonesia consistently place child marriage in their list of practices to eliminate, they face a uphill battle. Last year a court in Jakarta threw out a petition by campaigners to increase the marrying age to 18. Invoking the Quran, conservatives say that if the girls dont get married off, it would make them have sex outside of marriage. Right, resort to empty moralism as usual rather than face the facts. Trumps lewd video was pretty cringe-worthy, but it had the unintended effect of raising awareness about girls and womens rights. Its pretty amazing that the contest for the US presidency is between a misogynist against a defender of girls and womens rights. Its a known fact that improving womens education, health and opportunities is good for society in general. So its a no-brainer right? Its clear who Americans should vote for, and we Indonesians support it! *** The writer is the author of Sex, Power and Nation. --------------- 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. The nations border areas have now moved center stage, with the Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Ministry determined to turn them into investment-friendly destinations. The ministry is eager to encourage more investment in the areas close to Indonesias neighbors by developing them into more investment-friendly destinations. Presented by Ministry of Village, Disadvantaged Region, and Transmigration, Republic of Indonesia Indonesia has border areas in 187 sub-districts in 41 districts/municipalities in 13 provinces and there are 10 districts/municipalities that have 92 frontier islands, according to Presidential Regulation No. 78/2005. The development of border areas and frontier islands is important to ward off the encroachment of Indonesias neighbors and protect the nations sovereignty. Indonesia has traditionally embraced two main approaches in the development of underdeveloped border areas: security and wealth distribution. Programs like transmigration to border areas are conducted to prevent expansive occupation by neighboring countries as well as to increase the prosperity of the community living in border areas. "We had a terrible experience with the Sipadan and Ligitan islands case, as the islands were given to Malaysia in 2002. Despite the international court favoring Malaysia due to the British colonial history, the fact that we did not develop it was terrible," the Ministrys Director General for Specific Area Development, Suprayoga Hadi, told The Jakarta Post on Monday in his office. However, as the government tries to cut the budget, the ministry's fund basket continues to get lower. The 2015 revised budget of Rp 9.03 trillion (US$691.16 million) has been lowered to Rp 8.59 trillion in 2016 and according to the latest 2016 budget revision plan, the budget will be cut to Rp 6.51 trillion. "The Rp 2.08 trillion cut is significant and will affect most of the ministry's programs to develop border and underdeveloped areas," he said. President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo, reviewing border post Sei Pancang (Patok 1) Indonesia-Malaysia in Pulau Sebatik, December 16, 2014. The ministry hopes this year budget cut will be compensated with a larger budget in the future as economic conditions improve. However, it is a seemingly daunting task within a two-year time frame. Using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, such as what is done in big cities like Jakarta, is not possible. This is because companies are tied to their adjacent operational area. For example, Freeport cannot run a CSR program in Sumatra and Chandra Asri cannot run one in Papua. If CSR funds were used in other areas, locals would be disappointed. "Therefore we need to find a new approach or paradigm for the development of underdeveloped border areas: the 'investment' paradigm," he said. The new investment paradigm aims to make border areas more investment friendly. Suprayoga claims that border areas have their own potential economic resources. Sebatik Island of Nunukan District - a border post between North Kalimantan and Sabah, Malaysia is an example. Many Indonesian palm oil plantation workers from Bugis in South Sulawesi and Banjar in South Kalimantan have brought their families there. "The father works in Malaysia but the family lives there and the children get an education in Sebatik-Nunukan. The father makes a weekly visit, bringing money from Malaysia to feed his family," he said. It is difficult for workers children to access education in Malaysia due to the high tuition fees, therefore they pursue their education at Indonesian schools near to the border. If more and more households follow suit, with children pursuing proper education, the border post will be home to trained human resources in the future. To achieve this objective, the minister can collaborate with the Education and Culture Ministry and Manpower Ministry to open schools or vocational education. When the communities are ready to work, investors can enter by opening more productive investment, such as rubber or palm plantations. Kicking off in early November 2015, the Ministry has released a border area investment potential profile book. In collaboration with Gadjah Mada University, it listed the respective potential sectors of border areas, predominantly agricultural and mineral commodities, available basic investment infrastructure as well as investment opportunities in the border areas located in 41 districts/municipalities across the country. However, inviting investors into border areas will not be such an easy job. The government still needs to provide basic infrastructure such as sanitation, electricity, and communications technology because investors do not want to have to build the area from scratch. Despite being unable to build main roads, as that is the job of the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, the Ministry of Village could build non-status supporting roads. It also could provide a clean water sanitation facility through a reverse osmosis machine that filters filthy water and converts it into drinkable water, particularly in frontier islands. Electricity is also provided through a solar cell system, and telecommunication needs are provided with mini BTS. After the fulfillment of basic requirements, investors will then look for incentives. Tax holidays, and other non-financial assistance such as import tariff waivers are what investors are looking for. "We saw a good example in Morotai, North Maluku; after it was declared as a special economic zone for tourism, facilities were provided, then investors started to invest there," he said. Morotai Island has an area of 245,000 hectares, four times that of Singapore. It has fishing and tourism potential as numerous historic battles took place there, including World War II skirmishes between the US and Japan. General Douglas MacArthur selected the island as his base, and numerous warplanes, ships and artillery sunk in the Morotai Sea, creating many coral reefs. Giant property developer Jababeka has established PT Morotai Jababeka to develop one of the northernmost islands in Indonesia. The company will further build houses, tourism zones, hotels, a fisheries center, and commercial zones in the area of special economic zone located in the border area of Pulau Morotai District. Foreign investors from countries such as Taiwan have expressed their interest in joining the project with a required total investment of Rp 6.8 trillion. We are currently designing a program for other border areas, maybe not giving them special economic zone status, but at least the facilities for investment will be close to what special economic zone [areas] get, Suprayoga said. Looking into past experiences, the ministry is now looking for a more sustainable way to develop border areas. Other than Morotai, the ministry is also focusing on two more border districts, namely Sabu Raijua in East Nusa Tenggara; and Western Southeast Maluku in Maluku; and also addressed two nonborder underdeveloped districts, namely East Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, and Sarmi in Papua. Sarmi and East Lombok have agriculture and fisheries potential, while Sabu Raijua has fisheries potential, Pulau Morotai has fisheries and tourism potensial, and Western Southeast Maluku has potential in mining. Western Southeast Maluku, as we know, has oil and gas potential with the Masela block, he said. District residents Nanga Badau, Kapuas Hulu, was waiting for transport under a banner that read We are border citizens, our body and soul for The Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI)". Nangan Badau directly adjacent to the East Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo taken February 16, 2012. The existence of mineral resources increases the interest of the investors to enter an area of potential resources. However, to develop an extractive industry in an underdeveloped area is risky, especially when dealing with public land. Like what happened to Medco groups wood pellet company PT Medcopapua Industri Lestari in Merauke during 2011, the traditional customary community demanded Rp 65 billion compensation for the rent of their customary land, Suprayoga said. It added more costs for the company, and Medco said it could not afford such an amount. With a sudden higher cost of operations along with a decreasing timber price, Medco decided to stop its subsidiarys operations in 2014. In light of this, the minister is trying to initiate a more people-based approach. Building prosperity with a more sustainable model that involving the community. "We designed an agriculture estate for land-dominant areas, adapting plants based on their topology and culture. For the water-dominated areas we designed for aquaculture estate. We are also pushing for secondary industries for making more value added to the potential commodities, as well as further promoting tertiary sectors, therefore the objective is not only for traditional industries but also for tourism and service business," he added. Other than the border areas and frontier islands, as of 2016, 23 border districts are categorized as disadvantaged regions and seven districts that already graduated from their previous status of disadvantaged regions in 2014 still have to be supported despite their 'disadvantaged area' status having been lifted. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Following a recent BBC report about possible western influence on Chinas Terracotta Army, Emperor Qin Shi Huangs Mausoleum senior archeologist Li Xiuzhen has issued a statement claiming that the report was out of context and had overstated her explanations. A BBC article published on Oct. 12 said archaeologists had discovered that the inspiration of 8,000 life-sized Terracotta warrior figures found in the tomb of the First Emperor near Xiaan, Shaanxi province, China, may have come from Ancient Greece. The article quoted Li's statement, saying, We now think the Terracotta Army, the acrobats and the bronze sculptures found on site were inspired by Greek sculptures and arts. However, China Daily reported that Li had said the BBC report cut down her full comment and ignored her main points. I think the terracotta warriors may be inspired by Western culture, but were uniquely made by the Chinese." She mentioned there were other factors that contributed to the making of the Terracotta Warriors, such as soil, craftsmanship and Chinese traditional funeral culture. The archaeologist also pointed out that she did not share the same idea as Professor Lukas Nickel from the University of Vienna who in the article mentioned, I imagine that a Greek sculptor may have been at the site to train the locals. Li said her opinion was the opposite. "I am an archaeologist, and I value evidence. I've found no Greek names on the backs of terracotta warriors, which supports my idea that there was no Greek artisan training the local sculptors," Li said. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anick Jesdanun (Associated Press) New York, United States Wed, October 19, 2016 Google's ambitious new smartphone, the Pixel, doesn't offer a lot that's new. Yet it's still one of the best out there. Google achieves that by pulling together the best features from Apple, Samsung and other phone makers and offering them at prices comparable to iPhones starting at about $650 for the regular, 5-inch model and $770 for the 5.5-inch "XL" edition. Both versions go on sale Thursday through Verizon, Best Buy and Google's online store. I tested the Pixel XL model; the regular version has identical features except for its smaller display and battery still enough for 13 hours of internet use, according to Google. With either, you get an excellent camera and a strong voice assistant that promises to get smarter all without the bloat common with other Android phones. The Pixel isn't quite an iPhone replacement, as Google wants you to believe ; hardware is just part of what makes an iPhone an iPhone. But it might serve up a strong challenge to Samsung, especially as people look for alternatives to the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 . __________ THE CAMERA The Pixel's image quality is superb though purists may quibble. Colors in some shots look too strong and clean to me, thanks to software processing intended to reduce distortion and improve detail (something all phones do to some extent). But automation pays off in another way: The Pixel will automatically combine successive shots into an animated "GIF" file, offering a fun way to share a toddler's steps or a dog jumping. For video, the Pixel's stabilization technology compensates for shaky hands and other movement, matching what the iPhone and Galaxy phones can do. The Pixel borrows a quick-launch feature from Samsung phones. Just double tap the power button to start the camera, even if the phone is locked. To switch between the front and rear cameras, just double twist the phone like a door knob a feature Motorola, which Google once owned, has long offered. Low-light images taken with the Pixel in three museums aren't as crisp as those from the iPhone 7 and Samsung's Galaxy S7 (which has the same camera as the Note 7). But differences are small, and the Pixel does better than typical smartphones. Where the Pixel falls short is in extreme close-ups, such as shooting a flower petal or a small bug; photos were typically blurry. The Pixel's selfie camera is also inferior, with no front flash or control over the focus. But it's fine in good light and at typical distances for selfies. (Read also: Google Pixel XL benchmarks emerge on the net) __________ THE ASSISTANT Google's voice assistant, simply known as Google Assistant, will seem familiar to those who have used Apple's Siri or Amazon's Alexa features. Google's version goes further in offering daily updates such as weather and news, though plenty of apps already offer similar capabilities through notifications. Google is also better at remembering preferences say, if you prefer temperatures in Celsius and at integrating with its own services, such as Translate and Photos. But Assistant doesn't yet sync with a similar Assistant in Google's Allo chat app and upcoming Home speaker. And it isn't as proactive as the Google Now assistant already built into Android phones. Google Now, for instance, will look through your Gmail account for flight reservations and remind you when to head to the airport. It will analyze your daily commute and warn of delays. Assistant waits for you to ask. Assistant holds up well compared with Siri and Alexa, but for more, swipe from left to right to get the old Google Now back. Google says Assistant will eventually get the Google Now functionality. This Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016, photo taken with Google's Pixel XL smartphone shows a reservoir at New York's Central Park. With Pixel's camera, image quality is superb, though photo purists may quibble. Colors look strong and clean, as though theyve been processed with software.(AP/Anick Jesdanun) __________ OTHER FEATURES If you need help, you can reach Google's customer support and enable screen sharing reminiscent of Amazon's Mayday help feature. And the Pixel will work with Google's upcoming Daydream View virtual-reality headset, much as Samsung phones have Samsung's Gear VR. Long-pressing an app icon brings up a menu of shortcuts, such as getting directions to home or launching the selfie camera. It's similar to the iPhone's 3D Touch. The Pixel also offers "Night Light," a feature that tints your screen amber by filtering out blue light that might keep you up at night. Apple calls it Night Shift. Pixel owners get unlimited storage of photos at original resolution, though that's a little like offering Google search for free. Google Photos already offers unlimited storage at up to 16 megapixels; the Pixel's camera is 12 megapixels. The free offer will make a difference for those who take video in ultra-sharp "4k" resolution, but the default setting is lower, at 1080p, which is already free at Google Photos. (Read also: Google's new lineup of phones and gadgets: A quick glance) __________ WHAT'S MISSING The Pixel will be OK if you spray it with water, but don't drop it in the pool. You also can't expand its storage with a memory card, as you can with the S7 and Note 7 though for $100 more, the Pixel's 32 gigabytes of storage quadruples to 128 gigabytes, and the free online storage should take care of your photos and videos. The battery isn't removable, though that's true for most phones these days. Those looking for a Note 7 replacement will find the Pixel missing a stylus. If you're an iPhone user, you'll have to brace yourself for the switch to Android, which would entail buying new apps and learning new ways to navigate. __________ MAKING THE SWITCH Google tries to make it easy to switch. The phone comes with a transfer cable, and the set-up process walks you through transferring photos, music and video, as long as it's not encrypted (so scratch iTunes video). But apps won't switch over from iPhones; you need to buy them again. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Following its success at the Indonesian Film Appreciation awards, road-drama Salawaku is set to compete and premier globally in the Asian Future category at the 2016 Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) in Japan. Salawaku is also nominated for eight categories at the Indonesian Film Festival (FFI), two of which are Best Film and Best Director. As the directorial debut of Pritagita Arianegara, Salawaku narrates the story of Salawaku (Elko Kastanya), a boy who lives in a small village in Seram Island, Maluku. One day his sister Binaiya (Raihaanun) goes missing and Salawaku escapes from his village to find her. In the middle of his journey, Salawaku meets Jakartan tourist Saras (Karina Salim) and Kawanua (JFlow Matulessy), who later help him search for his sister. Initially, the film was to be released locally before going global. Now, however, Salawaku will only be available for local audiences in early 2017 due to the upcoming activity in Tokyo. The TIFF organizers only gave us two choices in terms of screenings; a world premiere or a film festival, explained producer Ray Zulham. Of course we want to make Indonesia proud, so we chose the world premiere and postponed the local screening schedule. (Read also: Tokyo film festival lineup to include 12 Indonesian films) The cast and crew of 'Salawaku' during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday.(JP/Ni Nyoman Wira) While other films usually change their titles when in international competition, Salawaku will stick with its original title. We prefer to use Salawaku, which expresses Indonesia more, said co-producer Michael Mike Julius. We actually created this film to raise awareness of two important factors, said Ray Zulham. The first is about women and the second is about local folklore. Thus, we have told a story about culture in Seram Island that may be unknown to people. Karina perceived her role as a challenge. Saras is straightforward, risk-taking and a tomboy, she said, adding that Salawaku was far from a romance film. My character Saras aborted her own baby and prior to filming, I learned from people who had experienced that. Karina's character, Saras, had an abortion and has trouble forgiving herself for it. She then goes on a trip to Maluku where she meets Salawaku. Filmed in Piru in West Seram regency, Salawaku offers magnificent scenery of Seram Island, including its underwater beauty. It took more than seven hours for the crew to reach the shooting location. The shooting process took 17 days, said Mike. (asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang Tue, October 18 2016 Endangered species are smuggled abroad via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, using school backpacks, suitcases and childrens toys to fool airport officers, an official said on Monday. The Agriculture Ministrys Quarantine Agency chief, Banun Harpini, said as many as 58 snakes, two turtles and a lizard that were intended to be delivered to Australia, China, Malaysia and the Philippines had been seized by the airports officials from July to October. Among the 58 snakes, there were rattlesnakes, which could endanger flights if they escaped, Banun said as quoted by kompas.com, adding that most of the animals were identified as protected and critically endangered species. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 18 2016 Thousands of people wearing green shirts gathered at Ocean Ecopark of the Taman Impian Jaya Ancol amusement park in North Jakarta on Sunday morning to join a running event called Astra Green Run to work toward making a better environment for the city. The organizer of the event, diversified conglomerate Astra International, committed to planting one tree for each person who participated in the event. Astra International head of environment and social responsibility Riza Deliansyah told reporters on Sunday that about 2,500 people joined the event, so 2,500 trees would be planted by the company. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 18 2016 Indonesia and Iran discussed the importance of international cooperation in addressing the problem of terrorism during a meeting between top officials here on Monday. Overall, both sides exchanged opinions on how to fight against terrorism and violent groups, Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Valiollah Mohammadi said following a meeting with Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto as quoted by Antara news agency. Mohammadi said the problem of terrorism, which poses a threat to the region and the world, should be handled jointly between countries. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Jakarta gubernatorial hopeful Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono said producers of Betawi batik needed to be more creative in designing motifs so that they could attract a wider range of customers. While visiting Terogong village in Cilandak, South Jakarta, which is known for its Terogong Betawi batik, on Wednesday, Agus promised to promote the product at the national level and internationally if he is elected Jakarta governor in the Feb. 15, 2017 poll. "I'm grateful to have the opportunity to meet Betawi batik craftswomen. I hope we can promote this batik to make it a nationwide and even worldwide commodity," he said. Agus, who also tried to draw batik with a canting (copper vessel with a spout-like nib) with dozens of craftswomen watching during the visit, said that with more interesting motifs, Betawi batik could become a choice of young people. Besides meeting the batik-makers, Agus also held talks with the villagers. During the talks, Agus promised to bring improvements to the city, including in security, education and prosperity. During the visit, Agus also inaugurated a post of a support team in the village by signing a banner bearing his picture and that of his running mate, Sylviana Murni. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 National Narcotics Agency (BNN) officers have shot dead one of three suspected members of a drug gang allegedly trying to smuggle 100 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from Aceh Tamiang, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, to Medan, North Sumatra. BNN personnel said they were forced to shoot dead the alleged trafficker, identified only as JUM, as he had attempted to escape during a raid in front of the Imperium residential complex on Jl. TB Simatupang, Medan, North Sumatra, late on Tuesday. The suspects body is now at the Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Medan. BNN psychotropic unit director Brig. Gen. Anjan Pramuka has confirmed the incident. We arrested the two other syndicate members, he told journalists at the location of the raid. Anjan refused to provide more details on the drug operation, saying only that the BNN would issue a press statement on the arrest on Wednesday. Sources that asked to remain anonymous said the operation, led by Brig. Gen. Eko Daniaanto and Comr. Satria, two investigators from the BNN headquarters in Jakarta, began when the agencys officers were suspicious to see a car moving at high speed from Aceh Tamiang to Sunggal, Medan. The officers chased the car and stopped it across from the Bina Kasih Hospital on Jl. TB Simatupang. One of three passengers in the car, JUM attempted to resist the arrest, prompting the officers to shoot the Aceh Tamiang resident, who died on the spot. The BNN officers then arrested the two other suspected drug traffickers, identified as Abdul Manan, 51, and Irwan, 33, both Aceh Tamiang residents. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Araminta Setyawati (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19 2016 The pulp and paper industry is still stagnant this year because economic growth in the largest markets, the US and Japan, has not yet recovered. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its forecast for the world economic growth to 3.1 percent from 3.8 percent at the beginning of this year. According to the IMF forecast, economic growth for the US and Japan is estimated at 2.2 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively. The amount of pulp and paper exports to the US was 12 percent of total exports in 2015 and 11 percent for Japan. The Indonesian pulp and paper industry contributes to the growth of the industry in the national economy. It is still growing, although overshadowed by falling demand due to the increasing role of electronic media and internet technology. The consumption of paper in the world has a growth of 2 to 3 percent per year. The pulp and paper industry still grows every year. The growth in the first half of 2016 is 2.3 percent compared to the first half of 2015. The main driver of growth is the growing market in the paper and printing industry in Indonesia. Note that paper consumption per capita per year in Indonesia is still low, 32.6 kilograms. This number is much lower than other countries paper consumption per capita each year, such as Malaysia with 100 kg and Japan at 242 kg. Paper consumption, especially in ASEAN countries and the US, is a great opportunity for Indonesia to increase paper exports to these countries, considering that Indonesia is currently the ninth largest pulp producer in the world and the sixth largest for paper. The industry has high competitive advantages and has the potential to dominate the world market. Another factor providing a positive climate for the pulp and paper industry is that pulp prices tend to be flat in the world market because demand is relatively weak. This condition has a positive impact on domestic paper mills because the pulp products will not be exported but instead go to the domestic market. The construction of two factories for pulp and paper in South Sumatra and Riau, which will begin production next year, will benefit from this market condition. An important risk factor that threatens the pulp and paper industry is the limited Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) to supply resources to the industry. Based on data from the Environment and Forestry Ministry, in the first quarter of 2015, HTI land area in Indonesia reached 10.54 million hectares. However, the HTI land currently in use is only 4.9 million ha. The remainder has been converted into various businesses, primarily palm oil plantations. The area of palm oil plantations is estimated at 10 million to 13 million ha. The pulp and paper industry has almost the same size area, but the area of productive land is less than half. Note that the cost of raw materials in the paper industry is up by 60 percent. Failure to keep the ideal amount of productive HTI land has led to an unsustainable raw material supply and an increase in production costs. The impact of forest fires last year led to a reduction of HTI land area. Some permits for land production are still frozen following the forest fire. License suspension and prohibition regulation shutdowns are not only applicable in the areas burned but also throughout the area of operations. Another risk factor is the potential imposition of an anti-dumping policy by export countries. US anti-dumping authorities suspect dumping of uncoated paper made by the Indonesian paper industry. The price of gas is another risk factor. Rising gas prices can affect the cost of production because gas purchase in the industry is the second largest after the cost of raw fiber materials. Production capacity is also important in determining the performance of the pulp and paper industry. Installed capacity of pulp production to date reached 8 million tons. In the next four years, pulp production capacity is expected to increase to 10 million tons. Meanwhile, the paper production capacity would also increase to 17 million tons in 2017. At the end of 2014, the installed capacity of industrial production was about 10 million tons of paper. The larger the installed production capacity is, the larger the resulting production will be as well. This may encourage the fulfillment of domestic demand and increase exports of pulp and paper. Another consideration is the potential for Indonesia to become the largest pulp and paper producer in the world. Indonesia has a number of advantages, such as an abundance of available area and natural resources (SDA). The potential of natural resources will be value-added products that have broad spillovers, especially in creating jobs with a large multiplier effect. _____________ The writer is an economist at Bank Mandiri to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Wed, October 19 2016 Amid an alarming rat infestation in the capital, the Jakarta administration is set to establish an incentivized hunting program to prevent outbreaks of diseases caused by rats. The program is called the Rat Eradication Movement, in which residents will be rewarded Rp 20,000 (US$1.50) for each rat they exterminate, said Jakartas Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat. There are so many rats here. They are dangerous for our health as they can carry diseases, like pestilence, said Djarot at City Hall on Tuesday. With this program, we want to invite residents to help reduce rat infestation in the city. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gonzalo Solano and Raphael Satter (Associated Press) Quito, Ecuador Wed, October 19, 2016 Ecuador's government acknowledged on Tuesday that it cut off WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's internet access at its embassy in London after the whistleblowing site published a trove of damaging emails from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. The foreign ministry said that while it stands by its 2012 decision to grant Assange asylum based on legitimate concerns he faces political persecution, it respects other nations' sovereignty and doesn't interfere or support any candidate in foreign elections. "The decision to make this information public is the exclusive responsibility of the WikiLeaks organization," the foreign ministry said in a statement. The recognition of the action comes less than 24 hours after WikiLeaks tweeted that Ecuador had cut off Assange's access to the internet on Saturday after the publication of Clinton's speeches to Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs. In follow-up messages posted Tuesday, the group claimed US Secretary of State John Kerry had personally intervened to ask Ecuador to stop Assange from publishing documents about Clinton. Citing "multiple US sources," WikiLeaks said the request was made on the sidelines of a visit by Kerry and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa last month to Colombia to show their support for a peace deal with leftist rebels. The State Department denied the allegation and Correa's leftist government said it was acting on its own and not ceding to foreign pressures. The foreign ministry didn't specify the extent of the "temporary restrictions" on Assange, saying only that they wouldn't affect WikiLeaks' ability to carry out its journalistic activities. "While our concerns about Wikileaks are longstanding, any suggestion that Secretary Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down Wikileaks is false," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said in an email. Speaking to reporters later, deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Kerry never even raised the issue or met with Correa during his visit to Colombia. "There just was no meeting," he said. "They didn't discuss any of this stuff." Assange has been holed up at the modest embassy suite at No. 3 Hans Crescent for more than four years after skipping bail to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex crimes allegations, a position which until now hasn't prevented him from continuing to play a pivotal role in exposing state secrets and backroom trade deals. WikiLeaks said unspecified "contingency plans" were in place and the site and its Twitter feed appeared to be working as usual. On Tuesday it released another tranche of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, suggesting that the group's ability to publish has yet to be compromised. The disclosure was the 11th installation in a series of leaks that have captured the workings of Clinton's inner circle. Those leaks themselves are part of a wider cascade that have embarrassed the Democratic Party and which the American intelligence community has recently described as an attempt by the Russian government to interfere in the US election. Staff at WikiLeaks and the embassy either declined comment or didn't return messages. Assange fled to the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012, after a drawn-out and ultimately unsuccessful legal battle to being sent to Sweden, where he remains wanted over an allegation of rape. Ecuador granted him asylum, but British authorities have made clear they would arrest him if he tried to leave. London's Metropolitan Police used to maintain a visible presence outside the building, although officers were nowhere in sight when an AP journalist visited on Tuesday. Assange has carved out a life at Hans Crescent, dining on delivered food, welcoming famous well-wishers and even occasionally addressing the media from the embassy's balcony. On Saturday, former television star Pamela Anderson paid a visit. But evidence of mutual suspicion with his hosts surfaced after BuzzFeed News drew on leaked documents to detail tensions between Assange and Ecuadorean embassy staff. In targeting Clinton, Assange may have run afoul of Correa's own preference for the Democratic candidate and a renewed effort to repair strained relations with Washington. The president recently said that while a Trump victory would energize Latin Americans to reject overhanded US policies in the world much in the way George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq did he personally would like to see Clinton prevail. "For the good of the United States and the world, and for my personal appreciation of her, I'd like to see Hillary win," he told the Moscow-backed RT broadcaster last month. Assange isn't likely to submit to the internet ban quietly. Over the weekend WikiLeaks released three lines of code it described as "pre-commitments," labeling them "John Kerry," ''Ecuador," and "FCO" an apparent reference to Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Pre-commitments are cryptographic functions that can be used to verify the integrity of material released subsequently. Thomas White, a UK-based security researcher and transparency activist, saw the posts as a warning to the named parties that WikiLeaks had ammunition in reserve if Ecuadorean authorities "do not continue to offer him political asylum." ___ Joshua Goodman in Bogota, Colombia, Matt Lee in Washington and Alastair Grant in London contributed to this report. Satter reported from Paris. ___ Online: Raphael Satter can be reached at: http://raphaelsatter.com (**) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura, Papua Wed, October 19, 2016 The fixed fuel price program in Papua, initiated by President Joko Jokowi Widodo in Dekai, Yakuhimo in Papua on Tuesday is vulnerable to misuse, therefore it needs serious law enforcement to avoid players from taking advantage of the scheme at the expense of the people, an expert says. Initiating the idea is not enough but we need clear rules and serious law enforcement against anyone who misuses the subsidy, Yusak Reba, an expert from state Cenderawasih University said Wednesday. Reba said the fixed price was very low for Papua and West Papua standards, which is Rp 6,450 (49 US cents) per liter for Premium gasoline, Rp 5,150 per liter for diesel and Rp 2,500 for kerosene. The prices of fuel in Papua and West Papua could reach between Rp 50,000 Rp 100,000 per liter. The President has said the government would monitor the implementation, but still, we need clear regulations with punishment. Who will supervise the prices in remote areas? Reba went on. Bintang Mountains Regent Costan Oktemta said he would make a bylaw to support the fixed price scheme. If there is no clear regulation, the cheap fuel will be all bought by someone with a lot of money, who will sell it to people at much higher prices, Costan said. Costan said his administration would determine the ceiling price of Rp 10,000 per liter for Premium and diesel fuel. Currently, the price of Premium is Rp 50,000 because of the limited supply. (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang Wed, October 19 2016 An Australian man was detained on Monday evening by immigration officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, for alleged involvement in a pedophilia case, a top official said on Tuesday. Alif Suaidi, the head of the immigration office at the airport, said the man, identified as BD, was a passenger on an Air Asia flight to Jakarta from Kuala Lumpur. Alif added that BD had been refused entry into the country and had been forced back to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. We cooperated with Air Asia to return the Australian man, he said as quoted by tribunnews.com. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19 2016 The National Police have revealed that the majority of police officers caught exacting illegal levies are from the Jakarta Police. As many as 33 officers from the Jakarta Police have been arrested so far, a figure well above the number of officers caught from other regions. Most of the officers were caught allegedly taking money from people arranging drivers licenses. We are now in an open information era. So there is no need to maintain our image [by hiding the report]. We want to improve [our service] and clean up [our institution]. So, there is no need to cover it up, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Awi Setiono was quoted by kompas.com as saying on Tuesday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Bekasi Wed, October 19 2016 The Bekasi administration launched 20 bajaj vehicles (three-wheeled taxis) in the Permai Housing on Tuesday morning. Bekasi Mayor Rahmat said the city administration would eventually deploy 120 bajaj vehicles across all districts in Bekasi. We hope the fleet can help transport residents within the housing complex, he said as quoted by tribunnews.com. Rahmat said he was optimistic that the vehicles would be useful for the residents traveling from the housing complex to the main roads. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 A regulation requiring local content for smartphones sold in Indonesia is not stopping domestic sales of Apples new iPhone 7. Many local online sellers and small kiosks are selling iPhone 7s despite Apple not officially being allowed to sell the smartphone in Indonesia because of a rule that requires 20 percent local content both software and hardware in smartphones sold in the country. Advertisements for the iPhone 7, announced to the world on Sept. 7, can be seen on online platforms such as Bukalapak, Tokopedia and MatahariMall. The sellers seem to enable payments through major banks. Third party and secondhand dealers online are selling the iPhone 7 at prices ranging from Rp 11 million to Rp 20 million, while the US pricing for its cheapest, lowest memory iPhone 7, the 32GB model, is set at US$649 (Rp 8.5 million). A majority of the posters on these platforms originate from the Batam and Sumatra areas, with sporadic sellers in Jakarta and Bali as well. Since the nearest official market for the iPhone 7 is Singapore, it is possible that some sellers might have obtained the coveted smartphones from Singaporean stores or related distributors. While the activity itself is technically illegal, online marketplaces are finding it hard to control the constant popping up of iPhone 7s on their sites. Platforms such as Bukalapak have already taken measures to take down illicit listings of the iPhone 7, as requested by the government. Its technically illegal, but we are doing our part to filter posts about it. However, that doesnt necessarily stop sellers from posting the item again under modified descriptions, said Debora Rosaria, Bukalapaks legal manager. Bukalapak is ultimately built on user-generated content, making total control of restrictions difficult due to the free nature of the black market, she said, adding: What can be asked from the users is to let us know if iPhone 7 advertisements are being posted. Apples official Indonesian distributor Erajaya Group declined to comment on the story. The government plans to raise the threshold of both hardware and software local content requirement to 30 percent next year in an industry ministerial regulation on the calculation of local components in cell phones and tablets. The regulation was introduced to ease pressure on the trade balance, which saw surging imports of phones contributing to trade deficits, as an emerging middle-income segment resulted in a demand boom for smartphones. The restrictions also explain why the previous iPhone 6S smartphone and the SIM-card enabled iPad Pro have not entered the Indonesian market as well. However, the Wi-Fi only iPad Pro is currently on sale at Erajayas stores such as iBox. In terms of fulfilling the software aspect of the ministerial regulation, Communications and Information Ministry acting spokesperson Noor Iza said it would be ideal if Apple committed to opening a research and development center for software application development to increase local content in iPhones. As of now, the iPhone 7 has not been cleared to enter the market because it has not fulfilled the ministerial regulation requirements yet, Noor said. Samsung and Lenovo are among smartphone makers that have established local factories to meet the made in Indonesia regulation, as well as Advan, Evercross and Smartfren. Some content made in Indonesia include product boxes, manual books, screws and assembly. Meanwhile, Chinese phone maker OnePlus has exited the country, while Xiamois Redmi Note 3 shut off its 4G feature for official sale in Indonesia to comply with the regulation. Despite the vague legality of iPhone 7 sales, as well as that of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 with the 4G feature, the black market pops up and sells the items below the radar because there is demand for the smartphones. The desires are reflected in 24-year old CIMB Niaga employee Kamadiputra Surianegara, who is intrigued by the phones new jet black color and camera. Its just different and looks cool, he said, referring to the phones new dual-lens camera, which is considered new for Apples standards, and the popular Jet Black color option that has sent Apple fans worldwide into a frenzy of interest. A handful of local buyers have purchased the smartphones through Singapore, the closest place to Indonesias western area that can legally sell the likes of the iPhone 7, which is infamous mostly because of the divisive feature of not having a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 House of Representatives Commission VI head Teguh Juwarno has said the House would secure enough votes to support the operation of state-owned PT Semen Indonesias cement factory in Rembang, Central Java, following a Supreme Court case review decision in favor of the people of Kendeng mountain. The parliament gives its political support to PT Semen Indonesia in Rembang so it can continue its operation there. We support Semen Indonesia and the State-owned Enterprises Ministry to continue the legal process so the factory can operate in accordance with the investment plan, Teguh said in a statement made available on Tuesday. The legal effort, he said, included filing a case review at the Supreme Court. This is important because the investment there has reached 90 percent, he said. The Supreme Court decision has given a negative signal for the investment climate. The cement factory in the Kendeng karst mountain range that spans three regencies in Central Java (Rembang, Pati, and Grobogan) has been met with fierce protest from farmers there including nine women who have cemented their feet in front of the Presidential Palace as a form of protest. The farmers say that agriculture already provides enough money and food for the population and insist that they do not need factory jobs because their fields are fertile. They are also worried the cement factory will drain water from the water-rich karst mountain and dry their agricultural land. (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 House of Representatives has unanimously endorsed a bill on the ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change to step up the country's commitment in fighting global warming. The endorsement followed a series of discussions, including with the Environment and Forestry Ministry, about key points of the convention before passing it into law. "All political factions have agreed to follow up the deliberations at the House's steering committee and Commission VII, namely to take [the ratification] to the plenary meeting," Commission VII chairman Gus Irawan said during the meeting on Wednesday. The ratification aims to formalize the country's commitment to reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, within an international framework reached by the UN in 2015 in an effort to curb global warming. According to Gus, Indonesia already had a set of regulations that could support the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including Law No. 5/1960 on agriculture as well as Law No. 17/2004 that ratified the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. More than 170 world leaders have signed the deal, but it won't take effect until 55 countries accounting for at least 55 percent of global emissions have ratified or accepted it through their domestic procedures. 28 countries accounting for 39 percent of emissions, including the world's two biggest emitters, the United States and China, have already ratified the deal, Associated Press has reported. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Senior economist Mari Elka Pangestu has said human resources posed a key challenge for Indonesia to develop its digital economy. As the governments ambitious target of achieving US$130 billion in e-commerce transactions in 2020 requires a lot of trained workers, Indonesian start-ups have been facing difficulties in finding adequate amounts of talent, she went on. Even smartphone application-based ojek [motorcycle taxi] Gojek has had to acquire two Indian companies to fulfill their need for programmers," Mari said during a Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) seminar on the digital economy in Jakarta on Monday. The former trade minister said that as Indonesias e-commerce sector got bigger, more people specialized not only in basic coding but also in web security and big data, as well as infrastructure experts, would be needed. We must address our need for talent with specialized skills. Coding skills can be obtained through short vocational training but people who want to get engineering skills must go through longer formal education," Mari said. The government is set to launch an 'e-commerce roadmap' as one of components of its 14th economic package. Thirty one initiatives are being prepared to tackle seven issues in the e-commerce sector, including human resources and education. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agus Dermawan T. (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19 2016 A painting by Ida Bagus Made Widja (Batuan), Dance Performance More than 100 works of art from Keliki and Batuan, two villages in Bali known for their traditional Balinese paintings, are featured in the Keliki Miraculous, Batuan Jocularity exhibition at Hadi Hadiprana Gallery, Jalan Kemang Raya 30, South Jakarta. The exhibition, running until Oct. 23, will showcase 100 unique works from Keliki and 10 paintings from Batuan. Keliki art is known for its remarkably detailed miniature paintings ranging from 5 centimeters to 30 cm. Meanwhile, Batuan art is known for its style, originating in the 1930s, and has emerged as a premier style of Balinese art. While Batuan paintings make us smile, Keliki works make us think. Keliki is the most amazing painting school in Bali and perhaps the country, said Hanifah Komala, a collector, who opened the exhibition. The exhibition is the second Keliki-Batuan exhibition in Jakarta. The first took place in 2008. Indonesian collectors should spend time with these extraordinary paintings. European and American art collectors and investors have been purchasing these painting for decades. French and Spanish investors frequently take home Keliki art, collector and politician Jusuf Wanandi said during the previous exhibition. Realizing the importance of this art, Hadiprana Gallery decided to provide a space for the exhibition. Since the gallery was founded in 1962, then called Prasta Pandawa, Balinese paintings have been part of our collection. So the Keliki and Batuan exhibition is a necessity, said Hendra Hadiprana, the gallery owner, who is also an architect and an interior designer. Paintings from Keliki began with a unique coincidence. Keliki is located in Payangan village, Ubud district, 4 kilometers north of Ubud village. Ketut Sana, a Keliki resident, worked in Ubud, where he was acquainted with artists Gusti Nyoman Sudara Lempad and Wayan Gerudug. Ketut became interested in painting and when he returned to Keliki, he took the torn paper sheets left by Gusti and Wayan, measuring half of his hand span, on which he drew images. Ketuts visual horizon further expanded as he got a job at Dewata art shop in Batuan village, where he discovered Wayan Rajins detailed and intricate paintings, mostly small in size, similar to his initial drawings. Ketut was inspired by Rajins spirit, which encouraged making miniature paintings. Meanwhile, he included Ubud and Batuan styles into his work. Ketut continued to paint and taught Keliki people how to paint, as well. By 1980, hundreds of children were painting. A school was founded and dozens of promising painters enrolled, using pens, brushes and penelak (pointed palm-leaf ribs or bamboo sticks) to smear acrylic paint and water colors on paper. Tempo described Keliki art as created by the hands of gods. Keliki painters can only paint when the sun is out. We need maximum light, which only comes from the sun, said Wayan Nengah, a Keliki painter. Keliki artists can only work until age 40, as they are unable to handle such intricate details thereafter. The Keliki exhibition features work by Wayan Surana, Made Ocen, Ketut Periksa, Wayan Lanus, Made Jongko, Gusti Beseg, Made Sutama, Ketut Pasek, Nyoman Cemeng among others. The exhibition visitors have expressed frustration with the intricacy of the work, the gallery should provide magnifying glasses so we can see the unbelievable details. Paintings from Batuan evoke a different story. In Batuan, Sukawati district, Gianyar regency, since the early 20th century, traditional art has evolved, initially featuring tantrism, fables and mythology. Batuan painters prefer water colors or tempera as their medium. Ida Bagus Made Widja, Ida Bagus Made Togog, Nyoman Ngendon and Ketut Nama are well-known Batuan artists. Their art has been studied and collected by scientists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson from Princeton University in the US. Part of the collection was auctioned by Christies in Singapore in 2001. Batuan paintings maintain an enticing atmosphere (tenget in Balinese). In the beginning, most of paintings accentuated black and white colors known as sigar mangsi in Balinese. For additional colors, if any, only dark green and brown were applied so the paintings appeared monochromatic. Batuan painters have adopted tourism and rituals in Bali as themes for their paintings, usually presented in a satirical fashion. The sigar mangsi tradition is being abandoned as bright colors are taking its place. Wayan Bendi, Ketut Sadia, Ni Gusti Natih Arimini, Wayan Diana and Made Griyawan are Batuan artists of the 1980s who exhibit these trends. Batuan art keeps us young as the paintings keep us laughing, said a tourist visiting Bali. Photo by Agus Dermawan T to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19 2016 Body language: The Artemis Danza contemporary dance company will perform I Bislacchi - A Tribute to Fellini at the Ciputra Artpreneur theater on Oct. 21. One of the most beloved dance companies in Italy, the Parma-based Artemis Danza will return for a third time to Jakarta with its highly acclaimed production of I Bislacchi A Tribute to Fellini at Ciputra Artpreneur Theater, South Jakarta, for one performance on Oct. 21. Under the leadership of Monica Casadei, the companys acclaimed adaptation of the works of legendary Italian film director Frederico Fellini will be presented as part of a celebration of Italian Language Week, which is themed Italian and Creativity: Brands and Costumes, Fashion and Design, held worldwide from Oct. 17 to 21. The performance will be brought to Jakarta by the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta, in collaboration with Ciputra Artpreneur. Artemis Danza represents the theme title and Casadei herself is a fashion designer who created all the costumes inspired by the movies of Fellini, said Italian Cultural Institute Jakarta director Michela Linda Magri at a recent press conference. The dance company is renowned for utilizing the dancers body as an instrument to translate and transform the strong imageries, scenes and characters of Fellinis works to create a visually striking and highly dramatic production. Casadeis choreographic language, which is characterized by vigorous and energetic gestures, will ensure a unique presentation of the fascinating, colorful, fantastical and humorous world of the recipient of honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement at the Academy Awards in 1993. I Bislacchi, translated as The Weirds, embodies the odd ball characters that appeared in several films chosen by Casadei, including Fellinis Casanova, La Strada and Ginger e Fred. Casadei initially had a competitive career in rhythmic gymnastics then studied classical ballet and modern dance in Italy, London and Paris, where she moved in the late 1980s. In Paris, choreographers Pierre Doussaint and Isabelle Doubouloz fostered her professional growth. She was also influenced by martial arts training she had received in Paris while attending the Academie dArts Martiaux et dArts Contemporains. She attained 2-dan in Aikido and a teaching certificate at the Academie Autonome dAikido of master Kobayashi Hirokazu. In 1994, Casadei founded the Compagnia Artemis Danza in France and, with the company, she moved back to Italy in 1997. From 1998 to 2007, she was in-residence at the Teatro Due - Teatro Stabile of Parma and Reggio Emilia. She has created more than 30 ballets for Artemis Danza and has also choreographed many theater and opera performances. The company had made its debut in Jakarta in 2011 and returned for the evoking Traviata an adaptation of Giuseppe Verdis La Traviata based on Alexandre Dumas play La Dame aux Camelias last year. The theatrical dance will be accompanied by music from composer and pianist Nino Rota, who received an Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Godfather Part 2. The dance company will bring seven dancers and for the performance will collaborate with local dance students, including the dancers from Indonesia Dance Society founded by Juliana Tanjo. Casadei with her Artemis Danza will present the interpretation of films and interesting characters. It will be an unforgettable show as it combines humor, colors and other aspects into a single performance, she said. Photo Courtesy of Ciputra Artpreneur Theater to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Wed, October 19, 2016 The Japanese consul general in Medan, North Sumatra, said Tuesday evening that his office had been mandated to give Rp 4 billion a year to help the people of North Sumatra. Consul General Hirofumi Morikawa said during dinner with the press in Medan that the funds would be for used to develop public facilities such as school buildings, clean water facilities and drug rehabilitation centers. This week we will visit Sicanang in Belawan to help people there develop a trash bank, said Morikawa, who has been the consul general in Medan for one and a half years. Morikawa said the liked his job in Medan because the people were friendly and relations between people were harmonious. He also thought that Medan and other cities in North Sumatra had lots of development potential. We will invite Japanese investors to come here to see investment opportunities, he said. (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Improving basic infrastructure has become a top priority for the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla in its attempt to boost efficiency in logistics and improve the country's competitiveness. After two years, the Jokowi administration has taken several measures to accelerate infrastructure development, including a sharp increase in government investment in strategic projects and deregulation to simplify licensing procedures that had hampered progress. However, the government has acknowledged that it is not easy to realize this dream, due to a lack of funding. To that end, the government has shifted financing schemes to no longer depend primarily on the state budget, but instead involve domestic and foreign companies in public-private partnerships (PPP). National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) head Bambang Brodjonegoro recently said this was the new scheme for infrastructure funding in the future. "At least the government has already laid the foundation; [the next task is] to get PPP projects going," Bambang said, adding that some current infrastructure projects were already running under the PPP scheme, such as the mega power plant in Batang, Central Java. The government has provided numerous incentives to attract investors, such as viability gap funding, and availability payment. To cut transportation and logistics costs and reduce economic disparity between Java and the rest of the country, the government has set up 101 projects under the theme of connectivity, including projects for 52 toll roads, 17 airports, 13 seaports and 19 railway links. (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Two years of President Joko Jokowi Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla administration has shown positive improvements in the education sector, an education expert said Wednesday. Totok Amin Soefijanto, deputy rector for academic affairs at Paramadina University, said the government had done well in paying more attention to schooling in remote areas. The Jokowi-JK administration has made breakthroughs by giving better access to education in less developed, remote and peripheral areas. Many children in remote areas can now go to school, he told The Jakarta Post, adding that it was in line with the governments nine-point Nawacita vision on developing Indonesia from its borders. The government has also engaged parents in their childrens education by requiring them to accompany their children on their first day at school, thereby strengthening family ties, he said. In terms of teacher professionalism, Totok said, the Jokowi-Kalla administration had taken the initiative to conduct competency assessments and professional development programs for teachers. The Teacher and Lecturer Law stipulates that a professional teacher must have both certification and a bachelors degree. In fact, only about 3 million teachers had either, he said. The government has taken care of this issue and is keeping the learning process going in Indonesian schools. At the same time, the Education Ministry continues to improve teacher professionalism, he explained. Despite the positive side, Totok said many teachers had difficulty building a students character. For instance, a teacher often asks students to be prompt while in fact he often comes late, he said, arguing that teachers who wanted to teach values must practice those values. (win/dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Having spent two years in office, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has stated that 2016 is the year of national development acceleration, including fast-tracking infrastructure projects, capacity building, and economic deregulation. Since Oct. 20 2014, Jokowi has implemented several reforms in the energy sector as part of efforts to spur growth amid the prolonged global economic slowdown. The growth momentum has been maintained by focusing on three pillars: shifting the economic paradigm from consumption-based to production-based growth; well-targeted subsidies for poverty alleviation; and pushing for more equitable development outside Java. Read also: Jokowi's second year: Visible infrastructure commitment Presidential chief of staff Teten Masduki explained that the government had reallocated Rp 211.3 trillion from fuel subsidies to other productive programs, with the biggest chunk going to infrastructure followed by transportation, agriculture, the maritime sector, education, social services and health. In the field of infrastructure, the government is speeding up the construction of ports, highways and railways to support connectivity, as well as the construction of 35,000 megawatt (MW) power plants to revamp Indonesia's electrification ratio. "After 71 years of independence, Indonesia only has a power capacity of 52 GW [gigawatts]," Teten said. In terms of deregulation, the government has issued 13 economic policy package to create a better business climate, aiming to increase the country's ease of doing business. In terms of human development, Jokowi's administration is boosting vocational training. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Infrastructure acceleration is among the nine key programs (Nawacita) of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla's administration in a bid to increase the country's competitiveness. During the first two years of his presidency, Jokowi increased the infrastructure budget significantly, from Rp 290.3 trillion in 2015 to Rp 317.1 trillion in 2016. It will be further increased to Rp 346.6 trillion next year. "The commitment is visible and the results can already be seen. For example, Terminal 3 at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, as well as the construction of the trans-Sumatra and trans-Java toll roads," Samuel Asset Management economist Lana Soelistianingsih said on Tuesday in Jakarta. Read also: Jokowi's second year: The year of development acceleration Nonetheless, she argued, many of the projects were partial and yet to provide integrated infrastructure to support public transportation and meet citizen's basic rights. According to Lana, this was due to the government's limited fiscal power to invest in the public sector. "However, private participation has been seen in some of the projects," she went on. In 2016, a number of projects that have shown significant development are the Light Rail Transit (LRT), Kalibaru Terminal in Tanjung Priok port, Patimban port, Batang coal-fired power plant in Central Java, Serang-Panimbang Toll Road, airport revitalization and Palapa Ring project. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) is carrying out a preliminary investigation into suspected cartel practices committed by telecommunications operators XL Axiata and Indosat Ooredoo, the commissions top official said. We are still collecting information about it. Our focus is to question them about their motive for establishing a joint venture named One Indonesia Synergy, KPPU head Syarkawi Rauf told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. The KPPU is of the opinion that the joint venture company, which was established to engage in infrastructure development, might be used for possible cartel practices. This is because both companies could work together in determining tariffs, dividing geographical areas for their products and coordinating to restrict the output of their products. The antimonopoly agency is worried about such a situation because XL Axiata and Indosat Ooredoo should be in competition against each other. On Tuesday, KPPU summoned XL Axiata representatives to its headquarters in Jakarta to get more information about the case. Indosat Ooredoo had answered its summons a day before. Both companies have denied the allegations, claiming that the joint venture company is part of their cost efficiency efforts in the development of their 4G LTE network. XL Axiatas corporate communication general manager, Tri Wahyuningsih, claimed One Indonesia Synergy was not yet operational. The company will start its operations in March 2017, she said as quoted by Kompas. Responding to the statement, Syarkawi said: This is why we are telling them now that there is the potential for cartel practices if the joint venture comes to fruition. XL Axiata representatives who came to KPPUs office on Tuesday declined to comment on the matter. (win/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Local e-commerce company Bukalapak is not worried about Chinese giant Alibabas plan to expand into Indonesia as local players can still compete with foreign ones, the companys co-founder said. Bukalapak co-founder and chief financial officer Muhammad Fajrin Rasyid said that unlike social media, which adopted a general model for their users worldwide, e-commerce business models needed a so-called local touch. This was because customers preferences for goods, methods of payment and logistic systems were different in each country, he went on. "Our customers mainly buy 'local goods' such as sambal [traditional hot relish] and they prefer to use cash on delivery as a method of payment. We must understand things like this," Fajrin said at a Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) seminar on the digital economy in Jakarta on Monday. He further said that some foreign e-commerce companies had fallen victim to their own poor understanding of local customs. Japanese online market Rakuten Belanja Online closed in March while German-backed online delivery service Foodpanda Indonesia was shuttered on Oct. 3. "We are sure our customer to customer [C2C] model is still suitable for Indonesia. We have 1 million sellers and our mobile apps have the highest rate by users compared to other e-commerce companies," Fajrin said. During the event, Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) deputy of investment planning Tamba Parulian Hutapea confirmed that Chinese tech giant Alibaba would enter the Indonesian market soon. The company has bought German e-commerce company Lazada and plans to use the latters resources in Indonesia to make entry into its market. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih, Grace D. Amianti and Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Malang, East Java Wed, October 19, 2016 Against the governments expectations, the amount of funds repatriated under the tax amnesty remains low and experts point to the unappealing investment options onshore as the main culprit. As of Tuesday evening, the repatriated funds only stood at Rp 143 trillion (US$11 billion), less than 15 percent of the Rp 1 quadrillion targeted. The figure has remained flat since early this month. The government hopes the amount of repatriated funds will be high, as they are expected to help drive the sluggish domestic economy, which in 2015 expanded at its slowest pace in the past six years. President Joko Jokowi Widodo has even appeared in a television commercial, urging wealthy Indonesians to help build the country. However, the government needs more than just nationalism to lure tax amnesty funds back into the country. In the view of a Bahana TCW fund manager, big taxpayers are more comfortable investing in physical items that they can actually see, such as property. Bahana TCW chief economist and investor relations director Budi Hikmat said during his visit to Singapore, he observed that wealthy Indonesians preferred to invest in property or to have their assets managed by family offices or conglomerates. [Talks on] mutual funds dont resonate with them, he said recently. The Tax Amnesty Law allows repatriated assets to be invested onshore either in the financial or real sector through several investment mechanisms such as government and corporate bonds, mutual funds, stocks, gold and property for a minimum of three years. The latest data from the Directorate General of Taxation shows that a majority of the repatriated funds came from cash and cash equivalents, reaching almost 70 percent. Only 16 percent of the repatriated funds came from investment or securities, reflecting the reluctance of taxpayers to let go of their securities investments. Moreover, participants of the first phase and the second phase which will end in December have until year-end to bring home the funds, resulting in the slow progress. It seems many of them dont know where to invest yet, Bahana TCW president director Edward P. Lubis said. The lack of US dollar-denominated instruments hinders the repatriation as well, a fact acknowledged by bankers. According to them, a major reason why few funds are being repatriated is because the country lacks attractive investment products in banks and the overall financial industry, particularly US dollar-based instruments. HSBC Indonesia managing director and global markets head Ali Setiawan said the program should have been complemented by US dollar-based instruments since all of the incoming assets would be in US dollars. There are only a few foreign currency-based instruments available to absorb the funds, namely regular US dollar time deposits in banks. US dollar mutual funds and corporate bonds are exceedingly rare and they are plain vanilla compared to the investment instruments that taxpayers use overseas that have sophisticated structures and higher yields. Ali said he doubted big taxpayers would be interested in directly investing in infrastructure projects, like those offered by the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, because the government did not offer clear yield calculations to compensate this type of high-risk and long-term investment. However, despite the slow progress, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati is upbeat that the repatriated fund target is still feasible. The government is currently revising eight regulations to further ease investors, including the facilitation of non-cash asset repatriation such as in a global bond. The repatriation can be carried out in phases as well and the three-year lockup period will only begin after the assets enter the countrys financial system. Investors will also be allowed to channel their investments as capital within a limited liability and the use of capital will be adjusted to a companys own policy. _________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has passed a resolution on the formation of the Contact Group on Peace and Conflict Resolution (CG-PCR), originally proposed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. "The CG-PCR should be used as a forum to share experiences, strategies and knowledge in the search of common solutions on challenges faced by the Muslim people," Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said at the OIC ministerial meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, according to a statement from the ministry received on Wednesday. Initiated by Jokowi in 2015, the CG-PCR aims to serve as a forum for OIC member countries to share experiences and strategies on a wide range of political and security matters in the Islamic world, as well as to provide input for a solution that is both functional and action-oriented, the statement said. The consultative forum would be a platform to draw up joint strategies to face problems such as radicalism, extremism and terrorism that could emerge in the context of both intra-state and inter-state conditions. The OIC member countries, along with the organization's secretariat are expected to further discuss the modalities and format of the CG-PCR meeting to ensure that these forums are focused and are member-state driven. The 43rd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Tashkent also passed 114 additional resolutions related to issues of common concern, including conflicts across several OIC member countries such as in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen, the statement further said. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has praised Indonesia's commitment to supporting the peace process and independence of Palestine during the 43rd session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. "[OIC secretary general] Iyad Madani has emphasized that the implementation of the 5th OIC Extraordinary Summit on Palestine Al Quds Al Sharif in Jakarta, in March 2016, was a breakthrough that had recalled the importance of the settlement of conflicts in the Middle East as a whole," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, in a response to comments made by the OIC leader. Madani conveyed appreciation to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration for its support of the worlds efforts to achieve peace in Palestine. His praise was echoed by the foreign ministers of Palestine and Kuwait. Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi is currently attending the annual meeting, along with 23 other foreign ministers, where the theme this year takes focus of education. Uzbekistan's interim President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted the importance of the theme, pointing out its relevance in addressing the challenges faced by the Muslim world today, with education as an entry point to support the peace process by bolstering innovation and creativity. Madani stressed the importance for OIC to take a role in developing cooperation initiatives among member countries in the field of education, as well as ensuring peaceful conditions to avoid a repeat of various conflicts. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kelvin Chan (Associated Press) Hong Kong Wed, October 19, 2016 Tensions flared at Hong Kong's legislature Wednesday as pro-Beijing lawmakers prevented a pair of newly elected representatives advocating independence for the Chinese region from getting a second chance at taking their oaths. Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching of the radical activist Youngspiration party were among five lawmakers expected to redo their swearing-in so they can take office. They were part of a new wave of activist candidates who were elected last month amid a rising tide of anti-China sentiment in semiautonomous Hong kong. However, after two others recited their oaths properly, the pro-Beijing lawmakers staged a walkout, depriving the chamber of the quorum needed to continue. They blasted Leung and Yau apologize for being disrespectful and insulting China and demanded they apologize. The council's president adjourned the meeting after 15 minutes because there were not enough members to continue. At the legislature's opening session a week ago, the duo and two other pro-democracy lawmakers modified their oaths, which call for lawmakers to pledge allegiance to the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China." Leung, 30, and Yau, 25, had mispronounced China as Shina, an archaic Japanese term for the country that's seen as derogatory. Leung crossed his fingers while taking the oath while Yau combined "republic" with a curse word. They were getting a second chance after the top court rejected an unprecedented last-minute legal challenge from the government Tuesday evening. Hong Kong's Beijing-backed top leader and justice chief had sought to bar the pair from taking their oaths again. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Youkyung Lee (Associated Press) Seoul Wed, October 19, 2016 South Korean prosecutors said Wednesday they indicted the Lotte Group's founder, his mistress and all of his three children on embezzlement, tax evasion and other charges. Five family members including Lotte's founder Shin Kyuk-ho, 94, and the group's current chair, Shin Dong-bin, 61, together allegedly evaded a total US$76 million in taxes and embezzled $46 million of company funds, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said in a statement. Three others are the founder's older son Shin Dong-joo, 62, his daughter Shin young-ja, 73, and his 57-year-old common-law wife Seo Mi-kyung. The prosecutors said the Shin family members also incurred $123 million of losses to Lotte companies as the family used their outsized influence to control corporate funds and to make decisions favorable to them, not to shareholders. When Lotte sold its businesses to the founding family members, they were sold at prices way below market value. But when Lotte bought businesses or stocks from its founding family, it had to pay premiums, the prosecutors said. For example, Lotte sold its lucrative popcorn business at its movie chains to the founding family members, allowing them to monopolize the profits from selling popcorns to moviegoers. The profit should have gone to Lotte Shopping, which operates one of the biggest movie theater chains in South Korea, the officials said. Lotte also paid a total 50.8 billion won ($45 million) as salaries from 2005 to 2016 to two of the founder's children even though they did not hold any positions or have any duties with the company. Founding families that control chaebol, the big businesses dominating the South Korean economy, have been convicted in the past. The chiefs of Samsung, Hyundai Motor and SK have been found guilty of white color crimes but later received presidential pardons. It is unusual for prosecutors to seek charges against the entire family of a major South Korean business. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Rosita, a resident of Sukapura subdistrict in North Jakarta, arrived at the subdistrict office at 9 p.m. on a recent morning to have her photograph taken for her application for an electronic identity card (e-ID). She was hopeful that she would be served quickly, as she had heard about significant improvements to public services in the city. Yet she knew that she would have to wait a little, because many others had come earlier than her. She tried to be patient, but became furious upon finding that some other people entered the room without queuing. I have come here earlier, but they just bypassed, said Rosita angrily, as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday. Other residents supported Rosita and said that jumping the line for a shortcut service happened commonly. By the noon lunch break, Rosita had still not been called up and, when the service resumed again at 1 p.m., she was prepared to get her turn. But she was disappointed again. How can it take that long to get served! she asserted. Similar disappointment was expressed by Suhadri, who said he had to seek permission from his private-sector employer three times to apply for the e-ID card. And now, I still have to wait again for my turn, Sudri added. Finally, Rosita was served, after waiting for seven hours. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19 2016 The rich and famous can now depart on a jet plane to various Indonesian cities as the government eases a regulation on foreign registered private jets. Traveling by private jet is now possible after the Transportation Ministry issued a Ministerial Regulation No. 109/2016 on noncommercial and chartered foreign jets, effective on Sept. 14, which allows foreign-owned private jets to fly from one domestic airport to another. Previously, private jets could only travel to one international airport in Indonesia and were barred from making domestic flights. The regulation supports strategic national interests, such as investment, tourism and other activities related to the national economy. The jets, however, must obtain a special permit and flight approval from the Transportation Ministrys Air Transportation Director General, as well as diplomatic clearance and security clearance from the Foreign Ministry and Indonesian Military (TNI). Application request can be submitted online. The jets will be allowed to fly domestically for a maximum of 180 days but first must land at an international airport to undergo customs, immigration and quarantine procedures. The regulation is good news for the tourism sector, which has become the current administrations focus for boosting the domestic economy. In the past, wealthy people traveling by private jet from Thailand could only go to one destination, like Bunaken, North Sulawesi. They couldnt also go to Raja Ampat in Papua. Wasnt that senseless? Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said on Tuesday. Affluent individuals will play a significant role in the economy due to their capacity to spend money. The Tourism Ministry estimates that the spending amount of the jet-setters is equal to the spending of 30,000 regular tourists. Arief went on to say that many of the wealthy tourists who travel by jet would also travel by yacht later, which is another way to boost the countrys tourism industry, as spending per yacht is estimated to reach up to US$1 million. The Tourism Ministry hopes the regulation will pave the way for the government to reach its 20 million foreign tourists target by 2019. The number of foreign visitors stood at 7.36 million from January to August, according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). The goal for the full year is set at 12 million. Transportation Ministrys senior adviser to public communications and international affairs Dewa Made Sastrawan said that the regulation was part of the governments attempt to facilitate all stakeholders, including businesspeople. Meanwhile, the importance of domestic flights for jet planes is also acknowledged by French jet manufacturer Dassault Falcon. Dassault Falcon Asia Pacific president Jean-Michel Jacob said jet travellers were usually business leaders, such as chief executive officers of major corporations. A lot of them are business people looking to invest and establish businesses in the country, he said. Data from the company show that there were 52 business jets owned and operated in Indonesia in 2015, a 16 percent increase from the figure in 2014. Some of these jets are foreign owned. The company estimates that its Indonesian market can be expanded to accommodate at least 100 companies as business people crave comfort during long flights. The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) welcomes the regulation. Kadin vice chairperson of transportation Carmelita Hartoto said it would boost tourism as well as positively impact many business players. However, we also urge the government to ensure security and safety for such flights, she said. --------------- To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 The rich and famous can now depart on a jet plane to various Indonesian cities as the government eases a regulation on foreign registered private jets. Traveling by private jet is now possible after the Transportation Ministry issued a Ministerial Regulation No. 109/2016 on noncommercial and chartered foreign jets, effective on Sept. 14, which allows foreign-owned private jets to fly from one domestic airport to another. Previously, private jets could only travel to one international airport in Indonesia and were barred from making domestic flights. The regulation supports strategic national interests, such as investment, tourism and other activities related to the national economy. The jets, however, must obtain a special permit and flight approval from the Transportation Ministrys Air Transportation Director General, as well as diplomatic clearance and security clearance from the Foreign Ministry and Indonesian Military (TNI). Application request can be submitted online. The jets will be allowed to fly domestically for a maximum of 180 days but first must land at an international airport to undergo customs, immigration and quarantine procedures. The regulation is good news for the tourism sector, which has become the current administrations focus for boosting the domestic economy. In the past, wealthy people traveling by private jet from Thailand could only go to one destination, like Bunaken, North Sulawesi. They couldnt also go to Raja Ampat in Papua. Wasnt that senseless? Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said on Tuesday. Affluent individuals will play a significant role in the economy due to their capacity to spend money. The Tourism Ministry estimates that the spending amount of the jet-setters is equal to the spending of 30,000 regular tourists. Arief went on to say that many of the wealthy tourists who travel by jet would also travel by yacht later, which is another way to boost the countrys tourism industry, as spending per yacht is estimated to reach up to US$1 million. The Tourism Ministry hopes the regulation will pave the way for the government to reach its 20 million foreign tourists target by 2019. The number of foreign visitors stood at 7.36 million from January to August, according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). The goal for the full year is set at 12 million. Transportation Ministrys senior adviser to public communications and international affairs Dewa Made Sastrawan said that the regulation was part of the governments attempt to facilitate all stakeholders, including businesspeople. Meanwhile, the importance of domestic flights for jet planes is also acknowledged by French jet manufacturer Dassault Falcon. Dassault Falcon Asia Pacific president Jean-Michel Jacob said jet travellers were usually business leaders, such as chief executive officers of major corporations. A lot of them are business people looking to invest and establish businesses in the country, he said. Data from the company show that there were 52 business jets owned and operated in Indonesia in 2015, a 16 percent increase from the figure in 2014. Some of these jets are foreign owned. The company estimates that its Indonesian market can be expanded to accommodate at least 100 companies as business people crave comfort during long flights. The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) welcomes the regulation. Kadin vice chairperson of transportation Carmelita Hartoto said it would boost tourism as well as positively impact many business players. However, we also urge the government to ensure security and safety for such flights, she said. ______________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Wasamon Audjarint (The Nation/ANN) Bangkok Wed, October 19, 2016 The New King will be the one to endorse the new constitution before it comes into force in accordance with the governments planned road map towards democracy, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Tuesday. It is resolved now that once the mourning ceremonies have passed a period of seven or 15 days, it should be appropriate to follow the (2007 charters) Article 23, Prayut said after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Article 23 specifies: [I]n the case where the Throne becomes vacant and the King has already appointed His Heir to the Throne under the Palace Law on Succession, BE 2467, the Council of Ministers shall notify the President of the National Assembly. The President of the National Assembly shall then convoke the National Assembly for the acknowledgement thereof and shall invite such Heir to ascend the Throne and proclaim such Heir King. Prayut said: Please do not cast doubts on the succession to the throne. It will follow the charter, palace law and customs. Our road map will also certainly be unaffected. The premiers remarks, together with the road maps requirement that the charter draft be promulgated within a few months, suggested the possible period when the new king will be crowned. Constitution drafter chief Meechai Ruchuphan submitted the final draft of the charter to the Cabinet on Oct. 11, while the prime minister had 30 days to consider before seeking Royal endorsement. That endorsement that will require up to another 90 days, meaning that the charter draft should be promulgated, at the latest, by February next year, said Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, a legal expert. Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, the only legitimate heir to the throne, has not yet assumed the throne because he has preferred to join the public mourning for King Bhumibol Adulyadej before proceeding with the succession. The Crown Princes decision temporarily delayed a process designated by Article 23, referred to in this case by the current charter draft, in which the president of the National Assembly would invite the heir to ascend to the throne and proclaim him king. In the interim period before the heir is proclaimed under Article 23, the president of the Privy Council, Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda, became Regent pro tempore and acting head of state in accordance with Article 24. The Regent would act on behalf of the throne only on the basis of necessity, Prayut said. During his news briefing, Prayut emphasized that the government would strictly adhere to the road map without delay |during the mourning period. The government would also continue to drive the country forward, including adopting the late Kings initiatives, including the sufficiency economy philosophy to help the Kingdom to achieve the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, Prayut said. Please turn your grief into uniting power and use your wisdom to move forward, he said. We also have to help create correct understanding together. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bullit Marquez and Bogie Calupitan (Associated Press) Manila Wed, October 19, 2016 A Philippine police van rammed into protesters, leaving several bloodied, as an anti-US rally turned violent Wednesday at the American Embassy in Manila. At least three student activists had to be taken to a hospital after they were ran over by the van driven by a police officer, protest leader Renato Reyes said. Associated Press TV footage showed the van repeatedly ramming the protesters as it drove wildly back and forth after activists surrounded and started hitting the vehicle with wooden batons they seized from police. In front of horrified crowds, including videojournalists and photographers, the van suddenly charged backward then sprinted forward twice over a space of about 20 meters (60 feet), barreling through the scattered protesters and hurtling some to the side like bowling pins. A few got ran over but somehow managed to stand. Some screamed in surprise, others hurled stones at the van and yelled invectives. A speaker called the police "puppies of imperialists" on a loudspeaker. "There was absolutely no justification for it," Reyes said of the violent police dispersal of about 1,000 protesters. "Even as the president vowed an independent foreign policy, Philippine police forces still act as running dogs of the US" Police lobbed tear gas and arrested at least 23 protesters who broke through a line of riot police and hurled red paint at the officers and a US government seal at the start of the rally at the seaside embassy compound. A firetruck doused the rowdy protesters with water to push them back, but they took hold of the water hose and confronted the outnumbered police with rocks and red paint. After breaking through the police corridor, they scribbled "US troops out now" and other slogans at the embassy's tall fence with red paint. The protesters, consisting of students, workers and tribespeople, were demanding an end to the presence of visiting US troops in the Philippines and to support a call by President Rodrigo Duterte for a foreign policy not dependent on the US, the country's longtime treaty ally. The activists came from the largest left-wing umbrella group called Bayan (Nation), which has organized regular anti-US protests in front of the embassy for decades, most of which are peaceful. Duterte was on a state visit to China, where he is seeking to repair relations strained under his predecessor over territorial conflicts in the South China Sea. He is also seeking to expand two-way trade and investments and financing for badly needed infrastructure projects. Amid an uneasy relationship with the US, Duterte has tried to reach out to China and Russia, bringing uncertainty to his country's long alliance with America. But the protesters also opposed the president's effort to lean toward China. "The Philippines will not be dictated on, whether by the US or China," they said in a statement. The Philippine National Police did not comment immediately Wednesday. The violence happened as the police and Duterte are under increased international scrutiny for their alleged role in the killings of thousands of drug suspects and pushers as part of the president's war on illegal drugs. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Gomez contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Daxim L. Lucas (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) Beijing Wed, October 19, 2016 The Philippines is set to negotiate a deal with China to jointly explore energy sources in the disputed West Philippine Sea. According to The Inquirer, officials of the Duterte administration were holding talks with their Chinese counterparts to finalize a deal that could see both governments work hand-in-hand to find oil or natural gas in what is also known internationally as the South China Sea. What we are looking at is a deal that will first cover exploration activities in the uncontested areas, said an administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as sensitive discussions were still ongoing. When questioned about which potential areas would be considered uncontested, given that Chinas so-called nine-dash line territorial claim encompasses most of the South China Sea, the official stated that these may be areas closer to the Philippines, including the Recto Bank, that are firmly under the Philippine governments control. Forum Energy Plc. holds the license for Service Contract 72, which covers the Recto Bank, known internationally as the Reed Bank. The company is a subsidiary of Manuel Pangilinan-led Philex Petroleum Corp. Pangilinan is one of the business tycoons joining the official business delegation of Dutertes four-day state visit. Forum Energy was licensed a few years ago by the Department of Energy to conduct a drilling survey in a petroleum exploration area, but the territorial dispute later prompted the government to issue a moratorium on exploration activities. Were still finalizing it, but we will finish this deal in time, the administration official said. Another member of the delegation of President Dutertes state visit said the proposed deal called for Philippine-China cooperation to start work closer to the Philippines and away from the disputed reefs and islets as a confidence-building measure between both sides. The issue of sovereignty will not be touched, he said, adding that once a more comfortable working relationship has been established, both sides can proceed to discuss the more sensitive areas around the South China Sea. If sealed successfully, the joint energy exploration agreement would mark one of the most dramatic foreign policy turnarounds in recent Philippine history. Under the aegis of the US support, the Philippine government had sued China in The Hague-based International Court of Arbitration, winning a unanimous decision that struck down Chinas nine-dash line claims. China does not recognize the decision. Its always good to build stronger partnerships with our neighbor China, said Victor Manhit, managing director of think tank Stratbase. However, any joint exploration deal must be based on the existing laws, Manhit remarked. Manhit noted that the Constitution, which empowered the executive branch to deal with China, was specific in its mandate that the territorial integrity of the country must not be compromised in any way. Manhit cautioned against using a formula first proposed under the Arroyo administration in which the Philippine and Chinese governments would conduct joint seismic explorations as a prelude to possible commercial energy deals while sidestepping sensitive sovereignty issues. We have to be careful because sovereignty is a non-negotiable, he said. It would open a lot of doors [to other potential claimants] if we give in, he emphasized. Manhit added that the current talks between the Philippine and the Chinese governments would reveal the true nature of Chinas intentions toward the Philippines. This is a test to see if they are really our friends or are just bullying us, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 19, 2016 Raja Ampat is no longer a foreign destination for diving enthusiasts from around the world. One of its main islands, Misool, has been named one of the Top 100 Global Destinations. Various traveling programs have been created to boost tourism to the regency, including a cruise program by state-owned ship operator Pelni. For those planning to visit Raja Ampat for the first time, here is a guideline on how to reach the West Papuan region. (Read also: Thailand issues tourist guidelines for mourning period) Reaching Sorong Before entering the Raja Ampat area, travelers need to reach Domine Eduard Osok Airport in Sorong, West Papua. Both direct and indirect flights are available from Jakarta to Sorong at one-way prices starting from of Rp 1.4 million (US$107). Unfortunately a direct flight from Bali is not yet available. Transferring to Sorong harbor After arriving in Domine Eduard Osok, travelers should head to Sorong harbor to catch a boat to Waisai, the capital of Raja Ampat regency, which is located on Waigeo Island. To reach the harbor, visitors can opt for a 10-20 minute taxi ride that will costs around Rp 100,000, an ojek (motorcycle taxi) for around Rp 20,000 or local minibuses that will cost less but may take considerably longer to get there. (Read also: Banten eyes more tourists with Baduy Festival) From Sorong harbor to Raja Ampat Upon arriving at Sorong harbor, you have these options to get to the Raja Ampat Islands: public ferries, speedboats, regular boats or aircraft operated by private carrier Susi Air. The two-hour ride on a public ferry is one of the most popular options, with fares starting at Rp 130,000 for an economy class seat. The ferry will depart from or to Sorong at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Saturdays, it will only depart at 2 p.m. or 12 p.m. from Waisai to Sorong. Meanwhile, regular boats take about four hours and cost around Rp 100,000 per person, as reported by kompas.com. Speedboats are faster and will take travelers straight to their lodgings, which is why they may cost a million rupiah or more. Those opting to fly with Susi Air will need to contact the airline directly, as it has only a tentative flight schedule. Island-hopping in Raja Ampat The main activity for tourists in Raja Ampat is island-hoppingvisiting the four main islands of Raja Ampat, namely Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool, or perhaps the smaller islets. As the fare may be high, it is advised to arrange transportation and accommodation with your host prior to arrival in Waisai. (kes) (Read also: Must-see artworks at National Gallery Singapore) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurni Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra Wed, October 19, 2016 More than 1,600 scholarships are available annually for Indonesians interested in studying in the EU. EU Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Guerend said the scholarships aimed to provide students with resources to better shape their future. "We hope it will help them further excel in their field of expertise and that upon returning to Indonesia they will be able to contribute to the development of their country. We also hope they will come back with good memories of Europe, Guerend told The Jakarta Post during the EU Scholarship Fair in Medan, North Sumatra, on Wednesday. The number of Indonesians studying in Europe is said to increase from year to year. "In 2015, more than 6,000 Indonesian students departed for Europe, bringing the total number of Indonesians studying in the continent to 9,000; this includes those with scholarships funded by the EU and the Indonesian government, as well as self-funded students," said Guerend. (Read also: Papuan students receive US scholarships) Among the exhibitors at the event are the EU, the British Embassy/British Council, Irish Embassy, Swedish Embassy/Study in Sweden, the Polish Embassy, Campus France/IFI, DAAD Germany, Nuffic Neso Netherlands and Uni-Italia. In addition to sharing information at their booths, the exhibitors also gave presentations to visitors throughout the day. A participant, Sekar, who graduated from North Sumatra University, said that among her favorite countries to study were Germany, the Netherlands and France. The EU is set to organize another event in November, the European Higher Education Fair, in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya. (kes) Read the digital edition 2020-09-25 E-Edition The Jewish Advocate is a not-for-profit reader-supported 501(c)3 organization. We rely on your donations which are tax-deductible. A Moving Image takes an interesting look at gentrification in Brixton. As Nina, played by Tanya Fear, returns to the area after some time away in East London, she rails against the presence of hipsters and wealthier people in the area. However, things are made more complex when she is seen as a symbol of gentrification by those around her when she tries to make a film on the subject.The film is truly a product of people coming together in community. Film-maker Shola Amoo raised 4,782 on Indiegogo and the rest of his 7,000 goal outside of the website to get the project off the ground. A Moving Image premiered at the London Film Festival last week, and is on show at the Hackney Picturehouse and Brixtons own Ritzy cinema. You can also get involved. The moviesis asking people to take part in the conversation by sending in videos of gentrification in their communities. Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. 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The Ecuadorian national emblem attached to railings outside their London Embassy, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. Midway through releasing a series of damaging disclosures about U.S. presidential contender Hillary Clinton, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says his hosts at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London abruptly cut him off from the internet. The news adds another layer of intrigue to an extraordinary campaign. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Trick or Treat: Why do we do it? According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween is the countrys second largest commercial holiday, boasting an estimated $3.1 billion in candy sales. The roots of the holiday stem from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain in which people gathered during the Middle Ages, dressed and performed as ghosts and demons... Covering the gap The lump shows up at a routine mammogram. The thyroid has enlarged. Theres blood in the stool. The EKG reading is abnormal. Every one of these indicators are symptoms of potentially life-threatening conditions or disease. These conditions are often identified through preventive screenings at the local health department, and additional... KICK OFF EVENT The BCHF welcomes Tim Tebow on Thursday, November 10. The Heisman trophy winner will speak at the Burke County High School J.D. Smith Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Tickets sales benefit the foundation and its mission to serve our communitys underprivileged. For tickets, call 706-55-3456. Breast Cancer; Burke Health asks if you are at risk Convenient appointments using state-of-the-art 3D technology can be performed right here in Waynesboro at the new Burke Imaging building at the Burke Health campus. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, accounting for 30% of all diagnosed cancers. In addition, early onset breast... India is keen on the possibility of setting up a fertilizer plant in Algeria -- a joint venture to tap the rich resources of phosphate possessed by the North African country. Talks had been underway, between India and Algeria, on the modalities of setting up of the fertilizer plant. On Wednesday, with the intention of giving the process a political push, Minister of State for fertilisers and chemicals Mansukh L. Mandaviya held discussions with the Algerian Industry Minister Abdessalem Bouchouareb. Algeria is estimated to have a phosphate reserve of around five billion tones, and it is keen that India harvest it as part of a joint venture. The Indian share in the project is proposed to be 49 per cent. Todays talks are a major step in concretising the proposal of setting up of the company as a joint venture. Now, India has to come up with a proposal on the composition of the Indian plant details of the financiers, demarcation of responsibilities and the company which will provide the engineering expertise. Mandaviya was accompanying Vice President Hamid Ansari on a two-day visit to Algeria, and a major thrust of the visit is to firm up Indias cooperation with the north African nation in the fields of hydrocarbons and fertilizers. India is keen on obtaining a share in the phosphate reserve, as it will help in bringing down the import bill of phosphates, with the country importing more than 96 per cent of its requirement. Officials say that it will also help in lightening the subsidy burden on fertilizers. Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sujata Mehta, said India was looking forward to explore cooperation with Algeria in new areas like in fertilisers, pharmaceuticals, space and information technology. The phosphate reserve is estimated to be more than five billion tonnes, and Indias investment in the project is likely to be in the range of USD five to seven billion. Indian Ambassador to Algeria, Satbir Singh, said that the Indian involvement will be a combined effort of both government and private sectors. Around 90-95 per cent phosphate being used by Indian fertiliser companies is imported and the production cost is also very high. If India can join hands with Algeria by providing funds and technology to set up a fertiliser company by using Algerian phosphate and gas, and the fertiliser is taken to India, the cost would be quite low, he said. The subsidy burden of the government for fertilisers, which is Rs 86,000 crore to Rs 90,000 crore per annum, will also come down, he said. The Indian fertiliser industry produces about 12.28 million MT of nitrogen and 4.37 million MT of phosphatic nutrient production. India ranks second in the production of nitrogenous fertilizers and third in phosphatic fertilizers. According to a report by Department of Fertilisers, by the year 2016-17, fertilizer demand in the country is projected to increase to about 336.77 lakh tons of urea, 124.13 lakh tons of DAP, 59.48 lakh tons of SSP and 47.93 lakh tons of MOP. Bilateral trade between India and Algeria stood at 1.5 billion per annum, a large chunk of which was related to the import of oil and oil products to India. India exports automobile, auto components, buffalo meat and garments to Algeria. Last few weeks have turned out to be tumultuous for Karan Johar and his upcoming film, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. His video message, with a heartfelt plea to political parties opposing the release of the film, hasn't worked in the film's favour. The Week has learnt that the Maharashtra Navnirman Kamgar Sena is not sympathetic to the filmmaker's plea and has issued notices (the copy of which is in our possession) to cinema chains asking not to release the film or face consequences. The letter, issued in Marathi, says, Indians sincerely feel that you should not screen films in which features artistes from Pakistan, as the country has been constantly launching cowardly attacks to spread terror in India. Recently,18 jawans died when an army base in Uri was attacked. Now, the time has come for us to show our swabhimaan. As a patriotic duty, we are requesting you not to release films with Pakistani actors. Later, signed by Dr Manoj Chauhan, president MNKS, the letter urges the cinema chain again with a threat. It says, We urge you to agree to our request, otherwise we will have to show you our fierce deshseva. Further, highlighting a few lines, it says, If you do not adhere to our request, those of your workers associated with our Union won't work with you. While the cinema chains have received the letter, they are not ready to speak on the matter as of now. Facing unprecedented warnings of a rigged election from Donald Trump, state officials around the country are rushing to reassure the public, and some are taking subtle steps to boost security at polling places because of the passions whipped up by the race. This election the environment is unlike any before, South Carolina Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire said. Some states are trying to coordinate with local law enforcement to tighten security without making a heavy-handed and potentially illegal show of force. And some schools that double as polling places have canceled classes on Election Day for fear of agitated voters and demonstrators in school hallways. Over the weekend, a firebombing heavily damaged a local Republican Party office in North Carolina. No injuries were reported. And after a bomb threat at the Arizona GOP headquarters on Monday, the state party said it will probably hire security guards. As Trumps poll numbers have dropped amid accusations from multiple women that he groped them without consent, the Republican nominee has warned that the election is about to be stolen from him on Nov. 8 by backers of Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump has called on people to act as election observers in certain areas of the country to help prevent fraud a move that has stirred fears of voter intimidation and confrontations at the polls. In North Carolina, state election officials are coordinating with sheriffs to make sure law enforcement agencies know the location of each polling place on Election Day, in case they need to be called. And in South Carolina, election officials have asked local law enforcement to increase patrols near voting locations while being careful not to oversaturate the area and intimidate voters. Given the nations long history of intimidating black voters, especially in the South, local officials must tread carefully in stepping up security. In South Carolina, for example, authorities said that under state law, police are not allowed to enter polling places unless they are summoned by election officials. If it is not done correctly, not only can it intimidate voters, it can also be against the law, said Adam Gitlin, counsel for the Brennan Center for Justices Democracy Program at the New York University School of Law. Many states have laws that specifically provide that election officials are the ones who are in charge of keeping order. In Falmouth, Maine, local officials decided to call off classes at public schools that will be used as polling places on Election Day. Mr. Trump has a way to get people excited, I would say. Its on both sides. I think everybody has seen it on TV enough to be concerned, Falmouth Police Chief Ed Tolan said. We dont need those kinds of demonstrations with students on school grounds. In Washington, city election officials will meet with the federal Homeland Security Department to discuss security at polling places and will take extra measures if necessary, Board of Elections spokeswoman Tamara Robinson said. Officials in a number of states said they are following standard security procedures for elections and not taking any special precautions beyond that. There is a reasonable level of paranoia, said Ken Menzel, general counsel for the Illinois Board of Elections. But Im not hearing that the level of paranoia is much different from in previous years. In metropolitan Atlanta, the Cobb County Sheriffs Office said that the Georgia Constitution requires the county sheriff to provide security at each polling place and that the department does that for every election. Officials also sought to reassure the public that the election is secure against rigging. Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Democrat, said Trumps comments were dangerous and divisive. In Tennessee, GOP Secretary of State Tre Hargett said the election will be fair and honest. Anything that causes people to have less confidence to vote, I frown upon. Regardless of what party that comes from, he said. In heavily Democratic Philadelphia, a city Trump singled out as a place to watch for fraud, elected leaders bristled at such allegations as an attempt to disrupt voting and discourage minorities from going to the polls. We will not tolerate any sort of foolishness on Election Day, and its even insulting to suggest that Philadelphians would, said Democratic City Councilwoman Cindy Bass. (AP) As reported by YWN-ISRAEL, Israel last week announced it is suspending all cooperation with UNESCO following the UN-affiliates latest outrage, its resolution denying any Jewish connection to Har Habayis and the Kosel. The draft vote was ratified by UNESCO on Tuesday, the first day Chol Hamoed Sukkos in Eretz Yisrael as reported by YWN-ISRAEL. Following is President Reuven Rivlins response to the draft resolution. There is no festival more connected to Jerusalem than Sukkos, began the President. The festivals of Israel all highlight the inextricable bond between our people and our land, and no forum or body in the world can come and deny the connection between the Jewish people, the Land of Israel and Jerusalem and any such body that does so simply embarrasses itself. The President added, We can understand criticism, but you cannot change history. The President made the comments as he was joined at his residence by children of Presidents Office staff members to decorate the Presidents sukkah in preparation for the upcoming festival. Before helping the children hang decorations and pictures in the sukkah, President Rivlin welcomed them and said, I want to wish all the people of Israel a happy and joyous Sukkos, which we are able to celebrate thanks to the dedication and hard work of the security services who deserve our praise. He concluded by inviting the Israeli public to the traditional Open Sukkah at the Presidents Residence, Come and be welcomed in the sukkah, he said, which is the sukkah in your house. The Presidents Residence is the home of all citizens of Israel. From here, go to the Kosel not out of a need to explain to anyone the connection between us and the Western Wall, but because there is no greater elation than to be at the Kosel in Israel. Deputy Foreign Minister Hotevelys response: The Executive Board of UNESCO has disgraced its international mandate in this politicized and distorted resolution. The fact that more states abstained than supported the resolution underscores the deep reservations of many states with regard to this shameful resolution. The countries that supported this resolution have lent their voice to the lie propagated by the Palestinians that the Temple Mount is an exclusively Islamic site. This falsification of history is an affront to the ancient Jewish and Christian connections to Jerusalem. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Thirty-three IDF orphans celebrated their bar/bas mitzvahs in a day-long event in Jerusalem organized by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. The day of celebrations began at the Herzl Museum, where the children learned about the roots of Zionism and the Jewish State. Following the museum visit, the moving bar/bas mitzvah ceremony began with the IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Rafi Peretz and IDFWO Chairperson Tami Shelach presenting the boys with their first set of tefilin, after which they were called up to the Torah with musical accompaniment from the Chief IDF Cantor and his choir. The bas mitzvah girls received religious books and candlesticks, while the non-Jewish orphans also received religious items in accordance with their own faiths. The ceremony was followed by a seuda and event at the Jerusalem Theatre in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkott and Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman. The Israeli children were joined by A.J Voelke, a Jewish American boy who lost his father in Afghanistan while serving with the US Army. Tami Shelach, Chairperson of IDF Widows and Orphans Organization: We are one large family that has turned our loss into hope for a better future. I want you all to know that we will always be there for you. To your wonderful parents, I say look around at the incredible children around us that you have imbued with the love of the Land and People of Israel, be proud of yourselves, that after everything that youve been through you have still raised magnificent children. President Reuven Rivlin: I know that all of you will continue to be a source of hope to make the world a better and more peaceful place. We will accompany you always as you continue to grow and make your families and the People of Israel proud. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman: I am happy to be here and honored to give you a blessing on this day. We will continue to stand by your side, to help with the pain and longing. I want to thank IDFWO on another year of successful programs. All of Israel adopts you into their hearts. Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkott: I know how much you miss your parents and spouses, no words can help the pain, I want to thank IDFWO and Tami Shelach, for always providing a helping hand, a shoulder to lean on and an open heart. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: IDFWO) The man accused of setting off bombs in New York City and New Jersey is out of the hospital and behind bars. 28-year-old Ahmad Khan Rahimi, the suspect behind the pipe bomb on the Jersey Shore and the pressure cooker bombs in Chelsea, was moved Tuesday to the State Prison in Trenton by the New Jersey Deptartment of Corrections. He had been recovering in the hospital since he was shot seven times by police in Linden Sept. 19th. Rahimi is charged with five counts of attempted murder of a police officer for the shootout during his capture. Rahimi pleaded not guilty last week to charges he tried to kill police officers before they captured him. An attorney entered the pleas as Rahimi appeared from his hospital bed in Newark in his first public appearance since last months bombings and police chase. (AP) Ecuadors government acknowledged on Tuesday that it cut off WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges internet access at its embassy in London after the whistleblowing site published a trove of damaging emails from Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. The foreign ministry said that while it stands by its 2012 decision to grant Assange asylum based on legitimate concerns he faces political persecution, it respects other nations sovereignty and doesnt interfere or support any candidate in foreign elections. The decision to make this information public is the exclusive responsibility of the WikiLeaks organization, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The recognition of the reprimand comes less than 24 hours after WikiLeaks tweeted that Ecuador had cut off Assanges access to the Internet on Saturday after the publication of Clintons speeches to Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs. In follow-up messages posted Tuesday, the group claimed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had personally intervened to ask Ecuador to stop Assange from publishing documents about Clinton. Citing multiple US sources, WikiLeaks said the request was made on the sidelines of a visit by Kerry and Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa last month to Colombia to show their support for a peace deal with leftist rebels. The State Department denied the allegation and Correas leftist government said it was acting on its own and not ceding to foreign pressures. The foreign ministry didnt specify the extent of the temporary restrictions on Assange, saying only that they wouldnt affect WikiLeaks ability to carry out its journalistic activities. While our concerns about Wikileaks are longstanding, any suggestion that Secretary Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down Wikileaks is false, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in an email. Speaking to reporters later, deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Kerry never even raised the issue or met with Correa during his visit to Colombia. There just was no meeting, he said. They didnt discuss any of this stuff. Assange has been holed up at the modest embassy suite at No. 3 Hans Crescent for more than four years after skipping bail to avoid extradition to Sweden over crime allegations, a position which until now hasnt prevented him from continuing to play a pivotal role in exposing state secrets and backroom trade deals. WikiLeaks said unspecified contingency plans were in place and the site and its Twitter feed appeared to be working as usual. On Tuesday it released another tranche of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, suggesting that the groups ability to publish has yet to be compromised. The disclosure was the 11th installation in a series of leaks that have captured the workings of Clintons inner circle. Those leaks themselves are part of a wider cascade that have embarrassed the Democratic Party and which the American intelligence community has recently described as an attempt by the Russian government to interfere in the U.S. election. Staff at WikiLeaks and the embassy either declined comment or didnt return messages. Assange fled to the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012, after a drawn-out and ultimately unsuccessful legal battle to being sent to Sweden, where he remains wanted over an allegation of rape. Ecuador granted him asylum, but British authorities have made clear they would arrest him if he tried to leave. Londons Metropolitan Police used to maintain a visible presence outside the building, although officers were nowhere in sight when an AP journalist visited on Tuesday. Assange has carved out a life at Hans Crescent, dining on delivered food, welcoming famous well-wishers and even occasionally addressing the media from the embassys balcony. On Saturday, former television star Pamela Anderson paid a visit. But evidence of mutual suspicion with his hosts surfaced after BuzzFeed News drew on leaked documents to detail tensions between Assange and Ecuadorean embassy staff. In targeting Clinton, Assange may have run afoul of Correas own preference for the Democratic candidate and a renewed effort to repair strained relations with Washington. The president recently said that while a Trump victory would energize Latin Americans to reject overhanded U.S. policies in the world much in the way George W. Bushs invasion of Iraq did he personally would like to see Clinton prevail. For the good of the United States and the world, and for my personal appreciation of her, Id like to see Hillary win, he told the Moscow-backed RT broadcaster last month. Assange isnt likely to submit to the internet ban quietly. Over the weekend WikiLeaks released three lines of code it described as pre-commitments, labeling them John Kerry, Ecuador, and FCO an apparent reference to Britains Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Pre-commitments are cryptographic functions that can be used to verify the integrity of material released subsequently. Thomas White, a U.K.-based security researcher and transparency activist, saw the posts as a warning to the named parties that WikiLeaks had ammunition in reserve if Ecuadorean authorities do not continue to offer him political asylum. (AP) A former ally of Republican Gov. Chris Christie is on the witness stand for a third day in the criminal trial stemming from lane closures at the George Washington Bridge in 2013. Bill Baroni and former Christie staffer Bridget Kelly are charged with causing traffic jams at the bridge to punish a Democratic mayor who didnt endorse Christie. Kelly is also expected to testify. Baroni testified this week he believed a former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey colleague who pleaded guilty that the lane realignment was part of a traffic study. Prosecutors contend that was a cover story to mask the plots true intention. Baroni and Kelly face nine counts each, and the most serious carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. (AP) [PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Health Minister Yaakov Litzman on the first day of chol hamoed Sukkos in Israel visited attack victim Rav Mendel Deitsch, 63, who is recuperating from surgery in Tel Hashomer Hospital. The rav was assaulted and left for dead in the Ukraine earlier this month. He was treated initially in a local hospital, and then arrangements were set into place to fly him back to Israel, and he has since undergone neurosurgery for his extensive head injuries. Family members are reporting their fathers condition is quite serious. He is still in a medically induced coma and on assisted breathing, calling on the tzibur to be mispallel for Mendel Mordechai ben Miriam bsoch kol cholei yisrael. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A report prepared by IDF Major-General Yossi Bachar before Operation Protective Edge stated Israel was not really aware of the scope and magnitude of the threat posed to Israel by the Hamas tunnel network from Gaza to southern Israel. As a result of this report, the Prime Minister and his cabinet were unaware of the magnitude of the threat and the IDF was not properly prepared to address the tunnel warfare. According to the Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) report, the IDF was not aware of the level of sophistication of the Hamas tunnel network and its lack of preparedness did result in operational failures during the 2014 counter-terrorism military offensive in Gaza. The report quotes a defense establishment official, who explains the IDF kept the findings of the report quiet. The IDF spokesman released a statement that the findings of the probe have been studied and incorporated in military operations in an appropriate fashion including an increase in the number of soldiers trained for tunnel warfare. While cabinet ministers expressed shock upon hearing of the report, both Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman insist they were unaware of the report until hearing about it from Galei Tzahal. It is reported that former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon was informed of the findings of the report. Yaalons office said: This was an internal military review, explaining the cabinet is not expected to focus on internal IDF reviews of an operation, adding An abstract of the findings was presented to the cabinet, but only as a general reference and nothing more. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) John Allan, chairman of Barratt Developments, is becoming something of a legal eagle. The former Deutsche Post finance director and Dixons top honcho was parachuted into the chairmans seat at Tesco in 2015 after the hurried departures of Phil Clarke and Sir Richard Broadbent. This followed the discovery of a 263m black hole in Tescos accounts. Subsequently, three former Tesco executives have been arrested on fraud charges amid an ongoing Serious Fraud Office inquiry. Now it has all started to go horribly wrong at Britains biggest volume housebuilder Barratt. A regulatory announcement revealed Alastair Baird, the regional managing director for London, has been arrested and suspended from the company after an internal audit discovered misconduct in the awarding and managing of contracts. Building bridges: The experience of the past makes it all the more important that Barratt observes the strictest standards of integrity Another former Barratt employee, a 47-year old woman, has also been arrested by the Metropolitan Police. Meanwhile, at the High Court a former Barratt person, Michael Neill Fitzpatrick, is involved in a civil action, which claims he was in receipt of secret profits, bribes or commissions from sub-contractors. It is no secret that the construction and housebuilding industries have in the past developed unsavoury relationships with the local officials and contractors with whom they work closely. The most notorious case occurred in 1974 when architect John Poulson was jailed for five years after being found guilty of conspiracy to make or receive corrupt gifts. Most of the recipients were public officials and the case cast a pall over the whole construction sector for many years. The experience of the past makes it all the more important that the nations quoted housebuilders observe the strictest standards of integrity. At a time when Theresa Mays government is seeking to fast track housebuilding because of desperate supply shortages, any events which cast aspersions over the governance of the industry have to be fully probed. Investors, for the moment, seem unbothered. But how long before reputational damage starts to hurt the share price? The disclosures also raise questions as to whether a company chairman can be too thinly spread. Allan creditably stepped down as chairman of FTSE newcomer Worldpay when he took on the role at Tesco which after all is Britains flagship global grocer. Acting as clean-up crew at Barratt is a task he probably could have done without. Wall Street surge The contrast between the bounce back of the US investment banks and their European counterparts could not be greater. The last quarter was a boom period for Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs as well as broader-based American banks with strong brokerage operations including JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. What a contrast this is with their European counterparts. Deutsche Bank struggles for survival against a slew of negative forces including the US Department of Justice, hedge funds shorting the banks shares, a perception of capital weakness and what the International Monetary Fund seems to regard as a broken business model. Credit Suisse, less in the limelight at present, wrestles with similar problems and UBS has moved from the broader investment banking model to an institution focused on wealth management. Barclays still has a credible investment bank with a strong client list, great debt management skills and a chief executive in Jes Staley steeped in the industry. But it is too thinly capitalised and continuously seeking to put out regulatory fires ranging from alleged wrong-doing in its foreign exchange department, to the long-running dispute over Middle East funding, to the sub-prime mortgage settlement in the US. It is competing with the New York-based banks with one arm tied behind its back when it might have been better focusing on Africa rather than taking itself off the map. Morgan Stanley has reported a 61.7 per cent jump in quarterly profits hard on the heels of Goldman Sachs 34 per cent lift. Both banks seem to have benefitted from the increased turnover in income from trading bonds, shares, currencies and commodities post Brexit. Turbulence has produced real dividends. The reality is that they are also benefitting from the diminution of competition as the European players have been knocked out of the reckoning. Having restored their dominance, the US investment banks should be prepared to improve their governance. They could start by playing fairer with clients, as Britains Financial Conduct Authority is demanding. That means no more fiddling of the numbers in performance league tables and giving the smaller guys a look in when it comes to the big initial public offerings. It is unacceptable, as happened with the Royal Mail in the UK, that smaller market players and investors are frozen out because the likes of Goldman deliver preference to sovereign wealth and hedge funds. Mobile meltdown The combination of the launch of the iPhone 7 and Samsungs exploding Galaxy Note 7 has sent Apple shares soaring, and with a market value of 517bn it is top dog in Wall Street once again. Commodity boost Anglo-Australian miner BHP Billiton has flagged early signs of a commodities recovery as it predicted oil and gas markets would improve over 12 to 18 months. It came in a trading update in which it reported a 6 per cent fall in copper output for the three months to September 2016, compared with a year earlier. Driving force: BHP Billiton predicts oil and gas markets will improve over 12 to 18 months Shares fell 0.5 per cent, or 6p to 1218p. Double expresso Starbucks is pushing ahead with expansion into China by more than doubling its presence and putting it on track to have 5,000 stores in the country by 2021. Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz that China could one day surpass the US as its largest market. China growth Chinas economic growth held steady in the latest quarter, shored up by a lending boom and consumer spending that helped make up for weaker trade. The worlds second-largest economy grew by 6.7 per cent in the three months ending in September, compared with a year earlier, which was better than some forecasters expected. Model sales Europes largest online fashion retailer Zalando has hinted at rising sales and profits as it prepares to go head-to-head with Asos. The German retailer increased its profit forecast amid a better-than-expected autumn season and is now forecasting earnings of up to 6 per cent, an increase from its previous forecast for 4-5 per cent. Tariff checks Households and small businesses on expensive energy tariffs will be recommended cheaper alternatives once new measures are approved. The Competition and Markets Authority is in the process of finalising measures that will require suppliers to provide details of customers, who have been on tariffs for more than three years. Express revenues Eurotunnel shrugged off concerns over Brexit to post upbeat third-quarter figures and issued bullish comments in the wake of the EU referendum. The firm said our business has never been stronger and there is no sign of slowdown in the UK economy. Revenues for the third quarter of 2016 grew 4 per cent to 286m, compared with the same period in 2015. Pay bonanza Bankers at US lender Morgan Stanley took home an average 61,000 in the three months to September 30. New figures show the firm paid its 55,256 employees a total of 3.3bn in the period. Profits rise Demand for black clothes in Thailand to mourn the death of the countrys King has caused a rush in Tescos South Asian outlets. Thais are crowding shopping malls and department stores to stock up on black clothes as they begin a year of mourning for the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Tesco Lotus, which stocks Tesco products and is part-owned by the British retailer, is among the stores that have seen a boost in sales from Thai shoppers. It has brought in up to five times more stock than normal and introduced a Sharing Ribbon project to hand out black ribbons to customers. And it has joined other big local retailers Central, The Mall and Big C Supercentre in discounting black clothes. Salinla Seehaphan, corporate affairs director of Tesco Lotus, told Thai paper The Nation: Our stores receive a fresh stock of black and white shirts every day to serve the demand nationwide. Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 900 bank branches and 3,300 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Red Hat, Inc. provides open source software solutions to develop and offer operating system, virtualization, management, middleware, cloud, mobile, and storage technologies to various enterprises worldwide. It offers infrastructure-related solutions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, an operating system platform that runs on hardware for use in hybrid cloud environments; Red Hat Satellite, a system management offering that helps to deploy, scale, and manage in hybrid cloud environments; and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, a software solution that allows customers to utilize and manage a common hardware infrastructure to run multiple operating systems and applications. The company offers application development-related and other technology solutions, such as Red Hat JBoss Middleware, a solution for developing, deploying, and managing applications; integrating applications, data, and devices; and automating business processes in hybrid cloud environments; The company's application development-related and other technology solutions also includes Red Hat cloud offerings, a software solution that enables customers to build and manage various cloud computing environments; Red Hat Mobile, a software development platform that enables customers to develop, integrate, deploy, and manage mobile applications for enterprises; and Red Hat Storage, a software solution that enables customers to manage large, unstructured, or semi-structured data in hybrid cloud environments. It also provides consulting, support, and training services; and realtime operating system, distributed computing, directory services, and user authentication. Red Hat, Inc. has collaboration with Juniper Networks Expand to provide a unified solution for enterprises designed to manage and run applications and services. The company was formerly known as Red Hat Software, Inc. and changed its name to Red Hat, Inc. in June 1999. Red Hat, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. Alibaba Group Holding Limited is an eCommerce and Internet technology giant headquartered in the People's Republic of China. Its core platform, Alibaba.com, is the worlds 3rd largest eCommerce platform by sales. The company, through its vast network of subsidiary companies, provides the infrastructure and marketing to help merchants of all sizes develop their brands and to connect with customers in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company also aids other businesses with a vast array of digital and logistical solutions with a reach that spans the globe. Alibaba was co-founded by Jack Ma in 1999 when it became clear the Internet and digitization were the future of commerce. Mr. Ma is a billionaire investor, businessman, and philanthropist who believes in an open and free-market economy. The company went public in September 2014 with an IPO on the NYSE. The IPO set a record with its valuation of $25 billion and the company is now worth more than $225 billion and ranked among the 10 most valuable companies by market cap. Alibaba is also ranked 5th largest globally in regards to its work in AI, and it owns the world's largest B2B, B2C, and C2C eCommerce portals. In 2022, Alibabas Singles Day event brought in $139 billion to set a new one-day record. The principal purpose of Alibaba Group Holding Limited is to open the Chinese market and connect it to the world. The company operates through seven segments including China Commerce, International Commerce, Local Consumer Services, Cainiao, Cloud, Digital Media and Entertainment, and Innovation Initiatives and Others. The companys eCommerce platforms include Taobao Marketplace, Tmall, Alimama, 1688.com, Alibaba.com, Aliexpress, Lazada, Trendyol, and Daraz. Taobao Marketplace is a social-media eCommerce platform while Alimama is a monetization platform for entrepreneurs. 1688.com and Alibaba.com are wholesale marketplaces where individuals and businesses can connect with bulk items and the remainder are eCommerce retail platforms and search engines targeting specific markets. In addition, the company also operated a retail chain called Freshippo and Tmall Global which is an import platform for eCommerce. Other digital services provided by Alibaba include Taoxianda, which is a digital integration service for FMCG goods and grocery retailers, and Cainiao Network which is a logistical services platform complemented by Ele.me, a delivery and services platform. Alibaba also supports the infrastructure of the Internet with a range of products and services that include computing, storage, network, security, database, big data, and IoT connectivity. This segment includes a suite of cloud-based services such as Alibaba Pictures and content platforms that provide streaming media. GameStop Corp. is a specialty retailer founded in 1999 and headquartered in Grapevine, Texas. The company was originally known as GSC Holdings Corp. but later changed its name following its IPO. Originally a brand of then dominant Babbages, Gamestop altered the way video games were distributed and it is now the world's largest retailer of video games and video game accessories. The company went public in 2004 and operated 4,573 stores at the start of 2022. Brands under the company umbrella include Gamestop, EB Games, and Micromania as well as 50 pop-culture-themed Zing Pop locations. Gamestop Corp. provides video games and entertainment products through its global network of e-commerce properties and stores. The company sells new and pre-owned gaming platforms and accessories like controllers, headsets, memory cards, and gaming software as well as in-game products like digital currency, downloadable content, and games. The company also sells new and used memorabilia and collectibles. Genres include TV, movie, comic book, and game characters as well as many other items from pop culture. GameStop Corp. also operates Game Informer, a magazine and website dedicated to the gaming industry including reviews, updates, and new developments in technologies. Game enthusiasts enjoy two primary benefits of using Gamestop. The first is access to the full range of games and gaming accessories. The second is the ability to sell or trade their old equipment and games for fair prices. All old equipment is refurbished to a like-new state before resale. In 2021 Gamestop announced it was entering the world of cryptocurrency. The company revealed plans to build an NFT (non-fungible token) platform for listing, selling, and holding digital or digitized artwork and collectibles. The beta version launched in 2022 and has so far seen great success with an average daily volume exceeding $1 million. The NFT marketplace also featured Web3.0 games in which characters and in-game items are held forever on the blockchain. As of September 2022, the most successful retailer on the NFT marketplace was Gamestop Presents, a collaboration of cover art from Game Informer Magazine. Sales at the time were just under 168 ETH or about $221,500.00. GameStop began a slide in 2016 following a series of bad investments that included a foray into the world of mobile phones. The slide came to an end in late 2021 when shareholders using the Reddit thread Wallstreet Bets orchestrated a short-squeeze and brought on the age of meme stocks. Trinity Industries, Inc. provides rail transportation products and services under the TrinityRail name in North America. It operates in two segments, Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group, and Rail Products Group. The Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group segment leases freight and tank railcars; originates and manages railcar leases for third-party investors; and provides fleet maintenance and management services. As of December 31, 2021, it had a fleet of 106,970 owned or leased railcars. This segment serves industrial shipper and railroad companies operating in agriculture, construction and metals, consumer products, energy, and refined products and chemicals markets. The Rail Products Group segment manufactures freight and tank railcars for transporting various liquids, gases, and dry cargo; and offers railcar maintenance and modification services. This segment serves railroads, leasing companies, and industrial shippers of products in the agriculture, construction and metals, consumer products, energy, and refined products and chemicals markets. It sells or leases products and services through its own sales personnel and independent sales representatives. Trinity Industries, Inc. was incorporated in 1933 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Our portfolio of high quality UK commercial property is focused on London Offices and Retail around the UK. We own or manage a portfolio valued at 13.7bn (British Land share: 10.3bn) as at 30 September 2020 making us one of Europe's largest listed real estate investment companies. Our strategy is to provide places which meet the needs of our customers and respond to changing lifestyles - Places People Prefer. We do this by creating great environments both inside and outside our buildings and use our scale and placemaking skills to enhance and enliven them. This expands their appeal to a broader range of occupiers, creating enduring demand and driving sustainable, long term performance. Our Offices portfolio comprises three office-led campuses in central London as well as high quality standalone buildings and accounts for 65% of our portfolio. Our Retail portfolio is focused on retail parks and shopping centres, and accounts for 31% of our portfolio. Increasingly our focus is on providing a mix of uses and this is most evident at Canada Water, our 53 acre redevelopment opportunity where we have plans to create a new neighbourhood for London. Sustainability is embedded throughout our business. Our places, which are designed to meet high sustainability standards, become part of local communities, provide opportunities for skills development and employment and promote wellbeing. In April 2016 British Land received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development, the UK's highest accolade for business success for economic, social and environmental achievements over a period of five years. Under Armour, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the developing, marketing, and distributing performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and youth. The company offers its apparel in compression, fitted, and loose fit types. It also provides footwear products for running, training, basketball, cleated sports, recovery, and outdoor applications. In addition, the company offers accessories, which include gloves, bags, headwear, and sports masks; and digital subscription and advertising services under the MapMyRun and MapMyRide platforms. It primarily offers its products under the UNDER ARMOUR, UA, HEATGEAR, COLDGEAR, HOVR, PROTECT THIS HOUSE, I WILL, UA Logo, ARMOUR FLEECE, and ARMOUR BRA brands. The company sells its products through wholesale channels, including national and regional sporting goods chains, independent and specialty retailers, department store chains, mono-branded Under Armour retail stores, institutional athletic departments, and leagues and teams, as well as independent distributors; and directly to consumers through a network of 422 brand and factory house stores, as well as through e-commerce websites. It operates in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Under Armour, Inc. was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The following companies are subsidiares of Sonoco Products: Associated Packaging Technologies Inc., Can Packaging, Clear Lam Packaging Inc., Clear Pack Co., Conitex Sonoco (BVI) Ltd., Corenso Holdings America Inc., CorrFlex Graphics LLC, Demolli Industria Cartaria S.p.A., Engraph Inc., Graffo Paranaense de Embalagens S/A, Hayes Manufacturing Group, Highland Packaging Solutions, Laminar Medica, Matrix Packaging Inc., PT Conitex Sonoco, PT Papcor Asia Pacific, PT Papertech Indonesia, PT Sonoco Indonesia, PenPack LLC, Peninsula Packaging Company, Peninsula Packaging LLC, Penpack S. de R.L. de C.V., Phoenix Packaging Corp., Plastique Holdings LTD, SMB GmbH, SPC Capital Management Inc, SPC Liquidation LLC, SPC Management LLC, SPC Resources Inc, SR Holdings of the Carolinas LLC, Sebro Plastics Inx, Sonoco (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Sonoco (Taicang) Packaging Co. Ltd, Sonoco (Weifang) Packaging Company Ltd, Sonoco Absorbent Technologies LLC, Sonoco Absorbent Technologies Limited, Sonoco Alcore - Demolli S.r.l., Sonoco Alcore AB, Sonoco Alcore GmbH, Sonoco Alcore N.V., Sonoco Alcore Nederland B.V., Sonoco Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sonoco Asia Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Asia LLC, Sonoco Asia Management Company LLC, Sonoco Australia Pty Ltd, Sonoco Board Mills Limited, Sonoco Bonmati S.A.U., Sonoco Canada Corporation, Sonoco Capseals Liners Limited, Sonoco Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Consumer Products Dordrecht B.V. (fka Dorpak B.V.), Sonoco Consumer Products Europe GmbH (fka Weidenhammer Packaging Group GmbH), Sonoco Consumer Products Hellas S.A. (fka Weidenhammer Hellas S.A.), Sonoco Consumer Products Limited, Sonoco Consumer Products Mechelen BVBA (fka Weidenhammer Belgium BVBA), Sonoco Consumer Products Montanay SAS (fka Neuvibox SAS), Sonoco Consumer Products Poland Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco Consumer Products SAS, Sonoco Consumer Products South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Sonoco Consumer Products Zwenkau GmbH (fka fka Weidenhammer Plastice Packaging GmbH), Sonoco Cores and Paper Limited, Sonoco Deutschland GmbH, Sonoco Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Development Inc, Sonoco Elk Grove Inc, Sonoco Embalagens Ltda. (fka Sonoco Embalagens S.A.), Sonoco Flexible Packaging Canada Corporation, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Co. Inc, Sonoco Graphics India Private Limited, Sonoco Hickory Inc, Sonoco Holdings Inc, Sonoco Holdings UK Limited, Sonoco Hutchinson LLC, Sonoco IPD France SAS, Sonoco Iberia S.L.U., Sonoco International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco JV GmbH & Co. KG, Sonoco Kaiping Packaging Co. Ltd., Sonoco Limited, Sonoco Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sonoco Milnrow, Sonoco Netherlands Holding II BV, Sonoco Netherlands Holding III BV, Sonoco New Zealand Limited, Sonoco Operadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Packaging Limited, Sonoco Packaging Tapes Limited, Sonoco Paper Mill & IPD Hellas SA, Sonoco Paperboard Group LLC, Sonoco Partitions Inc, Sonoco Phoenix LLC, Sonoco Pina S.A.U., Sonoco Plastics B.V., Sonoco Plastics Canada ULC, Sonoco Plastics Germany GmbH, Sonoco Plastics Inc, Sonoco Poland Holdings B.V., Sonoco Polysack A/S Inc, Sonoco Polysack Limited, Sonoco Products Company UK, Sonoco Products Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sonoco Protective Solutions Inc, Sonoco Recycling - International Trade Group LLC, Sonoco Recycling LLC, Sonoco Reels Limited, Sonoco Retail Packaging S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Sonoco SAS, Sonoco Saudi Limited Company, Sonoco Services LLC, Sonoco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Sonoco TEQ Holdings Ltd, Sonoco TEQ LLC, Sonoco TEQ Ltd, Sonoco TEQ Sp. Z.o.o, Sonoco Taiwan Ltd, Sonoco Thailand Ltd, Sonoco UK Leasing Limited, Sonoco Venezolana C.A., Sonoco Venture International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Ventures UK Limited, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Core Plant LLC, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Inc, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Paper Mill LLC, Sonoco Yatai Pinghu Packaging Co Ltd, Sonoco de Colombia Ltda, Sonoco do Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Sonoco do Brazil Ltda, Sonoco of Puerto Rico Inc, Sonoco-Alcore AS, Sonoco-Alcore Oy, Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l., Sonoco-Alcore Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco-Engraph Puerto Rico Inc, TPT Limited, Tegrant Alloyd Brands Inc, Tegrant Corporation, Tegrant International Inc, Tegrant Property Holdings LLC, Tegrant de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ThermoSafe Brands Asia PTE LTD, ThermoSafe Brands Europe Ltd., Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC, Trident Graphics Canada Corporation, Trident Graphics NA LLC, Tubo-Tec Nordeste Industria, U.S. Paper Mills Corp., Weidenhammer Chile Ltda., Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Weidenhammer UK Ltd., and Wisenberg U.S. Inc. Read More Capita plc provides consulting, digital, and software products and services to clients in the private and public sectors in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through Public Service, Experience, and Portfolio divisions. The company offers solutions for finance and accounting, procurement, property and infrastructure, travel and event, and workplace administration. It also provides customer experience transformation, contact management, collection, complaint handling, customer acquisition and retention, customer experience system and software, and data and analytics. In addition, the company offers capita licensing and support, support, digital policing, and engineering practice; education service and local education authority software; various solutions that help businesses create connected experiences that deliver right message across organisations, customers, and suppliers; solutions for central and local government services; corporate learning, fire service college, employability, and capita apprenticeship solutions; and employer branding and marketing, flexible workforce solutions, agile resourcing solutions, executive and specialist recruitment, background checking and vetting, and digital HR management and transformation solutions. Further, it provides pension administration and software, pensions consulting, and data, insights, and remediation solutions; automation, critical communication systems, finance and payment software, local education authority software, management information systems, and workforce management software solutions; cloud, cyber security, digital connectivity, IT services, robotic process automation, and workplace IT; and actuarial, defence, financial, healthcare, housing, legal, public safety, utility, and welfare and employability services. The company was formerly known as The Capita Group plc and changed its name to Capita plc in January 2012. Capita plc was founded in 1984 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Q&A with PA-16 candidates Robert Matzie and Rico Elmore Both Beaver County natives, Matzie and Elmore have expressed their interest in making Beaver County a better place in their own unique ways. John Ingle/Times Record News Dan Quigley, right, chief operating officer of USA800, and Vice President of Operations J.R. Metzen talk about the high turnout of applicants during the first two days of the call center's first three-day job fair Tuesday and Wednesday in Wichita Falls. More than 150 people out of about 250 applicants were hired Tuesday alone, and the company's goal is to hire 300 in 30 days. SHARE By John Ingle of the Times Record News The Wichita Falls City Council approved Tuesday morning a $3.4 million economic development incentive package, paving the way for inbound call center USA800 to create about 650 new jobs over the next couple years. The measure passed by a 6-1 margin. District 5 Councilor Tom Quintero, the district in which the business will be located, was the only member of the council to vote against the agenda item. The call center will be at 2236 Airport Dr., which is located inside District 5. Tom Davis, CEO of USA800, said he anticipated a favorable response from councilors on the incentive package, but he was still "absolutely excited" to see the council vote in favor of the offer. He said all they have to do now is officially sign the agreement with the Wichita Falls Economic Development Corp., which offered and approved the incentive package during a meeting on Sept. 30. "It's been a delight to work with everybody we've been in touch with. From our perspective, we're so glad we made the choice" to come to Wichita Falls, he said. "The first two weeks of hiring fairs, I think, validated we made a very good choice." USA800, which specializes in inbound phone calls to assist with sales, customer care, tech support and retention, has hired almost 300 employees to staff the call center, Davis said, and the first training class will begin next week. He said some qualified applicants will be put on a wait list because of the high volume that turned out for the company's job fairs. The company has said it would like to hire more, sooner, but training space in the facility limits how many employees they can train at one time. According to a study completed by Midwestern State University economics professor John Martinez, the economic impact of USA800 with 300 jobs over a seven-year period is estimated to be $98 million, and $203 million if 600 jobs are created. Jim Dockery, deputy city manager for Wichita Falls, said the entire process of recruiting USA800 to Wichita Falls, the WFEDC offering a competitive package and the city council approving it went smoothly and is a decision that should prove to be beneficial for the city and the company. He said the cash-for-jobs incentive means USA800 has to keep those positions filled for 12 months before they are reimbursed the incentive moneys. The $3.4 million package includes $2.6 million in cash-for-jobs and another $800,000 for training. TRN Archives SHARE By Bridget Knight of the Times Record News Modern teachers might be aghast at this picture of Miss Kate Haynes and her class at the Wichita Falls school at 13th and Broad in 1907. Haynes, the namesake of Kate Haynes Elementary School, was managing 30-plus elementary students that year in the brick building that has originally been built as a high school. Some were obviously "economically disadvantaged," to use today's euphasism, or at least their parents chose to put their money into less frivolous things than shoes, which several youngsters in the front row lack. And while only one of these children displays even a slight smile, all seem to exude a stoic, pioneer spirit that must have persevered less than two decades after the city was wrested from the prairie. Attached to the photo are the names of only three of the students Joe Kell, Arthur Stipe and Clarence Dodge, with no indication of which of the students they were. The building in the background is also long gone, having been torn down in 1928 to make way for a new Austin Elementary School.
Torin Halsey/Times Record News The Graham B. Purcell Federal Building has been a landmark in downtown Wichita Falls for more than 80 years.
SHARE By Christopher Collins of the Times Record News A federal judge has affirmed that an injunction against the Obama administration in Texas v. United States can be applied nationwide, blocking the Departments of Justice and Education from enforcing guidance on bathroom access for transgender students across the country. Wednesday's ruling in a Wichita Falls federal court could also affect several other lawsuits in which U.S. attorneys are involved, including United States v. North Carolina, the case that kicked off a national debate over transgender rights earlier this year. The injunction also makes clear that the Obama administration may not withhold federal funds from districts that do not comply with its guidance on transgender access to "intimate areas" inside schools. Texas is joined in the litigation by 14 co-plaintiffs, including conservative states, school districts and individuals. The lawsuit was filed in May. However, the ruling gives U.S. attorneys the go-ahead to proceed with other lawsuits previously held in limbo by the court order. The injunction, ordered by Judge Reed O'Connor in August, forbade the Obama administration from enforcing guidance it issued to school districts in May, but U.S. attorneys later argued the ruling's parameters were too vague. They asked for additional direction from the court before proceeding with almost 20 other related lawsuits. O'Connor now has specified that U.S. attorneys may go ahead with some of their cases regarding transgender rights, but only those that don't center on bathroom access. Thus, Wednesday's ruling represents a partial victory for both Texas and the Obama administration. "The court's reaffirmation of a nationwide injunction should send a clear message to the president that Texas won't sit idly by as he continues to ignore the Constitution," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote in a news release. "The president cannot rewrite the laws enacted by the elected representatives of the people and then threaten to take away funding from schools to force them to fall in line." Representatives of the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education could not be immediately reached. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures during the first Republican presidential debate at the Quicken Loans Arena Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) SHARE Toni Fransen, Byers The latest news concerning Donald Trump's behavior took me back forty-five years. I had just graduated from college with a BSBA in Management and was in Houston looking for an entry level management position, even though I was told by employment agency employees (all male) to essentially "stick to retail or secretarial work." I did find management positions and continued to advance my career, even though more than once I was inappropriately approached by supervisors (again, all male) but was told to "just keep my head down and take it." Well, I couldn't, and would leave to find other work. This is a story that has been told too many times by women of my generation who did not have sexual harassment laws or other support to protect us. Donald Trump is a throwback to these men in power who got away with behavior that is not only unacceptable, but illegal today. His attitude and behavior toward women and a long list of other segments of society sickens me. That he continues to get away with it infuriates me. Hillary Clinton would not have been my first choice for President, but she is now. The alternative is a man who deserves to lose this election. He has done too much damage and has had a negative influence on too many people who refuse to see the man behind the facade he has created. SHARE Make it stop. Won't somebody, please, make it stop? I realize my plea is in vain. We have three more weeks of this appalling spectacle in which a ridiculous comic-book villain a cross between the Joker and the Penguin is trying his best to destroy American democracy. Yes, Donald Trump, I'm talking about you. Three weeks. That's normally the blink of an eye, but the time between now and Election Day yawns like an eternity. How many new outrages will test our capacity to be outraged? How many more quisling Republicans will stand before microphones and pretend their party's nominee for president is fit for the office? How many early-morning tweetstorms will a certain set of unusually short fingers unleash upon a weary and anxious nation? Look, I happen to believe Hillary Clinton would be a good president. You may disagree, but no one seriously doubts her ability to do the job. By contrast, does anyone really believe it would be safe, let alone wise, to put someone as impulsive and thin-skinned as Trump in command of the most powerful military machine the world has ever known? The thought would be laughable if it were not so frightening. So yes, this is a scary election. And no, it is not safe to take anything for granted. The bottom should have fallen out from under Trump's poll numbers long ago, but it hasn't. For those who see Trump the way I do, it is unfathomable that he would have the support of 40 voters, let alone 40 percent of the electorate. I understand being tired of politicians and politics-as-usual. I understand frustration at Washington's perpetual gridlock and stasis. I even understand the appeal of a candidate who promises to be a wrecking ball, demolishing the old system so we can start over. But Trump is not a revolutionary who just happens to be an egomaniac. He is an egomaniac who says what his supporters want to hear so that they will bathe him in the adulation he pathologically craves. He isn't doing this to make people's lives better. As Lady Gaga sang, he lives for the applause. He decided early on that racism, bigotry and xenophobia would be major planks in his platform. He rails against losing American jobs to China, although that's where his garish Donald J. Trump neckties are made. He invites Russian cyberwarriors to interfere with our election process by hacking into Clinton's emails. He refuses to learn anything about domestic or foreign policy, offering nothing but patriotic slogans and some desultory "plans" with numbers that don't remotely add up. I'll enjoy having the luxury of four years to explore the complex societal factors that led to the rise and fall of the Trump phenomenon. But first things first: We have to make sure it falls. Which means we have to make it through the next three weeks. The passage of days will indeed be painful. As Clinton extends her lead in most of the swing states that will decide the election and even challenges in reliably red states such as Utah, Arizona and Georgia Trump becomes increasingly unmoored from reality. On Monday morning, he took to Twitter to make such pronouncements as: "Can't believe these totally phoney [sic] stories, 100% made up by women (many already proven false) and pushed big time by press, have impact!" And: "Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before election day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naive!" And: "WikiLeaks proves even the Clinton campaign knew Crooked mishandled classified info, but no one gets charged? RIGGED!" He was referring to the highly credible claims by numerous women that Trump groped or kissed them against their will, which he bragged about doing on the now-famous "Access Hollywood" tape; his own unsubstantiated, indeed wholly imaginary, claims of voter fraud; and his unrequited wish for some kind of smoking gun in the hacked emails released by WikiLeaks. Trump isn't campaigning, he's flailing. Three more weeks. We have another debate to survive, though I can't imagine at this point why either candidate would look forward to the experience. Trump lost the first two encounters, according to every scientific poll, which means he probably will lose the third as well. And Clinton could have a more meaningful policy discussion with an Irish setter. We are a resilient nation. We have survived worse, though perhaps not weirder. Soon we get to tell an unfunny clown what we think of his act. Eugene Robinson's email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com. He writes for The Washington Post Writers Group. Steve Barnes' Table Hopping blog marks its 10-year anniversary on Wednesday, Oct. 19. At 2:15 p.m., to be exact. With more than 15,000 posts and 187,000-plus comments, it's the most widely-read food and restaurant blog in the Capital Region. Read more at http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/ Deadline Friday for high school musical entries If you want to be considered for the inaugural High School Musical Theatre Awards for the Capital Region, your time is almost up. Interested schools only have until Friday to apply for the local awards, presented by partners the School of Performing Arts at Proctors and the Times Union, in association with the Broadway League, taking place at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 20. Winners of the best actor and best actress awards will go on to represent Proctors and the Capital Region at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards ceremony, at Manhattan's Minskoff Theatre, on Monday, June 26. They will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York, where they will receive professional instruction and compete with students from other regional programs for the title of best national high school actor and actress. A panel of judges will review productions at registered schools, nominating participants in 10 categories, including best ensemble, best student orchestra, best supporting actor and actress. For more information, visit http://proctors.org.hs Film shines 'Light' on 'House' "Breathing Lights" is not only a temporary art installation in Albany, Troy and Schenectady that literally illuminates vacant homes and buildings in those cities at night; it's now also a film promoter of sorts. Opalka Gallery has teamed up with WMHT Educational Telecommunications and the PBS documentary series "POV" to present a screening of "Herman's House" at the gallery at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27. "Herman's House" tells the story of New Orleans native and former Black Panther Herman Wallace, who went to jail in 1967 for a robbery he committed, and then placed in solitary confinement for 40 years starting in 1972 for killing a prison guard, which he denies doing. Artist Jackie Sumell met with Wallace to ask what kind of house a man living decades in a small jail cell would dream of. Director Angad Singh Bhalla eventually filmed this unlikely and unique collaboration. Following the film, "Breathing Lights" lead architect and executive director of TAP Inc. Barbara Nelson will be joined by Anthony Farley, professor of jurisprudence at Albany Law School, and Karen Murtagh, executive director of Prisoners' Legal Services of New York, to discuss the film, the criminal justice system and art as action. Opalka Gallery is located at Sage College of Albany, 140 New Scotland Ave., Albany. Admission to the film screening and discussion is free. For more information, call 292-8607 or email griffa@sage.edu. Dem 'Bones' connected to Hubbard Hall Hubbard Hall and host Kelvin Keraga once again team up for a Halloween storytelling fundraiser to benefit Hubbard Hall's Arts Education Scholarship Programs. "Whispering Bones" will take place 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, on the hall's mainstage. The evening of ghost stories and scary tales told by some of the region's best storytellers will raise money to ensure that no student at Hubbard Hall is ever turned away from a class based on financial limitations. This year's featured cast includes: Siri Allison, Barbara Chepaitis, Stephanie Moffett-Hynds, Erin Ouellette, Tony Pallone and Catherine Seeley. General admission tickets are $10, student tickets are $5. For more information, call 677-2495 or visit http://hubbardhall.org C.J. Lais Jr. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRUNSWICK Police are investigating the "possible connection" of a man killed in Troy Monday and the body of a second man found in a Cropseyville creek Tuesday, Rensselaer County Sheriff Patrick Russo said. Both deaths have been ruled homicides. The peaceful evening air on Blue Factory Hill Road was shattered by a screech Tuesday night when a woman walking her dog spotted a man's body in the creek below. "Dogs were barking and the woman was screaming," a neighbor said. Russo said the body of a Hispanic male was pulled from the Blue Factory Creek and an autopsy is being performed Wednesday afternoon. Russo said the body hasn't been identified yet but it is suspected the man was connected to the Troy homicide victim. County Sheriff evidence technicians have arrived on scene, focusing in on one spot. Watch the video, shot through binoculars: pic.twitter.com/Vp7HijuSnr Emily Masters (@emilysmasters) October 19, 2016 Javier Gomez, a 23-year-old native of Mexico, was found dead Monday in his East Glen Avenue apartment, Troy police spokesman Capt. Daniel DeWolf said. Neighbors said Gomez's throat was cut and he was lying in a pool of blood when they responded to a family member's screams upon finding his body. They said they had heard people running down the stairs of the second floor apartment earlier in the day. Russo and DeWolf declined to comment on the cause of death for either victim or the evidence collected at the scenes. Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove visited the crime scenes the nights both investigations began, spokesman John Desso said. Abelove routinely visits death investigation scenes where foul play is suspected, Desso said. The woman who spotted the body in Brunswick called 911, a neighbor said. Numerous police vehicles arrived soon after, and remained through the night and into the morning. The body was found along the Blue Factory Creek, which runs into the Quacken Kill. There is no running water in the creek because of this year's drought and the water is covered in fallen leaves. A still active crime scene here. Sheriff's deputies are investigating a man's "suspicious death." His body was found at about 6pm Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/qKReqT0LGa Emily Masters (@emilysmasters) October 19, 2016 Investigators knocked on neighbors' doors overnight for permission to search local farmland for clues. Evidence technicians from the State Police and the Sheriff's Office crouched in the wooded area between the creek and the roadway's guard rail midday Wednesday. Blue Hill Factory Road has been closed and cordoned off between Route 2 and South Road since the investigation began about 6 p.m. Tuesday. SARATOGA SPRINGS - Broadway's beauty is a token of yesterday's splendor shown in pictures from the early 19th century. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate On Warrant Wednesday, the State Police issued the following notices of outstanding arrest warrants, including a warrant for a man wanted in Colonie for allegedly stealing jewelry and family heirlooms he sold at a pawn shop. William A. Conway, 30, is wanted on charges of criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance. He is wanted by the State Police on an arrest warrant out of Moriah Town Court for the alleged sale of heroin. Shawn M. Vetrano, 41, is wanted by State Police for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in front of their child May 27 in Richfield Springs. Accused of child endangerment, menacing and harassment, Vetrano is wanted on a town court warrant. Derren M. Brooks, 31, is wanted in the town of Alabama for an arrest warrant that alleges he violated an order of protection on Nov. 24. State Police said he has not been seen since the incident. Kiley Cahoon, 23, is wanted out of the city of Rochester for allegedly she possessed a small amount of a controlled substance. The incident stems from a September arrest. Maddison B. Hartsfield, 20, is wanted by State Police in Poughkeepsie on forgery charges. The charges stem from a July arrest where troopers accused Hartsfield of stealing, forging and cashing checks from a former employer. Troopers said she failed to appear in court for a September appearance. Timothy M. Cooperider, 35, is wanted by State Police in Colonie for allegedly pawning jewelry and other heirlooms that troopers said he took while working for a storage company. A Guilderland town justice issued warrant for Cooperider in December. Troopers said he was last known to be living at Second Street in Albany. Sammy Lee, 27, is wanted in Cicero Town Court for allegedly stealing items from a home in the town and then selling the items at a pawn shop. The arrest warrant was issued on Sept. 28. Olawale Akingboyle, 21, is wanted by State Police on Long Island for charges of criminal impersonation, unlicense operation of a motor vehicle and traffic violations. Akingboyle was stopped on the Southern State Park in 2015 and given tickets. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued in Nassau County First District Court, troopers said. Jeremy B. Arias, 22, a passenger in a car allegedly involved in an chase in the town of Montgomery is wanted by State Police. On June 14, troopers tried to stop the vehicle on Interstate 84 for alleged speeding. The driver took off, hitting a police car while driving through the median. State Police said Arias was a passenger in the car and knew it was stolen. Troopers said a bench warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in Wallkill Town Court. Erika R. Gomez, 35, is wanted on a bench warrant for alleged drunken driving. State Police said was drunken when she was involved in a car crash on June 15, 2008. State Police in Tarrytown said the crash occurred on the Thruway. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate New York Sexual assault survivors and other women sat on the sidewalk outside Trump Tower during a Manhattan protest on Tuesday. Organizers say the protest, which also emphasized the concerns of immigrants and women of color, was one of a series being held nationwide. About 200 women, dressed in black, participated in the half-hour protest. Most of them sat on the sidewalk. Police stood by but did not intervene. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump lives in Trump Tower and runs his campaign there. He campaigned in Colorado on Tuesday. A spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a comment request. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Baghdad On the eerily quiet streets of Mosul, fighters from the Islamic State group are killing suspected spies, blocking roads and planting bombs ahead of a showdown with Iraqi forces. Residents who have endured more than two years of militant rule describe a city under siege, and they say a new sense of terror has set in since Iraq announced the start of a long-anticipated operation to liberate its second-largest city. Three residents who spoke with The Associated Press by telephone described a ghost town where people only venture out to buy basic goods that are increasingly running low. They said large groups of IS militants have left the city in recent weeks, but those who remain have become increasingly brutal, killing anyone suspected of trying to communicate with the outside world. For that reason, the residents spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their safety. "The situation inside Mosul is terrifying," said one of them, a merchant. He said he has stocked food, water and cooking gas for 40 days and bought an oven to bake bread. IS released a propaganda video Tuesday showing bustling streets in Mosul, with residents going about their business, with one grilling meat over open coals, and saying all is well. The individuals who spoke to the AP painted a very different picture. They say IS militants patrol Mosul's streets on bicycles or motorbikes to make for smaller targets from the air. Other fighters are preparing for war by closing roads with sand berms and concrete walls, and readying barrels of oil and tires to set ablaze in order to obscure the visibility of warplanes from the U.S.-led coalition. The extremists also have grown increasingly paranoid and violent. On Sunday evening, a resident said the fighters shot a man twice in the head in front of his family and neighbors. His crime: possession of a SIM card for a cellphone. A few days earlier, five men accused of spying were killed by a firing squad in a public square. Mosul is completely dark at night because IS forbids the use of any generators, fearing the lights could draw airstrikes. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Colonie A $2 million expansion will give the region's low-income residents more access to fresh produce and dairy products, officials hope. The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York recently began expanding the distribution and office areas at its Albany Shaker Road warehouse. The 62,000-square-foot facility, which employs 65 and receives more than 112,000 pounds of items each day, had become so cramped that a hiring freeze was put in place and storage space was almost nonexistent, Executive Director Mark Quandt said. The lack of space also limited the food bank's ability to distribute fresh produce, which spoils more quickly than frozen and normally less-healthy food. The expansion will allow the food bank to triple the type and amount of produce immediately available to the 1,000 agencies it supplies. The ability to move more fresh food will also cause less waste, as backlogged products won't spoil awaiting pickup. "The new area is going to be a godsend for us," Quandt said. Since the 2008 recession, Quandt said the food bank, which unlike a pantry or soup kitchen distributes to agencies rather than individuals, saw local needs skyrocket. Though the sharp increases did taper around 2011, he said, needs have not necessarily decreased. He couldn't say if the need for expansion, paid for though fundraising efforts, is a good or bad thing, but did note that the food bank has received donations at a higher rate than ever before. "I don't view it as good or bad," he said. "I just see it as the reality we face right now." "In a very broad way, it's unfortunate that so many people are hungry," he said. But the expansion, which was precipitated by an overflow of food and employees, is a "recognition that we have a very generous community." Increasingly, poor Americans have relied on charitable organizations for food. In 2015, 42 million Americans including 13 million children lived in food insecure households, according to Feeding America, the national network of food banks. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Fluctuating gas prices and other seemingly insignificant changes have direct consequences for those unable to spare a few extra dollars in income, Quandt said. A 2014 Feeding America report found that nearly half of those who use local food assistance programs were considered working poor, meaning their wages were not enough to lift them out of poverty. About 43 percent were white, 26 percent were African-American and 20 percent were Latino, the study found. Funds for the project were raised by the food bank. rdownen@timesunion.com 518-454-5018 @robert_downen Albany Facing pressure from state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to reveal whether multi-trillion dollar oil reserves could be at risk under climate change regulations, energy giant ExxonMobil wants a Texas federal court to block his probe. In legal papers filed Monday in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, Exxon is claiming Schneiderman is part of a conspiracy to silence climate change dissenters and cites emails obtained by a conservative legal think tank linked to fossil fuel interests and Kansas petrochemical billionaires Charles and David Koch. Schneiderman and Exxon are at odds over an August subpoena served on PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm for Exxon, seeking details on how Exxon values reserves of oil and natural gas currently in the ground. This came after Schneiderman and 19 other state attorneys general in March announced an investigation into Exxon for its internal science on connections between greenhouse gas emissions and man-made climate change. This spring, Exxon added about $800 billion in value to its known reserves, bringing the total to nearly $3 trillion, which could last for 16 years at current production rates, according to company filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Schneiderman is investigating whether Exxon is misleading investors on risks that reserves could be devalued through potential regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing fossil fuel use. On Friday, Scheiderman filed in state Supreme Court to force Exxon's accountant to release records, which were due in early September, and that the company now claims are nearly all legally confidential as privileged communications. He noted that other energy companies have reduced known reserves values to reflect potential greenhouse gas emissions reductions, which the U.S., Europe, China and other major industrialized countries agree are needed to prevent potential runaway climate change. Said Schneiderman spokeswoman Amy Spitalnick, "As we've seen for months, Exxon will do everything in its power to distract, delay, and avoid any investigation into its actions, which may have violated state securities and consumer fraud laws. Exxon's latest claims in its stunt litigation in Texas are meritless." In July, the Texas chairman of the congressional Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Rep. Lamar Smith, subpoenaed Schneiderman's office for his records of his investigation into Exxon, which the attorney general refused to provide. The fossil fuel industry is the dominant source of Smith's campaign contributions, according to the opensecrets.com web site. On Monday, an Exxon press statement accused Scheiderman of "improper political bias" to support an "agenda for financial gain" that was not specified. Exxon also claimed the multi-state investigation was a "conspiracy" meant to "suppress speech" and "delegitimize" the company. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Other states in the investigation include Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands. The group is also defending proposed federal rules over power plant greenhouse gas emissions from a court challenge by states aligned with fossil fuel interests. Exxon claimed bias because of a meeting Schneiderman and other state attorneys general had this spring with environmental groups, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, a scientific advocacy group that supports the international scientific consensus linking fossil fuel emissions and climate change. Emails outlining the meeting were obtained through a Freedom of Information law request made in Vermont by the Energy & Environment Legal Institute, a not-for-profit conservative think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. The group has financial and staffing links to the fossil fuel industry and the Koch brothers, who have been involved in national and state efforts to roll back climate and energy regulations. In New York, another Koch-supported group, Americans for Prosperity, lost a legal challenge to undo the state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which limits power plant emissions, in 2012. Schneiderman defended the state in that case. bnearing@timesunion.com 518-454-5094 @Bnearing10 In the worst-kept secret in Capital Region restaurant circles this fall, there have been significant and in my view detrimental changes at Salt & Char, the pricey steakhouse that opened in Saratoga Springs over the summer to great fanfare, including much from me, as a result of the involvement of the internationally acclaimed chef Gray Kunz. Kunz, who is a financial partner in Salt & Char and its parent company, The Adelphi Hospitality Group, would say little on the matter. He told me, "I'm focusing on the Adelphi," the historic hotel next door to Salt & Char, on Broadway in downtown Saratoga, that Kunz and partners are gut-renovating for a spring opening. The hotel will have a bar, all-day dining and a brasserie. Salt & Char is now being run by its general manager, Christophe Chatron-Michaud, and its executive chef, Braden Reardon. While Kunz would not address the matter directly, I'm comfortable saying, based on interviews with about 10 people who are current or former employees or are otherwise familiar with the inner workings of the restaurant, that Kunz has not set foot in Salt & Char for more than a month. Although he still gets his own page on the restaurant's website, under the "chef" tab, Kunz is no longer involved in the restaurant, sources said. Most significantly, he had nothing to do with the fall dinner menu, which to me looks dumbed-down and far more generically Traditional Steakhouse than the Kunz-developed opening menu. Where there was once a small but diverse list of eight appetizers, the new menu has 15, many yawningly predictable. Seriously, a kale Caesar? Among other new additions: shrimp cocktail, French onion soup, crab cake and oysters Rockefeller. In a nod to off-season wallets and upstate tastes, there are now two pasta dishes ($24 spaghetti Bolognese, anyone?), plus three fish entrees, one vegetarian, one chicken and one pork. The steaks seem largely the same, with the addition of a $29, 8-ounce hanger. (Otherwise, steaks average nearly $58.) The changes were the result of a battle between Kunz and his business partners, according to my interviews. In an effort to lower food costs and unknown to Kunz, the restaurant sometimes ordered cheaper food that violated the fresh-local-seasonal mandate originally set down by Kunz and articulated on the restaurant's "philosophy" page, which starts with this: "We at Salt & Char are committed to supporting local farmers that follow organic and sustainable farming practices in all phases of operations." For example, I saw photos of tomatoes from Mexico in the Salt & Char cooler during late August peak season for local tomatoes. I've also seen photos of slabs of beef clearly stamped "choice," when the steaks, according to the menu, are prime and wagyu, as well as photos of bags of frozen vegetables. (The photos' authenticity was confirmed by four former employees, one current staff member and one supplier, all of whom said they saw the same or similar things at the restaurant.) Every source I spoke to, none of whom would talk on the record, as they feared reprisal, said the cost-cutting changes and use of inferior ingredients infuriated Kunz. Staff loyal to him were let go or quit in protest; I'm told between a third and a half of the kitchen staff didn't survive track season, and there also was churn among front-of-house employees. Management at five area restaurants told me they've received applications from former Salt & Char staff, who described fleeing an atmosphere riven by dissent. Toby Milde, president of Richbell Capital, which has The Adelphi Hospitality Group among its holdings, angrily dismissed the allegations of turmoil and a change in food philosophy when we talked several weeks ago. He attributed them to disgruntled former employees who were fired for inferior performance or let go as part of downsizing necessitated by the transition to a slower fall season. He repeatedly emphasized that Kunz remains a financial partner in the hospitality group. Reardon said Wednesday the nonlocal tomatoes were a one-time ordering mistake, not representative of a conscious decision to save money on food cost. Four sources dispute his characterization. Reardon said the restaurant remains committed to local sourcing. He said the menu changes were the result of an effort to broaden the restaurant's appeal. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. What's sad about this to say nothing of being confusing and possibly deceptive for patrons paying at least $100 apiece for dinner is what appears to be a quick abandonment of some of the founding principles of a distinctive restaurant that opened at a high level and was guided by a world-class chef with a four-decade commitment to a top-notch dining experience. (While running the kitchen at the former Lespinasse in Manhattan during the 1990s, Kunz held four stars from The New York Times for nine years. Reviewing Salt & Char in August for the Times Union, Susie Davidson Powell gave it four stars.) Changes started after less than two months, which surely cannot be enough time to gauge financial viability and longterm customer patterns especially when those first months were during summer in Saratoga. But this, alas, is a familiar story in the restaurant world: Property developers have the money and the desire for the cachet of an upscale restaurant without full understanding of the realities of the hospitality business; they need chefs; and there's a reason most chefs aren't as rich as property developers. Here's hoping Kunz can work things out with his partners to build and maintain in the Adelphi brasserie a restaurant that reflects his talents and principles. sbarnes@timesunion.com 518-454-5489 @Tablehopping http://facebook.com/SteveBarnesFoodCritic Washington Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's name had long circulated on alleged short lists of Hillary Clinton vice-presidential possibilities, but the New York junior senator's presence among the hopefuls won official recognition Tuesday as one of 39 mentioned on a hacked email. The Clinton campaign's consideration of Gillibrand was confirmed in one of the hacked WikiLeaks emails of campaign chairman John Podesta, which lists Gillibrand among the 39 hopefuls. Podesta said in the March 17 email to Clinton: "I have organized names in rough food groups." Those "groups" were defined by gender, race and ethnicity as well as military or business background. He described the list as a "first cut." Gillibrand's name was in a cluster of women, all Democratic senators. Among the other names: Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. Gillibrand spokesman, Marc Brumer, said the senator would have no comment on her name being on the purloined Podesta list. The email was part of a trove hacked from the Gmail address of Podesta and turned over to WikiLeaks. Senior government officials have said they are almost certain that hackers in Russia penetrated Podesta's account. Russian hacking and possible links to Russian President Vladimir Putin or his inner circle have become a 2016 campaign issue, with GOP candidate Donald Trump saying it's uncertain who is responsible and Clinton casting doubt on Trump's relations with Putin and business dealings in Russia. Ultimately Clinton picked a Senate colleague, Tim Kaine, D-Va., but the listing confirmed her arrival at the upper echelon of young Democrats with a potential future on the national stage. As a VP pick, Gillibrand would have been the bookend of a two-woman ticket. "Gillibrand will one day make a strong candidate for national office because she's really smart, hard-working and has very little political baggage," said Lawrence Levy, director of the Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University. "But there was not much chance she was going beyond the 39 as a running mate to another New Yorker." Although Clinton hails from suburban Chicago and never lived in New York before her successful Senate run in 2000, she resides in Chappaqua in Westchester County with her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Gillibrand is an Albany native. In picking a running mate, "the candidate observes the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm, but once beyond that they want to know what a VP pick can do to help," said Levy. "Tim Kaine is a moderate from a state that is part of the Clinton firewall. Another New Yorker wouldn't broaden electoral map at all." For a time last summer, speculation focused on Warren and the feasibility of a two-woman ticket. Warren refused to respond to a query from CNN, but Brumer told the network: "Sen. Gillibrand thinks two women on the ticket clearly would be a fantastic idea." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Gillibrand may not have brought much geographical or cultural diversity to the ticket. But she and Kaine did share one advantage: Serving in the Senate from home states with Democratic governors who would appoint successors if Clinton won the election. At age 49, Gillibrand has carved out a name for herself on specific issues she finds compelling. Chief among them is the scourge of sexual assault in the military and on campus. But she's also at home on more wonky issues such as dairy price supports for upstate farmers. "She'll make a terrific candidate for national office someday, but not with another New Yorker at the top of the ticket," said Levy. dan@hearstdc.com INVESTOR ALERT: Goldberg Law PC Announces an Investigation of Banc of California, Inc. and Advises Investors with Losses to Contact the Firm Goldberg Law PC announces that it is investigating Banc of California, Inc. ("Banc of California" or the "Company") (NYSE: BANC) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Banc of California shares and would like more information regarding the investigation, we advise you to contact Michael Goldberg or Brian Schall, of Goldberg Law PC, 1999 Avenue of the Stars Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067, at 800-977-7401, to discuss your rights without cost to you. You can also reach us through the firm's website at http://www.Goldberglawpc.com, or by email at [email protected]. This investigation focuses on whether Banc of California and certain of its officers and/or directors violated federal securities laws. On October 18 2016, Seeking Alpha published an article alleging that certain Banc of California insiders had undisclosed ties to individuals accused of involvement with the collapse of Gerova Financial. If you have any questions concerning your legal rights, please immediately contact Goldberg Law PC at 800-977-7401, or visit our website at http://www.Goldberglawpc.com, or email us at [email protected]. Goldberg Law PC represents shareholders around the world and specializes in securities class actions and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161018006790/en/ [October 18, 2016] Rue La La Announces E-Commerce Capabilities in China BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rue La La, an innovative e-commerce destination known for connecting world-class brands with the next-generation shopper, announces it is now connecting world-class brands with customers across China. Rue La La will expand its reach to Members in China and throughout 219 countries and territories, offering them women's and men's fashion, home decor, accessories, and more. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160211/332479LOGO With Rue La La, Members can shop designer brands like UGG, TOD's, Valentino, and Chloe at pricing of up to 70% off. Each day, new styles are added to the shopping site. Inventory is limited and sales run for a short time. "We're excited to extend Rue La La to China. Providing phenomenalexperiences while serving up great brands at amazing values is what Rue does so well in the United States. It's thrilling to be able to share our brand and capabilities with a new audience," said Mark McWeeny, CEO, Rue La La. Members in China and outside of the U.S. will be able to shop the site via desktop and mobile desktop. To celebrate the launch in China, Members will receive subsidized shipping of $9.95 on orders of $100 or more. Membership to Rue La La is always complimentary. To become a Member, log on to www.ruelala.com. A prompt for an email address and password begins your shopping experience. About Rue La La Rue La La strives to be the most engaging off-price, online style destination connecting world-class brands with the next generation shopper. ?Each day, Rue La La Members discover the most desired men's, women's, and children's apparel and accessories; home decor and accents; and exclusive destinations and experiences. ?Rue La La's engaging approach to retail has brought theater and excitement to online shopping, creating a captivating e-commerce destination that strategically supports its brand partners and inspires its Members daily. ?Rue La La is ranked #8 on Internet Retailer's 2016 Mobile 500 List. Visit us at www.ruelala.com. ?? Contacts: Trisha Spillane Rue La La 617-790-3666 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By PTI: Mumbai, Oct 19 (PTI) A dozen workers of MNS were today arrested for protesting against the upcoming release of filmmaker Karan Johars "Ae Dil Hain Muskhil" as the party rejected his statement that he will not "engage with talent" from Pakistan in future. The workers from MNS film unit Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena were protesting and raising slogans outside Metro Cinema in South Mumbai. advertisement The Raj Thackeray-led party has asked the theatre management not to hold any show of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" which features Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. The MNS had given a written appeal to the theatre management urging them not to show the movie as it features a Pakistani actor. The party workers also raised slogans outside the theatre, police officials said. "We arrested 12 MNS activists and booked them under relevant sections of Maharashtra Police Act and also CrPC," Senior Inspector of Azad Maidan Police Station Vijay Kadam told PTI. They were produced before a local court which granted them cash bail of Rs 5,000 each in the case (carrying out procession without permission) under the Police Act. The MNS activists were also booked under the CrPC section 151 (3) (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) in which they did not get any relief and sent to judicial custody till November 4. Seeking to calm tempers over opposition to the release of his directorial venture, Johar had yesterday made a fervent appeal against stalling the release, saying he will not engage with talent from Pakistan in future. However, MNS said reality has dawned late on Johar. MNS cine wing head Amey Khopkar, after a meeting with senior party leaders and Raj Thackeray, said they were firm on opposing the release. "We will not allow the film to be screened in single screens and multiplexes. Reality has dawned late on the producer," Khopkar said. The MNS and some other political parties have opposed release of films with actors from Pakistan after the Uri terror attack, putting a question mark on the fate of Johars movie, slated for release on October 28. The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India, too, decided not to screen films with Pakistani actors in four states -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa. A team from Johars Dharma Productions along with filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt and Vijay Singh of Fox Star Studios had yesterday met Mumbais top police officials and sought protection for the theatres to screen the film. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Dudhe had said, "Mumbai police will provide adequate protection to cinema theatres." PTI DC MR ND GK BK RSY RG --- ENDS --- advertisement [October 18, 2016] KeepTrax Announces Issuance of a Broad U.S. Technology Patent for its Innovative Mobile Location Platform HYDERABAD, India and DALLAS, October 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- KeepTrax, Inc., a Naya Venture portfolio company specializing in Location-as-a-Service, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ('USPTO') has issued U.S. Patent 9,432,944 for determining whether a mobile device user is substantially stationary within a geo-fence. This patent broadly protects the methods used by KeepTrax that leverage mobile device sensors to efficiently deduce a user's motion state to trigger actions such as location data capture, content delivery, and other field-oriented requirements. "We are pleased that this latest patent issuance covers the core technology underlying the KeepTrax location capture and curation platform," said Kedar Benegal, Founder and CEO of KeepTrax. "This fundamental patent covers not only current market applications of our technology, but establishes a precedent for other patent applications that have been submitted on our portfolio of next-generation automatic journaling, tracking, geo-profiling, and location-based machine learning solutions." The patent issuance reinforces that KeepTrax is on the leading edge of location-based services and motion-sensing technology. KeepTrax today offers a range of solutions including: KeepTrax fo Field Management: A solution specifically for field force/sales force management, this version allows integration with client and sales prospect databases to develop rich field visit histories, and also real-time tracking, messaging, and monitoring features. Captured data can be easily shared with peers and managers in real-time, and integrates seamlessly with standard CRM solutions. KeepTrax for Travel: A travel-optimized version of KeepTrax that allows travel companies ( travel agencies, airlines, hoteliers, etc.) to deliver branded location journaling solutions to their customers. The offering includes base KeepTrax features and more advanced sharing and travelogue capabilities. In addition to allowing travel companies to offer advanced journaling to their travellers, the solution also provides rich data capture and curation capabilities to develop insights to help better understand user behaviors and preferences. KeepTrax SDK: Advanced APIs and iOS, Android and Web SDKs available to developers that want to integrate KeepTrax features and functions into their own apps and sites. In addition to pin capture and curation (name, dates, times, locations, photos, calendar, etc.), the platform offers advanced reporting and analytics tools and capabilities for a range of use cases and geo-profile development. About KeepTrax: Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, KeepTrax is backed by Hyderabad-based Venture Capital firm Naya Ventures. KeepTrax has developed an innovative Location-as-a-Service platform that leverages GPS and other mobile device sensors to convert physical location visits into context-rich digital pins. The technology is being applied today to a range of use cases, from travel journaling and user geo-profile generation to field sales optimization and location-based insight development. To learn more about KeepTrax please visit http://www.keeptraxinc.com. Media Contact: David Novak Executive Vice President, Corporate Development Email: [email protected] Meenakshi K VP - Media Relations H&B Consulting Email: [email protected] Phone: +91-7702048735 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] L&T Technology Services Inks Multi-Million Dollar Contract with Global Semiconductor Firm L&T Technology Services, a leading global provider of digital engineering solutions, announced that it has secured a new multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with a large global semi-conductor company to provide verification support on their expansive portfolio of offerings and products. This strategic tie-up between the two companies will enable the customer to strengthen its product offering and capitalize on market opportunities with superior quality products. "L&T Technology Services' focused effort on key customers is paying dividends. We have been awarded a multi-year partnership with one of the world's most respected technology companies. We will continue to provide cutting edge services and solutions to global customers," said Dr. Keshab Panda, CEO & Managing Director, L&T Technology Services. Over the years, L&T Technology Services continues to foster a strong culture of innovation, nurturing curiosity towards new technologies, and has worked with its customers and alliance partners to produce innovative suite of technology patents. With a track record of developing contemporary solutions and building products that are technologically advanced, L&T Tecnology Services is committed to offer state of the art technology to all its customers. About L&T Technology Services Limited: L&T Technology Services Limited is a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited with a focus on Engineering R&D Services servicing customers including a number of Fortune 500 companies globally. We provide ER&D services to manufacturing, technology and process engineering companies, to help them develop and build products, processes and infrastructure required to deliver products and services to their end customers. We offer design and development solutions throughout the entire product development chain across various Industry verticals such as industrial products, medical devices, transportation, telecom & hi-tech, and the process industry. The company also offers services and solutions in the areas of mechanical and manufacturing engineering services, embedded systems, software engineering and process engineering. For "new" technologies, we provide solutions and services in the areas of product life cycle management, engineering analytics, power electronics, M2M connectivity and the Internet-of-Things (IoT). With a multi-disciplinary vertical industry expertise and multi-domain presence, we help clients achieve an advantage through value engineering of existing products, processes and services. Headquartered in India, L&T Technology Services Limited has 9,406 employees, 12 global delivery centers in India and overseas, 27 sales offices in India, North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia and 31 labs in India as of March 31, 2016. For additional information about L&T Technology Services log on to www.lntTechservices.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005510/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Campaign Monitor Unveils Email Marketing and Automation for Microsoft Dynamics Campaign Monitor, the leading provider of professional-grade email marketing and automation software for fast-growing businesses, today unveiled Campaign Monitor for Microsoft (News - Alert) Dynamics. Now every Microsoft Dynamics CRM customer has seamless integration with Campaign Monitor's leading email marketing and marketing automation solution. Professional marketers want sophisticated tools to create personalized email campaigns and automated customer journeys, without technical complexity. With Campaign Monitor for Microsoft Dynamics, every marketer can harness customer data to tailor communications, sending more targeted email marketing campaigns that drive customer engagement and revenue. "Microsoft Dynamics is the CRM of choice for hundreds of thousands of fast-growing companies worldwide," said Kraig Swensrud, CMO, Campaign Monitor, "With Campaign Monitor for Microsoft Dynamics, marketers are empowered to easily create branded and personalized email marketing campaigns that engage customers and drive business results." Campaign Monitor for Microsoft Dynamics brings powerful email marketig and marketing automation features to Microsoft Dynamics customers, including: An easy-to-use, drag-and-drop email builder to create visually stunning email campaigns Personalized 1:1 marketing campaigns with customer data from Microsoft Dynamics Professionally-designed email templates that work on any mobile device Sophisticated marketing automation to trigger customer journeys with CRM data Rich reporting around email campaign engagement to drive higher ROI Pricing and Availability Campaign Monitor for Microsoft Dynamics is generally available today on the Campaign Monitor App Store at no additional cost to customers. For more information visit www.campaignmonitor.com/microsoft. About Campaign Monitor Campaign Monitor is the leading provider of professional-grade email marketing and automation software for fast-growing businesses. With the simplicity of Campaign Monitor's drag-and-drop tools, more than two million customers at 200,000 companies worldwide, including Adidas, BuzzFeed, Chandon, Rip Curl, the San Diego Chargers, Topshop, Sephora, Vice Media and Virgin grow their business with powerful email marketing and marketing automation. Founded in 2004, Campaign Monitor has offices and 24/7 live support in 20 cities globally, including San Francisco, New York, London and Sydney. Learn more at www.campaignmonitor.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005473/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Shipt to Launch Harris Teeter Grocery Delivery in Charlotte Shipt, an app-based grocery delivery service that serves 30 major metropolitan areas across the country, and Harris Teeter, a North Carolina-based supermarket chain, today announced an official partnership to offer grocery delivery from Harris Teeter in the Charlotte metro area. The partnership between Shipt and Harris Teeter began last year when the supermarket launched grocery delivery in the Research Triangle. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005719/en/ "One thing is very clear in the Charlotte region - people love Harris Teeter. By providing great groceries and focusing on customer satisfaction, Harris Teeter has established itself as one of the most well-respected brands in the region," said Bill Smith, founder and CEO of Shipt. "We look forward to deepening our relationship with Harris Teeter, and expanding the number of stores we shop throughout Charlotte. We are ready to bring the convenience of grocery delivery to more people, while also further investing in community initiatives focused on families and addressing hunger relief." Through Shipt's mobile or desktop app, members browse a full selection of grocery items available at their local Harris Teeter store andchoose a convenient one-hour delivery window. A Shipt Shopper visits the local store to hand pick and deliver the items to the member as soon as one hour after the order. For just $99 per year, Shipt members receive unlimited grocery deliveries on all orders over $35. Shipt does not utilize surge pricing, even for deliveries during peak times or holidays. To celebrate Shipt's partnership with Harris Teeter, Shipt is offering $25 in free groceries to annual members who sign up prior to the launch of Shipt in their area. Shipt displays an ongoing commitment to each community it serves. Locally, the company has worked with the Cam Newton Foundation, and will continue to identify opportunities to work with Harris Teeter's community initiatives. Shipt also will partner with local organizations that are dedicated to addressing hunger relief for families and children. "With Shipt, Harris Teeter is able to expand its delivery options beyond its current ExpressLane delivery. Shoppers now have a choice in how they get their groceries delivered to their doorstep," said Danna Robinson, communication manager for Harris Teeter. "We look forward to building upon our existing online grocery offering by partnering with Shipt." Leading up to the launch, Shipt will grow its existing network of shoppers and recruit additional shoppers to shop and deliver orders to Shipt members. To apply to be a Shipt Shopper, visit Shipt.com and click "Get Paid (News - Alert) to Shop." Grocery delivery will be available from more than 50 Harris Teeter stores in the Charlotte area. Shipt's Charlotte coverage includes the greater Charlotte metro area and surrounding communities of Concord, Mooresville, Cornelius, Mint Hill, Waxhaw, Lake Wylie, Stanley, Denver, Huntersville, Indian Trail, Matthews, and Weddington, as well as Fort Mill and Rock Hill, S.C. For more information, including an interactive map of the coverage area or to sign up for a membership, visit Shipt.com/Charlotte. About Shipt Shipt delivers fresh groceries from local grocery stores through a community of shoppers and a convenient app. Actively delivering to 30 cities across the country, Shipt is the nation's fastest growing online grocery marketplace. Shipt partners with leading grocery retailers and local stores to provide members with unparalleled convenience and exceptional service that simplifies the grocery shopping experience. Shipt offers unlimited grocery deliveries for $99 per year. The company has offices in Birmingham, Ala., and San Francisco. For more information, visit Shipt.com. About Harris Teeter Harris Teeter, with headquarters in Matthews, N.C., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR). The regional grocery chain employs approximately 30,000 associates and operates stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005719/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Kimberly-Clark Professional Aims to Make Your Restrooms as Smart as the Rest of Your Building ROSWELL, Ga., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Professional is harnessing the machine-to-machine connectivity of the Internet of Things to bring distribution sales professionals and their customers a smart restroom management system called Onvation Technology. The system provides up-to-the-minute monitoring of restroom conditions from any device or location, 24 hours a day. It will be introduced at ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2016, October 25-28, via a 360 virtual reality experience. "Buildings today are smarter than ever with sensors and software managing everything from lighting and security to HVAC systems and more," said Terry Sanchez, Marketing and Sales leader, Kimberly-Clark Professional, North America. "However, the restroom, which is one of the top three areas of tenant complaints, has been largely overlooked until now." The Onvation Difference Onvation Technology is a patent-protected system that delivers real-time data and alerts so building managers can identify and fix restroom problems before they become complaints. It can help: Cut costs and expenses Reduce waste and boost sustainability Optimize labor Enhance tenant satisfaction In addition to signaling whether dispensers are empty or full, Onvation Technology provides actionable data, analytics and insights that can help building managers better manage their businesses by gaining control of the restroom. 360 Virtual Reality Experience ISSA/INTERCLEAN attendees will be able to experience Onvation Technology first-hand at the Kimberly-Clark Booth, 2849. "Through virtual reality goggles, a 360 video and a unique environment within the booth, they will be able to see exactly how this smartrestroom management system works," Sanchez added. Onvation Technology delivers and relays information through a web-based dashboard that's accessible 24/7. Here's how it works: Connected sensors are embedded into proprietary towel, tissue, soap dispensers and door counters. Real-time data is sent to the cloud over a secure network. Automatic text messages alert building managers to product and battery levels, usage, jams and overall traffic. Remote confirmation is delivered when an issue has been resolved. The system enables building managers to reallocate resources to enhance productivity. "Instead of treating all restrooms equally, managers can assign staff to the areas that actually need service," Sanchez said. The system also can be used to make informed decisions about budgeting, planning and scheduling, so building managers can be proactive rather than reactive. "Seventy-three percent of tenants say a bad restroom signals poor management," Sanchez added. "When you consider that the typical office worker visits the restroom three to four times a day, that's more than 1.1 million annual opportunities to impress or disappoint. With Onvation Technology, building managers can make sure their restrooms measure up to the rest of their properties." To learn more about Onvation Technology and other Kimberly-Clark Professional offerings, click here or visit Booth 2849 at ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2016. About Kimberly-Clark Professional Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces, helping to make them healthier, safer and more productive. Key brands in this segment include: Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech and Jackson Safety. Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Georgia, is one of three Kimberly-Clark business sectors. To see how Kimberly-Clark Professional is helping people around the world to work better, please visit www.kcprofessional.com. About Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the Company's 144-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. [KMB-B] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110928/DA76879LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kimberly-clark-professional-aims-to-make-your-restrooms-as-smart-as-the-rest-of-your-building-300347351.html SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Trend Micro Raises Bar with XGen Endpoint Security First to add high-fidelity machine learning to a blend of cross-generational threat defense techniques OTTAWA, Oct. 19, 2016 /CNW/ - Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, today announced the availability of XGen endpoint security. This new offering is powered by the XGen blend of cross-generational threat defense techniques that intelligently applies the right technology at the right time, resulting in more effective and efficient protection against a full range of threats. Trend Micro's unique approach uses proven methods to quickly identify benign data and known threats, freeing its advanced techniques, such as application control, exploit prevention, behavioral analysis and machine learning, to more quickly and accurately identify unknown threats. Trend Micro is the first to infuse 'high-fidelity' machine learning into its approach uniquely analyzing files both before execution and at runtime, using 'noise cancellation' features like census checking and whitelisting to reduce false positives. New threats appearing as rapidly as technology changes, but old threats continue to circulate and plague enterprises Endpoint security has evolved dramatically over the past 25 years. In the early days, nuisance malware or spam was the only concern. However, the booming underground hacker economy, ever-changing IT landscape and risky user behavior have given rise to an exponential growth in sophisticated threats like phishing, targeted attacks, mobile malware and now ransomware. Recently, a single ransomware variant compromised an estimated 100,000 cmputers per day1. These dynamic challenges, combined with the cumulative volume of attacks made worse with more than 500,000 new threats identified daily2 have made it harder than ever for organizations to stay protected. Despite promises by some security providers, time has shown that there is no silver bullet when it comes to defeating the myriad of cyber threats each new class of threat requires purpose-built protection techniques. "The name XGen was carefully chosen to indicate the cross-generational technology fueling our approach, which is built on years of experience and provides customers with better protection against the evolving range of threats they face," said Eva Chen, chief executive officer for Trend Micro. "We've been using machine learning for years as part of our global threat intelligence, the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network. Now, we're raising the bar by infusing 'high-fidelity' machine learning into our blend of protection techniques to specifically tackle more advanced threats like ransomware, while other vendors, including relatively new 'next-gen' endpoint security companies, only offer one or two 'one-size-fits-all' protection techniques." XGen endpoint security is available today as part of the Trend Micro Smart Protection Suites. The suites include a range of integrated endpoint, email and web gateway security capabilities designed to protect users in their daily activities, with centralized visibility and control to speed time to response for IT. With 28 years of experience and more than 155 million endpoints protected, Trend Micro continues to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to innovation in the area of endpoint security. "New threats are appearing as rapidly as technology changes, but old threats continue to circulate and plague enterprises," said Doug Cahill, Senior Analyst for ESG. "What comes next should embody a design that is multi-generational, based on an architecture that can transcend technology, threats and end-user computing behaviors. It's exciting to see that Trend Micro is addressing this challenge with the introduction of XGen endpoint security." Trend Micro has been named a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms since 20023. In 2016, Trend Micro placed furthest to the right in the quadrant for Completeness of Vision. About Trend Micro Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. With over 5,000 employees in over 50 countries and the world's most advanced global threat intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their journey to the cloud. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com. 1 Ransomware Victims Urged To Report Infections To Federal Law Enforcement, September 15, 2016 https://www.ic3.gov/media/2016/160915.aspx 2 500,000 new threats identified daily as part of the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network http://cloudsecurity.trendmicro.com/us/technology-innovation/our-technology/smart-protection-network/index.html 3 Trend Micro positioned in Leaders Quadrant under the names Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection and Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Antivirus SOURCE Trend Micro Canada Technologies Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Beeks Financial Cloud Expands Global Network to Equinix HK1 IBX in Hong Kong Beeks Financial Cloud Ltd, a global leader in financial cloud infrastructure, announced today that the company has fully deployed its hosting, colocation, and low-latency connectivity offerings in Equinix's (News - Alert) International Business Exchange (IBX), located in HK1. The new location is Beeks' eighth data center worldwide and second in Asia, joining Equinix TY3 in Tokyo. With this expansion to Hong Kong, Beeks has created new opportunities to reach clients and brokers in China, offering secure and fast connectivity in an area where internet connections are often unstable. Hong Kong (HK1) to New York (NY4) dedicated fiber is already live and immediately available to Beeks clients. Additionally, Hong Kong (HK1) to London (LD4) will be available in November; Hong Kong (HK1) to Tokyo (TY3) will be available in December. All of this will allow Chinese brokers, banks, and trading firms to source and provide liquidity globally, plus expand the reach of international financial firms to transac business in China. "We've listened to our customers, and we're thrilled to now be able to offer them reliable connectivity and hosting in Hong Kong," said Victor Hendrix, Global Director of Sales & Marketing at Beeks Financial Cloud. "Our presence in HK1 will be extremely valuable to our customers as we continue to connect the globe and offer new opportunities to source liquidity." This announcement comes on the heels of another expansion for Beeks, as the company unveiled its brand new, state-of-the-art Network Operations Center (NOC (News - Alert)) at their headquarters in Glasgow, UK earlier this month. The Beeks NOC is a centralized location from which the company provides real-time monitoring of the health of its Global Financial Cloud. The company is currently in the process of recruiting 20 new staff to be based at the center. ABOUT BEEKS FINANCIAL CLOUD Beeks Financial Cloud is a UK-based low-latency service provider for institutional capital markets. With eight data centres globally and low-latency connectivity between sites, Beeks Financial Cloud focuses on reducing barriers to entry and time to market for institutional clients trading forex/futures and equities. For more information, visit: www.beeksfinancialcloud.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005833/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] PetSmart Acquires a Top Online Pet Adoption Platform, AllPaws, to Enhance Adoption Efforts PetSmart Inc., the largest pet specialty retailer and leading resource for pet adoption in North America, today announced it has acquired AllPaws, one of the largest online and mobile platforms that matches those looking to adopt a pet with pets ideally suited for their home, family and lifestyle. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. "Pet adoption is core to our purpose-driven business, and the acquisition of AllPaws offers a smart technology platform to accelerate our in-store adoption program even further," said Michael Massey, president and chief executive officer for PetSmart. "Our leadership role in pet adoption has led to a record-setting seven million pets adopted from our stores since we started the in-store adoption program in 1994. More than 3,000 current animal welfare partners -- plus thousands of additional rescues and shelters -- will be able to use AllPaws as a digital hub to promote adoptable pets, which we believe will result in even greater success in finding forever homes for pets across North America." Approximately 5,000 animal rescues and shelters across North America directly utilize AllPaws to promote their adoptable pets. Thousands more animal welfare organizations will be able to use the centralized PetSmart AllPaws platform to create, populate and update detailed profiles for adoptable pets to increase their exposure and chance of being adopted. Prospective pet parents can then use AllPaws to search for pets by various search categories such as breed, age, gender, energy level, training stage, temperament and geo-location in order to find the pet best suited for their home, family and lifetyle requirements. "We are thrilled to join the PetSmart family and to contribute to its mission of helping save pets' lives through adoption," said Darrell Lerner, AllPaws founder. "When we set out to develop AllPaws, we wanted to take a fresh and modern approach to pet adoption that combines a sophisticated, user-friendly functionality with deep social integration in order to connect prospective adopters with the best pet match possible. With PetSmart's scale and PetSmart Charities adoption program leveraging more than 1,470 stores that serve as adoption centers, we believe AllPaws has found its forever home with PetSmart." The AllPaws pet adoption platform -- free to all users -- offers a comprehensive solution on the web and a fun, engaging mobile application experience on iPhone (News - Alert). Its iPhone app is frequently the top ranked adoption app on iTunes and has grown nearly every month since its launch in 2014. The platform has strong traffic, typically averaging 800,000-900,000 visits per month. For every 30 seconds a PetSmart store is open, a pet is adopted, totaling 1,400 pets lives saved every day. Through these efforts, nearly 500,000 pets find forever homes every year. About PetSmart PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart's passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,477 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents - including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com - offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption program with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year. About AllPaws AllPaws offers a fresh and modern approach to pet adoption that combines sophisticated online dating functionality and a deep social integration. Built by a team with deep roots in the online dating space, AllPaws has grown nearly every month since launch and has 850,000 registered users. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019005975/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Genesis DynaSpectrum Awarded Best of What's New by Popular Science LED powerhouse Lighting Science is proud to announce that their innovative biological LED lamp, the Genesis DynaSpectrum, has been named a Best of What's New 2016 product in the Home Category by Popular Science magazine. The magazine's yearly round-up reviews thousands of new products in the science, home and technology spheres to determine just 100 winners that represent "a significant step forward" in their respective category. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006064/en/ GENESIS DYNASPECTRUM AWARDED BEST OF WHAT'S NEW BY POPULAR SCIENCE (Photo: Business Wire) "The Best of What's New awards honor the innovations that shape the future," says Kevin Gray, Executive Editor, Popular Science. "From life-saving technology to incredible space engineering to gadgets that are just breathtakingly cool, this is the best of what's new." The Genesis DynaSpectrum is the world's first commercially-available luminire focused on improving the user's health and productivity. The Genesis emits a spectrum of light that mimics daylight and twilight to regulate the body's natural circadian rhythm 24/7. The lamp dynamically changes, with or without user interaction, between Lighting Science's biological LED spectrums, GoodDay - to enhance natural energy and focus - and GoodNight - to promote a healthy and restorative sleep. "Beware of the imitators who claim to achieve health & wellness, sleep, and productivity benefits using old fashioned 'color temperature' shifting methods," says Fred Maxik, Chief Technology Officer and founder of Lighting Science. "Our Genesis platform and its DynaSpectrum light engine is the first all-in-one HealthE lighting solution in the world. DynaSpectrum allows us to deliver a biologically-optimized spectrum of light for every time of the day - on demand." The Genesis DynaSpectrum technology is so effective at regulating circadian rhythms that NASA is installing a customized version on the International Space Station this fall, where astronauts experience 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. The Genesis also makes for the ideal desk light or bedside table lamp. On-board sensors monitor local air quality to assist in improved breathing, allergy-relief, cognitive function and sleep. The unit comes with multiple control options, an easy, app-based color/spectrum setting, and can be switched to auto-mode to sync GoodDay and GoodNight spectrums to your local time anywhere in the world. The November/December Best of 2016 issue of Popular Science is now available at newsstands everywhere. About Lighting Science Lighting Science (OTCQB:LSCG) is a global leader in innovative LED lighting solutions that designs, manufactures and brings to market advanced, intelligent products for consumer and commercial applications. We are committed to using the science of light to improve the lives and health of people and our planet by inventing breakthrough, biologically-friendly LED lamps and lighting fixtures. Lighting Science is headquartered in West Warwick, RI, with research and development facilities in Cocoa Beach, Florida, and offices in China. Find out more about us and our products at www.lsgc.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter (News - Alert), LinkedIn and the Lighting Science Blog. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006064/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Anesthesia Business Consultants Unveils MACRA Made Easy Platform at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2016 Anesthesia Business Consultants (ABC), a leading provider in billing and practice management for the anesthesia and pain management specialty, is pleased to announce they will be attending the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2016 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL, held this weekend October 22nd - 26th at the McCormick Place. This five-day event allows you to participate in world-class education presented by thought leaders in the specialty, enhance your professional skills and discover what's new in anesthesia care. ABC will be introducing its pioneering MACRA Made Easy platform which prepares our clients for the changes due to go into effect next year with the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), as part of CMS's Quality Payment Program. Fee-for-service has been the traditional methodology for reimbursements, but as CMS transitions to a pay-for-performance methodology, it is easy to get lost in the acronyms and the policy. ABC's MACRA Made Easy platform guides clients through the changes and provides a structured and practice-specific platform to ensure that a practice is not only protected from penalties, but puts itself in line for incentive payments. ABC has led the way with our proprietary Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) program and we will continue to provide that pathway to success for anesthesia and pain management providers. Tony Mira, President and CEO of ABC, states, "The theme at this year's ANESTHESIOLOGY 2016 is 'Leading the Future of Health Care,' which fits right in with ABC's QCDR program and our over-arching platform to guide our clients through the transition to the Quality Payment Program-MACRA Made Easy. The government's change from a fee-for-service model to a pay-for-performance methodology requires providers to track and maintain standardized metrics on their quality performance. QCDR reporting offers the greatest level of flexibility and alignment with anesthesia practices and is the recommended approach for all providers to comply with these governmental quality requirements. ABC can help usher you into the future of healthcare with our new QCDR and our MACRA Made Easy platform walks you through the steps." You can find ABC at Booth #4028 of the McCormick Place. About Anesthesia Business Consultants Anesthesia Business Consultants (ABC), established in 1979, is the nation's largest billing and practice management company dedicated to the complex and intricate specialty of anesthesia and pain management. The heart of our perioperative suite of products is ABC's proprietary practice management software F1RSTAnesthesia. Our newest tool is F1RSTClient, the premier client portal that allows clients' secure and seamless access to ABC's applications. F1RSTAnalytics, our powerful suite of dashboards and reports, provides "Insight at Your Fingertips" offering real-time data prowess and providing the data to aid in operating your anesthesia practice as an effective clinical organization and successful business. Our solutions provide accurate, prompt and complete billing and revenue cycle management. Our exclusive focus improves your cash flow and profitability. Visit ABC at: www.anesthesiallc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006067/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Indian Air Force chopper crashed near the Mana Pass in Uttarakhand, no casualties reported so far. By Manjeet Negi: An Indian Air Force helicopter today crashed near the Mana Pass in Uttarakhand during a military drill. No casualties have been reported so far in the accident. The Mi17 V5 helicopter crashed immediately after it took off from Ghastoli helipad near Mana Pass. The helicopter had two officers of the IAF and jawans of the 12 Grenadiers of the Indian Army on board. advertisement The accident took place when the army and the IAF were participating in a joint military exercise between the Mana Pass and Badrinath. Today's drill was part of week-long war exercise jointly conducted by the army and the air force along the India-China border. #FLASH IAF MI-17 v5 crashed after taking off frm north Badrinath.All crew safe,no damage to civil property.COI ordered. More details awaited ANI (@ANI_news) October 19, 2016 (Awaiting more updates) --- ENDS --- PRSA CEO, Joseph Truncale, to Speak at West Virginia University's INTEGRATE Conference Joseph P. Truncale, Ph.D., CAE, chief executive officer of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will be offering advice to strategic communications professionals during West Virginia University's INTEGRATE Chicago conference. Truncale will present "The Adaptive Professional: A Look at the Rapidly Changing Requirements for the Public Relations/Strategic Communications Professional," on Wednesday, Nov. 2 in Chicago. Based on recent studies of thousands of public relations professionals working in a variety of settings and at various points in their careers, PRSA sought to identify how their role is changing. Truncale will offer insight into what organizations require of the public relations professional and how those skills integrate with other organizational operating units, as well as the skills that savvy professionals will add to their portfolio to ensure future relevance and enhance their ability to bring unique value to the stakeholders. "PRSA is proud to be a part of this career-fostering event," said Joseph P. Truncale, Ph.D., CAE, PRSA CEO. "As an association that strives to further the profession and the professional, I am happy to speak at our University Partner's event. We both share common goals of providing guidance and thought leadership to keep public relations and communications practitioners relevant and growing in their skill set." Truncale specializes in strategy, customer analysis and organizational effectiveness. For the first time, West Virginia University's INTEGRATE conference is traveling to the Midwest to provide professionals withthe latest integrated marketing communications techniques and strategies. The conference will be held in The Loop, one of Chicago's most vibrant neighborhoods featuring attractions for sightseers, foodies and night owls alike. WVU Reed College of Media's INTEGRATE Chicago will be held November 1-2 at Michigan Plaza and is hosted by the College's online Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) graduate program. After the success of holding INTEGRATE in Washington, D.C., last fall, the IMC program decided to expand the conference from its usual home in Morgantown, West Virginia, and make it available to their Midwest market in Chicago. INTEGRATE begins with a professional networking event the evening of Nov. 1, where attendees can meet peers from across the United States, and concludes at 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 with an agency tour of Energy BBDO after a day filled with top-level industry speakers. Additional speakers include J. Bryan Bennett, author of "Competing on Healthcare Analytics"; Clarissa Beyah-Taylor, vice president, Pepco Holdings Communications at Exelon; Andy Crestodina, co-founder and strategic director of Orbit Media; Andres Ordonez, chief creative officer at Energy BBDO; and Hugo Perez, executive vice president, global head of content and innovation at Zeno Group, The Content Factory. Click here for more information about WVU's INTEGRATE Chicago and how to register. About the Public Relations Society of America PRSA is the largest professional organization serving the U.S. public relations community. With a mission to "advance the profession and the professional," PRSA provides news and information, thought leadership, continuing education and networking opportunities; sets standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct; and advocates for the business value of public relations and greater diversity among public relations professionals. Based in New York, PRSA comprises 111 local Chapters; 14 Professional Interest Sections that focus on specific industries and practice areas; and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which is active at more than 340 colleges and universities. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006155/en/ [October 19, 2016] Top 4 Drivers Promoting Growth for the RFID Smart Cabinet Market, Reports Technavio Technavio analysts forecast the global radio-frequency identification (RFID) smart cabinet market to grow at an impressive CAGR of more than 14% during the forecast period, according to their latest report. The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global RFID smart cabinet market for 2016-2020. The market size is calculated on the basis of revenue generated from the sales of RFID smart cabinets. The report also presents major market vendors in the Americas, APAC, and EMEA. On an average, a hospital loses more than 15% of its assets in a year owing to fraud or misplacement of hospital supplies. In order to eliminate such losses and enhance time efficiency, hospitals are focusing on upgrading their infrastructure and incorporating RFID technology to keep track of their inventories. Therefore, the healthcare sector is the predominant end-user of RFID smart cabinets, accounting for 90%-95% of the revenue share in 2015. Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=49852 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 hardware and semiconductor analysts highlight the following four factors that are contributing to the growth of the global RFID smart cabinet market: Growing need for inventory management in hospitals Rising government funding for hospitals Increasing healthcare spending Supply chain inefficiencies Growing need for inventory management in hospitals The use of RFID smart cabinets reduces manual efforts in maintaining, tracking, and managing inventory in hospitals. Smart cabinets also minimize loss and misplacement of supplies. RFID smart cabinets from LogiTag Systems enable hospital staff to track the status of medical devices being used by the patients, the access time of devices, and expiration date of supplies to manage costs. Advantages of RFID smart cabinets Enable accurate, real-time tracking at item level Help nurses focus on patient care rather than inventory records Reduce inventory waste Eliminate manual counting of supplies Eliminate the situation of stock-outs Reduce hospital-supplier disagreements over the supplies Rising government funding for hospitals An increase in funding from governmental agencies for hospitals across the globe is another major driver for market growth. In 2013, the Australian government spent an additional amount of USD 40-USD 45 billion in the healthcare sector, compared with the amount spent in 2003. In 2014, Welsh Government invested USD 430,797 in a RFID tagging system under the project named Invest-to-Save Fund. Sunil Kumar Singh, a lead embedded systems analyst at Technavio, says, "Hospitals across the world are showing a keen interest in enhancing their infrastructure to avail funding and achieve operational excellence. As hospitals are aware of the benefits of RFID smart cabinets, which can track drugs and devices and notify of the expiry dates of drugs, they have started adopting these cabinets." Increasing healthcare spending Continuous R&D and ongoing clinical trials have resulted in better product designs that incorporate advanced technological features. The development of the healthcare industry and its infrastructure have led to an increase in healthcare expenditure. Developed countries in the Americas and Europe spend the most on healthcare. Developing countries have to increase their spending dramatically to provide basic health insurance coverage, develop a primary healthcare service system, and improve the availability of medications in rural and suburban areas. This is expected to result in the reformation of public hospitals and healthcare facilities, thereby increasing the demand for laser equipment, propelling market growth. The healthcare spending in different geographies is illustrated in the table below: Regions Healthcare Spending (% of GDP) North America 17.50% EMEA 17.10% South America 8.00% APAC 6.70% Source (News - Alert): Technavio Supply chain inefficiencies "In the retail landscape, goods move through many stages and get distributed at every stage. Thus, to keep track of the inventory distribution and accurate details of distribution is very difficult. In addition, the trend of omnichannel retailing has made inventory tracking even more complex," asserts Sunil. Another complex task of retailers and manufacturers is accurate demand planning due to inefficiencies such as incorrect data and delayed data flow through the supply chain. Manufacturers may obtain point-of-sale (POS) data from retailers, but without information about stock levels during inventory transportation, it is not possible to plan for demand accurately. Top vendors: LogiTag Systems Mobile Aspects TAGSYS RFID Skytron SkyeTek SATO Vicinity Stanley InnerSpace WaveMark Browse Related Reports: Global RFID Readers Market 2016-2020 Smart Thermostat Market in APAC 2015-2019 Global RFID Readers 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/20161019005431/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] IMPORTANT INVESTOR ALERT: Khang & Khang LLP Announces an Investigation of Banc of California, Inc. and Encourages Investors with Losses to Contact the Firm Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces that it is investigating claims against Banc of California, Inc. ("Banc of California" or the "Company") (NYSE: BANC) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws. If you purchased shares of Banc of California and want more information, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esquire, of Khang & Khang, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA (News - Alert) 92612, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at [email protected]. This investigation focuses on whether Bancof California and certain of its officers and/or directors violated federal securities laws. On October 18 2016, Seeking Alpha published an article alleging that certain Banc of California insiders had undisclosed ties to individuals accused of involvement with the collapse of Gerova Financial. When this information was disclosed to the public, shares of Banc of California fell in value. If you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at [email protected]. This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006298/en/ [October 19, 2016] "Hacker Lab" Event Shows How Cyber Criminals Attack Homes - and How to Stop Them At a recent "Home Hacker Lab" event sponsored by Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB), part of Munich Re, and Prescient Solutions, an ethical hacker revealed how cybercriminals work - and what consumers can do to protect themselves. The October 13 workshop in New York City mounted a remote cyber-attack on an Internet-connected model home inside the American Modern Insurance Group claims training facility in Ohio. The event demonstrated in real time how hackers choose their targets, enter a system, and the harm they can do once they infiltrate a home. Key takeaways for homeowners included: Most attacks happen via traditional means, through home Wi-Fi systems, emails and computer browsers. Hackers are quickly finding new entry points through smart Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Roughly 80 percent of consumers report using a home network connected to the Internet. One in ten consumers have experienced a cyberattack via their connected home systems.* The Hacker Lab was presented by HSB, a leading specialty insurer of data and information risks, and Prescient Solutions, a Chicago-based IT outsourcing firm. The lab was designed to help educate and provide home cyber defense ideas for consumers. "Hackers are exploiting common security flaws and using them to breach home networks, computers, IoT and mobile devices," said Eric Cernak, vice president and cyber practice leader for Munich Re. "Once cyber criminals have access, they can steal personal and financial information, hold computer files for ransom, and hijack anything from webcams and thermostats to smart TVs." Jerry Irvine, chief information officer of Prescient Solutions and member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Cybersecurity Leadership Council, agreed that consumers face a real threat and need to increase safety protections in their home networks and connected devices. "The good news is that homeowners can take steps to protect themselves from destructive criminal intrusions," Irvine said. "Understanding what hackers look for and how they premeditate an attack are critical to building up a home defense system. The important thing to remember is that hackers are imperfect and can be disrupted." The Home Hacker Lab also featured a risk management discussion with Cernak and Timothy Zeilman, vice president and counsel for HSB. The discussion included insights about ways to prevent a cyber-attack; the financial costs; and what consumers must do if/when they're hacked. HSB and Prescient Solutions provided the following risk-management tips to secure home systems: 1. Keep systems updated with patched and security updates. Install the most current Windows, OS/iOS, updates/patches and applications. Regularly update firmware on routers and all other devices. 2. Separate social media from financial activity. Use a dedicated device for online banking. Use a different device for email and social meda. Otherwise, just visiting one infected social site could compromise your banking machine and your financial accounts. 3. Secure the network to which the devices connect. Don't broadcast your wireless router/network name. Change default usernames/passwords on home routers and smart devices. Activate wireless router encryption, use WPA2, not WEP. Do not connect smart devices directly to the Internet linked to home computers, but rather through a separate IoT firewall. 4. Set up two-factor authentication for all online accounts. Create complex passwords (nothing that can be easily guessed, such as children's names, birthplace, etc.). Use secondary authentication; this sends a secret code to your phone verifying your identity. 5. Secure your smartphone. Many people still do not use passcodes to lock their smartphones. Don't be one of them. Almost all IoT devices are controlled by a smartphone app, so phones have become key entry points to homes. 6. Think before purchasing or installing apps on smartphones or tablets. Make sure you read Privacy Policies before downloading. Do not download any apps that prompt you to quickly download, as they may contain malicious code and security flaws designed by hackers. 7. When not using Bluetooth, turn off the feature. Mobile phones, tablets and many new smart items in the home have Bluetooth functionality (smart speakers, set-top boxes, baby monitors, etc.). Such devices have recently been hacked into because their owners left on the Bluetooth option. 8. Purchase only new devices in unopened packaging from reputable retailers. As with any expensive device, there is a black market for counterfeits that have limited security protections. Do not be tempted to buy such devices. 9. Wipe/reset to factory defaults. When replacing connected devices or selling a home, devices should be restored to factory default settings. This will ensure that personal information contained on the devices is removed. 10. Check insurance policies closely. While a typical Homeowners Policy may cover the costs of the resulting damage (theft, spoilage, etc.), they generally do not respond to costs associated with restoring the systems that have been compromised in the attack. *Research by Zogby Analytics and HSB Group Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB), a member of Munich Re's Risk Solutions family since 2009, is a leading specialty insurer providing equipment breakdown, other specialty coverages, inspection services and engineering-based risk management that set the standard for excellence worldwide. We focus on clients and partner with them to craft inventive insurance and service solutions to cover existing and emerging risks posed by technological change. Today, as throughout our 150 year history, our mission is to use our engineering knowledge and insights to help clients prevent loss, advance sustainable use of energy resources and build deeper relationships that benefit business, industry, public institutions and consumers. HSB holds A.M. Best Company's highest financial rating, A++ (Superior). For more information, visit www.hsb.com and connect on LinkedIn, Twitter (News - Alert) and Facebook. Prescient Solutions is a Chicago-based IT consulting company that provides onsite, remote, managed and cloud-based services to small, mid-sized and global organizations, as well as government entities. For more than 20 years, its expert team has advised organizations on best practices in IT and cyber security, and guides executives in IT decision-making and implementation across all systems and networks. For more information call 888-343-6040, or visit http://www.PrescientSolutions.com. Munich Re stands for exceptional solution-based expertise, consistent risk management, financial stability and client proximity. This is how Munich Re creates value for clients, shareholders and staff. In the financial year 2015, the Group - which combines primary insurance and reinsurance under one roof - achieved a profit of 3.1bn on premium income of over 50bn. It operates in all lines of insurance, with over 43,000 employees throughout the world. With premium income of around 28bn from reinsurance alone, it is one of the world's leading reinsurers. Especially when clients require solutions for complex risks, Munich Re is a much sought-after risk carrier. Its primary insurance operations are concentrated mainly in the ERGO Insurance Group, one of the leading insurance groups in Germany and Europe. ERGO is represented in over 30 countries worldwide and offers a comprehensive range of insurances, provision products and services. In 2015, ERGO posted premium income of 17.9bn. In international healthcare business, Munich Re pools its insurance and reinsurance operations, as well as related services, under the Munich Health brand. Munich Re's global investments (excluding insurance-related investments) amounting to 215bn are managed by MEAG, which also makes its competence available to private and institutional investors outside the Group. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006307/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] United States District Court for the District of Columbia Rules in Favor of Watkins Incorporated in McCormick Slack-Fill Case On October 17, 2016, United States District Court Judge, Ellen Segal Huvelle, issued an order denying McCormick & Co.'s (McCormick) motion to dismiss claims alleging the company had "slack-filled" its black pepper containers. The lawsuit, filed by Watkins Incorporated (Watkins) in June of 2015, alleged that McCormick illegally reduced the contents of its black pepper containers by up to twenty-five percent without reducing the size of its containers-an action that is commonly referred to as "slack-filling." "There can be no question that McCormick falsely tried to deceive consumers into believing that there wasn't any reduction in the contents of their pepper containers, otherwise why wouldn't they have reduced the size of their pepper tins and bottles by twenty-five percent?" says Mark Jacobs, CEO of Watkins. "We're very pleased that Judge Huvelle ruled that Watkins has standing to pursue its claims under the Lanham Act." In the October 17 ruling, the order by Judge Huvelle states, "Moreover in this case, the size of McCormick's containers (with reduced contents) is exactly what makes them misleading because consumers cannot see the amount of their contents." "We're happy that Judge Huvelle confirmed that Watkins can continue its lawsuit against McCormick for slack-filling its pepper tins and bottles," says Jacobs. "In Judge Huvelle's ruling, she determine that 'Watkins has made sufficient allegations to establish that McCormick's slack-filled packaging caused Watkins to lose sales.'" "Our consumers are extremely important to us and we will continue to uphold our commitment of providing them with quality spices, extracts, home and body care as we have done for the past 148 years," says J.R. Rigley, President and CMO of Watkins. A copy of Judge Huvelle's order is available upon request. About J.R. Watkins Crafted in the USA Since 1868Naturally. The J.R. Watkins Co. creates gourmet spices and extracts, personal care and home care products with only the finest natural ingredients. From the bluffs high above the Mississippi River in Winona, Minnesota, comes the purity of J.R. Watkins. Our tried-and-true products have been good and natural through and through since 1868. J.R. Watkins products are available at a variety of North American retailers and online at JRWatkins.com. For more information, visit JRWatkins.com or follow J.R. Watkins on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006422/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] Global Payments Announces Full Support for Android Pay in Hong Kong Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services, is pleased to offer merchants in Hong Kong the ability to accept Android (News - Alert) Pay, which will enable more payment choices for Android mobile users in-store and in-app. Android Pay is a digital mobile wallet which is easy to setup and use. Customers can download the Android Pay app and add an eligible credit or debit card. Simply tap the Android smartphone on any contactless terminal and the payment is sent for authorization. Android Pay is designed to align with industry tokenization standards. Actual credit or debit card numbers will not be sent, and virtual account numbers are securely created for transactions. Details of a customer's card information are not released to the merchant, and customers are notified immediately when a purchase is made. Global Payments allows Hong Kong retail store and mobile app merchants to accept credit and debit card payments from customers with Android Pay. Our in-store merchants can offer customers the convenience of digital wallet payment through contactless readers. Meanwhile, mobile app merchants can minimize cart abandonment rate as customers can skip filling out lengthy shipping and billing details manually. "Residents of Hong Kong love mobile technology - with nearly 80% owning a smartphone - and are some of the fastest adopters of new products and technology in the world," said Leonie Valentine, Managing Director of Sales and Operations, Google (News - Alert) Hong Kong. "We're excited to bring the simplicity and security of mobile payments to Global Payments' merchants in Hong Kong with Android Pay. People can now easily tap and pay with Android smartphones in stores and in apps when they're on-the-go." "We are thrilled to support the further global expansion of Android Pay in Hong Kong," said Frank T. Young, SVP, Global Product and Innovation. "We look forward to enabling more physical store and mobile commerce merchants in Hong Kong to take advantage of this omnichannel payment innovation." About Global Payments Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) is a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services that delivers innovative solutions driven by customer needs globally. Our technologies, partnerships and employee expertise enable us to provide a broad range of products and services that allow our customers to accept all payment types across a variety of distribution channels in many markets around the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with more than 8,500 employees worldwide, Global Payments is a member of the S&P 500 with merchants and partners in 30 countries throughout North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Brazil. For more information about Global Payments, our Service. Driven. Commerce brand and our technologies, please visit www.globalpaymentsinc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006120/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 19, 2016] The Optical Society Elects Ursula Gibson as 2017 Vice President The Optical Society (OSA) is pleased to announce that its members have elected Ursula Gibson of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, as its 2017 vice president. Three directors-at-large were also chosen during this year's election: Mark Brongersma of Stanford University, USA; Pierre Chavel of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Institut d'Optique, France; and Martijn de Sterke of University of Sydney, Australia. The announcement was made today during The Optical Society's 100th Annual Business Meeting at the Frontiers in Optics (FiO) and Laser Science (APS/DLS) conference in Rochester, New York, USA. By accepting the vice presidency, Gibson makes a four-year commitment to OSA's Board of Directors. She will serve one year as vice president in 2017, followed by one year as president-elect in 2018, president in 2019 and past-president in 2020. Along with Gibson, the new directors at large, Brongersma, Chavel and de Sterke, will begin their terms on 01 January 2017. They will hold their positions for three years. "Ursula joins the Board at a time when the field of optics is better recognized by the world," said Elizabeth Rogan, CEO of The Optical Society. "Combined with her leadership in optics, Ursula's years-long involvement with OSA will help us steward the Society into our second century." Ursula Gibson held elected positions on the OSA Board of Directors from 2002 to 2005, served on the International Commission on Optics Bureau as an OSA representative from 2011 to 2014 and been an active OSA member for three decades. During Gibson's career she has contributed to seven books, holds three patents and has refereed over 100 journal articles. Currently, Gibson's research focuses on semiconductor-core optical fibers and MBE grown fibers for mid-infrared applications. "I joined The Optical Society during the early stages of my career, and this organization played an integral role in molding me into the professional that I am today," says Gibson. "My long-time affiliation with this Society makes this election a special honor. I look forward to working with a community that encourages the development and flourishing of the careers of the next generation of innovators and thinkers." Gibson received her Ph.D. in physics from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA, in 1982. Upon receiving her doctoral degree, Gibson held a doctoral graduate research grant at Bell Labs (News - Alert), Murray Hill, New Jersey, USA before moving to an associate professorship at the University of Arizona, Optical Sciences Center in Tucson, Arizona, USA. In1990, Gibson moved to Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA to accept an Associate Professorship position. Over the course of her career, Gibson has held several visiting positions, including the United States Air Force Academy, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Tampere University of Technology in Finland, Chalmers University in Sweden and the University of Queensland in Australia. From 1997 to 1998, Gibson was also the NASA/ASEE Visiting Research Fellow and in 2004 she was selected to be a member of the NASA Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers. In 2008 Gibson was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to fund research in "Nanostructured ZnO for Wood Preservation." Today, Gibson is a professor of physics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway and concurrently holds an adjunct professor in the Department of Applied Physics at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and the Chemistry Department at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. "We are pleased to welcome Ursula, Mark, Pierre and Martijn to the Board," said Rogan. "Their efforts to advance the field of optics and photonics, combined with their dedication to publishing and extensive educational programming for the next generation of researchers is on par with the mission of OSA." Mark Brongersma is a Fellow of The Optical Society and is a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Applied Physics at Stanford University, California, USA. Brongersma leads a research team of ten students and four postdoctoral researchers in the "Mark Brongersma's Group Plasmonics and Photonics" program at Stanford University. In his research, Brongersma is dedicated to the development and physical analysis of new materials and structures that find use in nanoscale electronic and photonic devices. A doctoral graduate from the FOM Institute in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1998, Mark Brongersma has gone on to become a trailblazer in the field of optics. During a postdoctoral research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology, California, USA, Brongersma studied light manipulation with metallic nanostructures below the free space diffraction limit, coining the term "plasmonics" in the process. The new device which he helped discover, exploited the unique optical properties of nanoscale metallic structures to route and manipulated light at the nanoscale. Brongersma has also authored and co-authored over 175 publications, many of which have been featured in Science and Nature. He also holds patents in the area of silicon microphotonics and plasmonics. He is a co-founder of Rolith, Inc., Pleasanton, California, USA, a manufacturer of advanced optical nanostructures. For his work on plasmonics, he received a U.S. National Science Foundation Career Award, the Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching, the International Raymond and Beverly Sackler Prize in the Physical Sciences for Physics. Pierre Chavel graduated from the Universite Paris-Sud, Orsay, with a 'docteur es sciences' in physics in 1979. Since 1972, he has been a research scientist at CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), working at the Institut d'Optique - Graduate School. His research interests include subwavelength diffractive optics, digital image processing, optical coherence, speckle and optoelectronic computing. His publications include some 120 articles in refereed journals and he edited or co-edited several books. He also holds 12 patents. He has taught courses on physical optics, coherence, geometrical optics, optics in computing, speckle, Fourier analysis and Fourier optics at IOGS and other institutions. As a participant or principle investigator, he has been involved for many years in research projects funded by the European Union "Framework Programme" for science and technology. From 2004 through 2009, he chaired the board of shareholders of one high tech startup company in the field of biophotonics. He served as the Director of Laboratoire Charles Fabry (1998-2009, 2013-2014) and is serving as a deputy director for the Saint-Etienne site of Institut d'Optique, also working there with Laboratoire Hubert Curien. He was a visiting scientist at the Image Processing Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles during 1979-1980, and a Xiing Sheng Chern Visiting Professor at the Institute of Modern Optics, Nankai University, Tianjin, China (2007-2010). A Fellow of OSA, SPIE and the European Optical Society, he served on the board of SFO, the French Optical Society (1983-89 and 91-95) and as the Secretary of the International Commission for Optics, 1990-2002 and as a chair of a number of scientific conferences, including CLEO Europe 2000 and CLEO Europe 2003. He is also the President of the French Physics Olympiads (2011-present). Martijn de Sterke, University of Sydney, Australia, has been affiliated with The Optical Society for nearly 30 years. Martijn de Sterke holds a Bachelors of Engineering and a Masters of Engineering from the University of Delft, Netherlands, completing his Ph.D. in optics from the University of Rochester, New York, USA, in 1987. Upon the completion of his doctorate, de Sterke joined the faculty at the University of Sydney in 1991, becoming a Professor in Physics since 2003. From 2001 to 2006, de Sterke was an Associate Editor for Optics Express. In 2007, de Sterke was promoted to Editor-in-Chief of the journal. Under his esteemed guidance, the journal witnessed an increase in annual paper submissions, nearly doubling to over 6,000 annually. He has been the Chair of OSA's Board of Editors since 2014 and has shown a commitment to research and education as an OSA Traveling lecturer. He held the position of Program Chair at the 2011 CLEO Pacific Rim conference and the QELS conference in 2013. Martijn de Sterke has published more than 300 refereed journal papers and book chapters covering various topics within optics and photonics, including nonlinear optics, guided-wave optics, and wave propagation in random media, periodic media, solar energy, plasmonics and metamaterials. About FiO/LS Frontiers in Optics (FiO) 2016 is The Optical Society's (OSA) 100th Annual Meeting and held together with Laser Science, the 32th annual meeting of the American Physical Society (APS) Division of Laser Science (DLS). The two meetings unite the OSA and APS communities for five days of quality, cutting-edge presentations, in-demand invited speakers and a variety of special events spanning a broad range of topics in optics and photonics-the science of light-across the disciplines of physics, biology and chemistry. The exhibit floor will feature leading optics companies, technology products and programs. More information at: FrontiersinOptics.org. About The Optical Society Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and entrepreneurs who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org/100. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006487/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] IoT Tech Expo: The Leading Internet of Things Events Arrives in Silicon Valley Tomorrow The IoT Tech Expo North America 2016, which is taking place at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Silicon Valley will open its doors from 8:30am on October 20th for two days of top level content, discussion, case studies, networking, live demo's and more. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006560/en/ The leading IoT event series will arrive in Silicon Valley on October 20-21st (Graphic: Business Wire) There are plenty of dynamic panel discussions over across the two days covering the entire IoT ecosystem and here are just a few snapshots of the key verticals the expo covers. Automation, advanced manufacturing and the workforce. 2pm, October 20th, Connected Industry track. Join representatives from EDF Energy, Convetit, Clearblade and Momenta Partners to discuss digital labour, new factory concepts, and a manufacturing model that uses the full capabilities of the IIoT. Future directions for the IoT in insurance. 10.50am, October 20th, Connected Services track. CRC Farm Bureau, Aite and Acord get together with other insurance innovators to discuss how to drive more customer value through IoT innovation, the importance of data transparency and importantly - what can the insurance industry learn from other industries' IoT experience? Raising the bar - can IoT improve our fitness and performance? 12pm, October 21st, Wearables track. Connected cars, autonomous driving and the future of mobility. 4.10pm, October 21st, Connected Living track. Innovators from GeoTab and Navigant join speakers from Ford, Renault and Panasonic (News - Alert) to detail all the latest developments in the IoT automotive space. They'll discuss immediate issues such as progress in vehicle design alongside more fundamental questions of how we will perceive mobility in the future, and what the IoT means for the future of the transport ecosystem. Tackling data security and privacy challenges of the IoT. 2.30pm, October 21st, Data & Security track. Experts from both public and private sector join forces to discuss the security challenges of IoT development, addressing the risks of Big Data and the importance of balancing privacy and data utility. An essential topic in the progression of internet of Things exploration. Digitalising heavy industry. 10.40am, October 21st, Connected Industry track. Representatives from WirePas, Synapse, Harbor Research and Caterpillar come together to discuss the challenges, opportunities and evolution of heavy industry and the IIoT. What new tools and systems are enabling digitalisation? How far have we come and much further can we go? Come along to find out all the answers. Smart grids, sustainable cities and innovations in energy. 4pm, October 20th, Smart Cities track. Speakers from Xaptum, Centrica, Wi-Sun Alliance and Schneider Electric (News - Alert) talk smart grids, business strategies for energy efficiency and public-private partnerships. This panel provides the link between enterprise, government and energy to drive home the importance of how open, networked cities can benefit everyone from citizens to multinationals. How retail blends physical and digital worlds using the IoT. 12.30pm, October 20th, Connected Services track. Speakers from Softbank (News - Alert) Robotics, Leantegra, ABI Research and Bloomingdales/Macy's discuss the evolution of IoT in retail, how this affects the customer relationship and what part other areas such as wearables and NFC might play in furthering the future of retail in the physical and digital spheres. There's so much more to see, but drop in on any of these and you'll be sure to get energised for your own journey of IoT discovery at the expo. You can register for a pass to the IoT Tech Expo North America here: http://www.iottechexpo.com/northamerica/ For the latest IoT and industry news, visit http://www.iottechexpo.com/blog For speaking, sponsorship and exhibitor enquiries please contact the team at [email protected] or call on +44 (0) 117 980 9023. NOTES FOR EDITORS About IoT Tech Expo The IoT Tech Expo World Series (www.iottechexpo.com) hosts top level content and discussion, introducing and exploring the latest innovations in the Internet of Things arena. It brings together key industries including Manufacturing, Transport, Health, Logistics, Government, Energy, Retail and Automotive. Upcoming events taking place in Silicon Valley and London. IoT Tech Expo North America: 20-21st October, Santa Clara Convention Center, CA (News - Alert) IoT Tech Expo Global: 23-24th January 2017, Olympia, London IoT Tech Expo Europe: 1-2 June 2017, Elstree Berlin View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161019006560/en/ 'Hiding in plain sight': Libby German's grandparents react to charges Richard Allen, 50, charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Libby and Abby, was 'hiding in plain sight,' Libby German's grandparents said. By Ashish Pandey: Nara Lokesh, son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday declared his family's assets. He claimed that his is the only political family that has announced their assets and liabilities for the sixth consecutive year in the country. Lokesh, who is the general secretary of Telugu Desham Party (TDP) announced his personal and family assets detail in Guntur. advertisement Majorly the Nara family derives its income from Heritage Group, a public listed company engaged in milk and vegetable retailing business claimed Lokesh. As per the declaration Chief Minister and TDP chief Chandra Babu Naidu has properties worth Rs 3.73 crore while he has loans and liability of about Rs 3.06 crore. A HOUSE AND AN OLD CAR Naidu owns a house in Jubilee Hills Hyderabad which costs Rs 3.68 crore, while he has an old ambassador car as a four-wheeler. Also read: Abolish Rs 500, 1,000 notes to curb black money: Chandrababu Naidu The CM of Andhra Pradesh has cash balance of only Rs 3.59 lakh claimed Lokesh while providing the details about the family properties. Further Lokesh claimed that his mother Bhuvaneshwari owns assets worth Rs 33.66 crore, while he has has properties worth Rs 14.50 crore and his wife Nara Brahmani owns assets worth Rs 5.38 crore. Also read: Andhra Pradesh to implement Real Time Governance GRANDSON RICHER THAN FATHER Interestingly as per the declaration N Lokesh's one and half years old son N Devansh, who is the youngest in the Nara family is richer than the father and grandfather Chandrababu Naidu. As per the declaration the grandson has properties worth Rs 14 crore, including a house worth Rs 9.17 crore in posh Jubilee Hills of Hyderabad apart from fixed deposit worth Rs 2.40 crore and cash balance of Rs 2.31 crore. Also read: Andhra Pradesh postal and telecom circles inaugurated --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Achinta Borah Algiers, Oct 19 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today left for home after concluding his five-day trip to Hungary and Algeria during which he held discussions with the leaderships of the two countries on strengthening bilateral ties. Ansari held talks with Hungarys President Janos Ader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and other top leaders as both the countries agreed on the need for elimination of the menace of terrorism and sought a strong global legal framework and sustained global action to deal with the threat. advertisement India and Hungary also signed two MoUs, including one on water management, during the three-day trip to the central European country. The Hungarian Prime Minister had said his country set up a working group on technology to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in various issues, including defence production for mutual benefits. The Vice-President expressed Indias appreciation for the support extended by Hungary to Indias membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime and for its Nuclear Suppliers Group membership bid. During his two-day visit to Algeria, Ansari held wide- ranging discussions with Algerias President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra and stressed on taking the India-Algeria ties to a new level and to "rejuvenate" the bilateral relations, officials said. Ansari also met President of Algerian National Peoples Assembly Mohamed Larbi Ould Khelifa and President of Council of Nations Abdelkader Bensalah and discussed with them various issues of mutual interest. Other issues like anti-terror cooperation between India and Algeria also figured in the meetings the Vice President had with the Algerian leadership. India is keen to join hands with Algeria to explore the possibilities of setting up a multi-billion dollar fertiliser project, bearing in mind the phosphatic reserves available in the North African country which is estimated to be more than 5 billion tonnes. A preliminary meeting on the issue was held here between Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals Mansukh L Mandaviya and Algerian Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb and if the discussions lead to setting up of a joint venture mega fertiliser company in Algeria, the price of fertiliser in India is expected to come down along with the subsidy burden of the government with regard to fertiliser. Mandaviya is accompanying the Vice President. PTI ACB ASK --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Achinta Borah Algiers, Oct 19 (PTI) As part of efforts to "rejuvenate" Indias ties with African nations, Vice President Hamid Ansari today met the top leadership of Algeria and discussed with them the ways to further strengthen bilateral ties in various areas including anti-terror, trade and economy. Ansari held wide ranging discussions with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra and stressed on taking the India-Algeria ties to a new level and how to "rejuvenate" the bilateral relations, officials said. advertisement Other issues like anti-terror cooperation between India and Algeria were also figured in the meetings the Vice President had with the Algerian leadership. Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry Sujata Mehta has said terrorism is not new for Algeria and it has fought a very difficult terror group in the recent past. India is also keen to join hands with Algeria to explore the possibilities of setting up a multi-billion dollar fertiliser project, bearing in mind the phosphatic reserve available in this North African country which is estimated to be more than 5 billion tonnes. A preliminary meeting on the issue was held here today between Minister of State for Fertilisers and Chemicals Mansukh L Mandaviya and Algerian Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb. The price of fertiliser in India is expected to come down along with the subsidy burden if the talks between the two countries lead to setting up of a joint venture mega fertiliser company in Algeria. Mandaviya is accompanying the Vice President. Ansaris visit to Algeria came after a long "cooling off" period which, officials said, was over now. "They (Algeria) want cooperation and we want cooperation. Both sides want the relations to be strengthened," Ansari had said earlier. Algerias President Bouteflika was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in 2001. Ansari, who arrived here from Hungary on Monday night as part of his second leg of two-nation tour, yesterday met President of Algerian National Peoples Assembly Mohamed Larbi Ould Khelifa and President of Council of Nations Abdelkader Bensalah and discussed with them various issues concerning both the countries. PTI ACB ZH --- ENDS --- The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus arent mere consolation prizes to Apples pricier flagships. They pack a ton of good features, including blazing fast processors, solid cameras and wireless charging. And because of they're relatively low prices, they're still some of the best phones you can buy today. Starting at $449 and $549, respectively, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are also considerably more affordable than the iPhone 11. Between the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, our top pick remains the Plus because of its larger screen, longer battery life and more versatile dual cameras. However, the iPhone 8 remains one of the best small phones on the market, and an excellent choice for one of the best used smartphones, given how it's gone down in price over the years. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Design Im torn about the look of the new iPhones. On the one hand, the new glass back looks elegant while being less slippery than my matte black iPhone 7 Plus. Apples new phones are also built stronger, with the company claiming that the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus boast the most durable glass ever on a smartphone. This is due in part to a deeper strengthening layer. (More on that in a moment.) On the other hand, seeing bezels this large on a late-2017 phone above and below the display seems dated compared not just with the iPhone X but also the Galaxy S8 and other Android phones that are going the edge-to-edge route. My complaint isnt just about aesthetics; having smaller bezels makes it easier to use a phone with one hand and fit it in a front pocket. I do like how the strong 7000 series aluminum band on the iPhone 8 is color matched with the pearlescent rear. On the gold iPhone 8 Plus I tested, the back looks like a true rose gold and less pink than previous model. I also tested the silver iPhone 8, whose back is a less exciting gray. The new iPhones are also available in Space Gray. For us minimalists, theres no small type saying where this device was assembled or its model number beneath the word iPhone. Now, it just says iPhone. Measuring 5.5 x 2.7 x 0.29 inches and weighing 5.2 ounces, the iPhone 8 is a bit heavier and a smidge thicker than the iPhone 7 (5.4 x 2.6 x 0.28 inches, 4.9 ounces), but I barely noticed the difference. Im guessing the extra girth comes from adding the wireless-charging capability and reinforced glass back. The iPhone 8 Plus (7.1 ounces, 0.3 inches thick) sees a similar small bump up versus the iPhone 7 Plus (6.6 ounces, 0.29 inches). While the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus still lack a headphone jack, music lovers will appreciate that they sound better sans headphones, thanks to stereo speakers that are now 25 percent louder. When I streamed An Honest Mistake by The Bravery, I noticed deeper bass and more natural-sounding vocals on the iPhone 8 versus the iPhone 7 Plus. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Durability We tested the toughness of the iPhone 8 by dropping it on its face onto wood from a height of 4 feet and 6 feet; we then dropped it on its edge and face onto concrete from 4 feet; we then dropped it on its edge and face from 6 feet onto concrete. The iPhone 8 survived drops from 4 and 6 feet onto wood without incurring any damage. A 4-foot drop on its edge onto concrete caused a minor crack and scratching along the bottom, which grew larger with a face drop from 4 feet onto concrete. Apple's phone lasted all the way up to a 6-foot face drop onto concrete, when its screen stopped working. The result of this testing was that the iPhone 8 achieved an okay toughness score of 4.9 out of 10. To see the results of other smartphones, as well as our complete scoring methodology, check out our smartphone drop tests. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Specs iPhone 8 iPhone 8 Plus Price $699, $849 $799, $949 CPU A11 Bionic A11 Bionic Capacity 64, 256 GB 64, 256 GB Rear Camera 12-MP Dual 12-MP (f/1.8, f/2.8) Front Camera 7-MP FaceTime HD 7-MP FaceTime HD Unlocking Method Touch ID Touch ID Colors Space Gray, Silver, Gold Space Gray, Silver, Gold Screen Size (Resolution) 4.7-inches (1334 X 750) 5.5-inches (1920 X 1080) Size 5.5 x 2.7 x 0.29 inches 6.2 x 3.1 x 0.3 inches Weight 5.22 ounces 7.13 ounces iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Performance If ever there was an apt name for a processor, A11 Bionic is it. This chip absolutely smokes every Android phone on the planet. The A11 Bionic is a six-core CPU, with two performance cores that promise a 25 percent boost in performance over the A10, and four high-efficiency cores that promise up to a 70 percent improvement. Last but not least is an Apple-designed GPU thats supposed to be 30 percent faster. On Geekbench 4, which measures overall performance, the iPhone 8 was in another league, turning in a multicore score of 10,170. The iPhone 8 Plus was a bit faster at 10,472. The Galaxy Note 8, complete with Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 chip and 6GB of RAM, scored 6,564. That means the iPhone 8 is a whopping 54 percent faster than the fastest Android flagship. To put those numbers in perspective, the iPhone 8 also beats the 7th-generation Core i5 MacBook by a tad, which turned in 9,213 on Geekbench 4. The Dell XPS 13, our favorite Windows laptop, hit 7,159. For more on one these comparisons mean, see our in-depth article on the iPhone 8's performance. There was an even bigger performance gap on 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited, which measures graphics performance. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus notched 62,352 and 64,412, respectively, compared with 39,834 for the Note 8. So Apples handsets pack about 63 percent more graphics might. What about real-world performance? We edited and exported the same 2-minute 4K video clip on the iPhone 8, Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 using the Adobe Premiere Clip app, and it wasnt even close. The iPhone 8 finished the task in 42 seconds, compared with more than 3 minutes for the Galaxy Note 8 and more than 4 minutes for the Galaxy S8+. The iPhone 8 also opened larger apps faster than both its predecessor and the top Android phone right now. It took the handset 11 seconds to fully load the Injustice 2 game, compared with 14.53 seconds for the iPhone 7 Plus and 19 seconds for the Note 8. For more results, including opening a large file, check out our in-depth iPhone 8 speed tests. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Cameras With a bigger and faster sensor, the 12-megapixel camera on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus takes some of the best-looking photos Ive seen from a phone. In fact, some shots I took outshone the stellar Galaxy Note 8, which was previously rated our best camera phone. Now the iPhone 8 Plus is in the top spot, and you can check out our camera face-off with the Note 8 to see the results for yourself. Take this photo of colorful flowers near Madison Square Park. The leaves edges on the iPhone 8 shot have a subtle orange toward the tip and more sharpness overall, while the Note 8s photo isnt as well defined and misses some of the gradation in hues. In low light, the iPhone 8 and Note 8 were dead even regarding detail, but the iPhone 8 produced more natural-looking colors with this group of toys. Furby in particular has the right pink, and the Tygra figure in the iPhone 8 shot is less blurry. The iPhone did a better job overall with this tricky image of the Flatiron Building, as the flower in the foreground is sharper and the blue sky and clouds look realistic. On the Note 8, the sky got blown out, but the building itself pops more because its brighter. But the Note 8 fought back in another shot of a fountain; while the iPhone 8 offered more detail when zoomed in, Samsungs image made the leaves look brighter in the surrounding trees. Just as with the iPhone 7 Plus, the iPhone 8 Plus offers a true 2x optical zoom via its second telephoto lens, but now you can have a lot more fun with portraits. Portrait Mode stil artfully blurs out the background with the so-called bokeh effect and it looks a little more natural now while a new Portrait Lighting feature (in beta) lets you adjust the lighting of your shots before and after you shoot with several effects. I took some portrait photos of my colleague Caitlin, and I was very impressed with the subtle but powerful changes Portrait Lighting can make to a photo. When I switched from Natural to Studio light, Caitlins face became brighter without blowing out the shadows. The Contour setting introduced more contrast and shadows, which is kind of like adding makeup. The Studio Light feature is the most ambitious effect, as it strips out the existing background and makes it totally black. And, if you want something even more dramatic, you can go for black and white with Stage Light Mono. However, the Stage Light effect could be hit or miss; you need to get in pretty close to the persons face to get the best results, and long hair can look a bit unnatural when it gets cut off and put on black. In addition, I noticed that this effect took longer to process than the others. To be fair, Portrait Lighting is in beta and could improve via software updates. The iPhone 8 Plus doesnt have all the fun. There are new Live Photo effects in iOS 11 that work with both new Apple handsets. Loop replays the action, while the even cooler Bounce plays the motion backward and forward, as seen in this jump by my colleague Kenneth. The Note 8 still has one key advantage over the iPhone 8 Plus in that both of the dual lenses on Samsungs phone have optical image stabilization, which means better low-light performance when zooming and steadier footage when shooting video. The iPhone X will have OIS on both lenses. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Video The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus both step up their video game, as they now record 4K resolution video at up to 60 frames per second (up from 30 fps before), and you can now capture slo-motion footage at a super-slow 240 fps without sacrificing sharpness, as its in 1080p. Other phones like the Note 8 and Galaxy S8 are stuck at 720p. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium shoots at a much slower 960 fps, but thats also at 720p. To evaluate the 4K capabilities, I shot some footage at Bryant Park in New York City, and I could make out nearly every crook and cranny in a water fountain, including the angry stone faces spitting out the water. The iPhone 8 also had no problem rendering multiple birds as they flew by without distortion. I could even see the fine mist from the fountain as I panned to the right toward the sun. Im a sucker for slow-mo dog footage, so I turned the iPhone 8 Plus on my golden retriever to see how it could handle him retrieving a tennis ball. The grass could look a little crisper, but it was still pretty cool to see his fur swaying and jowls bouncing as he ran toward me. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Augmented reality Thanks to iOS 11, you can enjoy augmented-reality apps using Apples ARKit technology on any phone running the software with an A9 or newer chip. So that means even the iPhone SE and older iPhone 6s can use a growing number of truly immersive apps that employ the cameras live view and overlay anything on top, from games and home furnishings to educational content. But the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (as well as the upcoming iPhone X) have been especially optimized for AR via the A11 Bionic chip, calibrated cameras and a new gyroscope and accelerometer. I tried out a few apps and came away impressed, but I was also left wanting more, as theres not a ton of options yet. What is available shows off ARKits potential. The InsightHeart app, for example, displays the wireframe of a human in front of you along with his heart. You then you can learn about this very important organ by getting in really close and looking at it from multiple angles. I can see a lot of people using the Ikea app to figure out how furniture looks in their abode before they buy. I replaced the desk in my home office with a white Micke desk and added a chaise from the Soderhamn collection. The iPhone 8 did a pretty good job scanning the room even without much light, though the furniture itself looked more like animations than the real thing. The Thomas & Friends Minis app is something I wish I had when my kids were younger. You can build your own train tracks right on the table in front of you. I felt like a kid again when the train jumped in the air off one of the ramps and flipped right in front of me. You can even walk around the virtual track to take in different views. Its pretty amazing. Other ARKit apps are on the way, including an MLB app that will show you a live view of whos on what base when youre at the game, along with key player stats. And Im really looking forward to Warhammer 40K Freeblade, a robot-fighting game. I spent a bit of time with The Machines, a real-time multiplayer strategy game, and I was impressed not just with the graphics but how the sound intensified as I got closer to the action. What Id like to see is a dedicated section in the App Store for AR experiences, which Im guessing is on the horizon, given the overhaul of the App Store that iOS 11 has introduced. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Displays Given that the iPhone X boasts a beautiful 5.8-inch OLED display with 2436 x 1125 pixels, and the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus sport 5.8 and 6.2-inch quad OLED screens, theres no question that the LCDs on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are a step behind. They just dont have the sharpness, wide viewing angles and perfect blacks the OLED competition has. Nevertheless, Apple has made some improvements to the 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 screen on the iPhone 8 Plus and the almost-puny-by-modern-standards 4.7-inch, 1334 x 750 panel on the iPhone 8. For starters, the True Tone feature has migrated from the iPad to the iPhone, which automatically adjusts the white balance on the display to match the ambient light. This can reduce eye strain. The two LCDs also benefit from a wide color gamut, as evidenced when I compared a photo of a lake; a gray house looked more white on the iPhone 7 Plus screen, and greens looked more lush on the iPhone 8 Plus. On our lab tests, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus delivered a very good 119.6 percent and 122.5 percent of the color gamut. Thats great for an LCD, but trails OLED phones like the Note 8 (204 percent) and the Galaxy S8 (183 percent). Apples phones do offer very accurate hues, though, as they turned in a Delta-E accuracy ratings of 0.89 and 0.25 (0 is perfect). Samsungs OLED handsets do well here, too, as the Galaxy S8 scored 0.28 and the Note 8 0.5. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Battery life Despite the serious speed boost, both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus offer slightly longer endurance than their predecessors noteworthy since Apple was only promising similar battery life to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with its new phones. On the Toms Guide Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing over 4G LTE (in this case T-Mobile), the iPhone 8 lasted 9 hours and 54 minutes, which is slightly above the 9:40 smartphone average. The Galaxy S8, by comparison, turned in a longer runtime of 10:39. Last years iPhone 7 hit 9:03. The iPhone 8 Plus lasted an even better 11 hours and 16 minutes, which will put it on our list of longest-lasting phones and also puts it on a par with the Galaxy Note 8 (11:11). The Galaxy S8+ was in the same ballpark at 11:04, while the older iPhone 7 Plus lasted 10:35. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Wireless charging The good news is that the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 finally support wireless charging, and they should work with any charging pad that supports the Qi standard. When using Belkins $59 Boost Up pad, I found that the iPhone 8 Plus charged at about the same pace as when connected via Lightning cable. In the case of this Belkin and the similarly priced Mophie Charging Base, both will support faster wireless charging at 7 watts once Apple rolls out an update later this year. Theyre currently outputting 5 watts, which is the same as the standard Lightning wired charger. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are capable of reaching 50 percent charge in just 30 minutes over a wired connection, but only if you invest in additional gear. Youll need to spring for a 29-watt USB-C power adapter ($49) and a USB-C to Lightning cable ($15 to $25). Thats pretty crappy given that phones like the Galaxy S8 come with a fast wired charging adapter and cable in the box. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Software In day-to-day use with the iPhone 8, Id say the biggest changes youll notice in iOS 11 will be the new Control Center, Live Photo effects in the camera and a more immersive App Store. Siri also has a more natural-sounding voice. Control Center is now easier to use because it crams more controls into a smaller space. For instance, the wireless controls and music controls are now on the same screen. When you long-press on one of the controls, youll see additional options, such as Night Shift and True Tone for brightness. However, Im still waiting for Apple to make it easier to change Wi-Fi networks by long-pressing the Wi-Fi icon. If you want to discover new apps, and youre tired of scrolling through top lists, the new App Store will be a breath of fresh air. You can see spotlight stories on specific apps, and theres a redesigned Games section that makes it easier to discover new titles in multiple genres. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus review: Verdict The $699 iPhone 8 and $799 iPhone 8 Plus represent a leap forward in performance and camera quality, but I wish they came in packages that looked and felt more new. Thats why Im personally waiting for the $999 iPhone X, which also adds Face ID and a more colorful OLED screen. Still, both iPhones 8 have very good LCD screens, better sound than their prededessors, wireless charging and strong battery life and for more accessible prices, to boot. If youre into Android, Samsung doesnt make you choose between getting a cutting-edge design and spending close to a grand. The $750 Galaxy S8 and $850 S8+ deliver great cameras and edge-to-edge OLED screens for just a bit more than the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. However, neither Galaxy phone can touch the performance of the iPhone 8, and I expect them to trail Apple on the augmented-reality app front. Want dual cameras? Youll have to spend $930 and up for the Note 8, which approaches iPhone X territory. Overall, my pick between the two new iPhones is the iPhone 8 Plus. It gives you a significantly bigger screen than the iPhone 8, longer battery life and more versatile dual cameras for just $100 more. The regular iPhone 8 is good, but 4.7 inches just doesnt cut it for me anymore. Credit: Shaun Lucas/Tom's Guide Brisbane quartet The Bear Hunt have just released the vid for their recent single Who Made You God?, filmed and directed by Ian Powne (of Stress of Leisure) and by all accounts, there was a bit of improvisation involved. The band were setting up to shoot at Via Studios when the lights blew, and they had to make do with what they could find, but the dark and gloomy result ended up suiting the mood of the track perfectly. They then crammed themselves into a tiny Toyota to hit the town for the rest of the footage, tackling bumpy roads and somewhat erratic driving to bring us this video but from chaos comes art. The Bear Hunt recently toured the new single across the country with a bit of help from Pretty City, Claws & Organs, The Aves, Wasters, The Goldhearts and Being Jane Lane. Were hoping they didnt have to pile into the hatchback for that one! Newcastle music lover Laura Kebby has hit out at the punters in her local music scene. In a fiery open letter published via Newcastle Live, Kebby has taken members of the Newcastle scene to task for the rampant violence she frequently sees at gigs. Im writing this because Im getting desperate, Kebby says in the piece. Because the crap you keep pulling is sending me insane and makes me long for 14 hour train trips to Melbourne to go and see shows. Dont play dumb, ok enough is enough. Kebby opens with an account of how she left a recent Hard Aches gig in relatively good spirits, only to open up Facebook the next morning to find that the gig had once again been the scene of violence, as many gigs in Newcastle are, Kebby alleges. Its happening all over Newcastle, she writes. I saw the Smith Street Band last year and came home with a ripped T-shirt and a black eye. Not an accidental black eye. I was punched in the face in the pit and this is not the first time. Yes, I can hear it already: If you dont like the pit stay out of it. No way. This is not at all about that. I have been front row at many a gig, and in the middle of many a mosh pit of much, MUCH heavier gigs than the ones Im talking about. As Kebby stresses, this is not about bemoaning the fact that shes come home with a scrape or a bruise after a gig. The issue, she writes, is that Newcastle has somehow bred a community of punters who are intentionally out to hurt other people. At a Luca Brasi gig earlier this year, I saw a girl get dragged into the pit only to be pulled out just in time before she was fly-kicked to the face. The same thing happened at the Pup gig earlier this year, Kebby continues. Ive seen groups of people at these gigs blatantly turn their back on whoever is performing on stage, to run at an unsuspecting punter fist-first for what? For the sake of music? Its punk rock, man, one guy told me as I pulled him off the floor, bloody-nosed, full cut. As Kebby notes, the problem is not restricted to punk gigs. At the Alex Lahey gig a month or so ago after she had finished playing not one but TWO fights broke out on the dance floor, the author recounts. Have you checked the Facebook pages of the bands you apparently love the most lately? Kebby adds. Every single time some idiot decides to behave like how they think a true punk lad is meant to behave, the bands comment. They do. And they will stop coming. They will stop coming here. Indeed, numerous bands, including The Smith Street Band, Camp Cope, High Tension, Luca Brasi, and Spiderbait, just to name a few, have taken an active role in calling out unacceptable behaviours from punters in their crowds. But its important to note that the gigs these bands have cited as being the scene of violence and assault were not in Newcastle, and violence, sadly, takes place at gigs all over the country. Is Newcastle a particular outlier in this regard? As far as Kebbys concerned, its only a matter of time until the bands get fed up with such behaviour and stop coming to non-city destinations like Newcastle. You can read her entire op-ed via Newcastle Live here. OVERWHELMING DEMOCRATIC PARTY SUPPORT IN KANSAS CITY THREATENS JASON KANDER IN THE LONG RUN GIVEN GOP CRITICS ACROSS THE STATE CLOWNING HIS EMBRACE OF A FIERCE LIBERAL!!! "Politician Jason Kanders partisan tone and liberal voting record have attracted the most extreme elements of the professional left to his campaign, and now the liberals standard-bearer joins Kanders crusade for higher taxes, more ObamaCare and amnesty for illegal immigrants. Liberal U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, known for her angry, sarcastic tone campaigned with Kander in Kansas City, proving once again that Kanders votes, views and values are totally out of touch with Missouri families. Rich Chrismer, a communications advisor to the Missouri Republican Party: Elizabeth Warren isnt the first Washington liberal to campaign for Jason Kander, but she is one of the most extreme and radical. Elizabeth Warren, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer are supporting Jason Kander because they know he would be a reliable rubberstamp vote for their liberal agenda, even when that agenda is at odds with Missouri views and values . . ." most everybody in Kansas City across party lines wants MO SecState Jason Kander to win. LIKE IT OR NOT . . . KANDER'S CHANCES HINGE ON WINNING OVER MISSOURI'S CONSERVATIVE GOP VOTERS AND THE KANSAS CITY LIBERAL CELEBRATION CLEARLY DAMAGED THE PROGRESS OF THIS CRUCIAL CAMPAIGN STRATEGY!!! Despite his efforts to move away and distance himself from Kansas City, a recent cowtown Democratic Rally could threaten to stop Jason Kander's meteoric rise to power in a close race for the U.S. Senate.To wit . . .As always, Kansas City media keeps locals stupid when it comes to Red State controversy . . .This town was only fed the upside of a recent event . . .Sounds nice, right?Well, here's the word that's circulating among the GOP majority throughout the state . . .Money line . . .In fairness,In this town, the argument of the upstart young man facing the old school D.C. insider has been completely successful on both sides of the aisle.But that's the problem and one of the inherent contradictions of life in Kansas City . . . Local logic doesn't extend far outside city limits.And so, while Kansas City crowds cheered their all-time favorite politicoof the past decade, the outpouring of support threatens to cost Kander the election in yet another Kansas City jinx for successful people trying to escape the mediocrity of this dreadful little town.You decide . . . Alonzo Washington: "The Legends has only been warning its employees but I have sources everywhere & I found out about it to warn the whole community." A suspicious dude with a striking resemblance tohas been seen hanging around a shopping destination in Kansas City, Kansas and now the most prolific anti-crime activist wants to put the public on notice.Even better . . .Developing . . . Turkish President Recep Erdogan once more revealed his expansionist Neo-Ottoman vision, during a provocative speech in the north-eastern region of Rize. Addressing a number of issues linked to the Turkish involvement in surrounding conflict regions, including Syria and Iraq, Erdogan made reference to the borders of our heart, presenting his understanding of contiguous borders of other countries that he claimed were historically tied to Turkey. In an excerpt of his megalomaniacal speech, Erdogan went so far as to say that in their minds, Turks could not separate Andrianoplis from Thessaloniki, Greeces second largest city! We express our respect to the geographical borders of nations, but we cannot mark borders on our hearts, he noted. In his speech, the Turkish President brought up the borders of countries spanning from Thrace and the Balkans to north Africa, western Europe and the Caucus regions, adding that Turkey is not only Turkey. Except the 79 million Turkish citizens, Turkey has a responsibility to hundreds of millions of brothers in geographic areas connected with us culturally and historically, he underlined. His speech caused a strong reaction by the Greek Foreign Ministry, which released a statement pointing out that Thrace was Greek and any other thought is dangerous and unacceptable. The statement called the Turkish President to order, claiming his inflammatory speech undermined regional stability. The public stirring of historical, and especially border disputes, that have been irrevocably and definitively settled in the Lausanne Treaty by laying down an objective and binding status quo for all, is provocative and undermines the regional stability, the statement read. The Ministry went on to say that the respect of International Law and Treaties warranted the voicing of responsible views detached from outdated revisionisms. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report At least 240 Greek enterprises from the agro-food sector participated in this year's SIAL 16 international food fair in Paris At least 240 Greek enterprises from the agro-food sector participated in this year's SIAL 16 international food fair in Paris, a "global showcase of the food chain". SIAL Paris brings together all factors in the production and distribution of food, revealing trends and innovations that will set the food industry of tomorrow. This year's fair attracted 7,000 enterprises from 104 countries. From the 240 Greek enterprises, 100 participated in the framework of the Greek pavilion organized by Enterprise Greece. The remaining -most of which have a history of experience and contacts with SIAL- exhibit their products in theme halls. The Greek pavilion is promoting to motto "Greece, invest in taste", a motto chosen by Enterprise Greece. "We come to the world's largest food fair, coordinating a national effort to promote the agro-food sector," Christos Staikos, president of Enterprise Greece told ANA. "Our main slogan is "invest in taste", in life quality, to the good life that Greek products offer. We show there are opportunities for investments in the agro-food sectr in Greece, which has high added value and it is one of the basic sector we want to strengthen as a national strategy," he said. Enterprise Greece covers 30 pct of cost for each businessman participating in the national pavilion, with each basic participation costing around 5,000 euros. 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 President Nicos Anastasiades told delegates at the Institute of International and European Affairs on Wednesday that he is cautiously optimistic that a solution to the Cyprus Problem will be reached soon President Nicos Anastasiades told delegates at the Institute of International and European Affairs on Wednesday that he is cautiously optimistic that a solution to the Cyprus Problem will be reached soon. Anastasiades travelled to Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday for talks with, inter alia, Irish President Michael Higgins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny. The President told attendees at the IIEA that Cyprus is believes that Europe holds many of the answers to the Cyprus Problem. He added: We believe that our capacity as a member state of the EU more than adequately addresses any security concerns and provides the best guarantee for all Cypriots. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and illegally occupied its northern third. UN-led peace talks are aiming to find a solution to the 42-year old issue. GUARANTOR POWERS Anastasiades also told delegates at the IIEA that Greece has made its position clear that it no longer wants to be a guarantor power any more and that the UK keeps a very positive position saying that unless both communities ask, it is not interested to continue being a guarantor power. That leaves Turkey, with Anastasiades saying they are the only remaining guarantor power who wants to continue [being as such]. The President affirmed that it is crystal-clear that maintaining third country military troops or guarantees in 2016, in an EU member state is not only unnecessary but also an anachronism in todays world. SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES Updating the attendees on what are currently the most significant differences on the negotiating table at present, Anastasiades outlined: [They] lie in the core and fundamental chapters of territory which is linked with the chapter of property - and security and guarantees, which will weigh significantly as to whether a solution would be feasible. He said that if he and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci find solutions to these differences, I am hopeful that a solution can be reached soon even before the end of this year. The President commented that if Turkey showed a similar degree of commitment, [to] engage constructively and proceed with concrete and tangible steps, [that] will positively reinforce the negotiating process. BREXIT WILL HURT US THE MOST Anastasiades also referred to the UKs decision to leave the EU following the Brexit vote, saying that it represents another major challenge for Cyprus and Ireland. As a result of our extended ties with the UK, we are the two countries that will probably be the most affected by this [decision to leave the EU]. He assured that we, on our part, are already in the process of identifying the areas that will be affected by Britains exit from the EU. We have a particular concern on fiscal issues and taxation, where we will lose a partner within the EU with whom we often saw eye-to-eye. 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 Ashton Kutcher's organisation Thorn, rescued at least 6000 human trafficking victims in 2016--a majority of whom were targeted online. By India Today Web Desk: Actor-activist Ashton Kutcher whom you probably know from Hollywood flicks like No Strings Attached, What Happens in Vegas, A Lot like Love among others, recently shared how his organisation has rescued at least 6,000 trafficking victims in 2016. Kutcher, who co-founded the organisation Thorn with his ex-wife Demi Moore in 2008, appeared on The Today Show and shed light on the disturbing statistics that dominate the world of human trafficking today. Kutcher and Demi Moore founded Thorn in 2008. Photo: Reuters advertisement Speaking to the hosts of the show, Kutcher said that a majority of human trafficking victims are approached and targeted online--something that his organisation aims to tackle. Also Read: Forced into prostitution at 10, this woman is the warrior you probably haven't heard about "We're building digital tools to fight human trafficking. Basically, the purchase and commerce for human trafficking is happening online, just like everything else now, and so we're building digital tools to fight back against it," Kutcher was quoted as saying. Thorn rescued at least 6,000 victims in 2016 alone. Picture courtesy: Twitter/Gabriela Gutierrez (@justgaby78) With technology and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google as loyal aides, Kutcher's Thorn recognises "predatory behaviour" and saves individuals from the claws of the immensely rampant issue of human trafficking. Reportedly, 70 per cent of the rescued victims in 2015 were sold online at one point or another. Also Read: Abused, insulted and tortured for 20 years, this woman's tale still reeks of hope "People are posted and sold online multiple times a day. As far as the ad that was posted up [for me], there was a girl who eerily looked like me..just [like] you can go find a car, there was a picture, and a description, and a price," Asia, a survivor was quoted as telling Thorn. While the recovery of 6,000 trafficking victims and 2,000 traffickers is encouraging, Kutcher's NGO now aims to eradicate child pornography. --- ENDS --- Sorry... ..An error has occured: If you have any queries about this error, try emailing feedback@mirror.co.uk and we'll do what we can to help you. ZID:308457493 Nakheel, a leading Dubai-based developer, has registered a net profit of Dh3.91 billion ($1.06 billion) for the first nine months of this year, up 8.3 per cent over the profit of Dh3.61 billion ($982 million) for the same period last year. One of the worlds leading developers and a major contributor to realising the vision of Dubai for the 21st century, Nakheel said its third quarter results too were on expected lines registering a Dh955 million ($260 million) profit for the third quarter, up 22 per cent over Dh781 million (213 million) last year. The Emirati firm pointed out that the results reflected stable market conditions. As with previous results periods, Nakheels development business, with its ongoing handovers of properties to customers, and the companys growing retail, leasing and leisure businesses all contributed to the results for the period, it stated. On the performance, Nakheel chairman Ali Rashid Lootah said: "The growth in our net profit for the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015 is a sign of a stable and mature local real estate market. The results also reflect positively on our business strategy to invest in our income-generating asset portfolio." "We expect to further consolidate on our position and finish the year on an even stronger note," he stated. Nakheel currently has more than 2,300 units at various development projects under construction, including 934 units nearing completion at the new Warsan Village community. It is also investing around Dh40 billion ($11 billion) in expanding its retail, hospitality and residential leasing portfolios with a host of new projects under way that will further contribute to and strengthen its overall financial position. Nakheel has around 13 million sq ft of leasable space under development at new, large-scale retail projects across Dubai, while its hospitality portfolio comprises 16 hotels and serviced apartment complexes with over 5,200 rooms between them. The company is also doubling its residential leasing stock by adding over 18,000 new units to its portfolio. "The last nine months has seen a range of significant achievements for Nakheel, including the biggest milestone in our history: settling all of the Dh4.4 billion ($1.2 billion) of trade creditor sukuk that was due on August 25. This was the last outstanding obligation from the financial restructuring concluded in August 2011," said Lootah. "We thank the Government of Dubai, without whom this milestone would not have been possible, for its ongoing support. With the restructuring behind us, we can now operate with more flexibility to achieve our business and financial objectives.," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Dubai-based global shipping terminals operator DP World has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Ukraine to collaborate on matters of mutual interest, including the development of logistics capability in the country. On a recent visit to Ukraine, DP World Group chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem signed the MoU with the Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan and later met with President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, senior ministers and officials. At the meetings, Bin Sulayem also delivered a letter of intent from DP World for its P&O Maritime subsidiary to develop the tug and pilot boat services of Odessa port on the Black Sea, said a DP world statement. President Poroshenko underlined Ukraines encouragement of foreign investment and welcomed the agreement between the Ministry of Infrastructure and DP World. Bin Sulayem said Ukraines geographic location on the Black Sea and potential for investment supported by favourable foreign and domestic policies provide a promising environment for the growth of the logistics sector. He added that DP Worlds Constanta Terminal in Romania, a state-of-the-art facility with excellent deep-draft access, also enjoys a strategic geographic location in the Black Sea and the MoU reinforces DP Worlds commitment to develop world class logistics facilities in the region. Prime Minister Groysman said that foreign investment was a top priority for the government especially in sectors such as power, agriculture, infrastructure and IT and emphasised the suitable business environment of the country. Bin Sulayem said there was substantial scope for cooperation because of the skilled manpower and location of Ukraine with industrial zones being one specific area to explore. He also expressed DP Worlds readiness to cooperate on the development of customs operations through the use of electronic technologies. Bin Sulayem said: We see major growth potential for trade on the Black Sea, backed by our Constanta terminal, helping to connect Far Eastern and regional markets with Europe and the rest of the world. Seamless cargo movement supported by efficient infrastructure and services along multi-modal transport links is essential to profitable trade growth. To attract investors we must find innovative ways of working together through public-private partnerships, with a focus on infrastructure provision, developing financial markets, mitigating risks and eliminating red tape. The UAE and DP World have developed into knowledge exporters owing to our global experience, expertise and business success. The UAE and Dubais success as a trade hub are proof of this and were excited at the opportunity of strengthening our partnership with the government of Ukraine to further their goals of economic growth. The agreements build on DP Worlds role as a developer of trade and logistics globally, in partnership with governments in 40 countries with 77 operating marine and inland terminals. Trade between Dubai and Ukraine amounted to more than Dh1 billion ($272 million) in 2015, with the majority being imports to Dubai, followed by exports and re-exports. Total trade in the first half of 2016 has already crossed Dh500 million, the statement said. - TradeArabia News Service German engineering giant Siemens revealed that it is preparing to sign a major deal with Iran to develop the country's railway system, said a report. Top Siemens officials will arrive in Tehran on Friday to discuss the deal which is expected to be worth over 2 billion ($2.25 billion), added the Iran Daily News report, citing Reuters. The deal will involve an order for track technology and Ice 3 trains a model of intercity train in use in Germany, it said. Germany's Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt is also expected in Tehran on Friday. Dobrindt is expected to discuss the expansion of mutual cooperation over a variety of areas. He will head a major trade delegation, added the report. Eat, a restaurant discovery and real-time reservations platform has raised a post-seed funding round of $2 million, led by Bahrain-based investment fund Pinnacle. The company has raised $2.9 million in funding to date. The latest round of investment will be utilised to expand eats existing presence in Dubai and Bahrain, while simultaneously launching in other GCC markets, said a statement. Founded in 2014, eats consumer facing apps, available on web, iOS and Android, allow diners across Bahrain and Dubai to discover fine-dining restaurants and make real-time reservations. Eats consumer app positions itself as providing a curated list of only the very best dining venues per market, and currently has 200 restaurants available in Dubai, including exclusive eateries such as the Palazzo Versaces Enigma, Hakkasan, and Michelin chef Jason Athertons Marina Social. Its Bahrain market offering currently includes 80 restaurants, including Michelin-led restaurants CUT by Wolfgang Puck and Masso by Chef Susy Massetti. The companys second product, a table management software, provides restaurants with a comprehensive, iPad-based reservations and table management solution. Its an extremely exciting time for us, one which will see eat expanding operations across several new markets. As with all our previous rounds, a significant portion of the investment will go towards marketing and customer acquisition in those markets, while also continuing to build new features in response to the needs of our clients, said Nezar Kadhem, co-founder of eat. We have gone through a significant planning stage and are now in a position to carry out our next period of growth. The new round will see eat reach even more diners in the region, with a prime focus in Dubai, and a wider adoption of our table management product at hotels and restaurants in not only the Middle East but other markets too. Eat already has agreements with many of the larger hotel chains in the region, including the Marriott, Four Seasons, The Taj Group of Hotels, The Ritz Carlton, and Starwood. Besides its activities in the GCC, the company also has clients in countries such as France, St. Barthelemy, Columbia, Bulgaria and the UK. Eat was founded in 2014 in Bahrain and following an initial investment of $100,000 lead by the Bahrain-based angel investment company Tenmou, launched eat for restaurants, an iPad-based table reservations app for restaurants. In 2015, a further $300,000 was raised through Tenmou, which had gathered notable Bahraini investors such as Fawaz Algosaibi, Redha Fathalla and Mohamed Almoayyed among others, and the companys consumer app, restaurant discovery and reservations by eat was launched in the Bahrain market. A third round later on in the year raised another $500,000 from private investors from the GCC and France, giving the company the ability to expand quickly into the Dubai market after announcements by global competitors of plans to move into the UAE. Having seated over 1,000,000 diners via its software at the end of 2015 in Bahrain and acquired over 90 per cent of the fine-dining market with its restaurant manager product, eat dedicated the majority of its remaining investment to securing and growing its market share in Dubai, the company said. Despite growing competition from regional and international companies 2016 has seen the company continue to expand its fine-dining restaurant discovery and real-time reservations service in the UAE, now offering real-time reservations at over 200 of Dubais most exclusive restaurants via its mobile and web app, it added. TradeArabia News Service Brazil deliberates exploring the GCCs lucrative fruit market to further expand its food trade with the region, said the secretary general of Apex Brasil, the Brazilian trade and investment promotion agency. According to a recent research conducted by Apex Brasil, the South American country should concentrate on increasing the import of fresh eggs, Brazilian nuts, lemons and limes, grapes, melons, and cloves to expand its list of food supplied to the Arabian Peninsula. The survey is based on the study of Brazils share in local imports and the expansion in the purchase of imported food by the GCC countries. In 2014, the UAE imported $69.6 million worth of lime of which only 9.7 per cent was supplied by Brazil. While competing countries increased their sales by 29.8 per cent between 2010 and 2014, Brazil surged its sales by 43.4 per cent for the same period. Likewise, the UAEs import of grapes is $85.9 million per year and Brazil expanded its supply to 185.6 per cent between 2010 and 2014 while other supplying countries increased only to 21.5 per cent. Lastly, Brazil accounts for 27.7 per cent of import of fresh eggs to the UAE. The study, though important, relies primarily on the data collected from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE as these are the regions premier destination for global food and beverage exports as well as Brazilian imports. Of the total exports from Brazil, the UAE accounts for 0.63 per cent, while it was 0.56 per cent for Saudi Arabia with food and beverage category accounting for 1.1 per cent and 2.5 per cent in the respective countries. Dr Michel Alaby, secretary general and CEO, ABCC, said: In the light of the recent survey indicating tremendous potential in food trade with the GCC countries, Brazil is exploring to expand in the fruit category. The demand for foreign food has surged significantly in the Arabian Gulf driven by population growth, low local production, and high economic standard. Responding to the demand, Brazil has also increased its share of fruit imports to the region. At ABCC, we extend all our help to Brazilian food exporters and offer them a platform to reach out to food trading companies in the Gulf for furthering mutually beneficial bilateral ties between the two regions. Brazil holds 82.1 per cent stake in the raw chicken and 61.4 per cent in refined sugar in the KSAs food sector. In the UAE, on the other hand, it accounts for 76.8 per cent share in raw chicken and 70.3 per cent share in refined sugars. With strong hold of in the UAEs and Saudi Arabia food market, a further growth in the fruit category will give a strong economic boost to Brazil. TradeArabia News Service Etihad Airways is working with air traffic management specialists NATS to deliver operational enhancements across its network, and improve the way the airline works with air traffic control providers and airport operators on airfield management procedures. Guy Allison, a specialist from the NATS team at London Heathrow Airport, is currently based within the airlines Network Operations team working on a variety of projects including airfield operations around the Midfield Terminal Project at Abu Dhabi International Airport - one of the largest investment programmes in the Middle East. NATS is assisting the airline by sharing its experience in the management of low visibility procedures in the UK, the flow of aircraft on the airfield, and improving the way the airline manages its processes around aircraft handling. With a growing fleet, the airline wants to ensure operational efficiency in all areas of its hub operation. Chris Youlten, senior vice president of Network Operations at Etihad Airways, said: Were delighted to be working in partnership with NATS as part of our continuing efforts to improve the experience for our passengers. By improving aspects of our operational efficiency across the global network, we are able to refine the experience for our customers; ensuring our flights consistently operate to schedule and we are recognised as a world leader for on-time performance. NATS has been working with aviation partners in the UAE since 2006, where it has its regional headquarters. The company continues to expand its footprint in the Middle East, with offices in both Oman and Qatar, providing dedicated, locally-based operational and training expertise. NATS also has a long term engineering and operational transition project team working in Kuwait. Ben Kiff, director at NATS Middle East, said: Etihad Airways is one of the worlds leading airlines and its a privilege to be working with them to not only benefit their operations but the wider Abu Dhabi aviation community. The industry recognises the need for increased collaboration, and air traffic management - which is seen as the glue that connects airport and airline operations - can offer a unique perspective. It is great to see Etihad Airways taking such a leadership position in this regard. During 2016, Etihad Airways has continued to expand its global network of over 100 destinations. The airport hub in Abu Dhabi is undergoing significant investment to allow continued growth and push passenger numbers over 30 million annual journeys. - TradeArabia News Service The global deployment of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, which can accurately track passengers baggage in real time across key points in the journey, can enable the air transport industry to save more than $3 billion over the next seven years. Global IT provider Sita and the International Air Transport Association (Iata) revealed that the highly accurate tracking rates of RFID technology could reduce the number of mishandled bags by up to 25 per cent by 2022, mainly through efficient tracking. The Sita/Iata Business Case released today at the Iata World Passenger Symposium taking place in Dubai, outlines how this will provide a major saving for airlines and deliver more certainty for passengers. In particular, RFID will address mishandling during transfer from one flight to another, one of the key areas identified by Sita and Iata where the technology could help improve baggage handling rates. RFID technology will ensure that airports, airlines and ground handlers are able to keep track of bags at every step of the journey and ensure the right bag is loaded onto the correct flight. The technology also supports Iatas Resolution 753 that requires by 2018 airlines keep track of every item of baggage from start to finish. The deployment of RFID would build on the already significant savings delivered by the smart use of technology for baggage management. According to the SITA Baggage Report 2016, technology has helped reduce the number of mishandled bags by 50 per cent from a record 46.9 million mishandled bags in 2007, saving the industry $22.4 billion. This improvement comes despite a sharp rise in passenger numbers over the same period. Jim Peters, chief technology officer at Sita, said: The airline industry is on the brink of a revolution in baggage tracking. Deploying RFID globally will increase accuracy and reduce mishandling rates. This is a win-win situation passengers will be happier, operations will run smoother and airlines will save billions of dollars. Andrew Price, head of Global Baggage Operations at Iata said: Over the past few years we have seen more work to help airlines introduce and reap the benefits of RFID technology through better oversight of their baggage operations. This has included trials and of course the Delta Air Lines implementation. The advances in the technology and the immense benefits it brings to the airline industry has prompted Iata to revisit and fully explore the benefits of RFID today. Initial deployments of RFID by airlines, such as Delta Air Lines, show a 99 per cent success rate for tracking bags, helping further reduce the number of mishandled bags. David Hosford, manager of baggage performance strategy at Delta Air Lines said: We are investing in RFID to further improve our baggage handling rates and improve the customer experience. RFID technology provides us with more data and more precise tracking information throughout the baggage journey. The Sita/Iata business case shows that the improvements in handling rates do not come at a great cost. RFID capabilities can be deployed for as little $0.1 per passenger on average while generating expected savings of more than $0.2 per passenger. With some big airlines and airports already introducing RFID technology, combined with the fact that it is compatible with existing barcode technology, adoption of RFID across all airports could provide a positive return for airlines, both in cost savings and passenger satisfaction. Sitas and Iata's assumptions are based on RFID being deployed in 722 airports (representing 95 per cent of passenger numbers globally) over a six-year period between 2016 and 2021 while the savings are calculated over seven years to 2022. The figures for 2016 take into account the RFID infrastructure already deployed or about to be deployed at multiple induction points on the baggage journey. Sita's research into RFID and baggage tracking is part of its ongoing investment in research for the benefit of the entire air transport community. Baggage tracking is one of the five community research programs that Sita has launched to address some of the industrys most pressing challenges. The others are identity management; the facilitation of Iatas New Distribution Capability (NDC); an industry-wide disruption warning system; and enhancing cybersecurity across the industry. - TradeArabia News Service For a limited time only Qatar Airways travellers from UAE can redeem a discount of up to 10 per cent off flights across the airlines global network when booking through their smartphones or tablets. Travellers can simply type qatarairways.com into their devices browser and use the promotional code 'Mobile' to book flights to more than 150 places across the world. From October 17 to 24, travellers can book travel via Qatar Airways mobile site, for travel between October 20, 2016 and June 14, 2017. Passengers can book fares as low as Dh1,720 ($468) to London, Dh3,270 ($890) to Atlanta, Dh2,310 ($628.7) to Barcelona and fares starting from Dh4,160 ($1,132.3) to Sydney. Qatar Airways is offering the exclusive promotion as part of a campaign to introduce its newly-refreshed mobile website, which is now available in 12 languages. With an innovative range of mobile services, Qatar Airways is making it even easier for its passengers to explore the world and make big plans on small screens. In its new form, the mobile website allows travellers across the world to take more control of their journeys on the go. Qatar Airways chief commercial officer, Dr Hugh Dunleavy, said: More of us are conducting business on the go reading the newspaper on our smart phones, paying bills via apps, and fitting those personal tasks in when we can. Our travellers want the convenience to book and adjust their travel arrangements when they want to, in the language they prefer. As we continue to expand our network and destinations around the world, we are proud to offer travellers access to our world-class services in 12 of the most commonly spoken languages in the countries we fly to, through our mobile- website. This, of course, is in line with our commitment to provide our travellers with a superior experience from the moment they book their journey right through to its end. To celebrate this with our travellers , we are offering a special 10 per cent discount for all tickets sold via our mobile site from UAE between October 17-24. Qatar Airways new mobile website, accessible at www.qatarairways.com through handheld Apple and Android devices including smartphones and tablets, is available in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, and Turkish. Through the mobile website, passengers can make new bookings amend the dates and destinations of their existing bookings, check in online, purchase excess baggage, select seat and meal preferences, modify special service requests, redeem Qmiles, and perform a variety of other functions. Travellers will also be able to check flight status, become a member of Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and subscribe to newsletters. Travellers will enjoy going places on Qatar Airways expanding network of more than 150 destinations, flying via one of the worlds top 10 airports, Hamad International Airport in Doha. Passengers can now discover new destinations added to the airlines network in 2016, including Adelaide (Australia), Atlanta (US), Birmingham (UK), Boston (US), Helsinki (Finland), Los Angeles (US), Marrakech (Morocco), Pisa (Italy), Ras Al Khaimah (UAE), Sydney (Australia), Windhoek (Namibia) and Yerevan (Armenia). Krabi (Thailand) and the Seychelles will join the airlines routemap in December. - TradeArabia News Service Prime Minister Modi met State Counsellor and Foreign Minister of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi in New Delhi on Wednesday, the third and concluding day of her three-day state visit to India. By Indo-Asian News Service: Prime Minister Modi met State Counsellor and Foreign Minister of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi in New Delhi on Wednesday, the third and concluding day of her three-day state visit to India. "An old friend from the East, a partner in our common Progress. PM receives Myanmar State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at Hyderabad House," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with a picture of the two leaders. advertisement An old friend from the East, a partner in our common progress. PM receives Myanmar State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at Hyderabad House pic.twitter.com/YnwDQkBki2 Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) October 19, 2016 Following delegation-level talks headed by Modi and Suu Kyi, the two sides are expected to sign some agreements. #IndiaMyanmar: Partners in Progress - The two leaders witness the exchange of agreements in sectors of power, banking and insurance pic.twitter.com/JAttQY4ccA Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) October 19, 2016 SUU KYI MEETS PRANAB, SUSHMA On Tuesday, Suu Kyi met with President Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Also read: Sushma Swaraj meets Suu Kyi as India, Myanmar agree to strengthen border security, socio-economic ties Although Suu Kyi is not the President as Myanmar's constitution bars her from this, the Nobel Peace laureate is effectively the de facto leader of the country. This is the first official visit of Suu Kyi to New Delhi since her National League for Democracy (NLD) assumed power in Myanmar in March this year. SUUKYI ATTENDED BRICS-BIMSTEC MEET IN GOA Prior to reaching New Delhi on Monday for the state visit, she attended the BRICS-Bimstec Outreach Summit in Goa on Sunday. Her visit comes after Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw's visit to India in August this year. --- ENDS --- Inbound arrivals to Saudi Arabia will reach over 20 million by 2020, as the religious tourism sector flourishes in line with increasing demand to join the annual Haj pilgrimage, according to consumer insight firm Canadean. The companys latest report finds that the Haj represents a major tourism opportunity for both domestic and international stakeholders, particularly hotel groups and tour operators, as over two million pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia in September to visit Islams holiest site in Mecca. This will help Saudi Arabia to offset its recent losses in oil revenue, which accounts for 40 per cent of the countrys GDP, with tourism contributing just 3.5 per cent of GDP in 2015. Gillian Kennedy, analyst at Canadean, said: While the Haj is an established ritual in the Islamic world, its importance as a tourism destination has been transformed in recent times. The Saudi government is investing heavily in new hotels and spending more than $13 million a year renovating historical religious sites. Specific landmark hotel openings in the pipeline include the Abraj Kudai hotel, which will be the world's largest hotel with 10,000 rooms, built at an estimated cost of $3.6 billion. According to government statistics, tourist expenditure during Haj season will increase by 30 per cent over last years figures and reach $6.9 billion in 2016. The increase is expected after the Saudi government ended the limit on Haj pilgrimage visitors as previous overcapacity incidents caused violent episodes amid serious crowding at the Haj. Kennedy added: Despite previous incidents, demand to visit the Haj continues to grow with over three million visitors a year, and tourist accommodation is witnessing a major increase in prices. With at least 40 per cent of pilgrimage expenditure used for accommodation such as hotels or fully-furnished apartments, there are a plenty of investment opportunities with significant revenue potential emerging in the Saudi Kingdom. Already, 13 of Meccas 15 old neighborhoods have been rebuilt to make room for hotels and commercial spaces. Moreover, one square meter of land in the area surrounding the Grand Mosque is currently valued at $122,350, resulting in much of the native population selling their property to the government or to real estate developers. - TradeArabia News Service Parents of conjoined twins seek financial aid from government to pay for the surgery of the infants. By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Parents of conjoined twins from Habibganj district of Bangladesh have sought assistance from government to help pay for the surgery to separate the infants. Josna Begum, a housewife, gave birth to a pair of conjoined twins on Tuesday. The twins were delivered at around 1pm at New Life Care Hospital in Habibganj. Josna and her husband Mohammad Jalil are both natives of Muradpur village of Baniachong Upazila of Habibganj district. advertisement "Head, hands and legs of the two babies are separate but they have a joint abdomen. We have to examine the babies first. If other organs too are separate, then the babies can be separated," said Dr Rakib Ansari, child specialist at New Life Care Hospital. Ansari added that an operation to separate the babies would be hugely expensive. POOR PARENTS APPROACH GOVERNMENT "I am poor and I do not have the ability to pay for the treatment of the babies," said the father of the twins. The parents also sought help from the government. "We have recommended them to take the babies to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College in Dhaka. But the parents are unable to take the babies there as they are poor," said Chairman of New Life Hospital Ehteshamul Haque Shamim. This is the second incident of conjoined births in Bangladesh. On October 16, a pair of conjoined twins were abandoned by the parents at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The girls are now under the supervision of the hospital. Also read: Meet Bangladesh's Benjamin Button, a newborn who resembles an 80-year-old --- ENDS --- Celebs are in no mood to accept the dictatorship of aam aadmi contestants as they join hands to give it back to them. By India Today Web Desk: Bigg Boss 10 will be high on drama on Day 3, as celebs will finally decide to retaliate against aam aadmi contestants, by showing them the mirror. Rohan Mehra, who was so far silently and smilingly obeying the orders of maaliks, will finally lose his cool when Manoj will challenge him at the dining table. advertisement Celebs will also gang up to give it back to Om Swami, whose unreasonable behavior has been irking one and all. Rohan will be punished by Priyanka for spilling water on her; later in the day, Rohan will settle the score in a very unexpected way. Here's a look at all the squabbles that will take place on Day 3. Also read: Om Swami to Priyanka Jagga; these are Bigg Boss 10's most hated contestants so far Om Swami vs Mona Lisa: Om Swami will ring the hukum ki ghanti in the middle of the night to ask for food. Mona Lisa will raise objection to it, saying the maaliks have called it a day already, and it is unfair to wake them up in the middle of the night. Gaurav Chopra will join the argument by saying, that baat hoti hai sahi aur galat ki aur sahi aur galat dikhta hai. Priyanka Jagga will tell Om Swami that a certain celeb contestant has called him Buddha. Gaurav Chopra will confront her and ask her why she's talking on behalf of Swami. Karan will join Gaurav in the argument. Swami will apparently threaten the celebs again by saying, "Main apne asli roop mein aa jaunga." Karan will then say that all the contestants including the celebs are aam aadmi here and Swami shouldn't think that he is one step above anybody. Rohan Mehra vs Priyanka Jagga: Rohan will accidentally spills water on Priyanka and the lady will punish him by asking him to wash her clothes in the middle of the night. "Apne aap ko bada hi star samajhne lag gaya hai, zero hai tu," says Priyanka. Rohan Mehra vs Manoj Punjabi: Rohan and Manoj will have a war of words at the dining table when Rohan will say something like," Kuch to main kar sakta hun, karna chahun to." To which Manoj will violently reply saying, "Tere sapne mein bhi nahi kar sakta." Manoj will lose it completely and walk up to Rohan and warn him against using terms like 'hum' aur 'aap', while housemates qill try to pacify him. "The problem is hum achcha banana chahte hai, lekin aap log achche nahi hai," says Rohan, leaving Manoj shocked. advertisement --- ENDS --- When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Micro-apartments are gaining traction in cities like New York, Paris and Madrid, where real estate tends to be astronomically expensive and proximity to amenities desirable enough that people are willing to trade size for location. In Kharkov, Ukraine, the second-largest city in the country and a cultural and industrial hub, Ukrainian design firm One Studio created this modernist, yet comfortable and functional, micro-apartment for a weightlifter. One Studio Seen over at Home Designing and measuring just a touch under 200 square feet, the apartment is nevertheless packed with everything that one might need to live well, thanks to some clever space-saving details. There's a flexible living room space outfitted with a grand sofa and another window bench for guests, all with a great view of the city. One Studio One Studio There's a cozy but functional galley kitchen right under the stairs that still manages to get in a four-burner stovetop, and an eat-in counter folds up to become a wine rack. And of course, the requisite storage stair, with alternating treads, painted an energetic red. One Studio One Studio Upstairs is the bedroom, which feels quite spacious, as it almost completely overlaps the living room area below, save for a sliver of shared window space. One Studio One Studio One Studio The bathroom is quite something: the integrated sink-and-washer is brilliant, though it's hard to tell if this is merely a rendering or a real photo. But the concept is great for small bathrooms that can double as a laundry room. And the fishtank shower with a floor of stones cleverly brings in a bit of nature into the mix. One Studio One Studio One Studio I'm wondering if there's health benefits to showering with a fish, but I digress. Thanks to a creative strategy of overlapping spaces, functions and unexpected features, this micro-apartment manages to integrate a lot of original concepts to enlarge a small space. See more over at One Studio. Bigg Boss 9 winner Prince Narula wants his close friend VJ Bani to win the reality show. By India Today Web Desk: Everyone's favourite reality show Bigg Boss Season 10 has started off with a bang. While fights have already started in the house, people have even chosen their favourite contestants. Even celebrities. Confused? We are talking about former Bigg Boss contestant and TV personality Prince Narula. The reality TV star, who had won Bigg Boss Season 9, has come out in support of his close friend VJ Bani. advertisement The Bigg Boss Season 9 winner has encouraged his friend Bani to stay strong on the show. Good luck @banij I knw u gona Rock dis show #biggbosshouse #roadieslife#roadiesrock show them how tough we r Nd don't mess with us #friendforlife A photo posted by Prince Narula (@princenarula) on Oct 18, 2016 at 12:58am PDT Prince recently posted a picture of himself and Bani on his personal Instagram account. He had captioned the picture as, "Good luck @banij I knw u gona Rock dis show #biggbosshouse #roadieslife#roadiesrock show them how tough we r Nd don't mess with us #friendforlife." Bani and 'aam aadmi' contestant Priyanka Jagga have already had a war of words in the house. Also read:Exclusive: I want to make friends for life in the Bigg Boss house, says Lopamudra Raut There are seven celebrity contestants who will be seen on the show this season--VJ Bani, Rohan Mehra, Gaurav Chopra, Mona Lisa, Karan Mehra, Rahul Dev, and Lopamudra Raut. Whereas there are eight 'aam aadmi' contestants in total--Priyanka Jagga, Om Swami, Akansha Sharma, Navin Prakash, Lokesh Kumari Sharma, Manveer Gurjar, Manoj Punjabi, and Nitibha Kaul. Bigg Boss 10 airs every Mon-Fri at 10:30 pm, and every Sat-Sun at 9 pm on Colors TV. --- ENDS --- The state government's massive crackdown following the protests on Hizb-ul commander Burhan Wani's death is the biggest so far . The police crackdown in Jammu and Kashmir is the biggest in the state's history. (Photo: PTI) By Shuja-ul-Haq : The Lashkar-e-Taiba's threat to the Baramulla SHO after 44 people were arrested for terror-related activities shows the massive impact of the state government's biggest crackdown in the Valley in recent times. As the unrest in Kashmir following the death of Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 enters 103rd day, the police have arrested more than 100 people in different parts of Kashmir in the last 24 hours. In other words, at least four people have been arrested by the state police every hour. advertisement Going by some official figures, at least 446 people have been arrested across Jammu and Kashmir in a week till Monday. ALSO READ: Kashmir unrest: Unidentified men set two vehicles on fire in Srinagar Given the numbers and the intensity of the crackdown, many are calling it the biggest in the state's volatile history. Sources put the total number of arrests in the state anywhere between 5,000-7,000 in the last three months. ALSO WATCH: THE PUBLIC SAFETY ACT Records suggest that hundreds of people have been booked under the stringent Public Safety Act. Some put the number close to 450 which is the highest the Valley ever recorded. Under the act, an individual can be detained for a maximum of two years without a court order. ALSO READ: Kashmir unrest: Protesters wave China and Pakistan flags in Baramulla South Kashmir, which has been the nerve centre of the protests, has seen the biggest crackdown in the state. In the four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama, neraly 1,800 people have been arrested and another 500 detained under preventive detention. FROM INDIA TODAY MAGAZINE: What went wrong in Kashmir and how to fix it FROM INDIA TODAY MAGAZINE: Handling a hostile Pakistan 700 HOUSES SEARCHED Central and north Kashmir too have witnessed major crackdown the police. Baramulla, a relatively calm district, saw a massive search operation launched by the police and the army across the district before 44 people were arrested on Monday. According to the locals, more than 700 houses were searched by the army, the police, the Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force. ALSO READ: Kashmir unrest: 12-year-old dies in pellet gun firing, clashes erupt "Large quantity of incriminating material such as petrol bombs, Chinese and Pakistan flags, LeT and JeM letter head pads, unauthorised mobile phones and seditious anti-national publicity material were seized during the raids," an official statement read. CRITICISM FROM OPPOSITION The crackdown has got the Opposition, mainly the National Conference (NC), furious. Taking a dig at the Mehbooba Mufti government's campaign to promote tourism, Omar Abdullah had tweeted: "I'm all for promoting tourism in to the valley but at a time when 90 people have died, 10,000+ injured, scores blinded it's out of place". advertisement The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir accused the Mufti government of disrupting the normal life of the people in the state. "It's ridiculous that kids haven't seen the inside of school for 3 months & the CM wants tourists to forget the turmoil & come visiting," Abdullah had tweeted. It's ridiculous that kids haven't seen the inside of a school for 3 months & the CM wants tourists to forget the turmoil & come visiting. Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) October 4, 2016 ALSO READ: Watch how Kashmiri youth rescued an army jawan trapped inside a mangled vehicle Mufti after attending a high-level meeting in New Delhi in August to discuss the Kashmir unrest had said Central government needs to initiate dialogue with the locals. "There is a need to apply balm to the wounds of the Kashmiri people. These are our own people. If a dialogue can improve the situation in the Valley, we should do it," Mufti had said. advertisement ALSO READ: Kashmir not part of India on these globes sold in Kerala ALSO READ: India rejects Pakistan's references on Kashmir at UN --- ENDS --- Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 19 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council had virtually reached a consensus on compensation for the states and once that decision is formally endorsed, the issue of finalising the tax rate structure under the GST regime will be taken up at the next meeting of the council on November 3-4. The third meeting of the GST Council, which is the decision making body, ended today a day ahead of schedule without reaching a decision on the GST tax structure. Jaitley said the GST rate structure would be decided in the next meeting of the council. He said the options were whether to do it in the GST rate structure, introduce a cess or some other structure that might be used for compensation. He said once this decision was finalised, deciding on the GST tax structure would become easier. After the tax structure is finalised, the only remaining issue will be draft legislations which will be taken up in the fifth meeting of the council. Since the winter session of Parliament is commencing from November 16, the government will be keen to wrap up the process before that as it has set a deadline of April 1 for implementation of GST. He said the council also discussed the issue of dual control and dual authority of the Centre and States over the assessess. Since the principle has been decided that a single authority will oversee an assessee, it is yet to be decided as to how it will be divided. The GST Council has discussed possible GST rates, including a four-slab structure of 6, 12, 18 and 26 per cent with lower rates for essential items and highest band for luxury goods. The idea being mooted is to have a cess on the highest category or demerit goods to compensate the states. Since the rate structure was only proposed yesterday, the states would be keen to seek some time to peruse the proposals and their revenue implications. Jaitley said while the argument of less slabs in the GST rate structure is a good, it should not led to loss of revenue for the government or more burden on the tax payer for the sake of uniformity. He said two standard rates of 12 per cent and 18 per cent are under discussion. He said given the current taxation structure in the country, the idea is to fit the items closest to their existing tax rate rather than cause huge jumps for taxation of items. New Delhi: Beverages major Coca Cola India has dropped Salman Khan as brand ambassador for its soft drink Thums Up after four years of association and the company is in talks with young star Ranveer Singh to replace him. The contract with Salman had expired last month and the company has chosen not to renew it. The company's decision is more to do with the image of Coca Cola, sources said. When contacted, Coca Cola India declined to comment. pti Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 19 After being appointed Congress in-charge of Punjab, senior party leader Asha Kumari was today also given the charge of the Chandigarh unit. Chandigarh was so far being handled by former minister and party veteran Kamal Nath, who is also the Congress general secretary for Haryana. Im grateful to the Congress leadership for reposing faith in me. I will take the charge of Chandigarh shortly. I hope all Congress leaders of Chandigarh will work together for the upcoming municipal elections, Asha Kumari told The Tribune today. Asked how she proposed to unite the warring factions in the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee, Asha Kumari said she was confident everyone would work harmoniously for the larger interests of the party. Factions led by former minister Pawan Bansal and former Chandigarh Congress chief BB Behl have been at loggerheads for long and unity in the Chandigarh unit has suffered. Congress president Sonia Gandhi is aware of the factional wars. Asha Kumaris appointment as Chandigarh in-charge is seen as a calculated move by Sonia to bring unity to a divided house. Asha has successfully brought rival forces together in Punjab, where elections are due next year. In Punjab, she is credited with getting bete noires Capt Amarinder Singh and Partap Bajwa; Preneet Kaur and Brahm Mohindra and many others together. Even in Himachal Pradesh, where Asha Kumari is an MLA, she is seen as someone who has put the party interests before personal interests considering she has stood with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh despite differences with him. She, in fact, led Virbhadra Singhs defence after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided his house in Shimla on his daughters wedding day. Asha Kumaris elevation is being seen in the Congress circles as the party leaderships attempt to build her profile for a future role in Himachal Pradesh where she is seen as a potential successor to Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Tribune News Service Mohali, October 19 With the arrest of a member of the Shutter gang last night, the Mohali CIA claims to have worked out the case in which thieves took away an ATM containing Rs 18.43 lakh from a branch of Punjab National Bank at Dappar, Lalru, in the wee hours of Octorber 16. The police have arrested Dharminder Singh, alias DM. The remaining four members of the gang kingpin Ranjit Singh, his brother Dharamraj, alias Dhamma, Krishan Kumar, alias Ballu, and Pittal, all residents of Mauli Jagran, manged to give the police the slip. The police claimed to have recovered two vehicles a Tata crane and an Esteem car used for taking away the ATM after cutting it with a gas cutter. However, the police are yet to recover the ATM. Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said all gang members were hardcore criminals. More than 150 cases of dacoity, loot, robbery, vehicle theft and theft in shops and houses have been registered against the kingpin, Ranjit Singh, in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh while DM has over 10 cases of similar nature registered against him in various police stations. Both had recently come out of Ambala Jail on bail, said the SSP. He said all five of them were involved in the Dappar ATM theft case. After coming out of jail, the gang members committed thefts in some stores at Panchkula. They then went to Solan in a stolen Maruti car and committed thefts in six shops there after breaking open the locks. After their return, the gang members stole a Honda City car from Mohali and went to Phagwara where they again broke into five shops. The gang took away the Tata crane from Kharar on their return and abandoned the Honda City car in Mohali. The crane was used for taking away the ATM from Dappar, said the SSP. He said the ATM had been kept by Ranjit and Dharamraj at some place. When our team, along with a team of the Chandigarh Police, raided the thieves residences at Mauli Jagran last night, their family members and relatives attacked the police with bricks, stones and blunt weapons and also threw LPG cylinders on them. In the melee, four thieves managed to give the police the slip while DM was arrested from Harmilap Nagar near Baltana later, said Bhullar. A case under Sections 395 and 379 has been registered at the Lalru police station in connection with the ATM theft. Tribune News Service Bathinda, October 19 Bahadurpur, a village near Bareta town of Mansa district, is still longing for the statue of naib subedar Nand Singh, the lone winner of the twin bravery awards of Victoria Cross and Maha Vir Chakra. The demand for an entry gate in the name of this great martyr is still awaiting approval. At the age of 33, Nand Singh, a loyal solider of the Indian Army (by then, a jemadar, who was not even required to go into the battle) chose to lead his platoon of D Coy in a desperate but successful attack to rescue his battalion from an ambush in Uri in Kashmir in December 1947. He was killed in action but his body was never recovered, mentions former chief minister and Member of Parliament Captain Amarinder Singh in his book Lest We Forget. In 1944, as jemadar in the British Indian Army, Nand Singh received its highest military honour Victoria Cross for his bravery against the Japanese forces on the Arakan front in Burma during the World War-2. On March 12, 1944 on the Maungdaw-Buthidaung Road, Burma (now Myanmar), naik Nand Singh, commanding a leading section of the attack, was ordered to recapture a position gained by the enemy. He led his section up a very steep knife-edged ridge under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire and although wounded in the thigh, captured the first trench. He then crawled forward alone and wounded again in the face and shoulder, nevertheless captured the second and third trenches. On December 12, 1947 he laid down his life fighting Pakistani intruders in Jammu and Kashmir. Captain Amarinder Singh, who himself hails from the 1st Sikh regiment, had mentioned a detailed story on Nand Singh (September 24, 1914 December 12, 1947) and recalls that it was later discovered that the Pakistanis recognised Singh because of his decorated VC ribbon and took his body to Muzaffarabad, where, in the most abominable manner, it was tied spread-eagled on a truck and paraded through the city with a loudspeaker proclaiming that this would be the fate of every Indian VC. Nand Singhs body was later thrown onto a garbage dump, an emotional Captain Amarinder recalled, lamenting that the state government had failed to take care of the statue of this great soldier of the Indian soil, even though it was located on the Badals own turf. Captain Amarinder Singh was here to clean the statue of the martyr. Gurpreet Singh, member of panchayat and cousin grandson of the martyr at Bahadurpur village regretted that the state government had not only forgotten his family and the village but even failed to meet the demand of the villagers to set up an entry gate in the name of the great soldier. The gate at the entry is our demand and Rs 10 lakh has been approved for it but not even a single brick has been laid. We were informed by senior officials of the Army that a statue of this great martyr was made but they were yet to get any space and approval for installation. We demanded that the statue should be installed at Bareta Kainchiyan but the administration is yet to approve space for installation, he said. Nand Singh and his four brothers Chanda Singh, Dhanna Singh, Arjan Singh and Sarwan Singh were sons of Bhag Singh, he added. G Parthasarathy RELATIONS between Pakistans elected government and the countrys all-powerful military establishment become tense and coup prone whenever Nawaz Sharif is elected Prime Minister. This is rather ironical since Sharif entered politics with the blessings of the military in the early 1980s. The then military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq had sought the support of Nawazs father industrialist and steel magnate, Mian Mohamed Sharif to contribute for the establishment of a new Muslim League Party. General Zias military Governor in Lahore, Lt Gen Ghulam Gilani Khan, duly provided the support for Nawazs meteoric rise in politics. It was the backing of the military and the ISI chief, Lt Gen Asad Durrani, that enabled Sharif to cobble together an alliance of Islamist parties to prevail over Benazir Bhuttos Peoples Party in 1992. Sharifs whimsical and authoritarian functioning thereafter led to serious differences with then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. The President was infuriated by the involvement of Sharif and his handpicked ISI chief Lt Gen Javed Nasir, in the 1993 Bombay bomb blasts. In the meantime, Sharif had developed an acrimonious relationship with his army chief, Gen Asif Nawaz, whose sudden death, attributed to arsenic poisoning, led to suspicions of Sharifs involvement. Sharif was duly sacked by President Ishaq Khan, but briefly restored to office by the Supreme Court. The army chief, Gen Waheed Kakkar, forced both Sharif and the President, out of office shortly thereafter. Sharifs relationship with the army was equally stormy in his second term. He peremptorily sacked his highly respected and apolitical army chief, Gen Jehangir Karamat. He was then ousted, jailed and exiled by Karamats successor, Pervez Musharraf, following differences over who was responsible for the Kargil fiasco. Sharifs relations with the army have been no less tumultuous in his third term. Like in the case of his appointment of Musharraf, Sharif erred in this third term by his appointment of Gen Raheel Sharif as army chief. He ignored the fact that General Raheel was a protege of General Musharraf, who would challenge the PMs efforts to have Musharraf tried for treason. Raheel Sharif predictably warned not only Nawaz, but also the Supreme Court, to back off from efforts to arrest and imprison Musharraf. His success in this effort only whetted Raheels appetite for taking over control of foreign policy, particularly relations with India, Afghanistan and even the US. China duly played on the Generals huge ego, by suggesting that it was the Pakistan army alone that could provide security for its $46 billion One-Belt, One-Roadproject. Over the past three years, Raheel Sharif has taken over control of Pakistans foreign policy and the countrys internal security. He undermined the successful meeting that Nawaz had with Mr Modi in Ufa by not permitting his DGMO to meet his Indian counterpart. He then undermined any chance of a rapprochement with India by the attack on the Pathankot air base, just after Mr Modi had extended a hand of friendship by visiting Lahore during the wedding of Nawaz Sharifs daughter. General Sharif has taken over the conduct of relations with Afghanistan to such an extent that when the Taliban, which has links with the ISI across the border, mounts terrorist strikes in Afghanistan, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani speaks to him rather than Nawaz Sharif! General Sharif has shown similar disregard for constitutional norms on issues of internal security. He mounted a large-scale attack on the Pashtun tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, ruthlessly using artillery and air strikes after the Pakistani Taliban attack on the Army School in Peshawar. These operations, named Zarb-e-Azb, have rendered 8,00,000 tribals homeless, with an estimated 50,000 fleeing into Afghanistan. The entire operation was mounted in the face of opposition from both provincial and federal governments and without parliamentary approval. Raheel Sharif showed similar disregard for the views of these governments in his crackdown using the army-controlled Paramilitary Rangers to crush the MQM Party in Karachi. In the meantime, the brutal army repression in Balochistan continues. Despite being lauded as a saviour by sections in Pakistan, Raheel Sharif has laid the foundations for prolonged unrest in three of Pakistans four provinces. In these circumstances, the Nawaz government hit back with leaks to the Dawn newspaper, alleging that support of the army and ISI for groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, JeM and the Haqqani Network in Afghanistan had led to the diplomatic isolation of Pakistan, with even all-weather friend China expressing misgivings. This sentiment echoed widely in Pakistans parliament. The fact that Indias surgical strikes has been welcomed by the US and European parliament and that this has accompanied a boycott of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad, has given Nawaz Sharif more political space to act. He can now move to replace Raheel Sharif, who is due to retire on November 29, with a person of his choice. This will happen, unless, in the meantime, the Supreme Court acts against Nawaz Sharif on allegations of corruption and money laundering, or if a proposed agitation by Imran Khan paralyses Sharifs government and invites army intervention. Nawaz Sharif may, therefore, name the new army chief well before November 29. General Sharif will likely recommend the most senior officer, Lt Gen Zubair Hayat, presently the chief of general staff, to be the next army chief. Hayat is highly regarded and briefly headed the Strategic Plans Division of Pakistans Nuclear Command Authority. But Sharif will be wary of appointing a trusted buddy of General Sharif as the next chief. Hayat could well be kicked upstairs to the largely ceremonial, but senior-most post of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). As the CJCSC heads the Nuclear Command Authority, Hayats appointment could be justified on the grounds of his earlier association with it. In that case, Sharif could look lower down the list and could possibly appoint Lt Gen Iqbal Ramaday, who has impeccable family credentials and is presently Corps Commander Bahawalpur, or Lt Gen Qamar Bajwa, said to be a competent officer, who evidently has reservations about extremist jehadi outfits. Bajwa presently holds the same post that Raheel Sharif did before he was appointed as army chief. Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 19 The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has summoned the Delhi Police and the CBI seeking explanation for the "delay" in sending the information sought in connection with allegations of torture and suicide of family of BK Bansal, former Corporate Affairs Director General, who was facing a CBI probe in an alleged bribery case. In separate notices to S. Balasubramony, AIG (CBI) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (East District) Rishi Pal, DCW chief Swati Maliwal pointed out that the sought information has not been provided by them even after the lapse of 20 days and 15 days respectively. "The Commission takes a strong note of the fact that despite the passage of over 20 days, the sought information has not been provided," read the notice to AIG, CBI. The Commission observed that the replies dated September 29 and October 10 were found to be "unsatisfactory and inadequate" and did not provide the sought information. Earlier, the DCW had sent notices to the CBI twice dated October 3 and September 29 seeking information regarding alleged suicide and torture of the family of Bansal and the suicide note. "To explain the unreasonable cause of delay in furnishing the above information, you are hereby summoned to appear before the Commission for the purpose aforementioned on October 25 at 3 pm," said the Commission. "If you fail to comply with this order without lawful excuse, you will be subjected to the consequences of non-attendance as provided in law," it added. Similarly, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East District) has been told to appear before the Commission on October 25 at 4 pm. According to the Commission, the Delhi Police in its reply dated September 30 had failed to provide the sought information pertaining to the case of Bansal. So now the police have been summoned to produce the records, including reply to October 3 notice and reason for failure in providing timely response. Even if some may question caste-based division and promotion of businesses and link Tuesday's announcement of incentives by the Prime Minister at Ludhiana to the forthcoming assembly polls, any help to Dalit entrepreneurs is welcome. A hub to facilitate technology knowhow, easy loans and increased government procurement from industrial units run by Dalits may give more Dalits the confidence to venture out in this risky, unfamiliar territory. Politically, the BJP needs to change its anti-Dalit perception created after the Hyderabad, Dadri, Una and Mewat incidents before it faces the electorate in Punjab and UP. Punjab has a 31.94 per cent Dalit population, which was a reason enough for holding the PM function in the poll-bound state. The event offered Narendra Modi an opportunity to attempt a Dalit outreach. Good as he is at talking, Modi made an impact. My Dalit brothers and sisters should not stand in queue to seek jobs, instead they should give jobs to others, he said, adding that his "head hangs in shame" over atrocities on Dalits. The prime ministerial concern also put the spotlight on the grisly killings of Dalits in the recent past in Punjab by the liquor mafia whom the BJP-SAD government appears helpless to control, partly because some of its own are in the business. The brutality of the murders provoked statewide anger. The Punjab Dalits are a divided lot. But given their numbers, no party can ignore them. The BJP has appointed a Dalit to head its state unit but factionalism limits his appeal. Soon after he took over in April, Sampla was not invited to a state-level party function on Ambedkar. The Congress Dalit leaders too bicker in public. AAP enjoys Dalit support in Delhi but in Punjab it is yet to be tested. The Akali Dal woos Dalits with freebies but, apart from unchecked crimes against Dalits, its neglect of rural schools and dispensaries has hit them hard. Dalits largely depend on government education and healthcare. Honouring a handful of Dalit businessmen or giving more to the creamy layer is not enough. It is those at the bottom who need hand-holding to climb out of poverty. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 18 Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today approved the creation of Charkhi Dadri as the states 22nd district. He also gave a nod to 10 new subdivisions, most of them in the constituencies of BJP legislators, as many tehsils and three sub-tehsils. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Cabinet held under Khattars chairmanship. The recommendation for the new district and re-organisation of sub-tehsils, tehsils, subdivisions was made by a committee headed by Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar. The Cabinet approved the creation of Charkhi Dadri district on the proposal of Deputy Commissioner, Bhiwani. However, the committee recommended that the adjoining villages not proposed to be included in the district by the Deputy Commissioner might also be given an option to be part of the new district by giving a 30-day public notice. Two more new districts are in the offing with the committee having also recommended the names of Gohana and Hansi. The Cabinet also approved proposals for upgrading as sub-divisions Ambala Cantonment in Ambala district, Badhra in Bhiwani district, Badkhal in Faridabad district, Narnaund in Hisar district, Badli in Jhajjar district, Uchana in Jind district, Gharaunda in Karnal district, Radaur in Yamunanagar district and Punhana in Mewat district. The proposal of creating Kalanwali subdivision in Sirsa district was also reviewed and recommended. State Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar said, The committee framed the criteria for upgrading and only those fulfilling the conditions were recommended. We have not played any politics. We didnt even realise that most of the sub-divisions fall in constituencies of the BJP MLAs. The DM asserted that every Whatsapp group must add district administration's special number- 9955948775. By Sujeet Jha: In the wake of communal tensions in Bihariganj town in Madehepura district of Bihar, the District Magistrate Mohammed Sohail has ordered the inclusion of district administration's phone number in every Whatsapp group. The group admin will face strict action of he refuses to comply. The DM asserted that every Whatsapp group must add district administration's special number- 9955948775. advertisement ALSO READ: Cops say WhatsApp group admins to go to jail if rumours spread through app In fact, the order further directed all Facebook groups operating from the district to send a friend request to 'Madhepura monitor'. The District Magistrate held social media responsible for igniting communal tension in the district during the immersion of Durga idols and Tazia processions. Consequently, he issued the orders for mandatory compliance in order to ensure law and order in the district. He believes that strict vigilance of groups on social media platforms may help curb spread of rumours in the area. Incidents of communal clashes were reported last week from Gopalganj, Bhojpur, Madhepura and east Chamaparan districts of Bihar during the immersion of Durga idols and Tazia processions, following which Internet services were suspended in several Bihar districts. A committee has also been formed to look into all the social media groups in Madhepura. It is, however, not known how the district officials will manage lakhs of whatsapp accounts and Facebook groups. ALSO READ: Delhi HC okays WhatsApp privacy policy, says users can delete account for privacy Facebook, WhatsApp honeytraps: Border villages, police cautioned on bogus Pakistan messages --- ENDS --- Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 19 The Haryana Government seems to be working on a definite pattern strengthening its party base with the announcement of a new district, subdivisions, tehsils and sub-tehsils. The Opposition, however, is not enthused. It claims the BJPs slogan Haryana ek, Haryanavi ek has been hollow. Sources said the BJP, elected on a non-Jat card, is trying to consolidate its position among Jats. The government has approved district status for Charkhi Dadri, while a committee led by Jat minister Om Prakash Dhankar has recommended upgrade of Hansi and Gohana as districts. The government is yet to take a decision on the recommendation. Charkhi Dadri, Hansi and Gohana are part of the Jat belt, where the BJPs hoping to gain ground by next Assembly elections. The party has tried to woo Jats while appeasing its legislators. This festive season, they have been gifted with subdivisions and tehsils in their constituencies. But the Opposition awaits the BJPs promised uniform development. Of 10 new subdivisions and as many tehsils created after a Cabinet nod yesterday, most of them fall in constituencies of BJP legislators who are either ministers or have been accommodated as Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS). Barring Kalanwali, represented by SADs Balkaur Singh, and Punhana, represented by INLDs Rahish Khan, all subdivisions are in constituencies of BJP legislators. The Cabinet upgraded sub-tehsils Ambala Cantt in Ambala district, Badkhal in Faridabad district, Bass in Hisar district, Uchana and Alewa in Jind district, Ladwa in Kurukshetra district, Raipur Rani in Panchkula district, Matlauda in Panipat district and Kalanwali in Sirsa district. Besides, it recommended tehsil status for Badli in Jhajjar district. Dhankar has bagged a subdivision and tehsil in Badli, the constituency he represents, while Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu has benefitted because Narnaund in his constituency has been upgraded to a subdivision and Bass, to a tehsil. The other beneficiaries include Health Minister Anil Vij, Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, CPS Seema Trikha, and Uchana MLA Prem Lata, wife of Union Minister Birender Singh. Of 10 subdivisions, six have gone either to ministers or CPSes. No area either with the Congress or the INLD was considered for upgrade. This exposes the BJPs lie of bringing uniform development, INLD state chief Ashok Arora said. Congress MLA Kuldeep Sharma said the BJP promises, and slogans of Sabka saath, sakba vikas and equitable development lacked substance. The slogans are hollow. The BJPs words are nothing, but lies, he said. Dhankar, however, justified the Cabinet decision. The committee framed criteria for upgrade. Areas that met the conditions were recommended. There has been no politics in this. We didnt realise that most of the subdivisions fall in constituencies of BJP MLAs, he said. Other BJP MLAs said every government promoted its legislators. Our government has been large-hearted in upgrading subdivisions of two MLAs from rival parties. This shows there is no bias, one of them said. Parvesh Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 19 The inflow of petty and irrelevant complaints at the CM Window is creating problems for its officers. So far, the web portal has received 10,258 complaints, which require no action. Sources said such complaints include theft of slippers, permission to adopt animals, buffalo thefts, house theft and many more. So far, the portal has received 2.10 lakh complaints, out of which 1.69 lakh have been disposed of, action is being taken on 9,500, 10,258 requires no action, clarification is sought for 4,259, action taken report has been received in 4,602 and 9,475 are overdue. Bhupeshwar Dayal, CM OSD (Grievances), could not be contacted. Sirsa tops the list of performance, as it has disposed of 5,275 complaints, followed by Hisar (3,968), Bhiwani (3,801), Rohtak (3,578), Faridabad (3,5030, Rewari (3,108), Yamunanagar (3,089), Kaithal (2,778), Palwal (2,568), Mahendragarh (2,527) and Sonepat (1,942) and other districts. Over two years have passed, but we are still receiving irrelevant complaints. Many still send complaints about court cases, old theft cases and against the authorities for not fulfilling their demands. There is a need to spread awareness about our working, said a senior officer. The monthly analysis of complaints shows that the state police have received 44, 713 complaints, out of which 1,314 are yet to be redressed. The Development and Panchayat Department has received 20,382 complaints, out of which 2,502 are yet to be redressed. A government spokesman said the state government had directed all its officers to take quick action over all complaints. Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 19 To cut down on pendency of cases in lower courts, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has called upon them to be in control of the proceedings and not permit prolonged litigation. In a matrimonial dispute, Justice Anita Chaudhry asserted that litigation had the capacity of eroding relationships and the courts were duty-bound to prevent corrosion. Before parting with the order, it is necessary to mention the petition filed in 2013 has still not been decided. The litigation can really corrode human relationships and it is the duty of the court to curtail it. There is no need to hurry, but procrastination should not be manifest. The courts should be in complete control over the proceedings and should not permit the litigation to be prolonged, and if either party is delaying the proceedings, necessary steps should be taken. The assertion came on a petition filed by a constable from Rajasthan against a Sirsa Additional Sessions Judges order issued in June 2014. The Judge had allowed monthly interim maintenance to the constables wife, reversing the order of a Magistrate, who had dismissed the application for the same. The court was told the marriage was solemnised in November 2010. The wife had not only alleged dowry demand, but also ill-treatment. She alleged that she was thrown out of her husbands home. In February 2013, she had filed a petition under Section 125 of the CrPC for maintenance. The Additional Sessions Judge, in his order of June 13, 2014, had awarded maintenance. The Judge was of the view that even if the wife had a professional degree, it would not matter. She would have to gain sufficient experience to earn and there was no allegation she was working as a doctor in an institute or had opened her clinic. Justice Chaudhary asserted that the wife, in her petition under Section 125 CrPC, did not disclose she was a physiotherapist or was earning. But in the FIR lodged in September 2013, she had mentioned being a physiotherapist. Allowing the plea, Justice Chaudhary set aside the Additional Sessions Judges order, after observing: She is capable of earning. The trial court is yet to consider the case on merit. It will have to determine whether a qualified woman who can get a job can sit idle and insist on maintenance. Everyone has to earn for himself or herself or at least make an effort and would not sit idle. Los Angeles Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have found that people who suffer from migraines harbour significantly more microbes in their mouths with the ability to modify nitrates. "There is this idea out there that certain foods trigger migraines chocolate, wine and especially foods containing nitrates," said Antonio Gonzalez, from University of California, San Diego in the US. "We thought that perhaps there are connections between what people are eating, their microbiomes and their experiences with migraines," said Gonzalez. Nitrates, found in foods such as processed meats and green leafy vegetables and in certain medicines, can be reduced to nitrites by bacteria found in the mouth. When circulating in the blood, these nitrites can then be converted to nitric oxide under certain conditions. Nitric oxide can aid cardiovascular health by improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure. However, roughly four in five cardiac patients who take nitrate-containing drugs for chest pain or congestive heart failure report severe headaches as a side effect. Using publicly available data from the American Gut Project, a crowd-funded citizen science effort managed by Gonzalez and colleagues sequenced bacteria found in 172 oral samples and 1,996 fecal samples from healthy participants. The participants had previously filled out surveys indicating whether they suffered from migraines. The bacterial gene sequencing found that bacterial species were found in different abundances between people who get migraines (migraineurs) and non-migraineurs. In terms of bacterial community composition, the team did not find huge differences in either fecal or oral samples from migraineurs compared to non-migraineurs. Researchers, including Naseer Sangwan from the University of Chicago, then used a bioinformatic tool to analyse which genes were likely to be present in the two different sets of samples, given the bacterial species present. In fecal samples, they found a slight but statistically significant increase in the abundance of genes that encode nitrate, nitrite and nitric oxide-related enzymes in migraineurs. In oral samples, these genes were significantly more abundant in migraineurs. The study was published in the journal mSystems. PTI Ravinder Sood Palampur October 19 Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged local entrepreneurs to develop industries around local bio-resources of high commercial values. The Union Minister, who visited CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology, here, last evening, stressed bio-resources in Himalayas should be used for identification of new bio-molecules of therapeutic importance, and developing crop varieties to withstand increasing biotic and abiotic stress in face of changing climate conditions. He exhorted young scientists and research scholars to play a great role in this area. Dr Vardhan, whos also Vice-President of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), said since land holdings in the state were small, farmers could form societies and approach the institute for technical know-how to improve production. Climatic diversity in the Himalayan region, he said, offered unique opportunities to develop range of products and technologies such as low calorie sweeteners, enzymes and microbial based products of societal and industrial significance. He advised the adoption of green technology and application of nanotechnology. He noted that the Himalayan region had a vast bamboo resource which should be exploited for the development of various industrial products such as wooden board, textile yarn and activated charcoal. Observing that Himalayas are highly suitable for cultivation of high-value medicinal, aromatic and other crops of commerce, he suggested that CSIR should develop a network of entrepreneurs for cultivation, processing and marketing of the produce in an organised manner. IHBT Director Sanjay Kumar apprised the Union Minister of technologies given to various entrepreneurs and industrial partners and signing of the pact with Mozambiques tea industry for transfer of tea wine technology. The minister inaugurated the pilot plant facility for nutraceuticals, Academy and Technology Extension Block, and hydroponic and aeroponic facility. He interacted with institutes scientists and students, and entrepreneurs and farmers, who benefited from the institute in the area of floriculture, tea, medicinal and aromatic plants, food, sweeteners and enzymes. Appreciating the technical support given to floriculturists that has boosted their income threefold, he asked the institute to ensure supply of quality planting material to farmers and provide scientific back-up for the success of the industry. He was happy to note that the institute had promoted the ready-to-serve local cuisine Kangri Dham which is preservative free with longer shelf life for wider marketability. Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, October 19 With the proposal to set up a Trauma Centre under public private partnership (PPP) mode at the Indus Hospital here not materializing, the health department is now exploring the possibility of setting up the facility at the newly built building of the Ripon Hospital, near the gurudwara. A team of the Health and Family Welfare Department today visited the new building on the Cart Road which is now complete and has to be put to use. The team has been assigned the task of assessing the suitability of the building for the setting up of the Trauma Centre, which was to come up at Indus Hospital. The decision to decide the final site of the Trauma Centre will depend on the report of this committee. Though the members State Health Commission had visited the Indus Hospital in May earlier this year and given the go ahead but with the state government having some reservations about investing huge amount in a private hospital, the second option of having the Rs 40-cr Trauma Centre at Ripon is being explored. The trial run of the 108 ambulance was also held and the Indus Hospital, located near St Bedes College was found to be quite suitable. The proposal to sign an MoU with the Indus Hospital was placed before the Cabinet twice but with the council of ministers having some reservations it was not approved. The Cabinet has serious reservations about investing Rs 40 crores in a private hospital and the reins of the Trauma Centre being in the hands of Dr Balak Ram Verma, founder and owner in his capacity as chairman, revealed sources in the Health Department. The ministers felt that in case Dr Verma decided to terminate the agreement, the government would be at a loss. In case the Cabinet nod would have been given, this would have been the first joint venture in the medical field in the state. The Union Health Ministry has approved five Trauma Centres to be set up in Himachal. These are to be set up at Kangra, Palampur, Mandi, Hamiprur and Rampur. Since there is great space constraint at the IGMC, it was decided to set it up at the Indus Hospital as a joint venture. Tribune News Service Jammu, October 19 Under the provisions of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement, 2013, the Indian and Chinese armies today held the second joint exercise Sino-India Cooperation 2016 A. As part of the ongoing initiative to enhance interaction and cooperation between the countries, this was a sequel to the first exercise held on February 6, 2016. Soldiers of Chushul Garrision from India and Moldo Garrision from China participated in the exercise. During the daylong exercise on humanitarian aid and disaster relief, a simulated situation of an earthquake striking an Indian border village was tackled with joint teams carrying out rescue operations, evacuation and rendering medical assistance. The Indian team was led by Brig RS Raman and the Chinese was led by Sr Col Fan Jun. The exercise not only refined the drill to provide succour to border population in case of a natural calamity but also increased cooperation between the two border guarding forces. Samaan Lateef Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 19 In violation of norms, government-owned J&K Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) has procured equipment worth Rs 1.12 crore for Indira Gandhi Dental College Hospital, Jammu, without floating tenders. Official documents reveal that JKMSCL has procured 60 dental units, 20 dental chairs and two dental X-ray machines worth Rs 1,12,99,304 in May for the dental hospital. The equipment has been procured from Bangalore-based Confident Dental Equipment Limited through its Jammu-based office after the JKMSCL shot a letter to the company. Kindly make it convenient to arrange and supply items mentionedfor dental college hospital, Jammu, in exigency, on one-time basis only, reads the JKMSCL letter to the company. Officials said the equipment was procured to be installed in the new block of the dental hospital, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Sources said the exigency shown by the government to procure the equipment without floating tenders was to benefit relatives, who represented the company in J&K, of some officials in the JKMSCL and dental college. However, the Managing Director, JKMSCL, Dr Yashpal Sharma, said the decision to procure the equipment on emergency basis came from the the Health Department. We just facilitated the procurement of these items. The government wanted to procure them in emergency because it has to inaugurate the new block of Dental College Hospital, Jammu. After the PDP-BJP government dissolved the procurement committees of tertiary care and peripheral hospitals, the government constituted the JKMSC on June 1, 2015. The JKMSCL was established for setting standards of quality, transparency, and accountability in the procurement of drugs, medicines and medical equipment in the state. However, since its inception it has remained in news for wrong reasons after it created a shortage of supplies in the hospitals across the state. The JKMSCL website reads that the corporation procures drugs through an open tendering process from the original manufacturers under the most transparent system. Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 19 The infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC) has witnessed a 163 per cent increase as compared to the last year. According to the data, 33 militants have sneaked into the Kashmir valley during the three-month-long unrest. The state government is yet to determine the exact number of youth who have joined militancy during the unrest. The Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) figures have revealed that 87 militants have infiltrated into Kashmir this year till September-end. Last year, only 33 militants had managed to infiltrate. MAC is a nodal agency comprising officials of the Intelligence, Army, BSF, RAW and the J&K Police. It is responsible for the security and intelligence inputs pertaining to the country. According to the MAC figures, during the first six months this year till the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani, 54 militants have managed to sneak into the Valley from across. 33 militants have managed to sneak into the Valley during the three-month unrest, said a government source quoting the MAC figures. He said at least 124 infiltration attempts had been recorded this year. There has surely been an increase in the infiltration bids from across this year, sources added. In 2014, the MAC figures had revealed that 65 militants had managed to sneak into the Valley. Defence sources said militants from across were making desperate attempts to sneak into the Valley as snow would close the mountain passes along the LoC in the region for the next six months. They said more than 300 militants were waiting at nearly two dozen launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to infiltrate into Kashmir. General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Satish Dua on Tuesday said militants were present on the other side despite the Army carrying out surgical strikes on September 29. We do see a presence (of militants) across the Line of Control. The very fact they are infiltrating in different places and several such encounters have taken place is an ample proof that they are still there and continue to make attempts to infiltrate. But we are ready for any challenge, Lt General Dua had said. This year, security forces have killed over 110 militants and over half of them have been killed while trying to infiltrate. During the ongoing unrest, nearly 30 militants have been killed along the LoC. Vikram Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, October 19 Since its inception in 2006, the majestic Kala Kendra, designed to cater to the needs of art and cultural pursuits of the state, has turned out to be a white elephant. After the structure came into existence, it was left on its own mercy with no institution coming forward to own the building. The proposal was mooted by the Central and state government in which the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), too, was roped in for providing land for raising the monument. Today it stands neglected as no government authority holds itself responsible for its caretaking as well as maintenance of the structure, which is withering away with the passage of time. Kala Kendra is a society registered under the Registrar of Societies Act and funded by the Union Government of India and is not under direct occupation of any state institution. However, J&K state Art Academy as well as the Archives and Museums Department were called to take up the institution in parts for pursuing art, culture and museum activities here. While the other monumental structure of Abhinav Theatre, which is under the direct occupation of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), is flourishing since its reopening by the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in December 2015, Kala Kendra looks dejected and forlorn. I had taken up the issue with Governor NN Vohra, who also admitted that in principal the structure raised for art and culture activities of the state should be a part of the J&K Art Academy, said Aziz Hajini, secretary, JKAACL. He said since the reopening of Abhinav Theatre, the JKAACL had been flooded with cultural activities and had Kala Kendra been it part, half of the load could have been shifted to the venue, which would have created a much bigger impact in the region on the cultural front. On the maintenance and administration of the huge structure, the authorities of controlling institutions expressed helplessness saying that lack of coordination between the JKAACL, JDA and Archives and Museums Department is telling upon the building adversely, which is fast losing its grandeur. A small piece of work to be executed in the Kala Kendra has to move in three different offices before reaching the JDA for completion, which is quite cumbersome, said one of the caretakers of Kala Kendra. The JKAACL, which owns the painting and studio part in Kala Kendra, has its own staff posted there. Their salary is drawn from the academy only, informs JKAACL secretary Hajini. Soujanaya Sharma, Director, Local Bodies, who holds the additional charge of the administrator of Kala Kendra, said he had earlier passed on the charge to Savita Bakshi, then additional secretary of the JKAACL, since there was a post of administrator in Kala Kendra, but due to Governor NN Vohras intervention, he was again given back the charge. It has been rendered defunct for the past some time, but recently we have prepared a calendar of activities and soon Kala Kendra will be seen bubbling with activities, assured Soujanya Sharma. He said that magnificent building that could serve as an attraction for the tourists of the state by variegated artistic performances could enhance its value also vis-a-vis revenue aspect and could earn money. Except for some insignificant number of painting exhibitions held in one of its small hall on the ground floor and couple of other functions held on its first floor, the elephantine structure remains generally empty and unattended throughout the year. Rocky Yadav, son of JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi, who had gunned down teenager Aditya for overtaking Rocky's car, was granted bail by the Patna High Court today evening. Rocky Yadav, son of JD(U) MLA Manorama Devi and dreaded gangster Bindi Yadav, had killed a teenager for overtaking his car in May this year. By Rohit Kumar Singh: The Patna High Court today granted bail to Rocky Yadav, accused in the Gaya road rage case which took place in May this year. In the Gaya road rage case, accused Rocky Yadav, son of JD(U) MLC Manorama Devi and dreaded gangster Bindi Yadav, had gunned down 16-year-old Aditya Sachdeva who had allegedly overtaken Rocky's SUV while he was coming back home from a birthday party. advertisement When Aditya and his friends had overtaken Rocky's SUV, angery Rocky chased them and then gunned down Aditya. Also Read: Bihar teen shot dead by JD-U leader's son for overtaking in Gaya ROCKY GRANTED BAIL, ADITYA'S FAMILY MEMBERS SHOCKED After the incident, Rocky had gone on the run. Few days after the gruesome killing, Rocky was arrested by the Gaya police from a factory owned by Rocky's father Bindi Yadav. Rocky was granted bail by the Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmend Ansari today evening. With the news of Rocky getting bail, the family members of Aditya Sachdeva are in a state of shock. The High court had completed the hearing on the bail application filed by Rocky Yadav and had reserved the order. By evening, Rocky was granted bail. Also Read| Bihar road rage: Rocky Yadav arrested, legislator mother suspended Also Read| All you need to know about Rocky Yadav's dad Bindi, known as Terror Of Gaya After Rocky's bail, he is expected to come out of the jail in the next one or two days. In this high profile road rage case, Rocky Yadav's MLC mother Manorama Devi and gangster father Bindi Yadav were also arrested, but were also released on bail earlier. Also Read: Bihar road rage: JDU leader's son Rocky Yadav arrested from Bodh Gaya Now, Tejaswi Yadav compares Bihar road rage killing to Pathankot attack --- ENDS --- Nonika Singh As winds of acrimony continue to blow fast and strong, heres a sane voice and a strong votary of collective heritage. Madeeha Gauhar, an eminent theatre person from Pakistan, is not a new name for Chandigarh or the region for that matter as her plays have run to packed houses in the City Beautiful. The woman, who believes in the power of art to mend broken hearts, in an email interview, speaks her heart out... You have received so much love and adulation in India. How do you look at the current impasse? It is unfortunate and frustrating. But I am sure it is a temporary phenomenon and the acrimonious blame game is not shared by the people on both sides. There have been such stand-offs in the past and have not deterred us from our work for peace. Do you think banning Pakistani actors in India and banning Indian films in Pakistan is any solution to any problem? Banning is never a solution. In fact, it produces the opposite results. Banning Pakistani actors is not going to affect their fan-following in India and taking off Indian movies from Pakistani screens will definitely not reduce the Pakistani viewers appetite for Bollywood. People find other ways of reaching out. Even before Bollywood discovered Fawad Khan or Ali Zafar and Zindagi channel brought Pakistani TV dramas to Indian homes, Pakistani dramas were popular among Indian audiences. On this side of the border, video shops have never stopped offering Bollywood movies even in the times of war. Music from both sides could not be contained by the border fencing ever since Partition. Do you believe actors are soft targets and the first axe always falls on them? Unfortunately actors, artists or sportsmen are the first target of hard-liners because they are popular and prominent. Attacks on artists are convenient for scoring political brownies. It is interesting to note that trade across the border goes on as before. Diplomatic relations continue as usual. But the release of Shah Rukh Khan or Karan Johars film faces problems. Your play Bulha that has been so acclaimed in India talks of universal love and brotherhood. Do you feel this more than any other is the time to talk of collective heritage? The Indian audience response to our play Bulha has always been overwhelming, even in places like Kashmir and Kerala. We performed Bulha at a festival in Thrissura few weeks after the Mumbai attacks (which we strongly condemned). There was a protest outside by the local BJP. I invited them to see the play and they were the first to come on stage to appreciate the plays message of peace and tolerance. Our theatre for peace festivals were inaugurated by the BJP Minister for Culture in Delhi and BJP Mayor in Chandigarh. Theatre, films, music and literature transcend political divides. We have shared history and heritage of thousands of years. These bonds cannot be broken by war-mongering and demonisation of each other by vested interests on both sides. Do you think artists from both countries need to speak in a collective voice? Or, the clamour that is growing louder by the day has no place for sane and reasonable point of view? Artists speak the language of love and goodwill. They must speak collectively and forcefully, but not through screaming matches on the media but by carrying on singing and dancing and performing. We have performed all over India in easy and tense times. In 2012, when the performances of our play on Manto in Delhi was cancelled due to LOC tensions, theatre activists and civil society arranged alternative venues and the performances were well attended. We have invited many Indian theatre groups to perform in Lahore and they have always been showered with affection. Earlier, this year, Indian directors (Kewal Dhaliwal and Usha Ganguli) have directed plays for us. We are going to carry on with our cross-borders cultural forays come what may. Do you see a way forward? There is no other way. We not only share geography, but also history, culture, literature, art destiny. The only way is the way forward. I am sure sense and sanity will prevail and our leaders will get down to solving the problems through dialogue and negotiation. What would be your message to India and to your home country? Do not lose hope, have faith. Do not listen to the preachers of hate and violence. Let the songs of Bulleh Shah, Bhagat Singh and Kabir drown acrimony, hatred and intolerance. nonikasingh@tribunemail.com Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 18 Applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the surgical strikes in PoK recently, president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Punjab, Vijay Sampla said the entire nation was proud of it and salutes the Army for proving that India had the courage to give a befitting reply. At the same time, Sampla said PM Modi was the lone Prime Ministerwho wants the SC/ST section to progress. Rather than being job seekers, the SC/ST should become job providers is the vision of Prime Minister, Sampla added. Welcoming PM Narendra Modi and other Union Ministers at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here during the launch of two schemes for the MSME sector, Sampla said under the leadership of the PM Modi, the poor, needy and SC/ST sectors were being benefitted. Almost 32 per cent of the total population in India belong to SC/ST category, which needs to progress if the nation has to grow at global level. He said Make in India, Skilled India, Stand-up India- these are not mere slogans, but campaigns initiated by the PM for uplifting the poor, needy and the nation at large. Union Minister for MSME Kalraj Mishra said the scheme for making SC/ST hub would boost the entrepreneurs. The SC/ST sector will become self-reliant as there will be an assured marketing of their products up to 4 per cent now (government agencies will procure their products). He added that under the leadership of PM Modi, khadi- the Indian product has gained a lot of popularity. Khadi Vastra Nahin Vichar Hai- under this slogan, khadi manufacturing had provided employment to over 10 lakh people in the country. On this occasion, awardees (MSME sector) from all over India were awarded with the National Award by PM Modi. There were 225 total awardees, but PM Modi presented awards to a few of them for their immense contribution to the MSME sector. Lucknow, October 19 The infighting in the Samajwadi Party shows no signs of abating, with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday announcing his decision to embark on 'Samajwadi Vikas Rath Yatra' alone from November 3. The announcement gave rise to speculation that Akhilesh may give the party's silver jubilee celebrations that begin here on November 5 a miss. Party insiders said any attempt to derail or stop him from going ahead with the yatra could lead to another crisis in the party. In a letter written to party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Chief Minister said all political parties have already begun their campaign for the Assembly polls. "I had decided to take out the yatra from October 3 but it was cancelled due to some reasons. I will take out the 'Samajwadi Vikas Rath Yatra' from November 3," he said. Akhilesh has also sent copies of the letter to state party chief Shivpal Yadav and National General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav. He said yatra's detailed programme would be sent to district presidents and party workers eventually. The announcement led to talks that Akhilesh might skip the party celebrations because he was unhappy with expelling young leaders from the party. Earlier in the day, Akhilesh, Shivpal Yadav, and Mulayam held a closed-door meeting at party supremo's 5 Vikramaditya Marg house to discuss poll strategy. According to party sources, Akhilesh is adamant on his demands of revoking the expulsion of the young leaders, some of who are MLCs, and having his say in the ticket distribution. Akhilesh had earlier announced his decision to take out the yatra from October 3 through his twitter handle with a picture in which he was seen sitting inside a bus. It was seen as a move to counter uncle Shivpal, who had been appointed the new state party president in his place. Akhilesh hit back over his removal from the party post by stripping Shivpal of his key ministerial portfolios, bringing the family feud in the open. Through the yatra, Akhilesh is expected to highlight his government's development works, rally support for the party and demonstrate support for him among the party cadres. Party sources said Mulayam Singh Yadav has so far managed to pull back the party from the brink every time it faces any threat. This time too he has to move swiftly to take care of the concerns of the CM and his supporters, they pointed out. PTI Amaninder Pal Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 19 With Punjab going to the polls in a few months, the fact that over 20,000 proclaimed offenders (POs) and absconders continue to elude the state police has had the Election Commission of India (ECI) worried. Their number during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections stood at 18,094. A report submitted to the ECI by the state police reveals that 20,877 POs and absconders, facing criminal charges and against whom cases have been registered in various police stations, remain out of reach of the police. Of them, 7,502 were declared POs under Sections 82 and 83 of the CrPC and 13,375 either disappeared during trial or failed to report back after bail. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The police have been able to make a mere 346 arrests since September 1 when the ECI issued directions that a status report on all POs and absconders be submitted at regular intervals and action be initaiated against them. A staggering 7,397 POs and 13,134 absconders are at large. We have already given directions to trace and arrest POs and absconders involved in heinous crimes. Special teams have been constituted for the task, said RN Dhoke, IGP (Hqs). Also, the state police have executed 4,223 non-bailable warrants since September with the execution of 2,804 pending. The ECI is concerned and has conveyed that every PO and absconder who has committed a heinous crime should be put behind bars before the elections, said a senior officer. Hyderabad, October 19 Former world billiards champion Michael Ferreira and three others have been arrested by the Hyderabad police in connection with an FIR registered against them here in the alleged multi-crore rupee fraud involving the multi-level marketing company QNet. The Central Crime Station (CCS), a wing of the Hyderabad police, has made a breakthrough in a case of cheating which involved QNet and its Indian subsidiary M/s Vihaan Direct Selling India Pvt Ltd, by arresting four directors of Vihaan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective Department) Avinash Mohanty told reporters here. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Michael Joseph Ferreira (78), Malcom N Desai, MV Balaji and Srinivas Rao, all directors and shareholders of Vihaan Direct Selling India Pvt Ltd, who were earlier arrested in Mumbai by Maharashtra Police, have been brought to city on PT (production transit) warrants and arrested, the DCP said. On October 13 last year, a complaint was lodged by one Suman Ghosh, an assistant manager in a private bank here, wherein he stated that he paid Rs 16 lakh (via DD) in the name of Vihaan Direct Selling India Pvt Ltd, on the promise of getting business. But they did not give him any business despite collecting the amount. Based on the complaint, a case under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, besides relevant sections of the Prize, Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, Mohanty said. He said during the course of investigation into the case registered here, on October 8 (this year) they received information from the EOW wing of the Mumbai police that the four accused persons, who are directors of Vihaan Direct Selling India Pvt Ltd, were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Subsequently, the Hyderabad police filed an application at a court in Mumbai seeking their custody in connection with the case registered by them. The Mumbai court then granted transit remand and the Hyderabad police took Padma Bhushan recipient Ferreira and three others into custody and brought them to the city on Tuesday night. PTI Yash Goyal Our Correspondent Barmer, October 19 It has been 33 years since Laxmi Kanwar heard from her husband but she is hopeful that he would return safe one day. Her husband accidentally crossed the Indo-Pakistan border in Barmer district of Rajasthan in 1983 while he was grazing goats. And this belief has made her observe the Karva Chauth fast every year for the long life of her husband Bhagu Singh for the past 33 years. Sixty-five-year old Laxmi Kanwar, having two sons and a daughter, now all married, does not know whether her husband, who was taken in custody by Pakistani Rangers, was in jail or living elsewhere in Pakistan. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Whenever she hears that the Pakistan government is releasing Indian prisoners, her hope rekindles and she starts decorating her house, informing villagers that her husband would be arriving shortly and she would extend him a warm welcome. But when nothing turns up, she gets disappointed. Arjun Singh, who was just three when his father was detained, says, My mother is optimistic about the return of my father. She is dedicated to the family and observes the Karva Chauth fast every year. We have tried to reason with her, but she has faith and says he would return one day as the goddess would hear her prayers. Arjun, who runs a small business, says, We have approached the External Affairs and Home ministries and the PMO in the past three decades to locate my father. We have urged local MPs and MLAs besides the Chief Minister to intervene, but to no avail. And when the evening falls on the Karva Chauth day, Laxmi looks at the moon and takes out a framed picture of her husband before breaking her fast. And she does not forget to remember the day when Laxmi of Panion village had married Bhagu of nearby Dhanau village some 46 years ago. Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 19 In a path-breaking occurrence, the armies of India and China on Wednesday conducted their first-ever joint exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. The move will be watched across the western border in Pakistan. This is the first military cooperation of New Delhi and Beijing in J&K. The two nations conduct exercises at other locations in the country. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) This is the same spot where the two countries fought pitched battles in 1962. The two countries do not have an earmarked boundary and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) its alignment is disputed by both. During the daylong exercise on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR), a fictitious situation of earthquake striking an Indian Border village was painted. Thereafter, joint teams carried out rescue operation, evacuation and rendering of medical assistance. The Indian team for the exercise was led by Brigadier RS Raman and that of the Chinese was led by Sr Col Fan Jun. The exercise refined the drills to provide succour to the border population in case of natural calamity but has also increased the level of trust and cooperation between the two border guarding forces along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. The joint exercise, compliments the 'Hand-in-Hand' series of the India-China joint exercises and the effort of both the nations to enhance cooperation and maintain peace and tranquility along the border areas of India and China. New Delhi, October 19 Resolving to expand security ties, India and Myanmar on Wednesday decided to boost cooperation in a vast range of areas, including guarding the 1,640-km-long border, even as the two traditionally close neighbours asserted that the states which encourage, support or finance terrorism must be hold accountable. The two sides inked three pacts to enhance ties in power, banking and insurance sectors after comprehensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi while sectors like oil and gas, agriculture, renewable energy and health care were identified for deeper engagement. The Prime Minister told Suu Kyi that India will stand with Myanmar with full support and solidarity in the countrys new journey towards democracy and development while noting that the security interests of both the neighbours are closely aligned. We have agreed that a close coordination to ensure security in the areas along our border, and sensitivity to each others strategic interests, will serve the interests of both our countries, Modi said in a press statement in presence of Suu Kyi. In her comments, the Myanmerase leader invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and said Myanmar drew huge inspiration from the two Indian leaders in its struggle for democracy and was looking for Indias support for the countrys development aspirations. The Prime Minister said it was agreed to enhance bilateral engagement in several areas incluidng agriculture, power, renewable energy and power sector. A joint statement said State State Counsellor Suu Kyi condemned the Uri terrorist attack while Modi condemned the recent armed attacks against three border posts in the northern part of Rakhine State. Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as well as all acts, methods and practices of terrorism wherever, by whomever, against whomsoever committed and agreed that the fight against terrorism should target terrorists, hold to account terror organisations, networks and also states that encourage, support or finance terrorism in any way, it said. It said terrorism is first and foremost a violation of human rights and that there can be no justification for extending support, financing, provision of material resources or training to terrorists who destroy innocent lives. The two countries also called for the expeditious finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism by the UN. Both sides shared the view that maintaining security along the border is essential for the socio-economic development of the border area. In this regard, both sides underlined their mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to fight insurgent activity and the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the statement said. The two countries expressed commitment not to allow insurgent groups to use their soil for hostile activities against each other and stressed the need to resolve outstanding boundary demarcation issues as soon as possible. Myanmar shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of North Eastern states including militancy-infested Nagaland and Manipur. India has been raising with Myanmar the issue of several North East militant outfits having training camps in that country. It was that the border guarding forces on both sides would further coordinate and exchange information. Welcoming Suu Kyi, the Prime Minister described India as her second home and assured that India and its friendship will stand with you in full support and solidarity. You are no stranger to the people of India. The sights, the sounds and vibrancy of Delhi are familiar to you. Welcome back, Excellency, to your second home! Excellency, you are an iconic leader, he said. Suu Kyi had done her graduation from Delhi University. Modi said both sides will also work to develop a mutually beneficial arrangement for trade in pulses. As a reliable partner and friend, India stands shoulder to shoulder with you, said Modi. Effusive in his praise, Modi said, Your clear vision, mature leadership, struggle and eventual success in establishing democracy in Myanmar has inspired people across the world. Let me assure you, Excellency, that as you lead Myanmar to become a modern, secure, economically prosperous and better connected nation, India and its friendship will stand with you in full support and solidarity. The joint statements said both sides agreed to coordinate, through diplomatic channels, the setting up of immigration facilities at the Tamu-Moreh and Rhi-Zowkhathar border crossing points for easy movement of people. It said India also agreed to support Myanmar in creating police training infrastructure and to share expertise in developing training manuals, including in forensics and cyber-security. The Myanmarese side invited Indian companies to participate in competitive tenders for petrochemical and petroleum products, marketing infrastructure and the setting up of LPG terminals. Calling the talks extensive and productive, Modi said India has a robust development cooperation programme with Myanmar and that Indias nearly USD 1.75 billion of development assistance is being utilised in line with the priorities of Myanmarese government and its people. The Prime Minister said India will develop a Varietal Development and Seed Production Centre in Yezin in Myanmar to enhance the quality of seeds. Suu Kyi said the new Myanmerese government wants to significantly deepen engagement and expand existing cooperation with India, asserting that the intention is to depend on each other. It is Suu Kyis first visit to India after her National League for Democracy wrested power from the military junta in a landmark election earlier this year. Suu Kyi, who could not become Myanmars President due to a constitutional provision but has full control over the government, holds the position of State Councillor and Foreign Minister. Suu Kyis visit here came nearly one-and-half months after Myanmerese President U Htin Kyaw visited India. PTI Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 19 India today promised to work with Myanmar as it embarked on a voyage of development under a democratic set-up and to extend assistance to promote trade ties while fast-tracking implementation in areas of cooperation identified by both countries. PM Narendra Modi, who held bilateral talks with visiting Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi here, welcomed the senior leader to her second home while praising her stewardship. Your dynamism and popularity is leading your country to develop agriculture, infrastructure and industry, strengthen its education and impart skill to its youth, build modern institutions of governance; connect more deeply with South and South East Asia; and provide security to its citizens, he said. Suu Kyi, who studied here, is on her first visit to the city in a new role as after her National League for Democracy was voted to power. She could not assume the presidency due to a constitutional provision. Conveying her condolences to the loved ones of those killed in the Uri terror attack, Suu Kyi condemned the incident. In a joint statement, both sides condemned terror and agreed that fight against the scourge should target terrorists, hold to account its organisations, networks and also states that encourage, support or finance terrorism in any way. PM Modi said: As close and friendly neighbours, the security interests of India and Myanmar are closely aligned. We have agreed that a close coordination to ensure security in the areas along our border, and sensitivity to each others strategic interests, will serve interests of both our countries. On her part, Suu Kyi invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and said the country drew inspiration from the two Indian leaders in its struggle for democracy. The two countries agreed that close coordination to ensure security in the areas along border, and sensitivity to each others strategic interests, will help both neighbours, he said. India and Myanmar share 1,640-km border along the northeastern states of Nagaland and Manipur. India and Myanmar also signed three pacts, including one each on cooperation in power, academic and professional building for insurance industry and banking supervision between central regulators. Washington, October 19 An Indian-American social-worker running for the US Congress from New Jersey is confident of winning the seat and dislodging a four-time Republican veteran in the November 8 general elections due to Donald Trumps rhetoric and lewd remarks about women. Things are changing fast. I have a very good chance now, said Peter Jacob, 30, a Democrat who is running for the US House of Representative from 7th Congressional District in New Jersey which is known to be a strong Republican bastion. Trumps unpleasant rhetoric and lewd remarks about women appears to be changing the dynamics of New Jersey, which over the past several decades has repeatedly sent Republican leaders to the Congress. On Saturday, hours after his morning door-to-door campaign, he managed to convince a Trump supporter to vote for him, Jacob, who was born in Kerala, claimed sitting in his small single-family home in a Union neighbourhood of New Jersey. A recent internal survey shows he has narrowed the gap with his opponent Leonard Lance. While Lance is supported by 37 per cent of the registered voters, he is being supported by 34 per cent. Jacob, who spend several hours a day in his door-to-door campaign, said he plans to reach out to most of his 5,00,000 voters before the election day either personally, or by phone, email, letters and television advertisement. Based on his interaction with the voters, he feels that this time there would be a high voter turnout. PTI By PTI: Jammu, Oct 19 (PTI) Hitting out at opposition National Conference for projecting separatists as key stakeholders in Kashmir, BJP today alleged that the NC is fuelling the ongoing unrest by its "anti-peace" statements and playing with the career of Kashmiri students. "Not even a single day passes when the NC leadership is not making statements which are detrimental to peace and normalcy in valley and are thus adding fuel to the ongoing unrest, the statements are aimed at projecting separatists as key stakeholders in Kashmir", BJP Jammu and Kashmir unit president Sat Sharma said here. advertisement It is very unfortunate that NC is not concerned for the well being of Kashmiri masses and the development of the valley, he alleged. "The NC leadership did not even hesitate to play with the career of the students while making repeated demand for postponement of JKBOSE examinations, when the students themselves are approaching the Chief Minister and the Education Minister for holding examinations in time and are against postponing the same", Sharma said. He said both the Centre and the state government are working hard to restore normalcy in the valley. Both are committed to early resumption of education across the valley and now even students are defying bandh calls and attending classes but contrary to it NC is demanding postponement of exams. "Not even a single appeal has emerged from any leader of NC to the youth to shed stone pelting. None of them have condemned killing of policemen or soldiers in attacks by terrorists", the BJP state president said. While the entire world condemned the Uri fidayeen attack, the NC preferred to maintain stoic silence, he said. "What the NC has been doing during all these days of unrest in Kashmir is unhealthy politics", Sharma said and alleged that the "NC leadership wants to promote Pak agenda by repeatedly demanding talks with Pakistan and involvement of separatists, which is highly unfortunate". PTI AB RG --- ENDS --- Legal Correspondent New Delhi, October 19 The Rajasthan Government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the acquittal of Bollywood actor Salman Khan by the state High Court in two chinkara poaching cases. On July 25 this year, the High Court had acquitted Salman in both the cases one for allegedly killing a chinkara on the outskirts of Jodhpur on September 26, 1998, and another two days later. The actor was in Rajasthan shooting for the film Hum Saath Saath Hain at the time. The trial court had sentenced him to imprisonment for 5 years, but the High Court set aside the conviction. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) In its appeal, the state government has sought an immediate stay of the High Court judgment and a direction to Salman to surrender and serve the sentence. The High Court had erroneously exercised its revisional powers to set aside concurrent findings of two lower courts, the state pleaded. Salman had ample opportunity to cross-examine eyewitness Harish Dulani, the driver of gypsy, but the actor intentionally did not examine him and as such this should not go in his favour, the state pleaded. Minor discrepancies in trial could not dilute the entire prosecution case and the High Court had failed to see the entire circumstances which proved his guilty beyond doubt. While the conviction was based on material evidence, the High Courts ruling was on hyper technical grounds which was unsustainable, the state pleaded. New Delhi, October 19 After protracted negotiations, Russia has agreed to lease a second nuclear submarine to India in a deal which will cost around $2 billion. Sources today said the deal was struck during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 15 on the sidelines of the BRICS meet in Goa. However, it was not part of the slew of announcements made after the talks. The Defence Ministry and the Navy did not offer any information on the subject since it was a strategic platform coming under direct purview of the Prime Ministers Office. Alexei Nikolski, a columnist with Russian daily Vedomosti, which broke the story, wrote, According to a source in the Russian defence industry, the long-discussed lease to transfer a multipurpose Project 971 nuclear submarine to India from the Russian Navy was signed in Goa. The Akula 2 class submarine is expected to arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21. The Indian Navy already operates an Akula 2 class nuclear submarine, INS Chakra (formerly known as K-152 Nerpa), which was leased by Russia for 10 years and commissioned on April 4, 2012 after India paid for its completion of its construction and sea-trials. India had been keen to lease a second nuclear submarine. Indian defence sources had said that Russia had linked the lease of the nuclear submarine to the agreement for four stealth frigates. In Goa, India and Russia announced an over $3-billion frigate deal. Under the agreement, two stealth frigates will be built in Russia while the other two would be built in India under license production. The Akula 2 class submarine, though not the latest class of nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines in the world, is still considered one of the most advanced. Capable of sailing at speeds up to 35 knots (nearly 65 km per hour) under water, it is among the quietest Russian submarines. PTI Hyderabad: Billed as the first such initiative in the country, students of government residential schools across Telangana will get Android tablets pre-loaded with curriculum material. The first set of the tablets, each costing Rs 13,000, will be distributed among 1,120 students in 14 schools. The remaining schools across the state will receive the tablets in a phased manner in the coming months, the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS) has announced. TNS Asansol (WB), October 19 Police arrested 57 people on Wednesday after some people suspected to be activists of the Trinamool Congress hurled bricks at Union Minister Babul Supriyo while he was on his way to a protest. "I was going to the police station to secure release of some of my partymen. I was hit with bricks and windowpanes of my car were damaged by TMC workers," Supriyo, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, claimed."They also showed black flags. I don't know why the police allowed the mob to come near my car." A video of the incident showed that Supriyo was standing on the footboard of a vehicle when a rock hit his chest. Sources in the BJP claimed the minister was injured in the incident. Durgapur-Asansol Police Commissioner LN Meena said BJP supporters were going to TMC minister Malay Ghatak, which they planned to gherao, but were prevented, making them head to a police station instead. Some TMC activists once again tried to block their way, sparking clashes between the two parties. Supriyo also claimed that TMCs activists had even beaten up some BJP workers. The saffron party said that some activists were arrested on Tuesday after they protested cow smuggling in the area. Supriyo was heading to the police station to get them released, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said. Local TMC leader Shivdasan said the BJP workers registered their protest with the district administration instead of deciding to hold protests in front of the minister's house. PTI Sarika Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 19 Where is the pistol used in Saunders murder? Eight decades later, access to 160 files lying at the Punjab State Archives in Lahore has provided important leads that the pistol could be lying either at Lahore Fort, Police malkhana, Gwalmandi, Lahore, or the Punjab Police Academy at Phillaur. File numbers 76 and 77 provide important leads to the possible present location of the entire material recovered from the revolutionaries who were facing trial in the 1929 Lahore Conspiracy Case, which included the Saunders murder case. The total number of exhibits produced in the court was 825. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The four broad categories included unlicensed weapons, bombs and bomb-making material, sundry chemicals, ammunition, and a few banned books. According to the files, bombs, arms, ammunition, clothes, utensils, books, photos, letters, notebooks and other sundry material of personal use were produced in the case. The seized books numbered around 300. Going by the record of files 76 and 77, not only Bhagat Singhs pistol, but all the weapons used by revolutionaries of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association could possibly be stored at either Lahore or Phillaur. Recently, Aparna Vaidik, an associate professor of history at a private university in Haryana, was allowed to see the records. Bhagat Singhs .32 bore pistol was also made case property. The pistol was bearing number 168896. Now one thing is clear that the pistol is not lying along with the files. On the basis of information available in the Lahore files, we can locate it with some serious effort, says Harish Jain, a Chandigarh-based publisher. As per the records, on October 9, 1930, two days after the judgment, Malik Fateh Khan, registrar of special tribunal of the Lahore Conspiracy Case, sent a communication to Lahores District Magistrate that he has been ordered by the tribunal president that all the exhibits in the Lahore Conspiracy Case deposited in the malkhana should be handed over to you. He also requested him to direct the District Nazir (aide of the Deputy Commissioner) to make ready a sufficiently commodious room for the reception of exhibits. In a different communication, on October 8, 1930, even JM Ewert, who later headed the Intelligence Bureau, had written to the DIG (CID) to preserve the material as it can help in training the new recruits in how to investigate criminal cases. He said the exhibits could be procured with permission of the special tribunal registrar and kept in the Phillaur Museum. When Principal [of the police academy] gets them, he should give good descriptive labels to each and every exhibit, catalogued and intelligently used. In response, the DIG (CID) asked SP H Jenkins as to who would be the best person to handle the material. The SP suggested DSP (CID) NK Niaaz Ahmad Khans name. However, on October 16, 1930, the DIG ordered, Please arrange to take over all the exhibits and have them kept meanwhile in Fort [Lahore] until we have time to go into this matter. Later that day, the police managed to get orders from two judges of the tribunal that all the exhibits should be handed over to Khan. Thus, Khan became custodian of each of the 825 exhibits recovered from the revolutionaries, handed over to him by the court in trust without any order of disposal. NK Niaaz Ahmad Khan was the last link, says Jain and adds, Thus, the Lahore files give a clue that either the weapons are in Lahore or in Phillaur. (Series concludes) Sarika Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 18 The ideal of our party was attainment of complete freedom and to attain it we practice terrorism. These were the words of approver Phanindra Nath Ghosh during the magisterial trial in the 1929 Lahore Conspiracy Case. Ghosh said this during the cross-examination by Bhagat Singhs comrade Shiv Verma, who forced him to speak the truth. Before the special tribunal headed by GC Hilton ordered hanging of Bhagat Singh and his comrades, a trial of the revolutionaries went on for almost 10 months in a specially designated court at Central Jail, Lahore. It was presided over by Special Magistrate Sri Krishna. On May 4, 1930, the trial was taken over by the special tribunal. While the complete record of the magisterial trial has never been available, some of it forms part of the 160 files lying at Punjab State Archives in Lahore. Files 57 to 60 contain records related to the trial that took place between July 10, 1929 and May 4, 1930; later, the trial was conducted by a special tribunal. According to historian Malwinderjit Singh Waraich, even the cross-examination questions were obfuscated by the court, which are important to study the mind and conduct of the court itself. File 57 has more than 1,600 pages and holds records of statements transferred from the special magistrate to the special tribunal. According to Dr Aparna Vaidik the first to gain access to the files the cyclostyled file has a list of all the statements that were transferred. The ones which were transferred are in binding, she notes. The next three files 58, 59 and 60 contain the proceedings of Special Magistrate Sri Krishnas court. Historians say the magisterial trial was of immense importance as it was the only trial in which Bhagat Singh and his comrades participated; they boycotted the special tribunal. Their hunger strike happened during this period and it was very important as far as their struggle was concerned; Jatin Das lost his life during it. This is the period when they quite actively took part in the proceedings and cross-examined witnesses, especially the approvers from whom they tried to establish the objectives and ideology of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, says Harish Jain, a Chandigarh-based publisher and Bhagat Singh researcher. While there is mention of the proceedings in the contemporary newspapers, details of the trial are not much known as the records pertaining to it are not accessible. This is because though the special tribunal took over the records of the magisterial trial, much of these did not form the part of the tribunal proceedings. What is known is that the lengthening trial of the magisterial court was generating sympathy for the revolutionaries, causing a lot of heartburn in the British administration. To cut it short, the Viceroy promulgated an ordinance to establish a special tribunal consisting of three High Court judges. On May 5, 1930, it took over the trial from the Special Magistrate, which was soon boycotted by the revolutionaries after the merciless beating of Bhagat Singh in the court. On another occasion, the magistrate ordered them to display good behaviour to which the revolutionaries replied that they had not come to be taught in a school, but to receive justice in the court. New Delhi, October 19 At least three pending judicial requests, including one relating to 1984 anti-Sikh riots witness, along with 13 extradition pleas from India may be discussed between the CBI Director and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Bob Paulson who is visiting here. Paulson, who will be delivering DP Kohli memorial lecture here tomorrow on the theme of Policing in 21st Century, will hold discussions with CBI chief Anil Sinha. They said at least three Letters Rogatory or judicial requests to Canada hovering around a corruption case, a cyber crime and examination of a witness of 1984 anti-Sikh riots involving Congress leader Jagdish Tytler are likely to crop up during the discussion. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The agency had taken over investigation in the FIR registered at Bara Hindu Rao police station relating to anti-Sikh riots at Gurdwara Pulbangash in North Delhi, where three persons were killed on November 1, 1984, a day after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It had filed a closure report and claimed that it could not get in touch with Narinder Singh, son of an eyewitness who is believed to be in Canada. Arms dealer Abhishek Verma had claimed that Tytler had allegedly helped Narinder Singh to settle in Canada. Besides, the sources said, India is also likely to raise the issue of 13 extradition requests which are under process, including for some wanted persons facing charges of terror and drug trafficking among others. India had signed Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with Canada in 1998 to facilitate assistance in criminal matter. After the signing of MLAT, Canada has so far processed eight Indian judicial requests relating to human trafficking, bank fraud, anti-corruption among others. PTI Aman Sood Tribune News Service Patiala, October 18 A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar today decided to take a final call on October 24 on whether to condone the delay and stay the warrant of execution of the death sentence (of Vikram Walia and Jasvir Singh ) on October 25 at 9 am, as ordered by the Hoshiarpur District and Sessions Judge. The October 24 hearing will last 30 minutes. There will be no adjournment. Walia and Jasvir are on death row for kidnapping 16-year-old Abhi Verma from outside DAV School in Hoshiarpur and killing him with an overdose of anaesthesia. The 2005 brutal killing had caused public outrage. Lawyers of the two convicts had moved the apex court, pleading that the hearing of their review petitions be reopened. Lodged in Patiala Central Jail, the two were to be hanged at 9 am on October 25. On August 7, President Pranab Mukherjee had rejected their mercy petitions. The admission of the convicts plea for reopening review petitions was their last hope. The Patiala jail authorities are now waiting for the final orders. Tribune News Service Bathinda, October 19 Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder, whose book Lest We Forget has a detained mention of Subedar Nand Singh, lambasted the Badal government for failing to maintain his statue here. He along with party workers and leaders took upon himself the task of cleaning the statue of Victoria Cross and Maha Vir Chakra decorated Subedar Nand Singh of the 1st Sikh Regiment. He expressed anguish over the pitiable condition of the statue installed at Fauji (Shaheed) Chowk. He said there was no point in setting up memorials and installing statues if the government could not ensure their proper maintenance. He urged the Indian Army to take over the upkeep of such properties to prevent their degradation. Our martyrs deserve no less, he said. Himself hailing from the 1st Sikh Regiment, Amarinder described the condition of the statue as yet another glaring instance of how little the Badals care for martyrs and their memorials. Amarinder today met farmers at Gidderbaha, Muktsar, Bathinda and Faridkot on the third and last day of the Kisan Rath Yatra. Meanwhile, the PPCC chief claimed that there was no plan yet to enter into an alliance with the CPI. Will resign as MP after poll Gidderbaha: PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh today made it clear that he would not resign as MP for contesting the state assembly elections. I will resign only after the results of the elections. This is the convention and I had even contested the Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar while being the MLA Patiala, he said. Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, October 19 The Deputy Commissioner (DC) here has formed a high-level team in view of the abnormally large number of complaints of quackery flooding in from rural areas. The team, comprising of senior police officers to give it legal teeth, would nip in the bud the scourge of quackery. For the past two years, the officials of the Health Department have fanned out in the region to check the spread of quackery but the results were not forthcoming. This was reflected in the fact that not even a single FIR was registered in this time period. Taking cognisance, DC Pardeep Sabharwal has now asked Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr Hardip Singh Ghai to assist the team in visiting villages where quackery is rampant. Civil hospital doctors claim that there has been a sudden spurt of patients who end up visiting them for treatment after quacks have played havoc with their health. Superstitions, fuelled by illiteracy, give birth to quackery, admit officials. Sources said the growth of electro-homeopathy colleges across the state was acting as a catalyst in producing quacks. These colleges are not recognised by the government. I have reports that there are some colleges functioning in Gurdaspur. These medical shops should be immediately shut down. The team formed by me will take legal action against these colleges. It is a well know fact that gullible youth take admission and end up doing roaring business in villages, the DC stated. Dr Ghai said his department had despatched a Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) to remote border areas from where several complaints had been received. This unit comprises of a medical officer and other para medical staff. We are doing our best but the laws governing quackery are archaic in nature following which hundreds of people who indulge in unethical medical practices go scot free, he lamented. We have to deal with quackery under the Indian Medical Degree Act, 1916, which is soft on illegal doctors. Under this Act, only a nominal fine can be imposed. Till some drastic changes are brought, quacks knocking out a cavity with a chisel and hammer using no anaesthetic will remain a common occurrence, opined Shaminder Kaur Ghuman, President of the Gurdaspur Nurses Association. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is apparently leading the BJP campaign in Uttar Pradesh, with no other leader in the picture. But will this backfire? Prime Minister Narendra Modi is again the face of UP campaign. But will this backfire? Photo: AP By Siraj Qureshi: With the UP Assembly elections approaching, everyone in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- from its workers to even assembly candidates- are apparently fully dependent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Just like Modi initiated the BJP's Lok Sabha election campaign in UP with his landmark public rally in November 2013, the Prime Minister is again expected to come to Agra in November and officially launch BJP's UP campaign from the same ground. advertisement The local BJP candidates are banking on Modi's arrival before they even begin their campaigns. Agra MP Ram Shankar Katheria is hopeful that Modi will launch the party's electoral campaign from the Koti Meena Bazar grounds in Agra. The local residents, on the other hand, believe that in the mad rush to present Modi's face everywhere, the BJP is losing the plot. Also Read: BJP sounds poll bugle in Uttar Pradesh without chief ministerial face, PM Modi to lead rallies DOES BJP HAVE NO OTHER LEADER THAN MODI? Senior citizen Rama Shanker Sharma said that PM Modi had a far bigger responsibility than taking care of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. He said if the BJP did not have any other leader of Modi's stature, then how could the party hope to give a proper representation to the people of UP before the central government? "Increasing the number of Modi's rallies in UP only goes on to prove that the BJP is fast becoming a one-man-wonder, which is very detrimental to the party that had once maintained an internal democracy", he said. Sharma said that the way the BJP was trying to cash on Modi's image as a strong leader after the surgical strikes, reeked of opportunism and this had never been the party's character. He asked why the party was not telling the people of UP who will be their Chief Ministerial face. "Certainly Modi cannot become UP's Chief Minister and remain the Prime Minister too", he said. BJP WILL GIVE TICKETS ON CANDIDATES' ABILITY AND POPULARITY Talking to India Today, BJP's state president Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the party was working on developing a road map for the coming Assembly elections. He said that those leaders who were defecting from other parties, including the Samajwadi Party, should not think that their tickets were confirmed. "The ticket will only be given to a candidate on the grounds of his ability to win elections, and his popularity," he said. Maurya said that the BJP would never leave the Ram Temple issue, but their first priority was the country's development. advertisement WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: Also Read: Mahesh Sharma's Ayodhya visit reignites Ram Mandir row ahead of UP election The BJP state president made it clear that the party's doors were closed for the 'Saifai family'. Maurya asked what Congress wanted to prove by bringing a failed politician like Sheela Dikshit into UP as its chief ministerial candidate. WILL BJP WILL THE UP ELECTIONS? He said that the BJP would win the 2017 Assembly elections in UP just like the 2014 general election, under the guidance of PM Modi. advertisement Maurya said that there were about 1.47 lakh booths in UP and on most of them, the party has formed Booth Committees. PM Modi will hold at least one rally in six divisions of UP and BJP national President Amit Shah will personally handle the party's electoral campaign in the state. Also Read: Opinion poll: BJP ahead in Uttar Pradesh on back of OBC support He confidently claimed that the party would win at least 265 seats in the 2017 UP Assembly elections. The Chairman of the Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad, Sami Aghai, said that Modi misled the people of India in the 2014. He said the BJP would not win the 2017 UP elections as the people have become a lot wiser since the previous deception by Modi, and no matter how hard Modi would try, the party will never be in power in UP. Also Read: SP leader Azam Khan's dig at Modi: Can make tea, play drums, I am fit to be PM With eye on UP elections, Lord Rama to get a museum in Ayodhya Also Read: India Today-Axis Opinion Poll for Uttar Pradesh: BJP dream run to continue, but a hung Assembly likely --- ENDS --- advertisement BD Kasniyal Pithoragarh, October 19 The BJP organised a Dalit sammelan at Berinag in Pithoragarh district on Wednesday. Almora MP and Union Minister of State for Textiles Ajay Tamta inaugurated the sammelan. He said the state government had failed to protect the interests of Dalits though the Congress used their mandate to come to power. Successive Congress governments in the state has neglected the Shilpkar community, which worked towards giving shelter, cloth, utensils and various other things to upper caste members of society since centuries, said Tamta. Meanwhile, Congress Dalit face and Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Tamta today addressed a Dalit sammelan in Almora. He said it was the Congress that takes care of the Dalit community while formulating development plans in the state. Dalits in the state understand the political designs of the BJP to lure them only to humiliate them later. This is evident by the delayed visit of BJP leaders to Bheta village after the cruel incident took place there last fortnight, said Pradeep Tamta. Tribune News Service Dehradun, October 19 After giving a call for forcible closure of the Corbett Tiger Reserve on October 22, agitated residents of Ramnagar are now blaming politicians for failing to give them respite from a man-eater tigress. Forest and administration officials have failed to locate the man-eater tigress that has killed two persons in the region and injured two other. The search is on for it for nearly a month now and even a helicopter and drones have been pressed into service but the tigress has been evading being detected by forest officials. Barring a camera trap photograph that is being used to identify the tigress, no forest official has so far sighted the beast. Munish Kumar, a resident of Ramnagar, said both forest officials and political parties lacked willpower to locate the man-eater tigress and gun it down. He added this was not the first time that Ramnagar residents were facing the wrath of a tigress but there had been several incidents in the past when man-eater tigers had created terror for villagers. Significantly, the Ramnagar residents today visited the local goddess temple. They gathered at the Bhagwati temple at Kania village in Ramnagar and offered prayers to the Goddess seeking relief from tigress. Harish Pant, who organised the worship, said the tiger was considered asvahan (vehicle) of mother Goddess and thus we have prayed to her towards providing succour to the villagers from the wrath of the tigress. Interestingly, some forest officials also took part in the worship. Ajay Ramola Tribune News Service Mussoorie, October 19 The plight of St Marys Indoor Hospital, which once catered to the needs of a large number of people, has left residents of Hakmans Compound (Ward No. 7) peeved. The hospital lies closed for over two decades now. Residents have often demanded reopening of this medical centre, but nothing has been done so far. Besides, the absence of street lights and railings alongside the link roads that lead to the hospital has added to the residents woes as commuting here, especially during night hours, is a Herculean task. The historic hospital, also known as European Cottage Hospital, survived on donations and meagre payments collected from patients. Senior citizen Hugh Gantzer says the hospital was run by the Municipal Council before the Independence that continued to manage it for several years before handling it over to the American Medical Mission Sisters of catholic order later. Nuns ran it for a couple of years, but when they found it difficult to operate on their own, they handled the keys of the building to Joseph Francis Gantzer (MBE), one of the members of the committee that owns the hospital building. JF Gantzer later handed it over to the state government. The hospital near Kulri Bazaar acts as an outdoor unit while this hospital in Ward No. 7 near Gun Hill was known to serve indoor patients mostly from villages around Mussoorie. Subsequently, the hospital after serving as an indoor unit was converted into residential quarters and all medical services were stopped due to unknown reasons thereafter. Over the years, the heritage building continues to crumble, and today it is in a state of dilapidation. Efforts were made to reconstruct it in 2006 by then Mussoorie MLA Jot Singh Gunsola wherein around Rs 80 lakh was released in the first phase and remaining Rs 5 crore was promised later. However, the project was shelved due to the indifferent attitude of the consecutive governments, resulting in the dismal state of the heritage hospital. The roads leading to this hospital building neither have railings nor street lights, causing problems to residents as they avoid commuting here at night, especially during rains. Ward councillor Arvind Gusain said the condition of the hospital was dismal as its building was about to collapse in the wake of no maintenance or repair. The government has to take care of it. Resident said water seeped through the tin roof during the rainy season. They said the government should come up with a solution to their problems. Washington, October 19 US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump faces a formidable challenge on Wednesday (6.30 am IST on Thursday) when he and Democrat Hillary Clinton face-off in their third and final debate as Trump tries to reverse his standing in an election that appears to be tilting away from him. Damaged by accusations that he made unwanted sexual advances toward women, which he denies, Trump will get his last best chance to sway large numbers of American voters when he faces off against Clinton at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. This one is important if Trump is going to have any chance to get back into this race, said Republican strategist Charlie Black. Hes going to have to talk about issues effectively and not get down in the mud, and he needs to talk about jobs. For Clinton, who leads national opinion polls and leads in most of the battleground states where the November 8 election is likely to be decided, the 90-minute debate offers her a chance to make her closing argument on why she is the best suited to succeed President Barack Obama. Its hard to imagine at this point anything that could happen in this debate that could change the overall dynamic of this race, said Democratic strategist Steve Elmendorf. I cant imagine what Donald Trump could do positively or a mistake Hillary Clinton could make to change the trajectory of this race. In a campaign that has been more about character than policy differences, both candidates enter the debate ring a bit wounded from recent events. Trump has spent the past week denying and defending himself from charges that he groped women. Clinton has struggled to get past a flap over her handling of classified emails while US secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. She needs to be able to answer the email question, said Democratic strategist Bud Jackson. She hasnt quite hit that nail on the head yet. She should do better this time. And she should expect the unexpected. But Trumps troubles have loomed the largest, weighing down the New York businessmans extraordinary political run at the worst possible time. This has prompted him to lash out at what he feels is a political and media system rigged against him, an apparent bid to discredit the process before the election takes place. Obama said on Tuesday that Trump needs to stop whining and make his case to the voters. Republicans who have watched Trump shoot himself in the foot time and again said the Las Vegas debate was a final opportunity to appear presidential. Trump needs to make a real closing argument and stop the personal attacks and come across like a commander-in-chief, said Republican strategist Scott Reed. I see it as another important cog and really another important evening in the whole very complicated puzzle, Trump told conservative talk radio host Mike Gallagher. Reuters Trump? Clinton? Many young Americans prefer giant meteor Young Americans are so dissatisfied with their choices in this presidential election that nearly one in four told an opinion poll they would rather have a giant meteor destroy the Earth than see Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in White House The tongue-in-cheek question was intended to gauge young Americans' level of unhappiness about their choices in the November 8 election, said Joshua Dyck, co-director of UMass Lowell's Center for Public Opinion The choice alluded to the Twitter hashtag "#GiantMeteor2016," a reference to an imaginary presidential candidate used to express frustration about this year's election choices Some 53% of the 1,247 people aged 18 to 35 said they would prefer to see a meteor destroy the world than have Republican New York real estate developer Trump in the Oval Office, with some 34% preferring planetary annihilation to seeing Hillary win Qayyarah (Iraq), October 19 Iraqi forces prepared to retake the country's largest Christian town from the Islamic State group on Wednesday, a key milestone in their progress towards the jihadists' main hub of Mosul. News of the move to recapture Qaraqosh sparked jubilation among Christians who had fled the town, with many dancing and singing in the city of Arbil. Launched on Monday, the long-awaited advance on Mosul was making quick progress but US President Barack Obama joined a chorus of warnings the battle for ISIS' last Iraqi stronghold would be tough. Officials have said the retaking of Mosul in Iraq's largest military operation in years could take weeks or months and warned that the hundreds of thousands of civilians still in the city could be used as human shields. Federal forces stormed Qaraqosh, about 15 km southeast of Mosul, on Wednesday but ISIS fighters remained in the town. Units from Iraq's elite counter-terrorism service (CTS), which has done the heavy lifting in most recent operations against ISIS, were poised to flush jihadists out of the town, officers said. "We are surrounding Hamdaniya now," Lieutenant General Riyadh Tawfiq, commander of Iraq's ground forces, told AFP at the main staging base of Qayyarah, referring to the district that includes Qaraqosh. "There are some pockets (of resistance), some clashes, they send car bombs but it will not help them," he said. Displaced Christians held early celebrations last night in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, where they fled after Islamic State seized the town. After gathering for a group prayer outside a church in the city, some in the crowd sang, danced and clapped their hands, while others held lit candles. "Today is a happy moment. There is no doubt our land will be liberated and we thank God, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary," said Hazem Djedjou Cardomi, a journalist among the crowd. Qaraqosh was the largest of many Christian towns and villages seized by the jihadists who swept across the Nineveh Plain east of Mosul in August 2014. The mass exodus it sparked displaced a large proportion of Iraq's already dwindling Christian minority, sending most into the neighbouring Kurdish region. Qaraqosh was a town of around 50,000 people in 2014 and is home to at least seven churches, making it a key hub for the more than 300,000 Christians still in Iraq. Three days into the operation, Iraqi forces were closing in on Mosul from several directions, including the south where federal troops and police have been battling through IS defences and retaking villages as they work their way up the Tigris Valley. On Wednesday, Iraqi forces reached the village of Bajwaniyah, about 30 kilometres south of Mosul. AFP Moscow, October 19 Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with the leaders of Turkey and Iraq about battle for Mosul, where Iraqi forces are fighting to oust the Islamic State group, the Kremlin said on Wednesday. Putin "wished the Iraqi army and its allies complete success in their objectives", the Kremlin said in a statement on his conversations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. He also informed the Iraqi leader about the "measures taken by Russia to defuse the situation" in the Syrian city of Aleppo. Moscow announced on Tuesday that Russian and Syrian air forces had stopped bombing Aleppo ahead of an eight-hour "humanitarian pause" in the battered city on Thursday. Putin is to attend a summit on Syria in Berlin later on Wednesday with the leaders of France and Germany. In a separate conversation, Putin also discussed the battle for Mosul with Erdogan, the Kremlin said, but gave no further details. The long-awaited offensive against Iraq's second city began on Monday with air and ground support from a US-led coalition. Turkey said on Tuesday it would continue to take part in the air operation after Ankara agreed a deal with its coalition partners. Plans for the offensive were marked by tensions between Iraq and Turkey, which insisted on being part of the operation despite objections from Baghdad. AFP India has "outmanoeuvred" Pakistan by effectively branding it as a "regional pariah" during the Goa BRICS-BIMSTEC summit, strengthening its case for the NSG membership, state-run Chinese media said today. By PTI: India has "outmanoeuvred" Pakistan by effectively branding it as a "regional pariah" during the Goa BRICS-BIMSTEC summit where the country presented itself as a "bright spot", strengthening its case for the NSG membership and a permanent seat in UNSC, state-run Chinese media said today. "Given the uneasy background of Indo-Pak tension, which escalated last month, India's inclusion of BIMSTEC (The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) bore even thicker geo-strategic connotations," an article in the state-run Global Times said. advertisement INDIA MADE PAKISTAN A REGIONAL PARIAH "As India invited all countries in the region except Pakistan, it in effect consigned Pakistan to be a regional pariah," the article titled 'India uses BRICS to outmanoeuvre Pakistan', said. Also read: BRICS Summit: PM Modi slams Pakistan, calls it mothership of terror Referring to India's decision not to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit to be held in Islamabad after the Uri attack, it said, "The collapse of the SAARC summit presented India with a rare opportunity to get rid of any constraints Islamabad may have over the regional group, as the same group would soon assemble in Goa in the absence of Pakistan". BIMSTEC also made a major difference to India at the Goa summit, it said. GOA BRICS SUMMIT STOOD APART "A major difference between the Goa summit and the previous ones was that New Delhi put the (BIMSTEC) in tandem with the BRICS meeting," it said. By bringing regional countries - Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan - together with the major emerging economies of the BRICS, the daily said, India breathed legitimacy and substance into an otherwise "hollow and moribund acronym organisation". Also read: After BRICS meeting, Goa Congress attacks state govt for U-Turns "While the rest of the BRICS members would never openly endorse either side in the Indo-Pak tension, India in a way secured its stance vis-a-vis Pakistan by taking advantages of its agenda-setting powers for the summits," it said. "While the prospect of BIMSTEC as a more effective alternative to SAARC remains ambiguous, a subcontinent grouping without Pakistan balancing and checking a dominant India may well raise suspicions and fear for smaller countries," it said. SUMMIT PUSHED FOR INDIA'S NSG BID The summit also helped India to push for its membership in the NSG, which was blocked by China, as well as for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC), it said. "The BRICS summit brings India an ideal mechanism to articulate and push for its reformist demands together with like-minded countries. This common front became particularly valuable for New Delhi, especially as its arduous bids for Nuclear Suppliers Group's (NSG) membership as well as for a permanent seat on an enlarged United Nations Security Council have both met with frustration," it said. --- ENDS --- advertisement If you're still addicted to Uptown Funk, this piece of information is going to make you really happy! By India Today Web Desk: Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson's Uptown Funk has not just dominated playlists but also music charts since its initial release. So what we're going to tell you shouldn't really come as a surprise, honestly. Reportedly, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has awarded the addictive track a diamond certification--making it "only the 10th act to reach 10 million sales for a single." advertisement Also Read: #GRAMMYs: Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk wins Record of the Year; Taylor Swift conquers Album of the Year According to Billboard, Uptown Funk has sold over "12,422,016 in downloads and 938,694,569 audio streams" in the United States of America alone! The video is believed to have been streamed over 1.9 billion times. Also Read: Uptown Funk to Blank Space: Billboard's list of top 10 songs that ruled 2015 The track which managed to clinch the Best Record Grammy Award 2016, has received the honour two years after Uptown Funk was first released in 2014. via GIPHY --- ENDS --- By PTI: Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Oct 19 (PTI) With a video of two sonsof a murder accused mercilessly beating their Dalit classmatehere going viral on social media, the duo have been sent to aremand home even as police assured security to the family ofthe boy. The maternal grandfather of the boy, a class XII student of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Gannipur here, lodged an FIR with SC& ST police station on Monday. advertisement In the FIR he also claimed the entire family was terrified because the father of the two brothers is a notorious criminal lodged in jail outside the district in a murder case. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashish Anand, the two brothers have been sent to remand home after being presented before Juvenile Justice Board yesterday. They have also been removed from the school which gave them forced Transfer Certificate. School principal Rajiv Ranjan had lodged a written complaint with the Kaji Muhammadpur police station. The purported video of the incident shows the two brothers -- one of them a student of class XII and the other of class XI -- pushing and thrashing the victim in presence of some other schoolmates on September 25. Meanwhile, police has assured security to the family of the boy. "I have given my phone number to the family to call me any time if they feel insecure. I have also directed Kazi Muhammadpur police station to ensure that the family is not hurt by anybody in the wake of the incident," Anand told PTI. He said he had told the school Principal that there should be no inconvenience to the boy in the school in the wake of the incident. Union Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha had taken strong note of the video and on his directive a team of Kendriya Vidyalaya officials had paid a visit to the school on October 14. PTI CORR SNS CR ZMN PS --- ENDS --- Photo of Transit full-size van courtesy of Ford. Its a great year for sales of cargo vans. The National Truck Equipment Association recently revised its 2016 forecast for U.S./Mexico Class 1-3 commercial van sales upward from a previously forecast 7% year-to-year gain up to 10% this year to be followed by an 8% increase next year. Perhaps thats partly because buyers are finding lots more than tires to kick when they check out the latest models. David Sowers, head of Ram Truck brand marketing, says the Great Recession built pent-up demand, with the average age of vans climbing to 10 years. It now stands at 7 years. Last year, Class 1-4 vans and chassis sales reached almost 400,000. We expect that to rise by 10 to 15% this year, Sowers says. Pent-up demand is being met, and theres growth in small businesses since 2009 thats also driving sales. Both fleets and small business owners are buying more vans. He says the two largest groups of buyers are delivery and mobile worksite operations. Lots more delivery vans are being sold to UPS and FedEx, and Ram has secured a contract for 12,000 units with the U.S. Postal Service. Ford says total commercial van sales for 2015 were 423,094, including full-size and compact commercial vans, according to Yaroslav Hetman, Fords brand manager for Transit, Transit Connect and E-Series. Year to date through August, the segment is up 16%, with total van sales of 312,705 vs. 268,625 last year. He says much of that growth is being driven by sales of the full-size Ford Transit, adding that Ford sold more vans in August 2016 than it has at any other time in history. We are literally selling every van we can build even with three production shifts and capacity utilization above 100%, says Joe Langhauser, full-size van product manager for General Motors Fleet. In 2015, we sold 46,000 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cargo vans. In the first eight months of 2016, weve sold more than 27,000. Demand has been strong across the board, but weve seen an influx of customers who are in the landscaping and catering businesses. Mathias Geisen, general manager of marketing for Mercedes-Benz Vans USA, says sales numbers are steadily increasing and were in the process of signing important contracts with fleet companies. As for this years outlook, Geisen says the full-size Sprinter has a well-established [customer] segment and the mid-size Metris continues to build momentum. We knew wed have a pioneering role with the Metris because the mid-size segment was vacated by the Chevy Astro/GMC Safari a while ago. Photo of Chevrolet City Express courtesy of General Motors. GMs Langhauser says more than 10,000 Chevrolet City Express compact vans were sold last year and well be in the same range this year. He says the City Express, a derivative of the Nissan NV 200, is an important vehicle for us because the broader our portfolio, the more we can serve as a one-stop shop for our customers. The Nissan NV200, according to Mark Namuth, senior manager, commercial vehicle sales, is the right size for owners wanting smaller, more efficient work vans. He notes that the NV200 body was extended 7.9 inches beyond models sold in other global markets to provide more cargo capacity for North American customers. Hetman says Ford invented the compact commercial van segment with the introduction of Transit Connect in 2009. It continues to outsell all the other models that have entered the space. Customers from a wide range of industries, including home security, shuttle and delivery, have adopted Transit Connect. Rams Sowers points to a lot of down-sizing or right-sizing vehicles by customers. We think our ProMaster City offers a great combination of fuel efficiency and productivity. He says its rated for 28 mpg, offers a payload higher than most light-duty pickups and that it drives like a car, with a great turning radius and visibility. We sold over 90,000 of these units in 2015. Photo of Ram ProMaster City courtesy of FCA US. Once the right size van is selected, total cost of ownership is the key purchasing consideration, says Fords Hetman. Our full-size Transit offers up to 46% better fuel economy than the E-Series [it replaced] and provides best-in-class gasoline engine maximum cargo capacity of 487.3 cubic feet when properly equipped up to 75% more than the largest E-Series van. Transit vans also deliver as much as 4,650 pounds of maximum payload capacity. Safety is becoming more and more important, especially when it comes to active safety features supporting the drivers and avoiding accidents and, therefore, also keeping downtime low, says Mercedes-Benzs Geisen. Our vans offer a portfolio of safety features, including Collision Prevention Assist, Attention Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist and Crosswind Assist. Hetman says the latest safety features have been incorporated into Ford vans, from Blind Spot Assist in Transit Connect to Lane Keeping Alert in Transit. These features are in addition to traction control, electronic stability control, side-wind stabilization, and the use of high-strength boron steel to reinforce key points around the vehicle. Nissan offers telematics, backup cameras, and rear sonar as some of our active safety features, says Namuth. We are seeing an increase in the ordering of these active safety features. Photo of NV full-sie van courtesy of Nissan. GMs Langhauser says connectivity is playing a bigger role in the purchase decision. Thats why we leverage the OnStar safety systems built-in hardware and software to power Commercial Link, a telematics platform that gives access to key information such as location, miles driven and fuel consumption. We also offer the General Motors Fleet Track System, which pairs OnStar with a scalable cloud-based fleet monitoring platform developed by Telogis. Upfitting critical Smoothing the complex upfitting process is now a key differentiator for marketing vans. The sooner [customers] can put a finished vehicle on road, the faster they will see financial returns, says GMs Langhauser. With our ship-through process, upfits can be ordered directly through the dealer. And the GM Upfitter Integration Group can provide technical assistance to the hundreds of upfitters that modify our vehicles. The Nissan Commercial Upfit Program offers customers a wide selection of cargo management packages, graphics packages, or cash allowance, according to Namuth. Our ship-through program offers fleets Nissan-approved upfits at our factory locations. Ford offers 64 different configurations of vans directly from the factory, Hetman says. Through our ship-through upfitter network, the possibilities for customization by leading upfitters are endless. Photo of Metris mid-size van courtesy of Mercedes-Benz. Geisen says Mercedes-Benz customers are searching for a complete solution in a simple ship-thru process. Vans with shelving, refrigeration or other popular upfits will be available as a key-ready solution. To assure the highest quality, we work with three major upfitters, AutoTruck, Knapheide and SmartLiner. Rams Sowers notes that an upfit center is located next to the ProMaster assembly plant to handle everything from the standard stuff to customized requests. Fuels and powertrains Many fleets are committed to reducing their environmental footprint and fuel consumption, notes GMs Langhauser. We also see real potential for small-displacement turbo diesel powertrains in the fleet arena, because they are powerful, durable and fuel efficient. Fords Hetman says customers want the power of choice to be able to smoothly flex to the needs of their businesses. This is why we offer two different gasoline powertrains, a diesel engine, as well as propane, CNG and FFV engine options. Also, several upfitters, like XL Hybrids, cooperate with us on hybrid powertrains. However, relatively cheap fuel has diminished the investment that we previously saw in CNG or LNG products, notes Nissans Namuth, particularly in the infrastructure to support those alternative fuels. Photo of GMC Savana courtesy of General Motors. When it comes to step vans, typically built on Class 4-7 chassis, more than anything electricity is now in the air. Hybrid-electric powertrains are being offered by several step van builders. For example, Freightliner Custom Chassis, which also offers CNG and hydraulic hybrid power, makes a hybrid-electric vehicle chassis for walk-in vans. Other electric step vans now available include the Workhorse E-Gen, which uses an electric-battery hybrid drive, and the all-electric Motiv Power Systems drive option offered by Morgan Olson on its Route Star walk-in model. Chevrolet Chevrolets compact City Express offers 122.7 cubic feet of customizable cargo space, a turning diameter of only 36.7 feet, and a payload capacity of 1,500 pounds. Its DOHC 2.0L, I-4 engine with variable valve timing is rated at 131 hp and 139 lb.-ft. of torque. The full-size GMC Savana and its Chevy Express stablemate offer a 2.8L Duramax turbo diesel and 8-speed automatic on the long and short wheelbase versions of 2500 and 3500 series models. Standard features now include Rear Park Assist and a rear-vision camera. Mercedes-Benz The Metris alone fits in the mid-size van category, Mercedes-Benz says. The rear-wheel drive truck is powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder gasoline engine, rated for 208 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a 7-speed automatic. The powertrain, with optional Eco start/stop function, boasts a service interval of up to 15,000 miles. Ford Fords full-size Transit now comes in 64 configurations, including new 350 regular-wheelbase van, with single rear wheel and 9,500-pound GVWR. The 3.7L engine is now standard on dual-rear wheel vans, which lowers the base price and provides for CNG or LPG power. Nissan The full-size Nissan NV has standard supplemental front seat-mounted side-impact air bags and roof-mounted curtain side-impact air bags for front outboard occupant head protection. The rear-wheel-drive van can be powered by a 4L V6 or 5.6L V8; both mated to a standard 5-speed automatic transmission. Ram The compact Ram ProMaster City is powered by the 2.4L Tigershark I-4 engine, mated to a 9-speed automatic. Its steel unibody architecture cuts curb weight to offer payload up to 1,883 pounds. It provides 131.7 cubic feet of cargo space. A two-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by her neighbour in Kallukatai near Perungudi of Chennai. By Pramod Madhav: An inhumane act of a two year old girl sexually assaulted has shocked the city of Chennai. A two-year-old girl was abducted and assaulted by man identified as Vijay on Tuesday. The incident took place near Perungudi where the neighbour of the minor girl assaulted her. The incident came to light after the girl's mother heard the girls cries from Vijay's residence. advertisement The woman told the police that the girl went missing while she was playing outside. As she went close to check the voice, she was shocked to find her daughter tied up, gagged and locked inside a dark room. The girl's mother knocked on the door aloud as she saw a man next to her child. She identified the man as Vijay, a resident from Triplicane who had come to visit his relative. When confronted by the girl's mother, Vijay told her that the girl had fell down from the bed and hurt herself. A crowd gathered hearing the commotion, Vijay slipped away from the place. The parents told the police that the girl told them about what Vijay did to her. Neighbours noticed that talcum powder was sprinkled over the bed possibly to conceal blood stains. Also read: Safest city to crime capital: Is this the new Chennai? The mother said that the police were reluctant to file a complaint initially but did it anyways after the she repeatedly insisted. Doctors discovered nail marks all over the child's body and took samples for further testing. Police filed a complaint under sections 3 and 4 of POCSO Act and began to search for the predator. On Wednesday morning police nabbed Vijay, who according to them was hiding under the bushes near Perungudi railway station. There are close to 50,000 families that reside in Perungudi and the shocked residents are asking for capital punishment for anyone who commit such an unspeakable crime. Also read: Chennai: Woman Infosys employee hacked to death at railway station, CCTV footage shows attacker --- ENDS --- A person convicted of stealing beer from a convenience store or taking clothes from a retailer may have messed up their lives. They dont think that the so-called minor offense could mean jail time. Or it could be that when they committed that offense it crossed the line and violated federal law. David Phillips, Tulsa County assistant public defender, and his team John Seidenberger, also a holistic defense specialist, and Ashley Salisbury see and deal with these issues as they defend those charged with these crimes. The office also is considered a training ground for young attorneys. We have many of the same questions that felony attorneys face, he said. These include search and seizure, the Miranda Rights, and whether or not there is sufficient evidence in the case. The only real difference between a misdemeanor or felony conviction is the amount of jail time the person is exposed to and the impact of a felony conviction. A person in the United States on a legal status may find that has been jeopardized. Most people know that a convicted felon cannot carry or own a weapon, Phillips said. Yet a conviction for domestic assault and battery charge means the same weapon prohibition applies because of federal law. A first-time misdemeanor conviction of larceny of merchandise from a retail store carries a year in jail, he said. Additional problems are encountered if the person is a repeat offender. People of all ages commit misdemeanors, Phillips said. The majority are ages 18-35, which is also a common age range for those caught driving without a license or driving under the influence. Many get the message when they are convicted of a misdemeanor DUI and must pay $5,000 in attorney fees and court costs. Public defenders involved with misdemeanor cases suffer the same problems and possibly more than those working on the felony docket. Many with mental illnesses or other difficulties commit misdemeanor crimes, Phillips said. These are difficult because society hasnt made proper adjustments to provide for their care, and its harder for his staff to deal with them because few tools are available. While some convictions carry a one-year jail sentence, many are only 30 days and wont be on probation. Public defenders also deal with a group with persistent alcohol-related issues, many often arrested for public intoxication. The age range for this offense skews upward, he said. There is a movement away from jails to treatment centers for those offenders. Some are belligerent when they encounter the defense lawyers, but most realize they made a mistake and want to do whatever it takes to correct the error and move on. There is a tendency among those dealing with addiction problems to find ways to feed their habit, but for the most part, they are cooperative. People react to different situations, said Phillips, who has been a trial attorney for 26 years. He noted its a good training ground for young attorneys, and the staff has a spirit of camaraderie. I may get a case, but we talk about the cases and issues, Phillips said. If I have a problem, I go to another attorney and ask if they ever had that problem. Young attorneys seek Phillips out in some cases. They also are encouraged to partner with felony attorneys on some cases and maybe sitting second chair on a trial or working on a case writing motions. We try to keep communication lines open so they can become better attorneys, he said. Tulsa County Public Defender Rob Nigh and first assistant Stuart Sutherland realize it is a training ground, Phillips said. Many have come through the office and became good attorneys in either private or corporate practice or different agencies. Phillips welcomes the opportunity to speak to the public about the public defenders office. I tell people you are only as good as your last case, he said. The best advertisement is word of mouth, and I understand this office gets a bad rap. You always are going to have disgruntled people. We, as an office, have made a tremendous effort to make sure our clients get to know us and make sure they get the best service we can possibly give. Phillips said he has had clients from many years ago come up and say they appreciated how he helped them. That is the type of rapport each attorney strives to have with his clients, he said. It is nice to have that reputation when you walk down the street and a former client says How are you doing Mr. Phillips? he said. 918-581-8480 By PTI: Hyderabad, Oct 19 (PTI) A CISF Inspector was today booked for "misbehaving" with a woman CISF Sub-inspector here, police said. According to Pahadishareef police station Sub-inspector S Chandra Reddy, the woman SI filed a complaint, accusing Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Inspector Ashok Kumar of "passing comments and harassing" her, following which a case under relevant sections of the IPC was registered. advertisement The CISF Inspector and the woman SI were posted at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. No arrest has been made yet and further investigations are on, police said. PTI VVK DK RC BAS --- ENDS --- ABC has defended its Four Corners report on refugee children in Nauru, The Forgotten Children, amid criticism by the government of Nauru and conservative politicians that the ABC were advocates dressed up as journalists. Criticisms suggest footage included facilities no longer in use and that material had been provided by Amnesty International. Yesterday ABC issued a statement from Director of News, Gaven Morris: ABC News stands by the reporting in the Four Corners program The Forgotten Children, which aired on Monday night and told the important story of the more than 100 refugee children who are living on Nauru in their own words and those of some of their teachers. Claims made by the Government of Nauru and the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, which were also raised during a Senate Estimates hearing yesterday and uncritically repeated in The Australian today, are not correct. The Nauruan government and the DIBP may contest Four Corners assertions but they have produced no evidence to cast doubt upon them. As the Nauruan government routinely refuses journalists access to report on offshore processing, and charges prohibitive fees for media visas which are not refunded if the applications are refused, Four Corners relied on a range of sources for footage. This included hiring a freelance camera operator on Nauru to gather footage, as is routinely done on many stories. The key interviews with the children were conducted remotely by Four Corners, and their stories were subjected to the programs usual rigorous fact-checking processes. Four Corners checked and verified the veracity of all footage used in the story through a number of sources. The case presented by the story is also supported by some 2000 incident reports obtained by Four Corners. These unredacted reports document incidents affecting the young witnesses in the program and corroborate their evidence. The program was made in this way out of necessity. Otherwise, the stories of these children would not have been told. To specifically address some of the claims: The hospital shown in the film is where the late Omid Masoumali was taken to in April this year, as stated in the program. This is supported by video of Mr Masoumali in hospital which the ABC obtained but decided was too gruesome to put to air. Amnesty International states that the hospital was not equipped to treat Mr Masoumalis burns and did not provide him with a bed sheet. Four Corners understands that the new part of the hospital to which the Nauruan Government refers was not connected to water and sewerage at the time referred to in the program. According to some reports, it is still not fully functional. The school toilets shown in the program are the toilets that greeted the children when they were sent to the Nauruan schools. This is when they were filmed and also how they were described in the program by one of the teachers who saw them at that time. There can be no doubt about this. The video of school fighting shown was filmed near the school and provided to Four Corners by sources on the island, as were the other videos. The fact that some of those also have appeared on YouTube does not cast doubt on their veracity. There is no suggestion that the violence shown did not occur, and it is typical of the violence reported by Amnesty International, the teachers, the students and many other witnesses. Four Corners requested an interview with the Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton. Mr Dutton requested that any interview be live, which is not part of the Four Corners format. The Minister was offered a live interview on the episode of Lateline immediately following the programs airing and also on AM the next morning. He declined both. Four Corners also requested permission to speak with Brisbane Catholic Education, the providers of education support on Nauru. The information required regarded school attendance figures; our request for this information elicited the following response from the Department: Attendance in schools in Nauru is a matter for the Government of Nauru. On Friday afternoon the Department offered a background interview with you on Education support offered in Nauru with a Departmental spokesperson, which is not what had been requested and was not helpful. Updated for clarity: Contrary to claims, the Department did not offer or provide any images or footage to Four Corners relevant to its report. The Australian Film Television & Radio School has announced four new Heads of Discipline in Directing, Documentary, Visual Effects and Cinematography. Head of Directing is Rowan Woods, one of Australias leading directors for film and television. Rowans credits as a director include The Kettering Incident, Nowhere Boys 3, The Straits, Little Fish and The Boys. Rowan is also an AFTRS graduate (1993). Dr Rachel Landers has been appointed Head of Documentary. Dr Landers has been a lecturer at AFTRS since 2009; most recently she has been subject leader Non Fiction, developing and running the BA (Screen) and teaching the Master of Screen Arts. She is an accomplished filmmaker and historian, whose film credits include the recent documentaries Lest We Forget What and The Inquistion and the book Who Bombed The Hilton. Head of Cinematography is Kim Batterham. Kim has been a lecturer and subject leader in cinematography since 2009 while continuing his substantial career as a DoP in film and television, most recently shooting the 21-part series Lost Tools of Henry Hoke, the documentary Black Panther Women and the drama series Chandon Pictures. Other credits include the seminal documentary series First Australians. Head of Visual Effects is Susan Danta. Winner of the UNSW Art & Design Deans Awards for Teaching (Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning) in 2014, Susan is an accomplished content creator and animator. She was the series creator, director and animator of the acclaimed documentary interstitial series Heirlooms and has worked in recent years on design and animation projects for Shine Australia, SBS Television and Disney Channels AUNZ. AFTRS CEO Neil Peplow said: I am thrilled to confirm these new members of our team across the Discipline areas. Rowan, Rachel, Kim and Susan each have impressive careers as filmmakers as well as in teaching and I know our students across the curriculum will benefit from their incredible expertise and experience. AFTRS recently announced a further eight new Heads of Discipline Head of Editing is Roland Gallois, Head of Sound is Stephen Murphy, Head of Producing is Peter Herbert, Head of Screenwriting is Dr Pieter Aqulia, Head of Radio is Fyona Smith, Head of Screen Studies is Matt Campora, Head of Design is Igor Nay and Head of Interactive is Catherine Gleeson. Disclaimer: AFTRS advertises at TV Tonight. After all those Emmy accolades its no wonder anthology series American Crime Story has been renewed for a third season of 10 episodes. A second season, which looks at the Hurricane Katrina saga is already due in 2017. Now Ryan Murphy will oversee a third season set to explore the July 1997 assassination of designer Gianni Versace, based on Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orths book Vulgar Favors. Writer Tom Rob Smith is set to pen at least the first two episodes. Police in Miami were on the verge of capturing serial killer Andrew Cunanan, wanted for five slayings, when he committed suicide 8 days after Versaces death. Both second and third seasons will film concurrently in early 2017 with the Versace murder likely to be in 2018. American Crime Story airs in Australia on TEN. Source: Hollywood Reporter TEN has apologised to Thailands Ambassador to Australia, Chirachai Punkrasin, after a complaint about Mondays episode of Have You Been Paying Attention? using footage of a Thai woman wailing over the death of Thailands beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej. While it may not be the intention of the Network 10 to cause offence, the programme needs to show greater cultural sensitivity and media professionalism when it deals with a topic that makes reference to another country, institution or culture, Mr Punkrasin wrote to the network. He said the shows panel had been mocking people who are feeling intense grief at the passing of their Monarch to be very inappropriate, disrespectful and certainly not amusing and requested the segment be removed from replay and social media. Online the moment attract a pile of criticism and has even made news online in the Bangkok Post, which is currently published in black and white as part of the nations deep mourning. A TEN spokesperson said in a statement, Network TEN has written to the Ambassador of Thailand in Canberra to apologise for the inappropriate comments made on the program. In no way was any disrespect intended and we sincerely regret any distress caused. The video has been taken down from TENs website and other social channels, and will be edited to remove this segment, prior to the episode being broadcast or made available again. Defaming, offending or mocking the Royal Family in Thailand is a severe breach of lese majeste laws and can attract up to 15 years imprisonment. The Australian Government has advised Australians travelling to Thailand to demonstrate respect for the Thai people, refrain from any behaviour that may be interpreted as festive, disrespectful or disorderly. King Bhumibol Adulyadej was the worlds longest reigning monarch at the time of his death and Thailand has declared an official mourning period of one year. https://twitter.com/damomcfadden/status/788322831327125505 Source: Fairfax By PTI: Visakhapatnam, Oct 19 (PTI) Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has played a major role in safeguarding the maritime interest of the country, Director General of ICG Rajendra Singh said today. Addressing a gathering after Commissioning the Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) of ICG Ship Rani Gaidinliu at Coast Guard Jetty here, he said the changing security Scenario in the Maritime domain dictates the need for coastal security on a 24X7 basis where the coast guard have to maintain a constant vigil. advertisement Singh said the Indian Coast Guards fleet Strength has gone to 123 Ships and 62 Aircraft From 1997. He said ICG ship Rani Gaidinliu, named after the freedom fighter from Manipur, will Primarily focus on surveillance at the sea, coastal patrol, anti-smuggling operations, protection of fishermen, beside the routine Search and Rescue Operations. ICGS Rani Gaidinliu is the fourth of its class and has been designed and build ingeniously by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam. The Vessel is equipped with the most advanced and sophisticated Navigational and Communication sensors and equipment, Singh said. It is 51-metre in length, 330 tonnes displacement, capable of achieving maximum speed of 34 knots. The ship is fitted with the state-of-the-art communication, navigational equipment and 30 mm CRN-91 gun on-board as main armament. It will be based at the Krishnapatanam Port. Indian Coast Guard Region (East) Inspector General, Rajan Bargotra, Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur Gaikhangam, Flag Officers and other civilian officers also attended the function. PTI CORR ARS TIR --- ENDS --- Links to the story about the art history professor who is charged with forgery and her difficulties in the Franklin Pierce art department (lawsuits, etc.), the decline in MFA applicants, and a new book about painting from David Salle. Theres been a charge of art forgery in Reading, Vermont, and the alleged perp is no stranger to court battles. According to the NY Times, Lorettann Gascard, an art history professor at Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire, sold a bunch of forged Leon Golub paintings to art collector Andrew J. Hall (who, BTW, recently added one of Deborah Browns paintings to his collection), and then she disappeared. According to the report: She said that she had gotten to know Golub while attending his classes at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J., in the late 1970s, and they became close friends until his death in 2004, according to court papers But, she also told people that: she grew up in New York and earned her doctorate at the Free University in Berlin. Nonetheless, At Franklin Pierce, she taught undergraduate art history and drawing, and supervised the college art gallery. In 2004, she did research in Germany with support from the Fulbright program. Four years later, she contributed a chapter about the conflicting female ideals under the Nazis to a book about art and eugenics. Generally liked by her students [and sometimes notcheck out Rate My Professor], she often walked around campus wearing white gloves and dark glasses, faculty colleagues said in interviews. Ms. Gascard was an artist herself, practicing a technique called rust art, and her work sold at auction in one instance for $45,000. She told colleagues at the college that she had been friendly with Golub and his wife, but they do not remember her mentioning that she owned any of his paintings. But between 2009 and 2011 the Gascards consigned at least eight works they attributed to Golub to auction in New York, including six at Christies and one at Sothebys, where Mr. Hall purchased them, he said in the suit. The auction houses relied on the story the Gascards told them about the paintings provenance, according to the filing. Reading the article, I was reminded of one of my former colleagues, an art history professor like Gascard, who liked to drop names and allegedly left a previous institution under mysterious circumstances involving sales of artwork from the universitys collection. Once, I remember, her husband (who, come to think of it, claimed friendship with Donald Trump) was transporting paintings for an exhibition she had curated. He stopped in midtown for a sandwich, and his car, along with all the art inside it, went missing. Anyway, back to Gascard. A quick Google search reveals that the professor had a troubled relationship with other faculty and administrators at Franklin Pierce, where she taught from 1997 and coordinated the art gallery since 1998. She sued the university and administrators for discrimination and emotional distress over several issues, including retaliation for taking family leave, denial of her application to serve as coordinator of the Fine Arts Department, and removal from her role as gallery coordinator. The Times article says she has vanished, but I suspect she may have gotten a settlement from Franklin Pierce and left the community, which, by 2015 when she was told she was no longer the coordinator of the gallery, had undoubtedly become a toxic environment for her. Trigger warning: For academics, her battle may sound all too familiar regardless of what side you may be on. Read more. - According to artnet News, the number of applications submitted to pricey MFA programs have been declining. Across the country, art schools have minted a growing number of visual art MFA programs over the last 10 to 15 years. Many of them now face a challenge, as application numbers and enrollment figures are falling, according to the better part of a dozen insiders who spoke to artnet News, some of them on condition of anonymity. Apparently, though, applications to fully-funded programs like the one at the University of Connecticut (my alma mater) are on the rise. Read more. - David Salle has written what looks like a terrific a book about painting. In the NY Times review, Dwight Garner says that: Mr. Salles mission in How to See is to seize art back from the sort of critics who treat each painting as a position paper, with the artist cast as a kind of philosopher manqu. Mr. Salle is more interested in talking about nuts and bolts, about what makes contemporary paintings tick. Theory abounds, but concrete visual perception is at a low ebb, he maintains. In my view, intentionality is not just overrated; it puts the cart so far out in front that the horse, sensing futility, gives up and lies down in the street. Nobody ever loved a painting, he says, for its ideas. Read more. Related posts: Search: MFA art programs, inexpensive, top 10 MFA programs, bigstudios, graduate assistantships Burri: On fire at the Guggenheim Flayed, torn, and punctured at MOCA Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). Ukraine has huge potential so that to integrate into the digital economy space of the European Union, Ukrainian First Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv has said. I see huge potential in the sphere of digital economy. European Commissioner [for Digital Economy and Society Gunther] Oettinger has represented a full action plan for Ukraine's joining this area. This is a very big market. And it shows that Ukraine, taking into account the success in the issues of IT, software, is ready for this cooperation, Kubiv said following his visit to Brussels, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. He also recalled that the IT sphere adds five percent of income to Ukraines GDP. At the same time, the official noted that several correspondent laws should be adopted for the further development of digital economy in Ukraine. Stepan Kubiv also said that he preliminary agreed with representatives of the European Commission to hold the forum on digital economy and technology in Ukraine. iy The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Investment Support Office and appointed Canadian lawyer Danylo Bilak its director. This has been announced at a government meeting on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Canadian lawyer Danylo Bilak is the Office director. He will fulfill all the tasks that have been set for him, First Deputy Finance Minister Oksana Markarova said, when representing the Office. She also added that the Office will be financed by Western NIS Enterprise Fund(WNISEF). iy By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) Beverages major Coca Cola India has dropped Bollywood superstar Salman Khan as brand ambassador for its soft drink Thums Up after four years of association and the company is in talks with young star Ranveer Singh to replace him. The contract with Khan had expired last month and the company has chosen not to renew it, according to industry sources. When contacted, Coca Cola India declined to comment. The companys decision to not to renew the contract with the 50-year-old actor is more to do with the image of Coca Cola, which is seen as a young brand, a source said. advertisement "That explains why Coca Cola is talking to a much younger star like Ranveer Singh," the source added. Khan has been among the top celebrity endorsers reportedly charging Rs 5 crore per year per brand. Recently, he had courted controversy when he supported Pakistani artists saying "they were not terrorists" in the wake of a debate on whether they should be allowed to work in Indian movies after the Uri attack. Coca Cola India had roped in Khan as its brand ambassador for the second time to endorse its Thums Up brand in October 2012 replacing another Bollywood star Akshay Kumar. He had earlier endorsed the brand in early 2000s. At that time, Coca-Cola India had also signed an agreement with Being Human -- The Salman Khan Foundation -- to jointly promote, conceive and execute charitable and social activities. PTI RKL MKJ --- ENDS --- During a meeting of the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the Ukrainian delegation to the United Nations has called on the international community to respond to illegal arrest of journalist Roman Sushchenko and assist in his immediate release, own Ukrinform correspondent reports. One of the recent examples of the Russian cynical campaign against independent mass media was the unjustified detention of Ukrainian citizen journalist Roman Sushchenko, who was arrested in Moscow on September 30, 2016 on baseless charges, said speaker of Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN Oleh Nikolenko Roman Sushchenko "is steadfast and independent defender of freedom of speech, known for his publications about illegal actions of Russia against Ukraine." Numerous articles and reports by the Ukrainian journalist are freely available, the diplomat said. "We call on the international community to respond to this unacceptable case of persecution of the Ukrainian journalist in Russia and use all available tools to facilitate his immediate release," the representative of Ukraine said. Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly deals with special political issues. On Tuesday, the committees meeting was dedicated to the issues of media and information. As reported, Ukrainian citizen, own Ukrinform correspondent in France, Roman Sushchenko was detained in Moscow on 30 September 2016, where he arrived on a private visit. iy Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has met with King Harald V of Norway on Tuesday, October 18, the presidents press service reports. In the course of the audience, His Majesty noted historic importance of the first official visit of the Ukrainian President to the Kingdom of Norway. Petro Poroshenko thanked His Majesty for supporting Ukraines territorial integrity and significant practical assistance, reads the report. President Poroshenko noted the attention that His Majesty gave to the situation in Ukraine, which was particularly reflected in a recent throne speech during the opening of this years session of the Norwegian Storting that stated that Russian actions in Ukraine are unequivocal violation of international law. President Poroshenko also noted the importance of support from Norway to the defense sphere reform and modernization of the Armed Forces. iy Ukrainian MPs have approved an appeal by the Verkhovna Rada to member states and institutions of the European Union for the completion of ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. A total of 235 MPs voted in favor of the corresponding resolution, No. 5238, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The Ukrainian parliament called on the government of the Netherlands together with the EU institutions "to make a balanced decision that would equally take into account the interests of people of the Netherlands, Ukraine and the European Union. The Ukrainian lawmakers also appealed to the parliament of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with a request to avoid adopting a decision that will be of a discriminatory character towards Ukraine and will threaten the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. iy The Polish company Farm 51 has developed the world's first virtual tour of Chornobyl and Prypyat Chornobyl VR Project. The initiators plan to open the virtual reality museum in the Chornobyl exclusion zone in November. The press service of the State Agency of Ukraine for Managing the Exclusion Zone said this after the meeting between the head of the agency, Vitaliy Petruk, with the creative team of the project. "The State Agency of Ukraine for Managing the Exclusion Zone has supported the initiative of the Polish Farm 51, which developed the project, the Chornobyl VR Project," the world's first virtual tour of Chornobyl and Prypyat. The initiators plan to open the virtual reality museum in the zone in November," the statement says. The idea of the project is to use 3D-technology so people can take a virtual journey through the facilities that are located in the exclusion zone. In particular, during the familiarization visit those wishing to do so will be able to "visit" the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, abandoned apartment buildings, the amusement park all located in Prypyat, which became a ghost town back in 1986 after the Chornobyl disaster. pd A nursery student, Nandini, died after falling into an open septic tank of Sant Surjan Singh International School in Swaroop Nagar. Nandini's mother and relative after the poor girl's death. Photo: ANI By Arvind Ojha: A four-year-old girl today died after falling into a 20-feet septic tank of a school in Swaroop Nagar, Delhi. Nandini, a nursery student, accidentally fell into an open septic tank at around 2 pm on Tuesday while she was returning home with her mother and younger brother. She was rushed to the Max Hospital, Shalimar Bagh but was declared dead on arrival. advertisement The police said that the 20-feet deep and 50-feet wide open septic tank was of Sant Surjan Singh International School. They have registered a case against unknown persons and are investigating the matter. Nandini was a student of Camp Convent High School in northwest district of Delhi. Also Read: 6-year-old child dies after falling in school's water tank in Delhi --- ENDS --- With more than 3,700 cases of chikungunya and 15 deaths, and another 19 deaths from dengue, political parties are aware that there is credible amount of anger among Delhiites on the issue. And thus can hamper their chances in upcoming civic-polls The Swaraj India attacked AAP ministers and MCD chiefs for going abroad when the city was reeling under an outbreak of vector-borne diseases. By Mail Today Bureau: The bugle for elections to Delhi's three municipal corporations is set to be sounded in December. And the villainous mosquito could prove to be the undoing for both reigning kings - BJP in the civic bodies, and AAP at the state government. With more than 3,700 cases of chikungunya and 15 deaths, and another 19 deaths from dengue, political parties are aware that there is credible amount of anger among Delhiites on the issue. SWARAJ INDIA TO STAND FOR CIVIC POLLS advertisement Swaraj India, the newly launched electoral front for Swaraj Abhiyan, has also declared its intention to contest the polls. Its leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan have already started attacking the AAP over the mosquito menace. Attacking Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his tweet that he cannot even buy a pen after the Delhi HC, Yadav said that at the same time, the CM ordered 600 fogging machines. "If a man cannot buy a pen, how can he buy 600 fogging machines? It's a game where there is minimal attention to governance. It's pure cynicism," Yadav said. Also Read: MCD election: AAP's big dent into Delhi civic body BJP dominated for 10 yrs, Cong is close second VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES IN DELHI Referring to the outbreak of vector-borne diseases in Delhi, Yadav also attacked the BJP and the central government. "All the powers responsible for governance in the city have abdicated it. When the entire media was pointing out that Delhi's ministers were abroad, the North Delhi mayor from BJP was abroad too," Yadav said. "The sheer lethargy of the BJP-led MCD is matched by the political cynicism of AAP," he added. The BJP has dominated the 272-member civic body for nearly a decade now. However, in the May 2016 by-election, it fell short of both the Congress and AAP. While the Congress won four of the 13 seats up for grabs, AAP, making its civic poll debut, won five seats, which was disappointing for it as it was hopeful of replicating its Assembly election success and win all 13. The BJP bagged only three seats. The current BJP-helmed MCD's tenure is set to end in April-May 2017, following which elections will be held. CONGRESS HAS LAUNCHED THE CAMPAIGN The Congress has launched a campaign to connect with voters in preparation of the polls, especially with a focus on 21 Assembly segments where sitting AAP legislators face the threat of disqualification over the office-ofprofit issue. "The campaign process has begun with the appointment of sector in-charges in 12 of the 21 Assembly constituencies where AAP MLAs are likely to face disqualification. The campaign will cover all the 13,000 polling booths," Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken told reporters. In the first phase of the campaign titled 'Meri Delhi-Mere Sapne', feedbacks will be collected from voters through a questionnaire. Their suggestions to improve civic conditions in the city will also be collected. advertisement AAP has also not fallen behind in the race. It held protests this week against the mayors of the three MCDs on the issue of sanitation and vector-borne diseases. Labour Minister Gopal Rai, who participated in the protests against EDMC and NDMC mayors, branded the civic bodies as acronyms for malaria, chikungunya and dengue. AAP spokesperson Richa Pandey said: "Even the CAG has pulled up BJPruled MCDs for their failure... the MCDs have failed to control the spread of diseases in Delhi." --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Recently, a video clip that showed Republican Party nominee Donald Trump blowing his trumpet about how he 'scored' on women, even those who weren't consensual, went viral. While his face cannot be seen, Trump can be heard yapping about how women like to be "grabbed by the pussy". "I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy," Trump can be heard saying. advertisement People had a lot to say about it. When some called him a sexual predator, his wife pitched he was "egged on" to say those things. Trump defended himself by referring to his remark as "locker room talk". And instead of apologising, he said his "locker room" chat is not one of the more "serious problems" in the world. Im not proud of my locker room talk. But this world has serious problems. We need serious leaders. #debate #BigLeagueTruth Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2016 First Lady Michelle Obama had a lot to say: Meanwhile, American author Laura Hillenbrand used her experience of being sexually assaulted to dissect Trump's so-called "locker room talk". Author of best-selling novels such as Seabiscuit and Unbroken, Hillenbrand's Facebook post isn't an opinion piece; she doesn't call Trump names or lash out at Americans who support him. In fact, she doesn't even take his name. In a haunting flow, Hillenbrand only tells her story of the time a man forced himself on her, how he literally grabbed her the way Trump casually ridicules, and how it made her feel. In between, she repeats Trump's remark, like a reminder to the reader. READ HILLENBRAND'S MOVING ACCOUNT HERE: "I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy." "In the winter of my junior year in high school I met a guy in one of my classes. Tall and handsome, he possessed a crackling electricity, a supple self-possession that drew people around him. He shone. We had a couple of brief, charming conversations. One night, on a whim, I flipped through the little blue student phone book, found his number, and asked him to lunch. He turned me down, not rudely, but without hesitation. I was embarrassed, but wasn't emotionally invested, and forgot about it, and him, almost immediately. Several months later, I was in a record store with my best friend, Anna, when we ran into him. When we said we were going to a movie, he said he'd tag along. He was nice enough, but said little to me. I assumed he wanted the arrestingly beautiful Anna, and that was fine with me. But after the movie, when he walked us back to our neighborhood, instead of turning the corner to go with her, he stayed with me. When I went into my house, he followed me in." advertisement If he didn't stop, there would be nothing I could do to save myself "I felt awkward and confused. I hadn't flirted with him, nor he with me, and I was sure of his indifference, even to friendship. We had little to say, so I turned on the TV and we sat down to watch. Then, tumbling. He was against me, his mouth roughly on mine, his hands on my body. My back was against something hard and I realized that in an instant, he'd taken me to the floor and climbed on top of me. He was muscular and about six-foot-two, oppressively heavy on my small body. I could barely breathe or move. I was, for a few seconds, completely passive. Some of it was my surprise, which left me disoriented and unsure of what was happening. Some of it was the authority he carried, in his handsomeness, his shine, his stature, his overawing maleness. The power of him rendered me deferential, untrusting of my instincts, paralyzed. "When you're a star, they let you do it." advertisement He pushed his knee between my legs, and I felt him under my skirt, grasping crudely at my panties. Blind, I threw a hand down to stop him, and my palm met not his hand, but his bare penis, hard, hot, and wet. Startled, I realized that while we'd been watching TV, he'd been unzipping his pants and baring himself next to me. His weight, his breath, his smell, his muscle, the harsh stubble of his mouth, his penis, were overpowering, smothering. I was drowning under him. Seconds after quietly watching TV beside me, he was trying to force himself into me. I twisted beneath him, trying to push his penis away. I said no, no. If he didn't stop, there would be nothing I could do to save myself." I felt sure I'd violated some sacrosanct rule "*No.* He stopped. Abruptly, he got off of me, and I breathed. He stood and angrily zipped his penis into his pants. He grabbed his jacket and stormed from the room. advertisement Lying on the floor, my clothes in disarray, I felt ashamed and guilty. I felt sure I'd violated some sacrosanct rule. I was supposed to please him, let him have what he wanted, wasn't I? Wasn't his anger, the unalloyed purity of his righteousness, proof? I followed him as he swept out the door. I felt distressed, not for me, but for him. I felt compelled to apologize, to explain. It felt more dangerous to have stopped him than to have let him do what he wanted to me. At the end of my front walk, he spun around and moved toward me, his face menacing, contorted with rage. I stopped, frightened. He shouted, the force of it so powerful that his long upper body bent at me. I see that image now and think: He's a bolt of lightning. "What do you WANT?" His voice rose and broke on that last word, spat at me with bitter contempt and incredulity. Blazing in that word was his outrage at his thwarted entitlement, something that belonged to him that I'd stolen. What could a little nothing like me want, other than to be used by him?" He believed unequivocally he had the right to violate my body "I was an outgoing girl, but in no way promiscuous, in no way a girl anyone might have thought was easy. The boys I'd dated had all been sweet and respectful. I'd never so much as flirted with this guy. All I'd done was to ask him to lunch, months before. Yet he believed unequivocally that he had the right to violate my body, without preamble. No smile. No words of endearment. No question. No consent. I wasn't even certain he knew my name. He'd led with his penis. All he saw in me was a body part men like him have a name for. "Grab 'em by the pussy." He believed he was the one wronged. At that moment, I believed it too. I told Anna what had happened and, with her sweetly fierce loyalty, she promised that if she found him, she'd kick his balls with all the strength in her. It was her fury that made me realize I had no place feeling ashamed. It was only then that I realized what this had been. From that night I carried a lasting, deep-set difficulty in trusting that I could be desired for more than my body, but I was surer of what was mine. Months later, when another guy tried to force himself on me, I instantly shoved him almost to the floor, told him off, fled as he chased me, jumped in my car, and, as he opened the door and tried to bull his way in, floored the gas and peeled out onto the street as the guy dropped away and the door swung wildly." It was the vile words aired during this presidential campaign that brought him to [my] mind "I saw the young man from school only once more, passing him on my way back to class from lunch. His gaze slid over me with unaffected indifference. In the years since, I've almost never thought of him. It was only the vile words aired during this presidential campaign that brought him vividly to mind again, as they've brought other such men to the minds of dozens of my friends, my sister, and so many other women. For many of them, the stories are much, much worse, leaving wounds from which these women have never recovered. Wounds of which they still cannot speak. If ever I cross paths with him, and he speaks of having known me, I'll reply that he's mistaken. This is the truth. He knew nothing of me, because he had no interest in knowing me. The only thing I knew of him was his penis as he tried to force it into my sixteen-year-old body." --- ENDS --- In an online fatwa, the Darul Uloom Deoband asks the IAF officer to quit his job if he is not allowed to grow a beard. The Deoband has issued an online fatwa on the query of an Indian Air Force officer. (Photo for representation: Reuters) By India Today Web Desk: The Darul Uloom Deoband, the country's prominent Islamic institution, has issued an online fatwa directing an officer of the Indian Air Force to quit his job if he is not allowed to grow a beard. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi and earlier Manmohan Singh can have one, it is unconstitutional to not allow an IAF officer to keep a beard, a Deoband official said. advertisement The fatwa says that if the officer's financial condition is stable then he should quit his job. WHAT WAS THE OFFICER'S QUERY The fatwa comes on the query of an IAF officer who had approached the institution to help him decide what he should do if he is not allowed to grow his beard: continue shaving it every day or quit the job. ALSO READ: Muslim soldier wants to move SC after being discharged by Army for sporting a beard The officer had written that while joining the armed forces he did not have a beard. Now, after 10 years in service, he wants to grow one. The IAF however, he said, doesn't allow its officers to keep a beard. KEEP ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS The Islamic institution in its fatwa said that if he can support his family financially without the job, then he must quit. However, if can't do that then he must continue with his current job but keep asking for forgiveness from Allah. The fatwa directs him to continue his search for a new job. ALSO READ: Sepoys dismissal over beard upheld by Tribunal PRIME MINISTER HAS A BEARD Chairman of the online division of the Darul Ullom Deoband Mufti Arshad Farooqui said there is no law in the country that bans armed force personnel from keeping a beard. "The Indian constitution too allows people from different faiths to follow their customs," Farooqui said. According to Farooqui, if the officer faces pressure from his seniors to not grow a beard then he must go the court and such senior officers should be sacked. ALSO READ: Why Rustom gets the Navy uniform and pretty much everything wrong In a country, said Farooqui, one of the most important positions is that of a Prime Minister, and even he is not stopped from growing a beard. "Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister for several years and he had a beard. Our current Prime Minister Narendra Modi too has keeps one," he said, adding that it is unconstitutional to not allow and IAF officer keep a beard. ALSO READ: Muslim cop in Kerala moves HC for permission to grow beard ALSO READ: In a landmark declaration, Sikh US Army Captain will be allowed to wear turban while on duty --- ENDS --- advertisement With various film bodies imposing a ban on Pakistan actors after the Uri attack, the Government has said there is no plan to stop people-to-people contact between the two countries. By PTI: With various film bodies imposing a ban on Pakistan actors after the Uri attack, the Government has said people-to-people contact between the two countries would continue and there was no plan to stop it. This was conveyed by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs during discussions on Indo-Pak relations with a specific reference to the surgical strikes across the LoC on September 29. advertisement PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE CONTACT TO CONTINUE "People-to-people contact would continue and there was no plan to stop it," he told the panel. Also read: Raveena Tandon on Pak artists ban: It's a petty topic in comparison to terrorism In the aftermath of the Uri terror attack last month in which 19 Indian jawans were killed, the MNS issued an ultimatum to Pakistani artists to leave India. They also threatened to stop the screening of films featuring artistes from Pakistan. PAK ARTISTES BANNED Subsequently, Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association passed a motion to ban the artistes from the neighbouring country. Also read:Karan Johar breaks silence on ADHM: Won't work with Pak artists hereafter The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India recently decided not to screen the films with Pakistani actors in four states -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa. --- ENDS --- One of Yale's long-held tradition is naming its classrooms after its celebrated alumni and recently it has named another classroom to its first black student. James W.C. Pennington, who escaped from slavery in 1837 entered Yale despite the law that time prohibiting black student to receive education in Connecticut. Although he entered the prestigious university, he was treated unfairly because of his color. He was not allowed to speak during class, use the library, or even earn a degree. In a way, he seemed nonexistent at the campus at that time. After he left Yale, he became an abolitionist and a minister. One of his popular quotes was, "There is one sin that slavery committed against me, which I can never forgive. It robbed me of my education." According to Greg Sterling, the dean of the divinity school, by honoring Pennington, the man whose voice was not permitted to speak a long time ago in the halls of Yale will have his name repeated forever. Sterling was also the strongest advocates in naming the classroom after Pennington, which he announced during the commencement exercises in Yale in 2015. During that time, racial tensions were also getting high-strung as African-American women were reportedly banned from a Halloween party by a fraternity on campus. The dean further explained that the move to name the classroom after Pennington is not just to honor him and acknowledge how African - American students have made an impact in the history of the university but also for students to find some emotional release after a year full of tension. When the decision was announced, students and staff have received the news with vigorous enthusiasm said Sterling. "Part of the reason this decision was made is that Yale is based on tradition and that tradition is largely, but not entirely, white. This is a way for students who haven't been able to lay claim to Yale's history to have a chance to do so," he continued. The latest iOS 10 beta rolls out to developers and that could mean one thing for Pangu jailbreak tool. iOS 10.1 on beta 4 and iOS 10.0.3 update: What it means for Pangu jailbreaking tool? Apple released iOS 10.0.3 for its devices but the updates are apparently minor. The intention was to fix connectivity problem in iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. In fact the update is exclusive for the newest iPhone devices, ArsTechnica has learned. As for the iOS 10 beta 4, there are a lot of bug fixes in the version but it is currently available for developers. The patch should be able to make iOS 10 more stable in the future and within days, the beta 4 version will be released for public, BGR reported. The jailbreak community may have heard words about Pangu giving up on iOS 10 jailbreak but apparently that's not all true. In fact, the team did a great job in pointing out the security vulnerability in iOS 10 a few months ago at MOSEC. With that being said, Pangu may have been working for it for months and the recent updates in Apple iOS could simply mean a step closer to Pangu iOS 10 jailbreak software. iOS 10 jailbreak Pangu status It has been a month since iPhone 7 was launched and Pangu has not come up with any tool to break the restriction in Apple's newest OS version. The Chinese hacking team may be waiting for Apple to release the iOS 10.1 before rolling out a jailbreak for public download. Previously, tech blogger iCrackUriDevice said that Pangu could be waiting for the iOS 10 to get in stable mode before launching a crack. This is to prevent any wasteful jailbreak that may not be working as Apple could roll out a newer version anytime soon. Another report argued that Pangu could have the iOS 10 jailbreak wrapped up until it is ready for release. Will we see any iOS 10 jailbreak tool in Christmas or earlier? Stay tuned for more information! iOS 10 jailbreak Pangu discussed in the video below The university's atmosphere has changed a lot in the last 50 years. Then, going to college meant going out into the big world and taking responsibility for your life as an adult. It was the beginning of independence, discovery and maturity. Today, universities are taking away the freedom as much as they can thinking that these young men and women cannot be trusted to take charge of their own life in campus. Today's university environment is a far cry from the one that Frank Furedi remembers. Mr. Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent wrote in the Times Higher Education (THE) his recollection of how different it was then when we attended college at McGill University back in 1965. He observed that back then, "Universities were far more tolerant of diverse views and opinions than the rest of society." They questioned everything to open up the school to new ideas. Four years later, he did postgraduate work at the Soas, University of London where in the climate was familiar. "The 1960s radicals organised free-speech movements and regarded any form of censorship as unacceptable. They were rule breakers rather than rule creators, and they refused to recognise the right of university administrators to exercise any authority over their behaviour." To Frank Furedi the starking contrast between his generation and this one is the infantilization of the the academe. Today's activists are demanding safe spaces from the sensitive topics and trigger warnings to words some students might find to be offensive or depressing. Back in the day, student activists were fighting for freedom, today some of them are demanding comfort. Instead of allowing college students to live and make decisions as adults, universities are promoting mandatory activities to students and their parents. In Princeton for example, freshmen students are required to use the residential college system. There are already 6 buildings for the system to date, it is planned however to add one more and to expand the coverage of the system to include sophomores. The planned expansion doesn't only mean adding more buildings for student housing, it would also include requiring both freshmen and sophomores to purchase a meal plan as part of their "Princeton experience". Beni Snow, a sophomore in the university wrote at Princetonian, "The University should be in the business of furthering knowledge through research and education. I fail to see how mandating where we live falls into the equation. We're Princeton students, not children. Let us live how we want." Matt Johnson also expressed concern over the effects of treating students like children. It is turning our universities into nurseries, citing that, "While you're digging into the Play-Doh, munching on cookies, blowing bubbles and coloring inside the lines - yes, these were actually the featured attractions at a safe space set up for Brown University students who were afraid of being triggered by a debate about sexual assault in fall 2014 - the conversation is going on without you." A few centuries back, philosopher Immanuel Kant answered the question, "What is Enlightenment?". In the first paragraph he wrote, "Sapere aude." Dare to know. Kant asked the reader to "have the courage to use your own understanding" without another's guidance. This is why students go to college and attend higher education institutions - to be enlightened and to know more so they can grow and not just to be "employable" but to contribute to the common good. Kant emphasized that in order to be enlightened, there must be freedom and that the public must be free to use reason at all times. However, when we dictate how students in the university should live and provide them with an escape when classroom discussions get overwhelming, aren't we preventing their growth? In honor of University of Maine's most famous graduates, the school is creating a Stephen E. King Chair in Literature. But that does not mean the famous author is getting the position. That honor goes to an English professor the school chooses. The University of Maine is now accepting applications from different English professors to fill the position, cites Seattle Times. When an English professor becomes a chair, the appointment will then begin in August next year and will hold the chair position for five years. The chair position is also renewable. This position will have undergraduate education as its central focus. Also, the position is partially endowed by the Harold Alfond Foundation. Why did University of Maine suddenly came up with this kind of position? It is to honor Stephen King himself. Author Stephen King is the University of Maine English Department's celebrated graduate. Stephen King studied at the University of Maine in 1966. He graduated in 1970 with a degree in English as a Bachelor of Arts. During that time, he wrote a column for "The Maine Campus," the school's news paper. His column was titled "Steve King's Garbage Truck." He spent most of his time attending writing workshops and even took odd jobs to pay for his course. As a student, he worked as a janitor, an industrial laundry worker and even a gas pump attendant. After he graduated, he did not became famous right away. He sold short stories to the Cavalier - a men's magazine. He tried to teach in high school but he couldn't find a post right away. Later on, he was able to teach at Hampden Academy. Now, he is a well known American author. And to make sure his works are commemorated, the Fogler Library at the U of Maine holds many of his papers. Some of his written work are now being adapted into movies, such as his novel "It." Celebrity hotelier Vikram Chatwal is under the radar for allegedly trying to set two dogs on fire. He used aerosol can and lighter to set two dogs on fire after getting annoyed with a woman walking her dogs outside his home. By India Today Web Desk: In another case of brutality against dogs, Indian-American hotelier Vikram Chatwal is under the radar for allegedly trying to set two dogs on fire and has been charged with criminal mischief. Vikram, 44, has surrendered before police early this morning. A New York Police Department officer said that he has been charged with criminal mischief, torture and injure animal, reckless endangerment and arson. advertisement According to a report in a local news website patch.com, the charges arise from an incident that occurred on October 7 in which Vikram allegedly got into an argument with a woman who was walking the dogs outside his home. Vikram allegedly pulled out a lighter and aerosol can, and used them to burn the two dogs, the report said. According to a police report, the dogs suffered minor burns in the incident. Chatwal is expected to make a court appearance in the case later today. --- ENDS --- The road to education is still not around for everyone. During First Lady Michelle Obama's live broadcast in Glamour's "A Brighter Future: A Global Conversation on Girls' Education," girls from around the world express their concerns regarding the goal towards giving everyone the right to education. Partnering with Glamour Magazine's Editor in Chief, Cindi Leive, Michelle Obama faces two Liberian girls who were in Washington, DC as part of the "Let Girls Learn." "Let Girls Learn" is a United States Government initiative that is dedicated to giving girls the opportunity to education. Their trip to Washington is a follow up to Michelle's last visit to Liberia and Morocco this June 2016. When the girls attended a luncheon at the Liberian Embassy in Washington, the girls talked about their personal challenges, cites VOA News. The girls explain that some of their friends' education has been affected by the Sande women's secret society. It is a society that focuses on female circumcision or rather female genital mutilation. According to Shalita Jill from the Frank Emmanuel Tolbert high school in Monrovia, the Sande issue is huge in where she comes from. After being mutilated, the girls lose the opportunity to learn for a year. This is a traditional practice that prepares them for marriage. Activists from all over the world are rallying against this practice. Recently, actress Emma Watson challenged Africa to end early childhood marriages. Another hurdle to their path to education is the loss of family. Some girls suffer the loss of parents from the recent Ebola crisis. Jill adds that because they are not financially capable without parental care, they are unable to go to school. According to the U.S. Embassy in Liberia, investing in adolescent girls through education benefits will benefit everybody in the entire community and economy. "When girls remain in school, they are more likely to marry later, have fewer and healthier children, and earn an income that they will invest back into their families and communities," according to a statement from the embassy. The presumed iPhone 8 is said to be shaping up for its rock star launching as Apple celebrates its 10th iPhone Anniversary in 2017. Latest leaks and rumors about iPhone 8 describe how Apple has done its works of magic on the anniversary phone. Check out the latest leak specs and features here. Redesigned Home Button Removing the physical home button is believed to be one of the biggest changes that can be seen in the presumed iPhone8. Though this technology is already available in the newly launched iPhone 7, an enhanced virtual home button is expected for the anniversary phone. The Touch ID sensor is believed to be integrated on the virtual home button. Functionalities Embedded on the Display Apple has reportedly received a patent for embedding light sensors in the display. This technology aims to be applied not only to the light sensors but also the camera and earpiece to be embedded directly on the display without affecting the touch screen functionality, according to BGR. A Touch ID sensor is also expected to be embedded directly to the display, which allows the user to gain access to the phone through the use of fingerprint sensors that will automatically verify the log-in details of a certain user. Bezel-Free Display Bezels are nowhere to be seen in the next-generation handset of Apple. Since the home button, camera, ear-piece and light sensor are targetted to be embedded on the display, iPhone 8 is perceived to be a bezel-free phone. For this reason, the screen display of the iPhone can be extended down past the Home Button. Furthermore, iPhone 8 is rumored to feature a flexible OLED display that will replace the traditional backlighting used in LCDs. According to Mac Rumors, Apple is currently negotiating with Samsung for the production of OLED displays and is perceived to be investing in AU Optronics, an AMOLED suppier. By Ashish Pandey: A teenage girl committed suicide in her hostel room in Hyberabad's Sri Chaitanya College as she didn't want to study being away from home. Sathvika, 16, was an intermediate first year student at the college. She committed suicide in her hostel room yesterday, after setting herself on fire, when other students were in college attending classes. While the police found no suicide note but the investigation revealed that Sathvika had called her mother minutes before taking the extreme step, telling her that she didn't want to stay in hostel. advertisement SET HERSELF ON FIRE Police Inspector K Ramesh said, "At around 2:30pm, the students who came for lunch to the hostel noticed smoke coming out from Sathvika's room. She had set herself on fire. When we reached, we just found her charred body. We shifted her to Gandhi Medical College hospital. We have taken samples from the body and the ash, to investigate it further." Sathvika had joined Sri Chaitany College earlier this year after passing out from Nizamabad's Vishakha Public School. Sucide of the young girl has shattered her parents who reached Hyderabad after hearing the news. A case of suspicious death has been registered by Miyapuri Police. The postmortem report of the deceased is awaited. --- ENDS --- UW Awards Record 2,860 Degrees in 2015-16 Destiny Rudolph, of Cheyenne, receives a hug from a faculty member during the UW College of Education commencement ceremony in May. A record 2,860 degrees were awarded by the university during the 2015-16 academic year. (UW Photo) The University of Wyoming granted a record 2,860 degrees in the past academic year, including an all-time high of 2,159 bachelors degrees. The increases reflect the universitys efforts to improve student retention and completion. We are delighted that more and more students are leaving the University of Wyoming with degrees that lead to high-paying jobs, employment security and rich, fulfilling lives, UW President Laurie Nichols says. As we increase our efforts to enroll more students and help them succeed, we expect the number of graduates to continue rising. The 2,860 degrees granted in the 2015-16 academic year broke the record of 2,810 set in 2011-12 and was up from 2,767 in the 2014-15 academic year. Likewise, the 2,159 bachelors degrees in the past year broke the record of 2,062 in 2011-12 and increased from 2,022 in 2014-15. UW also granted 93 doctoral degrees in 2015-16, second only to 103 in 2013-14. UWs fall enrollment record was set in fall semester 2012, when 13,929 students were enrolled. Since then, UWs freshman retention rate has increased from 73.9 percent to 76.4 percent, and its five-year graduation rate has gone from 60.6 percent to 62.2 percent. Significant efforts have been made to help students succeed at UW, including enhanced tutoring and early interventions for struggling students, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Anne Alexander says. These investments are paying off for our students, and we intend to do even more to lift our retention and completion rates. Those efforts include more program-level articulation agreements with community colleges, assuring that transfer students will have taken the correct courses to graduate on time at UW; enhanced advising; a newly streamlined and simplified general studies program; and four-year curriculum maps for every major. According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, UWs overall graduation rate of 54 percent exceeds the national average of 42 percent, and its freshman retention rate of 76.4 percent tops the national average of 68 percent. In addition, the average annual salary for new UW graduates -- $46,100 -- is significantly above the national average of $33,400 for college graduates. And 55 percent of those receiving UW bachelors degrees graduate with no student loan debt, 23 percent higher than the national average. UW Awards Record 2,860 Degrees in 2015-16 Secia Porreco, of Arvada, Colo., celebrates receiving her degree from the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences during the colleges commencement ceremony in May. A record 2,860 degrees were awarded by the university during the 2015-16 academic year. (UW Photo) The University of Wyoming granted a record 2,860 degrees in the past academic year, including 246 to students from Colorado. The increases reflect the universitys efforts to improve student retention and completion. We are delighted that more and more students are leaving the University of Wyoming with degrees that lead to high-paying jobs, employment security and rich, fulfilling lives, UW President Laurie Nichols says. As we increase our efforts to enroll more students and help them succeed, we expect the number of graduates to continue rising. The 2,860 degrees granted in the 2015-16 academic year broke the record of 2,810 set in 2011-12 and was up from 2,767 in the 2014-15 academic year. Likewise, the 2,159 bachelors degrees in the past year broke the record of 2,062 in 2011-12 and increased from 2,022 in 2014-15. UW also granted 93 doctoral degrees in 2015-16, second only to 103 in 2013-14. UWs fall enrollment record was set in fall semester 2012, when 13,929 students were enrolled. Since then, UWs freshman retention rate has increased from 73.9 percent to 76.4 percent, and its five-year graduation rate has gone from 60.6 percent to 62.2 percent. Significant efforts have been made to help students succeed at UW, including enhanced tutoring and early interventions for struggling students, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Anne Alexander says. These investments are paying off for our students, and we intend to do even more to lift our retention and completion rates. Those efforts include more program-level articulation agreements with community colleges, assuring that transfer students will have taken the correct courses to graduate on time at UW; enhanced advising; a newly streamlined and simplified general studies program; and four-year curriculum maps for every major. According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, UWs overall graduation rate of 54 percent exceeds the national average of 42 percent, and its freshman retention rate of 76.4 percent tops the national average of 68 percent. In addition, the average annual salary for new UW graduates -- $46,100 -- is significantly above the national average of $33,400 for college graduates. And 55 percent of those receiving UW bachelors degrees graduate with no student loan debt, 23 percent higher than the national average. Akula class 2 is believed to be the quickest submarine built by Russia. Armed with cruise missiles and torpedoes, Akula class 2 can strike enemy ships, submarines and also targets on the land. By India Today Web Desk: India is set to sign a $2 billion deal with Russia to acquire a second Akula 2 nuclear-powered attack submarine. According to sources, the deal, which is still unannounced, was signed along with a slew of other defence deals worth more than $5 billion during the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Goa. ALSO READ: All you need to know about INS Arihant, India's first indigenous nuclear submarine advertisement India already operates 1 Akula-class nuclear submarine, INS Chakra, which was leased in 2012 for 10 years. The second nuclear submarine will also be leased for 10 years. Akula 2 is believed to be the quickest submarine built by Russia. Armed with cruise missiles and torpedoes, Akula 2 can strike enemy ships, submarines and also targets on the land. The nuclear submarine is expected to track Chinese nuclear powered attack submarines which are increasingly frequent visitors to the Indian Ocean. ALSO READ: Modi, Putin to sign $1 billion Kamov chopper deal during Goa BRICS summit --- ENDS --- VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Ever since I was a young child I have been fascinated with airplanes and flight. While in kindergarten, I lived in Enid just north of Vance Air Force Base where for hours I would stand in my front yard and watch the T-37s and T-38s fly overhead. I loved the flying so much I even told my mother, "I'm going to fly those airplanes someday." For me it was about the airplanes. However that changed when I met Captain Mickelson, Gen. James Robinson Risner and Colonel Silva. Captain Mickelson was my kindergarten teacher's husband and a T-38 instructor pilot. He was serving in the aftermath of the Vietnam War when opinions of the military were at an all-time low. Yet when I met him he was professional and proud. His appearance and demeanor were perfectly within regulations and he was the personification of "excellence in all we do" as an Air Force officer and pilot. Colonel Silva was my ROTC commander and a Vietnam-era F-4 pilot. Colonel Silva carried a strong sense of duty. Despite his college friends moving to Canada to evade the Vietnam War draft, Colonel Silva chose to put "service before self" so that his friends could have the right to choose not to. General Risner spoke at my church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a year after his release from the Hanoi Hilton, where American prisoners of war were held by North Vietnam. He shared stories of the horrible torture he endured while in captivity yet shared that his faith in God and faith in his fellow Airmen helped him persevere. General Risner displayed great courage and "integrity first" even when his life was in jeopardy so that his men might have hope for rescue and survival. I don't pretend to compare my service with that of patriots like Mickelson, Risner or Silva. However I do understand that any and all service means a great deal to the American citizens we serve. When I hear "thank you for your service from appreciative civilians, I realize that what they are truly saying is Thank you for your integrity to preserve the rights and freedoms of our great country. Thank you for your selfless service to protect her citizens and the ones we love. Thank you for your excellence in doing your job well so you can safely return home to the ones who appreciate you. So why do I serve? I decided to serve because I wanted to honor Captain Mickelson, Colonel Silva, General Risner and Airmen like them. Airmen who have served with integrity, selflessness and excellence before these were Air Force Core Values. I have served to defend what is important to our American ideals and the legacy of liberty. I have served because I love America. I continue to serve because I want to positively shape and mentor the future leaders of our Air Force and of our great nation. Why do you serve? Air Force Core Values Integrity first Service before self Excellence in all we do Japanese Chef Masaharu Morimoto will welcome his first Las Vegas restaurant Friday, October 21 with a celebration. The Iron Chef America star will host Kagami Biraki, a traditional Japanese sake ceremony where the lid of a new sake barrel is broken open (Photo credit: MGM Resorts, International). Photo credit: MGM Resorts, International. The rice wine is then served to guests to bless the venue with harmony and good fortune. Following the cask breaking, Chef Morimoto and MGM Grand executives will cut a ribbon to officially open the resorts newest dining destination. St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital will host its third annual St. Jude Against All Odds celebrity poker tournament at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, inside The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada (Pictured: Daniel Negreanu Bryan Steffy / WireImage / www.BryanSteffyPhoto.com). The evening will include a red carpet welcome, cocktail reception, dinner, both silent and live auctions, as well as competitive play of Texas Holdem. The event raises awareness and funding for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. A committee of amateur and professional poker players organized this tournament led by local business leader Tanya Amid and six-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu. Event sponsors include ChoiceCenter, NFM Lending, Shift4 Corporation, Poker Central and the Anthony Robbins Foundation. Several celebrities and professional athletes are planning to show their support for the mission of St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital by walking the red carpet and participating in the tournament alongside professional poker players. Among them will be Dan Cox, Shannon Elizabeth, Bryan Greenberg, Ryan Gonzalez, Dule Hill, Micah Johnson, Geoff Stults, Kevin Zegers and the list keeps growing. St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital is unlike any other hospital, said event co-chair Daniel Negreanu, six-time WSOP Champion. Every one of us has been affected by cancer in some manner and the poker community is honored to be able to provide support to a great organization like St. Jude. Tournament buy-in is priced at $600 per person and tickets to the exclusive dinner are priced at $200 per person. Poker players will have the chance to win the Grand Prize: a seat in the 2017 WSOP Main Event. The second place finisher will receive a getaway to Fijis Namale Resort & Spa. We are thrilled for the continued support of Daniel and the entire poker community who make this unique and interactive fundraiser possible year-after-year, said Bret Roy of ALSAC/St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Thanks to fundraising and awareness events like this one, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Last night, Ron Wood, world-famous musician and member of The Rolling Stones, enjoyed an unforgettable evening on The Las Vegas Strip at one of the most celebrated shows in town, Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil (Photo credit: Cirque du Soleil). Video: The Rolling Stones Ron Wood at Michael Jackson ONE httpvh://youtu.be/rZthXEjz0ME The legendary guitarist was joined by his friends and family for the 7 p.m. show at Mandalay Bay, where he was spotted in the audience jamming out to some of Jacksons greatest hits. Following the performance, he enjoyed a private meet-and-greet with the cast and happily took photos backstage, noting some of his favorite moments including Billie Jean and Man in the Mirror. By PTI: Swaraj said members of BIMSTEC- Bhutan, Bangladesh, Swaraj said members of BIMSTEC- Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand ? represented the "polar opposite" of a terrorism "promoting polity". "They are focused on improving the quality of life of their people, on skills and employment, on education and health, and on the quality of governance and the deepening of democracy. advertisement "These are nations who are actively promoting connectivity, cooperation and contacts amongst themselves. Their interface with the BRICS has a message in itself. This is that a world changing in a positive direction as reflected by the BRICS has its regional expression in a community like BIMSTEC that is able to visualize a prosperous collective future," Swaraj said On Indias chairmanship of BRICS, Swaraj said "we took the BRICS outside the conference room and endeavoured to instill it in popular thinking." Talking about major initiatives by BRICS, she said the Summit represented a further advancement in terms of the breadth and focus of its discussions, adding the grouping has transformed over the years. "Initially, its deliberations concentrated more on economic and financial issues. But over the years, it has broadened to cover larger global issues, even as it has promoted the creation of BRICS institutions and mechanisms. "Key initiatives like a BRICS Rating Agency that can complement the New Development Bank, or the Railways Research Network and an Agriculture Research Platform that will allow us to leverage our specific strengths for mutual benefit are tangible goals that we believe can take the group forward," she said. Swaraj said a total of 115 events were organised in the nine months of Indias chairmanship of the bloc. PTI MPB DV --- ENDS --- Vietnams digital economy has seen significant growth over the last decade and is expected to be valued at US$57 billion by 2025. The countrys digital... Indian rescue workers trying to help victims of a massive fire at the SUM hospital building in Bhubaneswar, the capital of coastal Odisha state. (AFP Photo) The four from Bhubaneswar city hospital in eastern Odisha state are facing initial charges of "homicide not amounting to murder" and negligence after a fire broke out in the intensive care unit on Monday. "All the four staffers were taken into custody late on Tuesday. They include medical superintendent, an engineer and two others," Bhubaneswar police commissioner Yogesh Khurania told AFP. Khurania said they arrested the staff after receiving a compliant from the Odisha state government, adding more arrests are likely to follow. Three of the four detained staff had been suspended by the hospital for negligence earlier Tuesday. The fire broke out in the dialysis ward of the hospital before quickly spreading to other wards, killing 19 seriously ill patients who were unable to flee the blaze. Another patient died in hospital on Tuesday, police said. About 40 critically ill patients were in the ICU of the private SUM hospital in state capital Bhubaneswar when the fire broke out. In all more than 100 were rescued by firefighters who smashed windows to get them out of the burning building. "Some patients were evacuated by breaking a window on the first floor and then they were lowered to the ground floor. And some of them were evacuated through the adjoining operation theatre which was empty at that time," said Odisha's health secretary Arti Ahuja. "There are about 106 people who are (now) in different private and government hospitals," she told the NDTV news channel. In a separate incident, two people died on Tuesday morning when a high-rise luxury apartment block in the western city of Mumbai caught fire. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear. Such disasters are relatively common in India, partly because of poor safety standards. In 2011 more than 90 patients were killed in the eastern city of Kolkata when a fire raged through a private hospital, trapping many people inside the building. Most died from inhaling toxic gases. Ahuja said the hospital in Odisha had been sealed off and a detailed inquiry would be carried out to establish the cause of the disaster. Local television stations showed images of firefighters wearing masks smashing glass panes to enter the building. Police inspector Sharat Kumar Sahu said more than 100 firefighters had battled the blaze for around five hours until it was brought under control. Most of the critical patients were on ventilators and died in the blaze, he said. The state's chief minister Naveen Patnaik said he had visited the evacuated patients in hospital and ordered an inquiry into what he called a "tragic incident". A government relief fund would bear the cost of their treatment, he said on Twitter. Lucia Real-Martin After the global economic crisis, emerging countries like Vietnam are reconsidering and reinforcing their financial apparatus. To create a healthy competitive environment, what Vietnam needs to do is to enhance auditing standards to meet the international demands. VIR talks with Lucia Real-Martin, director of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) emerging markets-Asia about this matter. What do you think is the role of strengthening the current ability of auditing staff to create an attractive business environment in Vietnam? We believe that audit has a critical role in creating an attractive business environment in Vietnam. With business being globalised, Vietnamese businesses are now not just competing with others in the ASEAN region, but from around the world. which leads to greater interest and expectations. That increased interest will mean businesses will be subject to greater scrutiny. International businesses and potential investors will rely on independent audits of Vietnamese organisations to give them confidence that the organisations they seek to do business with are well run and have an excellent chance of sustaining their success in the future. This is why the audit industry has a crucial role to play in the future success of Vietnam. A strong and stable auditing and accounting environment with qualified accounting professionals will raise the level of professionalism within the corporate and public sectors. This will further strengthen the corporate governance agenda within Vietnam which will benefit both domestic and international investors. Which favourable conditions can ACCA bring to Vietnam to reach this target? We have considerable experience of working in the audit industry around the world, and we are delighted to be able to work closely with the State Audit of Vietnam, the Ministry of Finance as well as the Vietnamese accounting professional bodies to ensure that audit standards and quality are maintained. Through our good working relationship, we share the same objective of developing and improving the quality of accountants and auditors as well as their contribution for the profession. Our globally recognised qualification, which is being achieved by Vietnamese finance professionals, is a clear indication to international organisations that they can expect the highest levels of skill and diligence from Vietnams auditors and accountants. ACCA has been actively promoting the value of audit in Vietnam as well as globally. In recent publications, we explore its value and future, look at what private sector auditors can learn from the public sector, and report on a series of audit roundtables from around the world. What do you think about the harmonisation of auditing standards in the ASEAN and Vietnam as the country is integrating into the world economies, which requires the close conformation of international common practices and standards? We believe that wider economy benefits from global standards in accounting and auditing. Global standards such as the International Financial Reporting Standards and the International Standards on Auditing are designed to deliver comparability and transparency at the global level, which help investors and businesses make more informed decisions. Benefits flow from eliminating the differences between national standards regimes and converging around a common international standard. How will the application of international standards help Vietnam become more attractive to foreign investors? The adoption of international standards by Vietnamese businesses will enable investors, who are equally comfortable investing in a range of global equities as in national blue-chips to be able to compare Vietnamese businesses on a like for like basis with businesses in other countries. The greater transparency that standards bring means that investors will feel their money is at less risk than using accounts drawn up to standards with which they are not immediately familiar. Using international standards, therefore, is likely to make Vietnam an even more attractive prospect for international inward investment. Can you comment about Vietnams auditing and accounting industry? We believe Vietnams auditing standards are of good quality, and we are working closely with our local partners in the government, professional accountancy bodies, universities and employers to support the development of high quality standards. Figures from local accounting and auditing professional bodies show that there is a need for more than 9,000 trained and qualified auditors by 2020 and ACCA is committed to helping young Vietnamese by equipping them with the skills they need to become qualified accountants and auditors. Customers buy fish in Thua Thien Hue Province. The MoIT would support the province to sell seafood in storage. - Photo cand.com.vn The ministry said it would take these steps, after inspecting the quality, as well as hygiene and safety for 490 tonnes of sea fish caught offshore of Thua Thien Hue and stored at four enterprises in the province. Earlier, the enterprises had proposed that the state offices provide support for them in monitoring the seafood inventory, including providing connections between seafood suppliers to domestic and foreign markets, and financial assistance for the province in trade promotion activities related to storage and consumption of seafood. To ensure the safety of the inventory, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has required the provincial Health Department to soon announce the results of the quality, hygiene and safety of seafood inventories. Then, the ministry would connect with distributors, dealers and retailers nationwide to sell safe seafood stored in Thua Thien Hue. For seafood not meeting safe standards, the ministry would require the province to destroy the fish and offer compensation according to existing regulations. In the meantime, the ministry has continued communications regarding demand and supply, to create favourable conditions for the consumption of quality seafood in the central provinces. Co le pagoda Nestled about 100 km to the south of Hanoi, Nam Dinh is easily accessible by train, car, and motorbike thanks to very good roads from Hanoi. The province has nearly 4,000 historical and cultural relics including Phu Day temple, and Co Le, Keo, and Luong pagodas and Ngoi bridge and the Nam Dinh flag pole which carries rich cultural value. Many local relics are closely associated with famous Vietnamese figures including Nguyen Hien, Luong The Vinh, poets Tu Xuong and Nguyen Binh and former Party leader Truong Chinh. There are more than 70 craft villages involved in woodcarving, lacquer, rattan weaving, and ornamental tree plantations. More than 100 traditional festivals take place in the province every year attracting thousands of visitors. The Phu Day temple, Tran temple, Vieng market, and the seal-opening festivals are among the most popular. Do Vu Loi of the National Architecture Institute said Its cultural heritage and religious establishments are advantages for Nam Dinh in developing its tourism. Cultural relics and their significant values date back to the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties. Many studies on the value of this heritage has been carried out. Tapping this heritage could bring major cultural and social benefits to the province. Historical and cultural relics from the Tran dynasty have enabled Nam Dinh to develop a form of spiritual tourism. Festival and craft villages have also been promoted for tourists. Nguyen Cong Khuong, Head of the Tourism Section of the provinces Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism said Nam Dinh is the homeland of the Tran dynasty. 750 years ago, the Dynasty was established and flourished here. Thus, the province has rich cultural resources. There are many traditional festivals that are closely associated with the local relics, many of them are spring and village festivals. The wet rice culture is well reflected in local festivals and the arts such as water puppetry art and the duck catching festival. Craft villages are also one of our tourist attractions. Nam Dinh province has a coastline of 72 km along which many marine tourist sites were set up including Thinh Long tourist site in Hai Hau district and Quat Lam in Giao Thuy district. In particular, the Xuan Thuy National Park with an ecosystem of mangrove forests is a destination for migrant birds. It is the first Ramsar site in Vietnam and Southeast Asia and also a favorite destination for visitors. Nguyen Phuc Hoi, Vice Director of Xuan Thuy National Park said Xuan Thuy National Park is a submerged land located on the estuary. Its typical ecosystem is the submerged ecological system representing northern Vietnams sea and includes mangrove forests, lagoons, and sand banks. The park still retains the ecological system of the Red River mouth region. Local rural villages with their customs and traditions typical of the Red River Delta civilization are ideal for tours. Local specialties such as beef noodle, the wet rice paper spring rolls of Khe village, and Siu Chau peanut candies are among many attractions of Nam Dinh province. By PTI: From Achinta Borah Algiers, Oct 19 (PTI) India is keen to join hands with Algeria to explore the possibilities of setting up a multi-billion dollar fertiliser project, bearing in mind the phosphatic reserve available in this North African country which is estimated to be more than 5 billion tonnes. A preliminary meeting on the issue was held here today between Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh L Mandaviya and Algerian Minister of Industry and Mining Abdessalem Bouchouareb. advertisement The price of fertiliser in India is expected to come down along with the subsidy burden if the talks between the two countries lead to setting up of a joint venture mega fertiliser company here. Mandaviya is accompanying Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is on a two-day visit to Algeria as part of his two-nation trip. Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta said India was looking forward to explore cooperation with Algeria in new areas like in fertiliser, pharma, space, IT etc. Algeria was equally interested in Indian participation in development of phosphate mines and production of fertilisers through joint venture, she said. The estimated phosphate reserve in Algeria is estimated to be more than 5 billion tonnes and possible Indian investment in the sector is expected to be USD 5 to 7 billion. Indian Ambassador to Algeria Satbir Singh said if the preliminary talks result in finalisation of some agreement in future, there has to be a consortium of Indian companies from both government and private sectors which would contribute generation of funds, technology and all necessary requirements for setting up of a mega project in Algeria. "Around 90 to 95 per cent phosphate being used by Indian fertiliser companies is imported and the production cost is also very high. If India can join hands with Algeria by providing funds and technology to set up a fertiliser company by using Algerian phosphate and gas, and the fertiliser is taken to India, the cost would be quite low...the subsidy burden of government for fertiliser, which is Rs 86,000 crore to Rs 90,000 crore per annum, will come down," Singh said. Indian fertiliser industry is producing about 12.28 million tonnes of nitrogen and 4.37 million tonnes of phosphatic nutrient production. India ranks second in the production of nitrogenous fertilisers and third in phosphatic fertilisers. According to a report of Department of Fertilisers, by the year 2016-17, fertiliser demand in the country is projected to increase to about 336.77 lakh tonnes of urea, 124.13 lakh tonnes of DAP, 59.48 lakh tonnes of SSP and 47.93 lakh tonnes of MOP. advertisement Bilateral trade between India and Algeria stood at USD 1.5 billion per annum, majority of which are related to importing oil and oil products to India. India imports automobile, auto components, buffalo meat, garments among other things from the North African country. PTI ACB MKJ --- ENDS --- Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu He welcomed the Japanese business delegation to seek further cooperation and investment in Viet Nam. The PM hailed the development in Viet Nam-Japan relations in all areas, especially after the two elevated their relations to the Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia. He praised the cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the JCCI. Japan is currently the largest Official Development Assistance (ODA) provider for Viet Nam and ranks second among largest investors in Viet Nam with US$42 billion in 3,000 projects. He proposed the JCCI cooperate with the Vietnamese functional agencies to successfully launch the action plan to accelerate prioritized industrial areas in the Viet Nam Industrialization Strategy as well as effectively realize the sixth phase of Viet Nam-Japan Joint Initiative and its next phases. The Government chief also suggested the JCCI support the Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises to invest in Viet Nam in fields of electronics, agricultural machines, agricultural and aquatic product processing, shipbuilding, environment, energy and automobile production. The two sides need to take full advantages of opportunities brought from the achievements in the political relations, commercial polices and new free trade agreements, he asserted. Mr. Yoichi Kobayashicho said that at his meeting with the MPI, the Committee made proposals for improving the investment environment in Viet Nam and requested the Vietnamese functional agencies to tackle difficulties for Japanese enterprises operating in Viet Nam. He expected that in the future, more Japanese businesses will invest in Viet Nam, mentioning to the number of more than 1,600 Japanese enterprises launching their operation in Viet Nam. A red warning poster reading "Dioxin-contominated area. Livestock and poultry raising and fishing are probihited" near Danang airport, a former US airbase in Vietnam. (Photo: Hoang Dinh Nam/AFP) The US sprayed the defoliant over large swathes of southern jungle during the Vietnam War to flush out Viet Cong guerrillas, and Vietnamese victims' groups have long blamed the toxic residue for deformities and disease. Though Washington has disputed the link between dioxin exposure and bad health, the US government has committed to help clean up toxic land. The countries, whose relations have warmed in recent years, on Tuesday began treating 45,000 cubic metres of soil contaminated with dioxin at Danang Airport, a task expected to be finished by mid-2017. "I am encouraged by how this project continues to be a symbol of our honesty about the past, dealing with what remains and turning an issue of contention into one of collaboration," US ambassador Ted Osius said at the scene, according to a statement. The first phase of the clean-up, which also treated 45,000 cubic metres, was completed in May. "The long-term impact of the project will be the elimination of potential health risks associated with dioxin exposure from the site," the US embassy statement said. Osius and Vietnam's Vice Minister of National Defence Nguyen Chi Vinh switched on a thermal treatment system on Tuesday at a ceremony in Danang, where they were photographed before a giant mound of covered earth. The thermal technology heats the contaminated soil to temperatures high enough to break down dioxin into harmless compounds. Danang Airbase was a key site in the defoliant programme, and much of the 80 million litres (21 million gallons) of Agent Orange used during "Operation Ranch Hand" was mixed, stored and loaded onto planes there. The airbase is considered a "dioxin hotspot", where concentrations of toxic contaminants from Agent Orange are well above the globally-accepted maximum standard. Victims groups say rates of cancer, birth deformities and other dioxin-related diseases are higher than the national average around the site. The government says up to three million Vietnamese were exposed to Agent Orange, and at least 150,000 children were born with birth defects as a result. About ten Japanese companies are rumoured to be pouring $2 billion into the Vietnamese real estate market. According to Than Thanh Vu, chairman of Sao Khue Investment and Trade Promotion Corporation, the company has just taken a delegation of Vietnamese real estate companies to Japan to find cooperation opportunities. Many Japanese companies showed interest in luxury hotels, trade centres, office towers, and high-end apartments in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Most notably, Sumitomo plans to erect a $100-million office tower and Toshin to develop a so far unnamed, $200-million project. According to Vu, many Japanese companies are choosing to tap into the real estate market of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi through the means of M&A. Their reasons include the drying up empty land supply and the complicated procedures making it difficult to make direct investments. He added that many Japanese investors have requested his company to advise them on buying luxury apartments and hotel projects in Vietnam. Le Hoang Chau, president of the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association, said that even though the Japanese companies have yet to sign an agreement, the possibility is a good sign. The resources and management capacity of domestic real estate companies are now higher than before and now is a good time for them to call for foreign capital, he said. He also said that Vietnam and Japan have many similarities in culture and geography, and the two countries have become comprehensive strategic partners, making it an opportune time for Vietnamese companies and Japanese investors to rely on each other. Vietnamese companies need capital for big projects, because, according to current regulations, projects with higher-than-20 hectares must keep the owners equity at a minimum of 15 per cent and find professional management partners. Meanwhile, Japanese investors show a growing thirst to make foreign real estate investments. In the initial phase, e-visa will be issued on a trial basis for tourists from major source markets of Vietnams tourism sector, a source from the VNAT told the Daily. However, the Government has not chosen what markets for the trial run, the source said. International arrivals in Vietnam last year totaled over 7.94 million, with most of them coming from China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, the U.S., Russia, Singapore, Thailand and Australia, shows data of VNAT. Among those major markets, Vietnam has offered visa exemptions for tourists from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. VNAT said it will organize two road shows to promote Vietnams tourism in Kaohsiung and Taichung cities in Taiwan between October 18 and 20, as well as attend a bilateral meeting on tourism between Vietnam and Taiwan to discuss measures for boosting tourism development cooperation between the two destinations. File photo by ABACA PRESS Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., speaking at the Democratic National Convention at in Philadelphia in July, lambasted Donald Trumps campaign for president during a rally for Hillary Clinton in Reno, Nev., on Tuesday. Photo by LOS ANGELES TIMES A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that students whose oral health was rated good, fair or poor were about three times more likely to miss school because of dental pain compared with kids with very good or excellent oral health. By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) As Myanmar embarks on a journey of democracy and development, India today assured it of unstinted support as the two traditionally close neighbours agreed to enhance ties in a range of areas including security and trade during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmars top leader Aung Sung Suu Kyi. The two sides signed three agreements to boost cooperation in power, banking and insurance sectors besides deciding to step up ties in areas of oil and gas, agriculture, renewable energy and health care. advertisement It is Suu Kyis first visit to India after her National League for Democracy wrested power from the military junta in a landmark election earlier this year. Suu Kyi, who could not become Myanmars President due to a constitutional provision but has full control over the government, holds the position of State Councillor and Foreign Minister. Welcoming Suu Kyi, the Prime Minister described India as her second home and assured that "India and its friendship will stand with you in full support and solidarity." "You are no stranger to the people of India. The sights, the sounds and vibrancy of Delhi are familiar to you. Welcome back, Excellency, to your second home! "Excellency, you are an iconic leader," he said in a media statement. Suu Kyi had done her graduation from Delhi University. In her comments, the Myanmerese leader invoked Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and said Myanmar drew huge inspiration from the two Indian leaders in its struggle for democracy. The Prime Minister said as close and friendly neighbours, the security interests of India and Myanmar are closely aligned. The two countries agreed that close coordination to ensure security in the areas along border, and sensitivity to each others strategic interests, will help both neighbours, he said. Myanmar, considered one of Indias strategic neighbours, shares a 1,640-km-long border with a number of northeastern states including militancy-hit Nagaland and Manipur. Giving details of the talks, Modi said the two countries agreed to enhance engagement in several areas including agriculture, power, renewable energy and power sector. "Let me assure you, Excellency, that as you lead Myanmar to become a modern, secure, economically prosperous and better connected nation, India and its friendship will stand with you in full support and solidarity," Modi said. Effusive in his praise, Modi said, "Your clear vision, mature leadership, struggle and eventual success in establishing democracy in Myanmar has inspired people across the world. "It is indeed an honour for us to receive you in India. We are also grateful for your participation at the BIMSTEC and the BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach Summit in Goa a couple of days ago." MORE PTI MPB RT --- ENDS --- advertisement remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The U.S. military says one of its service members and an American civilian were killed Wednesday in a shooting near a coalition base in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Another service member and two U.S. civilians sustained injuries and were in stable condition, according to an official announcement. The shooter, wearing an Afghan army uniform, was instantly shot and killed in retaliatory fire by international forces. The victims were conducting duties as part of the larger NATO mission to train, advise, and assist the Afghan security services, said the U.S. military, adding an investigation is being conducted to determine the circumstances of the event. "Any time we lose a member of our team, it is deeply painful" said General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces and the Resolute Support mission. "Our sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and the units of those involved in this incident, he said, vowing such incidents will not deter U.S. and coalition forces mission to help Afghan partners create a better Afghanistan. Other insider attacks Earlier, Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told VOA the foreign military personnel were visiting an Afghan National Army base in Kabul when they came under attack. In May, gunmen wearing Afghan soldier uniforms shot dead two Romanian military officers during a training session in the southern city of Kandahar. Insider attacks involving Afghan and foreign soldiers have become rare in recent years because of joint preventive measures and protocols put in place. However, such attacks within Afghan security forces are common. Late last month 12 Afghan soldiers were killed by two colleagues at a security outpost near the troubled northern city of Kunduz. The shooters later facilitated the advancing Taliban to take control of the facility. The insurgent group often claims shooters are its members who have infiltrated Afghan army and police forces. The Anti-Defamation League in the U.S. said Wednesday that thousands of anti-Semitic hate messages targeted Jewish journalists in the last year after many of them wrote articles that were perceived as even mildly critical of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The group, which monitors ethnic slurs and bigotry against Jews, said that 19,253 anti-Semitic Twitter comments were sent to 800 reporters between August 2015 and July. It covered the period when Trump took command of the Republican presidential nominating contest while besting 16 other candidates to become the party's standard bearer in next month's election against Democrat Hillary Clinton. A Trump campaign spokeswoman, Hope Hicks said in a statement to the New York Times in response to the report that We have no knowledge of this activity and strongly condemn any commentary that is anti-Semitic. The Anti-Defamation League said the anti-Semitic comments came from 1,600 Twitter accounts and that the senders were "disproportionately likely to identify as Donald Trump supporters, conservatives, or part of the alt-right, a loosely connected group of extremists, some of whom are white supremacists." The group said it was not implying that the Trump campaign supported or endorsed the anti-Semitic tweets, "only that certain self-styled supporters sent these ugly messages." The ADL said that 10 journalists, all Jews, bore the brunt of the anti-Semitic attacks, receiving 83 percent of the comments on their Twitter accounts. The list of targeted journalists included conservative columnist Ben Shapiro, Tablet's Yair Rosenberg, Atlantic magazine's Jeffrey Goldberg, The New York Times' Jonathan Weisman and CNN's Jake Tapper. Some non-Jewish journalists were also targeted because they were perceived to be Jewish, the group said. The ADL said the comments were likely "connected to the anti-Semitic tropes related to Jews controlling the media, and the media controlling the government." Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL's chief executive, said, "The spike in hate we've seen online this election cycle is extremely troubling and unlike anything we have seen in modern politics. A half century ago, the [Ku Klux Klan] burned crosses. Today, extremists are burning up Twitter." Police in Europe arrested a total of 314 people from 52 different countries and broke up several international human trafficking rings this week during round-the-clock coordinated raids, Europol announced Wednesday. The massive operation was coordinated from the Europol headquarters in The Hague, where Europol officers and experts from each of the countries gathered to direct the action in real-time. Simultaneously, 16 Europol specialists were deployed on the spot in several countries across the world, Europol said in a statement. From there, they worked hand-in-hand with investigators to provide forensic support, analytical reports and live crosschecks against Europols databases. Europol said the operation disrupted the most dangerous criminal networks currently active, and focused on cases related to illegal immigration, human trafficking, drug trafficking and cybercrime. The trafficking networks based in Nigeria, Asia and Eastern Europe are the most active in Europe, officials said. In one instance, police performing checks on a brothel in Austria also found a cannabis plantation. In another case, police uncovered a fake travel agency in Greece that was facilitating illegal immigration and human trafficking, according to the statement. In total, police identified more than 500 human trafficking victims, intercepted 745 migrants and seized more than two tons of cocaine and 180,000 euros. Ecuador's decision to temporarily cut Julian Assange's internet access is a sign that the WikiLeaks founder could be overstaying his welcome at the country's London embassy or so some in Britain hope. British officials have long expressed frustration at Ecuador's decision four years ago to let Assange take refuge in the embassy to escape arrest on sexual assault charges he faces in Sweden. "I do hope that this is the precursor to them coming to their senses and finally forcing this man to face justice in the way that he should," said Davis Lewin, a political analyst at London's Henry Jackson Society think tank. The Quito government confirmed it cut Assange's internet access Tuesday to prevent him from meddling in the U.S. election, after WikiLeaks published documents and messages hacked from the presidential campaign of former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Matter of principle "The government of Ecuador respects the principle of nonintervention in the affairs of other countries, does not interfere in current elections, nor does it support any candidate in particular," said a statement by the Ecuadoran Foreign Ministry. The emails that WikiLeaks disclosed suggest that Clinton's campaign worked to discredit a woman who accused her husband, former President Bill Clinton, of rape. WikiLeaks accused Clinton's successor at the State Department, John Kerry, of personally petitioning Ecuador to cut Assange's internet access. Officials in Washington have rejected the charge and strenuously denied that Kerry was involved in any way. How Ecuador reached its decision to sever Assange's internet connections is unclear, nor has there been any indication of how long the "temporary" change in his status will remain in effect. However, analysts say it is a sign that Ecuadoran officials do not regard their longtime guest as positively as they did in 2012, when he first arrived at their embassy in London's upscale Knightsbridge district. Honored guest At the time, Ecuador's left-leaning president, Rafael Correa, treated Assange as an honored guest. Correa joined with the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez in lambasting the U.S. and Western policies and presenting Assange as a champion of democracy and free speech. Recently, however, Correa told an interviewer that if he were American, he would vote for Clinton. "I know her personally and I have great appreciation for her," he said. "For the good of the United States and the good of the world, I'd want Hillary to win." WikiLeaks' supporters, including some high-profile figures, are occasionally seen outside the embassy. Canadian-American actress and model Pamela Anderson expressed concern for Assange's health and was seen this week delivering a vegan meal to him. But analysts say Assange's fortunes appear to be changing as the political climate in Latin America and much of the rest of the world shifts. Leftists disillusioned Correa's term is about to end and Venezuela's economic failures have disillusioned many Latin American leftists. In Britain, critics dispute any notion that Assange's practice of leaking confidential or secret documents reflects a true commitment to democratic values. Some, like Davis Lewin, see a troubling double standard in Assange's crusade. "One has to ask: Why is it only anti-American? Why is it only disclosures that hurt Western institutions, Western political leaders?" Lewin asked. "One has to wonder why it is that Assange has never done anything to hurt Russian interests. And I think the answer is, people will have to make up their own minds about that." Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari told the 21 Chibok girls rescued this week that he will redouble efforts to find those still missing two years after their kidnapping. We shall redouble our efforts to bring the rest back home, Buhari said Wednesday. Aside from rescuing them, we are assuming the responsibility for their personal, educational and professional goals and ambitions in life. It is not late for the girls to go back to school and continue the pursuit of their studies. Nearly 300 girls were taken from their school in 2014 in Chibok in northeastern Borno state, where Boko Haram has waged a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million people. Last week, the rebels released 21 girls in the first negotiated release brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government. Boko Haram controlled a large portion of Nigeria at the start of 2015, but Nigerias army, aided by troops from neighboring countries, has recaptured most of that territory. The workers have no formal training, machines and or safety gear as they fill gunpowder into small earthen pots, rocket tubes and paper shells. By Shripal Shaktawat, Sushant Pathak, Jamshed Adil Khan , Nitin Jain: Coated in explosive dust, children and their parents handle a potential disaster in homes and fields near Delhi to produce flurries of colourful stars that illuminate the Diwali skies. They have no formal training, machines and or safety gear as they fill gunpowder into small earthen pots, rocket tubes and paper shells. advertisement That's how a large, unorganized part of the country makes fireworks for Diwali, Dussehra and other celebrations, a chilling investigation by India Today has discovered. About a 45-minute drive from the national capital, every second house in Ghaziabad's Farrukh Nagar has apparently turned into a fireworks factory as demands rise around the festive season, India Today's special investigation team observed. Watch video here: Most of their workforce was found to be of children, adolescents and women. They were seen using explosives to make crackers in a catastrophic, amateurish manner. For them, the louder the product detonates, the better it is -- which means they had no know-how about the use of gunpowder and its limits for consumer fireworks. They applied guess rather than technical expertise. "We'll fill it up this way and press it down. Else, it will explode," explained a worker, his hands smeared black. "So will it explode if it's fully filled?" asked India Today's undercover reporter.. "Yes. And the impact will be harder," the worker replied. NORMS IN INDIA India has exhaustive norms to regulate display, storage and production of explosives. Chemical compositions of fireworks are well defined with permissible limits in the Explosives Rules of 2008. They also enlist extensive do's and don'ts and internationally - practised safety requirements. But enforcement is terribly weak. In a ruling last November, the Delhi High Court compared fireworks with firearms. "It is not as if firecrackers are capable of any less harm than an arm within the meaning of (the) Arms Act," it noted. "Owing to less stringent control on use, firecrackers are available far more easily than an arm and are rampantly used and which has over the years resulted in incidents of fire and injury caused by firecrackers, on the occasion of Diwali, having become a routine affair and multiplying annually." Also read: Boycott of Chinese goods boomerangs, traders won't have a blast this Diwali Chinese goods boycott are hitting Diwali sales of Delhi markets Indian social media's call to boycott our goods hasn't hurt us: Chinese media India Today found that the police looked the other way as they patrolled the Farrukh Nagar fireworks belt of Ghaziabad. Only 60 fireworks operators, according to official sources, are licensed in this neighbourhood. advertisement But as many as 300 units have come up in Farrukh Nagar, many of them heavily overloaded. Several fireworks makers seemed least bothered about licensing conditions. "What's the capacity here, kilo-wise?" India Today's investigative reporter asked a unit owner. "It's mentioned in the license for factories," replied Mustafa Ali, the owner. "So, how many kilos (of explosives) are you entitled to?" asked the reporter further. "The license is at home. It's listed there," answered Ali, casually. Whistling red, yellow and green sparkles that brighten Diwali, also possibly conceal another dark, terrifying reality -- child labour. Picture for representation. Photo: Reuters ILLEGAL MAKESHIFT FACTORIES In the world-famous Taj district of Agra, a three-hour drive from the national capital, India Today's SIT saw young boys and girls producing fireworks in illegal makeshift factories. They were seen fixing the fuse, loading flower pots and filling firewheels on barren, dusty grounds in shacks in Agra's Dhaurra village, away from residential neighbourhoods. Also read: Agra traders call for boycott of Chinese products on Diwali Govt readies to defuse Chinese firecrackers ahead of Diwali celebrations advertisement China to Chandni Chowk: Dangerous and illegal Chinese crackers flooding markets before Diwali Their operatives told India Today's undercover reporters they get customers through word of mouth. Most of their clients, said Dhaurra's fireworks makers, were retailers from the NCR region. Customers pick up the consignments themselves, said Sonu Singh, who ran an illegal factory in the village. "Do you keep getting orders?" asked the undercover reporter. "There was one recently from Faridabad for 10,000 (crackers). They came here to take the delivery," replied Singh. India Today's investigative reporters secretly filmed almost every corner of his largely roofless factory. YOUNG LIVES EXPOSED TO LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS Workers, children and adults alike, were in direct contact with hazardous ingredients and explosives. They had no gloves to cover hands or protective suits. A small fire could spell mutilation, death and disaster. In its report on the fireworks industry from its hub of Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu, the nation's child-rights watchdog NCPCR noted how young lives were exposed to life-threatening situations and disease. According to its findings, around 90 per cent of children employed in fireworks were found to have contracted asthma, eye disease and TB. advertisement Many of them were also found to be victims of psychological, physical and verbal abuse, the NCPCR observed. Picture for representation. Photo: Reuters In an illegal fireworks units of Dhaurra village, exploitation of child and other workforce also appeared acute. They were paid ten paise for making one cracker. A middleman, Praveen, revealed to India Today's investigative team that police were though paid enough to keep the business going. "Many policemen are greedy. They take their share (of bribes) and don't return," Praveen claimed. Around 25-30 people could have died in this village in the past from fireworks accident, he added. --- ENDS --- Images of drones are often associated with surveillance and military attacks. But a California-based technology startup is trying to change that image from one that causes fear to one that inspires hope. Zipline International is using drones to deliver vaccines, medicine and blood to some of the most hard-to-reach populations in Rwanda. The company designs and manufactures small airplanes called Zips. The drones weigh about 12 kilograms and deliver up to 1.5 kilograms of medical products to any location within a 75-kilometer radius, said Keller Rinaudo, chief executive of Zipline International. The startup began making deliveries early this month, reaching out to 21 hospitals and health centers in rural Rwanda. It plans to expand the work. "Over the next few months we are going to be handling about half of all deliveries of blood transfusions for the country," Rinaudo told VOA. The government of Rwanda delivers about 65,000 units of blood a year, and 50 percent of that is going toward preventative measures such as postpartum hemorrhaging, or excessive bleeding following childbirth. Rinaudo said health workers can request blood drops using text messages and the drones deliver them in about 30 minutes. After a request has been made, a Zip will be loaded with the medical product that the doctor ordered, dispatched and sent to a specified location. The drone descends to about 10 meters and drops the medical product into a container called a mailbox, then flies home and is available for another flight. "It can be really difficult to get even 30 or 40 kilometers to reach certain populations, and so Zipline is designed to take a trip that could take hours and, instead, be able to deliver that medical product in a matter of minutes," Rinaudo said. "Each Zip can fly a total of about 150 kilometers. That means we can go 75 kilometers out to drop a package and 75 kilometers back. We do that on a battery." His company chose to launch in Rwanda because it is a country on the cutting edge of innovation in health-care technology. "They are trying to do new things. It is also a country with really challenging terrain, known as the land of a thousand hills," Rinaudo said. First-time challenges Rinaudo admits that doing something for the first time ever is a challenge. In the initial stages, he said they were faced with the challenge of working closely with the civil aviation regulator in Rwanda to implement modern regulatory practices. "Now, Rwanda is actually one of the first countries in the world that has a comprehensive regulatory framework that allows commercial use of drones," Rinaudo said. Rwandan President Paul Kagame said that the country's institutions are working together to make sure proper regulations are in place to enable innovation. "In order for us to gain the full benefit, we need to provide relevant education and training, as well as communicate to our citizens the importance of this new technology, in the simplest ways, so that they are able to understand," he said Oct. 14 during an inauguration of medical delivery drones in Muhanga District. There have also been operational challenges in terms of integrating with the existing health system in making sure they deliver all medical products in a way that is 100 percent safe. "It is always hard, but the impact that we can have on a lot of these patients that we are delivering products to is vast," Rinaudo said. Expansion and partnership plans After launching in Rwanda, Zipline received a request from the White House to deliver blood and medicine to some remote areas of the United States. "What has been so exciting about the work that we are doing in Rwanda is that as soon as the government announced what we do, we started receiving calls from ministries of health not just across Africa, but also in other parts of the world," Rinaudo said. "A month ago, we just signed a partnership with the White House to bring the work that we are doing in Rwanda of delivering medical products instantly to rural communities in the United States." Currently, this San Francisco-based robotics company has a team of 42 people, the majority of whom are aerospace and software engineers focused on designing and improving the system on a daily basis. "One of the most exciting things about launching this kind of radical technology in developing economies is it represents a powerful way for them to leapfrog the absence of infrastructure or other challenges that have prevented many of these countries from growing quickly in the past," Rinaudo said. China's public order to keep away from a rare, environmentally unique ocean sinkhole in the Paracel Islands signals a new effort to tighten its grip on a tract of water disputed with Vietnam and monitored by the United States. The Chinese city of Sansha ordered on its website this month that tourism, fishing and unauthorized research teams avoid the 301-meter-deep (987-foot) Dragon Hole on a Beijing-held islet in the widely contested South China Sea. China is expected to protect the ecologically rare blue hole, the deepest feature of its kind in the world, rather than develop it. China looking to solidify claims to the South China Sea Protection of the hole may deter foreign criticism of Chinas maritime expansion, such as reclamation work. Andrew Yang, secretary general with the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies think tank in Taiwan said the keep-out order also tells other governments China is digging into its maritime claims with more than landfill and coast guard vessels. I dont consider environmental protection is the priority for Chinese concern, he said. However, I think sovereignty is certainly the top issue for Chinese interests. Therefore I think exclusion (of the blue hole) for the Chinese interests is very much related to the sovereignty issue. A spectacular hole The Dragon Hole measures 130 meters wide at the top and 36 meters across at the bottom. A China Central Television video of the hole shows a diver swimming next to vertical underwater cliffs above a seabed of coral and groups of small tropical fish. The government that claims 95 percent of the 3.5 million-square-km (1.4 million-square-mile), resource-laden ocean has come under fire for landfilling as much as 3,200 acres (1,295 hectares) of tiny islets, including in the Paracel archipelago. The blue hole is on the Paracel islet of Yongle. Fabrizio Bozzato, an associate researcher specializing in international affairs at Tamkang University in Taiwan, calls the blue hole protection a showcase opportunity. Theyre being very destructive in other parts of the South China Sea with their piling of sand on atolls and rocks, and the number of fishing reef species in the South China Sea has decreased sharply because of Chinas human activities, so the Chinese need to implement a public diplomacy initiative, he said. Ecological protection The citys order to keep out is meant to help protect the hole and a nearby coral reef ecosystem, Beijings official China Daily newspaper said. Blue holes are named for the water color and researchers are keen to study them. Exclusive environmental protection work locks in Chinas claim to the Paracels, said Yun Sun, senior associate with the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, a U.S.-based think tank. From the Chinese perspective, thats a way to show the other countries and show the world that its really ours, not because we took it by force from the Vietnamese but also because hey were managing it, Sun said. China's historical claims Beijing has built up its claim to the Paracels since 1956 as it expands across the bigger sea to acquire seafood, gas, oil and territorial control. That year, China took Woody Island, the largest of 130 tiny land features in the archipelago. Chinese authorities have allowed tourism in parts of the Paracels, which lie equidistant from China and Vietnam. They have been accused of letting some visitors poach endangered species. Some reports have said China has surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island. The world arbitration court ruled in July against the historical basis China uses to claim most of the ocean. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines claim all or parts of the South China Sea. They fear China is looking for ways to keep asserting control over the sea despite the July verdict. Vietnam especially may worry, as it has lost some of the Paracels to China. In 2014, the two sides also sparred over an oil rig that China put in the disputed waters. The United States values the sea for its shipping lanes and urges China to cooperate more with rival maritime claimants. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton are heading to their third debate late Wednesday in their acrimonious run for the U.S. presidency, the last time millions of Americans will have a chance to see them square off as they trade taunts and policy positions on a wide range of issues. Clinton, the one-time U.S. secretary of state looking to become the country's first female president, will show up on the debate stage in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a growing lead in political polls over Trump, the brash real estate tycoon running for elected office for the first time. It is perhaps his last best chance to cut into her seven-percentage-point advantage less than three weeks before the November 8 election. Both have declared each other as unfit to become the country's 45th president when President Barack Obama leaves office in late January. They traded barbs on their Twitter accounts ahead of their high-stakes face-to-face encounter. "Even if Trump's bullying, bigotry, and misogyny weren't disqualifying, his policies would be," Clinton said. Trump said, "If we let Crooked (Hillary) run the govt, history will remember 2017 as the year America lost its independence. Drain the Swamp." Fox News television anchor Chris Wallace plans to quiz Trump and Clinton about six topics: immigration, social benefit entitlements for Americans and the country's long-term debt, Supreme Court appointments, the economy, foreign policy, and each candidate's fitness to serve as president. Both candidates will get two minutes to answer a question and then to respond to the other, with Wallace asking follow-up questions. Trump and Clinton have sparred on the debate stage two times already, with credible polls showing she won both times. But analysts thought Trump performed better in his second match-up with her 10 days ago and could, with a strong debate performance and pointed attacks on her, give undecided and wavering Clinton supporters new reason to consider casting a ballot for him. Some U.S. states are already holding early voting. Challenges for both candidates Both candidates are facing new questions since the last time they met. Disclosures from Clinton's tenure as the country's top diplomat from 2009 to 2013 and her use of a private, unsecured email server rather than a secured government server continue to raise questions for some voters about her judgment and honesty. Government investigators concluded that she was "extremely careless" in her handling of national security material in her email chains, but that no criminal charges were warranted. She has on numerous occasions conceded she made a mistake in using a private email server based inside her New York home, but has rejected Trump's claims she endangered national security. This week, a new document released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation depicted one of Clinton's State Department aides attempting to get a classified document downgraded to unclassified in an apparent effort to support Clinton's claim that she never knowingly sent or received classified material in her chain of emails. Thousands of emails hacked from the computer of her campaign chief John Podesta and disclosed by WikiLeaks are posing other problems for Clinton. Among the leaks were friendly overtures to Wall Street she made in three 2013 speeches to executives at the investment banking firm of Goldman Sachs for which she was paid $675,000. Trump's declining fortunes in national polls stem from the disclosure two weeks ago of a 2005 tape of him riding on a bus on a Hollywood back lot in which he made lewd comments about women and boasted he could grope them with impunity because of his celebrity status. Trump, once the host of a television reality show, apologized at the second debate for his crude remarks, calling them "locker room talk," and denied that he actually made unwanted advances on women. But within days, at least nine women claimed Trump had made untoward sexual overtures on them over several decades, often kissing and groping them in much the same way he described on the tape. He called the women's accounts fabrications that never happened, but several of the women described his advances contemporaneously to friends and co-workers shortly after they occurred. Trump's wife Melania defended her husband in two television interviews this week and said she had accepted his apology for his taped remarks. Trump and his wife have blamed the U.S. national news media in concert with the Clinton campaign for the continuing controversy over the comments. In recent days, Trump, while presenting no evidence, has claimed that the outcome of the election is "rigged" and that voter fraud will turn the election in Clinton's favor. Obama, at a White House news conference Tuesday, said Trump should "stop whining" and instead make his case to U.S. voters why he should be elected. The streets of the Kinshasa were quiet Wednesday after the opposition called for a general strike. The main opposition coalition in the Democratic Republic of Congo is protesting a deal signed earlier this week between President Joseph Kabila and a smaller opposition platform that would postpone elections by nearly two years and leave Kabila in office in the interim. Kinshasa experienced a so-called "dead city day" for the third time this year. It is similar to a general strike and designed to show the populations discontent with the government. Children are to stay away from school and adults from work. The main opposition coalition, the Rassemblement, called the strike to demand Kabila step down in December at the end of his second and, under the constitution, final term. Near the central market, a young man named Kabia Ndaye says Kinshasa supports the strike because it is for them. It is because the people are unhappy with the leaders of the country. Observing the strike is a sacrifice, Ndaye admits, but a patriotic sacrifice. Kinshasas normally chaotic early morning streets were quiet and nearly empty. Shops were sealed off with steel doors and public buses carried only a few passengers. But many market traders, money changers, and mobile credit vendors were working by midday and some shops opened as well. Big sacrifice Kinshasa is a city of more than 10 million people, the vast majority poor and only a fraction with salaried employment. Taking a day off work could mean a day without food or for the fortunate few with salaries risking punishment. Several state employees said they had been instructed to work during the strike, but would not give more detail. At work crafting baskets, carpenter Herman Ibanda says the strike is a bad idea. He says for the little people in Congo, everyday life means going out and looking for something to eat. He said the countrys politicians should sort out this crisis among themselves so the little people do not suffer. Last month, street demonstrations resulted in dozens of deaths as security forces and protesters clashed. There had been fears similar problems might arise Wednesday. In the Limete neighborhood, an opposition stronghold, police used tear gas to disperse a group of opposition-supporting young men, but calm soon returned, and the strike appears to have remained free of violence in the capital. Kabilas ruling coalition had called on the people of Kinshasa to ignore the strike, warning them a day without work is a day lost for the electoral process. The Croatian parliament approved on Wednesday a new government led by the conservative HDZ party leader Andrej Plenkovic, whose main task will be to boost growth and sort out fragile public finances in one of the weakest European Union economies. The new government was formed by the HDZ and its junior center-right reformist partner Most, or Bridge, after several weeks of negotiations following a Sept. 11 snap election. The government got support of 91 out of 151 parliamentary deputies. "We will be the government that knows how to bring about changes," Plenkovic told the parliamentary deputies while presenting his cabinet. He said that spurring growth and improving the business climate would be his government's priorities. "We will ease conditions for doing business and implement tax reform to make the taxation system simpler and ease burden for citizens and businesses," Plenkovic said. 2017 budget In the past, many investors have largely shunned Croatia due to red tape, high taxes, frequently changing regulations and a slow judiciary. Plenkovic said that the 2017 budget, which is expected in November, will clearly reflect efforts to reduce the fiscal gap and public debt which now stands at around 85 percent of gross domestic product. Tentatively, the government wants to reduce the gap to two percent next year from some 2.5 percent expected this year. Biggest challenges Among the main challenges for the new government will be disputes with Hungary's MOL over decision-making in jointly owned Croatian energy group INA, with public sector trade unions over a wage hike promise, and with local banks over the forced conversion of Swiss franc loans into euros. Disputes over the promise of higher wages, dating back to 2009, and CHF loans, whose conversion cost was entirely imposed on the banks, could potentially inflict costs worth billions of kuna and undermine fiscal consolidation plans. Analysts widely believe that without measures to significantly improve the business climate, the country is unlikely to surpass the 2.5 percent growth figure in the coming years. HDZ won most parliamentary seats in the snap election following a collapse of the previous HDZ-Most government in June, after just five months in power, due to a row over a conflict of interest case involving a former HDZ leader. Analysts believe the new government, led by the new HDZ leader, has a good chance of completing the four-year term. Eduardo Cunha, the former head of Brazil's lower house of Congress who led the impeachment drive against former President Dilma Rousseff, was arrested Wednesday on corruption charges. Cunha, one-time leader of the Evangelical Christian caucus in the House of Deputies, is accused of receiving millions in bribes from the purchase of an oil field in Benin by state-run oil company Petrobras, which led to his arrest Wednesday. In a separate case before a federal court in Rio de Janeiro, Cunha is also charged with taking $5 million in bribes in relation to contracts for two drillships for Petrobras, which is known formally as Petroleo Brasileiro SA. Leonardo Cavalcanti, a spokesman for the federal police, said Cunha was arrested in the capital Brasilia. He was flown Wednesday afternoon to the southern city of Curitiba, where he will stand trial before anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro. Cunha was expelled from the lower house last month in an overwhelming vote by his peers in the chamber. That stripped him of legal protections that effectively give politicians immunity from all courts except the severely backlogged Supreme Court. Judge Moro, by contrast, is known for acting with speed and Cunha's case could be ruled upon before the end of the year. Preventative arrest Brazil's federal prosecutors said in an emailed statement that Moro accepted their request that Cunha be subject to "preventative" arrest. They said there was a risk of Cunha obstructing the investigation and raised "the concrete possibility" he would flee Brazil because of "hidden funds abroad and his dual nationality." That means that the former congressman, who also holds Italian citizenship, can be held for an indefinite period. Cunha has said he is innocent. It was not immediately possible to contact his lawyer, who was with him when he was arrested. Cunha's apprehension is the latest high-profile action in the sprawling investigation into the sprawling graft scheme at Petrobras. Prosecutors say Brazil's biggest construction and engineering firms paid billions in bribes to executives at the oil firm and politicians in return for bloated contracts. To date, nearly 200 executives and former politicians including popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have been charged in the Petrobras probe and 83 have been found guilty. Prosecutors are seeking 38 billion reais ($12 billion) in damages from companies and individuals involved. Lightning rod Cunha is a longtime member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) of current President Michel Temer, who served as Rousseff's vice president and took over in May during the impeachment process against her. Cunha in August became the first sitting politician to be charged in the case. Two sources close to Temer told Reuters that the order at the presidential palace is to remain silent on Cunha's arrest, mainly because of concerns that he may turn state's witness and implicate fellow PMDB politicians, whom Cunha lashed out against for not defending him against the recent criminal charges. Cunha is a lightning rod of ire for those who opposed Rousseff's impeachment, carried out on the grounds that she broke budgetary rules. Rousseff and her supporters say she was the victim of a "coup" carried out as an attempt to halt the Petrobras probe and they pointed to Cunha as the crudest example of that effort. Federal prosecutors in Curitiba, who have led the Petrobras investigation, have said they will not allow any politician to halt their work and fought back vocally against scattered attempts by lawmakers to impede their efforts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, working with Czech police, arrested a Russian citizen in Prague on Wednesday in connection with attempted cyber-attacks against the United States. Last week, the Obama administration formally accused the Russian government of hacking U.S. institutions in an attempt to influence the upcoming presidential election, though police gave no indication the arrested man was connected with the election hacking claims. Without going into further detail, Czech police spokesman David Schon said the aim of the operation was a Russian citizen and that it was carried out successfully. WATCH: Video of hacker arrest A statement posted on the police website said the suspect was detained at a hotel in Prague. Police said he collapsed during the arrest and was given first aid before being transported to a hospital. The statement said a Czech court will decide whether the suspect is extradited to the United States, though no timetable was given. Russia has been accused of trying to aid Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over rival Hillary Clinton after embarrassing emails from the Democratic National Committee released earlier this year led to the resignation of leader Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied any involvement in the hacks. Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump meet in their third and final presidential debate Wednesday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Trump trails Clinton in public opinion polls, and Wednesdays debate may be his final opportunity to change the trajectory of the race with less than three weeks to go until Election Day. The latest Real Clear Politics polling average finds Clinton leading Trump by 6.4 percentage points. Clinton also has an edge in most of the key battleground states, though the latest CNN-ORC surveys in Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio show close races despite Trumps recent political troubles. Trump: Its Rigged! Trump continues to tell supporters they are fighting the Clinton political machine and a biased news media. He told supporters at a rally in Bangor, Maine, that they face an uphill battle until Election Day. It is a rigged system, folks, but we are not going to let it happen, he said. Trump has also lashed out at allegations from several women who have accused him of making improper sexual advances in the past. Trump issued a flat, all-purpose denial on the recent allegations at a rally Friday in Greensboro, North Carolina. These are lies being pushed by the media and the Clinton campaign to try and keep their grip on our country, he said. They are all false. They are totally invented, fiction, all 100 percent and totally and completely fabricated. Clinton: No shortage of surrogates Clinton has been immersed in debate prep in recent days. In her last rallies before the debate, she has often turned the focus to core issues including the economy. Number one, weve got to get the economy working for everyone, not just those at the top, and we can do this! she said during a rally in Seattle, Washington. Clinton is getting plenty of help on the campaign trail from her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as well as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama took issue with Trumps vulgar comments about women on a recently released videotape from Access Hollywood stemming from 2005. This was a powerful individual speaking freely and openly about sexually predatory behavior, she said. Trump losing women voters Trump has slipped in the polls in the wake of that video and the allegations from several women, and the controversy appears to be hurting him with some of the very voters he needs to appeal to in order to broaden his coalition. This is not the behavior that is going to endear him to college-educated white women. That is who he needs, said Tom DeFrank, a veteran political analyst with National Journal. He spoke on VOAs Issues in the News program. Trumps erratic campaign approach in recent days has even befuddled some Republicans, who are looking for a more stable standard-bearer in the final weeks of the campaign to help protect Republican seats in Congress. Democrats are still seen as a long shot to win control of the House of Representatives, but the battle to see which party controls the Senate is very much in question. In the final debate, Trump may have to offer undecided voters some assurances that he can modify his behavior before he can win over their support. So I think he does have a lot more to show voters, said John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center. Not that he is a traditional candidate, not that he is going to look like everyone else, but at least that he is acceptable and gets over a certain bar, so I think that is an issue for him. Clinton expects WikiLeaks attacks Clinton is also likely to be on the defensive in the final debate in the wake of new WikiLeaks revelations about comments she made about Wall Street banks and various campaign concerns expressed by members of her staff during her primary battle with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Most experts think she will remain cool, as she has in the previous two debates. I think that for Hillary, she needs to let Trump be Trump. She needs to continue to be her calm, composed self that she was in the first debate, said American University expert Austin Hart. Longtime Republican strategist John Feehery predicted that Trump and Clinton will have vastly different approaches heading into the final debate. I think Hillary is going to play it safe because I think she believes she has the lead. I think Trump is going to go for broke because he believes that he has got to make up ground and kind of attack her, Feehery said. A handful of states will decide In the final weeks of the campaign, both candidates will focus on a handful of so-called swing states where the election outcome will likely be decided. Trumps path to 270 electoral votes must include victories in Ohio, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina and one or two additional battleground states. A Clinton victory in one or two of those key states could secure her status as the next president. At the moment, Clinton leads in many of the key swing states, though some of the margins are slim. Her campaign is also considering expanding into traditional Republican territory in the final weeks, including Georgia and Arizona where the polls suggest a close race. Clinton was generally considered the winner of the first debate on September 26, while Trump supporters were heartened by his more aggressive approach in the second debate where he made Clinton the focus of numerous attacks. Authorities are trying to detain the embattled former governor of Veracruz state, who is under investigation for alleged corruption and whose whereabouts are unknown, a senior Mexican official said Wednesday. Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong told Radio Formula that officials weren't sure where Javier Duarte was, but thought he was in the country because immigration authorities had no record of him departing. Still, he said federal prosecutors were preparing a request for Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant if he was found to have left. Duarte was last seen in the state capital of Xalapa, Osorio Chong added. "Security agencies are working to locate him," he said. Duarte stepped down as governor October 12, a month and a half before his term was supposed to end. At the time, he said he wanted to confront the corruption allegations, which he has denied. The governing Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, has stripped Duarte of his party rights. Prosecutors have opened at least two investigations targeting the ex-governor for possible illegal enrichment, embezzlement and breach of public duty. The attorney general's office announced Tuesday that two women had been arrested for their likely involvement with illicit funds and organized crime. Authorities said only that they were part of the Veracruz case, but a federal official who was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity said they were "fronts" for Duarte and helped launder money for him. Critics say vast sums of state funds disappeared during the nearly six years Duarte led Veracruz, which has been plagued by rising drug gang violence as the Zetas and Jalisco New Generation cartels battle for control in the Gulf Coast state. At least 16 journalists were killed in Veracruz during Duarte's time in office, and hundreds of people have disappeared. In June, the PRI lost the Veracruz governorship for the first time since the party was founded over eight decades ago. Governor-elect Miguel Angel Yunes accuses Duarte of looting the state government, and he campaigned on promises to hold him accountable. "Javier Duarte departs with his pockets full and leaves a Veracruz on fire," Yunes said. In August, Duarte expressed willingness to cooperate with prosecutors and traveled to Mexico City to make his own corruption allegations against Yunes. Prosecutors are also hunting for former Sonora state Governor Guillermo Padres, of the conservative National Action Party, on suspicion of corruption. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says an agreement was reached Thursday on sending an armed OSCE police mission to separatist eastern Ukraine to help enforce the Minsk peace accords. A deal was reached Wednesday at talks in Berlin that also included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and French President Francois Hollande. Details on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission still need to be worked out, as well as details on a roadmap on implementing the Minsk cease-fire. The primary responsibility of the OSCE police would be to ensure security for local elections in eastern Ukraine, a major condition of the Minsk agreement. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the number of areas where opposing forces are physically separated also need to be expanded to strengthen the cease-fire and prevent a flare-up of hostilities. The talks were Putins first visit to Berlin since the fighting in eastern Ukraine erupted in early 2014 and came a day before the 28 leaders of the European Union meet to discuss relations with Russia, including sanctions over its involvement in Ukraine. The 2015 Minsk agreement mediated by France and Germany has brought on fewer large-scale battles between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. But the fighting has continued and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. The agreement, signed in the Belarusian capital by representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the separatist rebels, calls for Ukraine to decentralize power and adopt laws providing for self-governance in areas of eastern Ukraine currently controlled by the separatists. Ukraine has accused Russia of not doing enough to influence rebels to relinquish control over parts of the Ukrainian-Russian border. Russia, for its part, has accused Ukraine of not adopting the constitutional amendments Moscow says it was obligated to introduce granting autonomy to parts of eastern Ukraine. All sides involved have already agreed to the terms of the peace deal signed in 2015, though it has failed to stop the fighting in the area. By PTI: Islamabad, Oct 18 (PTI) Pakistan today said India wants to use water as a weapon against it by "flagrantly violating" its international treaty obligations. Special Assistant to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Tariq Fatemi also condemned Indias human rights violations in Kashmir; called for international communitys attention towards Indias "belligerent and aggressive designs". "Fatemi also condemned the stated intent of India to use water as a weapon against the people of Pakistan, in flagrant violation of its international treaty obligations. He charged that such an action could only be contemplated by an irresponsible state," Pakistan Foreign Office here said in a statement. advertisement Pakistan had earlier warned the unilateral revocation of the Indus treaty by India will be considered as an act of war. Fatemi, who leading Pakistan?s delegation to the 43rd session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers meeting in Uzbekistan, called upon the international community to reject the Indias claim that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Characterizing Indias claim as "ridiculous", Fatemi said that the Jammu and Kashmir is recognised by the United Nations as an international dispute between two sovereign member-states. He called upon the Muslim community to continue its support for the Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right of self-determination. He "called for fair, independent and transparent inquiry into the grave human rights violations by the Indian security forces in Kashmir". PTI NSA AKJ NSA --- ENDS --- Soon after Iraqi lawyer Khaleel Aldakhi and his wife heard the chilling news that Islamic State militants were enslaving Yazidi women and children in Iraq, they began plotting a rescue mission from their home in the northern city of Dohuk. During a 2014 visit to refugee camps in Iraq's Kurdistan region to get more information about the Yazidi women and girls who had disappeared, Aldakhi met a couple whose 17-year-old daughter was being held captive by the Islamist group. They offered Aldakhi their phone so he could talk to the young woman, who had managed to keep in touch with her family. "She was saying that she wanted to commit suicide," said Aldakhi, 39, who was speaking through an interpreter in New York. "I told her, 'I'm going to help you. ' " Days later, Aldakhi and a quickly assembled network of collaborators had freed the girl, Maha, and smuggled her out of Mosul, where she was being held captive. Two years on, Aldakhi and his wife, Ameena Saeed Hasan, have turned what they thought would be a one-time rescue mission into a full-time underground operation, which they say has saved some 170 girls from Islamic State. Their work has won them an award from U.S.-based activist group Human Rights First, which was to host a gala dinner Wednesday in recognition of their courage. "After we rescued one and two girls ... the families heard we helped girls, so they came to us and gave us the locations of their daughters," said Hasan, 36, a former member of Iraq's parliament who once represented Sinjar district, where the couple used to live. Thousands affected Islamic State killed, captured or enslaved thousands of Yazidis when it overran Sinjar town in northern Iraq in August 2014. The United States, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe have described the group's actions against the Yazidis, a religious sect whose beliefs combine elements of several ancient Middle Eastern religions, as genocide. The United Nations estimates that more than 3,000 Yazidi women and girls are still being held captive, some as sex slaves. As parents of a young daughter, Aldakhi and Hasan said they could not tolerate other families' suffering. "It's affected me most as a woman and as a mother," said Hasan, who carries around a mobile phone whose cover displays a picture of their 7-year-old daughter in a bright red dress. About one in every 100 abducted girls and women is in contact with the couple's secret network of dozens of underground collaborators deep inside IS-occupied territory, Aldakhi estimated. Since their first rescue, they have received thousands of calls from enslaved women and desperate families, the couple said. Planning, safe houses Each rescue operation involves precise planning, accomplices and drivers willing to put their lives on the line, as well as safe houses to hide the girls, who sometimes are in touch using a smuggled cellphone. Logistics for each rescue can cost between $3,000 to $10,000, money that mostly comes from the Iraqi Kurdish authorities, Aldakhi said. The constant life-or-death operations take an emotional toll, said Aldakhi. "It's very difficult to hear someone say they need to be rescued and [you] say you're not able to help, especially when they are women," he said. "At the beginning I couldn't handle it. I couldn't sleep at night." The couple do not rule out an attempt on their lives even though they now live in the relative safety of Dohuk, Iraq. Despite the dangers, Aldakhi said he could not give up the work. "I won't stop this work until this work stops," he said. Food outlets selling hot dogs in Malaysia have been asked to rename their products or risk being refused halal certification. The Malaysian Islamic Development Department, a religious governmental body, said it adopted the ruling because it is confusing for Muslim consumers in that it contains no dog meat. Dogs are deemed unclean in Islam. The U.S. fast food chain Auntie Annes was asked to rename its popular Pretzel Dog. It is more appropriate to use the name Pretzel Sausage,' the Islamic departments halal director Sirajuddin Suhaimee told local media. Malaysian Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz criticized the ruling. Hot dog has always been known to be a Western food, Azis said. It comes from the English language. It is a Western food. Please do not make us seem stupid and backward, he said. Auntie Annes said it will comply with the request. Its halal executive, Farhatul Kamilah, said on her Facebook page that the chain has proposed several new names and is waiting for the Islamic departments approval. Muslim majority Malaysia practices a moderate form of Islam, but conservative attitudes are on the rise. The mutilated bodies of Islamic State group fighters were still strewn on the ground of this northern Iraqi town Wednesday. One was burned. Anothers face was flattened. Iraqi troops on the march toward Mosul moved into al-Hud a day earlier and declared it liberated. The residents, they found, had risen up and killed many of the militants in the town themselves. With the offensive to recapture Mosul in its third day, Iraqi forces advancing from the south and east are fighting to retake the towns and villages that dot the plains and line the Tigris River leading to the city. At times, theyve met fierce resistance, with the militants sending explosives-packed vehicles careening toward the troops positions. This area has been under the control of the militants since the summer of 2014, when IS fighters captured Mosul and much of the north in a lightning advance. Residents see their chance In al-Hud, a Sunni Arab town on the Tigris, residents saw their chance to get rid of them. On Monday, a man paraded through town with an Iraqi flag in a show of defiance, residents told The Associated Press. IS fighters shot and killed him. The news spread among the hundreds of people living in the town, and soon a crowd turned on the militants. One resident, Ahmed Mohammed, said he and others shot a militant who was hiding by an outhouse behind a shop. That didnt work, he said. Then one of our guys came and threw a grenade on him from the top. Gasim Mohammed said his father was killed in the uprising against the militants. He kicked the head of one of the bodies. This one smells like a dog, he said. I hate them. Anyone I catch, Ill drink his blood. Even if its a child. It was not clear how many militants had been in the village or how many were killed. The Associated Press saw at least five bodies. The head of the Iraqi militarys operations command for Nineveh province, where the offensive is taking place, confirmed the residents account. Before we reached the village, they fought them and killed many of them, Maj. Gen. Najim al-Jobori said. On Wednesday, residents were celebrating. Children ran toward an Iraqi military convoy waving peace signs while others threw stones at the bodies of the dead IS fighters. Residents fired celebratory rounds into the air, and cars along the main road still flew white flags of surrender. IS urged to surrender At Qayyarah air base, near al-Hud, a senior Iraqi general called on Islamic State group fighters in Mosul to surrender. Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati told reporters that up to 6,000 IS fighters are in the city. East of Mosul, troops have moved about a kilometer (half-mile) from Hamdaniyah, a historically Christian town also known as Bakhdida, to the east of Mosul, an Iraqi officer from the 9th Division told the AP. Over the past day, IS sent 12 car bombs against the troops, all of which were blown up before reaching their targets, he said, adding that Iraqi troops suffered a small number of casualties from the mortar rounds. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, did not provide specific figures. Thousands flee At least 5,000 people fled the Mosul area to a refugee camp in northeastern Syria in the last 10 days, with another thousand waiting to enter at the border, Save the Children said. Tarik Kadir, head of the groups Mosul response, said conditions there are among the worst weve seen. More than 9,000 people in the camp only have access to dirty, untreated water and have to share 16 latrines, leaving the area polluted by human waste with a looming risk of disease, the group said. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen OBrien told the U.N. Security Council that no large-scale displacement of civilians has been reported since the operation began. But he said the U.N. anticipates some 200,000 people over the coming weeks, with up to 1 million displaced in the course of the operation in a worst-case scenario. Islamic State commanders, including founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, are huddling in bunkers in Mosul, where they are directing the defense against an Iraqi-led offensive to retake the city, Iraqi military intelligence officials say. We have intelligence that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and several of his close commanders live in those underground tunnels, Major General Fadhil al-Barwari, head of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Bureau, told VOA in a telephone interview from the front lines near Mosul. Baghdadi, the Muslim fundamentalist religious teacher who declared the caliphate in Mosul in 2014, is one of the key targets for the invading Kurdish and Iraqi forces. He has much invested in Mosul, from directing IS brutality against residents to dictating its latest defense plans, analysts say. Rumors of Baghdadis death surfaced recently. But allied intelligence officials say they now believe he is still in Mosul. Hoshyar Zebari, a senior Kurdish official and Iraqs former finance minister, told Reuters news agency that based on solid intelligence reports, Baghdadi and IS explosives expert Fawzi Ali Nouimeh remain in the city. "We dont know (if) many (IS) leaders are left in Mosul, Barwari said. We do know, however, that many of their foreign commanders have been moved to border areas between Syria and Iraq. Before the Mosul offensive began on Sunday, intelligence reports said that some IS leaders moved out of the city into rural areas of Iraq and Syria. Top IS leaders prepared for the battle by ordering the digging of defensive trenches, creating tunnels and covering alleyways with sheets to shield fighters from airstrikes, according to intelligence reports. It appears that IS commanders have set out a strategy of carrying out suicide attacks on Iraqi forces from the southern front and Kurdish forces from the eastern front. Once IS fighters have been cornered inside the city, Kurdish and Iraqi commanders say they expect IS to display thousands of civilian human shields and possibly unleash chemical weapons attacks. On the battlefields around Mosul, former Baathist military men from the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein are helping to direct the IS fighters strategy. Ex-Baathists, at odds with the Iraqi government, became aligned with IS as it emerged in 2014. They helped lead IS battles that seized territory in Anbar province and northern Iraq. Saddam-era military leaders found a cause in IS Sunni ideology which opposes the Shiite government leadership in Baghdad. Iraqi leaders know about Mosul better than foreign commanders of the organization and they have experience in fighting the Iraqi military, said Watheq al-Hamishi, director of the Iraqi Group for Strategic Studies, a Baghdad-based group that advises the Iraqi government. The ex-Baathists came into bigger play after IS foreigners were moved out of the city weeks before the offensive began, Hashimi said. They (IS) changed their entire leadership, empowered the former Baathists within its ranks and transferred foreign commanders and their families to other areas under their control, Hashimi said. Former Baathists are keeping a desperate population inside Mosul in check, analysts say. The Iraqi leadership within (IS) that enabled the rise of the would-be caliphate are the (same) commanders largely administering Mosul, said Nicholas A. Heras, a Middle East researcher at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. They are most responsible for building alliances and networks within the local population that facilitated (ISs) rise and rule, he said. But observers point out that ex-Baathists are less brutal than the foreign IS commanders, who have unleashed waves of violence inside Mosul. Many of (ISs) foreign commanders are far more reviled than the local Iraqi (IS) commander, Heras said. The foreign commanders will be the first leaders of IS that will be singled out for attack by local residents of Mosul and the surrounding area. Cynthia Salcido may make a living cleaning casino restrooms and picking up broken glass, but she and the members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 make up the backbone of the casino industry in Las Vegas, Nevada. The union is training its members to encourage people to vote. They also have plans to make sure their voices are heard when all eyes are on Las Vegas for the last presidential debate. Its a hard election but Im pretty excited with Hillary [Clinton]. Hopefully if she wins we will have our first female president, said Salcido, who has two daughters, one of them named Hillary. She said it is sometimes hard, as a single mom, to make ends meet, but it could be worse. More tourists are coming back since the 2008 recession, when Las Vegas was hit hard, said University of Nevada, Las Vegas, public policy professor Robert Lang. It was over reliant on tourism and when the fun ended on the last decade and people stopped spending freely on consumerism then the crash happened. And it happened deeper here. There was a big loss, especially in construction employment, that never really recovered, Lang said. The tourism sector has been booming again.. conventions are back. Were going to build a large stadium. Weve got an expansion of the convention center due. So theres a kind of optimism about how things are going with the economy in the larger sense. Small businesses, housing market The Fashion Show mall on the Vegas Strip has thriving small businesses, such as Flip Flop Workshop. In less than a year, the build-your-own flip flop store has grown to include two locations in Las Vegas, and its looking to hire more employees. We have approximately 20 employees total but were growing, said Regional Manager Shaunna Fisk. Weve seen definitely in this mall especially weve seen new businesses that are coming from all over the world and the United States. Nevadas housing market is also bouncing back from the recession. Scott Beaudry with the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors remembered how homeowners suffered during the recession. They went from selling gobs and gobs of new homes, resale home to virtually, a sharp 75 percent decrease in sales. Beaudry said people are starting to buy again. Now we actually see those boomerang buyers who actually lost their homes able to come back, actually get approved for a mortgage and get that American Dream right back which is home ownership. Marsala Hottot is now looking for a new house. She said the economy is a big issue for her when choosing a presidential candidate. I don't really like either one of them but ideally I want the one that's going to make and put emphasis on making this country and economy stable, said Hottot. Recession The economy is also one of the main issues that drives Luis Espinosas choice for president. I think Trump is the better choice. Personally I think the greedier, the more money the business owner wants, common sense tells me hes going to have to open up more businesses. When he opens up more businesses hes going to employ more people, said Espinosa. Espinosa is not alone in supporting Trump. Lang said some people support Trump because of the painful recession. There is a share of voters who were stung by that who feel still the residual anger of that loss, and theres also a large number of white working class in the state, that is whites who do not hold college degrees, high school degrees and Trump has pretty good in with those voters, thats been one of his key bases, Lang said. Lang said about 10 percent of voters in the state are still undecided or are voting for a third party candidate. He says with a strong union effort to get Democrats to the polls, more people in the state, may be voting for Clinton on election day. But no one is making a real prediction, because Lang said, this election has been so unpredictable. Snap. Snap. The lanyard hooks grab onto the thick nylon straps that wrap around two trees. Seth Burt is ready to settle into his hammock to study. The Ohio State University (OSU) senior is a registered independent. He voted for the Republican presidential candidate four years ago and supported Republican Donald Trump early into this year's race. But he says his strong Christian background doesn't mesh with either candidate. "I don't like Trump's women issues or his foreign policy, and I don't think (Hillary) Clinton's policies are good either." So this year, he will sit out the election and hope Washington gets the message that it needs "to become more current and start trying to reach us." OSU Freshman Lyka Delafuente, who was born and raised in the Phillipines, says she was excited that she finally reached the age to vote, but "now, I don't really want to vote for either one," she says. Delafuente plans to vote anyway and finds herself convincing her friends to vote, even if they don't like the choices. Millennials vote "against" It's that lack of enthusiasm that has resulted in a USA Today poll that shows millennials who are voting aren't necessarily supporting a candidate, as much as voting against the other candidate. The poll shows that 36% of millennials are supporting former secretary of state Clinton to keep businessman Trump out of the White House. And that 36% of millennials are supporting Trump to keep Clinton out of the White House. But overall, millennials overwhelmingly support Democrat Hillary Clinton 68% to 20%. Herb Asher is an Ohio State University professor who has written books called "Presidential Elections and American Politics" and "Comparative Voting Behavior." He says that because a higher number of millennials support Clinton, she stands to lose more. "If they don't vote," he predicts, "she gets hurt by that more than Trump does." Millennials could swing Ohio... if they tried Millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. In the last presidential election, Barack Obama won 62% of the millennial vote in Ohio. A Tufts University survey shows he would not have won the battleground state, had his competitor split the youth vote with him. College junior Andrew Langen says no matter who is elected, he expects millennials to spark a change. He predicts "more interest in third parties and the decline of the two party system." With three weeks left until voting day, the number of undecided voters young and old is three times higher than at this point in the last election. Polls show it as high as 15 percent. In contrast, only 5 percent of the electorate was undecided at this stage in 2012. Cleveland.com's data expert Richard Exner says the candidates need to reach the undecideds. "The no vote and the undecided are probably going to decide the election," Exner says. Traditional Republicans now undecided Not just college students, but many older voters are also undecided. Visiting the "Rock, Power and Politics" exhibit at Clevelands Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Steven Salinger is a registered Republican who will vote for Libertarian Gary Johnson. He says the electorate is tired of lifetime politicials who build generations of family politicians. He says Donald Trump voters don't necessarily support the Republican candidate "It's an anti vote, against the establishment." Deb Glisson has voted Republican her whole life, but is now undecided. Her son is stationed on a U.S. navy submarine. Glisson says she just doesn't feel good about the campaign. "There's just so much bashing to get to be president," she says. "I don't feel like they are leaders for me." Iraqi and Kurdish forces moving on Mosul are bracing for heavier resistance as they advance toward the Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq. Yet even as confidence in the operation grows, there are fears the most treacherous terrain may lie outside the city itself. Far from pits filled with oil, an assortment of bombs and other of IEDs (improvised explosive devices), or even cadres of IS fighters willing to battle to the death, the greatest danger may be a desire for vengeance and competing sectarian claims to cities and towns on Mosul's periphery. Even without actual violence, it could be enough to destroy the agreements and alliances currently holding Iraq's various anti-Islamic State forces together. "There are flashpoints everywhere," said Michael Pregent, a former intelligence officer now with the Hudson Institute. "You win a battle, and you say you won the war," he warned from Iraq, characterizing much of the initial success as nothing more than "temporary victories." Pregent and others caution that many of the towns taken in the early stages of the Mosul operation, to the south and east of the city, have been depopulated. And even before the populations left, many of them were predominantly Sunni. As a result, many of Iraq's Shia militias, known as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMFs) have so far held back. But to the west, all that changes. Tal Afar "There is Tal Afar," warned Amnesty International's Donatella Rovera. "Tal Afar is a very different game." Tal Afar fell to Islamic State during the terror group's surge across Iraq's Ninewa Province in June 2014. Many of the city's 150,000 to 200,000 ethnic Turkmen residents fled, including a vast majority of Shia, fearful of the wrath of IS and the hardline Sunni Turkmen who stayed. Now, some of the Shia militias have their sights set on taking the city from IS and the group's Sunni sympathizers. "The Shia Turkmen militias and others, that's their territory as far as they're concerned," Rovera said. Drawing lines Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and other top Iraqi officials have repeatedly given assurances that the PMF will not cross into Mosul itself. But outside of Mosul the lines are blurry, with both Iraqi and U.S. military officials admitting the PMF will play a role. "As far as what the Shia PMF's role is, that's up to government of Iraq," U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, commander of the land component for Operation Inherent Resolve, told Pentagon reporters during a video briefing Wednesday from Baghdad. When pressed on whether that could include a PMF role in Tal Afar specifically, Volesky demurred. "I'm not going to comment on Tal Afar because today we are focused on Mosul, he said. In contrast, PMF leaders have not been shy about sharing their intentions. "Our sector of operations is the western axis of operations, part of which will certainly be in the direction of Tal Afar," PMF operational commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis said during a news conference Tuesday in An Najaf, Iraq. "The operations are proceeding." Shia reality Analysts like Patrick Martin at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War have no doubt Shia PMF leaders will make good on their word to move on Tal Afar, and that the impact could be far-reaching. "The Popular Mobilization has listed it very prominently as one of the targets for their operations," Martin said. "That has a large potential for sectarian violence." There are also fears that there may be little the Iraqi government, or anyone else, can do to rein in the PMF. Many of its members take orders from neighboring Iran and have been accused by humanitarian groups of committing war crimes on Sunni civilians elsewhere. One U.S. official speaking to VOA on condition of anonymity prior to the start of the Mosul operation conceded the prominent role of the Iranian-backed Shia militias "is a reality" of how Iraq works. "The Shia militias are still leading the way, particularly the Iranian-led organizations," said Phillip Smyth, a University of Maryland researcher who specializes in Shia militia activity. "I worry about the aftereffects of that and who's really going to be running Iraq," he said. In South Korea this week, a controversy has erupted over a nearly decade old U.N. North Korea human rights vote that could frame the 2017 presidential election as a clear choice between relying on punitive measures only to pressure the Kim Jong Un government to end its nuclear program, or renewing engagement efforts. A recently published memoir by former Foreign Minister Song Min-soon alleged that in 2007 South Korea voted to abstain from a United Nation resolution to condemn North Korean human rights violations after consulting with Pyongyang. One of the officials allegedly involved in the decision making process to consult with North Korea was Moon Jae-in, who is a prospective 2017 presidential candidate and former chairman of the opposition Minjoo party of Korea. In 2007, Moon was chief of staff to President Roh Moo-hyun. In 2012 he ran for president in a three-way race, but lost to President Park Geun-hye. Opposition under attack The controversy has sparked a harsh debate in the National Assembly in Seoul, with the Minjoo Party denying there was any communication with North Korea prior to the U.N. vote. Minjoo Party Spokesman Yoon Gwan-seok claims President Parks ruling Saenuri Party is taking the incident out of time and context to attempt to smear Moon and the opposition as soft when it comes to dealing with the repressive North Korean state. They are using all intimidating words such as 'collusion', 'approval' and 'pro-North,' said Yoon. Moon has said the decision to abstain from the human rights vote was made by the Roh administration at a time when engagement polices, that emphasized increasing economic aid and exchanges, were fostering increased inter-Korean cooperation. If you go back to 2007, North and South Korea had a second Korean summit. North (and) South Korean prime ministers had agreed on 45 items for mutual cooperation. The situation in 2007 was quite different from now, said North Korea analyst Moon Chung-in, who was an adviser to the late President Roh and holds the title of distinguished professor emeritus at Yonsei University in Seoul. Ruling party on offense But the former Minjoo party chairman has been vague about his role in the 2007 incident. The Saenuri Party has gone on the offensive and is forming a task force to investigate if there was a conspiracy to consult with Pyongyang in advance of the vote, and what was the extent of Moons involvement. Moon Jae-in is ridiculing South Koreans by saying 'I do not remember' while he did not answer whether he agreed or opposed the North Korean human rights resolution, said Saenuri Party Spokesman Kim Sung-won. Larger debate Prior to the 2012 presidential election, the Saenuri party accused Moons Minjoo Party of giving up South Korean sovereignty over the Northern Limit Line maritime border during a 2007 inter-Korean summit. Later summit documents were declassified and it was revealed that both sides agreed to create a jointly enforced fishing and peace zone. But the charge helped Park win by depicting her as a strong leader and Moon and his party as too easily manipulated by the Kim leadership in the North. However during the legislative elections earlier this year, attempts made to depict the opposition as weak in the face of the increasingly aggressive and nuclear North were not so effective. The opposition parties this year gained the majority in the National Assembly with many voters expressing concern over the Park administrations hardline North Korea polices. I would argue that kind of so-called pro-North Korea coloring campaign has kind of become subject to the law of diminishing returns, said Professor Moon. Parks critics say her exclusive reliance on punitive sanctions and strong military deterrence has not made the country safer nor have they restrained the North. Kim Jong Uns threatening rhetoric and his militarys continued nuclear and missile tests make it unlikely any South Korean party will endorse a return to unqualified engagement with the North. But Professor Moon says whoever ends up as the opposition party candidate will likely offer an alternative to the status quo that will combine some hardline policies with dialogue and negotiation efforts. The Palestinians are pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution threatening "consequences" if Israel continues building Jewish settlements in lands the Palestinians want for a future state. Palestinan Ambassador Riyad Mansour on Wednesday accused Israel of continuing to break international law. "The global calls for cessation of Israeli settlement activity and crimes against the Palestinian people must be backed with serious practical measures to compel Israeli compliance with the law," he told the council. Mansour said an end to Israeli settlement activity and a withdrawal from Palestinian territories were "imperative for realizing a just, lasting, comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli peace." Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon did not talk about settlements in his remarks to the council, but denounced what he said would be a one-sided resolution against Israel. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed all of Jerusalem, contending it had the right to build in those areas to help ensure its security. Views of Russia are playing a surprising role in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. The U.S. government has formally accused Moscow of conducting cyberattacks to influence the elections in favor of Republican nominee Donald Trump. Russian President Vladimir Putin denies any meddling. But that is just one issue involving Russia where Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton disagree. In the last two years, Russia has adopted a more assertive foreign policy: first with its takeover of Crimea and support of Ukrainian separatist rebels. Second, with its intervention in Syria on behalf of the Bashar al-Assad regime. Moscow's actions have been a frequent topic of this years presidential debates and rallies. Democrat Hillary Clinton has taken a tough stance. "I want to emphasize that what is at stake here is the ambitions and the aggressiveness of Russia. Russia has decided that its all in in Syria, and theyve also decided who they want to see become president of the United States, and its not me, said Clinton. The antipathy appears to be mutual, said analyst Thomas Wright of the Brookings Institution. Putin blames Secretary Clinton for the protests against his return to power in 2012. He thinks the United States, and particularly the State Department, was behind those, said Wright. For his part, Donald Trump has sought to downplay his earlier positive comments about Putin. "I don't love [Putin], I don't hate [him]. We'll see how it works. We'll see. Maybe well have a good relationship. Maybe well have a horrible relationship. Maybe well have a relationship right in the middle," said Trump. Trumps position on Russia differs dramatically from nearly all mainstream Republican and Democratic foreign policy leaders, according to terrorism expert Malcolm Nance. "He believes that Russia's positions - the obsolescence of NATO, the destruction of the European Union, leaving Russia to have full rein in Eastern Europe, as it sees fit and allowing Russia to do what it wants with Syria are almost a checklist of Vladimir Putin's requirements, said Nance. But where Clinton and others see Russia's aggressiveness, Trump sees an opportunity. "I think it would be great if we got along with Russia because we could fight ISIS together, as an example. But I dont know Putin," said Trump. To the Clinton campaign, the hacking of her campaign e-mails is evidence that Russian President Putin would like to see Trump become the next U.S. president. The Trump campaign says voters should pay more attention to the potentially damaging content of the Democratic Party e-mails, instead of who is behind the hacking. Soldiers of Chushul Garrision from India and of Moldo Garrision from China participated in the exercise. By India Today Web Desk: As part of the ongoing initiative to enhance interaction and cooperation between India and China, under the provisions of Border Defense Cooperation Agreement, 2013, the Indian and Chinese armies today held the second joint exercise "Sino-India Cooperation 2016". This was a sequel to the first exercise held on February 6, 2016. Soldiers of Chushul Garrision from India and of Moldo Garrision from China, participated in the exercise. advertisement During the day long exercise on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) a simulated situation of earthquake striking an Indian Border village was painted, thereafter joint teams carried out rescue operations, evacuation and rendering medical assistance. The Indian Team for the exercise was led by Brigadier RS Raman and that of the Chinese was led by Sr Col Fan Jun. The exercise was a great success and has not only refined the drills to provide succor to the border population in case of natural calamity but has also increased the level of trust and cooperation between the two border guarding forces along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. The joint exercise, compliments the hand in hand series of the India-China joint exercises and the effort of both the nations to enhance cooperation and maintain peace and tranquility along the border areas of India and China. --- ENDS --- A police van repeatedly rammed protesters engaged in an anti-U.S. rally outside the U.S. Embassy in the Philippine capital, Manila, leaving several people injured. About 1,000 protesters gathered Wednesday in front of the embassy to call for an end to the U.S. military presence in the Philippines. Police fired tear gas and used water cannon to disperse the crowd. Demonstrators hospitalized Video showed protesters surrounding a police van and hitting it with wooden batons before the driver started repeatedly ramming them with the vehicle. One protest leader, Renato Reyes, said at least three of the protesters were hospitalized. At least 23 protesters were arrested during the rally, after they threw red paint on a group of police officers. The protesters support President Rodrigo Duterte's call for a foreign policy that does not depend on the United States, a longtime ally. Duterte shifting away from US In recent weeks, Duterte has increased calls for a foreign policy that does not involve cooperation with the United States and has attacked President Barack Obama personally, calling him a son of a whore. The activists, who came from the a large left-wing umbrella group called Byan (Nation), have protested in front of the American embassy for decades, most of which were peaceful. China visit During the protests, Duterte was on a state visit to China where he is trying to improve strained relations and expand bilateral trade and investment opportunities to improve his country's deteriorating infrastructure. Amid an uneasy relationship between the Philippines and the United States, Duterte has made overtures to China and Russia, creating more uncertainty to his country's long alliance with with the U.S. The protesters, however, are opposed to Duterte's outreach to China. In a statement, they said, "The Philippines will not be dictated on, whether by the U.S. or China." The violent protests occurred as Duterte is under international scrutiny for allegedly ordering the killings of thousands of suspected drug dealers and users in his war against illegal drugs. Scientists using new technology have announced some intriguing new discoveries while peering deep inside the great pyramids of Giza. The results come from the Scan Pyramids group, a collaboration between the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and a host of international tech companies and universities. The team has been using high-tech muography, thermal imaging and 3-D scanning techniques to fully map the interior of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The team is also working on the nearby pyramid of Khafre, and two others, the Bent pyramid and the Red pyramid. But the results on Khufu are the ones that are grabbing headlines. What is Khufu again? Khufu is generally known as the Great Pyramid of Giza. It's the oldest and largest of the three pyramids on the Giza plateau. Scientists believe it took about two decades to build and was finished around 2560 B.C., serving as the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu. It stands 146 meters high and was the largest man-made structure in the world until the 1300s, when the Lincoln Cathedral was built in London. It was first explored in 820 by a caliph named Abdullah Al Mamun, who tunneled into the pyramid until he eventually hit one of the hidden inner passageways. Since then, archaeologists have been combing the pyramid, trying to discover its secrets. But the Scan Pyramids team is adding an exciting new chapter in the continuing work to fully explore this last standing wonder of the ancient world. The team used a mapping technique called muography to visualize the interior of the pyramid. Muons are charged particles similar to electrons, and scientists say they are "highly penetrative." Think of them as X-rays on steroids. They are also everywhere, and millions of them pass through our bodies every day. VOA spoke with Mehdi Tayoubi, who heads the Heritage, Innovation and Preservation Institute, one of the main partners in the Scan Pyramids group. Muography is a fairly common scientific technique that Tayoubi says has been used to "look behind walls at Fukushima or to monitor magma chambers for volcanos, for example." The team has adapted the process to work inside the pyramids. Muons are absorbed by stone, so the team laid muon-sensitive plates, which look like giant X-ray plates, in the interior of the pyramid and then exposed them to the muons zipping through the pyramid. The muons that hit the plates, rather than the stones, create images. Those images suggested empty spaces or "voids" inside the pyramid. "The more dense the stones," Tayoubi says, " ... the more the muons are absorbed. That means if in certain angles we have more muons, we are able to identify voids." That's where some of the headlines you've been seeing about the discovery of new chambers inside the pyramid come from. But Tayoubi was quick to point out that voids don't mean new chambers, or new corridors. "When we 'see' a void," he says, "the question is not, 'Is there or not?' The questions are what exact size, what purpose, what exact shape, et cetera." All Tayoubi can say is that they can "confirm the presence of two previously unknown cavities." The team knows the most about the void on the northeast edge of the pyramid. "We can estimate that this void ... has a surface of about 9 meters squared, squared," Tayoubi says. The other void on the north face, the team knows little about. But about those headlines, Tayoubi says, "We are not talking about hidden chambers." What? No hidden chambers? Now the real work starts. This is a giant pyramid of solid stone, and even with the muography, Tayoubi says, "We can't look very deeply." And while he does say one of the voids seems to have a corridor shape, that "doesn't mean that it is a corridor." So what's next for the team? It's waiting for more results on muography that was done in the Queen's Chamber, which sits below the King's Chamber, where the sarcophagus, presumably of Khufu, was interred thousands of years ago. What is clear is that the pyramid may indeed have some mysteries to divulge, and the research, while far from being definitive, is noteworthy. The team is also using thermal scanners, and drones equipped with 3-D mapping technology, to scan not only the interior of the pyramids, but the entire Giza complex. Even if the team doesn't discover any new chambers or corridors, the result will be an incredible addition to the decades of research on the pyramids, and the entire pyramidal complex on the Giza plateau. Quebec is moving ahead with a law to ban face coverings in the public sector in a move criticized as marginalizing Muslim women and potentially inflaming anti-immigrant tensions in the mainly French-speaking Canadian province. The proposed law prohibits anyone giving or receiving government services, such as a provincial government-issued health card, from wearing face-covering garments. As an example, it would prevent a woman from donning the face-concealing burqa while trying to get a Quebec drivers license, and prohibit a civil servant from covering her face. The Quebec government is holding hearings before a vote on the legislation, which is likely to pass because of the centrist Liberal partys majority in the legislature. Quebec says the law is aimed at ensuring the religious neutrality of the state. Critics say a law is not required and only affects a small number of Muslim women who wear burqas or niqabs. Its an unnecessary exercise, said Amira Elghawaby, a spokeswoman for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, adding it could isolate and victimize women who wear the face veil. Like France, Quebec has struggled at times to reconcile its secular identity with a rising Muslim population, many of them North African immigrants. The face covering, or niqab, became a big issue in last years national Canadian elections, especially in Quebec, where the vast majority of the population supported a ban on them at citizenship ceremonies. France in 2004 passed a hotly contested ban on veils, crosses and other religious symbols in schools, which appeared to be a model for Quebecs Charter of Values that the previous provincial government tried to introduce in 2013. Quebecs justice minister has said the law is not an attack on Muslim women and respects individual choices. Our approach in this file would be balanced and respectful of greater principles such as gender equality and the recognition of rights and fundamental freedoms, said Justice Minister Stephanie Vallee. The latest legislation, Bill 62, is a watered-down version of that charter, and opposition lawmakers say it does not go far enough. Parti Quebecois legislator Agnes Maltais said Bill 62 fails to include services provided by municipalities, a key point of contact between civil servants and the public. Maltais said the law should be amended to prevent all state workers in positions of authority such as judges and prison guards from wearing religious symbols. The lower house of Russian parliament, Duma, has unanimously approved a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin to suspend a deal with the United States on the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium. Earlier this month, Putin said there is an emerging threat to strategic stability as a result of Washington's "unfriendly actions." Putin said the agreement would be restored if the United States withdrew its forces deployed near Russia's borders and revokes anti-Russian sanctions. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told lawmakers Wednesday Moscow could take other steps that would be painful'' for the United States if Washington ratchets up sanctions against Russia. Under the agreement signed in 2000 and renewed in 2010, both nuclear powers were obliged to dispose of weapons-grade plutonium from their defense programs. The Russian decree Wednesday also claimed the United States is unable "to ensure the implementation of its obligations to utilize surplus weapons-grade plutonium." Based on the 2010 agreement, each side would dispose of 34 metric tons of plutonium by burning it in nuclear reactors, a quantity large enough to make almost 17,000 nuclear weapons. Russia and the united States viewed the deal as a symbol of U.S.-Russian rapprochement and increased cooperation between them toward nuclear non-proliferation. But ties between Moscow and Washington plunged to the lowest point since the Cold War when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and supported pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine. Washington has been instrumental in imposing Western economic sanctions on Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis. Russian warships off the coast of Norway are carrying fighter bombers that are likely to reinforce a final assault on the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo in two weeks, a senior NATO diplomat said Wednesday, citing Western intelligence. The fleet passed by Bergen, Norway, on Wednesday, the diplomat said, while Russian media have said it will move through the English Channel, past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea to the Syrian coast. "They are deploying all of the Northern fleet and much of the Baltic fleet in the largest surface deployment since the end of the Cold War," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "This is not a friendly port call. In two weeks, we will see a crescendo of air attacks on Aleppo as part of Russia's strategy to declare victory there," the diplomat said. Photos of the vessels have been released by the Norwegian military, taken Monday. A Norwegian newspaper quoted the head of the Norwegian military intelligence service saying the ships involved "will probably play a role in the deciding battle for Aleppo." IS is reported target Russia, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with an air campaign against the Western rebels in the devastated eastern part of Aleppo, has said the deployment will target Islamic State militants in Syria. But the NATO diplomat said the additional military firepower was designed to drive out or destroy the 8,000 rebels in Aleppo, the only large city still in opposition hands, and allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to start a withdrawal. An intensified air campaign in eastern Aleppo, where 275,000 people are trapped, would further worsen ties between Moscow and the West, which says the Kremlin may be responsible for war crimes. NATO officials also say that strategically, Russia's airstrikes are securing its interests by protecting Assad and Russia's Syrian port in Tartous, which boosts its access to the Black Sea that it controls after taking the Crimean Peninsula. "With this assault, it should be enough to allow a Russian exit strategy if Moscow believes Assad is now stable enough to survive," the diplomat said. The fleet off Norway includes Russia's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, which is carrying jet fighters, and the Soviet-era nuclear-powered battle cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, or Peter the Great. Other Russian vessels in the group include anti-submarine warships and support ships, Russian media have said. Somali authorities have arrested Al-Jazeera journalist Hamza Mohamed along with a fixer and a cameraman after they returned to the capital from territory controlled by al-Shabab militants. Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) Mohamed Ibrahim Moallimu visited the three in prison Wednesday. "Hamza told me they went out of Mogadishu to do their job, and that on their way back they were stopped by NISA (National Intelligence and Security Agency) security forces who arrested them, Moallimu said, urging the government to release them immediately. Information Minister of Somalia Mohamed Abdi Mareye, in an interview with VOA Somali, confirmed the arrest of the three journalists and says the security forces are questioning them. As far as we know, the journalists have entered the country without informing the government, the Ministry of Information and Security agencies about their arrival, and then they travelled to a terrorist-held area where they received a big welcome, he said. They will be asked about how they entered the country, how they contacted the leaders of the terrorist organization, and who they met in those remote areas, Mareye said. Mareye declined to identify members of al-Shabab leaders the journalists allegedly met but he said the Somali government considers it a crime to make propaganda for terrorists. Interviewing terrorists Mareye alleged that the three were planning to leave the country with a one-sided story and intended to leave the country without the governments knowledge. He said they will be released once the questioning ends unless criminal implications come up. Asked if interviewing al-Shabab leaders would be considered as a crime by his government, Mareye said terrorists are not a legitimate force. VOA Somali has contacted Al-Jazeera's office in Mogadishu and has not received a response. In a story posted on Al-Jazeera website, the organization said, Mohamed has frequently travelled to the country over the past few years to cover politics, economics and culture for Al Jazeera with accuracy and integrity. The statement said Al-Jazeera is hoping ... that he will be released without further delay". Meanwhile, Somali authorities on Tuesday released the editor of a local newspaper. The editor of Xog-Ogaal newspaper Abdi Aden Guled welcomed his release after three days in prison that came as a result of negotiations between the government and the National Union of Somali Journalists. He said he was visited in the prison last by the Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency General Gafow and the Secretary General of NUSOJ Moallimu. General Gafow asked me some questions, he said you are free and your equipment will be returned in the morning, Guled told VOA. Guled said after a three-day shutdown, the newspaper will be available in the streets Thursday morning. He said the security agents who arrested him complained about a picture published by the paper last week which they viewed as graphic following the killing of civilians by al-Shabab in El-Ali town. Americas presidential elections may be getting much of the worlds attention right now, but in the Horn of Africa, another countrys electoral season is also underway. Somalia hopes to elect a president, as well as members of two houses of parliament, by the end of November. Somali parliament member Abdiweli Qanyare says overall, the election process is going smoothly. So far, we are not seeing much complaint, said Qanyare. But anyway, wherever elections happen, there are people who will complain and people who will say its not fair. Even in the first world. So, legitimacy at the moment is fine. The Special Representative of the U.N. secretary-general for Somalia, Michael Keating, says there are challenges in conducting the elections, like security threats, since Somalia is attempting to recover from three decades of war and lawlessness, while still battling threats from al-Shabab. Also, there is the absence of a national ID system, and a lack of institutional capacity and memory. Im cautiously optimistic that this is going to go well, even though its going to be very messy and even though, as somebody said to me, it is possibly the most complicated electoral process on planet Earth, of all time, said Keating. New parliament There will be a new federal parliament, consisting of an upper and lower house. State assemblies will elect the 54 members of the upper house. The lower house will consist of 275 members, elected by 14,025 delegates selected by 135 clan elders. Voting for upper house candidates has begun, while polls for the lower house are scheduled to start Sunday, Oct 23. Both houses will then elect Somalias president on November 30. But not everyone, including Abdi Samatar, a Somali-born economic geographer at the University of Minnesota, is pleased with the arrangement. This is not an election, Jill, its a selection, said Samatar. A group of people are going to pick up candidates for parliament. Ordinary citizens have no way of influencing that, in any sense of the word. So its really a charade of a selection, of an election, I should say. International concerns The United Nations, African Union, United States and European Union issued a joint statement October 16 expressing concern that individuals with a history of criminality, violence and terrorism are being presented as candidates for the upper house of parliament, saying it represents a regressive step. But parliament member Qanyare argues that if someone has not been found guilty of doing something illegitimate, they have the right to run for office. Because, according to our constitution, it says that someone can be elected if he has not been convicted in the court [in] the last five years, said Qanyare. So I believe they are within the framework of the legality. Keating says that rejecting candidates who have been implicated in rights abuses would reaffirm Somalias commitment to ending the culture of impunity. But if we get through this and the results are legitimate, and it is not marked by excessive violence, then it is a huge confidence boost for Somalis, and its going to really set the stage for Somalia to go to another level, said Keating. Many are hoping that next level includes nationwide one-person, one-vote elections by 2020. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has proposed instituting term limits on members of Congress as part of a multi-pronged package he says will clean up American politics. "The time for congressional term limits has finally arrived," he told supporters Tuesday in the western state of Colorado. "Not only will it end our government corruption, but we will end the economic stagnation that we're in right now." U.S. presidents are constitutionally limited to two terms in office. There is no such limit on members of the House of Representatives or the Senate, many of whom stay in office for repeated terms. In the 2012 election, more than 90 percent of incumbents won re-election. Trump's other proposed reforms include banning former members of Congress, their staff, and those who served in the executive branch of government from working as lobbyists for five years, and instituting lifetime bans on foreign lobbyists raising money for U.S. election candidates. President Barack Obama on Tuesday criticized Trump's praise for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying his "continued flattery" is "unprecedented in American politics. Trump has said he views a better U.S. relationship with Russia as an opportunity for the two countries to fight as partners against the Islamic State group. He suggested this week that if he wins the November 8 election, he might visit Moscow even before being sworn in as president. A spokesman for his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, criticized those comments along with others Trump has made during the campaign. "It's unclear why Donald Trump needs to meet with Vladimir Putin on November 9th since he's already repeating all his talking points, pushing his policy agenda and taking advantage of his espionage operation," said senior spokesman Glen Caplin. "Rest assured that as president, Hillary Clinton will stand up to Putin in the face of his unacceptable behavior, not coddle him." Clinton did not make any public appearances Tuesday ahead of Wednesday night's third and final debate between her and Trump. During the previous two debates, each invited guests with the apparent aim of unnerving their opponent, including Trump inviting a group of women who accuse Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, of sexually assaulting them. Wednesday's guest list includes Trump's invitation of Obama's half brother Malik, who has said he will be voting for Trump. Malik, a U.S. citizen, is three years older than the president, with whom he shares the same father. The two men were once close, with Malik serving as best man at the president's wedding, but they have drifted apart in recent years. Malik Obama also criticized some decisions by his brother and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, especially the move to oust former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Clinton has invited billionaire Mark Cuban, who has sharply criticized Trump, as well as Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman. The guests are seated in audiences that have in each of the previous debates been asked by moderators to not react to what the candidates say with any applause, cheering or boos. An average of major political polls from the past two weeks indicated Clinton leading Trump by about seven points. That advantage has spurred Clinton to expand her efforts into states that Republican candidates usually win, both as a move to help her own chance in the election and in a bid to boost the chances of more Democrats retaining or winning seats in Congress. Clinton's campaign said it will spend $2 million more on advertising in the southwestern state of Arizona, which has been won by a Democratic presidential candidate only once in the past 16 elections. It also plans to send one of it most popular surrogates, first lady Michelle Obama, to the state on Thursday to hold a rally for Clinton. Recent polls indicate Clinton and Trump locked in a tight race in the state, located just along the border with Mexico. In addition, the Clinton campaign is also increasing its efforts in Missouri and Indiana, two Midwestern states where Trump leads. But both states have closely contested Senate races that Democrats and Republicans view as important in their efforts to win political control next year in the Senate, where Republicans now have a majority. Trump told supporters Tuesday he does not believe the poll results and furthered his warnings of election fraud. "They even want to try and rig the election at the polling booths where so many cities are corrupt and voter fraud is all too common," Trump said. He also renewed his attacks on media outlets, which he has said throughout his run for president are treating him unfairly. "Now, there's a voter fraud also with the media because they so poison the mind of the people by writing false stories," Trump said. Trump has produced no evidence of voter fraud or other claims he has made, like alleging that Hillary Clinton was on drugs during their debate earlier this month. There is scant evidence of vote fraud in United States elections, with one study saying there were only 31 instances of voter impersonation from 2000 to 2014, a period in which one billion votes were cast in a long list of elections. A survey by the political website Politico and the polling company Morning Consult suggested many Americans are skeptical about the integrity of the national election, with 41 percent of voters believing that the election could be "stolen" from Trump. There was a wide partisan split in the poll results, with 73 percent of Republicans, but only 17 percent of Democrats, agreeing that there could be massive vote fraud. President Obama said Tuesday that Trump should "stop whining" and instead focus on convincing voters to support him in next month's election. "I have never seen in my lifetime or in modern political history any presidential candidate trying to discredit the elections and the election process before votes have even taken place," Obama said at a White House news conference alongside the visiting prime minister of Italy. "It's unprecedented. It happens to be based on no facts." Trump's claims of vote fraud involve both the early voting that has been going on for the past few weeks as well as claims there will be further problems on election day that would lead to Clinton being unduly declared the winner. Obama said that no matter the outcome, he expects the result of the vote to be honored. "If he got the most votes, it would be my expectation of Hillary Clinton to offer a gracious concession speech and pledge to work with him in order to make sure that the American people benefit from an effective government," he said. "And it would be my job to welcome Mr. Trump, regardless of what he's said about me, or my differences with him or my opinions, and escort him over to the Capitol [on inauguration day in January] in which there would be a peaceful transfer of power," the president added. "That's what Americans do." Obama was elected in 2008 and is finishing the second of his maximum two terms. He will turn over the White House to his elected successor about 10 weeks after the election. Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have appeared at campaign events in support of Clinton, who served as secretary of state during the first term of their administration. U.S. presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton go up against each other Wednesday night in their final debate before voters choose who will be the next leader of their country. The 90-minute debate in Las Vegas, Nevada, will cover a range of issues, including immigration, the economy, foreign hot spots and the candidates' fitness to be president. With election day looming on November 8, the debate stands as one of the last chances for Clinton and Trump to make an impression on a national audience. Each will likely be asked to address issues that have dogged their campaigns, including Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state and allegations of sexual misconduct against Trump. An average of major political polls from the past two weeks indicated Democratic candidate Clinton leading Republican candidate Trump by about seven points. That advantage has spurred Clinton to expand her efforts into states that Republican candidates usually win, both as a move to help her own chance in the election and in a bid to boost the chances of more Democrats earning seats in Congress. Clinton's campaign said it will spend $2 million more on advertising in the southwestern state of Arizona, which has been won by a Democratic presidential candidate only once in the past 16 elections. It also plans to send one of its most popular surrogates, first lady Michelle Obama, to the state on Thursday to hold a rally for Clinton. Recent polls indicate Clinton and Trump locked in a tight race in the state, located just along the border with Mexico. In addition, the Clinton campaign is also increasing its efforts in Missouri and Indiana, two Midwestern states where Trump leads. But both states have closely contested Senate races that Democrats and Republicans view as important in their efforts to win political control next year in the Senate, where Republicans now have a majority. Trump told supporters Tuesday he does not believe the poll results and renewed his warnings of election fraud. "They even want to try and rig the election at the polling booths where so many cities are corrupt and voter fraud is all too common," Trump said. Trump has produced no evidence of voter fraud or other claims he has made, like alleging that Hillary Clinton was on drugs during their last presidential debate. A new survey by the political website Politico and the polling company Morning Consult indicates many Americans are skeptical about the integrity of the national election, with 41 percent of voters believing the election could be "stolen" from Trump. There was a wide partisan split in the poll results, with 73 percent of Republicans, but only 17 percent of Democrats, agreeing that there could be massive vote fraud. While controversies surrounding Donald Trump loom large in the presidential race, the Republican nominee is also a focus of legislative contests that will determine which political party controls Congress. Trumps candidacy dominated the first five minutes of Mondays debate between Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and his Democratic challenger, Katie McGuinty a contest both political parties desperately want to win. Asked whether they back their respective parties presidential candidates, McGuinty affirmed that she supports Democrat Hillary Clinton. Toomey indicated he remains on the fence regarding Trump. I have not reached a point where I can endorse Donald Trump, Toomey said. We have two badly flawed [presidential] candidates. McGuinty then criticized Toomey for not ruling out endorsing a guy who has bragged about sexual assault. The exchange illustrated a primary Democratic line of attack nationwide: tying Republican lawmakers to their partys nominee. Republicans have responded in a variety of ways. John McCain of Arizona was one of several Senate Republicans who rescinded his endorsement of Trump after video from 2005 was released in which the business mogul spoke of groping women. Others, like John Thune of South Dakota, joined McCain in unendorsing Trump, only to reverse course days later and say that he intended to support the nominee. In Florida, Senator Marco Rubio stood by his endorsement of Trump, arguing Democrat Hillary Clinton is worse. I dont trust Hillary Clinton with classified information, Rubio said. She has proven she cannot handle it. Republican strategists say their partys congressional candidates are in a bind. The biggest problem for a lot of these Republicans is their base supporters, the ones who are going to come out and vote; they are still supporting Donald Trump, said Washington-based Republican consultant John Feehery. A lot of these members are thinking, How do I win? And if it helps them to condemn Trump in swing districts, they are going to do that. If its better for them to be quiet, theyre going to do that. And if its better to support Trump, theyre going to do that, Feehery added. After eight years of Democratic control, Republicans won a slim Senate majority in 2014. Democrats would need to gain four seats to recapture the majority if Clinton wins, five seats if Trump is elected. I think we will win a majority in the Senate, said Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York. The Republican Party is in shambles and their candidates incumbent senators cant decide what to do with Trump. This years political terrain would seem ideal for Senate Democrats. Republicans are defending more than twice as many seats as Democrats, including several in Democratic-leaning states. Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky doesnt underestimate the challenge his caucus faces. Sort of like a knife fight in a phone booth, McConnell said. It could go either way. But polls dont show a Republican wipeout in the making. The partys most senior senators are comfortably ahead in their re-election bids. Many others trail their Democratic challengers by only a few points. Rubio is among those leading in the polls, telling Floridians his voice is needed as a counterweight to a possible Clinton presidency. No matter who wins this election, you are going to need people in the U.S. Senate willing to stand up to the next president of the United States, Rubio said. Even so, Feehery concedes that Trump could cost Republicans seats in both houses of Congress the only question is how many. If Donald Trump loses the election by 10 points, the House [[of Representatives]] is in danger. The Senate is going to be a toss-up anyway, Feehery said. By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) JNU administration has requested all relevant Central agencies, including National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and CBI for help in tracing a student who has been missing since Saturday even as the campus continued to be on the edge with protests continuing for the fourth day. Classes were also boycotted due to the strike called by the JNU students union. advertisement A student of School of Biotechnology, Najeeb Ahmed, allegedly went missing on Saturday following a brawl on the campus the night before. An FIR for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person was lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station yesterday after the police received a complaint from the students guardians. Asserting that the university is seeking help from all relevant Central agencies to help trace Ahmad, JNU said in a statement, that "Delhi police have been approached to investigate the matter and the administration is regularly in communication with the police. Police has informed that they have already registered a case under section IPC 365 and doing the investigations". "All PCR vans in Delhi and all SSPs throughout India have been alerted and efforts are being made to trace the student. Further, the police has intimated all the six neighbouring states and put the information on Zip-net in Northern Zone. Moreover, all relevant central agencies, including NCRB and missing section of CBI have been requested for help," it added. The situation remained tense with the left-backed JNUSU and ABVP levelling allegations and counter-allegations. ABVP alleged that there is inconsistency in the statements of the JNUSU president Mohit Pandey and the roommate of Najeeb Ahmad and demanded a probe. Meanwhile, a group of students of Mahi-Mandvi wrote to the chief proctor specifying nine names claiming that they came to the hostel on Friday night and assaulted him. Also former JNUSU joint secretary, Saurabh Sharma, an ABVP member has been asked by the chief proctor to appear on October 21 for some clarification. However, the reason behind the summon is not clear from the letter. ABVP also staged a protest at the administrative block demanding efforts from the administration and police to find Ahmad. PTI GJS RG --- ENDS --- The United Nations says the war in Afghan has caused more than 8,000 civilian casualties, including nearly 2,600 deaths, in the first nine months of 2016. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, while releasing the casualty toll Wednesday, renewed its call for all parties to the conflict to prevent harm to civilians. The Mission said it has been deeply concerned by the continuing increase in child casualties since 2013. Child casualties "In the first nine months of 2016, UNAMA documented 2,461 child casualties [639 deaths and 1,822 injured], a 15 percent increase on the same period in 2015. Ground engagements caused more than half of all child casualties in 2016. The report blamed Taliban-led anti-government forces for causing 61 percent of all civilian casualties. While this represents a 12 percent decrease from the same period in 2015, UNAMA continues to document anti-government elements perpetrating illegal and indiscriminate attacks, as well as deliberate targeting of civilians, the agency warned. Fighting against insurgents Fighting between Afghan forces and insurgents has again been cited as the leading cause of civilian casualties, showing an 18 percent increase this year. Suicide and complex insurgent attacks, and improvised explosive devices or IEDs are cited as other major causes. The report noted a 72 percent increase in civilian casualties from aerial strikes by pro-government forces this year, saying one third of these were caused by international military forces. There were more than 11,000 conflict-related civilian casualties in 2015, marking the highest number of casualties since 2009 when UNAMA began documenting them. The conflict has since intensified, with Taliban insurgents expanding their activities to many more Afghan provinces this year. The Afghan war is estimated to have caused 70,000 civilian casualties, including over 25,000 deaths since the counting began seven years ago. Plea to better protection of civilians Increased fighting in densely populated areas makes it imperative for parties to take immediate steps to ensure all feasible precautions are being taken to spare civilians from harm, said UNAMA Chief Tadamichi Yamamoto. The report accused pro-government Afghan forces of causing 23 percent of all civilian casualties, noting a 42 percent increase compared to last year, primarily due to the use of indirect and explosive weapons and aerial attacks. UNAMA added it was unable to ascertain responsibility for eleven percent of civilian casualties which resulted from the ground fighting in the first three quarters of 2016. The majority of the remaining casualties, it stated, were caused by unattributed unexploded ordinance. There is an urgent need for the government to implement the National Civilian Casualty Prevention and Mitigation policy and for anti-government elements to cease the use of indiscriminate and illegal devices and tactics, said Yamamoto. U.N. officials are also worried over the rising number of civilian displacements the conflict has caused this year. They have warned more than a million Afghans will be on the move by end of 2016, including tens of thousands of Afghan refugees returning mostly from neighboring Pakistan. The total number of the returnees has exceeded 400,000 since the start of the year, according to U.N. estimates. The United Nations says Russia's extension of a truce in the Syrian city of Aleppo is not enough time to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to besieged civilians. Russian Lt. General Sergei Rudskoi said a "humanitarian pause" Thursday in Aleppo will last from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., three hours longer than originally planned, to allow civilians and rebels to safely leave the city's eastern side. Rudskoi said the 11 hour truce will allow militants to exit the city using two of eight humanitarian routes, one leading to Turkey and the other a pathway to the rebel-held province of Idlib. But Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has yet to honor the cease-fire extension and rebel troops have indicated they will not leave their positions. "Before we can do something really meaningful ... we need assurances from all parties," said U.N. humanitarian agency spokesman Jens Laerke. Russia's three hour extension is inadequate, said Laerke, adding the United Nations needs fighting to stop for "a minimum of 48 hours" to allow UN humanitarian aid teams to mobilize. The United Nations said about 250,000 civilians are in desperate need of supplies on Aleppo's eastern side and hundreds of others who urgently need of medical care also need to be evacuated. U.N. and Red Cross trucks packed with supplies have been sitting near the Turkish border for weeks, awaiting guarantees the trucks can safely deliver relief supplies. Syria and Russia halted airstrikes on Aleppo on Tuesday, and Rudskoi said both countries are keeping their warplanes at least 10 kilometers away from the city. Syrian and Russians warplanes had been been bombarding the area in an attempt to reclaim Aleppo from rebels. President Barack Obama's half-brother Malik is attending Wednesday's final presidential debate, as a guest of Republican nominee Donald Trump. The president's paternal uncle in Kenya tells VOA that he believes Malik has allowed himself to be used as a political tool by the Trump campaign. Sayid Obama also says Malik is the only family member he knows who supports the Republican presidential candidate. "I haven't seen anybody who supports Donald Trump," Sayid Obama told VOA from his home in Kisumu, Kenya. "With exception of Malik the rest they hold [Democratic candidate] Hillary [Clinton] in high esteem." Sayid Obama says, however, that he does not speak to Malik often and has not seen him since President Obama's visit to Kenya last year. But he is perplexed as to why Malik has accepted Trump's invitation to attend the debate, not to mention why he supports the Republican in the first place. "I don't see why he is accepting himself to be misused to fight the president," Sayid said. A US citizen Malik Obama, a Maryland voter and U.S. citizen currently living in Kenya, has endorsed Trump after a long history of supporting the Democratic party. I like Donald Trump because he speaks from the heart, Malik Obama told the New York Post. " 'Make America Great Again' is a great slogan. I would like to meet him." Malik expressed "deep disappointment" with President Obama's administration. Born in Kenya, Malik Obama met his younger brother Barack for the first time in 1985. Malik ran for office in Kenya in 2013, promising to combat unemployment and poverty in the county of Siaya by using his connections to the U.S., but lost. Australia says an underwater drone will be used in the continuing deep sea search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Australias Transportation Safety Bureau said Wednesday it will fit one of the ships involved in the deep-sea sonar search with a special drone that will be used to investigate several pieces of debris identified in previous explorations as having some man-made properties. "The ROV (remotely operated vehicle) will be tasked to reacquire and investigate, through video imaging, a range of sonar contacts which have been identified during previous deep tow operations," the ATSB said in a statement. "Winter weather conditions have, until now, prevented the safe deployment of the ROV, but now sea states are improving." The search will take place off Australias western coast, where officials say theyve found more than 20 so-called sonar contacts that require further examination. The Malaysia Airlines flight vanished more than two years ago on March 8, 2014, while travelling to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. There were 239 people aboard. Despite a massive search effort conducted off the Australian coastline where investigators believe the plane crashed, there has been no sign of the plane or the passengers aboard. The search of a 120,000-square-kilometer area where the plane is suspected to have gone down is scheduled to be completed by January or February, Australian transportation officials said Wednesday. When that search area is completely cleared, the governments of China, Malaysia and Australia agreed to permanently suspend the effort, unless credible new information arises. A southern California man convicted of trying to become a fighter for the Islamic State terrorist group was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison. Muhanad Badawi, 25, was convicted earlier this year of conspiracy to aid a foreign terrorist organization and other crimes. The significant sentence the defendant received illustrates the gravity of this crime and the threat the defendants posed to the United States, Deirdre Fike, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles office, said in a statement. Badwadi also was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release. Authorities say Badawi and 25-year-old Nader Elhuzayel, also of California, concocted a scheme for Elhuzayel to fly to the Middle East to fight for Islamic State, and that Badawi lent him his debit card to buy a one-way plane ticket to Israel with a six-hour layover in Turkey. The evidence at trial showed that Elhuzayel and Badawi used social media to discuss Islamic State beheadings and other terror attacks. In recorded conversations, the two discussed how it would be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah, and to die in the battlefield. Defense attorney Kate Corrigan, who has said Badawi never intended to fight for the Islamic State, had requested half the amount of prison time and 20 years of supervision. She cited his lack of criminal history and age and said she planned to appeal the sentence. The real message from todays hearing is that anyone who thinks they want to support ISIS or even dabble in its rhetoric better be ready to serve a lot of time in prison, she wrote in an email according to the Associated Press. Badawi moved to the United States as a child from Sudan, where he was born. He lived in Orange County, California, and studied engineering. While in custody, Badawi stopped eating and dropped from 140 to 109 pounds before a judge ordered him force-fed last December, according to the Associated Press. Elhuzayel was sentenced three weeks ago, also to 30 years in prison. The United States and South Korea on Wednesday announced a further strengthening of their security alliance with the start of talks on an "extended deterrence" against a nuclear North Korea. The U.S. is considering the permanent deployment at its bases in South Korea of B-1B and nuclear capable B-52 bombers, F-22 stealth fighter jets and nuclear-powered submarines, according to defense and diplomatic sources. Wednesday's establishment of a high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group is being accompanied by unusually blunt public comments from the U.S. secretaries of defense and state about the possibility of nuclear war initiated by Pyongyang on the Korean peninsula. "Any use of nuclear weapons will be met with an overwhelming and effective response," said U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter at the start of security talks with the South Korean defense and foreign ministers. South Korea's security is guaranteed by the "full spectrum of U.S. defense capabilities," Carter said in a reference to the American nuclear defense shield protecting the U.S. ally. Dagger against our throats Carter made his comments while seated alongside U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and two South Korean government officials Minister of National Defense Han Min-koo and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se. Hours later, Kerry, at a news conference with Yun, repeated the same stark rhetoric and predicted "North Korea will never attain its goals through threats and intimidation." Yun, at the start of the talks, said Pyongyang is nearing the "final stage of nuclear weaponization," compelling the United States and South Korea to utilize "all tools in the toolkit" to defend themselves and make the North Koreans "feel the panic under their skins." Han then said that North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles are akin to "a dagger against our throats." THAAD deployment Rounds of UN-led sanctions have done little to deter North Korea from additional provocative nuclear and missile tests. While continuing to work for denuclearization, "we need to ensure working together that the DPRK pays a price for its dangerous actions," Kerry said, using an acronym for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Amid what he termed a "pivotal moment" on the Korean peninsula, Kerry added that the United States will deploy to South Korea "as soon as possible" a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery. China and some in South Korea oppose the deployment of the anti-ballistic missile system, contending it unnecessarily exacerbates tensions in the region. North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests its most powerful yet just weeks ago. And its latest ballistic missile launch, deemed a failure by international observers, occurred just days ago. Kerry maintained that the military option to stop North Korea's ongoing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs is "a last resort." Analysts reactions Wednesday's tougher language from top U.S. officials caught some by surprise, but it will be welcomed by hawks who argue that diplomacy and economic sanctions have failed to deter Pyongyang. "I don't think this stronger rhetoric is going to deter them from taking the next step, whatever their next step is," said Pacific Forum CSIS adjunct fellow Tara O, the author of "The Collapse of North Korea: Challenges, Planning and Geopolitics of Unification." Other analysts question the prospect of basing U.S. Air Force bombers in South Korea. "I don't see why you need B-52s and B-1s on the peninsula. That puts them within DPRK short-range missiles, and therefore more vulnerable than if they remain at Andersen [Air Force Base on Guam]. They can fly to Korea in a few hours," said Troy University international relations professor Daniel Pinkston, author of "The North Korean Ballistic Missile Program." Basing such aircraft and THAAD on the Korean peninsula would cause China "to be in an uproar" and officials in Pyongyang and Beijing to assert that such forward deployed assets are intended to deter the Chinese, Pinkston told VOA. Carter's stark reference Wednesday to nuclear retaliation is expected to raise serious questions about the nuclear option, said O, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who did three tours of duty on the Korean peninsula and also specialized in regional security matters at the Pentagon. "Someone has to make a decision on what will be an acceptable cost if we are to carry out anything beyond rhetoric," O told VOA. The two Koreas have no diplomatic ties and have technically remained at war since a devastating 3-year conflict in the early 1950s ended in a stalemate. The Korean War drew in Chinese forces supporting the North, while a U.S.-led United Nations coalition countered the North's invasion of the South. The International Criminal Court on Wednesday convicted Congolese warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba and four others of witness tampering. This was the second trial for Bemba at the court in The Hague. The former vice president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is serving an 18-year sentence for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to widespread abuses by his forces in the Central African Republic. In this case, Bemba and four members of his legal team were found guilty of bribing and otherwise influencing 14 defense witnesses to try to tilt the outcome of his first trial. They face up to five years in prison. This was the ICC's first case dealing with witness tampering, and it will most likely not be its last. Presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt described the actions of the accused as "clear and downright criminal behavior." "Today's judgment sends the clear message that the court is not willing to allow its proceedings to be hampered or destroyed," he said. "It sends the message that those who try to distort and interfere with the administration of justice of this court do not go unpunished." Similar allegations have cropped up in other ICC cases, particularly those dealing with post-election violence in Kenya. Cases against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, who both faced charges of crimes against humanity, were ultimately dropped for insufficient evidence. The prosecution cited allegations of witness tampering, bribery and threats. Reacting to Wednesday's verdict, Human Rights Watch noted three people had been arrested on charges of witness tampering in relation to the Kenya cases. A senior U.N. official says humanitarian agencies will take advantage of a 72-hour cease-fire in Yemen to rush life-saving aid to tens of thousands of people in areas that have been cut off by the conflict for a long time. The cease-fire is to go into effect Wednesday night. The U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen says the window for delivering aid is very slim and limited to areas where the fighting has stopped. Speaking on a telephone line from the capital, Sanaa, Jamie McGoldrick tells VOA the fighting is still going on in many areas and he does not expect the cease-fire to kick in throughout the country at the stroke of midnight. As you know, in any crisis as you come towards the cessation of hostilities or peace talks, there is always an intensification of fighting. And, even this morning in Sanaa, we had airstrikes," said McGoldrick. "So I think people will use this, the gap between now and the cessation of hostilities to try and ramp up or get themselves in a different position, and especially as we move, hopefully toward peace talks. The United Nations reports 80 percent of Yemens 24 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. It says the formal economy has all but collapsed. Unemployment is massive. It says 14 million people are short of food and going hungry. It adds three million people, mostly children under five, need nutrition assistance. This applies especially for the nearly 1.3 million children who are acutely malnourished. McGoldrick says 72 hours is not a lot of time. So aid agencies will deliver relief supplies that are stocked in warehouses close to areas that have been out of reach for a long time. If it is only 72 hours, we have got to be realistic. We will not get much done in that time beyond what we are doing already," said McGoldrick. "We might be able to enter some pockets, which have been cut off for some time. In terms of the widespread ability to respond, it is not going to be something we can do easily. We are asking for this to be open-ended. We are asking for this to be a long, permanent and lasting cease-fire. McGoldrick says a long-lasting break in Yemens civil war could enhance prospects for peace. In the meantime, he says aid agencies are in desperate need of money to carry out their life-saving operations. He says the year is almost over, yet the United Nations has received less than half of the $1.63 billion dollars it needs for 2016. The representatives of Tibetan settlements in India, Bhutan, and Nepal gathered in Dharamsala, North India for the 11th annual settlement officer's meeting from October 17 to 20. Dr. Lobsang Sangay, head of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) spoke at the inaugural function and called on the 43 Tibetan settlement officers to follow up on the 2014 Rehabilitation Act passed by Indian Government and to present project plans for the 23 million dollar grant aid awarded to CTA by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) over the next five years. Tenzin Nawa, Kullu settlement officer and Chonor Samdup, Orissa settlement officer spoke to VOA's Tibetan service on their future plans. The officers are scheduled to participate in workshops on leadership, 'Middle Way policy,' and seven agendas set for the meeting within the next three days. Since the collapse of the cessation of hostilities agreement during Aid, a rift has opened between the carefree atmosphere of Western societies and the gravity of Russian and Chinese societies. In Moscow, the television broadcasts information on anti-atomic shelters and assault course team games, while in Washington, everyone laughs at the paranoid Russians who believe that there may be a Third World War. And yet the two major powers are sending one another signals that would scare anyone. After the US threatened to bomb Syria, Moscow has broken its agreement on the limitation of plutonium stocks, and ajusted its launch system for nuclear weapons by firing three intercontinental missiles. The spokesperson for the Russian army has warned his counterparts, and announced that his armement was capable of destroying all US aircraft, whether they be cruise missiles or stealth fighters. The chief of staff for the US land army proudly replied that in case of a frontal war, the aviation and marines of both armies would quickly be neutralised, and that Washington would win the war on the ground. These bellicose declarations did not particularly impress the Russians, but worried members of Congress to the point that 22 of them wrote to President Obama to ask him to promise not to be the first to start a nuclear war. Moscow gave instructions to its diplomats on post in the NATO countries to repatriate their families and prepare to leave in their turn. In former times, the Romans assured that If you want peace, prepare for war. (Si vis pacem, para bellum). The idea was that during a period of international dispute, victory would be won, without war, by the side that seemed capable of winning by the use of military might. The fact is that the Russian population is preparing for war (for example, this week, 40 million Russians participated in excercises for the evacuation of buildings and fire-fighting), while the Western populations continued to shuffle unconcernedly through their shopping malls. Of course, we can hope that reason will prevail and that we will avoid a Third World War. In any event, this sabre-rattling attests to the fact that the gamble that has been playing out for the last five years in Syria was not what we thought it was. While at the beginning, the State Department was working to implement its plan for the Arab Spring - in other words the overthrow of the regions secular regimes in order to replace them with the Muslim Brotherhood - Russia and China quickly concluded that the world could no longer be governed by the United States - and that they should no longer be in a position to decide the life or death of the People. By cutting the historic Silk Road in Syria, and then the new Silk Road in Ukraine, Washington inhibited the development of both China and Russia, forcing them to work together. The unexpected resistance of the Syrian people forced the United States to risk their world domination. The world, which had become unipolar in 1991 with Desert Storm, is now on the point of returning to its bipolar state, and will perhaps even become multipolar later on. In 1990-91, the change of world order had been imposed without war (the invasion of Iraq was not the cause, but the consequence), but at the cost of the interior collapse of the Soviet Union. The quality of life for the ex-Soviets diminished drastically their society was profoundly disorganised, their national wealth was pillaged on the pretext of being privatised, and their life expectancy was reduced by more than 20 years. After having at first believed that this defeat was the fault of Sovietism, we know today that the fall of the USSR was also perhaps especially the fruit of economic sabotage by the CIA. It is therefore not impossible to to attain a new balance of world power without a generalised confrontation. And in order to avoid a World War, the discussion between John Kerry and Sergey Lavrov has progressed from the battle of Aleppo to a general cease-fire for all of Syria and also Yemen. And in fact, we have seen the announcement of an 8-hour truce in Aleppo and a 72-hour truce in Yemen. The problem is that the United States can not retreat to equality with Russia from its uncontested first place which they took by force and then used so poorly without paying the price, either alone or with their allies. Strangely, the five Arab states, Turkey and Iran, who had been invited to Lausanne by Kerry and Lavrov, left apparently satisfied by the meeting. Yet it was their future which was in question. None of them seem to think that heads had to fall, like those of the Warsaw Pact. In the present situation, it is possible to abstain from wiping out part of Humanity, but the importance of the US withdrawal will be measured by the number and importance of the allies they will have to sacrifice. According to a local myth, a newlywed bride, whose husband was murdered here, cursed this town. Now, most women believe that observing the traditional Karva Chauth fast will cost their husbands their lives. By Siraj Qureshi: Women across the country may be celebrating the Karva Chauth festival today, fasting and praying for the long life of their husbands, but there is a town in Mathura where it's believed that observing this fast will lead to the death of their spouse. Although there is no scientific explanation for this belief, the women of Surir town in Mathura are steadfast in following this belief. advertisement According to a local myth, a newlywed bride, whose husband was murdered here, cursed this town. Now, most women believe that observing the traditional Karva Chauth fast will cost their husbands their lives. Incidentally, there have also been some untimely deaths in this town that have only cemented this belief. THE MYTH Local resident Suresh Chand Sharma narrated the tale to India Today. Sharma says a Brahmin youth from Ram Nagla village was passing through Surir with his bride in a bullock cart on Karva Chauth, when some locals alleged that he had stolen the bulls on the cart. They then proceeded to beat him to death. Furious at losing her husband, the woman is said to have cursed the entire locality. The widow is said to have subsequently killed herself by committed 'sati' on her husband's funeral pyre, further fuelling the superstition. SATI TEMPLE Sharma claims that after the incident, a number of local women lost their husbands after observing the Karva Chauth fast. This cemented the belief that 'Sati' has cursed the town. Since then the women here refrain from observing any fast on Karva Chauth and have even constructed a temple of 'Sati' where they pray on Karva Chauth for the long lives of their husbands. In fact, Sunahari Devi, another local, claims that since the temple was built and the women began praying here, unnatural deaths of young men in this locality have stopped. According to another local belief, before mounting his horse to bring home his new wife, a groom first prays before 'Sati' for her blessings and only after that, the wedding procession begins. --- ENDS --- On 16 October 2017, General Ali Mamelouk, head of Syrian State Security, made an official visit to Cairo, where he met his Egyptian counterpart. The two men spoke about the fight against the jihadists, whose parent company, the Muslim Brotherhood, was constituted in Egypt in 1951 by the Anglo-Saxon secret services. The current Brotherhood took its name from that of the secret society created by Hassan el-Banna in 1928, and dissolved in 1949 after a wave of political assassinations, including the murder of the Prime Minister. On 8 October, Egypt voted in favour of two projects for Resolutions to be presented to the Security Council, one from France and the other from Russia. Both projects were rejected by return vetos [1]. The recent history of Egypte is chaotic. In 2011, it was the victim of a colour revolution organised by the National Endowment for Democracy, which ended with the resignation of President Moubarak [2]. It then fell victim to a coup detat by the Muslim Brotherhood, who blackmailed the Presidential Electoral Commission into proclaiming the election of Mohamed Morsi, who in fact had lost [3]. Finally, it suffered another blow with the destitution of President Morsi by the army at the request of all political parties except the Muslim Brotherhood. The current President, Marshall Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, first of all outlawed the Brotherhood and fought against it. He transmitted to Saudi Arabia the proof of a conspiracy by a faction of the Brotherhood to overthrow the Wahhabi monarchy, and received in exchange considerable financial support for his country. Last April, he offered King Salmane the islands of Tiran and Sanafir, causing uproar throughout the country [4]. This decision was invalidated by a tribunal and remains unsettled. So far, President Sissi has failed to fight efficiently against the Muslim Brotherhood, and has not been able to protect the Christians from them either, despite his engagements. He has installed a repressive system which is aimed at fighting the Brotherhood as well as defending a traditionalist concept of society. On 8 October, Saudi Arabia reacted violently against Egypts support for the Russian proposition presented to the Security Council. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has announced the start of the battle of Mosul. The mass of the Atlantist Press is rejoicing about the coming liberation of the city, currently occupied by Daesh. In reality, the Iraqi army is only acting as a facade in this conflict. The real firepower belongs to the Coalition led by the Pentagon, followed by the anti-terrorist units (Special Forces) directed by the Prime Minister, and finally by the Shia, Kurd and Sunni militias. The inhabitants of Mosul had welcomed the arrival of Daesh, and a good number still support them. However, this does not necessarily mean that they adhere to Daesh ideology, but see it as the arm which will help them recover the power they enjoyed before the overthrow of President Hussein. In case Daesh should offer resistance, the Pentagon will have no scruples about indiscriminately bombing the 1.5 million inhabitants of the city. It has constructed an emergency camp to shelter 800,000 people who may flee the combat zone, but has provided nothing to take care of the wounded or to feed them. In reality, Daesh should withdraw from Mosul and retreat freely into Syria, as was previously the case for Falloujah [1]. As from now, Washington might well accept civil peace in Syria and let Damascus worry about Daesh. Chief Minister Addresses Brussels Think Tank Immediately after his arrival in Brussels on Wednesday morning, the Chief Minister addressed a think tank comprising politicians, EU officials, lawyers, journalists and representatives of major European institutions. In his address, Mr Picardo looked back over Gibraltar's changing relationship with, first, the EEC and later the EU. He also described the way in which Gibraltarians began to feel 'part of the Brussels family' when the European Commission began to show its support for Gibraltar over the issue of the frontier queues. He later went on to describe the strength of support on the Rock for the 'Remain' campaign. 'Whilst we are still passionate Europeans, we will respect the outcome of the Referendum,' he said. 'However, our relationship with Britain goes back over 300 years whilst our relationship with the EU goes back just 40.' Following the Chief Minister's address, James Nicholson MEP described how the Brexit decision would affect his constituents in Northern Ireland. Mr Nicholson stressed that, following Brexit, Northern Ireland's border with the Republic of Ireland would be a border between UK and Europe in exactly the same way that Gibraltar's frontier would be a border between Britain and Europe. The two speakers then answered a range of probing questions from the audience. Mr Picardo spent the afternoon in one-to-one meetings with senior officials and with representatives of various EU countries. One of these meetings was with Werner Langen, an influential German MEP and another meeting was with Guy Verhofstadt MEP who is the European Parliament's Brexit negotiator and who was the Belgian Prime Minister for three terms. 'Around Brussels I have found a great deal of interest in Gibraltar's post-Brexit position,' said Mr Picardo. 'People seem to be aware of our position, more so perhaps than of Britain's other Crown Territories and Overseas Territories. The needs of Scotland, Norther Ireland and Wales also need to be factored in so the Brexit negotiators must approach the problem with an open mind. They must be prepared to consider new solutions and not just be hidebound by old ideas. I think that Gibraltar's issues are very well understood in London so we need have no worries on that score.' On Thursday, the Chief Minister will take part in a major conference entitled, 'The State of Europe: Disruption, Disorder and Division - Crunch time for Europe.' In 2015, Eddie Huang wrote a lengthy and excoriating piece for Vulture about the making of Fresh Off the Boat. Huang voiced his frustrations with how the show watered down its source material to make a family-friendly version of his life, without the nuance and the grit hed expected. For the past couple of seasons, Ive quietly agreed. But coming off of last weeks strong premiere, Breaking Chains sees the fictional Huang family and the strong writers room at Fresh Off the Boat getting a little more comfortable in their skin. I dont know if this episode would pass Eddie Huangs muster, but for me, it worked. Change is afoot in the Huang household. Business is booming at Cattlemans Ranch, thanks to a TV above the bar and (possibly) free dessert. And the little angels are moving on up in school, too. Eddies an eighth grader now, imbued with the specific brand of hubris unique to 13-year-old boys. Emery, sweet boy that he is, graduated from elementary school and is prepared to enter the wild and woolly world of the sixth grade. Each child responds to this in their own way: Emerys excited, Evan is in deep mourning, and Eddie well, Eddie has some tricks up his sleeve to help his little brother navigate sixth grade and its attendant horrors. Emerys optimism is shattered by the presence of Eddies binder. The binder, you see, is a detailed account of the lies Eddie has told over the years, a gentle stretching of the truth about their cultural heritage. Essentially a primer for getting by via the exploitation of ignorant white people, its an essential document that has made Eddies life easier and will hopefully do the same for Emery. If this hammock of lies werent so problematic for Emery, it would actually be genius. Theres the celebration of Harvest Day, a holiday that doesnt exist; double tater tots instead of green beans because Chinese people cant process chlorophyll; a better locker that doesnt involve the number four because its bad luck; a 1:15 p.m. nap on a desk facing west, to better sense if China is coming for Taiwan, and my personal favorite, a succinct explanation for Eddies preference to do things at the last minute, as per Chinese superstition. Great! The path is clear; the map well-written and exceedingly easy to follow. In the words of RuPaul, dont fuck it up, Emery. Heres the thing: Eddie and Emery are not the same people. Emery is basically a Goldendoodle puppy, all good cheer and fluffy hair and sweet earnestness. He wants to do stuff like sign up for karate club, learn photography, and maybe even take on the violin. But, as explained by Eddie in one of the first actual fights Ive seen these children have, thats what white people expect him to be. Eddies first day in middle school was a nightmare: People made fun of what he was eating, he ate lunch with the janitor, and everyone treated him like an alien because he was the first one. He broke the chains. His suffering cleared the way for his brothers to flourish, but he didnt consider the possibility that they wouldnt want to flourish in the same way that he did. Eddie did the work to fight against the model minority stereotypes and Emery, poor sweet Emery, is trying to ruin it. Leave it to Evan to straighten this out. In what is perhaps my favorite scene this week, Evan screams at Eddie for ruining Emerys life before he even had a chance to start it. Eddie, scared straight by his youngest brother, yells, Everything you touch turns to dog doo! at him in the middle of the street, and signs Emery up for karate the next day. While Jessicas children grapple with complex issues related to identity, shes dealing with something similar. For starters, her house is a mess. Like, an actual mess. Louis tries to help by hiring Mary, a well-intentioned cleaning tutor to help out around the house. Youd think that Jessicas complaints about the cleanliness of her home mean that she wanted a cleaning lady, right? You are mistaken. You are sadly mistaken. Marys first day on the job goes great! Jessica micromanages her in a way that brought to mind my mother instructing me how to clean the floors, and Mary, bless her, cant hang. She quits, Jessica drives her home, shakes her down for gas money, and is done with it. Jessica Huang said shed clean the house herself. And she probably would have if it were not for Louis diverting her to the Cattlemans while Mary did the job instead. Lo and behold, Mary the house cleaner does a bang-up job! The bleach stain on the couch is gone. She touched up the rhubarb with model paint on Jessicas beloved collection of colonial mice figurines. But despite how good the house looks, Jessicas still sad. Of course she hates cleaning no one really cares for it but a family is supposed to take care of things themselves. Hiring out strangers to handle tasks like cleaning means youre running the house like a business. Even if they can afford it, Jessica wants to clean because she wants to feel like shes needed. Taking care of her family and resenting them afterwards is normal. Perfectly normal. Authenticity Index A change is also afoot for the show itself, possibly rendering the authenticity index obsolete. It seems like the Huangs have finally found their footing and are really digging into issues without having to sprinkle bits and bobs of Chinese things around as a nod to viewers like me who will cry out in happy recognition. Regardless, there was a lot in here that rings true, but none so much as Jessicas entire arc. As I mentioned above, watching her breathe over the cleaning ladys shoulder gave me flashbacks to cleaning the floor on my hands and knees as my mom offered gentle suggestions for my technique. Hearing Jessica plainly express that cleaning the house makes her feel needed made me cry. And Eddie expertly exploiting the tiny throwaway bits about Chinese culture, like the number four being bad luck, at the gentle expense of white peoples ignorance is brilliant. So, the entire episode gets five years worth of Harvest Day celebrations for nailing just about everything right on the head. Since Star-Lord, Gamora, and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy are occupying their own remote section of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its been quite a while since weve seen them in action: They dont get to take part in avenging, and theyre a little too far away to engage with superhero civil wars, which is why todays teaser trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was such a delightful reintroduction to the gang. But what can we glean about their coming adventures from this short clip, and what was left out of the trailer thats even more promising? I was lucky enough to see a whole hell of a lot more Guardians 2 footage this past summer at Comic-Con, so below, Ill try my best to contextualize the trailer for you as we move through it nearly shot by shot. First, we float through a spaceship hallway, which provides one of the many circles well see in this teaser trailer. Are they all meant to evoke the shape of a planet? Or do circular things just look cooler? This scrawled space-suit addendum (which has got to be from Rocket, right?) immediately reestablishes Guardians irreverent sense of humor. We catch a brief glimpse of Drax (Dave Bautista) from behind before we get this shot of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), which Im including because her lace-front has got all sorts of flyaways. (You all know I love a superhero wig, and Im not going to apologize for it.) This shot comes from the same wrecked-forest sequence we see later in the trailer, and if I remember correctly from the Comic-Con footage, its in this setting that we first meet Kurt Russell as Star-Lords father, though the character isnt introduced in this trailer. This evocative intro reestablishes Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) as he stands at a circular precipice. I wonder if this is meant to provide a clue to the characters parentage, since this image of a man contained in a planet-like circle nicely foretells Russells role as Ego, a living planet that can take the guise of a man. (Or, once again, it could just be because circles are dope.) Now, some action. This look at sword-wielding Gamora comes from what Im pretty sure is the first scene in the movie, as the Guardians pursue a dangerous bounty by taking down a many-tendriled space beast. We got to watch the first half of the sequence at Comic-Con, and it begins with the Guardians waiting for the interdimensional monster to show up and passing the time by cracking jokes at each others expense. These two images come from a later sequence we saw nearly in full, as Baby Groot helps engineer a prison break for Yondu (Michael Rooker) and Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper). The Ravager captain has been betrayed by his own mutinying men, and he gets his revenge by coaxing Baby Groot to find a deadly fin stashed somewhere on his ship. Once its found, Yondu sends his fin-arrow on a circuitous path to take out every remaining Ravager, and their bodies fall in slow-mo as he, Rocket, and Groot walk out unscathed (a sequence set to Jay & the Americans song Come a Little Bit Closer in the actual film). Here, the Guardians discover Nebula (Karen Gillan), who exited the last movie on pretty sour terms with her sister Gamora. The two continued to clash in the additional footage I saw, but director James Gunn has implied that Nebula will become a full-blown member of the Guardians by the end of the film. Took a little while before we got to see Chris Pratts handsome face, huh? This is another shot from the films potential first sequence, as Star-Lord suits up to take on the giant beast hovering above what looks for all intents and purposes like a giant, galactic sundial. Its getting harder and harder to be a working member of Blue Man Group. The trailer chooses this moment to really crank up Hooked on a Feeling, the song now inescapably associated with the first Guardians film, though the very different trailer I saw at Comic-Con was scored to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, a likely track on Star-Lords new Awesome Mix. As Star-Lord pilots the Milano, you may notice that hes rocking sideburns like an original cast member on Beverly Hills 90210. Dont be afraid to experiment with your personal grooming, Star-Lord! Remember our first tantalizing shot of Gamora from earlier in the teaser? Its from this sequence, as the Guardians arrive at a wreckage site and greet both Ego and his companion Mantis (Pom Klementieff, playing another new Guardian). This shot, too, seems to be the reverse look at our first glimpse of Star-Lord from earlier in the trailer. Note the circle. Can a non-dancer like Gamora ever truly find love with a dance machine like Star-Lord? Cutely, that is the subject of the trailers only run of dialogue. Secret weapon Drax attempts to console an unlucky-in-love Star-Lord, a moment thats quite wonderful for several reasons: Not only is that hug a funny beat, its a reminder that for all their razzing, the Guardians really care about each other deep down. That heart, I think, was one of the reasons the first film was such a success. Or, maybe it was because of Baby Groot. If you advanced that theory, I certainly wouldnt argue with you. Photo-Illustration: Vulture In a throwaway moment on Netflixs Luke Cage, Cornell Cottonmouth Stokes insultingly calls his cousin Black Mariah. It took me until this brief, venomous jab to remember who Alfre Woodards cunning local politician, Mariah Dillard, was based on. Black Mariah, as shes named in the Marvel comics, debuted just a year after Luke Cage, in 1973. Like much of the early Hero for Hire comics, her characterization is steeped in uncomfortable stereotypes. Shes essentially a criminal mammy figure whose physical largesse were meant to be repulsed by, rather than the nature of her crimes. When you place her origins and Woodards take on the character side by side, its hard to imagine they are the same person. Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker and his writing staff reimagine Mariah as someone far more complex and dangerous than her comic counterpart would suggest. On the Netflix show, Mariah is a shrewd, power-hungry city councilwoman who uses the language of black resistance to further her goals, even as her actions harm the very community she wants to protect. This contradiction makes Mariah not only the most fascinating foil for Luke, but one of Marvels best antagonists to date. Shes also an important reflection (albeit to a heightened degree) of the strictures real black women face, stuck between who they truly are and who the world wants them to be. Black women throughout the history of this country have been excluded from normal means of attaining power and autonomy. I wouldnt go so far as to call Mariah a feminist icon (and she doesnt have to be, nor does any character, to be worthwhile), but shes able to be something black women, both fictional and real, rarely have the opportunity to be: selfish. Her arc is symbolic of what happens when a black woman has had enough of the expectations thrust upon her and decides to put herself first. Through flashbacks, the show fleshes out the expectations placed on Mariah since her youth. She must keep her head down, study, and never want too much. Her ambition is meant to help others primarily her cousin, the drug lord Cottonmouth, the community of Harlem not herself. In real life, black women are told sometimes subtly, other times loudly that our desires are inconsequential; what matters is upholding a black community that doesnt always have our best interests at heart. The series is at its best when it interrogates the expectations thrust on black women, and illuminates the complicated choices they make in navigating them. One of the smartest things Luke Cage does in this regard is fleshing out the relationship between Mariah and Cottonmouth, and positioning them as representatives of opposing arguments these scenes ultimately give us our deepest insights into who Mariah thinks she should be. She is ostensibly interested in making Harlem great again, and creating a legacy built on the type of unerring respect that lands your name on the side of buildings and in history books. Cottonmouth wants to reap immediate benefits hes not interested in helping the black community or becoming a part of the pantheon of lauded black heroes the show name-drops regularly. (Theyre both motivated by selfish desires hes just more honest about it than she is.) As the series progresses, the divide between the cousins turns dangerous. Every hit Cottonmouth takes leads to public blowback for Mariah, forcing her to make exceedingly more ugly choices. Episode seven operates as an origin story for both of them, culminating in the shows most gut-wrenching sequence Mariah beating Cottonmouth to death in a fit of rage. Here, the shows representation of Mariah becomes more nuanced, because its the moment something switches in her. By blaming Mariah for her sexual assault at the hands of her Uncle Pete, Cottonmouth forces her to dredge up who she is under the image shes forced to present to the world. Woodard colors her performance with subtle hints of something unhinged, hysteric, underneath her cool exterior. Its there in the icy edge of her voice when she suggests the many ways Cottonmouth can kill Luke. And most crucially, its undeniable in her refusal to acknowledge that shes the true inheritor of their grandmother, Mama Mabels, legacy. Mama Mabel is a figure who haunts the edges of the narrative for the first few episodes. Each time her name is said, it comes across as a curse, suggesting that even though shes long dead she still evokes a sense of fear. It isnt until episode seven that she comes into focus. Mama Mabel ran a criminal empire but notably refused to sell drugs to the people of her community. She gained power through a mix of cunning, fear, insight into those around her, and obsessive loyalty from others. This is a woman who cuts off the finger of a lackey just as quickly as she comforts a near catatonic teenage Cottonmouth after he witnesses a brutal murder she ordered. She may operate within the shadows, but the people of Harlem know her as someone who can get things done. Need protection? A turkey for Thanksgiving? Go to Mama Mabel. Cottonmouth was groomed to take her place, but it is Mariah whose expensive education taught her how to move through multiple worlds who truly inherits her grandmothers skills, ambition, and darker qualities. On the surface, Mama Mabels kindness toward the community feels selfless. But upon closer look, its a way for her to gain loyalty, and as a result, more power. Every move she makes is ultimately in her own self-interest, and on her own terms. On a lesser show, Mariahs hints of madness would come to define her arc, as it sometimes does on female-antihero-driven shows (see: UnREAL). Its instead used to telegraph her characters inner philosophical conflict. Her arc shows her struggling between being two different people: the upstanding politician trying to renew Harlem to its former glory, and the morally bereft criminal, and true heir of Mama Mabels legacy. In episode 12, she tells one of the shows many villains, Shades, [Cottonmouth] saw things in me I avoided my whole life. Now Im becoming that person he always saw and I always denied. In this way, Mariah is the embodiment of the revolutionary, poetic spirit Luke Cage aims for. More than anything, the series wants to subvert our expectations about black identity by using a superhero tale to create a new mythology. It fails to do that with its main hero, who is too burdened with having to be important in the television landscape, yet still safe enough so he doesnt threaten Marvels usual audience that much. But with Mariah, the series is able to create a blistering new portrait of a popular archetype. Crime dramas love a good kingpin, from James Cagneys deranged rendition in White Heat (1949) to televisions Tony Soprano. But we rarely see queenpins. In this way, Mariah disrupts the expectation that for black characters to be worthwhile, they have to be good, respectable, self-sacrificing. When was the last time you saw a 60-something black woman queenpin who outsmarted every man, leaned into her ambitions, and survived? Mariah isnt the only captivating black female antihero on television. Viola Daviss Annalise Keating on How to Get Away With Murder and Kerry Washingtons Olivia Pope on Scandal fit within this tradition. But because those series are nighttime soaps, they seem less interested in ruminating on the psychology of these women than using their heinous deeds to power the next outlandish twist. Luke Cage makes the psychology of Mariah a driving force in the series. Marvel has long had issues creating well-rounded characters of color. While Mariah is a step forward, if Luke Cage were as bold as itd like to be, it would be Mariah, not Diamondback, who would emerge as the shows most important villain. But for all its faults, the series has a surprisingly feminist bent. I lost count of the number of scenes in which the only people talking were black women over the age of 30 all of whom exhibited depth that would be startling on any television show, let alone a Marvel property. And, as the first season progresses, Mariah deepens: She not only accepts but thrives in her new role, filling the vacuum Cottonmouth left behind. She also grows to resemble Mama Mabel in ways shed rather not face. Take, for example, how she answers Shades when he asks what shell do if the Harlems Paradise hostess who she paid to be her alibi for the murder of Cottonmouth folds under pressure: Well have to kill her. And everybody else in that apartment. Which would be a damn shame. Duke Ellington used to live in that building and Count Basie too. Id hate to bring down the market value. In this brief scene, we get our clearest look at Mariahs quicksilver nature: her deep admiration for Harlems black history, her capability for detached violence, her steeliness in the face of any problem. Woodard is able to gracefully move between put-upon kindness to keen-eyed menace with a level of subtlety that is virtually unseen within a genre as blunt as superhero adaptations. Arguably, Mariahs most damning decision comes later, when she uses the tragic beating of teenager Lonnie Wilson to her advantage. The innocent Lonnie is beaten by a black cop for not giving up information on Lukes whereabouts. Seeing an opportunity, Mariah galvanizes Harlem in order to rehabilitate her political career, using the publics fear of superpowered vigilantes to encourage the NYPD to buy weapons that can harm those like Luke. Sure, this makes Luke Cages politics somewhat contradictory and simplistic when it comes to the illustrating the ills of the black community. But it also further complicates Mariahs character, proving that for all her claims about having Harlems best interests at heart, the only thing that matters are her own. She may be a somewhat over-the-top portrait of what happens when black women stop sidelining their desires for the goodwill of others. (Yes, being raised by a criminal mastermind has left her twisted.) But there is something radical in seeing a black woman operate like this. What struck me even more was how the series acknowledges her sexuality, and uses it to further empower her. Being a brown-skinned, middle-aged woman would preclude her from having any carnal energy on another show. But one of the greatest strengths of Luke Cage is its ability to imagine the diversity within black womanhood. Who you calling a spinster? she asks Luke. I can wear your narrow ass out. In the series finale, after her unequivocal win, she looks at Shades with unbridled lust before kissing him and sauntering away. Shades looks back at her with a mix of desire and admiration. Mariah has that effect. Shes an unexpected creation within a genre that at times feels like it falls into the same traps. In many ways, I was eager to see her succeed more than Luke. And this isnt because of the usual issue that villains are more interesting than the heroes they come up against. Its because shes a more human character than Luke, a more frightening antagonist than Diamondback, and a more violent individual than Cottonmouth. Just when you think you have a handle on her, Woodard adds notes that bring new layers of understanding. The undercurrent of every black art form, from Afrofuturism to hip-hop, is the desire for black people to be seen as fully realized human beings imperfect yet whole. Mariah Dillard, in her own way, is the realization of this desire, and her humanity makes her a more compelling foil for Luke. Essentially, they both desire the same end result keeping the spirit of Harlem alive. They both pride themselves on earning respect and maintaining a noble image. But Luke is positioned as a savior a figure whose goodness runs so deep, it limits our understanding of who he is as a man. Mariah doesnt have that problem. Thanks to the deft reimagining of an ornery comic character through both Woodards performance and the writing Luke Cage does something Marvel hasnt been able to do elsewhere: create a complex female character whose intelligence and willpower makes her tower over the men around her. Not only does Mariah put herself first, but unlike her male counterparts, she ends up on top: Cottonmouth is dead, Shades is her right hand who knows his place, and Diamondback is in police custody after getting a beatdown by Luke so severe he needs hospital treatment. The series closes with her overlooking the bustling Harlems Paradise, a kingdom she can now call her own. Long live the queen. Rejecting the eight petitions from farmers, a bench headed by Justice JS Khehar stated that any land acquired for Rohini Residential Scheme-1981, of any village of Rohini area, cannot be returned to former land owners at all and they can only apply for "enhanced compensation only" under New Land Acquisition Act. By Harish V Nair: Around 24,000 families waiting for the past 35 years for a plot in Rohini to build their dream home can finally breathe easy. The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed petitions filed by the farmers who had challenged the land acquisition. The DDA have all along been citing this as the biggest hurdle in developing several plots ahead of their allotment. The land owning agency had been telling the court that the villagers had even turned violent in their attempts to stonewall work for roads, drains and sewers. advertisement Rejecting the eight petitions from farmers, a bench headed by Justice JS Khehar stated that any land acquired for Rohini Residential Scheme-1981, of any village of Rohini area, cannot be returned to former land owners at all and they can only apply for "enhanced compensation only" under New Land Acquisition Act. LANDMARK ORDER It is a landmark order for developing agencies and government authorities across the country facing litigations seeking return of the land once acquired for development purposes. However, even as the SC delivered the order, 5,000 applicants for the plots have already passed away. Though the order was against farmers, it is the DDA which faces the real test as it cannot any longer take refuge in the "dispute with land owner farmers" argument to deprive fully developed plots to registrants. Also Read : Real Estate Act: Centre will notify rules for 5 union territories this week DDA OWES ANSWERS DDA also owes some answer to the court as on a contempt petition filed by Rahul Gupta. He is one of the allottee who has been leading the legal battle for all registrants and is represented by advocates Prashant Bhushan and Rohit Kumar Singh. The SC bench has sought a status report on the compliance of its orders of March 10 last year to hand over developed plots to all the allottees by July 31 this year. The DDA gets three weeks time to do it. The same bench had on that day issued an ultimatum to then DDA vice-chairman Balvinder Kumar to meet the deadline or face stern action. "Things are not going right. This is a fraud being committed on the people. Not giving developed plots is a further fraud. The residential scheme was of 1981 and we are now in 2015. We are giving you time till July 31, 2016. If you don't complete allotment of fully-developed plots till then, you are in solid trouble. I repeat you are in solid trouble. DDA officials will be going to jail. Please do not take court orders lightly," the bench had told Kumar who had been summoned to the court. advertisement Also Read: Builders have developed an attitude to make commitments to buyers, not fulfill them: Supreme Court Drawing a time table, the court had said 11,000 allottees in sectors 28, 29, 30 and 34 should be given "fully developed land with water connection, road and sewerage that should be handed over by April 10, 2015" The DDA and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd were asked to make arrangements for temporary power connection to these areas by June 30, 2015. Permanent connections will be provided after that, as and when requested. The bench also said the complete development of the remaining 14,000 plots in sectors 35, 36 and 37 should be completed by July 31, 2016 and electricity and water connections have to be provided in these sectors by June 31, 2016 - a month before allotment. "It is the hard-earned money of the public. You shall not sit over it. If they have invested something, some benefits should flow out of it. And remember please do not give undeveloped plots. If there is some hindrance, we shall assist you. Call in the Delhi government authorities and the police. If the Transco (state transmission utility) is not cooperating in giving power, we shall direct them. Do not cite any excuse. Just give them the plots," the SC had told DDA bosses. --- ENDS --- advertisement Lashkar-e-Taiba issued a warning to Baramulla SHO after 44 persons were arrested on Monday. By Ashraf Wani: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has issued a warning to the Baramulla SHO after 44 persons were arrested for terror-related activities on Monday. In a massive multi-agency crackdown in the Old Town of Baramulla on Monday, security agencies seized petrol bombs, Chinese and Pakistan flags, LeT and Jaish letter pads, illegal mobile phones and other material during the raids, a defence spokesman said. advertisement Sources said the crackdown was the first major one in Baramulla in more than a decade. EXTENSIVE CRACKDOWN An extensive search operation was launched by the security forces in Old Town, Baramulla reportedly being used as safe havens by the terrorists. The security forces sanitised the area searching over 700 houses in a span of 12 hours. Based on specific inputs, 44 persons have been apprehended during the operation. In addition, a large number of suspected hideouts were busted during the prolonged search operations. --- ENDS --- The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights launched a Title IX investigation of Baylor University on Tuesday in response to a complaint former Title IX Coordinator Patty Crawford filed with the office. OCR opened the investigation after receiving a complaint from the former Baylor Title IX coordinator, department spokesperson Dorie Nolt said in a statement. Consistent with federal privacy statutes, OCR typically does not identify the specific parties, including complainants, involved in our civil rights cases. In this instance, the complainant has given permission for OCR to identify her and has spoken publicly about her complaint. Baylors case is one of 281 Office for Civil Rights investigations active at 215 colleges and universities. Opening a complaint for investigation in no way implies that OCR has made a determination on the merits of the case, according to a statement from OCR. Rather, the office is a neutral fact-finder. It will collect and analyze all relevant evidence to develop its findings. As a policy, the Department will not disclose any case-specific facts or details about the institutions under investigation. Once the case has been resolved, OCR will notify the institution, the complainant and public, as appropriate. Crawford has said she never had the authority, resources or independence to do her job. She resigned Oct. 3, after less than two years as Baylors first full-time Title IX coordinator. I am pleased that the Department of Education has taken a particular interest in this important matter, Crawfords attorney Rogge Dunn said. Dunn said Crawford recently met with a federal investigator regarding her complaint. He also said she is out of state for job interviews. Ken Starr was fired as Baylors president after regents reported fundamental failure in the schools Title IX implementation efforts after an investigation by Philadelphia-based law firm Pepper Hamilton LLP. Art Briles was fired as head football coach, and Ian McCaw resigned as athletics director after being sanctioned. Two other athletics staffers were removed. Baylor, which faces four Title IX lawsuits, has touted progress made on the 105 recommendations given to the school by Pepper Hamilton to improve institutional response to sexual assault. Baylor interim President David Garland sent a letter to the Office for Civil Rights saying the university will cooperate in the investigation, Garland said in a prepared statement. Should the OCR identify additional areas of improvement, we will work on those immediately, he said in the statement. We are whole-heartedly committed to cultivating a safe and supportive environment for all members of the Baylor community. Baylor Board of Regents Chairman Ron Murff did not return voicemails. A Baylor spokeswoman who sent Garlands statement said it is not in Murffs scope to address inquiries about university operational matters. The Office for Civil Rights enforces Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and is intended to help victims of sexual assault stay in school. OCR investigations The office investigates higher education institutions receiving federal funding if it receives a relevant complaint. Investigations may include reviewing documentary evidence submitted by both parties, conducting interviews with the complainant, recipients personnel, and other witnesses, and/or site visits, according to the DOE website. Like Title IX investigations at the campus level, federal investigators need a preponderance of evidence to identify a Title IX violation. Colleges and universities found to be in violation are subject to fines. In 2011, the DOE released a Dear Colleague Letter, a federal guidance document informing colleges and universities of their responsibility to investigate and adjudicate allegations of sexual assault. The OCR began publicly naming institutions under Title IX investigations in May 2014, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Fifty-five were on the list at the time. The issue is, I was trying to continue to create compliance with Title IX and I was trying to be hopeful that the university was going to listen, and the more I asked and the more I tried, the more resistance I received, and I was being retaliated against for fighting discrimination, Crawford said in an interview on CBS This Morning earlier this month. She said she thinks Baylor still fails victims of sexual assault. The night before the interview, Baylor spokeswoman Tonya Lewis said Crawford demanded $1 million, plus book and movie rights, from Baylor. Dunn called the statement a desperate attempt to smear Patty and a violation of state law for commenting on a mediation session. Believe, me, theres nothing I would rather tell you than what went on in that mediation, because its in favor of Patty, Dunn said to CBS. But the law says you cant do that. We choose to follow the law, unlike Baylor University. In response, Lewis said Crawford made her demands before mediation, but Lewis would not clarify when or to whom Crawford made those demands. Demands made prior to the mediation and later incorporated by way of a demand in mediation are confidential, a Texas mediation law expert said at the time. The county is fast tracking work to repair roof damage on the McLennan County Courthouse annex after learning the repair is needed for the building to comply with fire code. Commissioners on Tuesday approved hiring The Wallace Group for $1,200 as a consultant on the repair. County leaders recently appointed The Wallace Group to evaluate roofs on county-owned buildings and prioritize repairs. Purchasing Director Ken Bass said theres a leak in the roof that caused a smoke detector in an air duct to short out. Bass said the leaking roof needs repairs before a new duct sensor is installed. Since the estimate for repair is less than would require competitive bids, The Wallace Group will prepare cost estimates, Bass said. Im just trying to get it done as quickly as we can, Bass said. Building Facilities Director Herschel Miller said his department recently had to buy a new fire alarm panel for the annex, largely because a duct sensor went bad and shorted out the panel, according to county documents. The fire laws require that we have an acting duct sensor for the air handler unit. After visiting with my fire alarm vendor we have since installed a fire alarm panel for the annex building. The fire marshal has agreed to let us install the fire panel but has red tagged the duct sensor until we purchase and install a new duct sensor, Miller wrote in county documents. He did ask that we get a new duct sensor installed as soon as we could. He is aware of the roof leak and the proper protocol we have to follow. Please note that the equipment room will be used again very soon for upcoming trials for the DA. Waco Fire Marshal Kevin Vranich said an inspection company can identify, or red tag a fire code problem and notify a fire marshal, who will then ensure the repairs are made in a timely manner. MCC nursing program Also during the meeting Tuesday, the county approved an agreement with McLennan Community College to once again allow nursing students to participate in a clinical training program at the county jail, County Administrator Dustin Chapman said. The return comes after nursing students were pulled from the jail program three weeks before Dr. John A. Wells resigned his $330,000 annual contract in March as medical director at the McLennan County Jail. MCC vocational nursing students reported Wells had sexually harassed them, according to records obtained by the Tribune-Herald and multiple sources close to the situation. Commissioners accepted Wells resignation March 15 and awarded a $330,000 annual contract to Dr. James R. Hodges, of Compleat Physicians, on June 21 as the new medical director. Also during the meeting, commissioners formally accepted a retirement notice from County Engineer Steve Hendrick. Hendrick will retire Dec. 31 after more than 23 years with the county. It has been one of the most challenging and rewarding endeavors of my professional career, and I deeply appreciate the opportunities and the support this and previous courts have provided over the years, he wrote in his notice. Waco police Officer George Neville was indefinitely suspended Tuesday, about two months after he was arrested on a misdemeanor assault charge. Nevilles suspension comes after an internal review by the departments Professional Standards and Conduct Unit, Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton announced Tuesday. Neville, an 11-year commissioned officer with the Waco Police Department, was arrested on a misdemeanor assault charge Aug. 18 after a criminal investigation alleged Neville grabbed Qualon Deshon Weaver, 35, by the throat while he was handcuffed during a traffic stop May 4. Interim Police Chief Frank Gentsch announced Nevilles suspension Tuesday. The internal investigation cleared two other officers involved in Weavers stop and arrest of criminal wrongdoing, but each received a five-day suspension that started Monday, Swanton said in the announcement. Officers Kevin Spicer and Adam Beseda stopped a vehicle driven by Weaver on May 4 near the intersection of J.J. Flewellen Road and Herring Avenue, according to police records. During the stop, officers reported seeing Weaver moving in the car before he pulled over, appearing to conceal something before the stop. Police reported Weaver stopped, then continued driving slowly multiple times before pulling over, according to records. Police found almost 10 grams of marijuana in his vehicle, an affidavit for Weavers arrest states. Neville arrived on scene to assist the other officers. Police reports state Weaver was handcuffed when Neville grabbed Weaver around his neck after the two exchanged words with each other. Weavers attorney, Jason Darling, previously told the Tribune-Herald the other two officers at the scene watched as Neville assaulted Weaver. Weaver was then arrested on charges of evading arrest in a motor vehicle and possession of marijuana. He later filed a complaint against all three officers in June, prompting the departments inquiry that led to Neville and Beseda being placed on administrative leave June 9, before Spicer was placed on administrative leave June 16 as the investigation progressed. Swanton said Beseda and Spicer have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, but internal investigations by the Professional Standards and Conduct Unit resulted in the officers five-day suspensions. Neville was arrested on the misdemeanor assault charge in August, but no formal charges had been filed against Neville in municipal court as of Tuesday, according to court records. The charge remains pending. The Tribune-Herald filed a Texas Public Information Act request for video and audio of the May 4 incident. The city is seeking an Attorney Generals opinion on the request, which remains pending. Darling, Weavers attorney, said he plans to file a civil rights lawsuit against Neville. Darling said another man contacted his office after reading a Tribune-Herald story about Weavers arrest and claimed Neville also assaulted him during his arrest later this summer. Darling said he is continuing to investigate the new assault claim to determine whether there is any merit to the claim before filing a civil lawsuit against Neville. Swanton said he is unaware if another formal complaint had been filed against Neville but also said he would not be allowed to comment on an internal affairs investigation. The Tribune-Herald also requested service records for officers Weaver filed complaints against. The department released records only for Neville. The Texas Attorney Generals Public Information Act Handbook states police officers civil service files are public documents subject to disclosure. Previous suspension Neville was suspended for one day May 4, 2015, after firing four shots at a vehicle fleeing from a December 2014 traffic stop, according to his personnel records. The driver was wanted and had been stopped and removed from the vehicle, then jumped back in and started to flee the scene, according to arbitration documents. Nevilles partner at the time tried to pull the suspect out of the vehicle, but the suspect kept driving, carrying Nevilles partner hanging from the car. Neville fired at the fleeing vehicle after his partner had let go, which officials determined was not necessary to prevent immediate harm, according to arbitration documents. The Professional Standards and Conduct Unit initially recommend an eight-day suspension. His suspension was reduced to three days due to what was perceived as Nevilles remorsefulness, arbitration documents state. Through additional arbitration, Neville was formally suspended for one day. Neville received a meritorious conduct award in 2012 for an investigation into a burglary of a vehicle and reckless driving case in May 2012, according to his personnel records. Donald Trump has had a very tough three weeks on the campaign trail, from a bad first debate to the Access Hollywood video to the recent flood of allegations that he groped and made unwanted sexual advances toward several women. And yet Trump trails Hillary Clinton by just four points in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll a number that is pretty par for the course for the 2016 election. But the Post-ABC poll also makes this clear about what Trump is up to these days: Hes doing almost everything wrong, and hes doing nothing to grow his support and actually put himself in a position to win. To wit: 57 percent of likely voters say Trump's response to the Access Hollywood video of him making lewd and sexually aggressive comments about women was insincere. Just 40 percent say it was sincere. 52 percent say his comments on tape arent the brand of locker room talk that he and his supporters have routinely claimed. Just 40 percent say they are. Related to that, 68 percent say they believe Trump has made unwanted sexual advances toward women, while just 14 percent say he has not. So, clearly, people think his actual behavior at least somewhat matched the words he claims were bluster. 57 percent say its inappropriate for Trump to say that Hillary Clinton would be in jail if he were president for her use of a private email server as secretary of state. Just 41 percent say its appropriate. 62 percent say Clintons criticisms of the women who accused her husband of sexual misdeeds is not a legitimate election issue, despite Trumps increasing focus on it. Just 35 percent say it is a legitimate thing for Trump to focus on. Similarly, setting aside his wifes role in it, 67 percent say Bill Clintons treatment of women isnt a legitimate issue in the 2016 election. Just 31 percent say it is. Trump has spent the better part of the past week arguing that his comments on tape were just locker room talk, attempting to cast doubt on the accusations made against him by an increasing number of women and pressing the case that the Clintons misdeeds are worse than the ones hes alleged to have committed. The problem is that a majority of voters are buying none of it. So why hasnt he lost much ground at least in this poll? (Other polls last week showed him losing much more and down double digits.) Part of it is rank partisanship. Those who appear unconcerned are largely GOP-leaning voters already supporting Trump. And thats probably why he remains at 43 percent in a four-way matchup with Hillary Clinton, Libertarian Gary Johnson and the Green Partys Jill Stein. But that brings us back to the problem that has plagued Trump since the GOP primary: his inability to grow his support among the general electorate. Trump is doing basically nothing in response to his problems these past few weeks that is being met with broad support. He has long run, and continues to run, a campaign that is very much focused on the Republican Party base, and that base doesnt seem to have deserted him at this point. But that base alone is also insufficient to win an election in the United States. Trump remains in this race almost completely despite himself and with an assist from Clintons own popularity problems. Those are problems, we would note, that are largely due to things she did before this campaign in contrast to Trump. Hell probably see the head-to-head number from this poll showing him down only four points and think hes doing just fine and could still win. If so, he will be missing the point entirely. Aaron Blake covers national politics and writes regularly for The Posts The Fix blog. Anyone who knows the Constitution and the history of our country knows our greatness lies not only in the handing over of power by elected leaders in the wake of elections but the importance of election losers formally and graciously accepting the results, reassuring supporters and pledging to work within the system to make mandates work within reason. To do otherwise is to consign our republic to anarchy, chaos and gridlock. By the same token, this also means election losers, under our political system, are free to work toward victory yet another day, in yet another election. So the political process continues, all of it reinforced by We the People. Thats not good enough for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has already threatened to abandon our allies in Europe, cede major trade advantages in the Pacific to China, jail his political rival and, most damning of all, abridge the First Amendment to muzzle his enemies. Now hes going about our great land insisting that if he doesnt win the presidential election on Nov. 8, then the election was rigged. For certain gullible and slavish disciples, this canard may seem logical, but what hes saying is theres no way he can legitimately lose. Like so many conspiracy theories Trump has spun over the years, including his tortuous argument for President Obamas foreign birth, facts backing him are fanciful or elusive. While we have by now become accustomed to Trumps lies, egotism and demagogy, his latest campaign salvo suggesting that the 2016 election is rigged still astonishes. No wonder level-headed Republicans such as U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan vigorously refute this claim. After all, if the election is rigged, does this mean the elections of Republican House members such as Congressman Bill Flores are also questionable? Anyone who knows election law and history knows that, in adopting the U.S. Constitution, the states retained certain restrictions regarding the holding of elections. Thats why, for instance, various states have different voter ID laws. The courts have found some constitutional, others not, but the courts dont dispute that each state can set reasonable election restrictions and protocols. Early voting is another example. Besides involvement of state officials, any conspiracy would be dependent on election administrators and officials at the county and even neighborhood levels. Yes, last springs local primary election was botched enough to raise questions about which Republican candidate won a county commissioners race, but no one suggested Elections Administrator Kathy Van Wolfe, election judges and poll workers conspired to help one candidate over another. Election judges and poll volunteers weve met over the years strike us as intensely honest. They patriotically check their political loyalties at the door and endeavor to ensure every citizen understands the voting equipment and is able to cast his or her ballot without impediment or intimidation. So when Trump claims the election is rigged, hes talking about our neighbors, friends, co-workers and relatives. As Republican election lawyer Chris Ashby noted this week, these everyday yet remarkable folks check voters in, confirm their IDs in states where IDs are required and keep detailed records about the election. A conspiracy of the scope Trump bellows about would require not only widespread collusion but technological capabilities that exist only in Mission Impossible movies. Trumps talk is quite obviously intended to incite and provoke. Republicans who fail to decisively counter such rhetoric and reassure voters are as guilty as he is of arousing mob fervor. Our fear is such talk will make a mockery of peaceful, democratic elections and possibly get someone hurt before Election 2016 is done. Om Swami's threat to Lopamudra Raut regarding his secret has not gone down well with anyone in the house. By India Today Web Desk: One of the most loved reality shows to have hit the Indian television--Bigg Boss--has returned to the small screen with a brand new season. And things have already taken a wild and dramatic turn on the show. Day 2 in Bigg Boss Season 10 witnessed an ugly war of words that took place between 'aam aadmi' contestant Om Swami and celeb contestant Lopamudra Raut. Also read:Is Lopamudra Raut the strongest contestant on Bigg Boss 10 right now? advertisement Things grew tense when it was announced in the show that as a part of a new task called Raaz, all the celebrity contestants would have to guess the one secret of all the 'aam aadmi' contestants that they had shared with Bigg Boss just before entering the house. The Jack-in-the-box who will give us a surprise tonight is none other than,#OmSwami! Heres how Baba infuriated both#LopamudraRaut and #AkankshaSharma! A video posted by Big Boss Season 10 (@big.boss.10) on Oct 18, 2016 at 3:36am PDT It was later revealed in the show that beauty queen Lopamudra was already in the know of Om Swami's 'raaz.' Om Swami looked a little upset after the announcement regarding this new task, and was later seen threatening Lopamudra. He asked Lopamudra to keep her mouth shut regarding his secret, and even told her, "Main bol raha hoon accha nahi hoga?Main aapko threat kar raha hoon." Later Lopamudra spoke to Bigg Boss about the incident, and Bigg Boss warned Om Swami about his behavior. Om Swami was also seen apologizing after the warning, albeit half-heartedly. So, now the big question remains--what is Om Swami's secret that he so desperately wants to hide? --- ENDS --- GREENWOOD Greenwood residents will be able to welcome in 2017 with a bang thanks to village board members. The board voted 4-1 to allow Wild Willys to sell firework for the New Years Eve holiday. Board member Harry Swenson voted against approving the permit at the boards Oct. 12 meeting. We hear enough of them July Fourth, he said. They dont need to pop any that night. Yoders Furniture owner Roger Dennis was at the meeting urging the board to sign off on the TIF agreement. I really wanted it done by today, he said, but I was missing a few invoices to hand in. One was for Biggerstaff Plumbing, which he had collected by meeting time. The other two invoices he needed were from the village and for the street lights. Dennis questioned the board why he was paying for one lawyer and then a second lawyer who had been hired to look over the first lawyers papers. You hire an attorney to review another attorney, he said. Doesnt make sense. Board member Michelle Criswell questioned board chairman David Moll on how he came up with the figure on what Dennis owed the village. You are generating this where, at your home, when we have a village office, she asked Moll. I feel its more of a board decision and should be done at the clerks office. I just have a major problem with you doing billing from your home. Moll said he felt it was unreasonable when it came to questioning him on his doing work from his house. Especially when the clerk gets it within a day or two, he said. I really feel that you are being unreasonable. The board did vote to decrease Dennis bill by several thousand dollars and signed off on the TIF agreement. Criswell also questioned Molls decision to do an employee review before their probation time was up. This is something that should have waited until that time period is up then the two of us who are supposed to do reviews do it, she told the board. Moll said he went ahead and did it as he enjoyed working with the two men and they were doing a great job. They walked off the job once before. We dont want to see it happen again, Moll said. Larry Meyer agreed that the handbook stated that the two appointed officials should be the ones to do the review and with that asked to table the agenda item. Criswell then questioned Moll on why he was receiving calls from LoopNet when the board had voted that all calls and e-mails be directed to the clerk. The board voted at its last meeting to hire LoopNet to list Greenwood property for sale. The land would run through Molls brother who lives in California and has a LoopNet account. Since being listed, one individual showed interest in the land with Moll getting the call. My question is why did you get the call when we agreed everything should be ran through the clerk, Criswell said. Moll raised his concerns. I really feel like you are taking me out of talking to anyone, he told Criswell adding that he would sign a conflict of interest letter. I cant talk to my brother? The board voted 3-2 to drop their agreement with LoopNet. You lost a hell of a good deal, Moll said after the vote. Village Attorney Bill Morris spoke to the board about his lack of getting responses from Greenwood Fire Chief Mark Sobota The chief wanted to establish a point system for fireman to earn when attending meeting and answering calls, Morris said. After investigating Sobotas request, the lawyer discovered that there was a state statue in place and all the fire department had to do was approve it and add to their handbook. So I send him the information, and have heard nothing, Morris said. He said there were many other e-mails send to Sobata which were never answered. I really think the communication between the fire department and the village board has broken down and really suggest you meet and include the rural fire board, Morris said. He also said that the fire department needed to work on their retention issues as well as social media concerns. Moll said that what he was hearing was different than from what the board has heard before. You hear one thing at one meeting and then another thing at another meeting, Moll said. It makes us question the truth. Criswell said that since Sobota was not present at the meeting, she would refrain from commenting and felt it was something that they needed to work on. The board also discussed the community center and the next phase of remodeling the building. Michelle and I are on the finance committee so we will take a look at TIF and come back to you to discuss the transition of what can be done and for how much, Meyer said. ASHLAND Over the summer, Barb Washburn wrapped up what has to be one of the busiest years of her life, putting almost 30,000 miles on her car as she traveled around the state as the department president for the Nebraska American Legion Auxiliary. Washburn was elected in June 2015, relinquishing her duties a year later. During her 12 months in office, she visited all 13 districts that make up the American Legion Auxiliary in the state. In those 13 districts, there are 320 units, and Washburn estimates she visited more then 180 of them as president. Additionally, she attended county conventions, membership dinners and visited veterans homes and medical centers, all to reinforce the auxiliarys mission. Thats what its all about, getting out there and supporting veterans, Washburn said. Washburn joined the American Legion Auxiliary when her mother signed her up as a teenager growing up in Cook. I actually had no idea, she said. Her parents, Merle and Marjorie Reinsche, were very active in the American Legion in Cook. Her mother continued to go to Auxiliary meetings there until she was 95 years old. If there was a meeting, she was at it, Washburn said. Later, she married Doug Washburn of Ashland, who was state commander of the Sons of the American Legion when they met, and he helped her learn more about the organization, she said. When she joined the Auxiliary 40 years ago, Washburn had no idea she would rise to state president. It wasnt something I aspired to, she said. I just kind of fell into it. When she was elected, Washburns theme was Always Remember and she used it to highlight the significance the military and their families play in our country. The biggest thing is remembering our mission is to be here to support our veterans, she said. Looking back on her year as president, Washburn said visiting the veterans ranks among her highlights. Seeing the smiles on their faces and their appreciation that someone out there is saying thank you for your service, she said. During her year in office, Washburn also pledged to focus on increasing membership in the auxiliary. There are 21,000 auxiliary members in Nebraska, which has dipped by about a third since Washburn joined the organization 40 years ago. All volunteer organizations are finding it challenging to keep and retain members, she said. Washburns work paid off, netting 1,000 new members in the state over the past year. Unfortunately, that number was offset by the 1,500 or so who left the organization, including many who passed away. The organization as a whole is aging, and they are looking to reach women between the ages of 30 and 50 to remain viable. Weve got to do something because if we dont, were going to be extinct in our lifetime possibly, she said. Another project Washburn tackled during her tenure as president was raising money for the Auxiliary Emergency Fund. Nebraska was one of the top states in terms of fundraising, bringing in over $15,000, Washburn said, through activities like quilt raffles, filling bottles with coins, passing the hat at events and paying to wear crazy hats. You name it, the ladies were creative, she added. The state auxiliary organization also raised nearly $4,000 for high school scholarships. So we can award more scholarships to seniors, she said. For her accomplishments, Washburn earned national awards. But she said the credit does not belong only to her, but to the many women who worked with her to reach their goals. It wasnt about me, she said. It was about what we could do together as a team. Even though her duties as president are over, there is no rest for Washburn. As past president, she will attend functions at the veterans homes and medical centers in the state. Her new duties also include being the junior activities chairwoman for the Northwest Division, which includes seven states, and working in the national Auxiliary organization. I now represent Nebraska on a national level as our executive committee-woman, she added. Even before she was president Washburn regularly visited veterans, and she plans to continue those visits. Its something I so enjoy, she said. Along with visiting veterans and working on the state, district and national level, Washburn will continue to promote the American Legion and the Auxiliary. The big thing for me is to increase awareness of what our organization is about, she said. And ultimately, her reason for being an Auxiliary member is to provide support for the veterans. If were not here, whose going to take care of our vets? she asked. Although Washburn moved to Ashland after marriage, she retains her membership in the Auxiliary in Cook, and her daughter, Amanda, is also a member there. Amanda is carrying on her mothers legacy of leadership in the Auxiliary. She is active in the state organization and served as the National Junior Auxiliary President in 2012-13. She will be a member of the Girls Nation Committee next year. Girls Nation is the national equivalent of the Girls State citizenship program. Amanda is a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and works for the American Legion office in Lincoln. Washburn said her daughter has discovered the same passion for advocating for veterans that she has. Once you get it in your heart, it stays, Washburn said. Be it standing up for herself, taking a stand for others or being fearless; Lopamudra Raut has what it takes to be a Bigg Boss winner. By Parmita Uniyal: Only two days have passed and Bigg Boss has already turned into a war zone, thanks to aam aadmi contestants clearly misusing their status of maaliks, and using it to humiliate celeb 'sevaks' by making unreasonable demands. Be it Priyanka Jagga's 'rude tone', Manoj Punjabi's dictatorial ways or Swamiji's 'dadagiri', celebrities are having a tough time inside the Bigg Boss house ever since the task has been introduced. advertisement Though celebs like Bani Judge, Karan Mehra and Gaurav Chopra are dealing with the humiliation in their own way, it is one contestant who stands out from the rest--beauty queen Lopamudra Raut. Fearless, forthright, polite and friendly, she is making just the right moves, as apparent from the first two episodes. Also read: THIS lady is Prince Narula's favourite Bigg Boss 10 contestant Lopa did not shy away from opening up to strangers like Om Swami and Manveer Gurjar, but at the same time, gave it back to them when they crossed the line. When Swami threatened her and asked her not to reveal his secret to the celeb contestants, Lopamudra said: "you are a religious guru but don't talk or act like one. She supported Karan Mehra when Manoj Punjabi criticized the quality of food cooked by the actor, saying "agar aap vaahiyat shabd use kar rahe ho food ke liye, to uski intensity kisi ko bhi buri lagegi." Also when contestant Manveer Gurjar said that it was good that his mother and bhabhis never allowed him to enter kitchen, and that cooking was only a woman's job because otherwise they would watch television, Lopa gave the perfect reply to him without getting into a heated argument. She said that she really respected a man who cooks for his wife and it is the best way to win a woman's heart. Also read: Exclusive: I want to make friends for life in the Bigg Boss house, says Lopamudra Raut In the last season, speaking their minds and taking a stand have worked in favour of contestants like Rochelle Rao, Priya Malik and Mandana Karimi, who made it to the Top 5. If Lopamudra continues to showcase her fearless side, while maintaining her cool, she might go really far. Bigg Boss 10 airs Mon-Fri at 10:30pm and Sat-Sun at 9pm --- ENDS --- According to sources, the accident occurred at around 8.30 pm when the driver attempted to save a stray dog that came in front of the car. Five member of a family killed after a bus rammed into a car in Ludhiana By India Today Web Desk: Five members of a family were killed in a road accident on Tuesday evening when a car collided with a bus in Dehlon near Ludhiana. According to sources, the accident took place at around 8.30 pm when the driver attempted to save a stray dog that came in front of the car. Consequently, the driver lost control of the car and rammed a Pepsu Road Transport Corporation(PRTC) bus coming from the opposite direction. advertisement ALSO READ: DU girl dies after drunk Uber driver rams into a truck in Noida The locals, who rushed to the spot, confirmed that all members of the family died on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Parveen Gupta, his wife Jyoti, daughters Riya and Shipra and son Krishan, all residents of Surinder Nagar locality. According to Inspector Amandeep Singh Brar, SHO of police station Dehlon, a case has been registered against the bus driver Jagjeet Singh and the conductor, who fled from the spot. Investigations to track down the conductor is on. Post-mortem of dead bodies is scheduled for today. With inputs from agencies. ALSO READ: Divyanka Tripathi narrowly escapes accident, thanks the "invisible power" that saved her Maruti Suzuki Raid de Himalaya called off after fatal accident --- ENDS --- The two drunk men abducted the police officer and later dumped her after they realised she was a cop. By Hemender Sharma: A lady police sub-inspector was kidnapped last night in Morena, Madhya Pradesh by two drunk men and their female accomplice. Morena District Superintendent of Police, Vineet Khanna told India Today "SI Ruby Tomar was on patrol duty near Morena Control Room when she saw two men in a drunken state attempting to snatch money from an autorickshaw driver. Tomar crossed the road but before she could do anything, the men pushed her into the car and sped away from the spot." advertisement After driving for about 15 km, the two accused identified as Vivek Jadaun and Dinesh Bhadoria realised that they had kidnapped a policewoman. "This, however, did not stop them from snatching her mobile phone before they dumped her at an isolated spot," police said. Also read: RSS, police face-off in MP: Video of Sangh pracharak leaked, shows no sign of torture CONTROL ROOM ALERTED A colleague of Tomar, meanwhile had already alerted the control room about her kidnapping and police patrols tried to cordon off the roads. Realising that they had been surrounded from all sides, the accused indulged in rash driving and in the process their car turned turtle. The two accused were finally arrested after a Bollywood style chase that lasted for almost an hour. Police have registered a kidnapping and robbery case against the two. According to the police, Jadaun is a resident of Salabhgarg while Bhadoria is a resident of Gormi in district Bhind. The two accused are studying in Gwalior and were moving from one town to another in the Gwalior Chambal division along with their female accomplice for the past four days, police said. Also read: RSS versus police in MP: Families of ASP, SHO seek protection Madhya Pradesh Police is having a tough time these days as the state government has come down heavily on the force in the past few days. Nine policemen were suspended and an attempt to murder case was registered against them for allegedly thrashing an RSS worker Suresh Yadav. --- ENDS --- Waterford Fine Gael Senator John Cummins has described the progress which has been made on the purchase of the former Waterford Crystal site for... Valentines Day is a time to reflect and appreciate the relationships in our lives. However, it can also be a time to reflect on... THERE was a great response to this years Spring Clean initiative in Waterford, as over 50 groups from the county registered to get down and... ... but you will need to show proof of jab get into bars STUDENTS heading to college in September will not have to be vaccinated... Seven jobs at a Waterford charity look set to be lost after it was announced that it is to be wound down. The U-Casadh... MakeMyTrip and Ibibo are all set to become one mega entity in the travel business space By India Today Web Desk: The modern Indian traveller does a major chunk of his bookings through some highly convenient travel portals that are there. And now, two of the biggest travel portals in this country have decided to become one. MakeMyTrip is in the process of acquiring the Ibibo Group. When merged, the two will become one mega entity which will operate as MakeMyTrip, and will reportedly control one-fifth of the airline booking market, along with significant market shares in the bus, hotel, and ride-sharing businesses as well. advertisement Also read: 5 ways to make sure you are booking the right hotel According to a report by the Mint, MakeMyTrip is going to buy the Ibibo Group at an amount USD 720 million. According to media reports, the group CEO and executive chairman of MakeMyTrip, Deep Kalra, has said that all the major portals, including MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, and redBus will operate as individual entities as they presently are, and will keep serving travellers in exactly the same way they do right now. Also read: Mobiles are used for most of the travel bookings: study Kalra has also said there is enough scope for forming new synergies as well. The Times of India has quoted him saying, "MakeMyTrip is strong in the air-ticketing and branded 5-4-3 star hotel-booking space, while Goibibo is strong in the budget accommodation space. One of the strategies that could play out is: A lot of bus travellers that redBus has would prefer accommodation offered by our recently launched brand Rightstay that includes villas, cottages, bungalows and apartments. You will see a lot of such interesting synergies unfolding going forward". --- ENDS --- The team at Waterford Walls has hardly been able to contain its excitement this week as it brings another exciting artwork to the city.... RENTS in Waterford are now spiralling out of control, with costs 16.2% higher than they were in the same period last year and... The 24th of July is a special day for Samaritans. 24/7 is a day we use each year to highlight that we are available... CHANGES to the junction between New Street and Barrack Street have backfired, becoming yet another source of traffic chaos in the heart of the... Waterford is set for a summer like no other on several fronts after two years of Covid-19 restrictions. With the countys hurlers triumphing in the... When you buy online, you have the right to the same protections under consumer law as buying in a shop. Online shopping is at an... Richmond are poised to finally secure Dion Prestia from Gold Coast as the trade period draws to a close. A deal that would send contracted Carlton star Bryce Gibbs home to Adelaide also appears close to being reached. Dion Prestia is close to joining Richmond. Credit:Getty Images While Gold Coast and Hawthorn were likely to head into mediation over Jaeger O'Meara, the Suns and Richmond were close to closing a deal in which the Tigers would concede pick 6 for the former top 10 draft pick. Under the deal, Richmond would give the Suns their first pick, as well a future second-round pick. Gambling giants Tabcorp Holdings and Tatts Group have unveiled the terms of a merger to create an $11 billion wagering powerhouse they say will be strong enough to compete with international bookmakers. The two companies announced on Wednesday morning they had struck a deal in which Tabcorp will buy out Tatts at a premium of about 20 per cent. Tabcorp wants to buy Tatts in part to fend off a growing challenge from overseas online rivals like William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair. Credit:Erin Jonasson The companies emerged from trading halts on Wednesday and the prospect of a merger sent Tatts shares up 15.46 per cent to $4.145 and Tabcorp was also up 2 per cent to $4.99 in mid-afternoon trading. "Bringing together our businesses will create a strong and diversified business that is well placed to invest, innovate and compete, both in Australia and globally," Tabcorp chairman Paula Dwyer said. "The potential for a disruptive adjustment in China remains pronounced, given the ongoing increase in debt," it said. The sheer pace of lending growth makes it likely many loans are going to marginal borrowers or unprofitable projects. China's growth is slowing and that will make it harder for highly leveraged firms to service their debts, especially if loans have funded unviable projects. To make matters worse much of the rapid growth has been from China's less regulated "shadow banking" sector. China's financial system "has become increasingly large, opaque and interconnected," the Reserve warned. The IMF's regular assessment of the Chinese economy, released in August, called on authorities to "tackle" the debt problem urgently. Luckily, Chinese authorities have the capacity to deliver more economic stimulus if needed. But the difficult remedies required to return China to a more sustainable rate of credit growth are likely to "displace" workers and take a toll on growth. Any artificial measures used to try and postpone the inevitable adjustment are likely to make it even more disruptive. And any policy missteps along the way could deepen the slowdown. The IMF says there's "a tangible risk of permanently lower medium-term growth". Of course, a sharp slowdown in Chinese growth would hit our economy harder than most and put many jobs at risk. Australia has the highest proportion of exports going to China of any advanced economy. Last financial year it accounted for more than 30 per cent of Australia's merchandise exports, up from about 10 per cent a decade earlier. It's also our largest market for services exports having jumped from around 3 per cent of the total to 15 per cent in just 15 years. China is Australia's second largest source of tourists and they spend far more than the average overseas visitor. China is also a key market for Australia's international education industry. What's surprising is that the potential fall-out from China's debt binge doesn't get much more attention here. The Reserve Bank's warnings about China last week didn't dominate the headlines. They were eclipsed by another financial risk highlighted in the report how a glut of inner-city apartments could leave highly leveraged investors and property developers exposed should prices slide. In the first of three "headland" speeches in late August the Treasurer, Scott Morrison, also canvassed the economic threat posed by rising corporate debt and slowing economic growth in China. "Interesting times may lay ahead, and we must prepare," he said. It is rare for an Australian treasurer to talk about the risks that come with Australia's extensive economic ties with China, not just the opportunities. But the warning was again overshadowed, that time by Morrison's remarks about "the taxed and the taxed nots" how more Australians are likely to go through life never paying more tax than they receive in government payments than in the past. The amount of quality news and financial analysis about Asia in the Australian media has improved over the past decade or so. But analysis of the Chinese economy is still routinely eclipsed by financial news from Europe and North America. We still pay disproportionate attention to financial events in America and Britain even though those places have become less important to us economically. The blanket coverage of Brexit is a case in point there's no doubt the aftermath of China's credit boom poses a much bigger economic threat to Australia than Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, but the balance of media coverage here doesn't reflect that. Despite our growing economic integration with the Asia, deep curiosity about the region remains strangely limited. It's high time that changed. The Debt Recovery Tribunal has directed Airbus to deposit with it Rs 192.51 crore towards pre-delivery payment made by banks for purchase of planes by Kingfisher Airlines controlled by Vijay Mallya. By PTI: The Debt Recovery Tribunal has directed European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to deposit with it Rs 192.51 crore towards pre-delivery payment made by a consortium of banks for the purchase of planes by the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines controlled by Vijay Mallya. Passing orders on an amended plea filed by the consortium led by the Oriental Bank of Commerce for the recovery of the payment, DRT Presiding Officer K Srinivasan directed Airbus to deposit Rs 192.51 crore from any source within eight weeks. advertisement BANKS MADE PRE-DELIVERY PAYMENT The Oriental Bank of Commerce, Corporation Bank and United Bank of India submitted that they had made a pre-delivery payment of Rs 192.51 crore to Airbus on behalf of Kingfisher Airlines after both parties had signed a purchase agreement in 2005. But the planes were not delivered. Also read: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya can visit India on emergency travel document: ED Since Airbus had failed to repay the pre-delivery payment, the consortium made GoAir and Indigo as parties in the case by filing applications under garnishee proceedings to recover the money. It had sought a direction to the budget carriers to deposit the money to be paid by them to Airbus with it, under garnishee proceedings. WHAT IS GARNISHMENT? A garnishment is a means of getting a monetary judgement against a defendant by ordering a third party (the garnishee) to pay the money, otherwise owed to the defendant, directly to the plaintiff. However, during the hearing of the prayer, the budget carriers had opposed it, saying it would affect the interest of their business and economy. Also read: Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Villa in Goa to be auctioned for Rs 85 crore Airbus too had objected to the proceedings saying the company was needlessly being dragged into the matter as it was neither a borrower nor a defaulter and questioned the DRT's jurisdiction. Countering this, the bank's counsel Mohammad Ibrahim had contended that the tribunal had jurisdictional power to adjudicate the matter since the contract was signed in India between banks, Kingfisher Airlines and Airbus, and the aircraft were to be delivered in India and the money was paid in India. AMEND PLEA IN GARNISHEE PROCEEDINGS: DRT TO BANKS The DRT, on September 27, had ordered the bankers to amend its plea in the garnishee proceedings to seek a direction to the Airbus to deposit money received in the future from any deal and air carrier from India strikes with it, instead of seeking the money from budget air carriers. advertisement Kingfisher Airlines owes over Rs 9,000 crore to SBI-led consortium of 17 banks. Mallya, who left the country on March 2 and is now in the UK, has been declared a proclaimed offender by a special PMLA court in Mumbai on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its money-laundering probe against him in the alleged bank loan default case. Also read: Get Vijay Mallya deported: ED writes to foreign ministry --- ENDS --- Senate powerbroker Nick Xenophon has confirmed he will not support three major planks of the Turnbull government's budget, but has left the door open for negotiation on key industrial relations bills. Two welfare savings measures will be blocked outright: a plan to make young jobseekers wait four weeks before receiving unemployment benefits, and a cut to the age pension for people who spend more than six weeks overseas. "There are other priorities the government should focus on": South Australian senator Nick Xenophon has cut a "middle way" on corporate tax cuts. Credit:Pat Scala The Nick Xenophon Team will also use its numbers in the Senate to limit the government's proposed business tax cuts, a centrepiece of the 2016 budget, to businesses with annual turnover of less than $10 million. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison want to bring the corporate tax rate down to 25 per cent over 10 years, in an escalating manner that would eventually affect all businesses regardless of size. On the night of September 10, between the hours of about 8 and 11, six women, each of them walking in midtown Manhattan, were approached by a group of young men who sought to light them on fire. Although the attacks were mercifully unsuccessful no one was injured one woman standing at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and East 54th Street had her skirt set aflame, while another, walking past a Valentino store, police reported, felt something warm on her left arm, only to realise that her blouse was on fire. . Credit:Stocksy Six days later, a 14-year old boy was taken into custody, and charged with attempted assault and harassment. Given that everyone targeted for conflagration was female, police have considered these hate crimes. That four of the encounters occurred on a stretch of Fifth Avenue just outside Trump Tower may bear no actual relationship to our current political misfortunes, but their symbolic freight is hard to overlook. Tech founder Luke Anear never went out seeking venture capital investment. In fact the creator of SafetyCulture, a workplace safety checklist app, didn't know what the phrase "VC" meant until recently. Scott Farquhar, left, of Atlassian assisted Luke Anear, Safety Culture, in its venture capital foray. But apparently without chasing it, Anear and his company secured a $30 million venture capital raise from US investors Index Ventures. The two were connected by Paul Kwan of Morgan Stanley's Silicon Valley arm. "We were just focused on proving our business model and moving from individual people downloading the app to organisational wide deployments that were building a real revenue business. Then all of a sudden we were given this opportunity," he said. Badana, Iraq: The farming village of Badana, east of Mosul, was turned into a bunker during more than two years of Islamic State rule. The proof is a network of tunnels and cramped living quarters that betrays an extremist group increasingly forced to operate underground by a punishing air campaign and mounting territorial losses. Wrested from IS control on the first day of the offensive to retake Iraq's second-largest city, Badana offers a glimpse of the battle ahead. Above ground, walls were shredded by air strikes and artillery, homes were stained black with soot and the remaining buildings had been looted. Below ground, bags of fresh vegetables lay on the floor of a cooking area and a bowl of eggs sat beside a crude stove, suggesting the fighters maintained supply lines until days before their defeat. The Home Ministry ordered a high-level probe into the case, including on the immigration officials who let meat exporter Moin Qureshi to travel to Dubai. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to act against officers in Bureau of Immigration who allowed meat exporter Moin Qureshi to travel to Dubai last week despite a pending look-out circular against him after PMO sought a report from the Home Ministry on how Delhi-based Qureshi, who is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), was allowed to leave India. advertisement The Home Ministry ordered a high-level probe into the case, including on the immigration officials who let him travel. The immigration department has been asked to submit its report within 72 hours. A senior officer said, that MHA has taken the matter seriously asking even the IB to look into the matter. READ| All you need to know about Moin Qureshi: Emperor of meat export and a headache for ED Earlier in September, the ED had issued circular requesting immigration officials to detain Qureshi and inform the agency if he attempted to travel abroad. On October 14, immigration officials on duty intercepted Qureshi for questioning and subsequently the ED was also informed. According to a source, the lawyer accompanying Qureshi flashed papers regarding IT which led to confusion. However, it is alleged that even before the ED team could rrive at the airport, Qureshi was allowed to board the flight after he produced court documents granting him permission to go abroad. READ| Moin Qureshi case: Action likely against officers who allowed meat exporter to fly abroad The ED had earlier been probing this case under forex violation laws after the income tax department first shared documents indicating hawala and alleged contravention of forex laws by the businessman and his business entities based in India. It had alleged that Qureshi has sent "huge amount of funds" through the hawala route to Dubai, London and few other overseas destinations in Europe. ALSO READ: Meat exporter Moin Qureshi shows papers against ED's restraint order, allowed to fly to Dubai from Delhi airport --- ENDS --- Michelle Obama stuns in a custom made rose gold Atelier Versace dress at the final dinner as the First Lady. By India Today Web Desk: With elegance and grace at their safe disposal, The Obamas sure know who score a perfect score when it comes to the style department! While the President is known for his sartorial style, First Lady Michelle Obama's gowns have been great hits in the past--her latest one being no different. Michelle Obama's floor-length rose gold Atelier Versace gown managed to stun all at the final state dinner where the Obamas greeted Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini. advertisement The First Lady's gown had a shimmery detailed bodice, an asymmetrical neckline, and a sleek waist, which was made perfect with her straight and flowing hair. US President Barack Obama and US first lady Michelle Obama greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini at the White House. (Picture Courtesy: Reuters) So let your jaws drop. FLOTUS, known for her incredible fashion choices, has opted for the most glamorous look for the 14th and last state dinner. In the past, she has adorned clothes from numerous designers, from rising talent Brandon Maxwell to Carolina Herrera and Vera Wang to Alexander McQueen. Also read: Five times Michelle Obama made us fall in love with her Michelle Obama's gowns have not just been stunning but also meaningful. Mrs Obama reportedly, opts for a designer from the guest country in order to honour them. Like this time, she chose a sparkling gown from the Italian designer, Versace. Her final high-end fashion look as the First Lady will be remebered for years to come! --- ENDS --- While scrapping the dismissal of the officer for "stealing the affection of a brother officer's wife", the Armed Forces Tribunal has also advised the Indian Air Force against giving harsh punishment to male officers for having affairs with their colleagues' spouses. By Ajit Kumar Dubey: With women joining the armed forces in large numbers, it is unreasonable to expect that the two sexes would not mingle while aspects such as marriage breakups, consensual relationships with others and infidelity should not be viewed so seriously as to lead to dismissal of an officer. This landmark observation has been made by none other than a military court while giving relief to an ace fighter pilot removed from service for having an "illicit" affair with a senior female officer who committed suicide. advertisement While scrapping the dismissal of the officer for "stealing the affection of a brother officer's wife", the Armed Forces Tribunal has also advised the Indian Air Force against giving harsh punishment to male officers for having affairs with their colleagues' spouses. AFFAIR SMACKS OF PATRIARCHY The court has also hit out at the strict military offence of having affair with fellow officer's spouse, saying it "smacks of patriarchy and punctilious mindset" and held only men responsible for such affairs. The court said the fact that the offence did not hold women responsible "who may be as educated, as mature, even older and senior than the male is reflective of a pre-disposed and biased mindset that also assumes that the wife of a brother officer is the property or chattel of the male and not an independent person in her own right who has the freedom to choose to live her life on her own terms." IAF officers refused to comment on the issue. The Indian Air Force commissioned its first female fighter pilots this year, paving the way for more women to be given combat roles as one of the world's biggest armed forces takes steps towards greater gender parity. The military began recruiting women to non-medical positions in 1992. WHAT HAPPENED "The application of Flt Lt Ishan Sharan is allowed in part," the tribunal said in its verdict. "He is to be considered as released from service from the date of his dismissal that is 28 June 2013 with whatever financial benefits, if any, that he may be entitled to." Sharan, an ace Su-30MKI pilot posted at Jodhpur, was dismissed from service in June 2013 after a female Squadron Leader committed suicide. The officer had an "adulterous relationship" with the woman as per the Air Force inquiry. The young pilot and the husband of the deceased were posted in the same Su-30MKI fighter squadron in Jodhpur while she was posted in another nearby radar unit. As per the allegations, the Flight Lieutenant (equivalent to a Captain in the Army) had an affair with the female officer since their posting in Bareilly and it had continued even in Jodhpur after their relocation. advertisement The problems in the affair started when the female officer's husband read their Facebook chat history suggesting an intimate relationship between the two and also when he threatened to divorce his wife. The young male officer, meanwhile, went on to marry another woman, which allegedly pushed the female officer into depression. She was found hanging from the ceiling in her room on November 28, 2012, following which the IAF ordered a court of inquiry into the matter. The probe under a Group Captain (Colonel) rank officer found Sharan guilty of "Behaving in a manner unbecoming of an officer by luring the Squadron Leader who was wife of another officer of the same rank into a relationship hereby stealing her love and affection." Also Read: All you need to know: From sex scandal to causing death of labourer, troubles have hit AAP hard and how WHAT KIND OF ACTION Despite the IAF inquiry accepting that in view of the increased interaction between male and female officers for major part of the day the "likelihood of developing attraction is high", it recommended strong action against the officer while asking for a sensitisation campaign among all its personnel against falling into such relationships. The Air Force also put the onus of the affair on the male officer alone, saying "it may be possible that the relationship was mutual and complimentary, implying that the lady is also an active and willing partner. In such cases, the onus is upon the airwarrior to withdraw and desist from having such relationship." As per the allegations, he had entered into an "inappropriate, illicit and amorous relationship" with the female officer. Appealing against his dismissal from service, Sharan accepted before the Air Force chief that his involvement with the female officer was "a mere error of judgment and not any wrongful intention on my part." advertisement The officer who had joined the IAF in 2007 was the topper of his batch as he was awarded the prestigious "Sword of Honour" by the Chief of Air Staff for his stellar performance in training. "The only mistake of mine is that I should have ended my interaction with her abruptly. But I chose to stand by her in her times of distress which at that time I felt was the right thing to do," he told the Air Force. Taking a lenient view of the case, Kolkata Tribunal's Lt Gen Gautam Moorthy said in his verdict that "while not condoning extra marital relationships, we must, at the same time, reflect upon the changing mores of our society." --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) New & Renewable Energy Ministry will seek Cabinet approval to a proposal to reclassifying large hydro power plants as renewable projects, a move which can help India achieve clean power capacity of 230 GW by 2022. "I have a study carried out by Power Secretary and his team which demonstrates that except 4-5 countries almost universally in the world, hydro power (large project) is considered renewable. We are almost on the verge of finalising that report, which should shortly be taking up to the Cabinet (for approval)," Power, Coal, Mines and New & Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters here. Removing the distinction between small project (up to 25 MW) and large hydro project can help India projecting that its installed renewable energy capacity would be 230 GW by 2022. advertisement Goyal further said, "I do believe that hydro power of all sizes and shapes should be considered part of renewable energy." Elaborating further on the move he said, "I am not trying to cut corners and now say 175 GW (renewable energy target by 2022) will include large hydro and therefore scale down my ambition. When I add large hydro to renewable, I would add that much capacity to renewable energy. I think we will go to 230 GW after adding large hydro to renewable energy." Of the 306 GW installed power generation capacity, 43 GW comes from large hydro projects (above 25 MW) and 44.23 GW from other renewable power generation capacities. India has set an ambitious target of adding 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 which includes 100 GW of solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro-power (up to 25 MW capacity each). Besides better projection of Indias renewable energy capacities, the move would help the hydro power sector as it would be able to access incentives being provided to renewable energy projects by the government. Earlier in March, Planning Minister Rao Inderjit Singh had told the Lok Sabha that the planned hydro power generation capacity addition of 4,371 mw out of total target of 10,897 mw in the 12th Plan will not be completed. "Based on the current status of works, out of 12th Plan hydro capacity addition target of 10,897 mw, capacity aggregating 4,371 mw is slipping, and 930 mw capacity is critical to commissioning during the 12th Plan," he had said. (MORE) PTI KKS MR --- ENDS --- The following companies are subsidiares of Dover: APM Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Accelerated Production Systems, Acme Cryo Intermediate Inc., Acme Cryogenics, Acme Cryogenics Inc., Acme Elevator, Advansor A/S, Advansor Dover International (Poland) sp. z o.o., Advansor Germany GmbH, Alfred Fueling Systems Holdco Ltd., Alfred Fueling Systems Inc., Alfred Fueling Systems Intermediate Holdco Ltd., All-Flo Pump Company, Anman LLC, Anthony Equity Holdings Inc., Anthony Holdings Inc., Anthony Inc., Anthony International, Anthony International Foreign Sales Corp., Anthony International Holding Company, Anthony Mexico Holdings LLC, Anthony North Holdco Inc., Anthony Specialty Glass LLC, Anthony TemperBent GP LLC, Audax ECII Blocker Inc., Auto Glanz Solutions LLC, AvaLAN Wireless Systems Incorporated, BELVAC CR spol s r.o., BSC Filters Limited, Belanger, Belanger Inc., Belvac Middle East FZE, Belvac Production Machinery Inc., Blackmer, BlitzRotary GmbH, Blue Bite LLC, Blue Bite LLC, Butler Engineering and Marketing S.P.A., CDS Visual, CDS Visual Inc., CEP Liquidation LLC, CP Formation LLC, CPC Europe Inc., CPI Products Inc., Caldera, Canada Organization & Development LLC, Chief Automotive Technologies (Shanghai) Trading Company Ltd., Chippewa Square Captive Insurance Company, Colder Products Company, Colder Products Company GmbH, Colder Products Company LTD, Cook Compression LLC, Cook Compression Limited, Cook-MFS Inc., Cryogenic Experts LLC, DD1 Inc., DDI Properties Inc., DE-STA-CO Benelux B.V., DE-STA-CO FRANCE, DE-STA-CO Shanghai Co. Ltd., DESTACO UK Limited, DFH Corporation, DFS Netherlands B.V., Datamax International Corp, De Sta Co (Asia) Company Limited, De-Sta-Co Cylinders Inc., DeStaCo Europe GmbH, Delaware Capital Formation Inc., Delaware Capital Holdings Inc., Dositec Sistemas SL, Dosmatic U.S.A. Inc., Dover (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Dover (Schweiz) Holding GmbH, Dover (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd., Dover (Shenzhen) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover (Suzhou) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover Asia Trading Private Ltd., Dover Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Dover Business Services EMEA Limited, Dover Business Services Europe S.R.L., Dover Business Services LLC, Dover Business Services Philippines Corporation, Dover CLP Formation Limited Partnership, Dover Canada Holdings ULC, Dover Canada Operations ULC, Dover Corporation Regional Headquarters, Dover DEI Services Inc., Dover Denmark Holdings ApS, Dover EMEA FZCO, Dover Energy UK Ltd, Dover Engineered Products Segment Inc., Dover Europe Inc., Dover Europe Sarl, Dover Fluids UK Ltd, Dover France Holdings, Dover France Participations, Dover France Technologies, Dover Fueling Solutions Segment Inc., Dover Fueling Solutions UK Limited, Dover Germany GmbH, Dover Global Holdings LLC, Dover Holdings de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dover Imaging & Identification Segment Inc., Dover India Pvt. Ltd., Dover Intercompany Services UK Limited, Dover International B.V., Dover International Operations Inc., Dover International Ventures Inc., Dover International ithalat ihracat ve Pazarlama Limited Sirketi, Dover Italy Holdings S.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Finance Sarl, Dover Luxembourg Participations Sarl, Dover Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Services Sarl, Dover Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Dover Overseas Ventures Inc., Dover Pumps & Process Solutions Segment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment Segment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment UK Ltd, Dover Resources International de Mexico S. de R.L. C.V., Dover Solutions Colombia SAS, Dover Southeast Asia (Thailand) Ltd., Dover Spain Holdings S.L., Dover Switzerland Participations GmbH, Dover UK Pensions Limited, Dover WSCR Holding LLC, Dover WSCR LLC, Dover do Brasil Ltda., Dow-Key Microwave Corporation, Dresser Wayne Data Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Dresser Wayne Fuel Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ECI - IGT Holdings LLC, ECI Holding Company LLC, ECI RegO S. de R.L. de C.V, ECI RegO Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., ECII (Mexico) LLC, EOA Systems Inc., Ebs-Ray Holdings Pty Ltd, Ebs-Ray Industries Pty Ltd, Ebs-Ray Pumps Pty Ltd, Em-Tec, Engineered Controls International LLC, Espy, Ettlinger, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH, Fairbanks Environmental Limited, Fibrelite Composites Limited, Fibresec Holdings Limited, Fibresec Limited, Finder, GAL LLC, GIIER LLC, Gala Industries, Guangdong Tokheim LIYUAN Oil Industry Technology Limited Company, Highland Park Insurance Company, Hill PHOENIX Inc., Hill PHOENIX WIC LLC, Hill Phoenix Costa Rica Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada, Hill Phoenix El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, Hill Phoenix Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Honduras Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hiltap Fittings Ltd., Hydro Systems Company, Hydro Systems Europe Ltd., Industrial Motion Control LLC, Innovative Control Systems, Innovative Control Systems Inc., Inpro/Seal LLC, JK Group, JK Group S.P.A., JK Group USA Inc., K S Boca Inc., K&L Microwave DR Inc., K&L Microwave Inc., KPS (Beijing) Petroleum Equipment Trading Co Ltd., KPS Fueling Solutions Sdn. Bhd., KPS Hong Kong Holding Limited, KPS UK Limited, KS Formation Inc., KS Liquidation Inc., KSLP Liquidation L.P., Kiian Digital (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Knappco LLC, Knowles Electronics, LIQAL, LIQAL B.V., Liquip, Liquip, Liquip International Pty Limited, MAAG, MARKEM FZ SA, MARKEM-IMAJE Corporation, MIP Holdings Inc., MS Printing Solutions, MS Printing Solutions S.R.L., Maag, Maag Automatik Plastics Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Maag Gala Inc., Maag Germany GmbH, Maag Italy S.R.L., Maag Pump Systems, Maag Pump Systems (US) Inc., Maag Pump Systems AG, Maag Reduction Inc., Maag Service (Malaysia) Sdn. Bdn., Maag Service (Taiwan) Ltd., Maag Systems (Thailand) Limited, Macro Technologies LLC, Malema, Marathon Equipment Company (Delaware), Markem Imaje Center of Competencies Spain S.L.U., Markem-Imaje, Markem-Imaje (China) Co. Limited, Markem-Imaje - Unipessoal Lda, Markem-Imaje A/S, Markem-Imaje AB, Markem-Imaje AG, Markem-Imaje AS, Markem-Imaje B.V., Markem-Imaje CSAT GmbH, Markem-Imaje Co. Ltd., Markem-Imaje GmbH, Markem-Imaje Holding, Markem-Imaje Identificacao de Produtos Ltda., Markem-Imaje Inc., Markem-Imaje India Private Limited, Markem-Imaje Industries, Markem-Imaje Industries Limited, Markem-Imaje KK, Markem-Imaje LLC, Markem-Imaje Limited, Markem-Imaje Ltd., Markem-Imaje N.V., Markem-Imaje Oy, Markem-Imaje Philippines Corporation, Markem-Imaje Pty. Ltd., Markem-Imaje S.A., Markem-Imaje S.A. de C.V., Markem-Imaje S.r.l., Markem-Imaje SAS, Markem-Imaje Sdn. Bhd., Markem-Imaje Singapore Pte. Ltd., Markem-Imaje Spain S.A., Markpoint Holding AB, Midland Manufacturing LLC, Midwest Cryogenics Inc., Mouvex, Northeast Services Inc., Northern Lights (Nevada) Inc., Northern Lights Funding LP, Northern Lights Investments LLC, Nova Controls Inc., OK International, OK International Holdings Inc., OK International Inc., OK International Ltd., OPW Engineered Systems LLC, OPW Fluid Transfer Group Europe B.V., OPW Fluid Transfer Solutions (Jiang Su) Co. Ltd., OPW Fluids Group Inc., OPW Fuel Management Systems Inc., OPW Fueling Components (SuZhou) Co. Ltd., OPW Fueling Components LLC, OPW Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., OPW Slovakia s.r.o., OPW Sweden AB, Officine Meccaniche Sirio S.R.L., PDQ Manufacturing, PDQ Manufacturing Inc., PISCES by OPW Inc., PSD Codax Holdings Limited, PSD Codax Limited, PSG (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PSG (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PSG California LLC, PSG Germany GmbH, Petro Vend Sp. z o.o., Pike Machine Products Inc., Pole/Zero Acquisition Inc., Precision Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Para Postos De Combustiveis Ltda., Precision Service - Servicos De Manutencao E Instalacao De Postos De Abastecimento De Combustivel Ltda., Production Control Services, Pump Management Services Co. LLC, Quantex Arc Limited, Quantex Patents Limited, RAV France, Ravaglioli S.P.A., Reduction Engineering GmbH, RegO (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., RegO Holding GmbH, RegO Products, RegO Valve (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Rego GmbH, Revod Corporation, Revod Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Revod Sweden AB, Robohand Inc., Rosario, Rosario Handel B.V., Rotary Lift Consolidated (Haimen) Co. Ltd., SE Liquidation LLC, SWEP France, SWEP Germany GmbH, SWEP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SWEP North America Inc., SWEP Slovakia s.r.o., SWEP Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Seabiscuit Motorsports Inc., Shanghai RegO Flow Technology Company Ltd., Shine Bloom - ECI A Blocker Corp., Shine Bloom - ECI Blocker Corp., Shine Bloom - ECI S Blocker Corp., Simmons Sirvey Corporation, So. Cal. Soft-Pak, So. Cal. Soft-Pak Incorporated, Soft-Pak, Solaris Laser, Solaris Laser S.A., Somero Enterprises, Sound Solutions, Sound Solutions, Space S.R.L., Spirit, Start Italiana S.R.L., Superior Holding LLC, Superior Products LLC, Swep Energy Oy, Swep International A.B., Swep Japan K.K., Sys-Tech Solutions, Sys-Tech Solutions Inc., Systech, TQC Quantium Quality S.A. de C.V., TTSI III Inc., TWG Canada Consolidated Inc., TXHI LLC, Tartan Textile Services Inc., The Espy Corporation, The Heil Co., Tokheim, Tokheim Belgium, Tokheim China Company Limited, Tokheim GmbH, Tokheim Group, Tokheim Hengshan Technologies (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Tokheim Holding B.V., Tokheim India Private Limited, Tokheim Sofitam Applications, Triton Systems, Tulsa Winch Inc., UPCO Inc., US Synthetic, Unattended Payment Solutions LLC, Unified Brands, Val TemperBent Glass L.P., Vectron Frequency Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vehicle Service Group LLC, Vehicle Service Group UK Limited, Vos Food Store Equipment Ltd., WSCR Corp., Warn Automotive LLC, Warn Industries, Waukesha Bearings, Waukesha Bearings Corporation, Waukesha Bearings Limited, Waukesha Bearings Russia LLC, Wayne Fueling Systems, Wayne Fueling Systems (Rus) Limited Liability Company, Wayne Fueling Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Wayne Fueling Systems Canada ULC, Wayne Fueling Systems Italia S.R.L., Wayne Fueling Systems LLC, Wayne Fueling Systems Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB, Wayne Fueling Systems UK Holdco Ltd., Wayne Industria e Comercio Ltda., WellMark, WellMark, and em-tec GmbH. Read More PNM Resources, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides electricity and electric services in the United States. It operates through Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) and Texas-New Mexico Power Company (TNMP) segments. The PNM segment engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The segment generates electricity using coal, natural gas and oil, nuclear fuel, solar, wind, and geothermal energy sources. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had owned or leased facilities with a total net generation capacity of 2,168 megawatts; and owned 3,426 miles of electric transmission lines, 5,751 miles of distribution overhead lines, 5,765 miles of underground distribution lines, and 250 substations. The segment also owns and leases communication, office and other equipment, office space, vehicles, and real estate. The TNMP segment provides regulated transmission and distribution services. As of December 31, 2021, the segment owned 983 miles of overhead electric transmission lines, 7,297 miles of overhead distribution lines, 1,408 miles of underground distribution lines, and 113 substations. The segment also owns and leases vehicles, service facilities, and office locations throughout its service territory. The company serves approximately 806,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers and end-users of electricity in New Mexico and Texas. PNM Resources, Inc. was incorporated in 1882 and is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The following companies are subsidiares of Tyson Foods: APF Legacy Subs LLC, Advance Food Company LLC, AdvancePierre Foods, AdvancePierre Foods Holdings Inc., AdvancePierre Foods Inc., Aidells Sausage Company Inc., Allied Specialty Foods Inc., American Proteins Inc, Artisan Bread Co. LLC, Australian Food Corporation Pty Limited, Australian Food Corporation Trust, BRF, Barber Foods LLC, Bosco's Pizza Co., Bryan Foods Inc., C.S. Grain LLC, C.V. Holdings Inc., CBFA Management Corp., Central Industries Inc., Chefs Pantry LLC, Clovervale Farms LLC, Cobb (Hubei) Breeding Co. Ltd., Cobb (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Cobb Ana Damizlik Tavukculuk Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Cobb Columbia S.A.S., Cobb Europe B.V., Cobb Europe Limited, Cobb Peru (Andina) S.A.C., Cobb-Heritage LLC, Cobb-Vantress Brasil Ltda, Cobb-Vantress Inc., Cobb-Vantress New Zealand Limited, Cobb-Vantress Philippines Inc., Coominya AFC Pty Limited, Coominya AFC Trust, DFG Foods Inc., DFG Foods L.L.C., Don Julio, Egbert LLC, Equity Group - Georgia Division LLC, Equity Group - Kentucky Division LLC, Equity Group Eufaula Division LLC, Equity Meat Corp., Flavor Corp., Flavor Holdings Inc., Foodbrands America Inc., Foodbrands Supply Chain Services Inc., Gallo Salame Inc., Global Employment Services Inc., Grow-Out Credit LLC, Grow-Out Holdings LLC, Haimen Tyson Poultry Development Co. Ltd, Hudson Foods Company, Hudson Midwest Foods Inc., Hybro Genetics Brasil Ltda, IBP Caribbean Inc., IBP Foodservice L.L.C., IBP Inc., International Affiliates & Investment LLC, Jiangsu Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Keydutch Finance B.V., Keydutch Holdings I LLC, Keydutch Holdings II LLC, Keydutch Investments B.V., Keystone CLJV Holdings Limited, Keystone County House Road LLC, Keystone Foods, Keystone Foods (AP) Limited, Keystone Foods Holdco LLC, Keystone Foods Intermediate LLC, Keystone Foods LLC, Keystone Foods Pty Limited, Keystone Management Inc., Keystone Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, LD Foods LLC, M & M Express LLC, M&M Restaurant Supply (MI/OH) LLC, MFG (USA) Holdings Inc., Mac Food Services (Malaysia) SDN. BHD., Madison Foods Inc., McKey Food Services (Hong Kong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Shandong) Limited, McKey Food Services (Thailand) Limited, McKey Food Services Limited, McKey Luxembourg Holdings APMEA S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., McKey Luxembourg S.a.r.l., McKey VI Holdings Limited, Myung Seung Food Company Ltd., National Comp Care Inc., New Canada Holdings Inc., Oaklawn Capital Corporation, Oaklawn IT Solution Private Limited, Original Philly Holdings Inc., PBX inc., Pierre Holdco Inc., River Valley Ingredients LLC, Rizhao Tyson Foods Co. Ltd, Rizhao Tyson Poultry Co. Ltd, Rural Energy Systems Inc., Sara Lee - Kiwi Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Diversified LLC, Sara Lee Foods LLC, Sara Lee Household & Body Care Malawi Ltd., Sara Lee International LLC, Sara Lee International TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Mexicana Holdings Investment L.L.C., Sara Lee TM Holdings LLC, Sara Lee Trademark Holdings Australasia LLC, Saramar L.L.C., Shandong Tyson-Da Long Food Company Limited, Smart Chicken, Southern Family Foods L.L.C., Southwest Products LLC, TF 20 B.V., TF 5201 B.V., TFA Leasing LLC, TFA Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, TFI of California Inc., Tecumseh Poultry LLC, Texas Transfer Inc., The Bruss Company, The Hillshire Brands Company, The IBP Foods Co., The Pork Group Inc., TyNet Corporation, Tyson (Shanghai) Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Tyson Americas Holding Sarl, Tyson Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Tyson Breeders Inc., Tyson Chicken Inc., Tyson China Holding 2 Limited, Tyson China Holding 3 Limited, Tyson China Holding Limited, Tyson Deli Inc., Tyson Europe Holding Company, Tyson Farms Inc., Tyson Farms QOZB LLC, Tyson Foods Brasil Investimentos Ltda., Tyson Foods Canada Inc., Tyson Foods Europe (Netherlands) B.V., Tyson Foods Europe GmbH, Tyson Foods France S.A.R.L., Tyson Foods Germany GmbH, Tyson Foods Group Limited, Tyson Foods Holland B.V., Tyson Foods Huadong Development Co. Ltd, Tyson Foods Iberia Alimentos S.L.U., Tyson Foods Italia S.p.A., Tyson Foods Korea, Tyson Foods Netherlands B.V., Tyson Foods Products Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Europe Limited, Tyson Foods Scotland Sales (Europe) Limited, Tyson Foods UK Limited, Tyson Foods Wrexham Limited, Tyson Foods oosterwolde B.V., Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats Sales and Distribution LLC, Tyson Global Holding Sarl, Tyson Hog Markets Inc., Tyson India Holdings Ltd., Tyson International APAC Ltd., Tyson International Company Ltd., Tyson International Holding Company, Tyson International Holding Sarl, Tyson International Service Center Inc., Tyson International Service Center Inc. Asia, Tyson International Service Center Inc. Europe, Tyson Mexican Original Inc., Tyson Mexico Trading Company S. de R.L. de CV., Tyson New Ventures LLC, Tyson Opportunity Zone Fund LLC, Tyson Pet Products Inc., Tyson Poultry Inc., Tyson Prepared Foods Inc., Tyson Processing Services Inc., Tyson Refrigerated Processed Meats Inc., Tyson Sales and Distribution Inc., Tyson Service Center Corp., Tyson Shared Services Inc., Tyson Storm Lake Holdings LLC, Tyson Warehousing Services LLC, Tyson of Wisconsin LLC, Uninex SA, Universal Meats (UK) Limited, WBA Analytical Laboratories Inc., Wilton Foods Inc., Xamol Consultores e Servicos, and Zemco Industries Inc.. Read More In an acerbic op-ed, Global Times launched a blitzkrieg of sort against India, saying New Delhi can only "bark" and do nothing about the growing trade deficit between two countries. By Indo-Asian News Service: The call for boycott of Chinese goods on Indian social media is "rabble rousing" as Indian products cannot compete with those of China, the state-owned media said on Wednesday. In an acerbic op-ed, Global Times launched a blitzkrieg of sort against India, saying New Delhi can only "bark" and do nothing about the growing trade deficit between two countries. advertisement Indians have a called for a boycott of Chinese products after they were angered by China delaying India's effort to declare Pakistan based militants as international terrorists. MAKE IN INDIA IMPRACTICAL It described Prime Minster Narendra Modi's pet project "Make in India" as "impractical". The daily warned Chinese companies not to invest in India as it would be "suicidal" to put money in a country where corruption is high and the workforce is not hard working. "There has been a lot of talk recently in the Indian media as well as on social media about boycotting Chinese products. It's just rabble rousing," it said. CANNOT COMPETE WITH CHINESE "Indian manufacturing cannot compete at all with Chinese products, for various reasons." The daily said that India was to yet build roads and highways and had chronic shortage of power and water supply. "Worst of all, corruption is highly prevalent from top to bottom in every single government department." US JEALOUS OF CHINA It slammed India for courting the US. "The US is no one's friend. The Americans are just indulging India in order to contain China, as the US is jealous of China's development and global power. LABOUR CLASS LAZY "India has enough money but the majority of it is concentrated with politicians, bureaucrats and a few crony capitalists. Indian elites don't want to spend funds available in the country, which in reality is the taxpayers' money but is utilized by the Indian establishment for its own personal consumption. "Because of this, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started impractical schemes like 'Make in India'. The reason is that the Indian establishment wants foreign companies to invest in the country. "It would be completely suicidal for Chinese companies to put their money in India by starting manufacturing projects there. The labour class in India is not very hard working or efficient," it argued. The daily said that instead of opening shops in India, Chinese companies should set up their manufacturing units in China. The world's third-largest smartphone maker, Huawei, opened its manufacturing unit in India last month. advertisement ONLY BARK, NO BITE "In any case, Indian businessmen flock to China in large numbers to buy products from China and sell them in India. This model suits China, so why disturb it by going and wasting money setting up manufacturing facilities in India? "Let the Indian authorities bark about the growing trade deficit with China. The fact of the matter is they cannot do anything about it." Also Read: Army commander visits field formations along Indo-China border --- ENDS --- Faculty in NSUs Hospitality Management and Tourism program hosted a Smarty Party to recognize students who earned scholarships from the American Hotel and Lodging Education Foundation, the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation and the NSU culinary arts program. On the front row from left are McKenna Opbroek, Shelby Noustens, Katarina Haymon, Taylor Jennings, Rachel Taylor, Ariel Adkins, Brianna Ashley and Terrian Marchand. On the back row are Hospitality Management and Tourism faculty Valerie Salter, Landon Amberg, Connie Jones and Dr. Lynn Woods. (Source: Northwestern State University) Two persons, who were apparently practicing for a film shooting, were nabbed by the Mumbai crime branch for flying a drone. By Saurabh Vaktania: Even as the drone alert continues in Mumbai, the crime branch has arrested two people from the film line for flying a drone in Charkop area. Interestingly, after the surgical strikes, there has been a complete ban on drone and other light aircraft in Mumbai. The two persons, who are arrested, were practicing to fly drone for an upcoming shooting. advertisement The two have been identified as Rahul Jaiswal, 24, and Rana Subhash Singh, 25; while the owner of the drone is Vidhichand Jaiswal. The cops arrested Rahul and Rana under section 336 and 287 of IPC. The police also charged the two under the Bombay police act. Also Read | Mumbai: Police issue fresh circular for possibility of drone attacks HOW THE CRIME BRANCH NABBED THE TWO The crime branch has now handed over the case to Charkop police for further investigations. According crime branch sources, the two were flying drone without permission in the area for the last several days. An alert citizen tweeted to the Mumbai police commissioner about a drone being flown in their area. The Commissioner immediately ordered investigation. A crime branch team was sent to the area on Tuesday night and the team was stationed there the whole night. Today morning, the cops saw two drones flying in the sky. They immediately laid a trap and nabbed both the people. The two, in their statement, said that they were unaware of the drone ban in Mumbai. It is to be noted that after the surgical strikes, the Mumbai police made a complete ban on drone flying in the city. Even paragliding is banned. Also Read: Mumbai next on terror hit list? Police suspect drones may be used for attack INVESTIGATION CONTINUES IN DRONE SPOTTED AT MUMBAI AIRPORT The Mumbai police suspect that the terrorists may target civilian areas to take revenge for the surgical strikes, and Mumbai has always been on terrorists' radar. Meanwhile, the drone which was spotted at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday is still a mystery and cops are investigating the matter. Police sources said that the police is likely to take the statement of the pilot who spotted the drone on Thursday. Also Read: Mumbai on alert after IndiGo pilot spots suspicious drone --- ENDS --- Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 19, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 19, 2016 | 04:43 PM | PADUCAH, KY The McCracken County Sheriffs Department is warning the public about a new scam called CEO Fraud, or Insider Spoofing. The scam reportedly involves a cyber attacker who obtains as much information as possible about the targeted company. The scam targets anyone with a senior role in a company who has the authority to make payments. Perpetrators typically obtain the person's name, email address and their schedule, and often wait until the victim goes out of town to impersonate them. The Sheriff's Office says this information can often be found on a companys website, where they list their employees, their roles and responsibilities, and contact information. Scammers also use social media sites to monitor movements, or call the organization directly to obtain information. The attacker then contacts the finance officer, claiming to be the boss, and requests they initiate a money transfer to the attackers bank account. Sometimes the attacker will spoof the bosss email, which means they modify the email, so the From: field contains the bosss genuine email address. At times, the attackers will have the boss email them, so they can duplicate the look of his/her email. Deputies are advising any employee who gets an email asking them to transfer funds to verbally verify the transfer. By Paul Schaumburg, Graves County Schools Oct. 18, 2016 | 08:51 PM | MAYFIELD, KY The Kentucky Court of Appeals on Sept. 21 issued an order denying the Graves County Board of Educations request for a hearing, en banc (which means the case was heard by all the judges of the court).The court ruled, After considering the motion and the response thereto, the Court hereby orders that the motion for en banc reconsideration be denied. The Court further orders that (the) Boards motion to allow the Kentucky Association of Counties to file an amicus (impartial party) brief, the Boards motion to amend its motion for reconsideration, and the City of Mayfields motion to strike portions of the motion for reconsideration be and hereby are denied as moot. This decision means the matter will be submitted to the Supreme Court of Kentucky for discretionary review. The case is a matter of first impression and is a core proceeding that has the potential to affect all cities and counties in the Commonwealth of Kentucky as well as Boards of Education. The Board has expressed and defended its right to vote on the proposed annexation of property. To do anything but defend against the annexation would subject employees of the Graves County Board of Education to taxation without representation. Wherefore, the Graves County Board of Education will litigate this matter to conclusion in the interest of the Board and the employees of the District, all according to C. Ed Massey, the attorney representing the Graves County Board of Education. We are pleased with the Kentucky Court of Appeals ruling, said Graves County Schools Superintendent Kim Dublin. Clearly, the courts action indicates this case involves a basic American principle of the founding fathers concerning taxation without representation. The court of appeals believes the case could affect similar situations now and in the future throughout the state and, therefore, has referred the case to the Kentucky Supreme Court. We believe our position will be upheld there. Of course, the Graves County Board of Education and superintendent will follow that opportunity to defend its employees and this important principle. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Oct 19 (PTI) Promising all central support to Odisha in tackling Japanese Encephalitis, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today asked the state government to play a pro-active role and strictly follow the protocol while dealing with the disease which has so far claimed 57 lives. "One wonders why such incidents are happening time and again. The state government needs to be pro-active. It should act and react in time ... we are there to support on all issues," Nadda told reporters while winding up his one-day visit here. advertisement Stating that issues relating to Japanese Encephalitis and malaria were discussed at length with officials, the Union Minister said the state government must ensure that the protocols must be followed and in time. Many initiatives have been taken in dealing with Japanese Encephalitis, but all measures must be taken in time in order to get positive results, he said, adding the Centre is ready to provide technical and other support. Noting that there was a need for over one crore medicated mosquito nets to be distributed in the state, Nadda said 40 lakh nets have already been made available and the rest would be provided shortly. Vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis would be undertaken in four districts of the state in December. Meanwhile, with the death of another child, the toll in Japanese Encephalitis outbreak today mounted to 57 in around seven weeks in Odishas tribal-dominated Malkangiri district. A five-year-old boy from Mathili block died while undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of the district headquarters hospital here, taking the toll to 57, a senior official said. Unconfirmed reports, however, put the toll at 60 due to the vector-borne disease which has affected around 100 villages spread over six out of seven blocks in the backward district. PTI AAM SKN CR IKA --- ENDS --- By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Oct 19 (PTI) Promising all central support to Odisha in tackling Japanese Encephalitis, Union Health Minister J P Nadda today asked the state government to play a pro-active role and strictly follow the protocol while dealing with the disease which has so far claimed 57 lives. "One wonders why such incidents are happening time and again. The state government needs to be pro-active. It should act and react in time ... we are there to support on all issues," Nadda told reporters while winding up his one-day visit here. advertisement Stating that issues relating to Japanese Encephalitis and malaria were discussed at length with officials, the Union Minister said the state government must ensure that the protocols must be followed and in time. Many initiatives have been taken in dealing with Japanese Encephalitis, but all measures must be taken in time in order to get positive results, he said, adding the Centre is ready to provide technical and other support. Noting that there was a need for over one crore medicated mosquito nets to be distributed in the state, Nadda said 40 lakh nets have already been made available and the rest would be provided shortly. Vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis would be undertaken in four districts of the state in December. Meanwhile, with the death of another child, the toll in Japanese Encephalitis outbreak today mounted to 57 in around seven weeks in Odishas tribal-dominated Malkangiri district. A five-year-old boy from Mathili block died while undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of the district headquarters hospital here, taking the toll to 57, a senior official said. Unconfirmed reports, however, put the toll at 60 due to the vector-borne disease which has affected around 100 villages spread over six out of seven blocks in the backward district. PTI AAM SKN CR IKA PS --- ENDS --- Loading... Caryl Churchill's 1997 double bill is about as willfully and wonderfully slippery as they come. Revived here for its 20th anniversary by the Tobacco Factory and the Orange Tree, the two pieces Heart's Desire and Blue Kettle are brilliantly entertaining and entirely confounding all at once. Heart's Desire is set in the kitchen of Brian and Alice who are waiting for their daughter's return from Australia. As the play starts, it also restarts over and over again, resetting to the beginning half way through a speech or a line. Radically different versions of the same scenario are played out at one point (spoiler alert!) gunmen burst into the kitchen, at another a great bird stalks its way through the door. Pretty much every possibility you could think of happens. Sections are sped up, words are cut, speeches are added. It's a little like Nick Payne's Constellations but with a lot more laughs. In Blue Kettle, Churchill again plays with form to the backdrop of an intriguing story. Here we follow Derek who seems to have tracked down his birth mother, but in actual fact is a serial adopted-mother-finder. He has five on the go. As the play progresses, the script is increasingly filled with the words blue and kettle, until you're left reading between the lines of a conversation that on paper makes absolutely no sense. They are both very clever and gloriously silly plays and it is an absolute treat to watch them staged so well by director David Mercatali. To perform Heart's Desire is to grapple with some really sharp, tricky cues and the actors and lighting and sound designers rise to the challenge beautifully. Blue Kettle is again an impressive achievement in timing and memory for a strong team of actors, who perform the text with the playfulness it asks for. It's never easy to explain a Churchill play and these two are characteristically oblique. But the playwright's invention and experimentation with form and her precision with language are masterful here. Mercatali wisely taps into the humour of the piece, which means that even if you come away feeling as though you had no idea what was going on, you will still have laughed. A lot. Blue Heart runs at the Orange Tree Theatre until 19 November. The actor, who recently got engaged to Rukmini, will also gift her handcrafted jewellery. By India Today Web Desk: Neil Nitin Mukesh, who recently made headlines for his engagement with Mumbai-based Rukmini Sahay last week, will be fasting this Karva Chauth along with his fiancee. ALSO READ: Who is Rukmini Sahay, Neil Nitin Mukesh's fiancee? 10 things you need to know The New York actor said in a statement, "Rukmini is quite traditional in her upbringing and I would like to support her wherever I can." advertisement Reportedly, Neil is inspired by his father, who fasts with his mother on Karva Chauth every year. This year will be special for the family as it is Rukmini's first Karva Chauth, and there will be a traditional ceremony at the actor's south Mumbai residence with all his extended family. Neil will also gift Rukmini a special pair of handcrafted Kundan bangles. Neil and Rukmini, who got engaged on Dussehra, will tie the knot next year. --- ENDS --- The decision to open the slip road from Noida to Barapullah corridor for public will be taken after a meeting with residents of Siddhartha Extension who moved moved the High Court seeking a stay on the construction, but no stay order was given. A meeting with residents of Siddhartha Extension in the presence of PWD minister Satyendra Jain will be held on October 20 at the Delhi secretariat. By Mail Today: The decision to open the slip road from Noida to Barapullah corridor for public will be taken after a meeting with residents of Siddhartha Extension in the presence of Public Works Department (PWD) minister Satyendra Jain on October 20 at the Delhi secretariat. Opening the stretch will provide relief to thousands of motorists from Noida and East Delhi who commute to South Delhi. It would also save commuters the hassle of a long U-turn at Sarai Kale Khan to reach their destination. Also Read: Noida to IGI airport in 30 minutes? AAP proposes stretching Barapullah corridor till Dhaula Kuan advertisement WHY THE DELAY IN THE PROJECT The project was delayed due to protests by residents of Siddhartha Extension followed by a legal dispute. Last year, residents moved the High Court seeking a stay on the construction, but no stay order was given. Residents have raised the issue of traffic congestion and the possibility of accidents if the slip road is opened. "There are two groups of residents who have tabled different demands before the PWD. The department met some demands such as widening the service road and repairing sewage drains in the area. But point of differences would be clarified in the joint meeting," said a senior PWD official. According to the official, the government does not want any trouble once the slip road is opened, and hence wants to resolve all issues with residents beforehand. Also Read: Delhi: Commuters suffer due to delay in Barapullah corridor construction CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE Construction of the slip road has already been completed and it is ready to be opened. The date of opening the corridor will be announced after settling the dispute among Siddhartha Extension residents. The PWD has already opened the loop in the reverse direction, i.e. from Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium to DND flyway. According to PWD, the slip road connecting DND flyway with the Barapullah elevated corridor will save commuters a drive of nearly 3 km. At present, motorists coming from Noida via DND flyway have to go past Sarai Kale Khan, take a U-turn under the flyover near Nizamuddin railway station and drive back to the point of entry to Barapullah. This often becomes a harrowing task as the stretch remains heavily congested at any point of the day. The situation aggravates during the morning and evening peak hours. An estimated 1.5 lakh commuters use this stretch every day. --- ENDS --- Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Cancers of the mouth and throat caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) are rising sharply in Manitoba and across Canada, says a Canadian Cancer Society report. The incidence of HPV mouth and throat cancers nationwide increased 56 per cent in males and 17 per cent in females between 1992 and 2012. Mouth and throat cancers now represent about one-third of all HPV cancers in Canada. Nearly 4,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with an HPV cancer this year, and about 1,200 will die from it. Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. CHARLES BUCHANAN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES The Canadian Cancer Society urges Canadians to get the HPV vaccine a safe and effective way to prevent the cancer-causing infection. Most sexually active men and women become infected with HPV at some point during their lifetime. Most people clear the virus in about two years, but in a small percentage of people who are infected, the virus persists and can later cause cancer. The virus is linked with mouth and throat cancer, as well as cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis and anus. Mouth and throat cancers now equal cervical cancer as the most common types of cancer from HPV. The cancer society urges Canadians to get the HPV vaccine a safe and effective way to prevent the cancer-causing infection. In Manitoba, the vaccine is available to all Grade 6 students through a publicly funded program. However, only 46 per cent of eligible students in the province receive the required three treatments. By comparison, the vaccination rate in Alberta is 76 per cent. The Canadian Cancer Society cannot explain the low uptake in Manitoba. The vaccine is most effective when administered between the ages of nine and 14. Parents wonder why their child would need this. Its because the vaccine is most effective if they have it before theyre exposed to the virus, said Erin Crawford, the societys director of public issues. There are so few things where we can categorically state that if you do this, you prevent this kind of cancer, Crawford said. There are over 200 types of cancer. We can say stay away from tobacco, stay away from UV rays. Heres one more thing we can categorically state prevents cancer. The cancer society recommends HPV vaccination for females between the ages of nine and 45, and males between the ages if nine and 26. All provinces and territories offer free, school-based HPV vaccinations to girls but only six provinces offer it to boys. This year Manitoba is offering the vaccine to boys ages nine to 17 for the first time. Across the country, cancer rates are edging upwards as the population ages. The vast majority of cancers are diagnosed in people over the age of 50. About 19 people are diagnosed with cancer every day in the province. Manitobans age 50-79 will represent 70 per cent of all new cancer cases and almost 62 per cent of cancer deaths in 2016. Approximately 41 per cent of women and 45 per cent of men in Canada are expected to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetimes. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/10/2016 (2204 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Police are expected to make an announcement on Wednesday about three arrests and the seizure of drugs and guns from the Brandon area as the result of a major drug investigation. Project Derringer was a joint effort between the BPS, Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba RCMP, and it was the Manitoba Integrated Organized Crime Task Force that made the arrests. Police raided a farm near Griswold on Thursday afternoon and reportedly arrested two men at that scene. Charges have been laid, and based on those it appears a third man was arrested on Friday in Brandon. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun A farm near Griswold was raided by police on Thursday afternoon. Two men, believed to be a local man and a man from Toronto, were arrested at the farm. Police also raided a home on the 1200 block of First Street on Friday, but its unclear if that raid is connected to the third man or how it is related to the investigation. Both raids involved the BPS Tactical Response Unit. There was also a report that the unit had arrested a man in the 900 block of Eighth Street on Friday. Police have been highly secretive about the months-long investigation. The allegations against two of the accused stretch between Jan. 27 and Oct. 13 of this year. However, its expected police will describe an investigation into the mass transport of drugs from the Toronto region to the Brandon area for distribution. The drugs the men are accused of trafficking are cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin and crystal meth. Anecdotally, Brandons courts have seen a higher presence of cases involving the possession of methamphetamine in recent years. Where the drugs and weapons were found hasnt been specified. The three accused face various weapons offences in connection with the illegal possession of a number of guns. Leslie Gerald Bisson, 36, is charged with 23 counts that include trafficking of cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin and crystal meth. Hes also accused of illegally possessing a tactical semi-automatic rifle, two pump-action shotguns, and three rifles. Justin Tyler Reimer, 28, is accused of illegally having a .22-calibre handgun, and an SKS 726 calibre assault rifle that seems to be a dated Soviet weapon. Reimer is also charged with illegally possessing ammunition for both guns, and a high-capacity magazine. In total, Reimer faces 19 charges that also include possession of cocaine, crystal meth, and marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Members of the Brandon Police Service Tactical Response Unit walk back to their vehicles during an operation at a residence in the 1200 block of First Street on Friday afternoon. Its alleged he was found in possession of all these drugs and guns on Friday. Also charged is Javed Ali, 29, who faces six charges that relate to the trafficking and possession for trafficking of cocaine and crystal meth. All three men remain in custody. The allegations against them havent been proven and theyre presumed innocent. Its not known yet if the arrests are connected to a series of shootings in the Wheat City recently. The Brandon Sun will have details from the press conference to be held at Manitoba RCMP headquarters in Winnipeg late Wednesday morning. Exhibits will be available for journalists to film and photograph. Deputy Chief Randy Lewis will represent the Brandon Police Service. ihitchen@brandonsun.com Twitter: @IanHitchen Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitobas dairy industry will be getting a big shot in the arm after an Ontario-based dairy co-operative and a B.C. firm announced plans to convert a former Winnipeg egg processing plant into a new dairy processing facility. Mississauga-based Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd. and Abbotsford, B.C.-based Vitalus Nutrition Inc. plan to spend an undisclosed sum of money over the next year converting a 33,000-square-foot plant at 70 Irene St. into a modern milk processing facility. The new facility, which should be fully operational early next fall, will produce cream for the Manitoba market, butter for the Canadian market and dry dairy ingredients things like milk protein concentrate for domestic and international markets. JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The plants conversion is expected to take approximately a year. At the tenants request, Vitalus president Philip Vanderpol declined to release the name of the food processing company that had been leasing the building from Vitalus. He said Vitalus has owned the building since the late 1990s, and has leased it to several different egg processing operations over the years. He added the current tenant said it will be consolidating its operations at another processing plant in Manitoba. Industry sources said the most recent tenant was MFI Food Canada, which Ontario-based Burnbrae Farms Ltd. acquired earlier this year from Minnesota-based Michael Foods. Burnbrae has another egg processing plant at 500 Pandora Ave., but a spokesperson for the company could not be reached Tuesday for comment. Vanderpol described the creation of a new dairy processing plant which he said will be one of the largest in the province as a win-win situation. Not only do Vitalus and Gay Lea get to expand their processing operations in Canada Vitalus currently has one other dairy processing facility in Abbotsford, while Gay Lea has eight of them in Ontario but Manitobas milk producers also get to expand their production. I think the benefits of this go much beyond just a new processing plan. They go all the way back to the farm and feed and everything else, he added. He also said the new plant will be creating a substantial number of new skilled-labour jobs, including manufacturing-equipment operator. It should have a significant economic impact for the province, he added. Dairy Farmers of Manitoba chairman David Wiens confirmed the announcement is good news for the provinces approximately 280 dairy producers. Wiens said the demand for dairy products things like butter, cheese and yogurt is growing in Canada, but Manitobas dairy farmers have been unable to take full advantage of that growth because of insufficient milk-processing capacity here. He said Manitoba is producing about six per cent less milk than its allowed under industry regulations because the processors here already have all the milk they can handle. However, the new Vitalus/Gay Lea plant will be able to take all of the extra milk local farmers can produce, he added and then some. This is going to really turn things around for the dairy industry in Manitoba. We certainly have our work cut out for us, but our dairy producers are up to the challenge. Supplied Mississauga-based Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd. and Abbotsford-based Vitalus Nutrition Inc. plan to convert a former Winnipeg egg processing plant at 70 Irene St. into a new dairy processing facility. An artist's rendering of the new plant. Vanderpol confirmed the new plant will be working closely with Manitoba dairy farmers. As they grow their supply, we will grow our processing capacity to match, he said. He said the joint-venture partners are still determining what the processing capacity of the new plant will be once its fully operational, but there will be extra room to expand production if the demand for its products grows. He noted the Winnipeg plant and Vitaluss B.C. plant will be the only two in Canada producing the kind of specialty dry ingredients used to make protein drinks and other nutritional-based products. Gay Lea president and CEO Mike Barrett said the joint venture with Vitalus also gives the farmer-owned co-operative an opportunity to expand its membership beyond Ontario, where it currently has about 1,300 members. He said Manitoba farmers wont have to join the co-operative in order to sell their milk to the new plant. But if they do, theyll not not only become joint owners of all of the co-ops processing plants, theyll also get to share in its profits. He noted the co-operative movement has had a strong following in Manitoba, so this is very exciting for us. murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. LOS ANGELES Speculation continues to swirl around whether Donald Trumps Plan B is to create a Trump-branded TV network to capitalize on his fervent support. On Monday, the Financial Times reported Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, approached Aryeh Bourkoff, a former UBS banker who runs the boutique firm LionTree Advisors in New York, to discuss potential financing for a startup media venture should Trump lose the presidential election. Kushner was not available for comment. Bourkoff, through a spokesperson, declined to comment. Kushners outreach occurred about two months ago, said a person familiar with the conversation, who was not authorized to speak publicly. The New York real estate and publishing tycoon, who is married to Donald Trumps daughter, Ivanka, called and asked Bourkoff whether he could pick his brain about such a venture. The discussion was brief, and did not lead anywhere, this person said, adding LionTree is not interested in working on such a project. Trump would face many hurdles if he decided to launch a TV channel. Still, media executives said they wouldnt rule out such a venture. In some ways, it feels very Trumpian, said one high-level media executive whose company is not working with Trump. Hes going to lose the election, but you know he will find a way to capitalize on it. The Trump TV report sparked considerable debate on social media because Trump long has been a voracious consumer of television and because he rocketed to national fame on the NBC reality show The Apprentice. Hes a proven entertainer, said another TV executive. You cant take your eyes off of him. In addition, during the past week, Trump has seemed intent on preserving his brand as a successful billionaire even if Hillary Clinton defeats him Nov. 8, telling crowds the election is being rigged. However, launching a TV venture would cost at least US$500 million and perhaps as much as US$1 billion, industry experts said. Discovery Communications, for example, spent more than US$500 million to launch OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network more than six years ago. Another longtime TV executive suggested that Trump could start a subscription streaming service, pointing to the example of conservative talk show host Glenn Beck, who launched TheBlaze, which started out strong before sputtering. Creating a Trump TV channel might be a tough sell because pay-TV distributors have been looking to shed channels, not add new ones. Trump likely would turn to a deep-pocketed investor and would most likely buy an existing television channel rather than try to start one from scratch, executives said. Advertisers might be wary though, given the Access Hollywood tape from 2005, in which Trump could be heard bragging his fame enabled him to grope women. One executive said the audience for a Trump TV channel likely would be made up of older white men not a hip millennial crowd making it even less attractive to advertisers. Trump has considerable resources and several prominent advisers steeped in media. In August, Trump turned to Stephen Bannon, chairman of the Breitbart News website, as his campaigns CEO. Bannon was an unlikely choice to lead a presidential campaign but perhaps a smart choice to build a Trump media company. Former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, who was forced from his job in July amid a sexual harassment scandal, also is said to be advising Trump. However, Ailes is contractually forbidden from working on a competitor to Fox. His exit agreement with 21st Century Fox contained a non-compete clause, a person familiar with the terms said. Some speculate a more likely scenario would be for Trump to partner with Rupert Murdoch and star in a prime-time show on the Fox News Channel or the Fox Business Network. Fox representatives declined to comment. Los Angeles Times Ever dreamt of sleeping under the night sky? Well, you can sleep under the Aurora Borealis when you are at this hotel in Finland. By Samonway Duttagupta: If you love travelling and you are equally fond of the winters, you are most likely a person who loves snow. Now, let us help your imagination go a little further. You are inside a glass top igloo in the middle of a snow-clad landscape. When you lie down, all you can see above is the Northern Lights. Such a surreal view, won't it be? Picture courtesy: Facebook/Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort advertisement Well, there's just one place in this planet where you can actually do this. It's the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, a hotel right in the middle of Finnish Lapland, and at a mere stone's throw distance from Urho Kekkonen National Park, the largest national park in Finland. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort While words can fall short to describe the beauty surrounding this hotel, the environment is cleaner than most places in the world. While taking a hike in the surroundings, you can even quench your thirst from a stream flowing past because the water is so pure. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort Also see: 10 Indian hotel rooms that offer views to remember Staying the nights in this hotel can be magical. Located just north of the Arctic Circle, the igloo rooms of this property offer unobstructed views of the Aurora Borealis. In this place, you can see the Aurora Borealis for as many as 200 days in a year. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort Picture courtesy: Facebook/Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort The resort offers accommodation in four different categories: queen suites, log cabins, a traditional house, and the famous glass igloos. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort Although the temperatures in these parts can fall up to minus 40 degrees, the glass igloos are made in such a way that you can easily survive those temperatures. The igloos are constructed using special thermal glass that keeps the inside warm and protects itself from frosting over. To know more about this place and book a stay of your dreams, visit www.kakslauttanen.fi --- ENDS --- Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Brandon police hope that the takedown of an alleged drug trafficking ring will quell the gun violence thats shaken Manitobas second-largest city lately. Its a very positive move, Brandon Police Service Deputy Chief Randy Lewis said at a press conference Wednesday at RCMP headquarters in Winnipeg. In less than a month, Brandon has seen four shootings. Last week, Christina Cheater, the federal Crown attorney who handles the drug docket for the Brandon court, sounded the alarm over shots fired and told a judge that the drug trade in that city that was getting out of control. At Wednesdays press conference, police showed how theyve been working to get things under control. JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Three police services from Manitoba displayed seized items from project Derringer. The Manitoba Integrated Organized Crime Task Force made up of RCMP, Brandon and Winnipeg police officers announced that their seven-month-long Project Derringer investigation has led to the arrest of two men from western Manitoba and one from the Toronto area. Leslie Gerald Bisson, 36, of Griswold, Justin Tyler Reimer, 28, of Brandon and Javed Ali, 29, of Georgetown, Ont. face numerous charges. Their arrests follow police search warrants executed from Oct. 12 to 15. At Wednesdays press conference in Winnipeg, police put on display the items seized. There were big bags of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana with an estimated street value of $250,000 and freezer bags of cold, hard cash totalling $25,000. Photos of five vehicles worth an estimated $250,000 included a 2016 Ford F450 Lariat Crew Cab, a 2016 Ford Expedition and a 2012 Audi Q7 SUV. Nearby, there was a table full of firearms including an assault-style rifle, ammunition and a high-capacity magazine recovered through Project Derringer. Police couldnt say Wednesday if any of the seized guns were used in some of the gun violence Brandon has experienced lately. Those incidents involve a woman who received minor injuries in a shooting on Ninth Street. A week later on 10th Street a man survived being shot in the torso, and two homes had bullets fired at them. The investigation is ongoing and further charges are pending, task force officers said. Its a significant development, said Lewis with the Brandon police. He emphasized that the recent gun violence there was not random. It was targeted at specific residences, Lewis said. Unless youre involved in the drug sub-culture you have little to worry about. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipeg police have charged five sex-trade clients, and provided assistance to 22 women believed to be involved in the sex trade, as part of a Canada-wide sweep into human trafficking. Winnipeg police joined with 53 other police services in Canada, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States, in a campaign to suppress human trafficking. Operation Northern Spotlights is an ongoing investigation into people, mainly young women, participating in the sex trade against their will. Across Canada, police charged 32 people with 78 offences. They moved to safety 16 people working in the sex trade as minors, under the age of 16, or against their will. A vast range of charges were laid and include such charges as exercise control, make child pornography, distribute child pornography, forcible confinement, trafficking in persons, material benefit resulting from trafficking in persons, withhold or destroy documents, living off the avails, assault, utter threats, obstruct police, and failure to comply with court orders and conditions including breaches of recognizance and probation. The initiative is a cooperative effort bringing police services together against offenders who exploit vulnerable people. In Winnipeg, anyone with new information that might assist investigators is asked to contact the Counter Exploitation Unit (CEU) by phone at 204-986-3464 or via email at WPS-CEU@winnipeg.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The IGA grocery store located near The Pas is shutting down, throwing 47 people out of work. Staff were notified Wednesday the store located on the neighbouring reserve of Opaskwayak Cree Nation in the Otineka Mall would be closing in the next few weeks, according to a spokeswoman for Sobeys, which owns the IGA franchise. These are never easy decisions to make, particularly with the impact they have on employees and customers. Given the current economic situation in the community and the continued underperformance of the store, we came to a mutual conclusion with the franchisee that it was necessary to close the store, said Keri Scobie in an email statement. SUPPLIED Empty shelves at IGA grocery store on Opaskwayak Cree Nation. The grocery store is expected to close in the next few weeks. The 20,500-sq.-ft. store has been on the First Nation since 1975. It is owned by the OCN and operates under a franchise agreement with Sobeys West. This is the latest in a series of economic blows for the northern Manitoba community. In August, The Pas largest employer Tolko Industries announced the paper mill would be shutting down in December. This came on the heels of Omnitrax Canada announcing it was cutting back rail freight service from The Pas to Churchill to one train per week from two. In late August, Aseneskak Casino in OCN announced its intention to move its location within the next two years, putting 147 local jobs at risk. Although a glimmer of hope has been given with the news of a potential buyer for Tolko, The Pas Mayor Jim Scott fears this isnt the end of the bad news. I fear this may be systematic and we havent seen the end of it, Scott said in a phone interview Wednesday. We are getting whacked, the market is changing, it really is. A request for comment to newly elected OCN Chief Christian Sinclair was not returned. With just over 5,000 people in The Pas and about 3,000 people living on-reserve at OCN, Scott worries the market isnt big enough for these 47 employees to find work in a similar field. There are three other grocery stores in The Pas an Extra Foods, a Giant Tiger and a family-owned grocer, The Grub Box. We are only so big and we only have so many businesses, so a tight market just got tighter, Scott said. Meanwhile, over 300 jobs hang in the balance during negotiations between Tolko and its potential buyer American Industrial Acquisition Corp. Premier Brian Pallister announced last Friday the government had passed a regulation allowing the U.S-based company to defer some required pension contributions for three years to help conclude negotiations. However, he was quick to add it was not a done deal. The new regulation would give the purchaser more time to address a shortfall in the employees pension plans believed to be in the neighbourhood of $20 million. Members of Unifor and the Canadian Steelworkers, the two unions that represent Tolko workers, have until Nov. 3 to voice their opposition to the pension deferral. With files from Larry Kusch kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In all western democracies theres unprecedented public anger, frustration, disillusionment and mistrust of politicians and governments. Such a climate of public opinion has given rise to populist leaders who claim they are not politicians and that the political systems in which they operate are corrupt and broken. It is rare today to hear someone argue politics is a noble profession and government is a positive presence within the economy and society. The anti-politics and anti-government mood is reflected in the rise of leaders such as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the United States; Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front Party in France; and Norbert Hofer, leader of the Freedom Party in Austria. Such populist leaders capture the anger and resentment of many people who feel left behind by economic upheavals. There is a strong anti-immigrant message in their political appeals. It has always been accepted politicians fudge the truth, but now many people believe they lie routinely to gain a position in office and, once there, they serve the interest of the well-heeled and the well-connected, not the average citizen. Disgust with politicians goes along with lack of confidence in government as an institution. After decades of being told government is ineffective and wasteful, many people have come to believe it. ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES In a November 2014 poll, 50 per cent of Canadians declared they did not trust politicians. Canadians and Manitobans might think these negative sentiments do not describe the reality here. After all, at the national level, in October 2015 we elected the Liberal Party and its young, engaging leader, Justin Trudeau, after the party promised an extensive democratic reform agenda. In Manitoba, in April 2016 the Progressive Conservatives took office committed to making the province the most open, transparent and responsive jurisdiction in the country. Such developments must be grounds for at least conditional optimism some political leaders recognize there is also a democratic malaise in this country that requires attention. Evidence of that malaise is not hard to find. Over four decades, going back to the 1970s, polls revealed trust in politicians and governments declined slowly, with only the occasional, short-lived, small upswing. In a November 2014 poll done for the ethical leadership program at Ryerson University, 50 per cent of Canadians declared they did not trust politicians. Nearly three-quarters of respondents believed politicians regularly break election promises. More than 70 per cent of respondents believed elected representatives quickly lose touch with the people who elect them. More than 50 per cent believed politicians use tax dollars to buy votes. Perhaps most disturbing, one-third of the respondents believed politicians frequently accept bribes and one-fifth declared political corruption had led to them to stop voting. There are many factors, both historic and more contemporary, that have caused this serious trust gap to develop. Historically, since the 1960s, people have become less deferential toward and less trustful of elites of all kinds. After decades of postwar prosperity and the expansion of the welfare state, there were a series of economic downturns, and downsizing of the public sector began, supported by high-octane rhetoric that anything ambitious governments tried ended up in failure. Some problems, such as poverty and climate change, seemed intractable. Political leaders and their parties were guilty of overpromising and failing to be candid about the limits of government action in, for example, limiting the impacts of globalization or keeping society perfectly safe from terrorism. Poor political leadership, broken promises and scandals involving illegal and unethical actions were other factors. Party competition became more negative, personal and excessive, in the view of many citizens. The media has played a part as well. The media industry has become more diverse, competitive, aggressive and instantaneous on a 24/7 basis. Mainstream news outlets, editorialists, opinion columnists, cable news hosts, bloggers and online social media compete for an ever more fragmented audience by magnifying and sensationalizing the undoubted problems that arise in government. The existence of access-to-information and whistleblower protection laws, along with an army of oversight bodies for various purposes, ensure a regular supply of reports from which the parliamentary opposition and the media could draw mainly negative news about the political and governing processes. The public cannot escape some of the blame for the negative political culture that exists today. People are paying less attention to politics and government. Many are ignorant of the basic features of the political system. Less than five per cent of Canadians belong to a political party. There are estimates only 30 per cent follow policy debates closely. People tell pollsters they want authentic leaders who will tell it like it is, but politicians believe telling the truth will guarantee their defeat. The interaction of a less deferential and ill-informed public, the complex problems facing governments, poor leadership, blunders and misdeeds, and increased transparency have all combined, with the support of the media, to foster a culture of anger and frustration. That is the diagnosis; a second article will offer a prescription for how we deal with our democratic discontents. Paul G. Thomas is professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba. This is part one of a two-part series. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/10/2016 (2203 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Its a form of political nostalgia, a misplaced and divisive attempt to grip tight to a now-irrelevant but still damaging narrative that hasnt genuinely shaped or informed Canadian politics in 25 years. It may be moribund, but right now is speaking loudly perhaps in death throes in the form of Conservative leadership candidate Brad Trost and, to a lesser extent, Andrew Scheer, as well as in various theme-driven political campaigns across the country. It is anchored in a small and tight package of policies: opposition to abortion, a refusal to accept gay marriage and full LGBTTQ* equality, resistance to euthanasia and an intense regard for what is known, perhaps misleadingly, as the traditional family. Its supporters call it social conservatism; its critics label it as bigotry. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Committed followers, however, are not in the middle and are increasingly based on the fringes of society. With a few exceptions, they are religiously motivated, on the conservative wing of the Roman Catholic Church and the more politicized churches within evangelical Protestantism. RICHARD MARJAN / SASKATOON STAR-PHOENIX FILES Conservative MP Brad Trosts call for a new debate about marriage and reproductive choice is an ode to outdated leadership, writes Michael Coren. Their natural home is, of course, the Conservative Party, but in recent years theyve seen leader after leader abandon them. Stephen Harper was largely indifferent to their opinions and frightened of allowing them any influence; provincial Tory leaders tend to be gay-friendly and refuse to even discuss abortion; and the last Conservative convention earlier this year voted to support equal marriage. So what happens now and where do these people go? Saskatoon MP Brad Trost is their most outspoken leader, proudly embracing opinions even former Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day tried to avoid. While calling for a new debate about marriage and reproductive choice, hes also trying to force rival Andrew Scheer to be more vocal about his social conservatism Scheer was, after all, once given the full praise of the hardline and vehemently anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage Campaign Life Coalition. But Scheer is a more polished and gentle politician and also a less clumsy one. Social conservative Jason Kenney may not be gentle, but he is certainly capable and, while running to be leader of the Progressive Conservatives in Alberta, is being extremely careful about discussing any moral or social issue. Unlike Trost, he has a very good chance of winning the leadership and even becoming premier. Trost surely knows that he is merely flying the flag and guaranteeing his status as a hero to the few. And heres the central issue: Social conservatives complain that they are marginalized and not taken seriously, even though they claim to speak for a significant proportion of society. But the truth is that while Canada is more than 40 per cent Catholic and around 11 per cent evangelical, the vast majority of the former and a good chunk of the latter no longer subscribe to their churchs teachings on sexuality, abortion and contraception. Canadian leaders including Brian Mulroney, Jean Chretien, Paul Martin and Pierre Trudeau are all Catholic and it was during their collective years as prime minister that Canada adopted its progressive stance on most of the pertinent issues. More than this, there is a solid argument to be made that social conservative views actually deserve to be pushed to the edges of polite society and not given a hearing within mainstream politics. They seek to limit a womans freedom of choice, prevent gay people from marrying and stop the terminally ill from deciding their own fate. In other words, none of this is about improving the common good or making life better for Canadians, its about imposing a specific theology on a secular society. Its this and not some media conspiracy that has led to the evaporation of respect for social conservatism, and the antics of social conservatives themselves have confirmed that disrespect among most Canadians. Anybody who has seen the extremism of those protesting the new sex-ed curriculum in Ontario, for example, will testify to the nasty mingling of hysteria, prejudice and downright dishonesty among social conservatives. Someone with more socially liberal views will win the Tory leadership, the new generation in this country will hardly even know what social conservatism is and the remains of the movement will retreat ever further into paranoia and outrage. People like Brad Trost are only prolonging the agony, but in so doing, are also opening up old wounds and causing pain to people who assumed justice and equality was largely won. And that is difficult to forgive. Michael Corens latest book is Epiphany: A Christians Change of Heart and Mind over Same-Sex Marriage (Random House). mcoren@sympatico.ca 25 years ago this week (1991) A 10-year-old took a car, owned by Steven L. Coy, 23, of 1025 Second St., without permission Thursday from the Redlin Funeral Home parking lot at 9 a.m. Coy observed the boy driving the vehicle from the parking lot and chased the boy in the Redlin Funeral Home van. Coy caught up with the driver on the 100 block of Seventh Street and took the boy back to the funeral home, where he was picked up by an officer. He was later returned to the custody of his mother. No damage was done to the car. A shopping trip for a new car in Portage Monday afternoon ended in the shooting death of one man and the wounding of a state trooper from Baraboo who was shopping with his wife for an automobile when the alleged assailant drove his truck across Wisconsin Street into the Leahy Motor Sales Inc. lot near where the off-duty officer stood. The gunman, identified as Mark Skarda, fired a shotgun at the officer, wounding him in the left arm. Skarda drove down an alley toward Adams Street, and stopped the vehicle. A shot was heard and the gunman was soon discovered in the alley with a shotgun wound in his chest that claimed his life. The wounded man underwent several hours of surgery at Divine Savior. The Special Building Committee Wednesday reluctantly agreed on a West Square site for a proposed Sauk County Human Resource Center. In a 4-to-2 vote, the committee endorsed the West Square site, which would locate the new building on Broadway, across from the Courthouse Square. The Sauk County Board of Supervisors will consider the recommendation at an Oct. 29 meeting. 50 years ago this week (1966) Fire Chief Harold LaDue of Lake Delton was right on hand Sunday night when a blaze broke out in the kitchen at Ishnala, Mirror Lake. The Lake Delton chief was attending a private party at the popular eating place and by using fire extinguishers from the place as well as from cars parked outside, the fire was well confined when firemen arrived from Lake Delton to finish the job. The fire chief remarks that there had been three weeks in which fires occurred all around Lake Delton without a single call there, however there were four runs made over the weekend, including several emergency runs. James Agema, 19-year-old Baraboo soldier home on leave, suffered a badly fractured shoulder on Saturday about 9:45 a.m. when his motorcycle overturned, throwing him to the ground. The accident occurred in the 600 block of East Street. He was riding a 1966 Yamaha cycle when it was necessary for him to brake for a car ahead, and the cycle skidded on wet leaves and flipped. Agema, of 1318 Elizabeth St. was to be taken to a Madison hospital where it will be necessary to undergo surgery on the shoulder. Two ladies, driving on Highway 136, had a narrow escape when passersby in another car threw a beer bottle into the windshield of their car, breaking it. The Sauk County Sheriffs Department is investigating the incident which occurred as the women were driving east and met the other car. 75 years ago this week (1941) Although official notice has not been received by the army department, present indications are that Camp Devils Lake is to be discontinued, effective Oct. 31. Definite orders must be received from Washington, D.C. by the commanding officer, Capt. M. J. Cain, before this information will be verified. Official notice and instruction, however, were received yesterday from national headquarters by the national park service employees, stationed at the CCC camp, located at Devils Lake State Park. As a safety measure, lamp posts in the vicinity of the six municipal school buildings in the city are being painted to designate to the motorist that he is approaching the school zone. The base paint was being applied this morning on the four-way approach to the schools and when finished, they will be in the patriotic red, white and blue color scheme. Motorists driving on Highway 12 south of Baraboo yesterday were amazed to see hundreds of seagulls in the field at the left after descending the Sauk hill, the ground being literally white with them. The birds are often seen on the Wisconsin River in the vicinity of the Prairie du Sac dam but apparently there was some feed in this field which attracted them away from the river which is some miles away. The same motorists returned past the spot four or five hours later and most of the gulls were still in the field. 100 years ago this week (1916) Houses for rent: 12-room house on Fourth Street, all modern improvements, conveniently located, only $20 per month. Half house (7 rooms) on Broadway, all modern improvements except furnace, close to square, $16. And we also have a good 7-room house for $10 per month, in the west part of the city. For full information regarding this inquire of J. T. Bates & Son, city. On Sunday the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Pfannstiehl accidentally swallowed a little gasoline. A physician was summoned at once and carried to the residence in an automobile. The quantity taken was not sufficient to be serious, and the daughter will soon be all right. The home of William Schulze in Dellona has burned to the ground. The nearest neighbor, Charles Maske, discovered the fire eating its way around the chimney at 9 oclock at night, and at once notified the family by telephone. Seven children were sleeping upstairs and were called down, escaping without any difficulty. The kitchen roof went in about the time the members of the family were getting out, and the blaze burned so quickly that but little furniture was saved. The surrounding neighbors were notified by telephone and hurried to the scene, giving valuable aid in saving the other buildings. The insurance amounts to $600. The family has taken refuge in the granary until another house can be constructed. Products from across Wisconsin and some even closer to home will be showcased Thursday as Pierces Marketplace in West Baraboo hosts its sixth annual Made in Wisconsin open house. Celebrity guests such as Bucky Badger, Miss Wisconsin and Alice in Dairyland will help the local grocer celebrate in-state companies whose products grace the shelves. The event will run from 4-7 p.m. Fifty companies productsWisconsin staples such as beer, cheese, sausage and spiritswill be featured. Several Sauk County exhibitors will be featured, including Carr Valley Cheese of La Valle, Wisconsin Dells Brewing Co., Port Huron Brewing of Wisconsin Dells, Wollersheim Winery of Prairie du Sac, Driftless Glen Distillery of Baraboo, Four Elements Herbals of North Freedom and Cedar Grove Cheese of Plain. While it doesnt sell tailgate party fare like many of the other companies participating in Thursdays event, Four Elements Herbals products are no less homegrown. Pierces sells nine varieties of the North Freedom vendors herbal tea, three of which can be sampled Thursday. I really like to show the local people who stop at Pierces what products are not only produced but grown in Sauk County, said owner Jane Hawley Stevens. Attention turns to herbal remedies and teas such as Four Elements Minus Sinus in the fall, but Stevens said herbs can build stamina, aid digestion and promote relaxation year-round. Im hoping to educate our local consumers, she said. Driftless Glen will promote other types of beverages some cheeseheads swear by as cure-alls. Abby Smith said five spirits SMores Flavored Rivershine, Sleepover Vodka, Cool Cucumber Sleepover, Five-Year Reserve Brandy and WisconGin will be showcased. Smith noted the distillerys spirits are made using local grain. We try to keep everything local in Wisconsin, she said. Besides local snacks and beverages, statewide celebrities will appear at the open house. Alice in Dairyland Ann OLeary and Miss Wisconsin Courtney Pelot will be on hand, as will University of Wisconsin mascot Bucky Badger from 5-6 p.m. and the Klements Racing Sausages. By PTI: Kolkata, Oct 19 (PTI) Norway has evinced interest to collaborate with West Bengal in the fisheries sector in the near future, a state government official today said. "Norway has expressed an interest in collaborating with the state on technical knowledge in fishery and investment in this sector," state fischery secretary P K Mishra said on the sidelines of an interactive session with Norweigian Ambassador to India Nils Ragnar Kamsvag at ICC. advertisement The ambassador said Norway was keen on investment opportunities in this sector in India. The Scandinavian country is a big exporter of Salmon to various countries, including India. Another area of collaboration could be LNG terminals where Norway has in-depth knowledge. Kolkata Port Trust has shown interest in attracting Norwegian companies in setting up LNG terminals here. Norway is one of the big investors in India with its sovereign wealth fund, which is the biggest in the world with total investment of USD 13-14 billion. PTI BSM MM JM --- ENDS --- In June 2015, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president of the United States. I wasnt voting for Trump then and now, 16 months later, I still am not voting for Trump. I am voting for the Republican Party. If Republicans lose the White House in the upcoming election, we will lose a lot more than bragging rights on Election Night. We will lose much more. This could very well be the last stand in the war against the ongoing socialist progressive conversion of our country. The next president already gets to pick a Supreme Court justice. With Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Anthony Kennedy turning 84 and 81 years of age next year, two more picks assures Hillary Clinton a liberal leaning court for the next 30 years. When you consider how much things have changed in just the past eight years, imagine what a socialist progressive America will look like in 30. The left of this country has been screaming foul ever since the highest court came down in favor of Citizens United, all while protecting the 1st Amendments guarantee of free speech. In this case, the McCain-Feingold Act was found unconstitutional after the Federal Election Commission ruled the law prohibited the organization from airing a film that was critical of Hillary Clinton during the 2008 primaries. Feingolds law, the guy now known as Russ, prohibited people from essentially expressing their political views. Youll see the political bumper stickers that say, Corporations are not people but, oddly enough, non-profit corporations like CU are made of people who cannot afford to purchase national airtime all by themselves. The left also wants to reintroduce the Fairness Doctrine. This gem of a law ended in the late 1980s, but they miss it. The reason it was killed by the Federal Communications Commission is Congress determined it might be a bad idea to have the government policing our airwaves for political thought while determining whether or not Rush Limbaughs radio show is too popular and unfair to Democrats. Clintons pal Russ was fundraising in Palo Alto, California, last week when he said Clinton could use an executive order to enforce gun control. How do you suppose a liberal court with three of her appointments would side on that? We also have the implosion of Obamacare. Insurance premiums are skyrocketing while insurers are backing out of the system. The author of HillaryCare is most certainly pulling out her signature legislative proposal for a single-payer system. If you think Medicare is awesome, wait until the government takes over the entire healthcare system. I am not condoning Trumps words or actions 10 or 20 years ago, but I am condemning a woman who sold out our government while lining her own pockets. The Democratic standard bearer didnt get millions from foreign princes some 20 years ago she took the money just a few years ago and then handed these guys sweet weapons deals just before vacating her seat to run for even higher power. The Trump tape, in which he is heard saying vulgar things about women in a conversation with a tabloid television reporter 10 years ago, and the allegations that have followed, has to leave you scratching your head. The guy who recorded the tape is a reporter for NBC, yet no one new about this tape 16 months ago? Why not take Trump out of the race with this information last November or even April? Even more incredulous is that the women who now allege Trump acted inappropriately toward them said nothing until after this tape was brought to light. At least Bill Cosbys victims could point to secret settlements and a track record of misconduct. This scandal pales in comparison to when Hillary Clintons husband was getting sexual favors under his desk from an intern while serving in the White House. If that became the new standard for acceptable conduct while serving in office, why are they now condemning filthy language by someone who had no clue he was even going to run for office 10 years ago? What Trump said, and likely did, while serving as a private citizen was grossly inappropriate. However, Clinton sold out the country for financial gain. Its not the next four years that matter, its the next 40; and I dont like either candidate. When I cast a ballot mark next to Trumps name, Ill simply remember I am voting for the Republicans. JUNEAU DNA extracted from chewing tobacco found at a crime scene in 2011 has led to charges against a 24-year-old inmate at the Stanley Correctional Facility. Donny Lafferty faces one count of theft after he allegedly took copper cable from Link Aggregate Quarry, W8876 Spruce Road, town of Trenton. If convicted he faces up to 6 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. Lafferty made his initial appearance in court Thursday via video conferencing from prison. Judge Steven Bauer set a $1,000 signature bond for Lafferty with the condition that he not set foot on the premises at Link Aggregate Quarry. On March 24, 2011, officers were dispatched to Link Aggregate Quarry for a report of theft of electrical copper cable. The owner of the quarry told officers that his brother had come to the quarry and noted that some large electrical cable was wrapped around a power control box and he had noticed that the electrical wire had been cut off of the electrical control panel and stolen from the property. Another piece of coiled up copper wire was taken as well and a small trail camera. He estimated that $8,400 worth of cable was stolen and the trail camera was valued at $400. Chewing tobacco was located hear where the copper wire was stolen which was taken into evidence to be tested for DNA. On April 21, 2014, the Wisconsin Department of Justice division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory discovered that the DNA found on the chewing tobacco matched Lafferty. A search warrant was issued for Laffertys DNA sample. On April 5, 2016, officers traveled to the Stanley Correctional Facility where Lafferty was held. Lafferty told officers that prior to his incarceration he had committed a number of drug related crimes. He was convicted of two burglaries but admitted to committing 38 other burglaries or thefts. Lafferty admitted that the chewing tobacco found at the quarry was likely his. He admitted to stealing the wire which he said he sold for $1,000. He told officers he used the money to buy Percocet, a prescription drug that contains oxycodone. He will appear in court again on Oct. 27 at 8:30 a.m. for a preliminary hearing. JUNEAU A 37-year-old Beaver Dam man charged with multiple bank robberies, including the July 1 bank robbery in Beaver Dam and the July 11 bank robbery at the State Bank of Reeseville in Watertown, pleaded not guilty to all charges Wednesday. Adam S. Raney is charged with two counts of armed robbery with a threat of force, bomb scare, terrorist threats, burglary while arming self with a dangerous weapon, theft of movable property valued at over $10,000, four counts of theft of movable property with special fact, four counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, three counts of identity theft and eight counts of unauthorized use of an entitys identifying information or documents, all as a repeater. If found guilty of the charges he faces up to 242 years in prison and a fine of more than $500,000. Raney is currently being held in the Dodge County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond. Raney entered the please before Judge Joseph Sciascia. On the afternoon of July 11, officers were dispatched to the State Bank of Reeseville in Watertown, for a report of a bank alarm. Employees said the suspect, identified as Raney, had left a bomb in a bag at the bank. Tellers told officers that they had been watching Raney as he had been frequently attempting to cash forged checks. The employees said that Raney brandished a handgun, pointed it at a teller and demanded all the money in the drawer. He then put down the bag, telling the employees that a motion activated bomb was inside. The teller said Raney escaped with $3,000. The bomb squad blew up the bag and the contents were taken into evidence. July 1, an armed robbery was committed at Bank Mutual in Beaver Dam. According to bank employees the suspect brandished a weapon and demanded money from the drawer. The suspect allegedly received $1,700 in the robbery. Raney was taken into custody July 12 by Milwaukee police. He allegeldy admitted to committing both bank robberies. During his interview with officers, Raney also allegedly admitted to stealing and cashing fraudulent checks from his boss. He estimated he stole 10 checks and wrote them to himself in various amounts. THe complaint says that Raney also admitted to burglarizing a home on Highway G in the town of Beaver Dam stealing electronics, prescription medication (including 50 Oxycodone pills and 100 Hyrdocodone pills) and multiple handguns and a rifle. Raney was previously convicted of taking and driving a vehicle without the owners consent in Dodge County in 2013. He was also convicted of burglary in Dodge County in 2011. Sydney Ness was a child who wanted to be anything and everything as a child, from a veterinarian to an astronaut. Like many of her peers, as she reached her teens, the young Sauk City woman was trying to figure out who she was. That all changed for the 2012 Sauk Prairie High School graduate when at 15 she was signed by a modeling agency. Some family friends kept encouraging it and I kept asking, so I think my parents finally decided to take me to a few local agencies just to shut me up, said Ness, whose parents took her to agencies in Madison and Milwaukee. I went to Ford in Chicago. There were so many different people there; men women and children. They said if you dont get called, keep trying. The agency sent everyone home except for Ness. When I heard they wanted to talk to me, I was very surprised. The former high school track team member also was surprised when the company said it wanted to sign her as a junior plus-size model. At the time I was a size 8. They said I could try to drop down to a size 0 or 2 or to wait and see what happens with my body. After talking it over with her parents, Ness decided it wouldnt be healthy for her to drop so much weight, so she decided to sign as a junior plus-size model and go for it. Ness danced all throughout middle and high school and threw shotput and discus in track. I had a lot of support from family and friends, said Ness. I realized from an early age Id never be that small. And Im OK with that. In order to get more work, Ness went to New York City during the summer of 2011 just before starting her senior year. Nothing happened. It was a big waste of money and time, she said. I definitely expected to have more work. I was living in a models apartment with 15 other girls, and it was not the experience I was expecting. She said the industry sometimes can be about being with the right people at the right time. My agency had other, bigger models they were promoting and with me, they werent trying as hard. Ness said she went through a transitional phase, and doubted what she was doing. I learned what happens to be as I get stressed is I lose weight, she said. But it had gotten to the point where she was sickly; had no energy and couldnt even work out. People were trying to help me, she said. But I was in complete denial. I was the skinniest Id ever been but I wasnt healthy. I like to run, but I couldnt even do that. Even at a size 4, Ness was considered too big to model. With the help and guidance of her friends and family, Ness decided to make a change. Ness found Los Angeles-based Natural Model Management, owned by model Katie Wilcox, who encourages models to be their natural, healthy size. To join, Ness had to pick up her life and move again, a prospect that unnerved some of her friends and family. But not Ness. They said you are going to be homesick, she recalled. It was hard for people to wrap their head around. But I just knew it would work out. I knew it in my heart. In the modeling industry, Ness said it takes about three months to get paid. That meant shed have to get a part-time job. I definitely struggled, she said. Ness even applied for a shoe-stocking position at a footwear retail store. She didnt get the job. A few months into her modeling career, that same retailer chose Ness for a campaign. They wouldnt hire me to stock their shoes, she said. But they wanted me on their walls. Since then, Ness has campaigned for several retailers, including Forever 21, DSW and Charlotte Russe. Shes also worked with Beyond Yoga and Ness has a billboard coming out soon in a prime Los Angeles locale for the company. Ill have to take my picture with that one, she said. Ness plans to return to New York in the future as well as spending some time in London. For the next sixth months her plans include getting representation and to get established with a regular client base. Her favorite thing to shoot? Swimwear, she said. Because growing up I never felt like I should be wearing a bikini like my friends were. I always had this very skewed perception of myself. But now, Ness said, that the curvier, embrace your body movement is happening, I want to be that person for other girls so they have someone to look up to. The impact of European settlers and the former Badger Army Ammunition Plant on the Sauk Prairie will be the focus of a lecture Thursday at UW-Baraboo/Sauk County. Charlie Luthin will give the presentation as part of the universitys Fall 2016 Distinguished Lecture Series, which invites prominent speakers from various professions to address students and residents on a wide range of issues. UW Colleges Director of Continuing Education Jessica Laeseke said the university invited the executive director of the Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance to speak because his topic is current and important locally. Luthins presentation is timely because its all occurring now, she said. Theyre doing this conservation, theyre trying to go through the restoration and theyre telling people what they can do to help. Luthins presentation will begin with a brief overview of the geological history of the area, including why it was attractive to European farmers, and how the federal government built what at the time in 1942 was the worlds largest ammunition plant. Ill be doing a bit of a historic, retrospective talk, looking at where we came from geologically and ecologically, and where we are today, Luthin said. Then Ill talk about the current situation between land owners, what their plans are and where there are still concerns. The former Badger Army Ammunition Plant lands have been divided up between the Ho-Chunk Nation, USDA Dairy Forage Research Center and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. DNR lands have since become the Sauk Prairie Recreation area. Luthin intends to use his position with the Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance to work with the various property owners and ensure the area is preserved for future generations. Luthin said the different groups are working to essentially heal the land because over-farming in the 19th and 20th centuries, along with the construction and waste produced in the production of ammunition changed the prairies original ecosystem. Not only are we healing it to a place where it was before the Army came, we are healing it to a place that predates 1840, when the first European settlers came to the Sauk Prairie, he said. Luthin hopes his lecture will inspire citizens to continue the effort to preserve the Sauk Prairie recreation area. We all could be part of creating the largest historic prairie in the state of Wisconsin, he said. Thats very significant from an ecological perspective. The lecture will take place in room 001 of the universitys Aural Umhoefer Classroom Building at 12:30 p.m. and is free to both students and the public. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Voters were fed up with the political establishment and looking for a change. They wanted an outsider, someone whose name they hadnt heard a million times before, someone not entrenched in the Washington bureaucracy. Their call was answered by a wealthy businessman whose frustration with the government matched their own, who had never before held elected office, who wasnt part of the problem. The year was 2010 and an Oshkosh plastics manufacturer named Ron Johnson delivered an unexpected blow to a name synonymous with Wisconsin politics, defeating Russ Feingold by five points and replacing him in the U.S. Senate. Six years later, many of the same attitudes and frustrations have contributed to the rise of Donald Trump within the Republican Party. The billionaire businessman is in an ugly battle with a name synonymous with American politics: Democratic former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Back in the Badger State, Johnson and Feingold will meet on the ballot again as the Democrat angles to become the third former senator since 1956 to return to the seat he once held. For an incumbent, Johnson has struggled, not once taking the lead in the states most reliable public polling. But hes also managed to tighten up the scorecard in the final weeks, while the presidential contest has proven the 2016 electoral climate is nothing if not unpredictable. Hes a Republican Ron Johnson pulled his silver minivan into the driveway of Steve and Sally Millers dairy farm on a gray Friday morning in late September. He stepped out, clad in jeans and a striped dress shirt, and warmly greeted the extended family assembled in front of the Millers home. After a few moments of chatting about the history of the farm, Johnson retrieved a bright-red Wisconsin pullover from the van. It was one of the first finger-numbingly brisk days of autumn and the sky couldnt seem to make up its mind whether to rain, settling instead on a constant mist. Tucked among the rolling hills of La Crosse County, the Millers farm grows a cash crop of corn and soybeans and is home to 60 dairy cows. A friend active in the county Republican party had asked Steve and Sally a few days before if theyd be interested in hosting the senator, and they obliged. Hes a Republican, Sally said with a grin when asked what she liked about the senator. And most of all, hes going to go to bat for the farmers. Steve gave a small smile when asked what Johnson has done that he supported. Well, he said, pausing to laugh. To be honest with you, I really dont know a lot about Sen. Johnson All Ive ever heard is good things about him. One person was saying hes accomplished more in his term in office than what Mr. Feingold ever did, you know, in all the time that he was there. Steve Miller is not unlike other Wisconsinites in his knowledge of Johnsons career. On average over the last three months, 28 percent of voters told the Marquette University Law School poll they didnt know enough about the senator to have an opinion about him despite his incumbency and role as chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security compared to 21 percent for Feingold. The most recent poll, released last week, showed Johnson shrinking that number to 20 percent. Still, Johnsons perspective lines up with what the Millers said theyre looking for in a senator. Regulations, particularly governing the agriculture industry, have grown out of control, they said. Theyre looking for someone who will rein them in. Steve Miller is also concerned about trade and cracking down on illegal immigration. If we can keep some of the immigrants out of here and try and put some of our local people to work, I think at the end of the day a lot of these people will feel a lot better about themselves, too, he said. Theyd like to see markets opened up so they can start exporting more of their products, the Millers said. Theyre feeling the squeeze from large-scale dairy operations, which they said affect their bottom line but also have a more negative impact on the environment than small operations like theirs. Its tough, Sally said. Because right now the prices are so low and our investments are so high that its been a tough year. Steve said he doesnt believe in asking for government subsidies, but that doesnt mean lawmakers dont play a role in enacting policies that will help the industry. Politics plays a much larger role in agriculture now than it did years ago, he said. And in turn, agriculture plays its own role in politics. Johnson accepted endorsements that day from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, Dairy Business Association, Wisconsin Cattlemens Association and Wisconsin Pork Association. The primary driving forces behind their endorsements were trade agreements, environmental regulations and immigration: pro-Trans-Pacific Partnership, anti-Waters of the U.S. Rule and generally encouraging some sort of guest worker program. A.V. Roth of the Wisconsin Pork Association said the Obama administrations Waters of the U.S. Rule could affect farmers right to best utilize their land. Johnson said Feingold paved the way to what he considers government overreach with his Clean Water Restoration Act for Waters of the U.S., which seeks to define which bodies of water fall under the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers and are covered by the Clean Water Rule. On immigration, Johnson said, the number one component of my border security bill would be a functioning guest worker program, so farmers actually have a legal system to get the workers to milk the cows, to pick the vegetables, to clean our hotels. Thats something we have to do. Thats extremely important. Cody Heller of the Dairy Business Association praised Johnson for that stance. He said dairy farmers lose sleep over concerns about illegal labor. Hes focusing on getting a plan that actually works for us thats legal, thats within the realm of the law, that keeps our country safe, Heller said. While most people at the event said they want to see the senator come out in support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Johnson still declined to take a clear position on the deal, instead stating repeatedly that he is for free and fair trade and adding that he would be happy to have a President Trump negotiate a better deal. He reiterated as he has throughout his campaign that he is giving thoughtful consideration to the agreement, while Feingold gave a knee-jerk reaction in opposing it. The more doors we can open, the more trade barriers we can take down to get our products out, the happier agriculture is, said Joe Bragger of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Bragger said its Johnsons stance on trade, the Waters of the U.S. rule and delisting wolves as an endangered species that have earned him the Farm Bureaus support. Johnson has gone out of his way to acknowledge the concerns of the agriculture industry, Bragger said. And Feingold? It seems like we all start (small) and then drift away, and then we forget, Bragger said. Ive got to remind myself as Farm Bureau director, Im so glad that every day I go back home and farm. Every day Im still involved at the county level in Farm Bureau, because that means I still have my feet in it. You get pulled away long enough, youve lost reality and I think (Johnson) is not that far removed that hes still not one of us. I think thats important. Johnsons campaign has sought to paint Feingold as a career politician a Washington insider who cares more about returning to the seat than serving constituents who has abandoned the principles that once defined him. My background over the 34 years when he was a career politician, most of that 34 years I was involved in the private sector building a good Wisconsin manufacturing company, producing Wisconsin jobs, and then in the very short period of time that Ive been your United States senator, Ive used that same kind of outsider perspective and trust me, its a completely different perspective, Johnson said. Im the only manufacturer in the United States Senate. On the campaign trail, Johnson has taken to urging supporters and journalists to ask Feingold what he accomplished during his tenure in public office. Asked about his own legislative accomplishments, Johnson touted the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, an effort to protect government agencies from hackers, and a bill that made it easier to hire military veterans as Customs and Border Protection officers. Ive actually gotten real results. Again, hes got the one high-profile failure, campaign finance reform. Ive got dozens I guess low-profile dozens of low-profile successes, Johnson said. The real deal I like career politicians, said Mary Ellen Schmelzer, of Wausau, as she and her husband Bill waited for Feingold to arrive for an event with senior citizens at Yawkey Park in downtown Wausau. Thats a heck of a job. Hey, you know what? Bill interjected. Ive got a career doctor. Come on, Mary Ellen continued, lets not put down people because they make a career of service. The supporters who would soon stand behind Feingold for a news conference on seniors issues spoke of him in near reverence. The Schmelzers said theyve always voted for him, calling him the real deal. The career politician label is a positive one, said Bob Coleman, of Weston. The alternative, he said, is a manufacturer moonlighting as a senator. A few minutes later, a dark blue minivan pulled up next to the park. From the back emerged Feingold and his wife, Christine Ferdinand, whom he later pointed out to the crowd as a recent retiree. The sun shone through the turning leaves of the trees that served as a green-and-gold backdrop for the news conference on a warm but crisp early October afternoon. Feingold, grinning and waving while sporting a plaid shirt with gray slacks and a navy sport coat, joined the line of supporters backing his stances on Social Security, Medicare and prescription drug prices. Feingold has made seniors issues an area of focus in his campaign, along with student loan debt, trade, paid family leave and wage equality. He frequently portrays Johnson as out-of-touch and beholden to corporate interests over the needs of Wisconsinites. The former senator looked on with a smile as Jon Bowser Bauman, of the band Sha Na Na, hammed for the small group and the two TV cameras, flexing and making faces before he praised the former senator for his positions on issues that affect seniors. Bauman, a co-founder of the political action committee Senior Votes Count, was there along with Max Richtman of the National Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare to endorse Feingold. Bauman said the race could be the second-most important one in the country in 2016, calling Feingold one of the greatest champions on senior issues Congress has ever seen. Johnson, he said, has been particularly dreadful in that area. Feingold said he believes Social Security should be preserved and protected as a public program, while Johnson has indicated a willingness to consider privatizing it. He also voiced his support for maintaining Medicare as a public program, and said Congress should pass a law to allow the United States to negotiate lower drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry. For Coleman, the most important issues when considering a candidate to support have always been jobs and integrity in government. Both of which are woefully in trouble right at the moment, especially when you consider the nincompoop whos running for president, he said before pausing to ask forgiveness for calling Trump a nincompoop. I have others but, having spent three years in the Navy, I have acquired a picturesque vocabulary. And I could use a good many of those expressions on the Republican Party at this moment, he said. Coleman likened Feingold to William Proxmire, who represented Wisconsin in the Senate from 1957 to 1989. The main concern for both Proxmire and Feingold, Coleman said, was the people of Wisconsin and the United States. Both Proxmire and Feingold had reputations as liberal Democrats who occassionally bucked the party line. Our current Senate is dominated by people whose concern is themselves. There are more than 70 millionaires in the United States Senate, Coleman said. How can a majority of millionaires really care about a World War II veteran on a pension? They dont have any idea what it would be like. Now, I was a teacher for 48 years. And I had a real concern about government, even though I was an English teacher. I have six kids and 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, and I am concerned about the shape of the world for them. Johnsons net worth is estimated at a minimum of $13.4 million, while Feingolds is estimated between $328,000 and $795,000. Coleman was especially critical of Johnsons opposition to holding hearings to consider President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, accusing him of not doing his job as a senator. Mary Ellen Schmelzer credited Feingolds votes against the Patriot Act and the Iraq War as the main reasons for her longtime support. I think hes honest, and I think he wants to get all kinds of graft out of politics, and thats important to me. I want our democracy to be healthy, she said. Her husband, Bill, lauded Feingolds support for constitutional principles of liberty and justice for all, emphasis on all. They are put off by Johnsons approach to corporate regulations, which they said is too lax. I like Hillary (Clinton)s thing of were all in this together, Mary Ellen said. Coleman, when asked about specific accomplishments from Feingolds time in the Senate, said six years ago is a long time to remember at his age. But he indicated his support was more about an attitude and approach to the job than a specific policy item. He just simply cared about us in Wisconsin, he said. You could talk to him. Feingold quickly dismissed Johnsons suggestions that he has nothing to show from his years as a senator aside from the now-gutted McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation. The Middleton Democrat said Johnson would know about his accomplishments if he had traveled throughout the state and listened to people. If hed gotten around the state and gotten to western Wisconsin, hed find out that the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, which was a very difficult issue for some 30 years, was resolved in a tremendously positive way. Its a beautiful natural reserve at this point because of my efforts as well as others, Feingold said. You go up to northern Wisconsin, where he rarely goes, up to the top of the state, we now have a beautiful national lakeshore, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. We made sure that was permanent. Feingold continued: he authored the bill that created Wisconsins nationally recognized Alzheimers program while in the State Senate, worked with Democratic former Sen. Herb Kohl to protect the states SeniorCare prescription program and was the first lawmaker to initiate national legislation on racial profiling although it was never passed. And his greatest accomplishment, he said, was playing a critical role along with other lawmakers in erasing the national deficit when Bill Clinton was president. And by the way, I could go on for a long time, but the point here is thats just a political trick, Feingold said. Sen. Johnson is using this because hes a politician whos in trouble. Hes saying this in order to try to prevent people from being able to actually think about the future, which is what counts. Feingold said Johnson never rolls up his sleeves and accomplishes things on a bipartisan basis. So I dont throw around this silly language about other people not accomplishing anything, but if he had even bothered to listen to the people of Wisconsin, hed know very well that weve done much together, and were going to do a lot more together, he said. The same set of alternatives For political observers watching the race, round two isnt all that different from the first time Johnson and Feingold faced off. Its very close, like it was for most of the time six years ago, said Mike Wagner, University of Wisconsin-Madison associate professor of political science and journalism. UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden agreed that 2016 looks an awful lot like 2010. The candidates have starkly different positions on the big issues of the day, especially the Affordable Care Act, but also taxes, trade, and the environment, Burden said. Johnson continues to criticize Feingold as a career politician and Feingold continues to criticize Johnson's personal finances. Voters this year are essentially facing the same set of alternatives they were presented with six years ago. But there are some major differences in the external factors and political landscape affecting the the race. Johnsons 2010 victory came in a midterm election with a Democratic president in office, on the heels of the Great Recession. Obama is on his way out now, leaving a slowly improving economy behind. Johnsons re-election effort stands in the shadow of a volatile presidential election that has defied conventional wisdom with every zig and zag. In other states with a competitive Senate race, Republicans have been running ahead of Trump. Wisconsin has been an outlier most of this year because Johnson's standing has been parallel to Trump's, Burden said. However, in recent days there's been some daylight between the two Republicans. This separation is probably due to Johnsons new ad campaigns that have helped to better define him and Feingold, but it also reflects general distaste with Trump's recent comments and actions that have set him apart from everyone else in politics. Johnsons campaign has sought to tie Feingold to Clinton throughout the race in an effort to capitalize on her relative unpopularity and her second-place finish in the states Democratic presidential primary, painting them both as members of the political elite. Much of Johnsons campaign advertising this fall has attempted to unveil his softer side, highlighting his involvement with a faith-based employment program and his work to help a family adopt a child from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Meanwhile, Johnson stands apart from most other vulnerable Republican senators with his continued support for Trump in the wake of a string of allegations of sexual misconduct stemming from a 2005 recording of the candidate bragging about sexually predatory behavior. Im just a little manufacturer from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, just a citizen legislator. So Im not a political pundit, Johnson said in September, before the sexual assault allegations surfaced. I think certainly the history of this election is, nobody can predict. We are in uncharted water right now. So, Ive got my own race to run, Ive got my own record. Prior to ever becoming involved in elected office, and in a very short period of time, a record of real results here. For Republican leaders in Wisconsin trying to motivate voters without discussing Trump, the Senate race has given them a contest on which to focus their efforts. Its one of those where every vote is going to count, Gov. Scott Walker told the conservative crowd at the 1st Congressional District Republican Party of Wisconsin Fall Fest earlier this month. Trump, who was bumped from the event after the 2005 recording surfaced, wasnt mentioned as Walker told the party faithful there couldnt be a more important race than Ron Johnsons race for Senate. Both candidates appear to go out of their way to avoid referring to themselves as senator, instead eagerly pinning the title to their opponent. Wagner said thats a little peculiar, but its clear both candidates are reading the anti-elitism in the Wisconsin electorate. Feingold acknowledged the similarities in the anti-government sentiments in both the 2010 and 2016 elections, but said that concern is rooted in middle-income and working families who arent getting a fair deal. Every six years, if you pay attention to whats happening in the world, you never get exactly the same feelings. The difference this time is that six years ago, everybody was kind of in a bad situation because of the economic collapse that was not caused by Barack Obama, but more by (President George W.) Bush and his policies, Feingold said. But now we have this discrepancy, where people at the top are doing really well. Sen. Johnsons buddies that he always votes with are doing great Whats happening though is that people who work hard every day arent getting a fair deal. Their wages are stagnant, they see their jobs being shipped overseas, and people have figured out whats going on, which is some people are really doing well, and Sen. Johnson helps them every time. The rest of us arent doing so great. That needs to change. While the presidential contest has shifted more heavily in Clintons favor among Wisconsin voters, Johnson has chipped away at Feingolds lead, now a two-point advantage among likely voters. Part of that could be linked to Republican voters who, while unenthusiastic about or opposed to Trump, have decided they will still show up on Election Day to support Republican candidates down the ticket, Wagner said. Johnson has also run effective advertising, he said. But at the same time, Feingold has had some success reintroducing himself as approachable Russ who is in touch with the concerns of regular Wisconsinites, Burden said. Johnson is most effective when he portrays himself as a common sense business man, he said. Feingold gets the upper hand when highlighting Johnsons unpopular positions such as the minimum wage and climate change. At this point, any small factor debates, get-out-the-vote efforts or campaign ads could be the one to propel a candidate to victory, Wagner said. Burden said the outcome will likely boil down to two factors: how closely the Senate race is linked to the presidential campaign and which candidate voters believe is more in touch with everyday Wisconsinites. Its a close race, so most things that they can do arent likely to matter much, Wagner said. But in a close race, anything could be the difference. Information is taken from the records of the Portage Police Department and does not represent a comprehensive list of police activity. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Between 6:38 a.m. Oct. 12 and 7:19 a.m. Oct. 19 police responded to 247 calls Adams Street: Police on Oct. 12, at 7:27 a.m. stopped Heather Ullas, 34, of Portage, who was cited for operating a vehicle after suspension of a license as a third offense and driving without a license. East Cook Street: Police on Oct. 12, at 7:52 a.m. responded to a report of a student missing from Wayne Bartels Middle School. The 12-year-olds mother was cited for truancy. East Edgewater Street: Police on Oct. 12, at 6:38 p.m. responded to a report of potential drug activity involving juveniles. Following a search of the location and the suspects backpacks, the 16-year-old male and 16-year-old female were each referred to Columbia County Health and Human Services for possession of drug paraphernalia and cited for underage possession of tobacco. The male was taken to Portage County Secure Detention by the Columbia County Sheriffs Office. East Cook Street and Adams Street: Police on Oct. 12 at 11:48 p.m. stopped a vehicle whereupon the driver, 23-year-old Tyler Duby of Plymouth, and passenger, 24-year-old Aaron Haase of Beaver Dam, were each arrested and cited for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Duby was also cited for operating a vehicle while license suspended as a first offense, driving a vehicle with suspended registration, and driving without insurance. West Wisconsin Street: Police on Oct. 13 at 9:52 p.m. responded to a possible medical emergency where Alicia Gazapian, 33, of Portage, was arrested and charged with possession of heroin and violation of probation. Wal-Mart: Police on Oct. 13 at 4:11 a.m. responded to a reported theft, where Cheyanne Smith, 18, of Oxford, was cited for shoplifting after allegedly scanning $343.14 of merchandise as clearance items totaling $72.33. Wal-Mart: Police on Saturday at 2:28 a.m. responded to a reported theft where Patricia Quartuccio, 33, of Portage, had allegedly taken $833.68 of merchandise and was issued a misdemeanor citation for retail theft and possession of a prescription drug without a prescription. West Carroll Street: Police on Friday at 8:42 p.m. stopped Matthew Eisenbraun, 32, of Lodi, who following a field sobriety test, was arrested and issued a citation for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated as a second offense and operating a vehicle after revocation of a license as a first offense. Brooks Street and Thompson Street: Police on Sunday at 12:09 a.m. stopped Adam Chaussee, 21, of Sun Prairie, who was cited for driving a motor vehicle after suspension of registration and driving without a license as a second offense. East Wisconsin Street and Wauona Trail: Police on Sunday at 2:45 a.m. stopped Allan Fraker, 23, of Pardeeville, who following a preliminary breath test registered 0.075. Fraker was arrested and cited for misdemeanor bail jumping for violating a no-drink order. Klemp Street: Police on Monday at 7:01 a.m. responded to a 911 hang-up that was determined to be the result of children playing with a phone. Bruce Wright, 53, of Portage, was arrested for being in violation of an order by Cook County, Illinois, to have no contact with children. West Mullett Street: Police on Monday at 4:08 p.m. responded to a walk-in complaint, resulting in Anthony Slate, 20, of Portage, being arrested and cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of bail jumping and violation of probation. A 19-year-old man of Markesan was arrested and cited for domestic disorderly conduct. East Conant Street: Police on Tuesday at 3:11 a.m. responded to a report of windows being broken where Abigail Rott, 37, of Portage, was arrested and cited for disorderly conduct, misdemeanor bail jumping, theft, criminal destruction to property and discharge of bodily fluids at a law enforcement office. Anrea Vanti was cited for disorderly conduct. New Pinery Road: Police on Tuesday at 8:02 a.m. stopped Zachary Salerno, 27, of Portage, who was cited for operating a vehicle after suspension of a license as a seventh offense and driving without proof of insurance. Adams Street: Police on Tuesday at 7:19 a.m. stopped Marco Haney, 31, of Portage, who was cited for operating a vehicle after suspension of a license as a seventh offense and driving a non-registered vehicle. The Cauvery water issue, local body election, appointment of special officers for governing local bodies and upcoming by poll in three constituencies are the likely to be subjects of discussion in the meeting. By Akshaya Nath: Tamil Nadu Finance minister O Panneerselvam will be chairing a Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on Wednesday for the first time since Acting Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao allotted all portfolios held by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to him. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam reaches Tamil Nadu Secretariat, to chair Cabinet meeting, today pic.twitter.com/6wBB9geCfY&; ANI (@ANI_news) October 19, 2016 advertisement The Cauvery water issue, local body election, appointment of special officers for governing local bodies and upcoming by poll in three constituencies are the likely to be subjects of discussion in the meeting. Last week CH Vidyasagar Rao allotted all portfolios held by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who has been hospitalised since September 22, to finance minister O. Panneerselvam. It was also decided that he will preside over cabinet meetings in the absence of Jayalalithaa. ALSO READ: Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa's portfolios allocated to Panneerselvam While announcing the transfer of portfolio Governor Vidyasagar Rao said that it was done under the oral advice of CM Jayalalithaa. In two previous occasions too Panneerselvam has substituted for Jayalalithaa but this time things are different because the opposition in the state have been raising doubts about the transfer of portfolio. It has been more than 26 days since the hospitalisation of CM Jayalalithaa and the mystery behind her medical condition has only caused rumours to spread like wildfire in the states. ALSO READ: As Jayalalithaa remains in hospital, storm brews in Tamil Nadu's political cup --- ENDS --- When it comes to the 42nd District Wisconsin State Assembly race, all roads lead to transportation. The deteriorating condition of Wisconsins roads, and where to find the money to fix them, have emerged as principal issues in a race thats a rematch from 2014, with four-term incumbent Keith Ripp, R-Lodi, vying for re-election against George Ferriter, the Democrat who unsuccessfully opposed him in 2014. District 42 occupies most of Columbia County, and parts of Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Marquette counties. Both candidates express agreement that many federal, state, county, town and municipal roads in District 42, and throughout Wisconsin, are in serious need of repair or rebuilding. Statewide, Ripp has found himself as the focus of much of the frustration about road conditions. For his last two terms, he has been chairman of the Assemblys Transportation Committee. Some people think that, because I chair transportation, I write the checks and approve the projects. I dont, Ripp said Monday at a Legislative candidates forum in Portage, sponsored by the Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative. Both Ripp and Ferriter also were present at the Sept. 29 Columbia County public meeting, called Turnout for Transportation, which attracted about 60 people to the countys Highway Department headquarters in Wyocena. Ferriter said, at the Adams-Columbia forum, that he would take two approaches to improving road conditions: tap all funds that are currently available to take on as many projects as possible, and identify other potential revenue sources to pay for road repairs. Every idea including higher gas taxes, higher vehicle registration fees, tolls and other forms of user fees should be on the table, Ferriter said. Everybody is on the same page as acknowledging that we have a huge problem, he said. Where the conversation diverges is, how do we fix that? Ripp said consensus among lawmakers is vital to identifying any solution for road conditions or sources of money to fix roads. He noted that the most recent Legislative session included a large number of newly-elected lawmakers, and he said it takes a while to get them all up to speed on the issue, let alone in agreement about a solution. However, Ripp said, his recent letter to Gov. Scott Walker about the need for more state funding for road repairs may have been one factor that prompted Walker to increase his proposed 2017-19 spending for transportation a number that will be considered even more, as lawmakers work on the next biennial budget. Creating policy isnt easy, Ripp said. No one size fits any of the solutions. Ripp noted, however, that the condition of Wisconsins roads is a key factor in another vital state issue attracting and keeping good jobs, especially in rural areas. In addition to good roads, he said, Wisconsin also needs access to the information superhighway, through better availability of high-speed Internet service so that all areas of the state are served. Ferriter observed that Columbia County is profoundly rural, and there are whole areas that either have no broadband service available at all, or whose options for service are prohibitively expensive. Ferriter vowed he would work to ensure broadband access to every part of District 42 and to every part of Wisconsin. In addition to roads and broadband, Ripp said, his priorities for the coming session include further work with the Wisconsin Rural Initiative a group of lawmakers focused on a compendium of rural issues, including education, technology, workforce development and health care. On education, Ripp said theres something wrong with school funding when public school districts have to hold referendums, year after year, to cover basic operational costs. Ferriter said his legislative priorities include protection of the states water supply and care for veterans (he served eight years active duty with the U.S. Air Force and 18 year in the Reserve and National Guard). And, he said, he would like to address Wisconsins methods and practices of redrawing Legislative districts every 10 years, because he said the current redistricting process is unfair. It stifles debate. It stifles discussion. It impedes the free exchange of ideas that are absolutely essential to our government, he said. The 42nd District, which has existed in its present form starting with the 2012 election, is considered a Republican district. But, although Ferriter lost to Ripp in 2014, the election returns in Columbia County showed that he carried most of the villages and all of the cities in the parts of Columbia County that are in the 42nd District. (The city of Portage is in the 81st Assembly District.) Ripp, however, dominated in most of Columbia Countys towns, and he scored lopsided victories in the villages of Randolph and Friesland. When author Chad Lewis makes a return visit at 1 p.m. Oct. 23 to the Reedsburg Public Library Community Room, audience members may want to remember to leave their lights on at home. Lewis, the author of more than 20 books, is an expert on unusual, mysterious and paranormal phenomenon. After earning a masters degree in applied psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Lewis turned his attention to researching the unexplained. For the next 20 years he would investigate such varied phenomena as UFOs in Area 51, the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland, vampires in Transylvania, the Wendigo of Canada, werewolves in Wisconsin, and haunted locations around the Midwest. He works as a paranormal investigator for Unexplained Research, LLC, which is also the publisher of several of his books. These titles fall into a number of categories including road guides to haunted locations, road guides to mysterious creatures, guides to gangster hot spots, and books highlighting hidden headlines. At this visit, he will feature the most haunted sites throughout the state of Wisconsin. Some of the locations he will showcase may also be found in The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations, co-authored by Terry Fisk. The book is a directory listing haunted places in the state by region, county and municipality. Locations include cemeteries, mansions, roads and even innocuous buildings housing YMCAs and Subway restaurants. Unusual phenomena in the Reedsburg area include paranormal activity at the Wisconsin Dells Dungeon of Horrors, the Showboat Saloon and also the legend of the mysterious Highway 12 hitchhiker. Dont miss Lewis fascinating look at unusual and supernatural happenings in Wisconsin. The author will be available after the program to answer questions and sign books. Samples of the authors books are on display at the library, and available for checkout. This author visit is funded, in part, by a grant from the Sauk County UW Extension, Arts & Culture Committee, the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, call 768-7323. This presidential campaign has become like Dantes Inferno. Each week, we descend into a lower, deeper ring of hell. Almost every day, another woman comes forward about Donald Trumps unwanted sexual advances. To dismiss his earlier in the week comments as locker room talk, or to somehow accept them as the brazen ranting of an alpha male belittles the dignity of women and shows an arrogance that makes him unfit to be president. One dictionary defines an alpha male as a man tending to assume a dominant rolein social or professional situationsmost alpha males need to control women in their lives. To address, see, and accept women in the way Trump has bragged about is a disgrace to the integrity of women as human beings, and to the overall respect of society at large. It also dismisses with an air of contempt the horror women face. Using statistics from the Department of Justice and from the Center for Disease Control, possibly as many as 1.3 million women are raped every year. Of that number, 54 percent go unreported. Fifteen percent of those rapes are assaults on girls 12 or younger. Ninety-seven percent of all men accused of rape never go to jail. Yet, only about 5 percent of all reported rape cases have been shown that the woman lied about the assault. Comparing these numbers with statis-tics from the National Cancer Institute, a woman is twice as likely to be raped as to develop breast cancer. Society has managed to shame women and disgrace her as the victim. As recently as 2011, a rape case was dismissed in Connecticut because the women could not prove that she had resisted her assailant, since she had not shown any evidence of kicking, scratching, or biting during the attack. The woman attacked was mentally challenged. A couple of years ago, a doctor in Brazil was excommunicated for performing a life-saving abortion on an 11-year-old, incest, rape victim. The perpetrator was let go. During the 2012 election cycle, Senatorial candidate Todd Akin stated during a debate that, if it is a legitimate rape, a womans body has a way of shutting that down. The CDC writes that the chances of that happening in the real world are zero percent. Sexual assault, it must be emphasized, is not a crime of some sexual perversion. It is an act of control, of power, of a deficient male ego needing to overpower a woman and take her in the most egregious way possible. While there are many good websites available, the University of West Virginias is absolutely chilling. It writes that, Rape and sexual assault are all about control and domination. It further states that using the way a woman dresses as an excuse for sexual assault simply transfers blame from the perpetrator to the victim. In a real case, a womans lace bra was introduced as evidence by the defense. A judge in Georgia actually wrote that, women are sex objects whether they like it or not. Another judge gave a teen probation for committing rape because are we supposed to take an impressionable 15- or 16-year-old and punish them severely because they reacted normally to it. It being the way the woman was dressed. Another judge wrote that women need to stop teasing men. All of this is not some ancient history. These are all examples within the last 10 years. Women still struggle for their rightful place in the workplace and in society. For Trump and his supporters to absolve him, to grant him some type of perverse amnesty for his comments and his actions in the past, belies the audacity of a man to treat others with such contempt. Those actions do not dissolve; they do not go away. They are what he isan egocentric male who believes he can control and dominate any and each encounter, whether it is with a woman, a business partner, his business dealings, or on the campaign trail. Bill Clintons actions are horrible as well. But to shame the wife for the husband, stoops to a new level of abomination against women. Not only is he not running for president in this cycle, he was punished for his behavior by being impeached and had his law license revoked for five years. Trumps conspiracy comments about the media being unfair to him are no more intellectually saner than the statements of the judges written about earlier. This is a man already finding excuses for his own failures and his inabilities to face his own shortcomings. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote that you should never write a letter when you are angry. That could also apply to a column. Oops, too late. Barack Obama urged Donald Trump to stop whining after he had claimed that upcoming election was rigged. By Indo-Asian News Service: US President Barack Obama urged Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to "stop whining" and rejected his claims of the presidential elections being rigged, media reports said. "I have never seen any presidential candidate trying to discredit the elections and the election process before votes have even taken place. It's unprecedented," CNBC news quoted Obama as saying at a White House press conference yesterday. advertisement "I'd invite Mr. Trump to stop whining, and go try to make his case to get votes," he added. Also read: US elections: Republican Party office firebombed, Trump blames animals representing Hillary and Democrats Trump clashed with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and his own party on whether the upcoming election was rigged. "The election is absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media pushing Crooked Hillary - but also at many polling places - SAD," Trump tweeted on October 16. CLINTON LEADING Poll numbers in favour of Trump drastically fell after the first presidential debate on September 26. This was followed by the release of a 2005 tape on October 8, in which Trump bragged about sexually aggressive behaviour toward women. After this, several women have accused the Republican candidate of sexual misconduct. Also read: Indian Redditer says Modi just like Trump, urges Americans to vote for Republican Currently, Clinton leads Trump by 12 percentage points, according to a poll conducted by The Monmouth University. Trump and Clinton will face off in the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on October 20. --- ENDS --- Conversing across a century with thinker, author and politician Sol T Plaatje This year marks the centenary of the publication of Plaatjes seminal book, Native Life in South Africa. Sol T. Plaatje is a fairly familiar name in South Africa. Born Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje on 9 October 1876, he is often remembered as one of the founding members, and first general secretary, of the South African Native National Congress in 1912 which became the African National Congress in 1923. In recognition of his admirable service and talents as a pioneering politician, intellectual, journalist, linguist, writer and translator, Plaatje has been memorialised by, among other honours, having a museum, university and a municipality named after him. This year marks the centenary of the publication of Plaatjes seminal book, Native Life in South Africa. Native Life, together with his novel Mhudi which was published in 1930, and reputed to be the first novel written in English published by a black South African, constitutes the cornerstones of Plaatjes remarkable oeuvre. A new edited volume, Sol Plaatjes Native Life in South Africa: Past and Present edited by Janet Remmington, Brian Willan and Bhekizizwe Peterson and published by Wits University Press - reflects the significance of Native Life and its continuing resonances. At the time of its publication Native Life was widely read and even discussed in the South African House of Assembly. It disappeared out of the public eye only to reappear from the 1960s as historians started to chart the history of black South Africans. A little book In 1913 the Natives Land Act of 1913 was passed. The South African History Online described the act as the most catastrophic provision for Africans being the prohibition from buying or hiring land in 93% of South Africa. The passing of the Act was a key catalyst that sparked Plaatje to write Native Life. At the time, Plaatje quaintly described it as a little book. It was conceived as part of his arsenal to petition the British government and public to protect the rights of black South Africans following the Act of Union of 1910. The unification of four former British colonies Cape Colony, Natal Colony, Transvaal Colony and Orange River Colony led to the formation of the Union of South Africa. This new South African state legislated a wide range of discriminatory policies that turned the country into a white oligarchy that was structured in racial dominance and exploitation. The book that resulted far exceeded its authors modest aims. Instead it raised a range of complex issues that continue to bedevil South African society. Revisiting Native Life a 100 years later one is struck by the daunting task of how to position and engage with foundational texts and figures. One has to ensure that they retain their complexities and even contradictions. Those are qualities that can be productive in thinking-through both past and present experiences and challenges. There are two possible forms of reception. There is the celebration of heritage and human treasures that, paradoxically, often flatten out the very attributes that made the person or text noteworthy. Alternatively, there is the tendency to dismiss members of the early black intelligentsia as black Victorians. They supposedly assimilated Western culture in the hope of achieving social respectability. Take Paper and Ink! The profound social changes that were brought about by conquest compelled black intellectuals to respond in numerous and creative ways to the ordeals that they faced. Instead of trying to draw a distinct line between tradition and modernity, orality and writing, Plaatje and his colleagues realised that such categories and practices were not mutually exclusive. These categories and practices needed to be recalibrated and used simultaneously in response to the new circumstances. Plaatjes literary endeavours were in line with IWW Citashes incendiary call in his poem, Zimkile! Mfo wohlanga / Gone are your cattle, countryman! to: Take Paper and Ink/ Thats your armour. As he acknowledged in the preface to Mhudi, since the writing of history is partisan Plaatje felt it incumbent that black writers should offer their own interpretations. Native Life is, in the first instance, such an account. Yet it also extends way beyond the imperative to bear witness to the dislocation and alienation unleashed by the Land Act. In order to get readers to fully grasp the turmoil Plaatje elaborates the beliefs, cultures and social lives of Africans before the Act. In the process he also provides an extensive and compelling archive of African ways of being and knowledge systems. A similar compulsion is behind his collection and publication in 1916 of Sechuana Proverbs with Literal Translations and Their European Equivalents. Bear Ye One Anothers Burden The recuperation of the distinctiveness of African life and culture was complicated by Plaatjes equally insistent affirmation of the ties and needs that bind humanity. He draws attention to what he regards as common human desires such as food, clothing, shelter and love - that all people share irrespective of race, class or gender. Cover of Wits University Press, Sol Plaatjes Native Life in South Africa: Past and Present. Plaatje evokes what he calls mutual suffering and advises that bear ye one anothers burden. Remarkably, before the two world wars and genocides that shook the 20th century, Plaatje argued that we bear an ethical responsibility to ensure the well-being of all people. We are also called upon to intervene and stop injustice and atrocities wherever they manifest themselves across the world. This challenge is directed at all the citizens of the British Empire but it is also aimed at black and white South Africans. Plaatjes compassion is particularly attentive to the hardships that are encountered by vulnerable groups. He is left distraught after witnessing a displaced family, the Kgobadis, burying their infant in an unmarked grave. At the funeral of his own son, he contrasts its pomp and ceremony with the fugitive nature that marked the Kgobadi burial. He is appalled by the incarceration in the Orange Free State of black women who staged one of the earliest marches against the pass laws in July 1913. Two chapters in Native Life eulogise the social roles performed by women and they indicate his support of the rights of women and especially the need for them to participate in public life. All these responses are consistent with Plaatjes believe in equality irrespective of race or colour ones sex or class. The Art of the Human Condition The links and empathies between people across race, class, gender and experience that Plaatje proposes is also apparent in his equally receptive attitude and appropriation of art from all over the world. Native Life makes extensive use of quotations from major global texts ranging from the Bible to Shakespeare. The citations are not simply a sign of Plaatjes erudition, they are pointedly used to strengthen Plaatjes own argument. The human bonds that Plaatje evokes are, of course, fundamental to the human condition that art is preoccupied with. If great art is informed by but also transcends the time and locality of its emergence, this then requires a more sophisticated appreciation of the value of even canonical works. For instance, in addition to the need to centre African and other marginalised thinkers, knowledge systems and art across the educational and cultural landscapes, should the project of decolonisation in South Africa erase the Western canon or counter the ways in which it has been used in support of the colonial project? Are African works not susceptible to similar conservative and exclusionary uses? Such as when they are deployed in ways that validate traditional authority, patriarchy, ethnicity, class privileges, homophobia and xenophobia? Plaatje also encouraged independent thought. He felt that a critical disposition coupled with empirical evidence and public accountability was indispensable, not only in relation to contesting colonial ideology but also with regards to views and actions in the black community as well. After learning that his mentor, the journalist and educator John T Jabavu, was in support of the Land Act, Plaatje describes, in chapter 13, his unsuccessful mission to convince Jabavu to alter his position. After his failure, Plaatje cautioned against the dangers of being held ransom by the powerful and wealthy in society. He declared that: God forbid that we should ever find that our mind had become the property of someone other than ourselves. Plaatjes high estimation of intellectual work, critical thinking and access to information is in stark contrast to the current disparagement of clever blacks, transparency, access to information and the media. It is as a result of the deep appreciation of the complexities and entanglements that underpin social change and the imperatives to create a more just and humane world that Plaatje, and his contemporaries, preferred to pursue a multi-pronged, nuanced and compassionate understanding and representation of life. Bhekizizwe Peterson, Professor of African Literature, University of the Witwatersrand. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Wits researchers find techniques to improve carbon superlattices for quantum electronic devices In a paradigm shift from conventional electronic devices, exploiting the quantum properties of superlattices holds the promise of developing new technologies. Researchers at the Nanoscale Transport Physics Laboratory from the School of Physics at the University of the Witwatersrand have found a technique to improve carbon superlattices for quantum electronic device applications. Superlattices are made up of alternating layers of very thin semiconductors, just a few nanometers thick. These layers are so thin that the physics of these devices is governed by quantum mechanics, where electrons behave like waves. In a paradigm shift from conventional electronic devices, exploiting the quantum properties of superlattices holds the promise of developing new technologies. The group, headed by Professor Somnath Bhattacharyya has been working for the past 10 years on developing carbon-based nano-electronic devices. Carbon is the future in the electronics field and it soon will be challenging many other semiconductors, including silicon, says Bhattacharyya. The physics of carbon superlattices is more complex than that of crystalline superlattices (such as gallium arsenide) since the material is amorphous and carbon atoms tend to form chains and networks. The Wits group, in association with researchers at the University of Surrey in the UK, has developed a detailed theoretical approach to understand the experimental data obtained from carbon devices. The paper has been published in Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group) on 19 October. This work provides an understanding of the fundamental quantum properties of carbon superlattices, which we can now use to design quantum devices for specific applications, says lead author, Wits PhD student, Ross McIntosh. Our work provides strong impetus for future studies of the high-frequency electronic and optoelectronic properties of carbon superlattices. Through their work, the group reported one of the first theoretical models that can explain the fundamental electronic transport properties in disordered carbon superlattices. Bhattacharyya started looking at the use of carbon for semiconductor applications almost 10 years ago, before he joined Wits University, when he and co-authors from the University of Surrey developed and demonstrated negative differential resistance and excellent high-frequency properties of a quantum device made up of amorphous carbon layers. This work was published in Nature Materials in 2006. McIntosh undertook the opportunity at honours level to measure the electrical properties of carbon superlattice devices. Now, as a PhD student and having worked extensively with theoretician Dr. Mikhail V. Katkov, he has extended the theoretical framework and developed a technique to calculate the transport properties of these devices. Bhattacharyya believes this work will have immense importance in developing Carbon-based high-frequency devices. It will open not only fundamental studies in Carbon materials, but it will also have industrial applications in the electronic and optoelectronic device sector, he says. Superlattices are currently used as state of the art high-frequency oscillators and amplifiers and are beginning to find use in optoelectronics as detectors and emitters in the terahertz regime. While the high frequency electrical and optoelectronic properties of conventional semiconductors are limited by the dopants used to modify their electronic properties, the properties of superlattices can be tuned over a much wider range to create devices which operate in regimes where conventional devices cannot. Superlattice electronic devices can operate at higher frequencies and optoelectronic devices can operate at lower frequencies than their conventional counterparts. The lack of terahertz emitters and detectors has resulted in a gap in that region of the electromagnetic spectrum (known as the terahertz gap), which is a significant limitation, as many biological molecules are active in this regime. This also limits terahertz radio astronomy. Amorphous Carbon devices are extremely strong, can operate at high voltages and can be developed in most laboratories in the world, without sophisticated nanofabrication facilities. New Carbon-based devices could find application in biology, space technology, science infrastructure such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope in South Africa, and new microwave detectors. What was lacking earlier was an understanding of device modelling. If we have a model, we can improve the device quality, and that is what we now have, says Bhattacharyya. About the Wits Nanoscale Transport Physics Laboratory The Wits Nanoscale Transport Physics Laboratory (NSTPL) was established in 2009 under the leadership of Bhattacharyya when Professor Joao Rodrigues was the Head of the School of Physics at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. The department is known as a leading Physics school in the African continent, having one of the largest academic staff complements on a single campus. Since the opening of the laboratory, the NSTPL has gone from strength to strength in establishing a facility that houses world-class fabrication and measurement equipment, an initiative strongly supported by research entities such as the NRF, CSIR, Wits Research Office and DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials. The NSTPL is well equipped with various sophisticated synthesis facilities, as well as a cryogenic micro-manipulated probe station to conduct sensitive quantum transport measurements at temperatures near absolute zero. The NSTPL also houses a fully operational electron beam lithography scanning electron microscope, used to fabricate nanoscale devices based on these carbon materials. Some noteworthy current projects include the fabrication of spintronic devices using supramolecular Gd-functionalized carbon nanotubes, the fabrication of graphene field effect transistors and most recently the study of the unconventional superconductivity observed in boron-doped diamond. The NSTPL group has also published a number of papers on theoretical investigations, led by Dr Mikhail Katkov and Dr Dmitry Churochkin, on the role of disorder on the quantum transport in carbon systems. These various topics form part of the broader direction the group has taken, that being, investigating the physics of carbon materials in the hopes of finding application in quantum information systems as well as detector devices valuable for space exploration. Chairmen of PEMRA, Absar Alam, confirmed to India Today about the decision that was taken in the 120th meeting of the authority held today in Islamabad. 120th meeting of the authority held at PEMRA headquarters today. Meeting was chaired by Absar Alam, Chairman.(Twitter@reportpemra) By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) today approved a complete ban on airing of Indian content in Pakistan from October 21, said a statement released by the regulatory authority. Chairmen of PEMRA, Absar Alam, confirmed to India Today about the decision that was taken in the 120th meeting of the authority held today in Islamabad. advertisement The federal government had earlier suggested banning airing of Indian content in a tit-for-tat move after Pakistani content was completely banned by India. The ban will come into effect at 3 pm on October 21, and violators will be prosecuted under law, said the statement. --- ENDS --- The following companies are subsidiares of AON: 6824625 Canada Ltd., 7193599 Canada Inc., A.B. 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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.. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AFD.TECH, AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Alfa Consulting, Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of MetLife: 10700 WILSHIRE LLC, 1201 TAB MANAGER LLC, 1350 EYE STREET MANAGER LLC, 1350 EYE STREET OWNER LLC, 150 NORTH RIVERSIDE PE MEMBER LLC, 1925 WJC OWNER LLC, 23RD STREET INVESTMENTS INC., 500 GRANT STREET ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, 500 GRANT STREET GP LLC, 6104 HOLLYWOOD LLC, AFP GENESIS ADMINISTRADORA DE FONDOS Y FIDECOMISOS S.A., AGENVITA S.R.L., ALICO HELLAS SINGLE MEMBER LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, ALICO OPERATIONS LLC, American Life Insurance Company, BEST MARKET S.A., BLOCK VISION HOLDINGS CORPORATION, BLOCK VISION OF TEXAS INC., BORDERLAND INVESTMENTS LIMITED, BOULEVARD RESIDENTIAL LLC, BUFORD LOGISTICS CENTER LLC, CC HOLDCO MANAGER LLC, CHESTNUT FLATS WIND LLC, CLOSED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY MASTER-D, COMPANIA INVERSORA METLIFE S.A., CORPORATE REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LLC, COVA LIFE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, DAVIS VISION INC., DAVISVISION IPA INC., DELAWARE AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, EURO CL INVESTMENTS LLC, EXCELENCIA OPERATIVA Y TECNOLOGICA S.A de C.V., FORTISSIMO CO. LTD, FUNDACION METLIFE MEXICO A.C., GLOBAL PROPERTIES INC., General American Life Insurance Company, Grand Bank N.A., HASKELL EAST VILLAGE LLC, HOUSING FUND MANAGER LLC, INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL AND ADVISORY SERVICES LIMITED, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO DOS LIMITADA, INVERSIONES METLIFE HOLDCO TRES LIMITADA, LHC HOLDINGS LLC, LHCW HOLDINGS LLC, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING 2002 LLC, LHCW HOTEL HOLDING LLC, LHCW HOTEL OPERATING COMPANY 2002 LLC, LUMENLAB MALAYSIA SDN. BHD., Logan Circle Partners, MARKETPLACE RESIDENCES LLC, MC PORTFOLIO JV MEMBER LLC, MCJV LLC, MCPP OWNERS LLC, MCRE BLOCK 40 LP, MEC HEALTH CARE INC., MET 1065 HOTEL LLC, MET CANADA SOLAR ULC, METLIFE 1007 STEWART LLC, METLIFE 1201 TAB MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MANAGER LLC, METLIFE 425 MKT MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 555 12TH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE 8280 MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ACOMA OWNER LLC, METLIFE ADMINISTRADORA DE FUNDOS MULTIPATROCINADOS LTDA., METLIFE ALTERNATIVES GP LLC, METLIFE ASHTON AUSTIN OWNER LLC, METLIFE ASIA HOLDING COMPANY PTE. LTD., METLIFE ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE ASIA SERVICES SDN. BHD, METLIFE ASSET MANAGEMENT CORP., METLIFE ASSIGNMENT COMPANY INC., METLIFE BORO STATION MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAMINO RAMON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAMPUS AT SGV MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAPITAL CREDIT L.P., METLIFE CAPITAL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, METLIFE CAPITAL TRUST IV, METLIFE CB W/A LLC, METLIFE CC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CHILE ADMINISTRADORA DE MUTUOS HIPOTECARIOS S.A., METLIFE CHILE INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS DE VIDA S.A., METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS GENERALES S.A., METLIFE CHINO MEMBER LLC, METLIFE COLOMBIA SEGUROS de VIDA S.A., METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND GP LLC, METLIFE CONSQUARE MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CONSUMER SERVICES INC., METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE CREDIT CORP., METLIFE DIGITAL VENTURES INC., METLIFE ENHANCED CORE PROPERTY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE EU HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE INSURANCE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPE SERVICES LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LLC., METLIFE FINANCIAL SERVICES CO. LTD, METLIFE FM HOTEL MEMBER LLC, METLIFE FUNDING INC., METLIFE GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE GLOBAL BENEFITS LTD., METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY I GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY II GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION S.A. De C.V., METLIFE GLOBAL INC., METLIFE GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE GROUP INC., METLIFE HCMJV 1 GP LLC, METLIFE HCMJV 1 LP LLC, METLIFE HEALTH PLANS INC., METLIFE HOLDINGS INC., METLIFE HOME LOANS LLC, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE LIMITED, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE PTE. LTD., METLIFE INSURANCE AND INVESTMENT TRUST, METLIFE INSURANCE BROKERAGE INC., METLIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF KOREA LTD., METLIFE INSURANCE K.K., METLIFE INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HF PARTNERS LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND I LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND II LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND III LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND IV LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND V LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VI LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VII LP, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT EUROPE LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENTS ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS SECURITIES LLC, METLIFE INVESTORS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, METLIFE INVESTORS GROUP LLC, METLIFE IRELAND TREASURY D.A.C., METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND LP, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS BLOCKER LLC, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS LLC, METLIFE LATIN AMERICA ASESORIAS E INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE LEGAL PLANS INC., METLIFE LEGAL PLANS OF FLORIDA INC., METLIFE LHH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE S.A., METLIFE LOAN ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE LONG SHORT CREDIT FUND LP, METLIFE LONG SHORT CREDIT MASTER FUND LP, METLIFE LONG SHORT CREDIT PARALLEL FUND LP, METLIFE MAS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO HOLDINGS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO SERVICIOS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT FUND II LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT GP II LLC, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT GP LLC, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT II RATED FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL GP LLC, METLIFE MMPD II SPECIAL LLC, METLIFE MULTI-FAMILY PARTNERS III LLC, METLIFE OBS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE OFC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ONTARIO STREET MEMBR LLC, METLIFE PARK TOWER MEMBER LLC, METLIFE PENSION TRUSTEES LIMITED, METLIFE PENSIONES MEXICO S.A., METLIFE PET INSURANCE SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE PLANOS ODONTOLOGICOS LTDA., METLIFE POWSZECHNE TOWARTZYSTWO EMERYTALNE S.A., METLIFE PRIVATE EQUITY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE PROPERTIES VENTURES LLC, METLIFE RC SF MEMBER LLC, METLIFE REAL ESTATE LENDING LLC, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF BERMUDA LTD., METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF CHARLESTON, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF VERMONT, METLIFE RETIREMENT SERVICES LLC, METLIFE SECURITIZATION DEPOSITOR LLC, METLIFE SEGUROS S.A., METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FINCO LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FUND LP, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING GP LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING HOLDINGS LP, METLIFE SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE SERVICES CYPRUS LTD., METLIFE SERVICES EAST PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EEIG, METLIFE SERVICES EOOD, METLIFE SERVICES SOCIEDAD LIMITADA, METLIFE SERVICES SP Z.O.O, METLIFE SERVICIOS S.A., METLIFE SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL FUND GP LLC, METLIFE SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL FUND LP, METLIFE SOLUTIONS PTE. LTD., METLIFE SOLUTIONS S.A.S., METLIFE SP HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE STRATEGIC HOTEL DEBT FUND GP LLC, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN LUX GP S.A.R.L., METLIFE THR INVESTOR LLC, METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO FUNDUSZY INWESTYCYJNYCH S.A., METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO UBEZPIECZEN NA ZYCIE I REASEKURACJI S.A., METLIFE TOWER RESOURCES GROUP INC., METLIFE TREAT TOWERS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LLC, METROPOLITAN GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE SEGUROS E PREVIDENCIA PRIVADA S.A., METROPOLITAN LIFE SOCIETATE de ADMINISTRARE a UNUI FOND de PENSII ADMINISTRAT PRIVAT S.A., METROPOLITAN TOWER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER REALTY COMPANY INC., MEX DF PROPERTIES LLC, MFA FINANCING VEHICLE CTR1 LLC, MIDTOWN HEIGHTS LLC, MIM CAMPUS AT SGV MANAGER LLC, MIM CLAL GENERAL PARTNER LLC, MIM CM SYNDICATOR LLC, MIM EMD GP LLC, MIM I LLC, MIM LS GP LLC, MIM METWEST INTERNATIONAL MANAGER LLC, MIM ML-AI VENTURE 5 MANAGER LLC, MIM OMD MANAGER LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF GEORGIA 1 LLC, MIM SPOKANE INDUSTRIAL MANAGER LLC, MIM THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MANAGER LLC, MISSOURI REINSURANCE INC., ML 300 THIRD MEMBER LLC, ML ARMATURE MEMBER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MANAGER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MEMBER LLC, ML CAPACITACION COMERCIAL S.A. DE C.V., ML CERRITOS TC MEMBER LLC, ML CLAL MEMBER LLC, ML CORNER 63 MEMBER LLC, ML DOLPHIN GP LLC, ML DOLPHIN MEZZ LLC, ML HUDSON MEMBER LLC, ML MATSON MILLS MEMBER LLC, ML MILILANI MEMBER LLC, ML OMD MEMBER LLC, ML ONE BEDMINSTER LLC, ML PORT CHESTER SC MEMBER LLC, ML SENTINEL SQUARE MEMBER LLC, ML SLOANS LAKE MEMEBR LLC, ML SOUTHLANDS MEMBER LLC, ML SOUTHMORE LLC, ML SPOKANE INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, ML SWAN GP LLC, ML SWAN MEZZ LLC, ML TERRACES LLC, ML THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, ML VENTURE 1 MANAGER S. DE R. L. DE C.V., ML VENTURE 1 SERVICER LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 1 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 2 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 3 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 4 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 5 LLC, ML-URS PORT CHESTER SC MANAGER LLC, MLIA MANAGER I LLC, MLIA PARK TOWER MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF COLONY MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF MANAGER LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS II LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS LLC, MLIC CB HOLDINGS LLC, MLJ US FEEDER LLC, MM GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER S.A. DE C.V., MMP CEDAR STREET OWNER LLC, MMP CEDAR STREET REIT LLC, MMP HOLDINGS III LLC, MMP OLIVIAN OWNER LLC, MMP OLIVIAN REIT LLC, MMP OWNERS III LLC, MMP OWNERS LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK OWNER LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK REIT LLC, MNQM TRUST 2020, MREF 425 MKT LLC, MSHDF HOLDCO I LLC, MSV IRVINE PROPERTY LLC, MTL LEASING LLC, MTU HOTEL OWNER LLC, NATILOPORTEM HOLDINGS LLC, NEWBURY INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, OCONEE GOLF COMPANY LLC, OCONEE HOTEL COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LLC, OCONEE MARINA COMPANY LLC, OMI MLIC INVESTMENTS LIMITED, PACIFIC LOGISTICS INDUSTRIAL NORTH LLC, PACIFIC LOGISTICS INDUSTRIAL SOUTH LLC, PARK TOWER JV MEMBER LLC, PARK TOWER REIT INC., PJSC METLIFE, PLAZA DRIVE PROPERTIES LLC, PREFCO FOURTEEN LLC, PREFCO XIV HOLDINGS LLC, PROVIDA INTERNACIONAL S.A., SAFEGUARD HEALTH ENTERPRISES INC., SAFEGUARD HEALTH PLANS INC., SAFEHEALTH LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, SOUTHCREEK INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS LLC, ST. JAMES FLEET INVESTMENTS TWO LIMITED, SUPERIOR PROCUREMENT INC., SUPERIOR VISION BENEFIT MANAGEMENT INC., SUPERIOR VISION HOLDINGS INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE PLAN OF WISCONSIN INC., SUPERIOR VISION OF NEW JERSEY INC., SUPERIOR VISION SERVICES INC., Safeguard Health Enterprises, Security First Group Inc., THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH AVENUE MEZZANINE LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL HOLDING LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL OWNER, THE DIRECT CALL CENTRE PTY LIMITED, TRANSMOUNTAIN LAND & LIVESTOCK COMPANY, UVC INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ASSOCIATION INC., VERSANT HEALTH CONSOLIDATIONS CORP., VERSANT HEALTH HOLDCO INC., VERSANT HEALTH INC., VERSANT HEALTH LAB LLC, VIRIDIAN MIRACLE MILE LLC, VISION 21 MANAGED EYE CARE OF TAMPA BAY INC., VISION 21 PHYSICIAN PRACTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, VISION TWENTY-ONE MANAGED EYE CARE IPA INC., Versant Health, WDV ACQUISITION CORP., WFP 1000 HOLDING COMPANY GP LLC, WHITE OAK ROYALTY COMPANY, WHITE TRACT II LLC, and Willing. Read More Oxford Industries, Inc., an apparel company, designs, sources, markets, and distributes products of lifestyle and other brands worldwide. The company offers men's and women's sportswear and related products under the Tommy Bahama brand; women's and girl's dresses and sportswear, scarves, bags, jewelry, and belts, as well as footwear and children's apparel and swimwear under the Lilly Pulitzer brand; and men's shirts, pants, shorts, outerwear, ties, swimwear, footwear, and accessories, as well as women and youth products under the Southern Tide brand. It also designs, sources, markets, and distributes premium childrenswear, including bonnets, hats, apparel, swimwear, and accessories through thebeaufortbonnetcompany.com and wholesale specialty retailers; men's apparel, which include pants, shorts, and tops through duckhead.com and wholesale specialty retailers. In addition, the company licenses Tommy Bahama brand for various products, such as indoor and outdoor furniture, beach chairs, bedding and bath linens, fabrics, leather goods and gifts, headwear, hosiery, sleepwear, shampoo, toiletries, fragrances, cigar accessories, distilled spirits, and other products; Lilly Pulitzer for stationery and gift products, home furnishing products, and eyewear; and Southern Tide trademark for bed and bath product. Oxford Industries, Inc. offers products through its retail stores, department stores, specialty stores, multi-branded e-commerce retailers, off-price retailers, and other retailers, as well as e-commerce sites. As of January 29, 2022, it operated 186 brand-specific full-price retail stores; 21 Tommy Bahama food and beverage locations; and 35 Tommy Bahama outlet stores. Oxford Industries, Inc. was founded in 1942 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam today chaired a meeting of the state cabinet with photo of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on desk. O Panneerselvam chaired a meeting of the state cabinet today with photo of Jayalalithaa on desk. Photo: PTI By PTI: With a picture of Jayalalithaa placed on his desk, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam today presided over a meeting of the state cabinet for the first time after the Governor re-allocated the portfolios of the ailing Chief Minister to him. Although the government did not release details of the agenda of the meeting, the Cabinet is understood to have deliberated on the ongoing Cauvery water sharing dispute with Karnataka, besides other subjects. advertisement The government, however, released photographs of the meeting, where Panneerselvam was seen seated with the picture of Jayalalithaa placed on his desk. Also Read| Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa's portfolios allocated to Panneerselvam Also Read| Chennai: With entire state curious about Amma's health, Apollo Hospital overflowing with visitors FIRST MEETING PRESIDED BY PANNEERSELVAM, AHEAD OF MONSOONS IN STATE The meeting also comes ahead of the scheduled onset of north-east monsoon later this month. The rains in December last year had wreaked havoc, flooding Chennai and nearby districts. Last week, Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao had allotted the portfolios including Home held by Jayalalithaa to Panneerselvam, till the time she returned to resume official duties. The nearly hour-long meeting was held in the backdrop of the ongoing Cauvery water sharing row with Karnataka and demands by Opposition parties for an all-party meet on the issue. Farmers bodies and political parties had staged a two-day state-wide rail blockade ending Tuesday, urging the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board. The Raj Bhavan had last week in a release, said Paneerselvam, who holds the Administrative Reforms portfolio, in addition to Finance, "will also preside over cabinet meetings." Also Read| The Amma of all questions Also Read| Prayer for Jayalalithaa: Man sleeps on thorns for 24 hours, offering himself to goddess Pechiyamman LAST CABINET MEETING WAS HELD BY JAYALALITHAA IN JULY The last Cabinet meeting held by Jayalalithaa was in July to discuss the state budget The 68-year-old Jayalalithaa was admitted to the Apollo hospital on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration. A specialist from London besides three-member team of doctors from AIIMS, Delhi, had also examined Jayalalithaa, who is being treated for infection with respiratory support. Also Read: Chennai: Troubled by Jayalalithaa's health, man sets himself on fire Ammallo state of mind: Satirical video nails Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa's health controversy DMK leader Karunanidhi raises questions over allocation of Jayalalithaa's portfolios to O.Panneerselvam --- ENDS --- The following companies are subsidiares of Novartis: 1 A Pharma GmbH, Abadia Retuerta S.A, Admune Therapeutics, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications, Advanced Accelerator Applications International SA, Advanced Accelerator Applications S.A., Advanced Accelerator Applications S.r.l., Advanced Accelerator Applications USA Inc., Aeropharm GmbH, Alcon, Alcon Couvreur NV, Amblyotech, Amblyotech Inc., Arctos Medical, Arctos Medical AG, Australia Pty Ltd, Beijing Novartis Pharma Co. Ltd., BioMedical Research Co. Ltd., CELLforCURE, Cadent Therapeutics, Cadent Therapeutics Cambridge, Cellerys, Cellerys AG, CellforCure, Chiron Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Japan Limited, Co. Ltd, CoStim Pharmaceuticals, CoStim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Coalesce Product Development Limited, Corthera, Development Co. Ltd., EBEWE Pharma Ges.m.b.H Nfg. KG, Encore Vision, Endocyte, Endocyte Inc., Eon Labs Inc., Farmanova Saglik Hizmetleri Ltd, Fougera Pharmaceuticals, Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc, Gyroscope Therapeutics, HEXAL AG, Hexal, IDB Holland BV, Iberica S.L.U., Ilaclari Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, JSC Sandoz, Japat AG, Kedalion Therapeutics Inc., Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Lek S.A., Manufacturing Pte Ltd , Navigate BioPharma Services Inc, Neutec Pharma Limited, Novartis (Hellas) S.A.C.I., Novartis (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Novartis (Taiwan) Co. Ltd, Novartis (Thailand) Limited, Novartis Argentina S.A., Novartis Australia Pty Ltd, Novartis Austria GmbH, Novartis Biociencias S.A., Novartis Biosciences Peru S.A., Novartis Bioventures AG, Novartis Business Services GmbH, Novartis Capital Corporation, Novartis Chile S.A., Novartis Corporation, Novartis Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Novartis Deutschland GmbH, Novartis Ecuador S.A., Novartis Farma S.p.A., Novartis Farma Produtos Farmaceuticos S.A., Novartis Farmaceutica S.A, Novartis Farmaceutica S.A. de C.V., Novartis Finance Corporation, Novartis Finance S.A., Novartis Finance Services Ltd, Novartis Finland Oy Espoo, Novartis Gene Therapies, Novartis Gene Therapies EU Limited, Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Novartis Grimsby Limited, Novartis Groupe France S.A., Novartis Healthcare A/S, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc., Novartis Healthcare Private Limited, Novartis Holding AG, Novartis Hungary Healthcare Limited Liability Company, Novartis India Limited, Novartis Inflammasome Research, Novartis Integrated Services Limited, Novartis International AG, Novartis International Pharmaceutical Investment AG, Novartis Investment Ltd, Novartis Investments S.a r.l., Novartis Ireland Limited, Novartis Israel Ltd, Novartis Korea Ltd., Novartis Middle East FZE, Novartis Netherlands B.V., Novartis Neva LLC, Novartis New Zealand Ltd, Novartis Norge AS, Novartis Ophthalmics AG, Novartis Optogenetics Research Inc., Novartis Overseas Investments AG, Novartis Pharma (Logistics) Inc., Novartis Pharma (Pakistan) Limited, Novartis Pharma AG, Novartis Pharma B.V. , Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Novartis Pharma K.K., Novartis Pharma LLC, Novartis Pharma Maroc SA, Novartis Pharma NV, Novartis Pharma Produktions GmbH, Novartis Pharma S.A.E., Novartis Pharma S.A.S., Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG, Novartis Pharma Schweizerhalle AG, Novartis Pharma Services AG, Novartis Pharma Services Romania S.R.L., Novartis Pharma Stein AG, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Limited, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Novartis Poland Sp. z o.o., Novartis Portugal S.G.P.S. Lda., Novartis Ringaskiddy Limited, Novartis Saglik Gida ve Tarim Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, Novartis Saudi Ltd., Novartis Securities Investment Ltd, Novartis Services Inc., Novartis Slovakia s.r.o., Novartis South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Novartis Sverige AB, Novartis UK Limited, Novartis US Foundation, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc, Novartis Vietnam Company Limited, Novartis de Colombia S.A., Novartis de Venezuela S.A., Novartis s.r.o., Oriel Therapeutics Inc., PT. Novartis Indonesia, Protez Pharmaceuticals, Pte Ltd, Research Inc, Salutas Pharma GmbH, Sandoz A/S, Sandoz AG, Sandoz B.V., Sandoz Canada Inc., Sandoz Egypt Pharma S.A.E., Sandoz Farmaceutica S.A., Sandoz Farmaceutica Lda., Sandoz GmbH, Sandoz Hungary Limited Liability Company, Sandoz Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Sandoz Inc, Sandoz Industrial Products S.A, Sandoz International GmbH, Sandoz K.K., Sandoz Limited, Sandoz Manufacturing Inc., Sandoz NV, Sandoz Pharma K.K, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals AG, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals d.d., Sandoz Philippines Corporation, Sandoz Polska Sp. z o.o. , Sandoz Private Limited, Sandoz Pty Ltd, Sandoz S.A. de C.V, Sandoz S.A.S., Sandoz S.R.L., Sandoz S.p.A., Sandoz South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Sandoz Ukraine LLC, Sandoz d.o.o. farmaceutska industrija, Sandoz do Brasil Industria Farmaceutica Ltda, Sandoz s.r.o., Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Shanghai Novartis Trading Ltd., Societe par actions SANDOZ, Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, The Medicines Company, The Medicines Company, Triangle International Reinsurance Limited, Trinity River Insurance Co Ltd, Vedere Bio, Vedere Bio ll, Xiidra, Ziarco, and Ziarco Group Limited. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Xerox: A B S Digital Limited, Acorn Business Machines (Holmfirth) Limited, Alloy Acquisitions Corp. LLC, Altodigital Networks, Altodigital Networks Limited, American Photocopy Equipment Company of Pittsburgh LLC, Amici, Arena Group, Arena Group Holdings Limited, Arena Group Limited, Arizona Office Technologies Inc., B 2 Business Systems Limited, Back2Business Limited, Bessemer Insurance Limited, Bessemer Trust Limited, Boise Office Equipment Inc., Bright Ceramic Technologies Inc., Bunch CareSolutions, Business Systems (North Wales) Limited, CPAS Systems, CREDITEX - Aluguer de Equipamentos S.A., CTX Business Solutions Inc., Capitol Office Solutions LLC, CareAR Holdings LLC, CareAR Inc., Carolina Office Systems Inc., Carr Business Systems Inc., Chicago Office Technology Group Inc., ComDoc Inc., Competitive Computing, Concept Group, Concept Group Limited, Connecticut Business Systems LLC, Consilience Software, Continua Limited, Continua Sanctum Limited, Conway Technology Group LLC, Copyrite Business Solutions (Holdings) Limited, Copyrite Business Solutions Limited, Copytrend Limited, Criterion IT Limited, Customer Value Group, Dahill Office Technology Corporation, Digitex, Digitex Canada Inc., Docucentric Holdings Limited, Document Systems, Document Systems, Eastern Managed Print Network LLC, Elan Marketing Inc., Electronic Systems Inc., Fovia (Innovation) Limited, G-Five Inc., GDP Technologies Inc., Global Imaging Systems, Global PR Corporation, Groupe CT, Gyricon LLC, Healthy Communities Institute, Heritage Business Systems Inc., ITEC Group, Image Technology Specialists Inc., ImageQuest Inc., Imagetek Office Systems, Impika, Impika SAS, Inland Business Machines Inc., Institute for Research on Learning, Integrity One Technologies Inc., Intrepid Learning, Invoco Group, Irish Business Systems, LRI LLC, LaserNetworks, LaserNetworks Inc., Lateral Data, Learn Something, Lewan & Associates Inc., Limited Liability Company Xerox (C.I.S.), M & S Reprographics Limited, MRC Smart Technology Solutions Inc., MT Business Holdings Inc., MT Business Technologies Inc., MWB Copy Products Inc., Mail A Doc Limited, Merizon Group Incorporated, Michigan Office Solutions Inc., Minnesota Office Technology Group Inc., Mitral Systems Limited, Mr. Copy Inc., Nemo (AKS) Limited, NewField IT, NewField Information Technology LLC, NewField Information Technology Limited, Northeast Office Systems LLC, Osprey Business Systems Limited, PARC China Holdings Inc., Pacific Services and Development Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated, Platinum Digital Print Solutions Limited, Powerland, Precision Copier Service Inc., Quality Business Systems Inc., Quilver Business Services Limited, R. 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ULC, Xerox Capital (Europe) Limited, Xerox Capital LLC, Xerox Computer Services Limited, Xerox Comercio e Industria Ltda, Xerox Corporation, Xerox DNHC LLC, Xerox Dienstleistungsgesellschaft GmbH, Xerox Distributor Operations Limited, Xerox Egypt S.A.E., Xerox Equipment Limited, Xerox Equipment UK Limited, Xerox Espana S.A.U., Xerox Exports Limited, Xerox Finance AG, Xerox Finance Leasing S.A.E., Xerox Finance Limited, Xerox Financial Services B.V., Xerox Financial Services Belux NV, Xerox Financial Services Canada Ltd., Xerox Financial Services Danmark A/S, Xerox Financial Services Finland Oy, Xerox Financial Services LLC, Xerox Financial Services Norway AS, Xerox Financial Services SAS, Xerox Financial Services Sverige AB, Xerox Foreign Holdings LLC, Xerox Foreign Sales Corporation, Xerox GmbH, Xerox Health Care LLC, Xerox Hellas AEE, Xerox Holding Deutschland GmbH, Xerox Holdings (Ireland) Limited, Xerox Holdings Inc., Xerox Hungary Trading Limited, Xerox IBS Limited, Xerox IBS NI Limited, Xerox India Limited, Xerox International Joint Marketing Inc., Xerox Investments Europe B.V., Xerox Israel Ltd., Xerox Italia Rental Services Srl, Xerox Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Xerox Latinamerican Holdings Inc., Xerox Leasing Deutschland GmbH, Xerox Leasing GmbH, Xerox Limited, Xerox Luxembourg SA, Xerox Mailing Systems Limited, Xerox Manufacturing (Nederland) B.V., Xerox Maroc S.A., Xerox Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Xerox Middle East Investments (Bermuda) Limited, Xerox N.V., Xerox Overseas Holdings Limited, Xerox Overseas Inc., Xerox Oy, Xerox Pensions Limited, Xerox Polska Sp. z o. o, Xerox Portugal Equipamentos de Escritorio Limitada, Xerox Products Limited, Xerox Products UK Limited, Xerox Professional Services Limited, Xerox Realty Corporation, Xerox Renting S.A.U., Xerox Reprographische Services GmbH, Xerox S.A.S., Xerox S.p.A., Xerox Secured Borrowing 2020-1 LLC, Xerox Servicios Compartidos Guatemala y Compani Limitada, Xerox Servicos e Participacoes Ltda, Xerox Shared Services Romania SRL, Xerox Sverige AB, Xerox Technology Services India LLP, Xerox Technology Services SAS, Xerox Telebusiness GmbH, Xerox Trading Enterprises Limited, Xerox Trinidad Limited, Xerox UK Holdings Limited, Xerox XHB Limited, Xerox XIB Limited, Xerox Xf Holdings (Ireland) DAC, Xerox de Chile S.A., Xerox del Ecuador S.A., Xerox del Peru S.A., Zeno Office Solutions, Zeno Office Solutions Inc., Zoom Imaging Solutions Inc., and inVentiv Patient Access Solutions. Read More Koninklijke Philips N.V. operates as a health technology company in North America and internationally. It operates through Diagnosis & Treatment Businesses, Connected Care Businesses, and Personal Health Businesses segments. The company provides diagnostic imaging solutions, includes magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography (CT) systems, X-ray systems, and detector-based spectral CT solutions, as well as molecular and hybrid imaging solutions for nuclear medicine; integrated interventional systems; echography solutions focused on diagnosis, treatment planning and guidance for cardiology, general imaging, obstetrics/gynecology, and point-of-care applications; proprietary software to enable diagnostics and intervention; and enterprise diagnostic informatics products and services. It also offers acute patient management solutions; emergency care solutions; sleep and respiratory care solutions; and electronic medical record and care management solutions. In addition, the company provides power toothbrushes, brush heads, and interdental cleaning and teeth whitening products; infant feeding and digital parental solutions; and male grooming and beauty products and solutions. It has a strategic collaboration with Ibex Medical Analytics Ltd. to jointly promote the digital pathology and AI solutions to hospitals, health networks, and pathology laboratories worldwide, as well as a strategic partnership agreement with NICO.LAB. The company was formerly known as Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. and changed its name to Koninklijke Philips N.V. in May 2013. Koninklijke Philips N.V. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Panneerselvam has handled cabinet meetings back in 2014 and February of 2015 when Jayalalithaa was imprisoned in disproportionate assets case and seemed to know the drill. By Pramod Madhav: Tamil Nadu finance minister O Panneerselvam today chaired a cabinet meeting while the state was facing extreme distraught as Karnataka has not released Cauvery water. This was the first cabinet since Acting Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao allotted all portfolios held by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to Panneerselvam. Panneerselvam has handled cabinet meetings back in 2014 and February of 2015 when Jayalalithaa was imprisoned in disproportionate assets case and seemed to know the drill. advertisement Tamil Nadu farmers are in an distress state, as the water released for Samba (long cultivation) was delayed by 2 months and now the water storage in Mettur dam can only feed the lands for not more than 13 days whereas the crops need adequate water for another 4 months. CAUVERY WATER ISSUE Though the Supreme Court has pronounced verdict repeatedly in favor of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka government is not ready to abide to them. Infact, the initial Supreme Court order stated that Karnataka should release 15,000 cusecs of water to TamilNadu from Cauvery river. After repeated appeals by Karnataka it was cut down to 2,000 cusecs, but Siddaramaiah still refused to release water claiming that Cauvery dams hold water only for drinking purpose enough only for Karnataka. Panneer Selvam took charge of the government at the time when Technical High Committee team constituted by Supreme Court visited the Cauvery water tributaries and basin to assess the situation. But the technical committee team's findings were inconclusive as it only mentions that both the states are facing extreme shortage of water and does not give any conclusion on what should be done during such a period. Opposition parties have joined hands and are protesting against Center, a 48-hour rail rock was staged disrupting normal life in Tamil Nadu. They also opposed the report filed by the fact finding team. MK Stalin alleged that the report did not include farmers death details from Tamil Nadu. MDMK leader Vaiko agreed with other party leaders opinion that 'Cauvery Water Management Board' is the only way to solve this issue. Even after repeated pleas from the opposition, AIADMK government has not budged into calling an all party meeting. Panneer Selvam's cabinet meeting had discussed on these issues and also sources claim that Jayalalithaa, who is currently under treatment at Apollo hospital, had already given instructions as to what should be done. ALSO READ: Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa's portfolios allocated to Panneerselvam Panneerselvam chairs Tamil Nadu cabinet meet, Cauvery issue likely to be discussed --- ENDS --- The sterile neutrino is running out of places to hide if it even exists, that is Far detector: The end of the line for the MINOS neutrino apparatus is in Soudan, Minnesota, more than 500 miles from the beam source outside Chicago. Photo courtesy of Fermilab Photo - of - Hide Caption William & Mary physicist Mike Kordosky is a skeptic on the sterile-neutrino question, but he says he would be happy to be proven wrong. He was instrumental in the design of an experiment that was intended to prove the existence of sterile neutrinos, theoretical subatomic particles that are believed to be responsible for actions of other kinds of neutrinos. Recently released results of the experiment actually, a pair of experiments conducted a world apart have vindicated Kordoskys skepticism. For now. A press release from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory announced a recent search for the sterile neutrino has come up empty. Kordosky said that null result from the collaboration between his MINOS experiment at Fermilab and the Daya Bay experiment in China doesnt slam the door on the sterile neutrino concept, but it does make the particles existence a lot less likely. Neutrinos have bizarre properties. They exist in three (at least) types, or flavors. They change, or oscillate, from one flavor to another in mid-flight. And they almost never interact with matter, a property that makes neutrinos devilishly hard to study. The sterile neutrino if it indeed exists is an oddball even among neutrinos. The three known neutrino flavors, tau muon and electron, interact with matter only rarely. The sterile neutrino never interacts with matter directly, only indirectly, through gravity. The sterile neutrino was offered as a potential answer to a puzzle that arose 20 years ago. Scientists at Los Alamos National Lab found evidence of a new, unexpected, neutrino oscillation at their LSND experiment beginning in the 1990s. The sterile neutrino was posited as an explanation, and the search was on to find that particle. Duck hunters stake out likely lakes and rivers; particle hunters look for their prey within likely levels of energy. Kordosky says the sterile neutrino search focused on the energy region around 1 electronvolt squared. This was a region where a couple of other experiments had seen anomalous results. Its a region that we cant completely rule out but now were close, he said. I never thought those anomalous results looked like sterile oscillations, he added. The MINOS detector is used for normal neutrino oscillation experiments. Kordosky explained that MINOS sends a beam of muon neutrinos through a pair of detectors, one near the beam source in Chicago and the second some 450 miles away in Minnesota. To search for the sterile neutrino, Kordosky and his colleagues had to figure out a way to use MINOS detector for something it really wasnt designed to do. A standard MINOS experiment would count the number of oscillated neutrinos between the near and far detectors, with the assumption that no oscillations have occurred before the beam reaches the near detector, he said. Heres the problem: For this sterile neutrino search, the initial assumption that oscillations havent occurred isnt valid, Kordosky explained. So you have to find a way to use the far detector to constrain the near detector. You look for sterile oscillations as a modulation on top of the standard oscillations. The method that we used was to take the ratio between the two detectors. That cancels out a lot of uncertainties. Kordosky is an associate professor in the Department of Physics, one of a number of William & Mary scientists in that are participating in neutrino investigations. In fact, William & Mary has a number of physicists on both sides of the MINOS-Daya Bay collaboration. In addition to Kordosky, the William & Mary MINOS authors on the sterile neutrino paper are Jeffrey Nelson, professor of physics; Patricia Vahle, associate professor of physics; Alena Devan Ph.D 15; and Alexander Radovic, a postdoctoral research associates. William & Mary scientists on the Daya Bay side were Robert McKeown, Governor's Distinguished CEBAF Professor of Physics; and Wei Wang, research scientist. In fact, Kordosky says some of the initial conversations that led to the MINOS-Daya Bay collaborations occurred at William & Mary. His office is adjacent to the office used by Wei Wang and Kordosky said the two of them would discuss how Daya Bay and MINOS could collaborate. In contrast with MINOS, which uses a neutrino beam generated at Fermilab, the Daya Bay experiment looks at electron antineutrinos coming from a nuclear power plant in China. Daya Bay measured for the first time one of the parameters governing neutrino oscillations, a result garnering the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, an honor which included Robert McKeown, who is deputy director for science at Jefferson Lab in addition to his faculty position at William & Mary. A sterile neutrino would affect the rate at which electron antineutrinos disappear, but the Daya Bay scientists have seen no evidence for this. Neither the MINOS nor Daya Bay disappearance results alone can be compared to the LSND appearance measurements, En-Chuan Huang in the Fermilab press release. Huang, of Los Alamos Laboratory and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is one of the scientists working on the Daya Bay experiment. Looking at multiple types of neutrinos together gives us a much stronger handle on sterile neutrinos. The Fermilab release says the joint null result has significantly shrunk the hiding space for a light sterile neutrino, while noting that scientists will continue to look for the sterile neutrino. Kordosky says hes happy to participate in the continuing hunt for the sterile neutrino, even if he is a skeptic, believing the LSND anomalies have another explanation. It could be poorly understood neutrino reactions, he said. It could be one of these things that happen in science: an anomalous result that gets excluded by other experiments. Even though a skeptic, he says he would be happy to see evidence of a sterile neutrino. It would be new physics, he said, a revision of the Standard Model. Its what were all working toward. Buzz is that the actress will be seen in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's next. By India Today Web Desk: Priyanka Chopra, who has been receiving rave reviews for the second season of Quantico, is planning to announce her next Bollywood project this December. ALSO READ: Priyanka Chopra's intense lovemaking scene in Quantico Season 2 goes viral According to a report in DNA, the actress, who will be the first Bollywood celebrity to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, is in talks with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra for his next, Fanney Khan. advertisement Fanney Khan is a remake of the 2000 Belgian hit Everybody's Famous and will be directed by Atul Manjrekar. The comedy film will have Anil Kapoor in the lead role. Priyanka is said to have expressed her keenness to do the film, but hasn't signed on the dotted line yet. If the reports are true, Priyanka will team up with Anil Kapoor for the second time, after Dil Dhadakne Do. She was last seen in Bajirao Mastani (2015). --- ENDS --- China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page By PTI: New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) The Ram temple issue is not a poll plank but a matter of faith and should not be connected to upcoming UP elections, BJP leaders said today, a day after party leader Vinay Katiyars remarks that only "lollipops" were being offered in the name of the temple raised eyebrows. BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy went to the extent of assuring Katiyar that the Ram temple at Ayodhya will come up in 2017 and the museum, land for which is being taken now, will only come up later by 2019. "Ram mandir will be constructed. As per our tradition, the temple is not constructed alone and such museums will also come up around it. Only land for the museum is being taken and it will come up later only by 2019. The Ram temple will come up before and that is why Katiyar should be rest assured," Swamy said. advertisement He also claimed that the attempt is that Ram Mandir should come up by 2017 as it is a promise made by BJP in the 2014 manifesto. "It is not statement of faith. We have to keep our promise even if delayed," he said. Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Uma Bharti said that Ram temple is not a political issue but a matter of faith for them. "Ram Mandir is not a political issue, it is a matter of faith...First you ask whether Ram Mandir is not on the agenda, then you will make headlines that Ram Mandir is not an issue and BJP has abandoned it. If we dont say, you say BJP has abandoned the Ram mandir. "If reaction is given then you say whether Ram Mandir is the only issue. Ram Mandir is a matter of faith. We need to move forward on the issue on the basis of discussion or on the basis of courts order. Some people are trying to divert attention," Naidu said. Bharti said that there is talk that BJP is raising the Ram Mandir issue as there are polls in Uttar Pradesh but it not so. "Ram issue is not a poll issue. It is about faith. It is a question of life and death. We are ready to even give our life for Ram Temple," she said, adding that the issue in UP polls is corruption and lawlessness. RSS sympathiser Rakesh Sinha said there is no relation between Ram temple and the museum, which is to beautify Ayodhya. "Ram temple issue is that of faith and dignity and there should be no controversy over Ayodhyas beautification and Ram temple," he said. Naidu also blamed the media and said Ram Temple talk is a their creation and BJP will fight elections on the issue of development and good governance. advertisement He said people raise issues and then ask for the opinion of the leaders and then start commenting. The Minister asked what was wrong in having the Museum of Ramayana. The Union Minister also questioned whether people hail Ravana on Dussehra, supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying "Jai Shri Ram" during his address on the day in Lucknow. PTI SKC MP RT --- ENDS --- Five French units to undergo steam generator checks 19 October 2016 Share The French nuclear safety authority has requested five of EDF's nuclear power units are taken offline for additional inspections on their steam generators within the next three months. The steel in parts of those components has been found to contain high concentrations of carbon. The upper and bottom heads of the reactor pressure vessel for the EPR under construction at Flamanville 3 were manufactured at Areva's Le Creusot facility in September 2006 and January 2007, respectively. A high carbon content in those parts prompted Areva to review the company's quality management process in 2015 for some 400 heavy steel components made at the Creusot Forge plant since 1965. Steam generator channel head (Image: ASN) The French regulator, the Autorite de Surete Nucleaire (ASN), subsequently requested Areva and EDF conduct an analysis to identify any other components in operating nuclear power reactors that could be affected by a similar anomaly to that of the Flamanville EPR vessel. The regulator also asked EDF to justify the mechanical resistance of the steam generator bottom heads that had been manufactured by Areva's Creusot Forge facility or by Japan Casting and Forging Corporation (JCFC). In June, the ASN said it had identified 18 French nuclear power reactors operated by EDF - of both 900 MWe and 1450 MWe capacity - whose steam generators could contain high carbon concentrations. Of these, 12 are equipped with channel heads manufactured by JCFC "liable to contain a particularly high carbon concentration". ASN said EDF has provided it with data aimed at demonstrating the operating safety of the 12 reactors concerned. However, the regulator called for additional inspections to be carried out to verify whether each of the channel heads concerned conforms with the data submitted by EDF. These inspections, it noted, have already been conducted or are in progress during scheduled outages at seven of the 12 reactors. ASN now requires inspections at the remaining five units - Civaux unit 1, Fessenheim unit 1, Gravelines unit 4, and Tricastin units 2 and 4 - are carried out within the next three months. It says the inspections, which can only be conducted when the reactors are offline, must be performed "without waiting for the scheduled refuelling outage of these reactors". Steam generators are heat exchangers between the water circulating in the reactor's primary coolant circuit - at a temperature of about 350C and a pressure of 155 bar - and the water in the secondary circuit that supplies steam to the turbines. Their domed lower head is part of the primary circuit and therefore has an important safety role in ensuring cooling water is always available. There are three steam generators in 900 MWe pressurized water reactors, while 1450 MWe reactors feature four. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Construction of Ukraine's used fuel storage facility to start in March 19 October 2016 Share The "active phase" of construction work on a central used fuel storage facility (CSFSF) at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is expected to start in March 2017, Oleksandr Rybchuk, general director of Atomprojectengineering said. Holtec's Singh and EnergoAtom's Nedashkovsky (Image: EnergoAtom) The CSFSF will be a dry storage facility in which the used fuel will be stored in double-walled stainless steel canisters. These are themselves loaded within protective concrete modular systems designed to provide physical protection, radiation shielding and passive heat removal. Atomprojectengineering is a subsidiary of Ukraine's state-run nuclear power plant operator EnergoAtom, and Rybchuk's comments were included in an Energoatom statement yesterday that gave an update on cooperation with US company Holtec International to build the CSFSF. He said the Ukrainian regulator had recently received the safety evaluation report on the CSFSF and is expected to give its response "within a month". In the meantime, EnergoAtom is preparing to receive Holtec equipment for the management of used nuclear fuel at Ukrainian nuclear power plants. Loading the first batch of used nuclear fuel into Holtec's HI-STORM container system for transport to the CSFSF will take place at the end of 2018, he added. Rybchuk spoke at a meeting between the presidents of EnergoAtom and Holtec, Yury Nedashkovsky and Chris Singh, held on 17 October to coincide with EnergoAtom's 20th anniversary. Addressing Singh, Nedashkovsky said: "We are very pleased that our strategic partners are with us on the day marking EnergoAtom's twentieth year. I note that, for the anniversary, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has given us a welcome gift by providing land for construction of the CSFSF and railway access." Singh noted that Holtec's cooperation with EnergoAtom spanned 13 years. "In all this time I have not stopped being surprised by the quality of training and level of skill of Ukrainian nuclear specialists." During the meeting, Rybchuk and Holtec International vice president Riaz Awan signed an additional agreement to the existing contract for Holtec's supply of equipment for the CSFSF. The equipment will be used for handling used nuclear fuel at Ukrainian nuclear power units. Ukraine currently spends $200 million each year on its arrangement with Russia to transport and reprocess used nuclear fuel. EnergoAtom and Holtec signed a contract for construction of the CSFSF in 2004, but the project was repeatedly stalled owing to changes to the political situation in Ukraine. Work on the project resumed in 2014. In March, the Cabinet of Ministers announced its intention to approve by the end of this year project-design documentation for construction of the CSFSF at the site of the Chernobyl exclusion zone. On 12 October, it allocated plots of land with a total area of 45.2 hectares for the proposed facility. Holtec signed the contract it won in a tender to build the CSFSF in 2005. Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, in 2012 adopted a law on the siting, design and construction of the facility to store used fuel from Ukraine's Russian-built VVER nuclear power reactors. In January, EnergoAtom and Holtec signed an amendment to the contract to build the CSFSF at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and supply used nuclear fuel dry cask storage systems. The CSFSF will receive used nuclear fuel from nine of the country's 15 reactors - seven VVER-1000s and two VVER-440s - located at Rivne, South Ukraine and Khmelnitsky. The Zaporozhe nuclear power plant operates its own on-site used fuel storage facility that was commissioned in 2001. The amendment means that EnergoAtom is responsible for the civil design and construction of the facility, while Holtec is responsible for the design and supply of used nuclear fuel dry storage, transport and related equipment. The equipment will be delivered by the end of 2020, with the "key developmental stage" set as 2015-2017. During this period, the design and construction of the storage facility will be completed, Holtec's equipment and technology will be installed and the CSFSF will be commissioned. Holtec will supply 94 used nuclear fuel storage systems for the facility. In October last year, EnergoAtom announced that the technology for the production of dry storage casks for used nuclear fuel will be transferred by Holtec International to Ukraine's Turboatom under a memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies and EnergoAtom. The agreement acknowledges the transfer of technologies for the manufacture of Holtec's HI-STORM used fuel storage casks to Turboatom. The projected cost of Turboatom's services to Holtec could reach $200 million over the next ten years, including some $60 million for equipment for the CSFSF, EnergoAtom said. Holtec delivered the first batch of the casks to the Chernobyl site the following month. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics No matter what side of the ideological fence youre on 2016 has turned out to be an exciting year in American politics. With Republican and Democratic nominees busily battling it out with lots of mud slinging, partisan rhetoric, and attack ads political activity has shifted into high gear. Come November US citizens will have the opportunity to have their voices heard when they exercise their right to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election. Will history be made by the election of the first female president or will billionaire nominee Donald Trump connect with disenfranchised voters tired of the status quo? All bets are off but one things for certain; American voters are in for a bumpy ride. Although its been said time and timer again it cant be stressed enough that in order to affect change citizens across the country must get out and vote. With this in mind, according to recent statistics heres the top ten states with the highest voter turn out. 1. Minnesota The citizens of Minnesota are considered to be particularly politically active so it should come as no surprise that the state boosts a 74.5% voter turnout rate. Perhaps one reason for the consistently large turnout at the ballot box is this Midwestern states same-day voter registration law. Because of this option residents who havent yet registered can do so on election day at their local polling station. Over the years Minnesota has produced a number of prominent politicians including Frank Kellogg (a Republican who was elected to the Senate in 1916), Hubert Humphrey (the 38th Vice President of the US under Lyndon Johnson), and Walter Mondale (who served as the 42nd Vice President under Jimmy Carter). 2. Wisconsin With a 73% voter turnout rate Wisconsin, also known as the Badger State, plays a significant role in national elections because of its status as a so-called swing state. Historically this Midwestern state played a vital role in the creating the Republican Party but times are changing and in recent years voters in Americas Dairyland have tended to be more receptive to Democratic candidates. In previous national elections Al Gore, John Kerry, and Barack Obama have all taken Wisconsin. The state is also the birthplace of Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. 3. Maine The New England state of Maine averages a turnout of approximately 70.8% of its eligible voters exercising their democratic right to vote. This small and mostly rural state lies at the northern most portion of the continental US and borders the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick. With less than 20,000 residents Augusta ranks as one of the least populated state capitals in America. The Pine Tree state also holds the distinction of being one of the least densely populated states in New England as well as being one of its least racially diverse with the majority of citizens classified as Caucasian. 4. New Hampshire This northeastern state, nicknamed the Granite State, is yet another important swing state. With 69.8% of its eligible voters exercising their democratic right to vote its no wonder that the motto of New Hampshire is Live free or die. In terms of its political influence at least, this relatively small state proves that size doesnt matter. Because of its historical heritage as one of the original thirteen colonies the state is rich in cultural significance. The roots of American patriotism run deep here and politics play a pivotal part in how citizens express their love of freedom, democracy, and the U.S.A. Notable residents of New Hampshire include revolutionary hero John Stark, Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepherd, and Franklin Pierce (the 14th President). 5. Iowa In the Midwestern state of Iowa an average of 69.6% of eligible voters cast their ballots. The Hawkeye State is perceived as being a competitive political battleground. In the past the state had been considered a red (or Republican) stronghold but times are changing and recent elections have illustrated a more competitive voting pattern. Controversial right wing Republican Michelle Bachmann, who ran for her partys Presidential nomination in 2012, is a native of Waterloo, Iowa. Clearly Bachmann, who is a loyal supporter of The Tea Party Movement, is an example of the far right ideology supported by sizable faction of Iowas conservative population. 6. Oregon Located in the northwestern portion of the continental US Oregon boasts a 69.1% voter participation rate. Nicknamed the Beaver State Oregon entered the union in 1859. In recent times the political affiliation of local voters has been divided between conservatives who are dominant in the east and more liberal leanings voters residing along the west coast. In the last several elections Oregon has supported Democratic candidates including Barack Obama in 2012. 7. North Dakota Also known as the Roughrider State and The Flickertail State, North Dakota has a voter turn out rate of 68.3%. With agriculture continuing to play a major role in the states economy the most important crops grown in the area include flax seed, wheat, sugar beets?, and various types of beans. Native American culture and religion both serve as major social and cultural influences in this Midwestern state. Notable North Dakotans include former Secretary of State Warren Christopher and ex-astronauts Richard Hieb and James F. Buchli. 8. Massachusetts This northeastern state has one of the highest voter turnout rate in the entire country with 68.1% of eligible voters performing their civic duty. The Bay State is another important jurisdiction due to its rich cultural history and important role in the birth of America as a free and sovereign nation. Although small in size the state is the third in terms of being the most densely populated. The Old Colony State is largely liberal which explains why, in 2004, it was the very first state to allow same-sex marriage. Outspoken Democrat and left wing politician Elizabeth Warren currently represent Massachusetts in the Senate. 9. Mississippi According to a 2014 Gallup Poll the southern state of Mississippi has earned the status as the most religious state in the entire US. With the nickname The Magnolia State Mississippi has an average voter turn out rate of 67.2%. In terms of historical significance Mississippi played an important role in the Civil War which seems to be in keeping with the states reputation as the site of ongoing racial tensions involving African Americans and white citizens. As a conservative Republican state a large portion of Mississippi residents reject same-sex marriage but support the death penalty. 10. Louisiana The Bayou State of Louisiana is well known for many things including its annual Mardi Gras celebration, the lively French Quarter, jazz music, Cajun and Creole cultures, and the massive damages it suffered during hurricanes such as Katrina. Louisiana has a voter turnout rate of 66.7% and although historically the states residents have supported the Democratic party the state has recently experienced a rise in support for Republican candidates. Each and every state in the union has a unique historical and cultural identity. Residents in some regions may be more (or less) politically aware and/or active than other citizens in another part of the country. If Al Gores 2000 election loss proved anything its that the results from just one state can literally make or break a campaign. With that in mind here are the states with the lowest voter turnout rates in the nation. 10. Georgia The state of Georgia is located in the southeastern portion of the continental US and is home to a population of over ten million residents. In regards to US political history, its interesting to note that the so-called Peach State was established in 1732 and was the last of the original thirteen colonies. Georgia was also one of the original Confederate states and the final one to rejoin the union in 1870. Despite its rich cultural past recent stats confirm that only 59.3% of eligible citizens turn out to vote election time. Democrat Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the US, was a native of Georgia. 9. New York It seems surprising that New York, the hub for a great deal of the nations economy and home to a very large and diverse population, ranks among the bottom in terms of voter turn out with only 59.2% of eligible voters casting ballots. Not only is New York state home to the largest city in the US (just short of 8.5 million) but Wall Street is the epicenter of Americas economy. After the September 11th attack, NYC also became a powerful symbol of the nations war against terror. The Empire State boosts a culturally rich population base which is largely centralized in its urban centers. According to statistics from 2013 besides English New Yorkers speak a variety of languages including Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and Yiddish. 8. Arizona Arizona has an average voter turn out rate of 58.4%. Like its neighbor, New Mexico, illegal immigration is a major issue in the Grand Canyon State. Arizona also has the third largest Native American population in the country and is home to twenty Indian reservations. In recent years The Copper State has been a red (or Republican) stronghold. In 2008 Arizona Republican senator John McCain unsuccessfully ran for President losing to Barack Obama. The state also made news for its conservative policies such as the passing of Prop 102 which denies same-sex marriage rights by defining the institution as a union between a man and a woman. In 2010 Arizona also passed controversial legislation involving rigorous crackdowns on illegal immigrants. 7. Oklahoma Only 58.3% of eligible voters living in Oklahoma show up to the polls on voting day. Nicknamed The Sooner State-Oklahoma is known for being the homeland for a number of Native American tribes. Indeed, California is the only state with a greater number of Native American residents. The state is largely agricultural with its economy based on producing products such as cotton, wheat, and beef. As with several other states at the lower end of the voter turn out spectrum Oklahoma is part of Americas so-called Bible Belt. According to recent figures, 53% of its population identify as Evangelical Protestants which is approximately two times the national average.Because of this, its safe to assume that religious affiliation has a major influence on this politically conservative state. 6. Nevada The state of Nevada is known by most people as being the location of Sin City aka Las Vegas, home to glitz, glamor, high rollers, and some of the biggest casinos in the world. Despite a population of nearly three million the Silver State only manages a 57.7% turnout rate during election time. With its share of libertarian laws concerning marriage, gambling, and prostitution Nevada as a state has regularly flip-flopped in terms of political allegiances. In 1992 and 1996 Democrat Bill Clinton took the state while in 2000 and 2004 George W. Bush was the clear winner in Nevada. Then during the 2008 and 2012 national campaigns, Democrat Barack Obama took Nevada. Because of its correct prediction of the overall Presidential winner the desert state has earned the title of a trendsetting bellwether state. 5. Texas Texas is the largest state in area in the country but latest on the low end of voter turn out with only 55.3% participating in the election process. With a population of approximately 27 million The Lone Star State certainly doesnt lack for eligible voters but getting them out to vote is clearly another matter. Those Texans who do cast ballots tend to support the Republican Party. In 2004 Texas was won by George W. Bush, in 20008 John McCain took the state, and in 2012 voters chose Mitt Romney as their pick for president. 4. Tennessee With a voter turnout rate of 54.6%, the Volunteer State is among the states with the lowest overall voter participation. Historically Tennessee played a large part in the Civil War as a vital member of the souths Confederate Army. In modern times Tennessee is better known for its agricultural products as well as its significance in pop culture for its crucial role in the development of both country and blues music. In terms of national politics, Tennessee is primarily a Republican state with support for Democratic candidates coming primarily from urban areas such as the cities of Nashville and Memphis as well as among members of the African-American community. 3. Arkansas With a rate of 54.3%, Arkansas ranks as the third lowest voter turnout in America. This southern state is the birthplace of the 42nd President Bill Clinton who also served as its Governor from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1983 to 1992. Arkansas relies largely on agriculture, natural resources as well as manufacturing and service industries in order to fuel its economy. Conservative forces in the state may, in large part, be driven by its status as part of the Bible Belt which is made up of various Protestant denominations. In keeping with its right wing reputation it should be noted that Arkansas is a right to work state which is also known for its rejection of same-sex marriage as well as its stance against abortion. 2. West Virginia On average only 52.9% of voters show up to the polls on election day. West Virginia is well known for its natural resources (particularly coal mining and logging) as well as the beauty of the Appalachian Mountain range. Its interesting to note that the state holds a unique place in American political history due to the fact that during the Civil War it was the only state to secede from the Confederacy (in this case Virginia). In recent years economic and social markers have predicted that the state may be facing a troublesome future. According to statistics from the 2012 US Census Bureau West Virginias population has consistently been in decline with the death rate among its citizens surpassing its birth rate. The median age for local residents is 41 and the cultural make up is far from diverse with Caucasians making up almost 94% of its total population. 1. Hawaii Coming in with the worst voter turnout rate in the entire US is the island state of Hawaii with 50% of its residents successfully managing to cast a ballot.The Aloha State is located in the Pacific Ocean about 2,100 miles away from the mainland. Its the only state which has an official second language (Hawaiian). Perhaps the physical distance which separates the state from the rest of the US is reflective of a deeper political detachment from federal politics. Citizens living on this series of tropical islands come from various cultural backgrounds including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Polynesian. Since becoming a state in 1959 Hawaii has consistently voted Democrat and is the birthplace of the 44th and current President Barack Obama. Plane landing on runway (illustration) By: Chan Yuan A man of the United Kingdom, was arrested after being seen defecating in front of passengers on a runway in Italy, according to police. The incident unfolded after 68-year-old David Sharp of Salford, flew to Lecce, Italy, with Ryanair. After the plane touched down at the Brindisi Airport, the man became agitated. As the 50 passengers made their way from the plane to the terminal, the suspect pulled down his pants and defecated on the runway. The other passengers watched in horror as the man did his business in front of everyone. He was arrested on a charge of acts contrary to public decency. He was found guilty, and given a fine of 3,000 euros ($3,300). Unnur Bra Konradsdottir with her baby By: Chan Yuan (Scroll down for video) A parliament member in Iceland, is making headlines over her decision to breastfeed her baby in front of her colleagues. Unnur Bra Konradsdottir, who is an MP and belongs to the centre-right Independence Party, brought her baby with her to work. Konradsdottir said that she sponsored a bill on immigration, which was being debated in parliament. A representative asked a question about the proposal that she had put forward and she had to respond. However, Konradsdottir had one issue. She was breastfeeding her six-week-old daughter at the time that she was asked to address the parliament. Konradsdottir said that she could have yanked her baby away from her breasts and hand her over to a colleague, but that would have caused her baby to be fussy and to cry. Instead, she decided to continue to breastfeed her baby as she stood up to speak in parliament in front of television cameras. The mother-of-three spoke for about one minute in the debate on immigration while breastfeeding her baby and nobody seemed be care. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2016 was passed by Rajya Sabha on March 10 and by Lok Sabha on March 15 this year. According to a notification issued in April this year, the rules for the real estate sector were to be notified by October 31 this year or within six months of the Act coming into force. By Mail Today Bureau: The Central government is set to notify the rules of the Real Estate Act for five Union Territories to move ahead with implementation of the legislation that aims to regulate the housing sector and to protect the interests of consumers, who have been getting a raw deal from builders. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) will bring out rules applicable to five UTs -Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep - without legislature. advertisement The Ministry of Urban Development will come out with such rules for the National Capital Region of Delhi while other states and UTs will come out with their own rules. The states could also adopt the rules notified by the HUPA, officials said. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2016 was passed by Rajya Sabha on March 10 and by Lok Sabha on March 15 this year. According to a notification issued in April this year, the rules for the real estate sector were to be notified by October 31 this year or within six months of the Act coming into force. As per provisions of the Act, Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERA) and Real Estate Appellate Tribunals have to be set up by the end of April, 2017 and the entire Act is to come into effect the day after. The Act, which is a major reform measure to regulate the vast real estate sector, requires registration of all projects with state level Real Estate Regulatory Authorities to ensure protection of the interests of both buyers and builders. The Real Estate Act provides for imprisonment of up to three years in case of promoters of projects and up to one year in case of real estate agents or monetary penalties or both in case of any violation of norms. Also Read Builders have developed an attitude to make commitments to buyers, not fulfill them: Supreme Court DDA sets 3 years target to give Delhi its first smart city --- ENDS --- Supporters Urged to Join March Against Proposals to Reduce Wrexhams Fire Service This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Oct 19th, 2016 A march against controversial proposals to cut the number of fire engines in Wrexham is to take place through the town centre next month. The march, which is the second to have taken place in recent weeks comes as a result of proposals from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority to reduce the number of full-time appliances to one. Wrexham currently has two full time appliances, however if proposals to cut the service went ahead it is estimated 24 firefighter jobs would also be lost. The event on Saturday 5 November will see campaigners march from Island Green to Queens Square to generate support and raise awareness of the proposed reduction in services. It is hoped that there will be the biggest possible demonstration for this important public service, Last month a team of campaigners took to the streets to march to Wrexham new Ambulance and Fire Service Resource Centre on Croesnewydd Road. The protest coincided with the official launch of the new 15m facility, with two Welsh Government Cabinet Secretaries in attendance at the opening ceremony. The campaign to save the engine, one of two whole-time appliances in the town, has been led by local Plaid Cymru councillor Marc Jones. He said: Support for the campaign is growing as people become more aware of the threat to one of our two whole-time fire engines. The online and paper petitions have been well supported and we will continue to knock doors in the area to raise awareness. On Saturday, 29th October, well be out again under the arch opposite the Horse and Jockey collecting names and explaining the situation to people. Weve also decided to hold a march around the town on the 5th of November, which is bonfire night, to remind people of how vital it is that we keep this engine and the 24 firefighters jobs that are also under threat. Were asking people from the area to come out on November 5th to show their support and make it a lively and noisy protest. The consultation on this decision ends in December and a decision will be made by the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority. I would urge everyone who shares our concerns to take part in the consultation and to ensure that we save this important service. The proposed reduction of appliances in Wrexham came following a meeting in June between members of the North Wales Fire Authority who had concluded that it was no longer possible to freeze the authoritys budget. As a result of the meeting, the Authoritys Improvement Plan Working Group began to develop a medium term budget strategy which consists of using its reserves, increasing contributions from councils, and service cuts. Several further options to make savings for the authority were also considered, including the closure of the control room and closing nine rural stations. However the loss of one appliance in Wrexham was described at the time as the least damaging option. The proposals has sparked concern from residents across the County Borough, with fears over the impact such a loss could have on the area. Concerns have also been raised previously by the Fire Brigade Union (FBU). A number of Community Councils, including Caia Park, Acton and Gwersyllt have passed a motion against cutting the service The March to Save Wrexhams Fire Engine will begin at 11am on Island Green on Saturday 5 November. You can sign the petition opposing the proposed reduction in Wrexhams fire services here. You can also take part in the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service Authoritys consultation here. Responses to the public consultation must be submitted by December 12. Wrexham Council Facing Budget Reduction As Provisional Funding is Announced This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Oct 19th, 2016 Provisional budgets for local authorities across Wales shows that Wrexham has received a 0.5% reduction in its budget for the next financial year. Secretary for Finance and Local Government Mark Drakeford AM today announced a total of 4.107 billion of funding for local authorities in 2017-18. Local government will see an increase in its funding for 2017-18 of 3.8 million compared to 2016-17. This is the first increase in the settlement for local government since 2013-14. Announcing the provisional settlement, Mark Drakeford said: The aim of this provisional settlement is to give local authorities the stability to manage the difficult decisions that lie ahead. We know that councils are delivering their services against a backdrop of austerity and this settlement provides a platform from which to plan for harder choices which will lie ahead. The changes we are implementing this year are based on the advice of an expert group comprised of local authorities and independent specialists. The package also includes additional funding to implement a minus 0.5% funding floor which limits the impact on councils that would have seen the biggest reductions in their core funding. He added: This is a stable settlement in challenging times and will allow local government to set sustainable budgets despite constraints on public finances. However while some authorities across Wales have seen a provisional increase in their budget Wrexham has received a 0.5% reduction. Leader of Wrexham Council Mark Pritchard says the reduction means the authority will need to make around 5m of cuts. Cllr Pritchard said: I am disappointed that the Welsh Government has not prioritised more resources on essential Local Government services. Wrexham has the 19th lowest change to its funding and also comes 19th in its funding per head of population. Such a low level of revenue funding is unreasonable and clearly the funding formula requires a radical overhaul. In addition, an opportunity has been missed to provide the Council with increased general capital funding. The Council will continue to work hard to reduce the impact of these savings on the people of Wrexham County Borough and will continue to prioritise the most vulnerable. He added: I will be responding to this Welsh Government provisional settlement during the formal consultation period which ends on 30 November 2016. Speaking after this afternoons announcement, Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths said: Whilst Wrexham Council has received a slight cut in funding, I believe many would accept the Welsh Government is aiming to provide stability in uncertain times. The situation is far from ideal but continued cuts from the Conservative UK Government, coupled with the Brexit strategy and impact remaining unclear, unfortunately mean difficult decisions for both the Welsh Government and local authorities to undertake. It is also worth highlighting what local authorities are facing in England. Over the border, councils are tackling central government cuts of almost 7% from 2016 to 2020, which is in addition to the overall 30% reduction between 2010 and 2015. She added: With various competing pressures and in spite of the challenging times, overall this remains one of the best outcomes local government has received. As the funding formula for calculating the settlements is agreed by Welsh Local Government Association representatives not the Welsh Government reasonable councillors will accept the figures are challenging but fair. From a local point of view, it will enable Wrexham Council to focus on delivering improved public services for Wrexham residents. The Welsh Government has always done its best to mitigate against UK Government cuts and it will continue to do its utmost to protect the people of Wales from Tory austerity. Don't harm your body when you finally get to eat tonight. Go easy, go slow and eat these foods first... By India Today Web Desk: Some say a day-long fast once in a while is actually good for the body. Others say that one doesn't need unreasonable fasts to stay healthy. Whatever whoever's reasons to fast on Karva Chauth might be, it is essential to treat your body right through it. Yesterday, we told you how to survive the day without falling sick: 5 hacks to not get a day-long headache from starvation on Karva Chauth advertisement Today, we're telling you how not to send your body into overdrive when breaking the fast. First, you need to know what actually happens to the body on staying hungry for long hours: the enzymes normally produced by the digestive system are not being produced by your body because it's not been fed for so many hours. So, introducing food slowly to the stomach allows the body time to re-establish this enzyme production. Depending on how many hours you've been starving, the protective mucus lining of your stomach also gets temporarily diminished, making the stomach walls more vulnerable to irritation. So, as a measure of common sense, it's advisable to not feed the tummy harsh foods that irritate the stomach lining, like coffee or spicy food or even dairy (in extremely sensitive cases), according to allaboutfasting.com. Instead, you need to feed your body the simplest and easiest-to-digest foods, which is why fruit juices and raw fruits are recommended. But first, before you do anything, drink water, please! And make sure to not gulp the whole glass down in one go. We know the temptation is a bit difficult to resist, but have it slowly, sip by sip. Give a couple of minutes' break and between, and sip again. Give your body time to accept water and food again. Here are the foods you need to eat tonight if you've been fasting, in the given order: 1. Fruit juices and raw fruits: The first foods that you consume upon breaking a fast are critical to nourish the body, and should not expend much energy to digest and assimilate in the body. Watermelon, grapes and apples are fruits that you can easily digest and assimilate, according to livestrong.com. 2. Yogurt, unsweetened: Yoghurt or the homemade dahi has always been good for the gut. That holds true even when you've been starving yourself for hours. 3. Cooked/raw vegetables and vegetable soups: Organic vegetable juices and vegetables are ideal after a fast. Organic vegetables are free of pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics and other harmful chemicals, according to Better Nutrition. advertisement 4. Well-cooked grains, beans and pulses: Pulses and grains are the most difficult for the body to break down. Naturally then, they should be consumed only when the stomach's lining has enough cushion. --- ENDS --- The Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), which is linked to the Christian Democratic Union, in collaboration with the Association of Christian Democratic Students (RCDS), has invited Professor Jorg Baberowski to speak at Bremen University this Thursday. The right-wing historian is to speak on the topic Understanding Violence. There is strong opposition to the event amongst students at the university. The general student committee (Asta), the highest body of the student government system, called on its web site last Thursday for the university administration to deny use of a university facility to the professor. Baberowski, a controversial teacher at Humboldt University in Berlin, has in the recent period repeatedly justified violent clashes against refugees and attacks on their accommodations, employs a nationalist vocabulary, and advances far-right positions in the political debate on issues of migration policy, the Asta statement declares. We protest against giving a man who confronts people with utter hatred the opportunity to appear on a campus that purports to promote openness and is financed by all of us. The student representatives illustrate the professors right-wing agitation by citing several passages and sources and come to the conclusion that Baberowski is no better than the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany). His newspaper interviews, they state, read like a simplistic succession of well-known right-wing populist mantras, such as the incitement of the socially disadvantaged against each other, the premise that democratic popular opinion is tantamount to dictatorship, and praise for neighbouring states with more restrictive asylum and immigration laws. The statement goes on to note that Baberowski legitimises and downplays the Pegida slogan We are the people and related attacks on refugee housing centres. He dreams of Germany as a homogeneous national body, whose social glue, in his eyes, faces an existential threat from the other, the illegal immigrant, the Asta statement continues. The Asta writes that Baberowskis research on violence, about which he will speak on Thursday, can best be described as dubious. It abandons any attempt to identify the origins of violence, negates the possibility of preventing violence, and declares an even more violent intervention by the state as the sovereign power capable of combating violence. The statement closes with the words: We are outraged that the downplaying of right-wing violence is given any space at all and have called on the rectorate to withdraw the granting of a room. Otherwise, it will fall to us to ensure that extreme right-wing ideologues cannot propagate their teachings at this university. Let us protest peacefully, colourfully and loudly against agitation and inhumanity. The universitys press office told the World Socialist Web Site on Monday that while the rectorate welcomed the statement by the Asta, it saw no reason to ban the meeting, since it was assumed that neither the KAS nor the RCDS were attacking the basic tenets of freedom and democracy. However, we expect the event organisers to be open to argumentative debate and that the Asta can confront the speaker with its substantial criticisms, stated press office head Eberhard Scholz. Argumentative discourse is the most important thing for us. Baberowski evidently was not prepared to accept these conditions. The RCDS announced on its web site that the event had been moved from the university campus to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation building at Domshof 22. The event organisers can play by their own rules there and exclude critical students. Such a move comes as no surprise, given that the Berlin professor is well known for throwing critics out of his meetings and suppressing unwanted positions. When members of the university group of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) at Humboldt University criticised Baberowskis right-wing positions in leaflets and at meetings, he described the students as crackpots and demanded that they be banned from the university and face criminal charges. It is beyond question that the Asta in Bremen cited and interpreted Baberowski correctly. Almost three years ago, the IYSSE drew attention to his right-wing extremist positions. In February 2014, the professor solidarised himself with Nazi apologist Ernst Nolte in the news magazine Der Spiegel, declaring, Hitler was no psychopath, he was not vicious. The IYSSE also called attention to the fact that Baberowski had described the Nazi war of annihilation in the East as a response to a violent space created by the Soviet Union. In this way, the professor was attempting to rewrite history and relativise the crimes of German imperialism so as to prepare for new wars, the IYSSE stated. His falsification of history is directly connected to calls for more military interventions. Since last summer, as the Bremen Asta makes clear, Baberowski has systematically agitated against refugees and downplayed violence against them. Almost weekly in interviews and talk shows, he calls for a stronger state and new wars. The close ties between the professor and right-wing circles was demonstrated by the speed with which representatives of the far right sprang to his defence after the students in Bremen published their criticisms. Nicolaus Fest, a member of the Islamophobic AfD party, accused the students of spreading untruths about Baberowski, without providing any evidence. The national conservative web site Tichys Einblick spoke of thought police from Antifa and co. By contrast, opposition to the promotion of xenophobia and the ideological preparations for war from right-wing professors is mounting among students. Last year, the student parliaments at Humboldt University and the Free University of Berlin passed resolutions by overwhelming majorities supporting criticisms of Baberowski and calling upon students to express themselves politically, challenge authority and combat tendencies to downplay Germanys inhuman history in teaching content at a university. Earlier this year, students at Leipzig University protested against the xenophobic, right-wing professor Thomas Rauscher. There have also been protests in Dresden and Rostock against right-wing and militarist positions put forward by professors. The protests demonstrate that students are not prepared to tolerate the transformation of the universities into right-wing and militarist think tanks. Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan has refuted allegations of Bollywood being divided over the release of Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. By India Today Web Desk: Veteran screenwriter and father of Salman Khan, Salim Khan took to Twitter on October 19 to share his opinions on the ongoing controversy surrounding Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. ALSO READ: Karan was forced to give statement, says Shyam Benegal on KJo's taped statement about ADHM ALSO READ: It pains me to be labeled an anti-national, says Karan Johar advertisement Brushing off allegations that Bollywood is divided over the issue of working with/banning Pakistani artists, Salim Khan tweeted, "Film industry is THE one place where there is no place for discrimination on the basis of Language (sic) religion caste & creed." Film industry divided ?? No way Film industry is THE one place where there is no place for discrimination on the basis of Language religion Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) October 19, 2016 caste & creed. What works is talent & capability. This is true from the time of Dada Saheb Phalke till date. It is true that there are some Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) October 19, 2016 While Anurag Kashyap, Shyam Benegal, Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor have spoken in favour of working with Pakistani artists and that the outrage against Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has no grounds, several Bollywood personalities like Ajay Devgn, Randeep Hooda and Nana Patekar are in favour of the ban on Pakistani artists by IMPPA (Indian Motion Pictures' Producers Association). Salim Khan also took a dig at perhaps, Ajay Devgn's Shivaay, while he tweeted, "It is true that there are some amongst us who (sic) have aligned themselves to political parties for personal gain." caste & creed. What works is talent & capability. This is true from the time of Dada Saheb Phalke till date. It is true that there are some Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) October 19, 2016 amongst us who have aligned themselves to political parties for personal gain.And Yes we are a happy lot. If our films work we are happy and Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) October 19, 2016 if a rivals film flops we are happy too. And we live happily ever after. THE END Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) October 19, 2016 Ajay Devgn, who is know to be quiet, has been unusually vocal on the issue of banning Pakistani artists of late. Some have attributed this to the fact that his film Shivaay is releasing on the same day (October 28) as Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which, by the way, is getting flak for having Pak actor Fawad Khan as a part of it. It should be noted that Ajay Devgn campaigned for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2015 in Bihar ahead of the state elections there. --- ENDS --- advertisement Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi, 45, has been released after fourteen years of being unlawfully detained at the camp. Slahi has never been charged with a crime by the US. He was repatriated to his native Mauritania on Monday, three months after a government panel approved his release in late July. Slahi is the author of Guantanamo Diary, a first-hand account of the torture inflicted on him by US intelligence agencies and their foreign accomplices. Slahi wrote his memoir in 2005, three years into his detention. The book was published last year with heavy redactions imposed by the US government; the uncensored manuscript remains classified. Guantanamo Diary has become an international bestseller, with translations published in over 25 countries. Slahi was tortured under the special interrogation plan that was personally approved by then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Slahis torture included violent beatings, sleep deprivation, sexual assault, mock executions and threats against his familys safety, especially against that of his mother, whom he was close to. Slahis mother died on March 27, 2013, unable to see her son for over a decade. We are thrilled that our clients nightmare is finally ending, said Nancy Hollander, one of Slahis pro bono attorneys. After all these years, he wants nothing more than to be with his family and rebuild his life. Were so grateful to everyone who helped make this day a reality. Sixty other detainees remain in the camp, 31 of whom have not been charged with a crime and have not been cleared for release. Of the 779 people who have been detained at Guantanamo Bay, at least 675 detainees have been released without ever being charged with a crime, according to Human Rights Watch. Nine people have died. Slahi attended university in Germany on a scholarship in 1988. In 1991, he traveled to Afghanistan to fight with al-Qaeda, one of many Islamic fundamentalist militias backed by the US in its proxy wars against the Soviet Union. After 1992, Slahi left Afghanistan and had no further involvement with al-Qaeda. He returned to Germany, then began working in Canada as an electrical engineer. In 2001, Slahi voluntarily reported to a Mauritanian police station for questioning. Slahi was then extraordinarily rendered by the UShe was abducted and transferred to a number of CIA black sites, where he was interrogated and tortured. Slahi was transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba in August 2002. In 2010, US federal district judge James Robertson ruled Slahis detention unlawful and ordered his immediate release. The Obama administration successfully appealed the decision and it was vacated by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Slahis habeas corpus case is still pending. The Obama administration has consistently approved Pentagon spending bills to keep the Guantanamo Bay detention camp running. The last detainee released before Slahi was Omar Khadr, a 15-year-old child soldier who spent thirteen years under illegal detention, with ten of those years in the Cuban torture camp. Khadr was released on bail last May, and is now 30 years old. The cutting off of Internet access for Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is one more ugly episode in a US presidential election campaign that has plumbed the depths of political degradation. Effectively imprisoned in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for over four years, Assange now is faced with a further limitation on his contact with the outside world. On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry of Ecuador confirmed WikiLeaks charge that Ecuador itself had ordered the severing of Assanges Internet connection under pressure from the US government. In a statement, the ministry said that WikiLeaks had published a wealth of documents impacting on the US election campaign, adding that the government of Ecuador respects the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states and does not interfere in external electoral processes. On that grounds, the statement claimed, the Ecuadorian government decided to restrict access to the communications network at its London embassy. This statement from the bourgeois government of Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa is a study in hypocrisy and cowardice. By abetting the US governments suppression of WikiLeaks, Quito has intervened in the US elections on the side of the ruling establishment and against the rights of the American people. If Correa expects that his professed sensitivity toward the principle of non-intervention will be reciprocated, he should recall the fate of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, who was toppled in a coup orchestrated by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009. WikiLeaks cited reports that Secretary of State John Kerry had demanded that the government of Ecuador carry out the action on the sidelines of the negotiations surrounding the abortive Colombian peace accord last month in Bogota. The US government intervened to prevent any further exposures that could damage the campaign of Clinton, who has emerged as the clear favorite of the US military and intelligence complex as well as the Wall Street banks. Whether the State Department was the only entity placing pressure on Ecuador on behalf of the Clinton campaign, or whether Wall Street also intervened directly, is unclear. The timing of the Internet cutoff, in the immediate aftermath of the release of Clintons Goldman Sachs speeches, may be more than coincidental. In the spring of 2014, the government of Ecuador agreed to transfer more than half of its gold reserves to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. for three years, in an attempt to raise cash to cover a growing deficit brought on by the collapse in oil prices. It reportedly sent 466,000 ounces of gold to Goldman Sachs, worth about $580 million at the time, in return for high security financial instruments and an anticipated profit on its investment. It is hardly a stretch of the imagination to believe that such a relationship would give Goldman Sachs considerable leverage in relation to the Ecuadorian government. In any case, it is evident that the US ruling establishment is growing increasingly desperate to stanch the flow of previously secret emails and documents that are exposing the real character not only of Clinton, but of capitalist politics as a whole. While WikiLeaks has released over 17,000 emails from the account of Clinton campaign manager and top establishment Democrat John Podesta, it is believed that there are more than 33,000 still to come. The transcripts of Clintons speeches to Goldman Sachs and other top banks and employers groups, for which she was paid on average $200,000 per appearance, are the most incriminating. They expose the workings of the oligarchy that rules America and the thinking and actions of a politician prepared to do anything to advance the interests of this ruling stratum, while simultaneously accruing ever greater riches and power for herself. While on the campaign trail, Clinton has postured as a progressive, determined to hold Wall Streets feet to the fire. But in her speeches to Goldman Sachs, she made clear her unconditional defense of the banks and financial houses. Under conditions of popular outrage against the bankers and their role in dragging millions into crisis in the financial meltdown of 2008, Clinton gave speeches praising the Wall Street financiers and insisting that they were best equipped to regulate themselves. She apologized to them for supporting the toothless Dodd-Frank financial regulatory law, saying that it had to be enacted for political reasons. In front of her Wall Street audiences, Clinton made clear she had no inhibitions about ordering mass slaughter abroad. While telling her public audiences that she supports a no-fly zone in Syria as a humanitarian measure to save lives, she confidentially acknowledged to her Goldman Sachs audience that such an action is going to kill a lot of Syrians and become an American and NATO involvement where you take a lot of civilians. In the same speech she declared her willingness to bomb Iran. The emails have laid bare the nexus of corrupt connections between the State Department, the Clinton Foundation, her various campaigns and her network of financial and corporate donors, which together constitute a quasi-criminal influence-peddling enterprise that could best be described as Clinton, Inc. The revelations contained in the WikiLeaks material have been ignored or downplayed by the corporate media, which instead has focused unrelentingly on the charges of sexual misconduct leveled against Clintons Republican rival, Donald Trump. The Clinton camp itself has sought to deflect any questions regarding what the candidate said in her speeches or the corrupt operations of her campaign by claiming, with no evidence whatsoever, that the material released by WikiLeaks had been hacked by the Russian government and therefore cannot be trusted. This line of argumentation serves not only to divert attention from the WikiLeaks material, but also to further the Clinton campaigns neo-McCarthyite claims of Kremlin intervention on behalf of Trump and advance a propaganda campaign aimed at preparing popular opinion for a direct military confrontation with Russia. There is an air of desperation in the attempt to quash the WikiLeaks material. CNN news anchor Chris Cuomo, an open supporter of Clinton, went so far as to lie to his audience, claiming it was illegal for them to access the emails and insisting they could obtain any information on them only through the filter of the corporate media. Well before the release of documents related to the Democratic Party, the determination of ruling circles to suppress WikiLeaks had found repeated and violent expression. State Department officials have come forward with a report that in 2010, in the midst of WikiLeaks mass release of State Department cables exposing US imperialist operations around the world, Clinton, then secretary of state, asked subordinates, Cant we just drone this guy? She recently said she could not remember the remark, but if she made it, it was a joke. During the same period, however, Clinton supporter and longtime Democratic campaign operative Bob Beckel declared in a television interview in relation to Assange: A dead man cant leak stuff. This guys a traitor, hes treasonous, and he has broken every law of the United States theres only one way to do it: illegally shoot the son of a bitch. To this point, the American ruling class has limited itself to judicial frame-ups and character assassination, counting on the help of its servants within both the media and the pseudo-left, large sections of which have either joined the witch-hunt against Assange or downplayed his victimization. The principal vehicle for this campaign of persecution had been fabricated allegations of sexual misconduct pursued by Swedish authorities acting in league with the US and British governments. Earlier this year, the UNs Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued findings that Assange had been deprived of his liberty in an arbitrary manner, meaning the body had reached the conclusion that the Swedish case constituted a politically motivated frame-up. In the midst of the current attempt to silence Assange, an even more bizarre and filthy frame-up has been concocted, attempting to smear the WikiLeaks founder with charges of taking Russian money as well as pedophilia. At the center of these allegations is a little known online dating service, Toddandclare.com, which first attempted to lure Assange into a supposed deal to film an ad for the site, for which he supposedly would be paid $1 million, to be provided by the Russian government. When WikiLeaks rejected this preposterous provocation, the same site claimed that Assange had been charged with inappropriate contact through the site with an eight-year-old Canadian child visiting the Bahamas. This accusation was then invoked in an attempt to pressure the UN to drop its demand for an end to the persecution of Assange. Even a cursory investigation makes clear that these allegations constitute a grotesque fabrication. Bahamian police have stated that there are no charges or any case whatsoever against Assange. The dating service has no business address, working phone number or corporate presence anywhere in the US, having all the earmarks of a dummy company created by US intelligence for the purpose of hounding Assange. The use of such tactics is a measure of how terrified the US ruling class has become in the face of growing mass hostility to both major political parties and their two abhorrent candidates. Their fear is that the relentless exposure of the inner workings of a government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich is robbing the existing political setup of what little legitimacy it had left within the population, and creating the conditions for a political radicalization within the working class and social upheavals, whoever is elected on November 8. A United Nations organisation this month expressed grave concern about the living conditions inside the Australian detention centre in the small Pacific island state of Nauru. The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) conducted a review of the treatment of refugee children in Nauru, focusing on the Australian-controlled Regional Processing Centre (RPC), a prison indefinitely housing 306 men, 55 women and 49 children who sought to reach Australia by boat to seek asylum. In a 17-page report, the committee said the conditions in the RPC, combined with the uncertainty of indefinite detention is generating and exacerbating mental health issues, leading to feelings of hopelessness and often suicidal ideation. Citing evidence from the Moss report, an Australian government-funded review published last year, the committee said children living in the camp face inhuman and degrading treatment, including physical, psychological and sexual abuse. The committee said there were also reports of intimidation, sexual assault, abuse and threats of violence against families living in refugee settlements outside the RPC. The CRCs report noted that many of the children experienced trauma prior to their arrival in Nauru and the subsequent impact of prolonged periods of living in detention-like conditions resulted in cases of attempted suicide, self-immolation, acts of self-harm and depression. Also highlighted was the lack of health care services at the centre. This exacerbated the suffering of those imprisoned, as many have developed chronic conditions as a result of living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. The report added that the main medical provider in the RPC has no paediatrician and there is limited access to clean and safe drinking water. The CRC was also concerned at reports indicating that some international organisations have been subjected to intimidation, citing the attempted media blackout on the camp via an increase in visa fees for journalists from $US200 to $8,000 in 2014. The report urged the Nauruan government to immediately transfer all asylum-seeker children and their families out of the RPC and to find permanent resettlement options for refugees, in particular, for children and their families and ensure they are given lawful stay and reasonable access to employment. Thus, while the report detailed the torturous conditions, it directed its recommendations at impoverished Nauru, when the chief responsibility for these prison camps rests with successive Australian governments. Nauru is a tiny nation of around 10,000 people, blighted by a long history of British and Australian colonial oppression, producing poverty and economic backwardness. After heavy phosphate mining exhausted the islands resources, eliminating the countrys only export revenue, unemployment levels skyrocketed to 90 percent in 2000. In 2001, under its so-called Pacific Solution, the Howard Liberal-National government took advantage of this impoverishment to strike a deal with Nauru to build a detention centre in the middle of the island. Nauru became so reliant on the associated income that when the centre was temporarily shut down in 2007, the country lost 20 percent of its income overnight. About 100 Nauruans lost their jobs. About 1,000 other people, or 10 percent of the population, reportedly had depended on their wages. Since the Greens-backed Gillard Labor government reopened the camp in 2012, Australia has used Nauru as a permanent holding camp for asylum seekers, refusing to allow any to settle in Australia. Prime Minister Julia Gillard declared that the detainees must have no advantage over the millions of refugees languishing in camps in the Middle East and Africa, which effectively meant indefinite detention. The cruelty inflicted on refugee children, described in the CRC report, was pioneered by the Keating Labor government in 1992, which introduced mandatory detention of asylum seekers, including children. Australia became the first Western country to implement such a regime. The UN report follows a series of recent revelations and condemnations of the inhumane conditions in Australias detention facilities on Nauru and Papua New Guineas Manus Island. In August this year more than 2,000 incident reports were leaked, detailing serious levels of abuse and trauma in the Nauru camp. Dubbed the Nauru Files, over half the incident reports involved children. The current Liberal-National government has not commented on the UN committees findings. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton spent the end of last month in the United States promoting Australias refugee policy as the best in the world. Dutton reiterated that the refugee arrangement between Australia and Nauru would continue for decades. According to Fairfax Media, citing well-placed sources, the Turnbull government is continuing to look for another destitute country in which to dump the refugees. Last year, the Murdoch press reported that this search included the impoverished Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan. The author also recommends: Australian government claims refugee policy best in the world [26 September 2016] Bus, subway and trolley operators, cashiers and mechanics voted unanimously last Sunday to shut down Philadelphias transit system if a new labor agreement is not reached before the old contract expires at midnight on October 31. According to Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 234, in a second vote workers rejected any extension of the contract that would compel them to work without a new agreement. The primary issues in dispute involve pensions, health care, and working conditions. If a walkout by 5,700 transit workers took place it would begin November 1 and would shut down Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia, the nations fifth largest rapid-transit system. The city transportation system has nearly 300 stations, 196 routes, 2,300 vehicles (buses, trolleys, and vans) and more than 450 miles of track. If the dispute is not settled within a week of a walkout, it could disrupt voting on Election Day on November 8. SEPTAs Regional Rail service in areas outside Philadelphia would not be affected. A spokeswoman for SEPTA, Carla Showell-Lee, has said, the parties continue to bargain to reach a new agreementwe hope the union does not exercise its right to strike. She also said a strike vote is not unusual and the vote does not mean a strike will actually occur. After strikes in 2005 and 2009, a two-year pact signed by the TWU prevented a strike in 2014. The TWU, which is aligned with Democratic mayors that run many of Americas big cities, has worked hard to suppress opposition from Philadelphia transit workers, who have a long, militant tradition. If a strike does take place, it would be the tenth in SEPTAS 50-year history, the most of any transit agency in the country. The transit agency has issued no immediate contingency travel plan if the walkout takes place. Negotiations for a new contract officially began on July 13, but union officials say they have actually been negotiating for a couple of years. TWU Local 234 President Willie Brown complained, weve been stonewalled by SEPTA management and their team of outside lawyers. In terms of a walkout, Brown said, thats the only tool we have available to us. We dont have binding arbitration. While binding arbitration is a blatant attack on the democratic rights of workers, which always favors the most powerful financial interests that hold the debt of municipalities and transit systems, it has also provided a cover for the union bureaucracy, which claims that it has no choice but to accept the concessions imposed by an arbitrator. As a result of New York State legislation, TWU Local 100 in New York City is prohibited from striking and both workers and the union can face financially penalties for defying the law. Local 100 has accepted binding arbitration and the stripping of workers right to strike. In Philadelphia, Local president Brown has complained that while top management gets rich retirement benefits, they are demanding cuts from the workers. The union also says they are seeking to increase the cap from $50,000 to $70,000 on which pensions are calculated. The union also claims to be seeking higher wages. According to union sources, the transit agency wants to impose inferior health benefits that would reduce sick leave and limit coverage. There are also fatigue and safety issues. It has been noted that the operators suffer from a lack of rest-time, or what in the industry is called layover time, in between scheduled runs or trips. This creates fatigue especially for the newer employees who due to a lack of seniority have more varied and difficult schedules. This is clearly just as much a safety issue for the riders, since proper rest is necessary for the worker to operate the vehicle at optimal safety. Columnists have already started, as they have in the past, to pit the transit workers against the riding public. However, there is an important difference this year, as is shown by the increased militancy of workers against the corporate concession demands. In Pennsylvania alone, musicians at the Philadelphia Orchestra ended a walkout on October 2, a strike by fellow musicians at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has just led to the cancellation of concerts for the next month, and 5,000 faculty and staff members at 15 state-run universities in Pennsylvania State have threatened to walk out today. The growth of strikeswhich also include a walkout by Toledo, Ohio glass workers and Jim Beam whiskey workers in Kentuckyunderscores the fact that workers do not believe the election of either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will do anything to stop the relentless attack on their living standards, which accelerated under the Obama administration. The so-called economic recovery has produced a boom on Wall Street and in corporate profits, but workers continue to see their wages stagnate or fall, even as the employers, backed by Obamas misnamed Affordable Care Act, shift the cost of health care onto their backs. The Transport Workers Union, with 116,000 members, has used its resources to boost the election fortunes of Hillary Clinton, who along with her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, has made millions in speaking fees for doing the bidding of Wall Street. A struggle by Philadelphia transit workers, however, will thrust them into a political confrontation with the Democratic Party. Without the slightest public discussion or debate, US-backed forces have begun the bloody siege of Mosul, Iraqs second largest city. While the Obama administration denounces Syria and Russia for war crimes in Aleppo, the US is preparing a far greater crime against the 1.5 million people, including 600,000 children, who remain trapped in Mosul. Regardless of who wins the presidential electionsHillary Clinton or Donald Trumpthe American ruling class is determined to exert its domination over the energy-rich Middle East and the world, even if it means war with Russia and China. In this video, the Socialist Equality Partys US presidential candidate, Jerry White, calls on workers and youth to attend the November 5 conference in Detroit Socialism vs. Capitalism and War. While Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump repeats his warnings of systematic vote fraud in every campaign stop, one of the most significant efforts to rig the November 8 election has been authorized by his running mate for vice president, Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Indiana state police raided the offices of the Indiana Voter Registration Project on October 4, one week before the deadline for submitting registration forms, and seized computers, cellphones and an estimated 45,000 completed voter registration applications. According to Craig Varoga, president of Patriot Majority USA, a Democratic Party-aligned group, most of those whose applications were seized are African-American, and they may not be able to vote November 8 because they lack the necessary paperwork. Mike Pence has a well-oiled political machine that is using the Indiana State Police to suppress African American votes and violate the Constitutional rights of tens of thousands of Hoosiers, said Varoga in a statement, calling it voter suppression at its worst. A spokesman for the Indiana State Police issued an unusually harsh statement attacking the voter registration campaign, declaring, Every allegation by Patriot Majority USA against the Indiana State Police is completely false. In fact, it is clear from evidence documented to date that we have uncovered intentional acts of fraud by representatives of Patriot Majority USA. However, the spokesman, Captain David Bursten, admitted only 10 applications had been deemed questionable out of the 28,000 that were seized. Most of these involved incorrect ZIP codes and other peripheral information. There was no evidence that applications had been forged or otherwise altered. After this admission provoked a wave of public criticism, Bursten issued a new accounting, claiming, there are more than 300 copies of voter application forms that fall within the categories of being fraudulent or forged. Even if true, this would amount to barely 1 percent of the total number of applications seized. And these would involve the registration of nonexistent peoplelikely the result of Patriot Majority paying people to collect registration applicationswithout anyone actually voting improperly. In-person vote fraud is so rare that one study found only 31 cases out of more than 1 billion votes cast. The myth of massive in-person vote fraud has been a staple of Republican Party propaganda for more than a decade, used to justify antidemocratic laws that restrict early voting and other efforts to increase turnout by making voting easier for minority workers and the poor. Indiana has been a pioneer in the adoption of strict voter ID laws requiring a photo ID as a condition of registering and voting. The Indiana law was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2008 on a narrow 5-4 vote, against a challenge by civil rights and civil liberties groups who pointed to the openly avowed intention of sponsors of such legislation to reduce minority turnout and aid Republican candidates. According to press reports, the state police investigation began in late August, after county election officials in suburban Hendricks County claimed that some applications that were turned in for processing were missing information or otherwise inaccurate. The investigate expanded to Marion County, the states largest, home to Indianapolis and to the states largest African-American community. Officials said that the investigation into possible vote fraud was initially expanded to seven other counties, including Lake County, which includes Gary, and Allen County, which includes Ft. Wayne, and is now being conducted in 56 of the states 92 counties. Governor Pence, whom Trump selected as his running mate in July, issued a statement after the state police investigation became public, urging supporters to monitor the polls on November 8. If you are concerned about voter integrity and you havent signed up to be a poll watcher, to volunteer at a polling place to be a part of the integrity of that process, then you need to do it, he said. Patriot Majority USA claimed that the state police deliberately intimidated voter registration workers during the raid October 4, prohibiting them from videotaping the raid, handcuffing one African-American worker and denying him the right to call his attorney. The Indiana Voter Registration Project issued a statement saying that it has reviewed tens of thousands of applications and identified a small handful that may have had incomplete or inaccurate information and, in those instances, we immediately informed the Registrar and asked them to double check those forms for accuracy. Both groups are run by longtime Democratic Party operatives, and are funded by Senate Majority PAC, a campaign fund-raising group established by associates of Senator Harry Reid, the current Democratic leader in the Senate. Indiana has a closely contested Senate seat, after incumbent Republican Dan Coats announced his retirement. Meanwhile Trump has repeated his unsupported allegations of widespread vote fraud at the polls, attacking Republican Party officials who have denied that such claims have any basis. Since the Republican Party controls state government in Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and other battleground states, Trumps charges amount to suggesting that Republicans are seeking to steal the election from him. One factor increasing the desperation in the Trump campaign is the rising Democratic turnout among early voters in Florida, North Carolina and other states, after court decisions overturned efforts by the Republican-controlled state governments to reduce such access to the polls. In the past few weeks, Socialist Equality Party campaigners have covered many miles of ground leafleting door-to-door through neighborhoods in Huntington, West Virginia. Over the weekend, residents of the Highlawn neighborhood spoke with Naomi Spencer, the SEP candidate for House District 16, about the US elections, poor social conditions, and the need for an independent political movement of the working class. Highlawn is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, situated above the Ohio River to the east of Marshall University and surrounded by factories. Many residents are students, working families, and retirees from the steel mills, railroads and other industries. Like many industrial towns, Huntingtons working class neighborhoods are grappling with so-called brownfield sites, shuttered factories, and vacant housing stock. With deindustrialization have come population loss, declining tax revenue, school closures, and a rise in problems like drug addiction and petty crime. Residents in Highlawn were eager to speak, in particular, about the lack of economic prospects in West Virginia and in the industrial economy more broadly, as well as the need for infrastructure repairs and rehabilitative programs for heroin users. Campaigners discussed the SEPs call for a defense of the social rights of the working class, an emergency public works program, and the relationship of social problems with war, inequality, and a breakdown in democratic forms of rule. Bobby Templeton, 70, is retired from the US Postal Service. After working as a mail carrier, he served as the longtime postmaster of the nearby city of Wayne. Campaigners stopped to talk to him as he sat reading on his porch. He said he was reluctantly considering voting for Hillary Clinton. Naomi Spencer explained that the SEP was urging the working class to write in Jerry White for president, and for District 16 voters to cast a ballot for her. Were running on a platform against war, inequality and attacks on democratic rights. We think the working class needs to express its own, independent interests, for peace, equality and democracy. Thats just what we need. Isnt it strange in 2016, that socialism makes the most sense? Bobby said. Youve got my vote, he added, shaking Spencers hand. He said he would write in Jerry White for president, appreciative that he did not have to vote lesser evil. Trumps an unadulterated idiot, he stated, while Clinton was an adulterated one. Molly told us how her credit had been ruined after a lifetime of frugality, because she had been hospitalized and diagnosed with lung cancer. I worked my whole life and built a good credit score. I was diagnosed with cancer just before turning 65, and I burned right through my savings. I got a $36,000 bill for four days in the hospital. Spencer explained the concept of health care and a dignified retirement as social rights. Under socialism, industries like pharmaceuticals and hospitals will be run as public utilities, not for profit, she said, and there will not even be a need for insurance as a business entity. Its arbitrary the way they price medical procedures, Molly commented. Obamacare is just a way to give more money to insurance companies and hospitals. It doesnt deal with the cost at all, and it limits what kind of treatment you can receive. Hospitals gouge you and you have no say in what they can charge for. She told campaigners that she received an itemized bill for her last hospitalization and it included a staggering $980 fee for the application of a bandage after a blood draw. In addition to the strain of battling cancer, Molly is now responsible for raising a four-year-old granddaughter whose parents decided to go a different direction in lifea veiled reference to the shattering impact of the drug epidemic. She wished the SEP campaigners good luck, saying that the working poor needed us. John, a former steel worker and Vietnam veteran, agreed that the working class needed its own party. He was incensed by Trumps dismissal of post-traumatic stress disorder, referencing the fact that 20 veterans commit suicide every day in America, but that he also disliked the direction of American foreign policy and did not care for Clinton. After hearing Clinton refer to the middle class, John said he looked up the term and found the definition to be those earning upwards of $200,000 or more a year. If that is middle class, he asked, then what am I, earning a fraction of that? Spencer said, The truth is were all part of that basket of deplorables or basement dwellers to Clintons social layer. John strongly agreed, responding, Trump is a businessman, but Clinton is a bankers dream. Spencer replied, And neither represent you. John also said he was disgusted by the national chauvinism on display in the election. Were a nation of immigrants, he said, telling campaigners he was proudly the descendant of Lebanese immigrants. Iraqis, Syrians, these immigrants are just coming here to have a better life, he said. They want to make a better life for themselves and their children, and we should let them. Marsha Chapman Wagers is a retired resident who is very active in the community. She spoke with campaigners about the closed Enslow Middle School near her house, the need for increased rehabilitative services for drug addicted people, the arbitrary rise in electricity bills, and the need for a jobs program to rebuild infrastructure and put people to work. Although Marsha is a lifelong Democrat, she said she felt a third party was long overdue. Marsha explained that the Highlawn community was pushing to save a portion of the historic Enslow Middle School, which has been slated for demolition. The gymnasium is larger than the facilities in other schools and had been renovated before the building was closed. Residents said that the vacant property has attracted crime and squatting. Bailey, Marshas 19-year-old neighbor, also spoke with the SEP about the hard conditions facing youth. He was doing yard work in the neighborhood. Were supposed to be the smartest generation yet, but its rough for people right now, Bailey said. We want to work but there arent a lot of options. Spencer pointed out that young people were routinely portrayed as entitled by the media and the political establishment for wanting jobs that paid living wages and a way out from crushing debt. At the same time, the ruling class was smearing retirees and older workers as being entitled for wanting the pensions and social security they had worked all their lives to earn. Marsha and Bailey both agreed that while generations were pitted against one another and blamed as the source of the poor economy, all ages of the working class needed to unite and recognize the common source of their problems. At the heart of the Samajwadi Party conflict is the war of supremacy between Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Minister Shivpal Yadav about who has a greater say in party matters. Samajwadi Pari-war may appear to have ended temporarily, but all is not well between Shivpal, Akhilesh. By Javed M. Ansari : The infighting within the Samajwadi Party shows no signs of abating, at least for now. At the heart of the conflict is the battle for supremacy within the party between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle and Irrigation Minister Shivpal Yadav. The stand-off between the two has also led to a divide within the family with SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav siding with Shivpal and his cousin and national General Secretary of the party Professor Ram Gopal Yadav throwing his weight behind the beleagured chief minister. advertisement SHIVPAL'S ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE AKHILESH'S AUTHORITY The current stand-off emanates from Shivpal Yadav's attempt to undercut the authority of the chief minister and his supporters by denying him a say in the distribution of tickets for the assembly election scheduled for early next year, and the SP chief's initial reluctance to name Akhilesh as the party's presumptive CM candidate. After several protests, the SP Chief changed his mind and backed his son for the post. Also read: Mulayam Singh Yadav engaged in drama to save Akhilesh's skin: Mayawati Trouble in the party has been brewing ever since Mulayam Singh Yadav summarily removed Akhilesh Yadav as the state party chief and replaced him with Shivpal Yadav. Since taking over the post, Shivpal has been systematically trying to undermine the authority of the CM, his supporters and Ramgopal Yadav. One of his first acts as state party chief was sacking Ram Gopal Yadav's nephew and party MLC Arvind Pratap Yadav, and a former village head in Etawah Akhilesh Kumar Yadav for their alleged involvement in land-grabbing and other such activities. Some time ago, Shivpal Yadav announced the first list of the party's canidates for the assembly elections without even consulting either the chief minister or Ram Gopal yadav. The SP chief further omplicated matters by his reluctance to categorically back Akhilesh Yadav as the party's CM candidate. RAM GOPAL YADAV SIDES WITH CM The Akhilesh Yadav camp fears that all this is a part of a systematic attempt to undermine him and deny him a say in the party. Professor Ram Gopal Yadav, who has sided with the CM, wrote off an angry letter to his cousin and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, urging him to intervene and get Shivpal to take back the expulsion of his supporters and to ensure that the CM had a decisive say in ticket distribution." It's preposterous to even suggest that somebody other than the CM will decide who gets the party ticket " a party MP said on the condition of anonymity. Also read: Has Mulayam lost confidence in Akhilesh as UP CM? A two-hour meeting between the SP chief and Ram Gopal Yadav evidently failed to resolve the stand-off. Mulayam reportedly gave no assurances on either the question of cancelling the decision to sack Arvind Yadav and Akhilesh Kumar Yadav or on the all-important question of restoring the CM's right to decide on ticket distribution. advertisement JAN SAMPARK YATRA As of now, an uneasy calm prevails in the SP camp. The chief minister is all set to embark on his Jan Sampark Yatra from the 3rd of November in a bid to rally support for the party and also to demonstrate his support among party cadres. Any attempt to derail or stop him from going ahead with the Yatra could lead to the next flashpoint in the party. Ominously for the party, leaders aligned in his favour have begun to sound out party MPs and MLAs to come out in support of the chief minister. Mulayam Singh Yadav has so far managed to pull back the party from the brink everytime it threatened to implode. The way things stand at the moment, the possibility of a split in the party he helped create cannot be ruled out unless he moves swiftly to take care of the concerns of the CM and his supporters. Also read: Son still rising: UP CM Akhilesh leads popularity vote over father Mulayam by huge margin --- ENDS --- advertisement GADSDEN COUNTY, FL (WTXL) - Gadsden deputies said they arrested a woman after they found her 17-year-old son, who investigators said weighed only 45 pounds when he was declared dead in mother's home. The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office said that 50-year-old Sabrina Robinson was arrested on Tuesday for aggravated child neglect and manslaughter for the death of her 17-year-old son. Deputies said they went to Robinson's home in Havana on Monday. At the home on Salem Lane before officers arrived, paramedics on the scene had already pronounced her son dead. They said that the child was 45 pounds at the time of his death. Further investigation revealed that the body was already beginning to break down. A early autopsy showed that the boy had suffered from severe malnutrition and injuries that matched up with their suspicions of severe neglect. Robinson was transported to the Gadsden County Jail. PERRY, Fla. (WTXL) - The city of Perry is kicking off a popular festival that celebrates the region's main industry. The 61st annual Florida Forest Festival will begin at 6 p.m. with a carnival at the Perry-Foley airport. The Taylor County Chamber of Commerce said that the festival brings more than 20,000 visitors to Perry, doubling the city's population. The chamber said that forestry has been critically important to the county. Dawn Taylor, the executive director of the Taylor County Chamber of Commerce said, "Well, forestry in general is the largest employer of this region, so it is very important. Without it, Perry would probably be very small. But the forest festival started back in 1962 to help with the prevention of forest fires, and that's what started the forest festival." The festival will run through to Saturday. TALLAHASSEE, FL (The News Service of Florida) - With Democrat Patrick Murphy making gains among independent voters, Republican incumbent Marco Rubio's lead in Florida's closely watched U.S. Senate race has narrowed to two points, according to a poll released Tuesday. Rubio leads by a margin of 49 percent to 47 percent in the Quinnipiac University poll, which was conducted before the candidates battled in a televised debate Monday night. The two-point difference is within the poll's margin of error. Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, pointed to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's "slipping" poll numbers in analyzing tight U.S. Senate races involving Rubio and other GOP candidates, such as U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. "For the most part, these Republican Senate candidates, including Marco Rubio in Florida and Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, will need to run ahead of the party's presidential ticket in order to get re-elected," Brown said in comments released with the poll results. Murphy has repeatedly tried to tie Rubio to Trump, who has been engulfed in controversy because of vulgar comments about women and allegations that he kissed and groped women against their will. During the debate Monday night at the University of Central Florida, Murphy challenged Rubio's continued endorsement of Trump. "This isn't just a binary choice, and there are people that have the courage to stand up and do what is best," Murphy said. "You do have to look your children in the eye, in 10 to 15 years from now, and explain this position." Rubio, who has criticized Trump, replied that his children are why he has maintained his support for Trump against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. "She will redefine the Supreme Court in a way that will redefine the Constitution of the United States for the better part of a quarter-century," Rubio said. A Quinnipiac poll released Oct. 5 showed Rubio leading by four percentage points, while a September poll gave him a seven-point lead. At least part of the narrowing of the race has stemmed from Murphy picking up support from independent voters --- the new poll gave him a slight edge, 47 percent to 46 percent, among independents after he trailed with those voters in the earlier polls. The outcome of the Rubio-Murphy race could help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate after the Nov. 8 elections. Brown said Rubio's ability to receive support from 33 percent of non-white voters has helped buoy his campaign. "Sen. Marco Rubio's upper hand in a too-close-to-call race is at least partially due to his scoring better than most GOP candidates among non-white voters," Brown said. "His third of the minority vote is largely due to his Cuban heritage. If he wins, that will be a lesson for the GOP going forward." The Connecticut-based Quinnipiac, which frequently conducts polls in Florida and other swing states, surveyed 660 likely Florida voters from Oct. 10 to Sunday. The poll has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points. TAYLOR COUNTY, FL (WTXL) - Hurricane Hermine hit the Big Bend more than six weeks ago. But businesses in Taylor County are still reeling from the damage. The county was granted partial assistance from FEMA and the Small Business Administration (SBA). The Taylor County Chamber of Commerce said businesses are scrambling to get back in shape, even if that means getting help on their own. The chamber said a few businesses have resorted to working with their own insurance companies. Taylor County did not receive individual assistance from FEMA or physical injury disaster loans from the SBA. Chamber Director Dawn Taylor said local businesses needed to act fast to keep from losing revenue with every passing day. "It's very frustrating and disconcerting, just because they've all been struggling," said Taylor, "You know, the economy hasn't been the best the last few years as it is. So, on top of that, this has just been a big hit for them, and they're struggling. They really are." Taylor County Emergency Management is still urging residents to apply for federal assistance. The county is eligible for what's called Economic Injury Disaster loans from the SBA. Mohit Sehgal and Sanaya Irani look oh-so-cute in this new picture. Don't believe us? Here is proof By India Today Web Desk: One of the most loved couples of television world, Sanaya Irani and Mohit Sehgal, are having a blast these days. Be it going for a fun, sporty date, or just chilling in a pool; the two are setting brand new couple goals for everyone. Stunning Sanaya recently posted a super-cute picture of herself with her actor-husband Mohit Sehgal on her personal Instagram account. She had captioned the picture as, "Babies day out." advertisement Also read:Sanaya Irani and Barun Sobti's day out together was a lot of fun; see pic Both Mohit and Sanaya are holding each other in a tight embrace in the middle of a huge swimming pool in the said picture. Babies day out ?????????? A photo posted by Sanaya (@sanayairani) on Oct 18, 2016 at 9:46am PDT Now, isn't that the most adorable thing ever? The two talented actors had met on the sets of the show, Miley Jab Hum Tum and had started dating after some time. After being in a relationship for six years, the good-looking stars decided to take the ultimate plunge--marriage. Yes, Sanaya tied the knot with beau Mohit earlier this year. Looks like their love has only grown stronger post their beautiful wedding. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Boston, Oct 19 (PTI) Researchers claim to have developed the worlds smartest and safest baby bed, which mimics the rhythmic sensations a baby enjoys in the mothers womb to put them to sleep and gives exhausted parents much needed rest. The crib called SNOO starts shaking slowly to help a child go to sleep, and with three built-in microphones it can detect when a baby is crying, and starts playing the sound. advertisement Harvey Karp, pediatrician and child development specialist, developed SNOO in collaboration with Swiss industrial designer, Yves Behar, and engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US. SNOOs smart technology responds to crying with increased shushing and rocking, choosing the level that works best for that particular baby, at that particular moment. Within days, babies become better sleepers, giving tired parents much needed rest. SNOO also helps infants develop healthier sleep habits and helps parents learn to read their babys cues, recognising when crying is a sign of hunger and they need a bit soothing. It comforts fussing from fatigue - often in under a minute - but not the cries of hunger or discomfort, researchers said. SNOO comes with a game-changing swaddle that securely attaches to the sleeper and prevents rolling over, making SNOO very safe. "Todays new parents have no experience caring for babies and most have less family support than any generation in history," said Karp. "My greatest hope is that SNOO will give babies healthier sleep and give parents the confidence and rest they need and deserve. SNOO is the first of a series of science-based, smart products," said Karp. SNOO has a responsive, robotic system that knows when babies are upset and automatically reacts to soothe them. The bed is incorporated with an easy, five-second swaddle that is hip-safe and can not unravel and get around a babys face. A unique drive-train and high performance custom motor can quietly rock for millions of cycles - enough to soothe a baby for over 14 hours per day. SNOO comes with a specially engineered noise that changes volume and pitch according to a babys needs: soft, rumbly sounds to promote sleep; louder, high-pitched sounds to soothe upsets. The crib can be connected to a mobile app that allows parents to control SNOO from a distance and to choose when to wean the all-night rocking for an easier transition to the bed. A breathable mesh allows full visibility of the baby from all angles. advertisement "SNOO unlocks the potential that robotic technology has in our lives ? packaged inside a beautiful, ultra-safe, comfortable sleeper," added Behar, also a founder and Principal Designer at fuseproject. PTI NKS SAR SAR --- ENDS --- You are the owner of this article. Robert Rubio, store sales manager for Habitat for Humanity Restore, right, visits with Vance Kegley, a volunteer for the organization for more than 15 years, after receiving the Employee of the Year award during at the Golden Hammer Awards presentation at Habitat for Humanity Restore in Yakima, Wash. on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. (SHAWN GUST/Yakima Herald-Republic) Submit An Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Oct 18 (PTI) The authorities of the Siksha O Anusandhan University, which runs the Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital, today announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims familes before suspending four of its staff members. "The authorities will pay an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of the kins of the deceased persons and bear all medical expenses of the injured," SOU vice-chancellor Amit Banerjee told reporters here. advertisement Rejecting allegation that the high casualty was due to wrong evacuation process, Banerjee said: "We have followed the best of the evacuation protocol. Had we not followed the casualty would have been more." Banerjee claimed that the fire safety parameters were checked properly only three weeks ago and there was no lacuna on the part of the hospital authorities in the maintenance of the electrical equipment. Expressing deep concern over the incident, the vice- chancellor said that the staff had to take extra precautions while shifting the patients under the support of ventilators. "There were nine to ten people under the ventilator support," he said adding that most of the people died due to asphyxia. Assuring full cooperation to the two government probes, one headed by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central Division and another by DMET (director of medical education and training), Banerjee said the authorities have placed four of its staff under suspension. The suspended officers include one fire officer, two engineers and one hospital manager, Banerjee said rejecting allegation that there was any irregularity in the management of the hospital. "We have suspended four officials as part of hospitals bid to maintain transparency. Tomorrow no one should accuse that evidence was tampered with," Banerjee said. He said that the SOA announced a seven-day mourning. The classes will remain suspended for one day today, he said. PTI AAM MD AMS PS --- ENDS --- A military committee headed by Maj. Gen. Yossi Bachar charged with reviewing Operation Protective Edge has published some of its conclusions. Among other points, it has found that the IDF was not adequately prepared based on the amount of Hamas casualties relative to the amount of firepower used against them. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Bachar Committee examined the issue of tunnels for months, questioning dozens of officers and commanders who took part in the operation. The details of the committee's conclusions were released Tuesday on Army Radio. Hamas militants in a tunnel (Photo: Reuters) The committee determined that ground forces were unprepared to handle tunnels while maneuvering attacks. In fact, only a series of improvisations and changes made on the ground weeks before the war allowed for damage to be caused during fighting. Additionally, the committee found that it took more than a month to successfully strike and halt the tunnels' progress, out of a total of 50 days of fighting. The committee's conclusions indicated that the threat of tunnels was known to forces, but that their method of neutralization during the war along with the amount of tunnels were unknown to commanders prior to the start of hostilities. The committee further found that methods of tunnel destruction were not conducted according to operational doctrine. In fact, a standardized plan did not exist and as such, battalion and company commanders had no precedent to build upon. An organized order of battle against tunnels was only available for special forces units such as Sayeret Matkal, who regularly patrolled along the border and neutralized tunnels before the war. The committee also found that Hamas succeeded in effectively commanding its forces throughout the course of the war despite hundreds of daily, accurate IDF attacks. A Hamas tunnel (Photo: Reuters) The subcommittee in charge of deciding whether to make it public currently has a five-member majority made up of coalition members, with MK Meirav Ben-Ari (Kulanu) probably turning out to be the deciding vote on whether to make the report public. Several of the committee's conclusions were published alongside a report by the State Comptroller on tunnels and the IDF's preparedness. It should also be noted that the Knesset State Control Committee has the authority to prevent the release of the report to the public, even after the approval of Israeli Military Censor. The conclusions of the Bachar-led committee contradict the heroic narrative the IDF attempts to promote. Those within the State Control Committee expressed apprehension over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu possibly exerting his political power over the subcommittee to prevent the report from going public. f the committee would be stopped from going public with its conclusions, the decision could be overturned by petitioning the Israeli High Court of Justice. Education Minister and Bayit Yehudi Leader Naftali Bennett praised the report, calling it "a testament to transparency." He added,"The political echelon should act like the army. This is exactly how you should investigate, and I'm proud of the IDF for being able to examine itself." UNITED NATIONS - The UN peacekeeping chief is heading to the disputed Western Sahara later this week to visit UN troops for the first time since Morocco expelled more than 70 UN civilian staffers in March to protest comments by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Herve Ladsous said Tuesday he will visit Layoune, the largest city in Western Sahara, as well as camps for Sahrawi refugees in neighboring Tindouf, Algeria, and the Moroccan capital, Rabat. He will be the highest-ranking UN official to visit the region since early March when Ban used the word "occupation" in talking about Morocco's involvement in Western Sahara. That led to demonstrations against Ban in Morocco and the government's decision to expel UN civilian workers. Ladsous made the announcement after briefing the UN Security Council. Donald Trump's campaign is bringing President Barack Obama's half-brother to the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The campaign confirmed that Obama's Kenyan-born half-brother Malik will be in the audience during the final showdown between Trump and rival Hillary Clinton. Malik told the New York Post that he's "excited to be at the debate," adding "Trump can make America great again." President Obama with his half-brother Malik Trump, meanwhile, told the paper that Malik, "gets it far better than his brother." Malik Obama first made headline in July when he announced he will vote for Trump in the upcoming presidential elections in November because he likes the Republican nominee and he is unhappy with his brother's leadership. Malik, who is in his 50s, told Reuters by phone from Obama's ancestral home of Kogelo in western Kenya in July that he supports Trump's policies, especially his focus on security. "He appeals to me and also I think that he is down to earth and he speaks from the heart and he is not trying to be politically correct. He's just straight-forward," he said. Malik, a US citizen, has lived in Washington since 1985 where he worked with various firms before becoming an independent financial consultant. Trump's stance against Muslims coming in to the United States was understandable even to Muslims like himself, Malik said. "I'm a Muslim, of course, but you can't have people going around just shooting people and killing people just in the name of Islam," he said. Donald Trump at a campaign rally in North Carolina (Photo: AFP) He criticized President Obama's record in the White House saying he had not done much for the American people and his extended family despite the high expectations that accompanied his election in 2008, both in the United States and Kenya. The two men appear to have drifted apart but were previously close. Malik has visited the president in the Oval office and was also best man at Barack's wedding. Obama's election created much excitement in Kenya especially in Kogelo village where their father was born before going to study at the University of Hawaii. Obama visited Nairobi, in the first ever trip by a sitting US president to the East African nation last July, and promised to visit more often when he leaves office. Malik defended his right to criticize his brother, citing freedom of expression. "To each his own. I speak my mind and I'm not going to be put in a box just because my brother is the President of the United States," Malik said. The candidates have been using their debate guests as a tool to try to get inside their rivals' heads. Clinton is bringing frequent Trump critic and billionaire Mark Cuban and Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman. Trump invited to the most recent debate three of the women who accused former President Bill Clinton of sexually harassing or assaulting them years ago. Dr. Omar Jaara of An-Najah University appeared on Palestinian television four years ago and said that Moses had led the Muslims out of Egypt and that the subsequent Israeli conquest of the land was the first case of a Palestinian liberation through an armed struggle. He attributed the battle between David and Goliath to the Palestinians as well. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter For a moment, it seemed like a satire program, but it was completely serious. This is our logic, and this is our culture, Jaara explained in the interview, which was recorded by Palestinian Media Watch. The leading Palestinian principle is: Well make every effort to harm Israel, but wont make any effort to improve our situation (Archive photo: AP) Four years have passed and the historian is celebrating. The Palestinian narrative has scored another victory, this time at UNESCO . Allegedly, this not just a victory but an overwhelming victory: Although Brazil and Mexico expressed reservations over the resolution on Tuesday, there was no new vote, and the decision remained unchanged. The Palestinians even managed to convince Christian countries, as Israeli diplomat George Deek tweeted, to adopt a resolution which means that Jesus was a liar. There is no big surprise here. After all, we are living in the era of narratives, which is the post-factual era. It possible that in a year or two, UNESCO or another international organization will adopt a resolution confirming Jaaras narrative about the Exodus from Egypt. But its not a victory. Its actually a defeat. If we wish to know why the Palestinians remain in their grim situation, this self-deception is one of the reasons, and the international support they receive only worsens it. Its not just happening in international bodies with a majority of dark states. The Palestinians are enchanting, or terrorizing, the academia in the free world, to the point that most of its members have become loyal servants of the Palestinian liesorry, the narrative. They are slowly succeeding in turning the Palestinian Nakba into a pivotal, unique event, an ultimate crime, although tens of millions of people have experienced worse cases of expulsion and uprooting. They receive almost absolute support in most leading newspapers in the free world. Nevertheless, they believe the Jews control the academia and the global media. Its not that the Palestinian propaganda is sinking into an abyss of self-deception and illusions on its own. The problem is that this propaganda has become the leading motif not just in institutions with a dark majority, that it has been adoptedor is being encouraged by an absolute majority of human rights organizations in the West. They are always on the Palestinian side, and this support is mainly racism. Because they think the Palestinians can get away with it. The addiction to lies does not change reality and does not solve any problem. On the contrary, it pushes away the chance for reconciliation or peace. It perpetuates Palestinian suffering. It should be mentioned that in Lebanon, for example, there are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who can only dream about the standard of living of the Palestinians in the West Bank. For decades, they have been suffering from deep discrimination enforced by law, but no one cares about them. No one is fighting for their rights. There has not been a single UN discussion about them. The leading Palestinian principle is: Well make every effort to harm Israel, but we wont make any effort to improve our situation. In practice, they are not really harming Israel; they are harming themselves. After all, the UNESCO resolution does not really help the Palestinians; it just makes them feel that they have scored some virtual, empty victory. All this should not lead to the conclusion that Israel can rest on its laurels. Far from it. The fact that the Palestinians are engaged in self-deception does not call for another freeze or another outpost or another acre. Because we also have people who see it as a victory, and that is self-deception as well. The Palestinians are in over their heads. We should look at what is happening to them so that it wont happen to us too. Jerusalem District Judge Hagit Mak-Kalmanovitch has been the object of threats and criticism recently for her decision to approve the delayed imprisonment of Masbah Abu Sabih, the terrorist who carried out a shooting attack on Jerusalem's Ammunition Hill earlier this month, killing two. On Tuesday, she rejected the application of a defendant accused of joining ISIS to recuse herself on the basis of the public criticism being likely to increase the severity of her position. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The judge addressed the media storm surrounding her in her decision. "Life experience has taught that public discussions via the media are generally short-lived. Things that were yesterday at the top of the world will become in a few days last year's snow," stated the judge, using a Hebrew idiom. Hagit Mak-Kalmanovitch (Photo: Courts website) She also noted that until the trial against the six defendants begin, the storm will continue. Currently, a court case has been brought against six youths from Shuafat and Anata accused of joining ISIS and planning terrorist attacks. One of those defendants applied to have Mak-Kalmanovitch recuse herself. The applicant read in part, "There's a real concern of bias following the unjustified criticism that has been voiced, and there's a concern that Your Honor's position will tend towards severity. As long as the fear exists that the court will be influenced, even subconsciously, by the media, to create a favorable impression of the court, especially when it comes to serious criminal offenses" Mak-Kalmanovitch rejected the application and explained, "Yes, the presiding judge brings with him the baggage that has acquired throughout his life. There is no adult person who is a tabula rasa. Man is but a landscape of his homeland, what his ear and eye have absorbed, views and ideas on various subjects discussed in public, including subjects discussed in the court, are part of that same homeland landscape, but there is a huge gap between exposing the judge to ideas and viewpoints and a real fear of bias when he is sitting in judgment." She continued that the public criticism "which counsel for the respondent has defined as unjustifieddoes not create a fear of bias and does not justify recusal." The security surrounding the judge has been increased following the public criticism. There are people in Israel who have been feeling butterflies in their stomach for a long time now in light of the fact that Egypt, which is experiencing a deep economic crisis , has been purchasing the worlds most expensive weapons systems at quantities that rich Saudi Arabia would take pride in. Only recently, the Egyptian navy received a second Mistral-class helicopter carriera particularly expensive French system which was originally built for the Russian navy. The Egyptians purchased two. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Israeli officials asked Egypt Little Red Riding Hood-style questions: Grandma, why do you need two helicopter carriers? The Egyptians explained that one would protect the exclusive economic zone in the Mediterranean Sea, and the other would maintain Egypts interests in the Red Sea. The assault helicopters on the carriers were purchased by the Egyptians in Russia at full price. The Egyptian navy also purchased four new submarines from Germany and is currently negotiating the purchase of two additional advanced submarines. Egyptian army strikes in Sinai. The Israeli top echelon is increasingly troubled by the recent arms purchases The Russians are also selling Egypt S-400 antiaircraft systems. The Egyptians are buying entire squadrons of SA-17 and SA-22 anti-aircraft missiles. Grandma, Israeli officials ask, why do you need such expensive anti-aircraft systems? Whose fighter jets do you wish to shoot down? The Islamic States planes? Sudans? Does Libya have planes which are threatening you? Israel is wondering where Egypt gets the money from and how these purchases are made possible despite the economic crisis. Another key issue with which Israel has been concerned for years is that the Egyptian army has been conducting major exercises, including one which will soon be held with Russian military forces. The main enemy in these exercises, it is safe to assume, was, and remains, Israel. The helicopter carriers purchased by the Egyptians are called Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar El Sadat, names which reflect the different spirit brought by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is wagging a finger at the Muslim Brotherhood. That is also the reason why Israel has chosen to keep the question marks rather than insist on exclamation points. The two countries view the relations between them as a first-rate strategic asset. Egypt deeply appreciates the indirect Israeli aid in the war on ISIS in Sinai . But since the battle in Sinai began, Israel has essentially freed itself from the appendix of the peninsulas demilitarization in the peace agreement. The Egyptian army has been deployed in Sinai with more than 20 regiments, from commando forces to armed forces. For all intents and purposes, Egypt has established two military airports in Sinai. The Egyptian navy has also docked in El-Arish. The Little Red Riding Hood questions about the long teeth grandma is growing have been increasingly troubling the Israeli upper echelon over the past year. The Egyptian economy reached a low point this year due to incomplete economic reforms, failed investments of billions in the expansion of the Suez Canal, a critical blow to tourism, a serious drought, and incorrect usage of the water system which is leading to a drop in the level of the Nile River. Furthermore, the Saudis and the Gulf states are failing to transfer money that was promised to Egypt in the form of joint foundations, loans and grants, and the International Monetary Fund is setting difficult terms for Egyptsuch as a demand to cut bureaucracy, which could raise the unemployment rate to destructive levelsthat are delaying the transfer of a $12 billion grant. In order to escape the day-to-day distress, al-Sisi has handed over entire civil monopolies to the army, allowing it to keep subsidizing basic commodities. The Egyptian army is manufacturing diapers, medicines, cement, flour and more, and is basically managing not only Egyptian security policy but also the national economy. As long as the Egyptian army is growing stronger in order to turn Egypt into a leading force in the Sunni world and to secure al-Sisis regime, Israel is trembling and keeping quiet. But all that could disappear in a minute. According to certain estimates, Egypt could get caught in a social and governmental chaos in as early as 2018. If that happens, all the military strength it is building, including the deployment in Sinai, could take on a differentperhaps hostilemeaning. Someone should start thinking about that in our diligent cabinet. The step, which comes after the October 14 attack on an SSB convoy, will ensure that even if one driver is shot at, the convoy movement is not affected. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Less than a week after a Sashastra Seema Bal(SSB) jawan was killed and eight others injured in a militant attack in the Zakura area of Srinagar, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a review meeting of the force today. During the meeting, the SSB informed the minister of a change in its standard operating procedure (SOP) in the wake of increased terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. The SSB has decided to deploy two trained drivers for every convoy. In a scenario where one driver is shot at, the other can take control of the vehicle. This will ensure that the movement of the convoy, at any moment, is not affected and casualties are avoided. advertisement ALSO READ: SSB jawan killed, 8 others injured in terrorist attack on patrolling party on outskirts of Srinagar MILITANTS HAD ATTACKED CONVOY On October 14, the militants had attacked an SSB convoy which killed 24-year-old jawan Ghanshyam Gujjar. That day, a total of five convoys were carrying 138 jawans to their camp. ALSO WATCH: ALSO READ: Terrorists may target farmers in border areas, warn intelligence agencies The SSB has also asked for more bullet-proof vehicles for its force. Its current fleet is a mix of bullet-proof and non bullet-proof vehicles. With the winter approaching, the force has also requested the Border Security Force for sleeping bags for the jawans till it makes an arrangement on its own. While five battalions of the SSB are deployed in the Valley, in the past few months 34 more companies have been moved to the region. ALSO READ: US to train two Indian officers in investigating terror attacks INCREASE VIGIL ALONG INDO-NEPAL BORDER Director General (DG), SSB, Archana Ramasundaram, briefed Rajnath Singh about the overall functioning of the force, which is mostly deployed along the India-Nepal border. With an increased focus on sealing India's border with Pakistan and Bangladesh, the SSB is looking at increasing the vigil along the India-Nepal border which can be used by terrorists or drug peddlers to infiltrate into the country. ALSO READ: Kashmir: Terrorists snatch 5 service rifles from TV tower guards in Anantnag ALSO READ: Increasing risk to Pak nukes from army not terrorists: Menon --- ENDS --- Russia's military says a US-led coalition airstrike on a Syrian village in the province of Aleppo has killed six civilians. The center says Russian military surveillance means spotted two Belgian F-16 fighter jets over the area at the time of the strike. It noted that Russian and Syrian warplanes were not flying over the area on Tuesday. Russia's Tass news agency reported from Brussels that the Belgian defense minister denied Belgian aircraft had struck the area. A Shi'ite paramilitary force said it would support the Iraqi army's offensive on Mosul, ISIS's last major stronghold in Iraq, raising the risk of sectarian strife in the mainly Sunni region. The Popular Mobilization Force (PMF), a coalition of mostly Iranian-trained militias, said late on Tuesday it would back Iraqi government forces advancing toward Tal Afar, about 55 kilometres (34 miles) west of Mosul. Taking Tal Afar would effectively cut off the escape route for militants wanting to head into neighbouring Syria and would please the Iran-backed army of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In the past, the Iran Army has accused the US-led anti-ISIS coalition of planning to allow the jihadists such a safe passage. China said on Wednesday that Japan had acted irresponsibly by withholding its 2016 funding for the UN heritage body UNESCO in a dispute over how the 1937 Nanjing Massacre is remembered. UNESCO had decided last year to include documents about the massacre in its "Memory of the World" program. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the massacre was a serious crime and a historical fact recognized by the international community, and that UNESCO was right to include it in the listing. Ties between China and Japan, the world's second- and third-largest economies, have been plagued with a territorial dispute over a group of tiny East China Sea islets and the legacy of Japan's wartime aggression. The State Comptroller issued a report on Tuesday, which included substantial criticism of several political parties. The report issued fines on several accounts, including political party members and leaders' participation in false bookkeeping, receiving illicit contributions and submitting fictitious travel expenses during the last elections and Knesset session. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Right-wing nationalist party Bayit Yehudi was fined the highest, with NIS 1 million for its conduct over the last three years in the Knesset, and an additional NIS 850,000 for its conduct during the last elections season. State Comptroller Yosef Shapira stressed that "Bayit Yehudi did not include the full extent of its expenses in its accounts, including only improper expenses." State Comptroller Yosef Shapira (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Likud was also fined NIS 850,000 for its conduct during the last elections. Both parties' fines were due to the "National Union Rally" conducted two days prior to the elections. During the rally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bayit Yehudi Leader Naftali Bennett both gave speeches, with Bennett also taking the stage to strum a guitar and sing "Jerusalem of Gold." The comptroller found that both parties "took an active part in the rally, to the point of having it at least somewhat represent them, thus accepting it as illicit contributions." The state comptroller did not, however, find that the "Israel Wants a Change" rally did not count as illicit contributions to the Zionist Union and Meretz, since the politicians belonging to these factions did not speak at the rally. Rather, "they only passively participated, which does not constitute accepting the minor facilities at the rally as a contribution." Bayit Yehudi Leader Naftali Bennett (Photo: Hillel Meir/TPS) The Joint Listwhich includes the Arab parties Balad and Ra'am-Tal, in addition to the Arab-Jewish party Hadashwas also fined NIS 1.23 million. Most of the sum was due to concerns surrounding Balad's spending, which are currently are under police investigation. Shapira found that the party submitted a fictitious expense report on Election Day for 800 km, which he called "unlikely." Additional parties that were fined by the state comptroller were Yisrael Beytenu (fined NIS 195,000) Eli Yishai-led Yachad party (fined NIS 18,000) and Ale Yarok, which promotes the legalization of marijuana (fined NIS 10,000). The report also found that all the factions apart from Ale Yarok finished the elections with a deficit. Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid led the pack with a NIS 16 million deficit, ultra-Orthodox Mizrahi party Shas found itself NIS 11 million in the red, Likud was found to be NIS 10 million in debt, Yisrael Beytenu and Yachad are each indebted to the tune of NIS 8 million, Bayit Yehudi NIS 4 million, Meretz with NIS 3 million and the Zionist Union with NIS 2 million. While he did not fine the factions that ended up in debt, he did caution them to "act with restraint when using government funding given to them and to use it in accordance to the law and its purpose." Bayit Yehudi responded to the comptroller's report, saying, "We're going to thoroughly study the report and draw our conclusions." Likud's legal council Avi Halevi, also responded to the report. "Likud accepts the comptroller's comments and will fully implement them." Halevi also emphasized that the Likud was found to have run its campaign in an appropriate fashion during the last elections. Yesh Atid reacted to the report, saying, "We're very happy that the state comptroller described our conduct during the 2015 elections in a positive light. Yesh Atid has always held itself to the highest standards of governance and proper management." The state comptroller also looked into non-party organizations that were involved in the last elections. The most noted one was V15, which had actively campaigned to replace Netanyahu as prime minister. The V15 headquarters during the 2015 elections (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Though he did not mention V15 by name, Shapira found that such organizations did not act against the law. "None of the evidence brought before me showed a close relationship between non-party bodies and any of the factions, which would imply that this or that body acted as an extension of a certain faction," he wrote. "Political activity or commercial messages calling to replace the government do not constitute propaganda, nor does calling others to vote for different groups, to the effect that constitutes receiving a donation from a non-party body, particularly an illicit donation," added Shapira in his report. Finally, the report examined "whether political content published by certain newspapers constitutes illicit political faction donations. Shapira stated that this is a complex matter that raises such questions as the newsworthiness of an item compared to content labeled as propaganda, the level of connection a certain publication has to a certain party and what would constitute marking an entire publication as an illicit contribution to a certain faction. Shapira admitted that he lacked the necessary tools to determine these dilemmas and recommended that the legislative bodythe Knessetdiscuss the matter at length. Shapira specifically elaborated on the possibility of the government ordering the shut down of a news publication or party funding as unprecedented steps that that require the Knesset's attention. "This subject is so complex, both legally, publicly and practically speaking, that is should be reviewed by the legislator, with particular attention given to core values, in an effort to create the appropriate balance." WASHINGTON The United States expects ISIS to use crude chemical weapons as it tries to repel an Iraqi-led offensive on the city of Mosul, US officials say, although adding that the group's technical ability to develop such weapons is highly limited. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter US forces have begun to regularly collect shell fragments to test for possible chemical agents, given ISIS's use of mustard agent in the months before Monday's launch of the Mosul offensive, one official said. In a previously undisclosed incident, US forces confirmed the presence of a sulfur mustard agent on ISIS munitions fragments on October 5, a second official said. ISIS had targeted local forces, not US or coalition troops. Mosul region (Photo: AFP) US officials do not believe ISIS has been successful so far at developing chemical weapons with particularly lethal effects, meaning that conventional weapons are still the most dangerous threat for advancing Iraqi and Kurdish forcesand any foreign advisers who get close enough. Suburb of Mosul (Photo: AP) Sulfur mustard agents can cause blistering on exposed skin and lungs. At low doses, however, that would not be deadly. Roughly 5,000 US forces are in Iraq. More than 100 of them are embedded with Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces involved with the Mosul offensive, advising commanders and helping them ensure coalition air power hits the right targets, officials said. Still, those forces are not at the front lines, they added. Human shields The fall of Mosul would signal the defeat of the ultra-hardline Sunni jihadists in Iraq but could also lead to land grabs and sectarian bloodletting between groups that fought one another after the 2003 overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Fighting in Mosul X US President Barack Obama estimated on Thursday that perhaps 1 million civilians were still in Mosul, creating a challenge for Iraq and its Western backers trying to expel the group through force. "If we aren't successful in helping ordinary people as they're fleeing from ISIL, then that makes us vulnerable to seeing ISIL return," Obama told reporters in Washington. The International Organization for Migrations Iraq chief, Thomas Weiss, said on Tuesday he expected ISIS militants to use Mosul residents as human shields and lent his voice to concerns about the dangers of chemical agents. ISIS tunnel outside of Mosul (Photo: AP) The IOM had not managed to procure many gas masks yet, despite those risks, Weiss said from Baghdad. "We also fear, and there has been some evidence that ISIL might be using chemical weapons. Children, the elderly, disabled, will be particularly vulnerable, Weiss said. Attacking Iraqi forces are still 20 to 50 km from the city itself, and US officials believe that ISIS is most likely to use chemical weapons later in the campaign, in what could be a difficult, protracted battle. The leader of ISIS was reported to be among thousands of hardline militants still in the city, suggesting the group would go to great lengths to repel the coalition. American officials believe some of ISIS's best fighters are in Mosul. A 32-year-old Turkish citizen who was detained for questioning on September 29 on suspicion of security-related offenses was deported back to Turkey from Israel on Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Orhan Buyruk, a Muslim, worked for a tourism company and allegedly came to Israel for religious reasons and to pray in Jerusalem. Both before and during his visit, he expressed hostile intentions, principally on social media. The Shin Bet thus decided to detain him for investigation. Orhan Buyruk Protest in Istanbul Wednesday (Photo: AFP) Buyruk with Raed Salah As his actions did not go beyond declarations, it was decided that he would not be indicted, and his deportation from Israel was considered sufficient sanction. The Israeli authorities transferred Buyruk to the Turkish Embassy, which sent him home. On his Facebook timeline, he wrote, "I was released after 21 days, and I'm boarding the 10:35 plane. I thank everybody for the support and the prayers." BEIRUT- Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri intends to endorse Michel Aoun for the vacant presidency, senior political sources said, and the Hezbollah ally could be elected head of state later this month. Long an opponent of the Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah, Hariri would become prime minister again under the plan that could reshape Lebanese politics. It has drawn opposition in his party and a final decision has not yet been taken, allies said. The presidency, which is reserved for a Maronite Christian in the country's sectarian power-sharing arrangements, has been vacant for 2 1/2 years due to political conflicts. Aoun, a veteran politician in his 80s, has long coveted the post. GENEVA- A UN humanitarian aid official says a 72-hour pause in fighting between Yemen's warring sides is a welcome first step, but is urging longer-term access. OCHA's Jamie McGoldrick says Yemen's economy has all but collapsed, damage to a key port has hindered deliveries of food, goods and aid, only about half of hospitals are even partially operating and a cholera outbreak that began three weeks ago could spread. With a 72-hour truce to take effect before midnight Wednesday, McGoldrick told reporters in Geneva by phone that OCHA will focus on reaching previously inaccessible "pockets" of the frontline city of Taiz during the truce. An Israeli traveler in his 50s named Ariel Shreibman was killed on Tuesday in the North Indian state of Uttarakhand. The man reportedly died after falling into the Ganges River. His wife and a fellow hiker managed to call for help and report the incident only a day later. The man's body has been found and is in the custody of local police. Israel's Foreign Affairs Ministry is aiding the family during this time. Five residents of the flashpoint Palestinian village of Ni'lin were arrested for shooting at IDF forces on Yom Kippur, October 11, 2016, it was cleared for publication Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter They assailants were arrested in a joint operation conducted by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police just hours after carring out the attack, which concluded with no injuries to IDF forces. IDF returns fire against terrorists shooting at them on Yom Kippur (: ") X In a press release issued by the Shin Bet, the arrested individuals were identified as: Barkat Huajah, 39; Hazme Nefa, 20; Khalil Othman, 23; and Mohammad Huajah, 24. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit Another 16 year old, whose identity was not revealed due to his age, was also involved in the attack. IDF troops working in conjunction with the Shin Bet (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) According to the investigation of the gunmen, it emerged that they acquired their weapon from an arms dealer in the West Bank before carrying out what was intended to be a lethal shooting attack against IDF soldiers. The weapons used in the attack were confiscated during the arrest, along with the car the five suspects used during its execution. By Shivendra Srivastava: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to government of Odisha, over the fire incident, at the SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar. At least, 22 persons were reported dead and many injured on October 17 when a major fire broke out in the SUM Hospital and Medical College in Bhubaneswar. More than 40 patients in critical condition were admitted to different hospitals. advertisement Reportedly, the hospital in question was warned in 2013 for not abiding by the safety measures required but the hospital authorities ignored it. In Odisha, out of 568 hospitals, only three have clearance from the department of fire safety. RIGHT TO LIFE The NHRC has observed that the callous attitude and lapses of the authorities, if any, amount to violation of right to life of the patients. It has expressed shock how the state authorities allowed such a large number of hospitals to function without proper fire safety clearance. Also read: Bhubaneswar hospital fire: CM forms probe panel, Centre promises all help Accordingly, the commission has issued a notice to the government of Odisha, through its chief secretary, calling for a report in the matter within six weeks including the relief and rehabilitation granted to the kin of the deceased and the injured. He has also been asked to inform about the steps/ precautions taken or proposed to be taken by the state government to prevent recurrence of such mishaps. Reportedly, the fire started in the operation theatre of the dialysis ward and spread to the ICU and nearby wards. The state government has ordered a probe and has also declared free treatment to all the injured persons. HEALTH MINISTER TAKES STOCK Union Health Minister JP Nadda visited the SUM Hospital today to take stock of the situation. The minister said the fire incident could have happened because of the safety issues. He added that the faith of people needed to be reposed and the state government should take punitive action in the case. Also read: Odisha fire tragedy: 4 hospital officials arrested, Chief Minister Patnaik orders probe Meanwhile, a protest was held outside the hospital over the fire incident. The protesters demanded Rs 15 lakh compensation and jobs for the victims. --- ENDS --- An Israeli hiker was killed while walking along a cliff next to the Ganges River in northern India on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Ariel Freeman, 50, from Moshav Nir Tzvi, was hiking with his wife and fellow trekkers when the tragedy struck. Those accompanying Freeman were only able to report the incident on Wednesday after they reached an area with cell phone service. Ariel Freeman His body was recovered at the scene, and has been taken to the police station in the town of Uttarkashi. The Israeli Foreign Ministry is assisting the family. The local police reported that this is the second time in two weeks that a foreigner had fallen victim to the treacherous mountainous area while hiking. According to police, a group of five hikers began their journey on Monday and attempted to reach the source of the Ganges Riveran 18 kilometer hike. The group continued on their path into Tuesday after sleeping on the trail. Scene of the tragedy "The accident occurred while he was walking and slipped and fell into a fissure," the incident report said. The travelers were planning to hike to the Gangotri Glacier situated over 4,400 meters above sea level, and use the area as a base from which to hike to Mt. Shivling, amongst other mountains. Ariel Freeman . Many people have died attempting to climb the mountains in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, located on the border with Nepal, falling prey to either falls or altitude sickness. Two Polish mountain climbers died in the area a week ago, and a third is still missing. CAIRO - Egypt's highest court on Wednesday quashed death sentences imposed on 14 Islamists over an attack on a police station in protest at the military's overthrow in 2013 of then-President Mohamed Mursi, the state news agency MENA said. It was the court's latest reversal of many of the hundreds of death sentences imposed on Islamists after the ouster of Mursi, a Muslim Brotherhood member, a crackdown strongly criticised by Western government and human rights groups. In Wednesday's decision, the Court of Cassation accepted appeals from the defendants filed last year against a lower criminal court ruling, and ordered them retried. The court also threw out one 10-year prison term in the same case. NAIROBI- Somali security agents have detained a journalist working for pan-Arab television network Al Jazeera together with his cameraman and their driver and fixer, the Qatari channel said on Wednesday. The detentions come less than a week after the offices of a Somali newspaper were raided and its editor held for three days. Security forces and officials frequently detain or threaten journalists whose coverage has offended them. The Islamist militant group al Shabaab also frequently targets reporters. PARIS- France appeared on Wednesday to accept that it would need to keep thousands of troops in Africa's Sahel region for an indefinite period given the ongoing instability and preponderance of Islamist militants. The region, a politically fragile area whose remote desert spaces spanning from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east host a medley of jihadist groups, is seen as vulnerable to further attacks after strikes on soft targets in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast earlier this year. That has been brought further to light after a spike in violence in northern Mali, where France intervened three years ago to drive out al Qaeda-linked militants who hijacked a rebellion in 2012 by ethnic Tuaregs and attempted to take control of the central government in Bamako. Speaking to lawmakers, Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault sought to reassure regional allies that Paris would not abandon them despite pressure on its military that has seen it increase operations in the Middle East, but also on home soil after a series of Islamist attacks. PRAGUE - Czech police have detained a Russian man wanted in connection with hacking attacks on targets in the United States, police said, without giving further details on what the man is wanted for. The arrest was carried out in cooperation with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Czech courts would decide on whether he will be extradited to the United States, police said late on Tuesday. A US official told Reuters the man was sought in an "older" hacking case and not for recent political hacks in the United States. The US government this month formally accused Russia for the first time of a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organisations ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said a hacking scandal would not be in Russia's interests. The Norwegian military has released pictures taken by surveillance aircraft of a fleet of Russian warships sailing in international waters off the coast of Norway and reported to be heading to Syria. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Photos of the vessels, which include the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and the Pyotr Velikiy battle cruiser, were taken near Andoya island, in northern Norway on Monday. A spokesman for the Norwegian military intelligence service said the country's armed forces frequently releases such footage, while newspaper VG quoted General Morten Haga Lunde, head of the service, as saying the eight ships involved "will probably play a role in the deciding battle for Aleppo". Russia aircraft carrier Admiral Kuzentsov as photographed by the Norwegian military (Photo: EPA) Battle cruiser Pyotr Velikiy as photographed by the Norwegian military (Photo: Reuters) Russia's TASS state news agency said in July, citing a source, that the Admiral Kuznetsov would take part in the Russian operation in Syria from October to January. The warship would carry 15 Su-33 and MIG-29K jet fighters and over 10 Ka-52K, Ka-27 and Ka-31 helicopters, it said. Russia, which has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with an air campaign against the rebels fighting him, including in Aleppo, told the Norwegian armed forces the warships were on their way to the Mediterranean Sea, Norwegian media reported. Russia has a naval base in Arkhangelsk, east of Norway's far north. Russian flotilla allegedly heading to Syria as photographed by the Norwegian military (Photo: Reuters) US asks Norway to station troops Meanwhile, The United States wants to send a 300-strong rotational force of US Marines to Norway, a NATO member that shares a border with Russia in the Arctic. Norwegian Defense Ministry spokesman Lars Gjemble said Wednesday that "a limited rotational US Marine Corps presence in Norway is a possible option currently being considered. Maj. Gen. Niel E. Nelson, the Commander of US Marine Corps Forces in Europe and Africa, confirmed the plans in a statement, adding "it would be premature to discuss possible implementation of such an initiative" before the political process is completed. Norwegian soldiers (Photo: AFP) The rotational force would be based in Vaernes in central Norway. Maj. Richard K. Ulsh, a Germany-based Marine Corps spokesman, said it would be the first time US Marines are stationed in Norway. "It enhances our ability to operate alongside the Norwegian Armed Forces during training events and exercises," he said. The United States started rotating troops through Eastern Europe after Moscow's intervention in Ukraine 2014. Some NATO allies neighboring Russia, including the Baltic countries, have asked for a permanent presence of US troops. JUBA- The monitor of South Sudan's peace deal is reporting "near-daily violations" of the cease-fire and says fighting could "trigger an uncontrolled escalation of violence." Festus Mogae said Wednesday that both sides have perpetrated "egregious violations of human rights" including gang rape and killing of civilians. UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous this week told the UN Security Council behind closed doors that South Sudan's government is delaying "as much as possible" the deployment of an additional 4,000 peacekeepers. Ladsous also called for an arms embargo, saying "the economy is bankrupt, yet money is spent on arms" and calling it unacceptable. MINSK- Minsk has emerged as the main contender to host the 2019 edition of the troubled European Games. In comments reported by state news agency Belta, Belarusian National Olympic Committee vice president Maxim Ryzhenkov said "our European partners are very interested in the second European Games taking place in Belarus." The comments came ahead of a meeting of the European Olympic Committees in Minsk this week. The former Soviet republic of Belarus, which has been ruled by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko for more than two decades, could be a controversial choice as host nation because of its record on human rights. Tens of thousands of people gathered at the Western Wall throughout the day Wednesday in what appeared to be defiant display of rejection against UNESCOs Tuesday adoption of a resolution which Israel says denies the deep historic Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The deluge of attendants packed the holy site to its parameters as worshippers sought to participate in the traditional annual blessings given by the high priests during Chol Hamoedthe interim period between Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Priestly blessing at the Kotel on Chol Hamoed X Jews gather for the priestly blessings at the Kotel (Photo: Police Spokesperson's Unit) The celebratory prayer services, which was attended by Israels chief rabbis, took place in particularly enthusiastic fashion as participants demonstrated their disregard for the UNESCO resolution which failed to acknowledge a Jewish connection to the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem by exclusively using the its Islamic appellation. Old City and the holy sites (Photo: Police Spokesperson's Unit) Israel's Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau told Ynet that, contrary to the implicit conclusions of the resolution about Israel's non-existent ties with the holy sites in the Old City, the flocking of thousands of Jews to the Western Wall was illustrative of the reality of the firmly entrenched Jewish roots and its undeniable presence. Photo: Eli Mendelbaum UNESCO can decide what it wants, but the reality is that the nation of Israel comes and votes with its feet and is here. We all look forward to the priestly blessings which conclude with the words, peace in your name (and we hope it) will come about swiftly for the entire world, Rabbi Lau said. Witnessing the gigantic turnout, Western Wall and Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz could also hardly resist expressing his contempt for UNESCOs decision. Sukkot is a festival of solidarity and there is no greater happiness than the solidarity of Israel, he declared. We see this wonderful solidarity today, which transcends (political) camps and ethnicity, all across the Western Wall plaza and this is our answer to UNESCO. Anyone who doubts our connection with the Kotel or the Temple Mount should see the thousands who have gathered here today. This is the answer to the delusional decision. Thousands of women demonstrated for peace outside the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening at an event entitled the "March of Hope." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The women called on both the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships to take steps to reach a diplomatic agreement. Hadassah Froman, the widow of Rabbi Menachem Froman, and her daughter-in-law Michal Froman, who was wounded in a stabbing attack in 2015, attended the rally. Hadassah Froman and her daughter-in-law (Photo: Amit Shabi) "There is a lot of energy which will lead us on a new pathmaybe even to change. I hope that it will be possible to see the connections and to see what can be done to create a solution," Froman said. Michal attended the rally with her baby daughter. "I believe that the peace we want will happen, and that it will come after we see what is possible and what is definitely not possible. Even the right-wing will work with us towards peace," she said. Sign reads: Rightist, Centrists, and Leftists want a politcal agreement (Photo: Amit Shabi) "Life will be possible for us here only if we stop being victims of terror, of the occupation. We all need to rise up and begin to work very hard for the sake of our lives here," she continued She went on to say that "death only goes in one direction. To choose life is to choose to understand how complicated life is here, and while it is of utmost importance to defend life, it is also important to fully understand the hardships, and to find a way to lend a helping hand. Life here, in this land, will be possible only if we stop blaming each other, only if we stop being victims." The women have marched in different places throughout Israel with people from every sector of Israeli society. Thousands of women marching to Qasr al-Yahud on the border between Isral and Jordan (Photo: Women Wage Peace) They held a multi-faith prayer service at Qasr al-Yahud on the Israel-Jordan border in which 1,000 Palestinian women participated, along with hundreds of Jordanian women on the other side of the border. Head of the Peace Authorities in the Middle East Huda abu al-Arkub from Hebron called for a political agreement between the two sides. At the Jerusalem rally, she said "you have a partner. I'm standing here with Women Wage Peace to say loudly and strongly on behalf of the women of the region: enough! No more war, no more bloodshed, and no more discrimination. No more separation barriers between us!" "The time has come for mutual recognition of our rights to live as free people in the Holy Land. The time has come for our hope to bring us closer to a safer future, so that the next generation of Jews and Palestinians will be able to use their full potential as free people," she continued. "I am here today to tell you that there is indeed a partner for peace. So let us be done with this myth." Participants included, among others, Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee who helped work for an end to the civil war in her native Liberia, head of the Eshkol Regional Council Gadi Yarkoni and former mayor of the Israeli-Arab city of Sakhnin Mazen Ghanim. The world's largest Sukkah was erected at the end of the rally, wrapped in a quilt with thousands of patches expressing hope for a better future. Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee was rushed to a city nursing home where doctors said he had sustained an orbital injury in a facial bone below the eye. The Chief Minister has ordered a Criminal Investigation Department probe on whether there was any foul play. By Indo-Asian News Service: Trinamool Congress MP and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee was seriously injured on Tuesday when his car met with an accident on the Durgapur Expressway in Hooghly district, police said. Abhishek was rushed to a city nursing home where doctors said he had sustained an orbital injury in a facial bone below the eye. The Chief Minister has ordered a Criminal Investigation Department probe on whether there was any foul play. advertisement Former minister Manas Bhunia, who was part of the convoy but in another vehicle, was safe. CAR UPTURNED AND HIT A DIVIDER Abhishek's car hit the crane of a van towing a snag-hit milk van at Ratanpur, about six km from Singur, when the TMC leader was returning to Kolkata after attending a party programme in Baharampur in Murshidabad district, police said. Trinamool leader Becharam Manna said Avishek's car upturned and hit a divider after the accident. "He is stable, but obviously there is cause for worry because in such cases there may be complications at a later stage," said attending doctor Subir Mondal. "There is no head injury. All his vital parameters are OK. We have done bone and brain scans. But nothing was found. We have to go for repeat tests," Mondal told the media. A 14-member medical team comprising internal medicine and eye specialists, surgeons, neurosurgeon, neurologist and maxilo-facial surgeon has been formed for his treatment. The doctor said no major fracture was diagnosed but he needed to be kept under medical observation. Mamata Banerjee, known for her fondness forAbhishek, rushed to the nursing home. "She was talking to the doctors, and also his nephew," said a nursing home official, Senior Trinamool leaders also reached the health facility to ask after the TMC leader, who represents Diamond Harbour constituency in the 16th Lok Sabha. ALSO READ: Congress faces crisis of survival in Bengal as 2 more MLAs join Trinamool FIR against Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee for making 'gouge out eyes' remark --- ENDS --- MAPUTO- The Mozambique government and opposition party Renamo have resumed despite the Oct. 9 killing of a senior Renamo official by unidentified gunmen, the state news agency AIM said on Wednesday. The death of Jeremias Pondeca, a member of the Joint Commission set up to find ways to overcome a standoff between the government and Renamo over a range of issues, cast a cloud over the negotiations. AIM said the talks, which were originally supposed to have resumed on Monday, did so on Tuesday after a minute's silence for Pondeca. The commission has so far reached no definitive agreement on any of the matters on its agenda, including Renamo's demands for six provincial governors and the inclusion of its militia in the army and police. LAGOS- Emirates airline and Kenya Airways are halting flights to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, where airlines have been cutting back because of difficulties as the country is entrenched in recession. The airlines will continue flights to Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. This comes after United Airline and Iberia pulled out of Nigeria in August, when the government owed international airlines $600 million in sales blocked by a chronic foreign currency shortage caused by slumped oil prices. In September, two Nigerian airlines suspended operations. Emirates said Wednesday the airline is suspending flights from Abuja to Dubai on Oct. 30. Kenya Airways is stopping Abuja-Nairobi flights Nov. 15. NEW YORK- The New York Times has named Arthur Gregg "A.G." Sulzberger as deputy publisher, setting him up to take over for his father, publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. If made publisher, the 36-year-old Sulzberger would be the latest in a long line of family overseers. A.G. Sulzberger's great-great-grandfather took over The Times in 1896, and the family controls the influential paper through a special class of shares. The change comes as the newspaper industry is struggling to adapt to readers' migration online, which has caused print ad revenue to crater. The New York Times has tried to counter that decline by focusing on growing its digital-only subscriptions. The younger Sulzberger, who joined The Times in 2009 after working for Rhode Island and Oregon newspapers, has worked on the editorial side of the paper as a reporter and editor and has also led a team that studied how to tackle the digital transformation. CAIRO- Egypt's government has formed a cabinet-level committee that will determine how much profit can be made from the sale of essential goods, but will not set prices, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said on Wednesday. Egyptians have complained of shortages and rising prices of basic food items in the past few months, due in part to a shortage of hard currency in the country. The committee will "devise the proper mechanisms" for setting profit margins for sales of basic goods and products both local and imported, the government said in a decree signed by the prime minister and seen by Reuters. It did not specify what the mechanisms would be. The government did not identify which goods would be covered although rice, sugar and wheat are among goods considered essential in Egypt. The US expressed its support for Israeli far-left wing organization B'tselem once again during a special session at the UN Security Council on Wednesday as the council discussed the situation in the Middle East. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Deputy US Ambassador to the UN David Pressman said that he thanks the NGOs which "shared their expertise in changes to zoning laws in Israel and the West Bank." He called on all governments to "promote an atmosphere whereby all voices can be heard." Israeli Ambassador Danny Dannon speaking at the UN X Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Dannon ealier called on the UN to stop funding the organization. In 2016 three UN agencies provided funding for Btselem. This is no coincidence. It is part of a cynical cycle in which the UN funds Btselem and similar organizations who have a particular political agenda. They are then invited to provide so-called expert testimony. This is a direct interference in our democratic process by anti-Israel elements here at the UN. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Dannon (Photo: UN Photo) This isn't the first time that the US has expressed its support of B'tselem. In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth Vasquez said that the US is grateful to NGOs such as Btselem and the Peace Now organizationanother left-leaning organization which aims to raise international public awareness about the construction of Israeli settlementswhich was also invited to the session. I wont respond to everything that was said, said Vasquez when asked to clarify the states position on the matter. In general, we believe that a free civil society free of inhibitions is a central component of democracy. The UN Security Council held a special session at the behest of the Palestinians on the subject of the Israeli settlements. Israeli left-wing NGO B'tselem was invited by the Security Council to speak at the council condemning Israel over settlement activities. UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov opened up the session by discussing the latest terror attacks in Israel. B'tselem Head Hagi Elad "If the Palestinians want to establish a state and put an end to the occupation, they must understand that it won't be done through violence, only through negotiations," he said. Mladenov also touched on the subject of Amona saying "Israel is continuing to plan settlements, including giving advanced approval for housing units deep inside the Occupied West Bank. These housing units will separate the northern and southern West Bank, and provide a barrier for the establishment of a future Palestinian state." UNITED NATIONS- The Palestinians urged the UN Security Council on Wednesday to adopt a resolution with serious measures to compel Israel to halt all settlement activities and threatening "consequences" if it continues to violate international law. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, told the council Wednesday that an Israeli cessation of all settlement activities and an end to its nearly 50-year occupation of Palestinian territory "are imperative for realizing a just, lasting, comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli peace." Mansour has been sounding out the 15 council members on a new settlements resolution and he is expected to report to the Arab Ministerial Committee which is expected to meet in Cairo before the end of the month to decide on next steps. Israel's Ambassador Danny Danon made no mention of settlements and instead excoriated the UN for its anti-Israel bias. Actor-turned-writer Twinkle Khanna has some interesting things to say about Karva Chauth. By India Today Web Desk: What's the point of fasting on Karva Chauth? Oh no, we are not asking you that, Twinkle Khanna is. And she has a point for it too. The witty Mrs Funnybones author shared her thoughts on Karva Chauth with the world later last night. Looks like she thinks there no point fasting for men after all, since most people these days are already heading for their second marriages by the time they hit 40. advertisement Again, we aren't saying so. She is. These days by 40 u could be on the way to your 2nd marriage so what's the point of fasting-don't need the men to last that long anymore:) Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) October 19, 2016 Also read: Why I don't want women to stop Karva Chauth That's not all. Twinkle had a few more reasons as to why people should buy into the scheme of fasting to lengthen their spouse's lives: That is a possibility-so I checked longevity records-100 countries where men without anyone fasting for them live longer than Indian men:) https://t.co/rBspyZDzni Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) October 19, 2016 --- ENDS --- 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. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun The RBA has previously warned that the massive number of inner city apartments approaching completion could send some of their developers broke and leave banks nursing big losses. The bank isolated the inner city market, with only a total of 38,000 apartments due for completion in the next three years. However, according to CoreLogic data released last May, the estimated number of apartments due for completion in the whole Brisbane-Melbourne-Sydney market was over 200,000 in the next two years. This is five times higher than the RBAs inner city estimate. While its true that the inner city is a tougher area, particularly in Melbourne and Brisbane, you must look at the total city apartment exposure to understand the magnitude of the problem, wrote Robert Gottliebsen in his business column in The Australian. The Reserve Bank further estimated a total bank exposure of between $30 billion and $50 billion to the three-city inner city mortgage market, which is around 2% to 5% of the banks total exposure. But since these only apply to the inner city market, it is clear that mortgage exposure is substantially greater than the said figures. The inner cities are just about one-fifth of the total market. We are looking at a possible exposure of between $55 billion and $60 billion, or the vast bulk of the banks residential development lending, wrote Gottliebsen. If one major developer goes to the wall, then we will see a disaster and bank losses will be large. According to the August 2016 housing finance data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, mortgage borrowing from owner-occupier comprised of $1.8 billion for dwellings construction, $1 billion for purchase of new dwellings, $6.4 billion for refinancing of established dwellings, and $10.2 billion for purchase of established dwellings. Though refinancing and purchase of established dwellings have trended lower over recent months, CoreLogic head of research Cameron Kusher believes that refinance activity will increase over the coming months. As for the $11.9 billion in investor mortgage lending, it was split between $0.9 billion in construction lending and $11.1 billion for established housing. Although investment demand is lifting, it is not expected to lift to the substantial levels recorded earlier in the current housing cycle, said Kusher. The fading demand from owner-occupiers reflects that many have already upgraded or downgraded in the current cycle. Video footage of the incident showed Supriyo standing on the footboard of a vehicle and a stone landing on his chest. By PTI: Union Minister Babul Supriyo was on Wednesday attacked with bricks allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists here when he was on way to a police station to stage a protest against the arrest of some BJP workers. "I was going to the police station to secure release of some of my partymen. I was hit with bricks and windowpanes of my car were damaged by TMC workers," Supriyo, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, alleged. advertisement "They also showed black flags. I don't know why the police allowed the mob to come near my car," he said. Video footage of the incident showed Supriyo standing on the footboard of a vehicle and a stone landing on his chest. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sources said the Union minister received injuries in the attack. L N Meena, police commissioner of Durgapur-Asansol, said BJP supporters had planned to 'gherao' the house of TMC leader and minister Malay Ghatak situated in the Asansol Uttar Police Station area when the trouble began. According to sources, BJP workers were prevented from moving towards the residence of Ghatak which prompted them to proceed towards the Asansol Dakshin Police Station. A clash ensued between the supporters of the BJP and the TMC when the saffron party workers were proceeding for the protest. In all 57 persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, Meena said. Affirming that that they have the right to stage protests, Supriyo claimed BJP workers were beaten up by the TMC men. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said his party had yesterday protested against cow smuggling in the area when they were beaten up by TMC workers. Some BJP workers were also allegedly picked up by the police whose release Supriyo wanted to secure. Local TMC leader Shivdasan said the BJP workers should have lodged protest with the administration instead of deciding to hold an agitation in front of the minister's house. --- ENDS --- VILLANOVA, Pa. Three Villanova University professors have received grants from the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program to support their research and teaching. Adriano Duque and Irene Kan from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Tuan Samahon from the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law were each awarded 2016-17 Fulbright U.S. Scholar grants by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), marking the second consecutive year that three Villanova faculty members received the honor. Each year the Core Fulbright Scholar Program offers more than 500 teaching, research or combination teaching/research awards in over 125 countries. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement as well as a record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields. At Villanova, we pride ourselves on having faculty who are true teacher-scholarsdedicated to excellence in both teaching and research, said Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD, Provost of Villanova University. The consistent success of Villanova faculty in this prestigious, national program speaks volumes about the strength of our academic programs and our longstanding commitment to exceptional teaching and scholarship. Duque, an associate professor in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures has been awarded a research grant to study Muslim-Christian relations in Morocco. He will spend January through August 2017 at Abdelmalek Essaadi University-Tetouan, conducting research for his project titled: Celebrating John the Baptist: Shared Saint Veneration Among Muslims and Christians in Morocco. Kan, a professor of Psychology, was selected for a Fulbright Scholar Award at the University of Toronto, Ontario (Fall 2016) and a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair award at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta (Spring 2017). While in Toronto, she will be collaborating with scientists at the University of Toronto and the Rotman Research Institute, examining the cognitive architecture and neural bases of human memory. At the University of Lethbridge, Kan will work with researchers at the Department of Neuroscience and the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, investigating the neural underpinnings of cognitive control and memory monitoring processes. Samahon, a professor and scholar in the areas of constitutional law and federal courts, will serve as a Fulbright scholar with the law faculty at the University of Zagreb in Croatia. He teaches and writes about separation of powers and governmental accountability at the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. While in Croatia, Samahon will teach a seminar in spring 2017 on comparative approaches to public administrative law, with an emphasis on transparency. Last year, Susan Mackey-Kallis (Communication) and Paul Steege (History) from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Kim Cahill from the Villanova School of Business were named Fulbright Scholars. For more on the Fulbright Scholars program, click here. The Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), the scholar division of the Institute of International Education (IIE), is well known for its expertise and extensive experience in conducting international exchange programs for scholars and university administrators. For nearly seventy years, CIES (www.cies.org) has administered the Fulbright Scholar Program, the United States flagship academic exchange effort, on behalf of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova Universitys Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six collegesthe College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nations top universities, Villanova supports its students intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu. Ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh elections, Rajnath Singh and several other union ministers met IAS probationers in the state. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Months ahead of crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and 11 top union ministers, mostly belonging to poll bound state met 35 IAS officers from UP Cadre, leaving the opposition fuming. The opposition was quick to accuse the BJP of attempting to influence bureaucracy before the polls. Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi told India Today, "The central government has only elections in sight. I have never heard of such a meeting before. It is unhealthy practice. The Election Commission of India should take note." advertisement AIMIM Chief Asauddin Owaisi tweeted "Hope eci will take note,", referring to the Election Commission of India. While Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said "Uttar Pradesh is one of the biggest state. It is important that Centre takes initiative like this. The opposition tries to see politics in everything. It need not be seen through the prism of politics alone." Also read: SP on verge of split? Akhilesh to start UP campaign with Rath Yatra, likely to miss party's silver jubilee celebration CENTRE TO MEET MORE CADRES When asked as to why only UP cadre officers were chosen, not the overall cadre, She defended the government saying " We will be meeting other cadres as well, but in time." Besides Patel, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Balyan, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, MoS Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and MoS Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi were present in the interaction. According to a high level source present in the meeting, Rajnath Singh reportedly gave a 'pep talk'. Addressing the probationers of 2014 batch, Singh said, "Most valuable thing you have is your reputation. Don't think if you go to place A from place B, people in place A won't know what you did in place B. Your reputation will travel faster." implying reputation of an officer precedes him/her. Also read: Will BJP's reliance on Modi backfire in UP elections? SHOW SENSITIVITY TO ARMED FORCES Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar said the IAS Officer being the steward of administration in the district, should always show concern to the interests of poor people. He asked them to show sensitivity to issues of the Armed Forces personnel and Ex-Servicemen. But Opposition leaders questioned the timing of the interaction as several young IAS officers serve as returning officers during elections. Also Read: BJP sounds poll bugle in Uttar Pradesh without chief ministerial face, PM Modi to lead rallies The meeting took place in north block. IAS officer cadre controlling authority is Department of Personnel, which also functions from north block was however not part of this meeting. --- ENDS --- San Francisco, Four teenage students have been shot in the shared parking lot of two San Francisco high schools, and one of the students is in critical condition, authorities said. The shooting occurred as students were moving out of school for the day from the June Jordan School for Equity and City Arts and Technology High School, which share a campus, San Francisco Police Officer Carlos Manfredi said yesterday. Three of the victims ran inside the school, and police initially ordered students to stay in place until police searched each room and determined it was not an active shooter situation. A fourth victim hurt in the shooting went to a hospital, Manfredi said. "One female victim has life-threatening injuries to her upper torso," he said. Four male suspects wearing dark hoodies and jeans were seen running away from the area, Manfredi said. The shooters seemed to have targeted the female student, said Karwin Sui, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Unified School District. The United States has welcomed the Indian government's decision to lift restrictions from some NGOs, saying the move will strengthen civil society in the country. By PTI: The United States has welcomed the Indian government's recent decision to lift restrictions from some NGOs, saying the move will strengthen civil society in the country. "We certainly would welcome and do welcome any actions by governments that support and strengthen civil society. I'd refer you to the Government of India with respect to any specific actions that have been taken regarding the NGOs in India," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said yesterday. advertisement WANT A HEALTHY CIVIL SOCIETY IN INDIA: US "But we want to see a strong and healthy civil society throughout the world. And that certainly extends to India, which is a strong democracy," he said. Also read: Obama's successor should meet Modi within first 100 days: US think tank "We believe that a strong and vibrant civil society only strengthens that democracy," he added. Toner said the US supports the very good work of many of these NGOs that they play in strengthening civil society. But it is a for the Government of India to work with them with regard to taxes and other regulations that te NGOs need to comply with on ground. US SUPPORTS NGOs "We are very clear not just with respect to India, but with many countries around the world, about our support for NGOs and the important role that they play in any democratic society. Also read: Centre going easy? After cancelling license of 10,000 NGOs last year, only 1 banned this year "And in so far as we push for a more welcoming environment for these NGOs to work in, thats just the way we work," the deputy spokesman said. --- ENDS --- Buenos Aires: The brutal killing of a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and impaled on a spike by drug dealers has sparked outrage in Argentina, where protesters plan a "women`s strike" Wednesday. Lucia Perez, a high school student in the resort city of Mar del Plata, died on October 8 after being brought to the hospital by two men who said she had overdosed on drugs. But after doctors noticed signs of violent sexual penetration, investigators pieced together a different story. Prosecutors say the two men drugged, raped and impaled her through the anus, causing pain so excruciating that she went into cardiac arrest and died. The lead prosecutor, Maria Isabel Sanchez, could barely hide her disgust. "I know it`s not very professional to say it, but I`m a mother and a woman, and I`ve seen a thousand things in my career, but nothing equal to this litany of abhorrent acts," she said. The killing is just the latest incident of horrific gender violence in Argentina, which has seen more than a year of mass marches to protest brutality against women. Last year in June, protests broke out nationwide over a trio of gruesome killings: a kindergarten teacher whose estranged husband slit her throat in front of her class; a 14-year-old girl whose boyfriend allegedly beat her to death because she got pregnant; and a woman whose ex-boyfriend stabbed her to death in broad daylight at a Buenos Aires cafe. In the latest protest, 50 activist groups have called on women across the country to go on "strike" at 1:00 pm (1400 GMT), taking to the streets dressed in black. One organizer, Sabrina Cartabia, said the goal was to protest not only Perez`s killing, but a culture that values women less than men. That is visible in statistics such as the unemployment rate, she said: 9.3 percent nationally, but 12 percent for women. "In a context of social insecurity, with children to care for and no access to economic autonomy, it`s much more difficult to overcome domestic violence," said Cartabia, a lawyer for an advocacy group called the Women`s Network.Perez met her alleged killers a day before her death, when she and a friend approached them to buy a marijuana joint, prosecutors say. The men -- Matias Farias, 23, and Juan Pablo Offidiani, 41 -- were known for selling drugs near her school and had prior convictions. Investigators say they forced Perez to consume a large amount of cocaine to incapacitate her, then had a violent orgy with her. "Her nose was purple from all the cocaine they made her take," said her father, Guillermo. "We can`t understand such barbarity. It`s impossible to understand," said her mother, Marta Montero. Together, the couple led a protest Saturday in Mar del Plata that drew 1,000 people demanding the judge deny bail for the alleged killers.Despite the protest -- and a long string of others in recent months -- at least four other women in Argentina have been killed by their husbands or exes since Perez`s death. Nationally, domestic violence kills one woman every 36 hours on average. Argentina is one of 16 Latin American countries that have written the crime of "femicide" into their penal codes, setting down harsher punishments for the killing of a woman by a man when gender plays a part in the crime. But the authorities are not doing enough, argued Cartabia, who says Argentine society needs a wake-up call on women`s vulnerable place within it. A decade ago, the activist said, women who suffered domestic abuse took six years to report it on average. "Today, that average has gone down -- by one year," she said. Quito: Ecuador said on Tuesday it had cut the internet access of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is holed up at its London embassy, due to leaks by the anti-secrecy website that could impact the US election. "The government of Ecuador respects the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other states. It does not interfere in external electoral processes, nor does it favor any particular candidate," the Ecuadoran Foreign Ministry said in a statement. In consequence, the ministry said, it decided to "temporarily restrict" communications at the embassy. WikiLeaks has published a damaging trove of hacked e-mails from US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton`s campaign in recent weeks. On Monday, it accused Ecuador of cutting off Assange`s Internet communications at the behest of US Secretary of State John Kerry. The United States denied the allegation. "Reports that Secretary Kerry had conversations with Ecuadorian officials about this are simply untrue. Period," State Department spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday. Ecuador also implicitly denied the claim in its statement. "Ecuador`s foreign policy responds to sovereign decisions alone and does not yield to pressure from other states," it said. Ecuador reaffirmed its decision to grant Assange asylum, and said the restriction on communications at its embassy did not hinder WikiLeaks itself. "This temporary restriction does not prevent the WikiLeaks organization from carrying out its journalistic activities," it said. Assange fled to Ecuador`s London embassy in June 2012. The 45-year-old Australian is fighting extradition to Sweden to face a rape accusation. He denies the allegation and says he fears Sweden wants to hand him over to the United States to face trial for the leaking of hundreds of thousands of classified US military and diplomatic documents in 2010. Washington: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's ugly and acrimonious battle for the White House is barreling toward the end, with the candidates taking the debate stage tonight for one final primetime showdown. For Trump, the debate is perhaps his last opportunity to turn around a race that appears to be slipping away from him. His predatory comments about women and a flood of sexual assault accusations have deepened his unpopularity with women and limited his pathways to victory. His supporters remain intensely loyal, but there are few signs he's attracting the new backers he desperately needs. Clinton takes the stage facing challenges of her own. While the electoral map currently leans in her favour, the Democrat is facing a new round of questions about her authenticity and trustworthiness, concerns that have trailed her throughout the campaign. The hacking of her top campaign adviser's emails revealed a candidate that is averse to apologizing, can strike a different tone in private than in public, and makes some decisions only after painstaking political deliberations. The last in a trio of presidential debates, tonight's contest in Las Vegas comes just under three weeks from Election Day and with early voting already underway in several key battleground states. Trump has leaned on an increasingly brazen strategy in the campaign's closing weeks, including peddling charges that the election will be rigged, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud in US presidential contests. He's also charged that Clinton attacked and intimidated women involved with her husband's affairs, bringing three women who accused former President Bill Clinton of unwanted sexual contact and even rape to sit in the audience for the second debate. The former president has never been charged with crimes related to the encounters, though he did settle a sexual harassment lawsuit. Trump is bringing President Barack Obama's half-brother, Malik Obama, as his debate guest. Clinton is bringing billionaire and frequent Trump critic Mark Cuban and Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman, one of the former secretary of state's highest-profile Republican backers. Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said the Democratic nominee "will be ready for whatever scorched-earth tactics (Trump) tries" in tonight's debate. Republicans desperately hope Trump can close the campaign by focusing on Clinton's weaknesses, a strategy some privately concede may not be enough at this point for him to win, but could help Republican Senate candidates salvage their races. The businessman has shown flashes of renewed focus in recent days, including highlighting a senior State Department official's request that the FBI help reduce the classification of an email from Clinton's private server. It was to be part of a bargain that would have allowed the FBI to deploy more agents in foreign countries, though it was not immediately clear whether the State Department official or someone at the FBI first raised that prospect. Washington: Ivanka Trump finally broke silence on on the 2005 tape in which Donald trump made sexually aggressive remarks about women, and said that the comments were "clearly inappropriate and offensive." "My father's comments were clearly inappropriate and offensive and I'm glad that he acknowledged this fact with an immediate apology to my family and the American people," CNN quoted Trump's eldest daughter as saying in a statement. She added that her "greatest comfort" is that she knows her father while "most of the people who write about him don't". This gives her the ability to "shrug off" reports she knows are wrong. Ivanka also said that media often refers to her as Trump's 'surrogate wife' which was a "deeply offensive" thing to say. Her statement comes the same day as Melania Trump, who defended her husband and called those accusations "lies" and that Trump was "egged on" into "boy talk". She also said she never heard her husband use that kind of language before. The tape in which Trump bragged about sexually aggressive behaviour toward women was published by The Washington Post and NBC on October 8. Several women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct since then. New York: A closed Catholic church in the US state of Pennsylvania has been sold to a Muslim cultural group for nearly two million dollars to clear debts, a media report said today. The Immaculate Conception BVM Church, situated in Bristol township in Bucks county, was sold for USD 1,775,000 on Friday to the United American Muslim Society (UAMS) of Brooklyn, LevittownNow.Com reported. The money from the sale will go to pay down a debt of USD 704,997 for Immaculate Conception and USD 258,042 for Queen of the Universe, Catholic community. The remaining funds will go to parish savings, Archdiocese of Philadelphia spokesman Ken Gavin was quoted as saying by the report. The church, which closed on January 1, was merged with the Queen of the Universe Parish in 2014. The announcement of the sale was made during weekend masses was "positively received by parishioners", Gavin said. United American Muslim Society is the parent corporation for the Turkish-American Muslim Cultural Association on Levittown Parkway where they are based since 1991. "They are widely known as people of faith, family, prayer and education in the moral life for their children and the families of Bristol Township," Gavin added. Erbil, Iraq: Islamic State has 5,000 to 6,000 fighters defending the city of Mosul against an offensive by Iraqi forces, the head of Iraq`s special forces Lieutenant General Talib Shaghati said on Wednesday. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday announced the start of an offensive on the northern city, the last major stronghold of the militants in Iraq, with the backing of a U.S. led coalition. "Intelligence information indicates that there are 5,000 to 6,000 Daesh fighters," Shaghati told a news conference near Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region east of Mosul, using an Arabic acronym of Islamic State. Riyadh: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday executed a member of the royal family for murder, in a rare case involving one of the thousands of members of the House of Saud. Prince Turki bin Saud al-Kabir was put to death in the capital Riyadh for shooting dead Adel al-Mahemid, a Saudi, during a brawl, the interior ministry said in a statement. Kabir was the 134th local or foreigner put to death this year, according to an AFP tally of ministry statements. The Arab News reported in November 2014 that a court in Riyadh sentenced an unnamed prince to death for killing his friend. He lost his life and another person was injured in anSa exchange of gunfire following a dispute at a camp on the edge of Riyadh in December 2012, the newspaper said. Desert camps are popular gathering places for Saudis. When the killer realised that his victim was a friend and colleague, he informed the police, the Arab News said. The sentence reflected the kingdom's "fair justice system," Arab News quoted the victim's uncle Abdul Rahman al-Falaj as saying. Most people put to death in Saudi Arabia are beheaded with a sword. Saudi Arabia has a strict Islamic legal code under which murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape and apostasy are all punishable by death. Amnesty International says the kingdom carried out at least 158 death sentences in 2015, making it the third most prolific executioner after Iran and Pakistan. Amnesty's figures do not include secretive China. Murder and drug trafficking cases account for the majority of Saudi executions, although 47 people were put to death for "terrorism" on a single day in January. Rights experts have raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom but the government says the death penalty is a deterrent. New Delhi/Guwahati: Fed up with the "betrayal" by the BJP, major Bodo groups in Assam are determined to go ahead with a 12-hour railway blockade on October 24 to revive the demand for a separate Bodoland state and "expose" the party that rules in the state and Centre. The strike is being spearheaded by the National Democratic Front of Bodo (Progressive), in collaboration with the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) and People's Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement. The Bodo groups say their faith in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to resolve the Bodoland issue was "misplaced" and they only got "false assurances" from the party -- during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the 2016 state elections. The Bodos - Assam's biggest tribal community -- claim the BJP is not even ready to discuss the issue of Bodoland any more. Bodo leaders claim they were rebuffed by BJP leaders whenever they tried to approach them in the past one year. "Before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Rajnath Singh (then BJP president) had assured us that the Bodo issue would be resolved if the Bodos support the BJP. The party fed us with false promises. The thousands of cadre of Bodo militant groups, who gave up arms thinking they would get to realise the dream of Bodoland under the BJP, are now getting increasingly frustrated," Promod Bodo, president ABSU, told IANS. "We have been betrayed, discriminated against, exploited and deprived by the BJP at the Centre, and at the regional level we have been suppressed and oppressed by the Assam government, though our party is part of the ruling coalition. The BJP is playing a game of political hegemony in the state. But we will do everything to achieve Bodoland," he said. Bodo said his community is struggling to preserve its culture and identity. The demand for Bodoland started in 1967. The struggle became an armed conflict after the formation of the Bodo Security Force, a militant group later rechristened NDFB. Currently, two factions of the NDFB -- NDFB (P) led by Gobinda Basumatary and NDFB led by Ranjan Daimary -- are in peace talks with the Centre, while NDFB (S) led by Songibijit I.K. is against holding talks with the Indian government under the Constitutional framework. The Songibijit faction was responsible for the recent killing of 14 civilians in an attack in Assam's Kokrajhar district, that also left 20 injured. The Bodo groups remained silent during the last couple of years waiting for the BJP to act on its assurance. The Bodo groups have decided to resort to a railway blockade on October 24, and are promising more severe measures of protest to make the government heed their demand. Asked if the Bodo community was divided over the Bodoland issue, Promod Bodo denied any differences. He said the Bodo community was united and even the NDFB (S) was ready to join the negotiations if the government had a "proper policy" to resolve the Bodoland issue. Gobinda Basumatary, General Secretary of NDFB (Progressive), told IANS: "We have been betrayed and exploited by the BJP. When the elections came in 2014, the BJP sought our support and assured us a small state within India. We supported the BJP and they came to power. But, in the last two years no talks on the statehood issue were held." Basumatary, the first NDFB militant to give up arms and join the peace process, said during his three meetings with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and more than seven meetings with his deputy Kiren Rijiju over the past two years, there was no response to their demand for a separate state. Another key NDFB leader, Ranjan Daimary, who has joined the peace process, has declined to join the revival plan for Bodoland. He feels that actively participating in the statehood agitation now would hamper the peace process. "After declaration of the ceasefire on August 1, 2011, we entered into formal ceasefire on November 23, 2013, and since then we have been holding talks with the government. We support the movement for Bodoland led by ABSU, but right now we are not involved directly as we are engaged in political dialogue," Daimary told IANS. Chennai: Tamil Nadu's Finance Minister and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's close confidant O Panneerselvam on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the state cabinet in the absence of the AIADMK chief who is currently under treatment at the Apollo Hospital here. Panneerselvam, who has been given additional charge of Jayalalithaa's eight departments, will hold cabinet meetings while she is in hospital in the days to come. The state cabinet's key agenda today was a discussion on the state's Cauvery waters row with neighbour Karnataka amid calls from the opposition for a meeting of all political parties on the issue. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam reaches Tamil Nadu Secretariat, to chair Cabinet meeting, today pic.twitter.com/6wBB9geCfY ANI (@ANI_news) October 19, 2016 Meanwhile, there was no update on the Chief Minister's health for the eighth consecutive day. Ever since Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospital on September 22, the hospital has been issuing a medical bulletin about her condition at intervals. The last time it issued a health bulletin was on October 10 in which it said that Jayalalithaa is being constantly monitored by intensivists and other consultants. On October 8, the hospital said, "The respiratory support is closely watched and adjusted. Lungs decongestion treatment is being continued. All other comprehensive measures, including nutrition, supportive therapy and passive physiotherapy, are under way." Meanwhile, the AIADMK supporters continued to hold special prayers outside Apollo Hospital for the speedy recovery of Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa. Chennai: Supporters offer prayers outside Apollo Hospital for the speedy recovery of Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa pic.twitter.com/sSFjyk4vWV ANI (@ANI_news) October 19, 2016 The 68-year-old Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital for fever and dehydration. The doctors later said she needed a longer stay at the hospital as she was suffering from infection and put her on respiratory support. However, several rumours about her health flew thick and fast during the initial days of her hospitalisation. Following that, Apollo Hospitals started issuing the medical bulletins at regular intervals. The state police started cracking down on the rumour mongers. With PTI inputs By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, Oct 19 (PTI) On a high-profile visit here after his spat with the US, the Philippines mercurial President Rodrigo Duterte maintained a low-key stay here today ahead of his key meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping tomorrow to discus the SCS dispute and ways to forge close ties. China rolled out a red carpet for Duterte when he arrived here last night, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi himself present at the airport to receive him saying that the visit is "historic" and that no "individual" or "foreign force" could stand in the way of rebuilding the friendship between China and the Philippines. advertisement "Our arms are open and ready for friendship and cooperation," Wang said. Beijing made no effort to conceal joy over Dutertes break with the US as Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying took a dig at Washington at a media briefing today, saying while people from China and the Philippines are happy about the visit "some people are anxious, upset and have mixed feelings about this". Ahead of Xi-Duterte meeting tomorrow, Chinese officials have been speculating that as both China-Philippines cannot resolve the South China Sea dispute, the only way out is that it should remain a free passage especially for fishermen from both sides provided Manila does not press for implementing an international tribunals ruling that struck down Chinas expansive claims over the area. This was discussed when former president of the Philippines Fidel Ramos visited Hong Kong earlier and held talks with Chinese officials. It is no cake walk for Duterte either, as the arbitration closely backed by the US and Japan was held over the petition filed by the Philippines. Any concession from him on the vexed dispute will have a big fallout at home. For Beijing, his visit was seen as coup of sorts and a turning point over its South China Sea troubles since the tribunals ruling seriously dented its claims. Besides the Philippines, Chinas claims over the South China Sea were contested by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. On the second day of his landmark visit here, Duterte - who caused ripples all over the world by abusing US President Barack Obama for criticism of his violent crackdown against drug smugglers - kept a low profile meeting Filipino expatriates in the evening. An official with the Philippine delegation said Duterte had cancelled most of his events except for a dinner with Filipino expats. In his interviews with the Chinese official media ahead of his visit, Duterte has reiterated his opposition to foreign interference in the South China Sea, warning that such unwelcome overtures would pose a great threat to regional stability. (MORE) PTI KJV SAI AKJ SAI --- ENDS --- advertisement Raipur: Chhattisgarh Congress on Tuesday suspended its rebel MLA RK Rai for "anti-party" activities. Notably, Rai is considered to be a supporter of Chhattisgarh Janata Congress Party chief Ajit Jogi. Welcoming the decision, Rai said Congress suspended him for speaking against party vice president Rahul Gandhi. "I was told the action has been taken against me for making comments against Rahul Gandhi (in the past). I can't call a donkey a horse. If the party feels my observation is wrong then either it is blind or (is) acting like a blind person," a defiant Rai said in a statement. "I am not at all sad with the move because I am a true and vocal tribal representative. I am free now," said the legislator, adding the decision has once again exposed the "anti-tribal" face of Congress. The decision to suspend the MLA from Gunderdehi was taken by Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) at a meeting of its Coordination Committee here. Chhattisgarh Congress had issued a show cause notice to Rai last week for "anti-party" activities and publicly making statements against the party. The police officer-turned-politician is said to be a staunch supporter of Jogi, who floated his own party after quitting Congress in June this year. Jogi had brought Rai into politics and helped him in getting a ticket from Gunderdehi seat in the 2013 Assembly polls. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday accused the central government of harassing the Delhi government for doing "good work". After Gulab Singh, in charge of the Aam Aadmi Party`s (AAP) affairs in Gujarat, got bail on Wednesday, Kejriwal asked the central government as to what purpose did his arrest serve. "Gulab gets bail today (Wednesday). FIR against Imran (Environment Minister) quashed by Delhi High Court yesterday (Tuesday). What purpose is served?" the AAP convenor tweeted. "Centre (is) harassing us because Delhi government (is) doing good work," Kejriwal wrote. Gulab Singh, also an AAP legislator in Delhi, was arrested by the Delhi Police on October 16 in Surat -- ahead of Kejriwal`s rally -- on a non-bailable warrant. The warrant was issued in connection with an extortion case after he failed to turn up for interrogation. New Delhi: At least 12 students were today summoned by JNU administration to appear before the proctorial committee in connection with a case involving a missing student amid protests that the Vice Chancellor acted in an "insensitive" manner on the issue. A student of School of Biotechnology, Najeeb Ahmed, allegedly went missing on Saturday following a brawl on the campus the night before. An FIR for kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person was lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station yesterday after the police received a complaint from the student's guardians. "The JNU administration had summoned 12 students to depose before the proctorial committee whose names have been associated with the incidence of violence at Mahi-Mandvi hostel on October 14. "The committee has also asked anyone who wants to depose to come forward and help in the investigation. Condemning the students for blocking the administrative block, JNU teachers also urged the administration to put more pressure on the police to find Ahmed and appealed for him to return without fear of victimisation," a statement said. M Jagadesh Kumar, vice chancellor, JNU and other top officials briefed the media for the first time since the disappearance on October 15 noon and said that all necessary measures have been taken to trace the boy and is also in touch with the family. "But we are really concerned about his safety and is constantly in touch with the police providing them whatever information required. We also appeal to Najeeb if his is reading this to return to the university. We assure him of all help," said Kumar. Accepting the fact that so far no leads have been made on the episode of Ahmed's disappearance from the campus, Kumar added, "nobody knows what has happened to him so far". "The family had filed a missing complaint and when we approached the police we were already told that an FIR has been lodged by the family," said Chintamani Mahapatra, Rector of JNU. The campus remained tense with large number of students gathering at the administrative block in the afternoon to protest. After sloganeering and demonstration the students blocked the gates of the building. After intervention from the security the locks were opened, but in the evening as most of the staff left, the students again continued with the blockade. "The blockade is due to the insensitive way of handling the matter of Najeeb Ahmed -- the violence against him by ABVP which led to him missing from the campus for over five days now and the JNU administration trying to shield the culprits while refusing to lodge an FIR," said Mohit Pandey, president, JNUSU. The situation remained tense with the left-backed JNUSU and ABVP levelling allegations and counter-allegations. ABVP alleged that there is inconsistency in the statements of the JNUSU president Mohit Pandey and the roommate of Ahmad. Panaji: The political 'charge sheet' released by Congress against the BJP-led government in Goa has elicited mixed reactions with the ruling party rubbishing the charges, while the newly formed outfit Goa Forward terming the main Opposition's move as better late than never. "Better late than never that the grand old party (Congress) is trying to behave like the Opposition, which in the last five years it has never appeared to be," Goa Forward spokesman Durgadas Kamat said on the 'charge sheet' released on Monday. "However, some prominent and conspicuous issues that have been overlooked in the charge sheet will lead to obvious suspicions of a joint venture between both the prominent national parties (BJP-Congress) in the state," Kamat said. He said Congress missed to mention the land scam in the guise of promoting Special Economic Zone (SEZ) which was a prominent issue that should have been taken by the state government. Congress' 'charge sheet' nailed the Laxmikant Parsekar government on 25 different counts accusing it of frequent 'U-turns',? broken promises, brazen scams and bad governance. It had also charged BJP of stopping mining activity, paving way for large-scale destruction of coconut trees through amendment to Trees Act, making Goa a 'sin-city' through drugs and prostitution besides criticizing it on other fronts. The ruling party has, however, rubbished the charge sheet claiming that it is not for the Opposition party but people of Goa to evaluate performance of the government in last five years. "People gave BJP a mandate in 2012. BJP was chosen while Congress was shown the door by voters. Now it is for the voters to evaluate our performance," BJP Goa spokesman Kiran Kandolkar said. He ridiculed the 'charge sheet' and said, "people will give hundred per cent marks to the BJP led government for its performance which was people-centric and development oriented." Kandolkar said BJP has fulfilled 90 per cent of the promises it made in the election manifesto that was released during 2012 polls. "People will once again vote for the party," he claimed. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India was committed to the development of Myanmar as the two countries signed new agreements to enhance bilateral ties during State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi's New Delhi visit. "We have agreed to enhance our engagement in several areas" including in agriculture, renewable energy, and power sector, Modi said in a joint address to the media with Suu Kyi. Underlining that New Delhi had a robust development cooperation programme with Myanmar, Modi told the leader of the National League for Democracy that "India stands shoulder to shoulder with you". "As you lead Myanmar to become a modern and prosperous nation, India and its friendship will stand with you in full support and solidarity." Modi also highlighted India`s security cooperation with the neighbour that has just emerged from years of a military dictatorship with democracy still in its nascent stage. Suu Kyi, a worldwide democracy icon, led the nation`s struggle against the military junta. New Delhi: The Indian Navy and the Defence Ministry on Tuesday maintained silence on induction of its first nuclear submarine Arihant in the force, even as sources indicated the vessel has been inducted. Former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retd), however, told IANS that such silence was "customary" as the project is 'top secret' and even the Navy is not aware of the submarine's movements and locations, which are decided by orders from the highest level. The submarine, the lead ship of India's Arihant-class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, has been designed based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarines. Neither Defence Ministry officials, nor the Indian Navy confirmed or denied the media reports on induction of the vessel. Asked about the submarine at a function here, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition in Indian Navy Vice Admiral G.S. Pabby refused to answer the question. The Vice Admiral, however, said that an interaction will soon be held to answer all questions on the submarine. "There will soon be an opportunity to talk about it," Pabby said. Asked about the induction, officials refused to comment on or off record. However, they indicated that the boat is now part of the Indian Naval fleet, but did not divulge the exact date of induction. Asked about the possible reasons for the secrecy, former Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retired) said the secrecy around the induction of the vessel, being a nuclear submarine, was "customary". "Arihant is an achievement technology wise, but otherwise it is a top secret," Admiral Prakash told IANS. "Its mission is to be a nuclear deterrent. Everything to do with the submarine will be a secret. Its movement, position and location will not even be known to the Navy," he said. "It is not a normal ship; though we would like to show it off, we cannot," he added. The 60,000-tonne submarine was also not included in the International Fleet Review (IFR) hosted by the Indian Navy earlier this year. INS Arihant is India's first indigenous nuclear submarine, and the lead ship of the Arihant-class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, which was launched in 2009. While it was initially expected to go on sea trials by 2012, it did so only in December 2014. The miniaturised nuclear reactor of Arihant, built with Russian help, went critical in August 2013. The submarine completes India's nuclear triad giving it the capability to respond to nuclear strikes from sea, land and air-based systems. The project was under Advanced Technology Vessel programme under the supervision of the Prime Minister's Office and involving agencies and establishments such as the DRDO, the Department of Atomic Energy, the Submarine Design Group of the Directorate of Naval Design, besides companies such as L&T. Its 100-member crew has been trained by Russian specialists, Indian scientists at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre have received significant expertise in reducing the size of the reactor to help it fit into the 10 m diameter hull of the nuclear submarine. India currently operates Russian-origin nuclear-powered submarine INS Chakra, which it leased for 10 years from Russia in 2012. Nuclear submarines have capability to stay out in the sea for longer, and don't need to surface for a long duration. New Delhi: India and China on Wednesday carried out a joint Army exercise in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. During the day-long exercise on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) a fictitious situation of an earthquake striking an Indian Border village was painted. Thereafter joint teams carried out rescue operations, evacuation and rendering of medical assistance. The Indian team for the exercise was led by Brigadier RS Raman and that of the Chinese was led by Sr Col Fan Jun. This was done as a sequel to the first Joint Exercise held on February 6 in the area of Border Personnel Meeting Hut at Chushul Garrison of Eastern Ladakh, along with Chinese troops of Moldo Garrison. Sources said that in February, the exercise was held in the Chinese side and this time in the Indian side along the line of Actual Control, as per PTI. The exercise was a great success and has not only refined the drills to provide succour to the border population in case of natural calamity but has also increased the level of trust and cooperation between the two border guarding forces along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, the Army said in a statement here. The joint exercise, compliments the Hand in Hand series of the India-China joint exercises and the effort of both the nations to enhance cooperation and maintain peace and tranquillity along the border areas of India and China, it said. Following are some of the pictures (Courtesy - ANI): (With Agency inputs) Jammu: National Panthers Party chief Harsh Dev Singh criticized the meeting of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi and Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Tuesday and alleged that Islamabad has used Hurriyat to vitiate the peace in Kashmir. "Hurriyat leaders have been allowed an easy access to Pakistan High Commission and they have been meeting the high commissioner earlier also and once again Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi has called on the High Commission of Pakistan. They have discussed Kashmir as well this only shows that how is trying to persuade Hurriyat and other separatist to continue their struggle and crusade against India. That amply reveals their mindset and they are interested in vitiating peace and continue to do so," he said. "There have been several occasions where Hurriyat leaders have been meeting Pakistani high commissioner and Indian government has failed to act against Hurriyat for political reasons because BJP is a partner in PDP government in Kashmir which has a soft corner for the separatists and other Hurriyat leaders," he added. "We believe that government of India needs to assert and it should disallow such meetings because they tend to promote violence in Kashmir and they are being tutored by Pakistan and Islamabad is operating through this Hurriyat and other separatists," Singh told ANI here.Harsh Dev Singh urged the Union government to monitor these meetings sternly. On Tuesday, All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi met Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting comes in the backdrop of continued unrest in the Valley which has been witnessing violent protests since July 8 after the killing of Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani, who has been hailed by Pakistan government as a "martyr". "The APHC leader Syed Al-Moosvi met Basit at the High Commission here and discussed the situation in the state," Pakistan High Commission sources said. However, they did not divulge any further details of the meeting.Syed Al-Moosvi along with other party leaders had strongly condemned the restrictions and use of force by security personnel. Mosul: After Mosul, will Pakistan become the new base of dreaded terror outfit ISIS? According to a Zee Media report, Pakistan may give shelter to ISIS. But the condition is that ISIS terrorists should help Pakistani Army in carrying out terror attacks on Indian soil. Moreover, according to a report in a foreign newspaper, 300 officers of Pakistan Army are giving training to ISIS terrorists in West Asia. Also, over 2000 retired personnel of Pakistan Army are training ISIS terrorists in Doha, Amman and Ankara. WATCH this detailed report:- Moreover, most of the lone-wolf attacks by ISIS had some Pakistani connection. Earlier, US President Barack Obama had expressed confidence that Iraqi forces and their US-led allies would be able to drive out ISIS from its self-declared capital Mosul as tens of thousands of fighters advanced in an unprecedented offensive to liberate the city. A 94,000-member coalition of Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga allies and thousands of irregulars from various minorities are involved in the operation to free Mosul from more than two years of ISIS rule. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday accused the RSS of deliberately trying to create unrest in Kannur district, which has been marred by political violence in the recent months. He, however, agreed to the Congress-led opposition`s repeated demand in the assembly for a dialogue to ensure peace in the district. Ever since the Vijayan government assumed office in May, seven political murders have taken place in Kannur -- of four activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party and three of the Communist Party of India-Marxist. Senior Congress legislator K.C. Joseph, who represents Irikkur assembly seat in the district, sought to move an adjournment motion to discuss the Kannur violence. "It`s rather strange that whenever the CPI-M rules the state, peace disappears in Kannur district. It`s a matter of deep concern that the violence is unleashed by a party that rules the state and by a party that rules the country," he said. The Congress leader said the Chief Ministers in the past have always taken the lead to hold peace meetings whenever violence broke out. "Now, even after seven murders, the present Chief Minister is silent," Joseph said. In response, Vijayan said Thiruvanthapuram district led in terms of political murders while Kannur was at sixth place. "In Kannur, the RSS is trying to create unrest on purpose. RSS people arrested for crimes in Kannur hail from outside," the Chief Minister said. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy requested Vijayan not to let matters drift and urged him to immediately bring all parties to the table to sort out the problem. "The need of the hour is that there should be an overall change from within... that one should not act with vengeance. Now that Chandy and others have asked for peace talks, I am ready," the Chief Minister said. Vijayan said local leaders in Kannur should first sit down for talks and later state-level leaders of political parties can meet in Kannur or the state capital. "I will fix the time and let you know," he added. IAS officer, who was suspended for facilitating a licence under FCRA to Zakir Naik, has been reinstated by the Ministry of Home Affairs. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Over a month after IAS officer G K Dwivedi was suspended for issuing licence to Zakir Naik's NGO Islamic Research Foundation ( IRF), the senior officer was reinstated by Ministry of Home Affairs. The decision that Naik's NGO could receive foreign grant was renewed by a Home Ministry's division headed by him, leaving the a fuming home ministry red faced. advertisement Dwivedi, along with three of his junior officers in Home Ministry, were suspended on September 1 for allegedly facilitating renewal of the license given under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to Naik's IRF. A departmental inquiry was also instituted by the Home Ministry into the issue. Also read : Embarrassed MHA suspends 4 officials over renewal of Zakir Naik's NGO licence Those suspended included two deputy secretaries and one section officer, official sources said. Their fate still hangs in balance. SENIOR OFFICIALS VOUCHED FOR DWIVEDI Today's move comes after representatives of IAS officers' association and senior bureaucrats working in the Home Ministry had vouched for his "integrity and hard work". Earlier in an unprecedented move, 15 Joint Secretaries in Home Ministry met Rajnath Singh to support the suspended officer demanding revocation of his suspension. Also read: Joint secretaries request Rajnath Singh to pardon IAS officer suspended for renewing Zakir Naik's IRF's license The central IAS officers' association had last month also asked the Centre to revoke the suspension of Dwivedi, saying it has led to 'demoralisation' in the rank and file of the officers working in the central secretariat. Dwivedi will however not be reinstated to his earlier position of Joint Secretary in Foreigners Division, a post he held before he was suspended. Also read: Book Zakir Naik under anti-terror law: Solicitor General advises Home Ministry --- ENDS --- Bareilly: A local Samajwadi Party leader and three others have been booked for allegedly looting a roadside restaurant here, police said on wednesday. The owner of 'Netaji Dhaba' at the National Highway by pass, Anil Patel, has alleged that Sandesh Kannaujia, vice-president of the district unit of the Samajwadi Party, and his three associates ate at the restaurant on Monday night and got involved in a brawl with his worker at the time of payment, police said. Patel has alleged that besides getting involved in verbal fight, Kannaujia and his associates also looted cash kept at the cash counter. They also broke chairs and threatened before leaving, police said. A FIR under various sections has been filed against Kannaujia and others and investigations are going on in the case, Superintendent of Police Sameer Saurabh said. Meanwhile, Kannaujia said that the FIR has been filed by his political adversaries and he didn't visit the restaurant that day. Kannaujia said the worker who has accused him of loot has been involved in petty thefts in the past and he (Kannaujia) had opposed his actions about a year ago. Muzaffarnagar: Senior Samajwadi Party leader and UP Cabinet Minister has launched an all-out attack against BJP and levelled some serious allegations against the saffron party. Azam Khan on Monday alleged that BJP can repeat Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar incidents for political gain in the upcoming UP Assembly polls. Talking to reporters here last evening, he also alleged that BJP is trying to polarise voters on the Ram temple issue and create tension in the state. He said the Ram temple case is pending in the Apex court and he has full faith in the judiciary. While they are ready to accept the court's verdict, some people were trying to raise the issue again, he added. Khan, who is in-charge of Muzaffarnagar, attended a meeting on district plan here. A budget of Rs 278 crore has been passed?for 2016-2017 for the plan. He also distributed e-rickshaws to the poor. Washington: The United States has welcomed the Indian government's recent decision to lift the restrictions from some NGOs, saying the move will strengthen civil society in the country. "We certainly would welcome and do welcome any actions by government that support and strengthen civil society. I'd refer you to the Government of India with respect to any specific actions that have been taken regarding the NGOs in India," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said yesterday. "But we want to see a strong, healthy civil society throughout the world. And that certainly extends to India, which is a strong democracy," he said. "We believe that a strong and vibrant civil society only strengthens that democracy," he added. Toner said the US supports the very good work of many of these NGOs that they play in strengthening civil society. But it is a for the Government of India to work with them with regard to taxes and other regulations that the NGOs need to comply with on ground. "We are very clear not just with respect to India, but with many countries around the world, about our support for NGOs and the important role that they play in any democratic society." "And in so far as we push for a more welcoming environment for these NGOs to work in, that's just the way we work," the deputy spokesman said. Jammu: Pakistani troops on Wednesday violated ceasefire in Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, shelling Indian positions with mortar bombs and using automatic arms. "There was unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Bhimber Gali (BG) Sector from 1630 hours today," PRO Defence said. The Pakistani troops used small arms, automatic weapons and 82 mm mortars bombs to target Indian positions, he said. Indian troops responded appropriately and befittingly, the PRO said, adding there were no casualties till last reports came in. This was the 30th ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir since the Indian army carried out surgical strikes in PoK to destroy terror launching pads. Yesterday, the Pakistani troops fired 82 mm mortar bombs, used small and automatic weapons in firing on Indian forward posts in Laam Battalion area in Naushera from 2030 hours to 0130 hours. Indian troops retaliated and gave befitting reply, he said, adding no one was injured in the ceasefire violation. On October 16, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire twice along LoC in Naushera and Rajouri sectors in which one jawan was martyred. Srinagar: Separatists called protest shutdown paralysed life for 103rd consecutive day in Kashmir Valley, however, authorities on Wednesday did not impose any curfew or restrictions anywhere. "No curfew or restrictions have been imposed anywhere today (Wednesday)," a senior police official said here. "Adequate deployment of security forces have been made to maintain law and order across the valley." Main markets, public transport and other businesses remain closed in the valley for 103rd consecutive day. The unprecedented 103-day-long closure of educational institutions has hit hard the students who have not been able to attend classes in schools, colleges and universities in the last more than three months. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her cabinet colleague and Education Minister Naeem Akhtar have said that exams for class 10th and 12th will be held in November. The Chief Minister, however, said the state board of school education has been asked to work out "relaxation" for students while setting question papers. She has asked the board to ensure the examinees are asked to reply questions pertaining only to that part of the syllabus which has been taught in the schools till the end of June this year. Students have been protesting against holding of exams in November and want them to be postponed till March next year. There is a growing feeling in the valley that both the government as well as the separatists must stop doing politics in the name of education and all efforts should be made to secure the future of the valley`s children. At least 91 people, majority of them youths, have been killed and over 12,000 injured in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir since July 9, a day after the killing of top militant Burhan Wani in a clash with security forces. Gandhinagar: Gali Janardhan Reddy, once a powerful politician in Karnataka and mining baron, is in news again for spending a fortune on preparations for his daughter's wedding next month. Interestingly, the invite for Reddy's daughter Bramhani's November wedding, which comes in a box, is awesome. The invite looks like an ordinary gem box, but when it is opened a little LCD screen comes alive with song and a text announces "Bramhani Weds Rajeev Reddy". In the video, the Reddys appear to be singing "Atithi Devobhava." The one-minute long video, shot in a Bollywood-like setting, introduces the bride and groom dressed in matching outfits the girl is shown wearing a lehenga and the groom in white stallions. The video ends with a close-up of the family and then the date and venue are announced. Reddy, once an influential figure in Karnataka politics, was behind bars for three years in connection with illegal mining. He was released on bail last year. His daughter's wedding is widely expected to be a star-studded event. Take a look at the amazing wedding invite. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgement on maintainability on the appeal of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala against Tribunal's order of 2007 on Cauvery water row. "Judgement reserved. Interim order of October 18 to continue till further orders," a bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar said. The bench asked the parties to file their written submissions by October 24 and said it would pass the order thereafter. The Centre, through Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, had raised a preliminary objection claiming that the CWDT award amounted to a final decree in the dispute and the apex court had no jurisdiction to hear appeals against the award of the tribunal. Continuing its argument, Karnataka today said that appeals filed by the state against the award of the tribunal was maintainable. Noted jurist and senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for Karnataka, said the Supreme Court had the jurisdiction to adjudicate the appeals filed by the state against the award of tribunal. The court also reprimanded the Karnataka government for releasing water to Tamil Nadu on a daily basis until further orders. The tribunal, in a unanimous decision passed on February 5, 2007, had determined the total availability of water in the Cauvery basin, at 740 tmcft at the Lower Coleroon Anicut site, including 14 tmcft for environmental protection and seepage into the sea. The final award made an annual allocation of 419 tmcft to Tamil Nadu in the entire Cauvery basin, 270 tmcft to Karnataka, 30 tmcft to Kerala and 7 tmcft to Puducherry. On the other hand, Karnataka government today said that it would stick to the Supreme Court direction to the state to release 2,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu. "We will stick to the Supreme Court order. I want to say no more than that," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters on the sidelines of a media briefing on Cabinet meeting. Siddaramaiah, who had been expressing his inability to share more water with Tamil Nadu since long, yesterday had told media that there's no water left in state reservoir. Also read: No water in Karnataka's reservoirs, says Siddaramaiah ahead of SC hearing on Cauvery dispute The Chief Minister made these remarks shortly after the Supreme Court had ordered Karnataka government to release 2,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu until further orders. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday charged the RSS and BJP with "deliberately" creating tension in Kannur district and said the government proposes to hold peace talks to end the blood shed. "The government was taking all initiatives and police was acting impartially," he said, while replying to a notice seeking adjournment motion on the frequent clashes between CPI(M)-BJP in Kannur. The notice was moved by former minister, KC Joseph of the Congress. Vijayan alleged that the RSS and BJP were "deliberately" creating tension in Kannur. On the opposition demand for convening an all party meeting to establish peace in the area, Vijayan said, the government was not averse to it. "But, first let us convene a district level meeting in Kannur for peace and later, if necessary, a state level meeting can be held," he said. Joseph said the district has witnessed seven political murders after the LDF came to power four months ago, and blamed both CPI(M) and BJP for the violence. Both the parties were "two sides of the same coin," he said, urged them to shed the "attitude of an eye for an eye." A UDF delegation had called on the Chief Minister yesterday and appealed to him to convene an all-party meeting to work out a strategy to end political violence in Kannur, where two CPI(M) and BJP workers were killed earlier this month. Thane: An acid-laden container truck overturned on the busy Ghodbunder road here this morning and the leaking acid's fumes spread in the area, prompting authorities to evacuate a school in the vicinity. The speeding truck carrying several drums of hydrochloric acid toppled near the Gaimukh octroi post at around 8 AM, Thane Municipal Corporation's Regional Disaster Management Cell chief Santosh Kadam said. As a result, the acid from the drums started leaking. Since the acid fumes engulfed the entire area, a school and octroi post close to the mishap spot were closed and children and staff sent home, he said. The truck driver sustained injuries in the mishap and was rushed to hospital. The firemen and disaster management cell personnel rushed to the site, Kadam said, adding work was on to remove the truck from the road. Meanwhile, another container truck also overturned in the same area. However, its driver and cleaner fled from the spot. Mumbai: A day after the pilot of a private airline reported seeing a drone near the city airport, three persons were on Wednesday arrested for flying the drone. Rahul Rajkumar Jaiswal (24), Rana Subhash Singh (25) and Vidhichand Jaiswal (45) were arrested by Crime Branch unit-11, police said. The pilot of IndiGo Airlines flight from Dehradun had told authorities on Tuesday that he spotted a drone some 100 metres below the aircraft, while landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at around 7.30 pm. During investigation, it was revealed a drone camera was being used as part of preparations for a film shoot in Charkop area of Western suburbs. The actual film shoot was scheduled later, they said. The pilot's information had led to a security alert. Police seized the drone camera and an iPad from the accused. Rahul and Rana were handling the camera, while Vidhichand runs a business of renting out drones, police said. The trio, booked under IPC Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), was handed over to Charkop Police after registration of an FIR. Further investigation is on, police added. Use of drones in Mumbai's skies has been banned. Bhubaneswar: With the demand for the arrest of the owner of the Sum Hospital gaining momentum, where 21 people died in a major fire, the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack on Wednesday issued a 'Look Out Circular' against two senior members of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust which runs the hospital. Commisioner of Police YB Khurania told reporters that the Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against Manoj Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust. The police also informed the local airport authorities about the LOC against the two persons. The police also apprised the Union Home Ministry of the action, he said. The two cannot leave the city without prior permission of the police and they need to cooperate with the investigation, Khurania said. The police issued the LOC hours after Union Health Minister J P Nadda asked the state government not to allow the persons responsible for the hospital fire "go scot free". The Union Minister also said it was the responsibility of the state government to bring back people's trust on the health system by taking action against the persons responsible for the incident. Local people earlier in the day staged a demonstration in front of Sum Hospital demanding arrest of its "owner". Nayak is the chairman of the Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust under which the Sikshya O Anusandhan University has been established. The Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital is affiliated to the Sikshya O Anusandhan University. Bhubaneshwar: The SUM Hospital here, where a devastating blaze on Monday claimed 21 lives, was running without fire safety clearance, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said on Wednesday, even as the police issued a 'Lookout Circular' against two members of the trust that runs the facility. The Minister, who visited various hospitals to inquire about the condition of those injured, said the Centre would soon issue a fresh advisory to all states to avoid repeat of such incidents. "The hospital did not have fire safety measures in place. In spite of that, the hospital was running. It is a serious matter," Nadda told reporters, terming the tragedy as "very serious, worrisome and shocking". Under pressure for arresting the owner of the hospital, the the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack issued a 'Lookout Circular' against two senior members of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust which runs the hospital. Commisioner of Police Y B Khurania told reporters that the Circular (LOC) was issued against Manoj Nayak and Saswati Das who cannot leave the city without prior police permission as they needed to cooperate with the probe. The Union Home Ministry has been informed about the circular. Airport authorities have been asked not to let them leave the city in case they make an attempt. Meanwhile, in a startling claim, the National Human Rights Commission said only three of Odisha's 568 hospitals have fire safety clearance and issued a notice to the state government over the hospital tragedy, the worst of its kind in the state. "In Odisha, out of 568 hospitals, only three have clearance of the department of fire safety," the NHRC said in a statement today and issued a notice to the Odisha Chief Secretary, seeking a report in the matter within six weeks, including on the relief and rehabilitation efforts for the next of kin of the deceased and the injured. "We have to see that such incidents do not repeat. I will ask the officials to make more stringent provisions. I will personally see which issues need to be revisited. A fresh advisory will be given to all the states so that such incidents do not take place anywhere," Nadda told reporters before winding up his one-day visit to the state. Though fire safety is a matter related to Home department, Health department also has a responsibility to ensure safety of patients in hospitals, he said. Nadda held discussion with health officials and assured support to the state government for providing treatment to those injured in the fire. "I am not here for a blame game. Our priority is (providing) proper treatment to those injured in the fire at the medical facility two days ago," he said. Nadda visited the injured undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Capital Hospital, AMRI Hospital and KIMS and enquired about their condition. Bhubaneswar: Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Wednesday inspected the SUM hospital where a massive fire mishap had claimed the lives of at least 20 people on Monday and assured full help to kith and kin of the victims and those injured in the tragic incident. Prima facie I found some safety issues which need to be addressed, people's faith need to be reposed, JP Nadda said. We see some protocol breach in the incident. Inquiry report will come soon. State govt should take punitive action, Nadda added. The health minister made these remarks shortly after arriving here to take stock of the situation arising out of Sum hospital fire tragedy that happened on Monday evening. Prima facie I find some safety issues which need to be addressed, people's faith need to be reposed: JP Nadda #SumHospitalFireMishap pic.twitter.com/fdmLmLHnel ANI (@ANI_news) October 19, 2016 Meanwhile, the NHRC today issued a notice to the government of Odisha over fire in connection with the tragedy. However, massive protests erupted in the state capital with the protesters demanding the arrest of SUM hospital authorities and adequate compensation. The fire tragedy at SUM hospital in Bhubaneswar killed at least 20 persons while several injured. According to reports, the minister also held a review meeting with the central and state government health officials on the latest situation immediately after arriving here from New Delhi at 10 am. Must Read: Bhubaneswar fire tragedy: Sum Hospital superintendent, three others arrested Nadda will also visit AIIMS, Bhubaneswar to supervise the treatment of injured persons in the fire tragedy before leaving Delhi in the afternoon, said a release. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed Nadda to monitor the situation and provide all support to the state government for treatment of injured patients. Meanwhile, the superintendent of Sum Hospital and three others were arrested by Khandagiri police for the incident yesterday. Must Read: Sum Hospital superintendent, three others arrested Those arrested are Superintendent of Sum Hospital, Pushpraj Samantsinghar, Electrical Maintenance Engineer Amulya Sahu, Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das and Junior Electrical Engineer Malay Sahu, said Commissioner of Police YB Khurania. Khurania said the officials were arrested on the basis of the preliminary inquiry report of the fire officer and the FIR filed by the Fire Services department at the Khandagiri police station where a case in this regard has been registered today. The four were booked under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire and combustible materials) and 34 (common intent) of the IPC, Khurania said. Also, the Director General of Fire Service, Binay Behera submitted a report to the state government on the fire that ravaged parts of the private hospital last night in which 20 people died and many were injured. Behera in his report has mentioned that fire safety norms as per the 2013 guidelines were not followed by the hospital authorities, an official said, as per PTI. A senior police official said more arrests in the case cannot be ruled out at this stage. Most of the deaths in the four-storey hospital took place due to suffocation and asphyxiation, a senior official said, adding that majority of the patients at the ICU were on ventilator support. The authorities of the Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University (SOU), which runs the Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital, announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims' families. SOU vice-chancellor Amit Banerjee told reporters that ICU and dialysis unit of the hospital have been sealed to ensure a proper investigation. The blaze was suspected to have been triggered by an electric short circuit in the dialysis ward on the first floor which spread to the nearby ICU. The fire rapidly spread to other areas on the same floor of the hospital building. Chennai: An AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan said on Wednesday that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was making good progress. He added that there was absolutely no cause for any concern. Ponnaiyan was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times, Amma has begun talking to people. She spoke to Dr Richard Beale from England and thanked him for taking good care of her. The AIADMK leader added that he was in regular touch with Dr Beale. She has had a lung infection and because of that she had breathing trouble as well. That is why she was being given respiratory support, which is a normal medical procedure. She has responded very well to the treatment, he said. Ponnaian was further quoted as saying by the media house, The hospital is very annoyed with criticism that its health bulletins were contradictory and short on facts. These allegations were made by opposition DMK." The last bulletin on Jayalalithaas health condition was issued on October 10 by the hospital. Puratchi Thalaivi Amma is being constantly monitored by expert panel -Apollo Hospital. pic.twitter.com/9vUKEULo6s AIADMK (@AIADMKOfficial) October 10, 2016 68-year-old Jayalalithaa was admitted to the Apollo hospital on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration. Panneerselvam holds first Cabinet meeting after Jayalalithaa's illness Meanwhile, for the first time after the Tamil Nadu Governor re-allocated the portfolios of Jayalalithaa, state Finance Minister O Panneerselvam today presided over a meeting of the state cabinet to discuss, among other matters, the vexed Cauvery issue. Although the government did not release details of the agenda of the meeting, the Cabinet is understood to have deliberated on the ongoing Cauvery water sharing dispute with Karnataka, besides other subjects, as per PTI. The meeting also comes ahead of the scheduled onset of north-east monsoon later this month. The rains in December last year had wreaked havoc, flooding Chennai and nearby districts. Last week, Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao had allotted the portfolios including Home held by Jayalalithaa to Panneerselvam, till the time she returned to resume official duties. Portfolios looked after by Honourable Amma have been allocated to Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam on the advice of Puratchi Thalaivi Amma. AIADMK (@AIADMKOfficial) October 11, 2016 Puratchi Thalaivi Amma will continue to be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. AIADMK (@AIADMKOfficial) October 11, 2016 The government released photographs of today's Cabinet meeting, where Panneerselvam was seen seated with a picture of Jayalalithaa placed on his desk. The nearly hour-long meeting was held in the backdrop of the ongoing Cauvery water sharing row with Karnataka and demands by Opposition parties for an all-party meeting on the issue. Farmers' bodies and political parties had staged a two-day state-wide rail blockade ending Tuesday, urging the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board. The Raj Bhavan had last week in a release, said Paneerselvam, who holds the Administrative Reforms portfolio, in addition to Finance, "will also preside over cabinet meetings." The last Cabinet meeting held by Jayalalithaa was in July this year to discuss the state budget. (With Agency inputs) Lucknow: The Yadav split is again out in the open. The rift between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday reached new heights. In a major development, Akhilesh Yadav today shot a letter to his father and party chief Mulayam saying, he has decided to go ahead with 'Samajwadi Vikas Rath Yatra' from November 03, 2016, which was earlier scheduled to begin from October 03, 2016. Interestingly, the letter has been also addressed to UP Cabinet Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav. Giving justification to go ahead with the 'yatra', the Chief Minister said, political parties have started their political campaign for the 2017 UP Assembly elections, but SP which had decided to launch its campaign from October 03, had to delay it due to some reasons. Thus, in order to form the next government in the crucial state, I have decided to launch the programme on November 03. However, it's not clear, whether Akhilesh would boycott the silver jubilee celebrations of Samajwadi Party on November 5 in the state capital. The development comes at a time when efforts are reportedly underway for a patch-up between Mulayam-Shivpal and Akhilesh Yadav. Earlier in the day, Akhilesh, Shivpal Yadav, and Mulayam held a closed-door meeting at party supremo's 5 Vikramaditya Marg residence to discuss poll strategy. According to party sources, Akhilesh is adamant on his demands of revoking the expulsion of youth leaders, some of whom are MLCs, and having his say in the ticket distribution. He had last month hit back over his removal from the party post by stripping Shivpal of his key ministerial portfolios but had to retreat as Mulayam stepped in. The infighting continues unabated with Mulayam siding with Shivpal and his cousin Ram Gopal throwing his weight behind the the Chief Minister. The distribution of tickets and whether Akhilesh should be projected as CM candidate remain a bone of contention. Political observers feel that the ongoing power struggle in the ruling party will hamper the Yadav family in the 2017 UP polls. Meanwhile, a section of youth leaders of the Samajwadi Party on Tuesday virtually revolted against party chief, saying they would boycott the silver jubilee celebrations of the party on November 5. This group of youth leaders is considered close to Chief Minister. The youth leaders also alleged that senior leaders, like council member Sunil Singh Yadav, Anand Bhadouria, Arvind Pratap Singh Yadav, Sanjay Lathar, Brijesh Yadav, Mohd Abad and Gaurav Dubey, were expelled from the party on fake complaints. These leaders were expelled by state party chief Shivpal Singh Yadav last month for allegedly raising slogans and protesting outside the house of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yadav himself had chided these young leaders, calling them "worthless" and "good for nothing". Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday launched a programme for distributing new ration cards bearing his photograph and name, which the rival parties dubbed as a "cheap political gimmick" in view of the Assembly polls due next year. He, however, sought to downplay the issue, saying it was important for people to know who was working for them. "Under the National Food Security Act, 3.15 crore ration cards have been printed. The Act was implemented in the state on March 1. Under it, those having 'Antyoday' cards will be given 35 kg food grains, while 'Grasthi' card holders will get 5 kg food grains per month," he said at the programme at his official residence. "People may question why there is a photograph of the Chief Minister on the bag of ration or on the ration card. If we are helping the poor, there should be some publicity of it. It is important for people to know who is working for them," he said. BJP and Congress denounced the Samajwadi Party government's move to put the Chief Minister's photograph on the new ration cards. "The CM should not have put his photo on the ration cards. It has been done in view of the Assembly polls," Congress state unit Vice President Satyadev Tripathi said. BJP said it was a Central government scheme. "Putting the Chief Minister's photo on ration cards is objectionable. It's a cheap publicity gimmick for political gains," party spokesman Harish Chandra Srivasta said. Haridwar: Controversial 'godwoman' Radhe Maa has landed in soup again. This time the Mumbai-based godwoman has courted a controversy for offering prayers at the famous Har-ki-Pauri ghat in Haridwar wearing shoes. A video of the godwoman, dressed in her traditional red saree, wearing heavy make-up and holding a trident in one hand, has now come to fore in which she can be seen offering prayers wearing shoes. The video shows Radhe Maa, who is surrounded by her followers, offering prayers amid chanting of mantras and bhajans. The self-proclaimed godwoman has been in news for many wrong reasons in past too. Radhe Maa was recently accused in a dowry harassment case and questioned by the Mumbai Police. In more trouble for the self-proclaimed spiritual leader, an advocate in Bhopal had lodged a complaint against her for hurting religious sentiments. The Mumbai-based 50-year-old become a social media rage after a video clip emerged of her dancing to a Bollywood tune and still images showed her lounging on a sofa in a red miniskirt and knee-high boots. Watch the video here. New Delhi: In what may give the opposition parties fresh ammunition to target the saffron party in the run up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday stirred a controversy with his remark that his party would unite the Hindu community by resolving the Ram Temple issue and divide the minorities in order to emerge victorious in the politically crucial state. "Development is necessary to win election in the nation but it is not everything. To win the elections, it is important to focus on our priority. The conspiracy played against us in the past was to divide the Hindus and unite the minorities. But this time we will do just the opposite, we will unite the Hindus and will divide the minorities as much as possible," Swamy told ANI. Highlighting the pro-development initiatives of former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao besides Congress veteran Morarji Desai, Swamy said that they failed to win the elections for their party despite all efforts. Swamy said it is important to focus on three issues to win the elections that is corruption, development and the Ram Temple issue.The BJP leader further said it is impossible that the Ram Temple issue does not attract eyeballs at a time when election is scheduled to take place in Uttar Pradesh. Early today, Swamy said the Ram Temple issue is part of the BJP`s 2014 manifesto, adding it is the party`s obligation to the people to deliver on this promise. "The Ram issue is a part of our manifesto in 2014, how can we run away from it? We have to deliver," Swamy told ANI. Yesterday, the Congress accused the BJP for selling the name of Lord Ram to siphon off a victory in Uttar Pradesh. "The Congress has nothing to do with the BJP constructing a museum there (Ayodhya), or the Samajwadi Party organising things for the Ramayana mela. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is selling the name of Ram in the wake of coming UP polls," said Congress leader DP Singh. Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Katiyar, on the other hand, asked the BJP-led Central government to intensify its efforts to construct Ram temple in Ayodhya instead of giving `lollipop` (Ram museum) to please the people, who are demanding the construction of the temple. "It`s a big mistake; effort should be made to construct the Ram Mandir (temple); this "lolipapi" (handing over Ramayana Museum as lollipop to please the people who are demanding the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya) won`t work. People ask when will be the Ram Temple constructed? This (Ramayana Museum) is a lollipop, it doesn`t have much importance, and thus, they should make positive effort. I would have said this had I been there. It`s good that I did not go there," Katiyar told ANI. Kano: Boko Haram has burnt down a village neighbouring the northeast Nigerian town of Chibok where the group kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls two years ago, local residents said Wednesday. A group of Boko Haram gunmen invaded Goptari, 10 kilometres from Chibok, late Tuesday and set it on fire after looting food supplies and livestock. The attack underscores the continued threat of Boko Haram in Nigeria`s volatile northeast, where the military is still battling for control despite making gains against the insurgents over the past year. "They attacked the village around 8:00 pm (1900GMT), firing heavy guns which made people flee into the bush," Samson Bulus from nearby Kautikeri village told AFP. "The Boko Haram raiders looted homes and shops, taking along food supplies and livestock before burning the entire village," he said. Luka Damina, another Kautikeri resident said troops in Chibok engaged the attackers in gun battle but were subdued by the insurgents. "The Boko Haram fighters overpowered the soldiers and seized a van with a machine gun mounted on the deck from the soldiers," he said. Witnesses, including a local chief, said a soldier was wounded during the shootout. The attack came two days after a raid on nearby Kallali village where the Islamists looted and burnt homes, a local chief told AFP. Boko Haram has waged a seven-year insurgency against the Nigerian state that has claimed at least 20,000 lives and spilled across the country`s borders. Aided by troops from neighbouring countries, the Nigerian military has recaptured swathes of territory from the Islamists since early 2015. But Boko Haram has carried out sporadic attacks on remote villages in the restive region. Last month eight people were killed outside a church in a village 30 kilometres east of Chibok. In August, 10 people were killed in another attack on nearby Kubrivu village. Washington: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton appears to be headed for a landslide victory, media reports, political experts and analysts said on Wednesday, ahead of the third and final debate in Las Vegas. "I think she's trending over 400," Republican strategist Steve Schmidt told MSNBC. To become the president, 69-year-old Clinton needs 270 electoral college votes. Getting more than 400 out of 538 is being seen as landslide. Schmidt, a top strategist for the Republican party, said that Democrats are also headed to take control of the Senate and are close to taking over the House of Representatives. "If the elections were held today, I think Republicans are down 25 seats, as of today, with the trend line going in the wrong direction. The panic is beginning," Schmidt said, reflecting the ground realities in the country. In the RealClearPolitics average of polls Clinton is leading by 7.2 percentage points, a gap which has rarely been bridged by any candidate in the past. As per RealClearPolitcs analysis Clinton is already assured of 256 electoral college votes as against Trump?s 176. She needs 14 votes from 112 toss up electoral college votes. The New York Times today said Clinton has 92 per cent chances of winning the election. The lead that Clinton has gained over the past two weeks is evident in various State and local polls. In Florida's Miami-Dade County, which is the largest county of the State, Clinton is leading Trump by 30 percentage points. In his home State of New York, Trump is trailing Clinton by 24 points. And in a Republican stronghold of Arizona, Trump is trailing Clinton by five points. A Bloomberg poll released today said Clinton is leading Trump by nine points nationally. Trump alleged that these polls are rigged. "I do not believe the polls anymore," he said and claimed that media is not showing the polls in which he is doing well. "You can't believe anything you see. I don't even believe the polls. I see these polls, and they're not terrible. They're sort of good. Actually, if the people come out and vote -- they are very nervous. I have a feeling this is another Brexit. This is going to be interesting. They don't want to show you the good," he told supporters in Colorado. "If they take five polls of the same group, they will always show the bad one. But the bad ones fine, it's fine. You've got to get out and vote. I'll tell you what, we are going to have one of the greatest victories in political history if we get out and vote," he said. "When Hillary develops the energy to go to events - she's got very small crowd. If she came up here, as an example, if she came here, she would have, let's say, maybe the little group on the right- hand, but it wouldn't be them," Trump said. Hong Kong: Hong Kong`s legislature again descended into chaos Wednesday as pro-Beijing politicians blocked the swearing in of two new lawmakers who want a split from China, in an increasingly divided parliament. It comes as fears grow in the semi-autonomous city that Beijing is tightening its grip, fuelling an independence movement in Hong Kong. Wednesday saw rival lawmakers clash in a heated shouting match after the pro-Beijing camp walked out of the swearing-in session. The walkout led to the meeting being cancelled, preventing pro-independence lawmakers Yau Wai-ching and Baggio Leung from taking the oath that would allow them to take up their seats. In the ensuing confrontations one veteran pro-democracy legislator threw slices of luncheon meat at his opponents while another was surrounded by security after turning China and Hong Kong flags displayed on pro-Beijing lawmakers` desks upside-down. Meanwhile, pro-Beijing lawmakers chanted "Apologise!", demanding Yau and Leung say sorry for their failure to take the oath properly at last week`s swearing-in ceremony. The pair had their oaths rejected last Wednesday after they draped themselves in "Hong Kong is not China" flags. The oath states Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Both refused to pronounce China properly, and Yau was heard to replace the words "the People`s Republic of China" with "the People`s refucking of Zeena". They were given permission to retake their oaths Wednesday, but the session was abandoned after the pro-Beijing walkout left an insufficient number of legislators in the chamber. "If they want people to respect their oaths, they have to express regret over their behaviour last week and to apologise to all Chinese around the world," pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung told reporters.Hundreds of pro-Beijing supporters waved Chinese flags and stamped on pictures of the two outspoken lawmakers outside the legislative council building. The pair said they wanted to complete their oaths, but would not apologise for last week`s behaviour. "We are empowered by the people to enter the Legco," Baggio Leung said. The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under an agreement protecting its freedoms for 50 years, but there are concerns those liberties are being eroded. Leung and Yau are part of a new wave of lawmakers advocating independence and self-determination who won seats in the Legislative Council (Legco) -- Hong Kong`s lawmaking body -- in citywide polls last month. Five legislators, including the pair, had their oaths rejected at last week`s swearing in. Of those five, one pro-Beijing lawmaker and one pro-democracy lawmaker, whose oaths were declared invalid the first time round, were allowed to retake them Wednesday morning. The Beijing camp then walked out, forcing the session to be abandoned before Yau, Leung and pro-democracy teacher Lau Siu-lai, who read her oath at a snail`s pace last week, took the stand. The chaotic scenes came after a late-night court bid Tuesday by city leader Leung Chun-ying and justice secretary Rimsky Yuen to block Yau and Baggio Leung from taking up their seats.That went directly against a decision by the pro-Beijing president of Legco, who had already given the green light for them to have a second chance at the oath. The court refused to grant an injunction against Wednesday`s oath-taking, but gave permission for a judicial review into whether the pair should be disqualified, putting their future as lawmakers into question. In a separate case Wednesday, former pro-democracy lawmaker Raymond Wong was convicted of throwing a glass at city leader Leung Chun-ying inside the Legco in 2014. Wong, 64, was convicted of common assault and will be sentenced on Tuesday, local media reported. Iran said on Wednesday it would accept no US "interference" after Washington demanded the release of a dual national and his 80-year-old father given 10-year sentences for espionage. The State Department demanded the immediate release of Siamak and Baqher Namazi, both Iranian-American dual nationals after their sentences were announced on Tuesday. But, foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi told Iranian media: "The government and the Iranian people give no importance to the statements and interference of American officials and their efforts to divide the ranks of the Iranian people. "The American threats only add to the wall of mistrust Iranians have regarding the United States." Washington expressed concern over the health of the elder Namazi, a former UN Children`s Fund employee who also served as the governor of an Iranian province before the Islamic revolution of 1979. Both were jailed for 10 years for "espionage and collaboration with the American government", Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolat-Abadi announced on Tuesday. Three other Iranian-American dual nationals -- Farhad Abd-Saleh, Kamran Ghaderi and Alireza Omidvar -- were also sentenced to 10 years on the same charges, along with a US resident from Lebanon, Nezar Zaka. Siamak Namazi, a well-connected business consultant who has supported Iranian reformists and sought to promote ties between Iran and the United States, was arrested as he arrived in Tehran a year ago. His father was detained in February when he came to Iran to seek his son`s release. Conservatives in Iran have criticised attempts by the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani to improve ties with the West following a nuclear deal with world powers last year. Washington: The US Defense Department on Wednesday said the coordination between Iraqi government and Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the battle to free Mosul city of Iraq from the Islamic State (IS) is very good. Some 18,000 soldiers from Iraq`s central army and 10,000 troops from the country`s Kurdistan region were converging on the IS stronghold city of Mosul, where it is believed that around 5,000 jihadist fighters remain, Efe news quoted Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis as saying. "The level of coordination and cooperation we have seen between the Kurds and the (Iraqi security forces) has been very good," Davis said, adding "they`re working together very well, collaborating just the way we would want them to". Davis dismissed the possibility that 100 to 200 US soldiers deployed in the area to provide intelligence and guidance would enter the offensive. "To be clear, the thousands of combat forces that are going to liberate Mosul are Iraqis," he said, adding that the US military role was restricted to providing precision airstrikes against IS. The spokesman reiterated US President Barack Obama`s comments earlier that he was sure that Mosul would be liberated, although he could not specify when. Several towns on the surrounding Mosul plains have been liberated by the advancing Iraqi forces. Thick plumes of black smoke from burning tires and oil wells, lit by IS members to obscure their movements, were occasionally hampering air support. There have also been reports of suicide bombers for the advancing Iraqi soldiers as well as incidents of civilians being dressed up in army attire and then executed on camera for propaganda purposes. Moscow: The Kremlin said Wednesday it does not expect any breakthrough in resolving the conflict in Ukraine at international talks set to start in Berlin. "We do not expect any breakthroughs," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters hours before President Vladimir Putin was scheduled to meet the leaders of France, Germany and Ukraine to discuss the unrest in the ex-Soviet nation. "Ideally the best result would be Ukraine`s obligation to fulfil the Minsk (peace) agreements in the way that was determined in the document signed by the heads of state concerned. But ideal objectives do not always correspond to reality." Russia, which annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, is backing a pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine that has claimed nearly 10,000 lives since it erupted over two years ago. Moscow has denied accusations that it has sent troops and weaponry across its border to fuel the conflict that has destroyed much of Ukraine`s eastern industrial heartland. Wednesday`s talks will see Putin travel to Berlin for the first time since the conflict broke out and come on the eve of a European Union summit in Brussels on relations with Russia, including sanctions over Ukraine, which come up for renewal at the end of the year. On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he did not have "very high expectations" for the talks. All sides agreed to a peace deal brokered by Germany and France in February 2015, but while the so-called Minsk accords reduced the intensity of fighting, they have failed to stop it. The conflicts in Ukraine and Syria have seen Moscow`s relations with the West plunge to their post-Cold War nadir. Brussels: Russian warships off the coast of Norway are carrying fighter bombers that will likely reinforce a final assault on the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo in two weeks, a senior NATO diplomat said on Wednesday citing Western intelligence. "They are deploying all of the Northern fleet and much of the Baltic fleet in the largest surface deployment since the end of the Cold War," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "This is not a friendly port call. In two weeks, we will see a crescendo of air attacks on Aleppo as part of Russia`s strategy to declare victory there," the diplomat said. Myanmar`s Union Election Commission on Wednesday announced to hold by-election of the parliament on April 1 next year. The by-election will be held to fill 18 vacant seats; nine in the House of Representatives (Lower House), three in the House of Nationalities (Upper House) and six in state parliaments. According to the Union Election Commission, the date for issuing forms to overseas voters to cast vote in advance is set between November 15 and December 15 and date for submission of names of candidates is between November 28 and December 7, Xinhua news agency reported. Campaign period will be from January 30 to March 30 next year. Election result or names of winning parliamentarians-elect will be announced within the next four days following the by-election on April 1 next year. The vacant constituencies were produced when the country`s general election was held on November 8 last year, there were some constituencies which failed to hold the polling. Other parliamentary seats were left empty after parliament members were appointed as government cabinet ministers. PESHAWAR: Police arrested two men suspected of distributing pamphlets for Islamic State (IS) following a raid in the northwestern city of Peshawar, officials said on Wednesday, amid lingering fears that the Middle East militant group was making inroads in Pakistan. Last month, the military said that it had stemmed Islamic State`s attempts to expand in the country, having arrested more than 300 people suspected of plotting attacks against government, diplomatic and civilian targets. Following Tuesday`s raid, however, police in the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said militants were operating in parts of Peshawar, including some from Islamic State. "Some of areas in the provincial capital including Tehskal, Palosai, Charsadda Road and Regi are known for activities of militant groups such as Islamic state," police official Ishtiaq Ahmed told Reuters. Another police official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media, said two other suspects managed to escape during the raid.There are fears that some of Pakistan`s home-grown Sunni militants could be drawn to Islamic State, as already seen in neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistan has long suffered from sectarian violence, with Sunni militants targeting the country`s minority Shi`ites, as well as non-Muslim religious minorities. In August, the official Islamic State news service claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a hospital in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta that killed 74 people. The attack, however, was also claimed by a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, which at one time had declared support for Islamic State`s Middle East leadership, but later switched back to the Taliban. Aleppo: A pause in Russian and Syrian strikes on Aleppo was holding for a second day Wednesday, ahead of a brief unilateral ceasefire aimed at allowing civilians and rebels to quit the devastated city. Moscow announced it would extend an eight-hour truce planned for Thursday to 11 hours and said Syrian and Russian warplanes were giving Aleppo a wide berth. At a meeting in Berlin, French President Francois Hollande said he would work with Germany to persuade Russia to adopt a long-lasting truce around Syria`s second city. Despite the Russian initiative, EU leaders at a summit on Thursday are expected to condemn Moscow over attacks on civilians in Aleppo, according to a draft statement obtained by AFP. Russia`s ceasefire plan has stirred scepticism in the West and the United Nations said it would be insufficient to allow humanitarian aid to reach encircled Aleppo inhabitants. Moscow is backing President Bashar al-Assad`s regime in its war with a wide range of rebel groups, including with air strikes in the divided northern city. Under growing international pressure over the devastation and civilian deaths, Moscow announced early Tuesday that Russian and Syrian warplanes would stop bombing rebel-held parts of the city to pave the way for a "humanitarian pause". That window, starting at 0500 GMT on Thursday, was initially meant to last eight hours and is expected to see all fighting stop to allow civilians and rebels to exit opposition-held districts via six corridors. Senior Russian military official Sergei Rudskoi said Wednesday the ceasefire had been extended "by three hours until 7:00 pm (1600 GMT)". He also said Russian and Syrian planes were keeping 10 kilometres (six miles) from Aleppo. An estimated 250,000 people live in Aleppo`s eastern districts and have been under near-continuous government siege since July.AFP`s correspondent in east Aleppo said although clashes between rebels and pro-government forces involving heavy artillery continued in several neighbourhoods, the pause in air strikes was holding. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said pro-regime fighters were pressing their ground assault in the Old City as they vied to shift the front line. Russian and Syrian bombardment had been providing air cover for a government offensive that started on September 22 aimed at seizing the city`s east, held by rebels since 2012. According to Moscow, once the pause begins six corridors out of the city would open for civilians with another two -- via the Castello Road in the north and Souk al-Hal in the city centre -- designated for rebels. The UN dashed hopes however that a prospective Aleppo truce could allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians. "Before we can do something really meaningful... we need assurances from all parties" over a lasting ceasefire, a spokesman for the UN`s humanitarian agency said in Geneva. Rebel groups have indicated they will not abandon their posts and, with Aleppo encircled by pro-government forces, many civilians fear falling into the hands of the regime. But Russia has said the pause is an opportunity for mainstream rebels to disassociate themselves from jihadists in Aleppo. Near Damascus, more than 600 rebels and their families were evacuated Wednesday from Moadamiyat al-Sham, a besieged rebel town, according to a local official. It was the latest in a string of evacuation accords allowing armed rebels to flee encircled areas, which Damascus has championed as a way to restore stability. Syria analyst Thomas Pierret, of the University of Edinburgh, said the halt in Russian air strikes was about Moscow "managing international pressure"."Russia is periodically trying to mitigate tensions with the West on Aleppo through such initiatives. This is the continuation of war by diplomatic means," he said. In Brussels on Thursday, EU leaders are expected to "strongly condemn the attacks by the Syrian regime and its allies, notably Russia, on civilians in Aleppo", according to a draft obtained by AFP. The draft calls on them "to bring the atrocities to an end and to take urgent steps to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to Aleppo and other parts of the country". Five years of diplomatic initiatives to put an end to Syria`s conflict have failed, but over the past week world powers have made new efforts to reach a lasting truce. Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Berlin later Wednesday to discuss the ceasefire plans. "France will do everything it can to exert pressure, especially on supporters of the (Syrian) regime, such as the Russians, so that the ceasefire can be extended," Hollande said. A US-led coalition is bombing jihadists in Syria including the Islamic State group and Russia accused member Belgium of killing six civilians in air strikes in the Aleppo region on Tuesday. Belgium denied the claim and said it had summoned the Russian ambassador in protest. Talks were also due Wednesday in Geneva between Russian, US, Saudi, Qatari and Turkish officials on the efforts to distance Syrian opposition fighters from jihadists. Paris: Russia inaugurated its most visible landmark in France on Wednesday, brushing off a diplomatic snub by Francois Hollande`s government as bilateral tensions simmered over the war in Syria. The opening of the giant white stone and glass Orthodox Cathedral and cultural centre by the River Seine topped with large gilded domes and in sight of the Eiffel Tower was to have served as a set-piece foreign event for Russian President Vladimir Putin. But Putin did not attend after Hollande demanded talks on Syria that German Chancellor Angela Merkel ended up hosting later in the day in Berlin. The European Union has condemned Russia`s air campaign in Syria but Germany said decisions on fresh sanctions against Russia would not be taken at a summit this week. Putin sent Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky to Paris, who was joined at the opening ceremony by ambassador to France Alexander Orlov. No member of Hollande`s government attended. "There have been highs and lows in relations between France and Russia," Orlov told Reuters TV, noting Napoleon`s failed Russia campaign in the 19th century as well as French being the language of choice for Russian aristocrats for two centuries. "I am very optimistic about the future because there is great proximity between France and Russia... Russians love coming to Paris, they feel very at ease here. " The Holy Trinity Cathedral is Russia`s biggest and most visible landmark in the French capital since Tsar Alexander III offered Paris a bridge named after him in the late 19th Century. The complex, which cost Russia tens of millions of euros to build on top of the estimated 70 million euros ($77 million) it spent on acquiring the plot, has diplomatic status as it hosts the embassy`s cultural centre. Asked about complaints from Parisians that the complex was too big, Orlov said Russia could have built it much larger. Russia warned the US-led coalition Wednesday against driving jihadists from Iraq to Syria, in the offensive to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State jihadist group. "It is necessary not to drive terrorists from one country to the other but to destroy them on the spot," the chief of Russia`s General Staff Valery Gerasimov said in a statement. He said Russia was focusing on "possible attempts by fighters to break out of Mosul" and "freely leave the city in the direction of Syria". "We hope that our partners in the international coalition realise what freely roaming large IS gangs in the Middle East can lead to." The long-awaited offensive against Iraq`s second city began Monday with air and ground support from a US-led coalition. Iraqi forces on Wednesday prepared to retake Qaraqosh, the country`s largest Christian town located about 15 kilometres (10 miles) southeast of Mosul, a key milestone in their progress toward the jihadists` main hub. Officials have said the retaking of Mosul -- in Iraq`s largest military operation in years -- could take weeks or months and warned that the hundreds of thousands of civilians still in the city could be used as human shields. Gerasimov said that Russian military satellites, reconnaissance aircraft and drones were surveilling the Iraqi city. "Despite all the ballyhoo on Western television, it must be understood that the operation as such has not yet begun," Gerasimov said. Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone with the leaders of Turkey and Iraq to discuss the battle, wishing the Iraqi army success in its operations. The Kremlin strongman at the weekend called on the US-led coalition to avoid civilian casualties in the battle to recapture the city. Meanwhile Russian airpower has been backing up an offensive by regime forces on rebel-held eastern Aleppo that has sparked accusations of potential war crimes from the West. Moscow announced on Tuesday that the Russian and Syrian air forces had stopped bombing Aleppo to pave the way for an eight-hour truce on Thursday. Ankara: Turkish police shot dead a suspected Islamic State militant overnight who was believed to be planning a suicide bomb attack in the capital Ankara, the city`s governor said on Wednesday. It was the latest in a series of counter-terrorist police operations coinciding with a Turkey-backed rebel operation in Syria to drive the jihadists away from its southern border. Turkish security forces have meanwhile stepped up action against Kurdish militants, killing 14 Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters in eastern Turkey in recent days, the interior minister said. Police tracked the Islamic State suspect to the ninth floor of a building on Ankara`s outskirts, where he was killed in a gunfight around 3 a.m. after opening fire in response to a call to surrender, the state-run Anadolu Agency said. "The terrorist is judged to have been planning to carry out a suicide bomb attack and carried out reconnaissance around the old parliament building and Anitkabir," Governor Ercan Topaca wrote on Twitter, referring to the mausoleum of modern Turkey`s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The suspect may have been targeting ceremonies to be held there on the Oct. 29 anniversary of the Turkish Republic`s foundation or on Nov. 10 to commemorate Ataturk`s death, Anadolu cited Topaca as saying. Police found explosive materials including sticks of dynamite and ammonium nitrate at the scene, the governor said. The suspect was registered as resident of the southeastern city of Diyarbakir and was born in 1992, Anadolu said. After receiving intelligence that militants were planning attacks in the capital, Topaca`s office on Monday banned public meetings and marches until the end of November. The ban was enforced in line with emergency rule imposed after an attempted coup in July. Islamic State and Kurdish militants have carried out attacks in the capital. This month two suspected PKK members, believed to be planning a car bomb attack, blew themselves up in a standoff with police in Ankara. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters in Ankara that operations targeting militants would continue in the days ahead and said 13 PKK fighters were killed this week in the eastern province of Tunceli and one further north in Erzincan. In the Lice district of Diyarbakir province, PKK militants staged a rocket attack on a minibus carrying members of the state-sponsored village guard militia who fight against the PKK, killing two guards and wounding two others, security sources said. Separately, the sources said 20 people were detained overnight in simultaneous raids across the city of Diyarbakir designed to avert Islamic State bomb attacks. In the Mediterranean coastal province of Mersin, the governor has banned street celebrations such as weddings for reasons of public security, his office said in a statement on its website. It called for tighter security at transport hubs. Ankara: Turkish police shot dead a suspected Islamic State militant who was believed to be planning a suicide bomb attack in the capital Ankara, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday. A counter-terror squad had tracked the suspect to the ninth floor of a building on the outskirts of Ankara, where he was killed in a gunfight at around 3 am after opening fire in response to a police call to surrender. Police found explosive materials at the scene and Governor Ercan Topaca told reporters there were suspicions that the suspect planned to target public ceremonies in the capital, Anadolu reported. It said the man was registered in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir and was born in 1992. Having received intelligence that militants were planning attacks in the capital, the Ankara governor`s office on Monday banned public meetings and marches until the end of November. The ban, enforced under emergency rule imposed after an attempted coup in July, came as Turkey pursued a near two-month-old military operation in Syria in support of rebels to drive Islamic State (IS) from its southern border. IS and Kurdish militants have carried out attacks in the capital. This month two suspected Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) members, believed to be planning a car bomb attack, blew themselves up in a standoff with police in Ankara Saudi Arabia plans to raise up to $17.5 billion from its first international bond issue, as analysts expect strong buyer interest Saudi Arabia plans to raise up to $17.5 billion from its first international bond issue, a source involved in the operation said Wednesday as analysts expect strong buyer interest. "The terms have been launched, the operation has been launched," the source told AFP. Saudi has divided the total into three tranches with maturities of five, ten and thirty years, respectively, tailor-made for the American market. However, investor interest in the issue extends well beyond the United States, the source said. The Saudi issue will be bigger than many analysts had expected. It will be the largest ever from an emerging-market nation, Bloomberg News said, putting overall demand at close to four times the amount on offer. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, projected a budget deficit of $87 billion this year after a fall in oil revenues, which still account for most of its income. To cover the shortfall, Saudi Arabia is re-orienting its economy by imposing unprecedented subsidy cuts and slowing government projects. In September it cut cabinet ministers' salaries, among other measures. The kingdom last week began meetings with potential investors ahead of the bond issue. According to the sources cited by Bloomberg News, the kingdom is pricing the five-year bonds to yield about 140 basis points over US Treasuries. Christopher Dembik, global head of macroeconomic research at France's Saxo Bank, told AFP the kingdom's offer "is going to arouse strong interest on the part of investors", and could be four or five times oversubscribed. He said investors are desperately looking for yield, and the Saudi offer "will be certainly slightly above that of its neighbours because of its less favourable sovereign debt rating and a recent global trend towards higher sovereign rates," he said. Saudi Arabia has already issued domestic bonds but that has led to a tightening of bank liquidity, according to Patrick Dennis, lead Middle East economist at Oxford Economics in London. Story continues - Helping to fund deficit - "So that's the main reason why they're now borrowing overseas," he told AFP. Saudi banks' loan-to-deposit ratio rose for the fifth consecutive month in August, reaching 90.8 percent, because of faster growth in credit relative to deposits, Riyadh's Jadwa Investment said in a report this month. Borrowing abroad also reduces the drain on the kingdom's foreign reserves, Dennis said. Official data show those reserves declined to $562 billion in August from $732 billion at the end of 2014. The reserves remain very large but their rapid drawdown shows a need for diversified funding, Dennis said. London-based Capital Economics said in a briefing paper that Saudi reserves are now "unlikely to fall much beyond their current level in the coming years" because the bond issue will finance around a third of next year's budget deficit and almost all of the current account shortfall. In April the kingdom released its wide-ranging Vision 2030 for diversifying the economy. At its heart is a plan to float less than five percent of state oil company Saudi Aramco on the stock market. The proceeds would help form what will become the world's biggest state investment fund, with around $2 trillion in assets. With prospects good for the current international bond issue, Dembik foresees Saudi Arabia borrowing $15 billion to $20 billion annually in the market to help finance its economic transformation plan. Vogue today endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton as the first ever female president of the United States of America, and ran this gorgeous portrait of our future POTUS by photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vogue, in December 1993. For all the chaos and unpredictability and the sometimes appalling spectacle of this election season, the question of which candidate actually deserves to be president has never been a difficult one. Vogue has no history of political endorsements. Editors in chief have made their opinions known from time to time, but the magazine has never spoken in an election with a single voice. Given the profound stakes of this one, and the history that stands to be made, we feel that should change. Vogue endorses Hillary Clinton for president of the United States. HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwired - Oct. 18, 2016) - Editors Note: There are three photos associated with this press release. Erdene Resource Development Corp. (ERD.TO) ("Erdene" or "Company") is pleased to announce the second set of results from on-going drilling at its 100%-owned, high-grade Bayan Khundii gold project ("Bayan Khundii") in southwest Mongolia. Today's results confirm a significant new discovery under shallow cover, 170 metres north of the Striker Zone. In addition, drilling continues to support continuity of the high-grade mineralization within the Striker Zone. Results are pending for 12 holes. Highlights (see attached map and cross sections for reference) New zone discovered under shallow cover, 170 metres north of Striker Zone (hole BKD-60) Includes 30 metres of 3.0 g/t gold near the top of the hole Consistent gold mineralization beginning at 20 metres, averaging 123 metres of 1.3 g/t gold High-grade intervals with visible gold, up to 19 g/t gold over one metre Confirms significant gold mineralization continues north of the Striker Zone under younger cover Striker Zone continuity strengthened with 90 metres of 2.5 g/t gold to bottom of hole at 126 metre depth in hole BKD-57, includes 31 metres of 6.8 g/t gold Western extension of Striker Zone confirmed under cover with 31 metres of 1.0 g/t gold and 5 metres of 2.2 g/t gold in holes BKD-59 and BKD-53, respectively New zone intersected in southwest Striker Zone in hole BKD-55 with 24 metres of 1.3 g/t gold Q3-Q4 2016 Drill Program Results Drilling Summary The Q3-Q4 drilling program includes 28 holes drilled since September 5, 2016, totaling 3,518 metres. A total of 73 holes have been completed, totaling 8,097 metres, since the initial holes were drilled in October 2015. Today's release includes results for holes BKD-53 to BKD-61 and follows the first batch of results (see October 4, 2016 press release here) for holes BKD-46 to BKD-52. Results are pending for holes BKD-62 to BKD-73 which have been completed within, north, and east of the Striker Zone, and within the Northeast Zone, approximately 1 kilometre northeast of the Striker Zone. Story continues New Wide Zone of Mineralization Identified Under Shallow Cover in Hole BKD-60 Step-out drilling was completed 170 metres north of the Striker Zone where hole BKD-60 has returned a very wide intersection of gold mineralization. Starting immediately below the 20 metres of younger Cretaceous cover, BKD-60 averaged 1.3 g/t gold over 123 metres and included 30 metres of 3.0 g/t gold near the top of the hole. Visible gold was observed in multiple locations, particularly between 29 and 59 metres, but continued locally to a depth of 117 metres. This hole confirms that significant gold mineralization continues beyond the Striker Zone under the younger Cretaceous units that lie between the main exposed area of mineralization in southwest Bayan Khundii (includes Striker Zone) and the Northeast Zone, located 750 metres to the northeast, demonstrating the strong potential for expansion of the mineralized zones. Table 1 - Bayan Khundii drill results for Drill Hole BKD-60 Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m)* Gold (g/t) BKD-60 20 143 123 1.32 Incl. 24 92 68 1.96 Incl. 29 59 30 2.98 Incl. 58 59 1 19.0 Incl. 91 92 1 16.6 Incl. 137 141 4 2.18 * Reported intervals are not true width. At this time there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralized system to calculate true orientations in space. They represent drill intersection widths from holes drilled at a 45 to 90 degree angle. The Bayan Khundii mineralization is interpreted to be moderately dipping (approximately 40 to 50 degrees). Striker Zone Continuity Strengthened with Hole BKD-57 Striker Zone drilling continues to establish continuity of the high-grade gold mineralization. Drilling intersected intensely altered volcanic tuffs with variable quartz-adularia and stockwork veining, with visible gold identified in hole BKD-57, as well as within holes BKD-63 and BKD-70, for which results are pending. Hole BKD-57, located in the western portion of Striker Zone, has returned one of the most intensely mineralized areas within the Striker Zone with 90 metres of 2.5 g/t gold, including a very high grade zone of 26 g/t gold over 7 metres. Additionally, hole BKD-55, located along the southwest portion of the Striker Zone, intersected a new, near-surface zone returning 24 metres of 1.3 g/t gold. Immediately north of the Striker Zone, hole BKD-65 (results pending) returned moderate quartz adularia, chalcedonic quartz and stockwork veins and locally visible gold within altered volcanic tuff. This hole tested a new zone previously uncovered in trench BKT-13 (2 metres of 8.6 g/t gold). In three areas (southwest portion of Striker Zone, east of Striker Zone, and at depth in the Northeast Zone) intrusive rocks have been intersected at varying depths, both post and pre mineralization. Based on the magnetic signature associated with the post-mineralization syenite in the vicinity of the Striker and Gold Hill Zones, these intrusions seem to be of limited extent and are considered to be small syenite plugs. Table 2 - Bayan Khundii drill results for Drill Holes BKD-54 to 58 and BKD-61 Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m)* Gold (g/t) BKD-54 41 92 51 0.16 BKD-55 10 34 24 1.26 Incl. 21 24 3 4.40 BKD-56 24 44 20 0.87 and 53 89 36 0.60 Incl. 53 58 5 1.70 BKD-57 0 2 2 1.00 and 36 126** 90 2.51 Incl. 62 93 31 6.80 Incl. 66 73 7 26.0 Incl. 90 93 3 4.98 BKD-58 4 6 2 0.35 and 22 24 2 0.46 BKD-61 11 18 7 1.10 and 66 82 16 0.59 * Reported intervals are not true width. At this time there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralized system to calculate true orientations in space. They represent drill intersection widths from holes drilled at a 45 to 90 degree angle. The Bayan Khundii mineralization is interpreted to be moderately dipping (approximately 40 to 50 degrees). ** End of hole Gold Mineralization Intersected Under Cover to the West Approximately 100 metres west of the Striker Zone, two holes, BKD-53 and BKD-59, tested for gold mineralization under younger Cretaceous cover to a vertical depth of 200 metres and 250 metres, respectively. Results indicate a continuity of, and locally an increase of intensity in, gold mineralization; including 5 metres of 2.2 g/t gold in BKD-53 and 2 metres of 7.4 g/t gold at depth in BKD-59. The mineralized lithology includes silicified volcanic tuffs with stockwork and quartz, plus/minus adularia veining including some with colloform and crustiform textures, indicative of an epithermal system and typical for Bayan Khundii. These results further demonstrate the potential for the discovery of additional gold mineralization under cover to the west. Table 3 - Bayan Khundii drill results for Drill Holes BKD-53 and BKD-59 Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m)* Gold (g/t) BKD-53 72 105 33 0.59 Incl. 99 104 5 2.19 BKD-59 121 152 31 0.95 Incl. 133 143 10 1.71 and 174 181 7 0.82 and 202 230 28 0.74 Incl. 216 218 2 7.41 * Reported intervals are not true width. At this time there is insufficient data with respect to the shape of the mineralized system to calculate true orientations in space. They represent drill intersection widths from holes drilled at a 45 to 90 degree angle. The Bayan Khundii mineralization is interpreted to be moderately dipping (approximately 40 to 50 degrees). Northeast Zone In the Northeast Zone, approximately 1 kilometre northeast of the Striker Zone two holes have been completed, BKD-62 and BKD-72 (results pending). Under 45 metres of cover on the northern portion of the Northeast Zone, BKD-62 intersected altered and sulfide mineralized volcanic tuffs and syenite porphyry units with locally intense zones of quartz veining with pyrite-sulfide mineralization and increasing quartz veining deeper in the hole, and terminated at 175 metres. Hole BKD-72 was drilled approximately 150 metres southwest of BKD-62 to a depth of 150 metres. This hole was collared in altered lapilli tuff and intersected multiple zones of quartz veining, locally quartz-adularia and chalcedonic quartz veins, as well as disseminated and quartz vein hosted sulfides. Drilling Plans The drill program will recommence on October 21, 2016 and will continue through mid-December. Drill targeting will be based on results of current drilling and the results from the independent technical evaluation studies completed in Q3 2016. The remaining, expanded program is expected to consist of a further 5,500 metres of drilling including an additional 2,000 metres at Bayan Khundii; 3,000 metres of resource expansion and scout drilling along the 5.6 kilometre long mineralized trend at the Company's Altan Nar Gold-Polymetallic Project, located 19 kilometres northwest of Bayan Khundii; and a 500 metre initial drill program to test newly identified targets at the Company's Altan Arrow gold prospect, located 3.5 kilometres north of Bayan Khundii. Background on Bayan Khundii, Altan Nar and Altan Arrow Gold Projects Bayan Khundii Gold Project In Q2 2015, Erdene conducted an initial exploration program on the southern portion of the Company's 100%-owned Khundii license in southwest Mongolia. This reconnaissance work led to the discovery of the Bayan Khundii, low sulphidation epithermal gold prospect. Gold mineralization at Bayan Khundii has been identified over a 1.7 kilometre trend, with detailed exploration only taking place over a 500 metre by 350 metre zone in the southwest portion of the prospect area, where the Company's Q4 2015 and Q2 2016 drill programs have focused. Visible gold was observed in multiple drill holes, and results include several high-grade intersections within a series of parallel structures exposed at surface. Results include up to 35 metres of 5.9 g/t gold in hole BKD-10 from surface to the bottom of the hole (including 12 metres of 16.2 g/t gold), and 63 metres of 5.3 g/t gold in hole BKD-17 starting at 50 metres. Drill results and program details are included in Erdene's press releases (click here). In Q1 2016, the Company concluded preliminary metallurgical test work at Bayan Khundii, indicating that gravity concentration and cyanidation of the gravity tails yield very good overall gold recoveries for both high-grade and low-grade composites: 99% gold recovery from the high-grade composite (24.9 g/t gold), and 92% gold recovery from the low-grade composite (0.7 g/t gold). The license has a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") in favour of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%. Altan Nar Gold-Polymetallic Project Discovered in 2011, the Company's Altan Nar gold-polymetallic project (19 kilometres northwest of Bayan Khundii) hosts a total of 18 mineralized gold-silver-lead-zinc target areas within a 5.6 kilometre by 1.5 kilometre mineralized corridor. Two of the early discoveries, Discovery Zone ("DZ") and Union North ("UN"), are the most advanced targets, hosting wide zones of high-grade, near-surface mineralization over variable widths (up to 53 metres apparent width) averaging in excess of 1 g/t gold, including intervals up to 19 metres averaging 5.8 g/t gold (7.8 g/t gold equivalent*). The DZ and UN targets were the focus of an initial National Instrument 43-101 resource estimate released by the Company in Q1 2015. Altan Nar remains at an early stage of exploration with only shallow, detailed drilling of DZ and UN with the remaining 16 targets either undrilled or scout-drilled, and are considered by the Company to have good potential for hosting additional resources. The license has a 2% NSR Royalty in favour of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%. *Gold equivalent has been used to express the combined value of gold, silver, lead and zinc at Altan Nar as a percentage of gold, and is provided for illustrative purposes only. No allowances have been made for recovery losses that may occur should mining eventually result. Calculations use metal prices of US $1200/ounce gold, $18/ounce silver, and $0.90/pound for lead and zinc. Altan Arrow Gold Project The Altan Arrow gold project ("Altan Arrow") is situated on the Bayan Khundii license, 3.5 km north of the Bayan Khundii project and 15 km southeast of Altan Nar. Previous exploration by Erdene in the Altan Arrow prospect area confirmed the presence of high-grade gold within epithermal quartz veins and the potential for broader mineralized zones. Erdene geologists identified an approximate 1 square-kilometre area of anomalous gold-silver mineralization in quartz veins that returned up to 57 g/t gold in hand samples and 1 m of 31.4 g/t gold and 6 m of 4.5 g/t gold in trenching. The license has a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") in favour of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%. Qualified Person and Sample Protocol Michael MacDonald, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Director of Exploration for Erdene, is the Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. All samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks. Erdene's sampling protocol for drill core consisted of collection of samples over 1 metre or 2 metre intervals (depending on the lithology and style of mineralization) over the entire length of the drill hole, excluding minor post-mineral lithologies and un-mineralized granitoids. Sample intervals were based on meterage, not geological controls or mineralization. All drill core was cut in half with a diamond saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at the Company's Bayan Khundii exploration camp. All samples were organized into batches of 20 samples including a commercially prepared standard and blank. Sample batches were periodically shipped directly to SGS in Ulaanbaatar via Erdene's logistical contractor, Monrud Co. Ltd. About Erdene Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. In addition to Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar, the Company has two other exploration licenses and a mining license in southwest Mongolia. Other deposits and prospects within these licenses include: Khuvyn Khar - an early-stage, copper-silver porphyry project with multiple drill targets and significant copper intersections; Nomin Tal - a narrow, high grade copper-gold discovery; Zuun Mod - a large molybdenum-copper porphyry deposit; and Altan Arrow - an early-stage, high-grade, gold-silver project. In addition to the above properties, the Company has an Alliance with Teck Resources Limited on regional copper-gold exploration in the prospective Trans Altay region of southwest Mongolia. For further information on the Company, please visit www.erdene.com. Erdene has 121,155,992 issued and outstanding common shares and a fully diluted position of 134,432,906 common shares. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE To view the photos associated with this press release, please visit the following links: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Fig1-PlanMapofBayanKhundiiGoldProject.jpg http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Fig2-CrossSection1-StrikerZoneHeadingNE.jpg http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Fig3-CrossSection2-StrikerZoneHeadingNW.jpg A Delta flight crew couldnt believe Ashley Denmark was a physician. (Photo: Courtesy of Ashley Denmark) Dr. Ashley Denmark, D.O., who hails from South Carolina, was on a flight from Seattle to Hawaii. The trip, to attend a good friends wedding, was intended as a bit of a rest and relaxation period for the busy doctor, wife, and mother of two. As soon as she heard there was a traveler in need of medical assistance, though, Denmark got up and made her presence known. Thats when everything went awry. Denmark shared her story on her website: As I settled in to watch a movie and read a book, about 1 hour into our flight over the intercom, a flight attendant requested a doctor or nurse to report to front of cabin to assist a passenger. When duty calls it calls even if you are 30,000 feet in air And she continued on social media:The flight attendant didnt believe I was a doctor and told me to have a seat while 2 nurses provided medical care to the passenger. It was merely a few days ago when Tamika Cross, MD, another young, black physician described a very similar situation happening on a different Delta flight. In Crosss situation, the passenger was unresponsive, a seemingly life-threatening situation in which every second counted. What exactly is it that inspires seemingly normal people to prevent qualified individuals from offering their professional assistance? In life-or-death situations, do we really have time to be prejudiced? A report by the Washington Post, points to the phenomenon of implicit bias as the culprit. Overt bias certainly exists, but there is also a growing body of scientific literature thats revealing an even more uncomfortable truth, according to the article. Deep-seated unconscious biases help steer our thinking and behavior even when we dont realize it. One can only hope that by sharing their stories, women like Cross and Denmark can begin to receive the respect that others particularly older, white men enjoy without needing to jump through hoops to prove themselves. Denmark reiterated this hope, telling Yahoo Beauty that she hopes her story raises awareness to the fact that the face of medicine is changing. Doctors can be young, female, or come from different ethnic backgrounds, she says. My hope is that Delta takes into account my unfortunate experience and prevents a similar occurrence from happening again. Despite this experience, I have remained focused and will continue to do so, striving to be the best physician, mother, and wife I can be. And to those last words, were happy to give her more than the benefit of the doubt. Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Teaching with Technology 3D Scanners and Printers, Virtual Reality Gear Top Faculty Wish Lists Our 2016 Teaching with Technology survey asked higher education faculty about their most-wanted hardware and software for the classroom and their top technology complaints. Laptops and desktops may be the most common form of instructional tech in the classroom, but most faculty are dreaming about more cutting-edge gear. According to Campus Technology's 2016 Teaching with Technology survey, the top hardware on instructors' wish lists: user-engaging 3D and virtual reality gear, big displays and tech-enabled student furnishings. The survey polled faculty members across the country about their use of technology for teaching and learning, their wish lists and gripes, their view of what the future holds and more. On the software front, animation software leads the faculty wish list, referenced by 17 percent of respondents; followed by adaptive learning (13 percent); games and e-portfolios (each with 12 percent); 3D modeling (11 percent); and collaboration/whiteboard software (10 percent). Everything else received single-digit mention. While the majority of faculty believe technology has a positive impact on education, they have plenty of gripes about it too. Here are the top complaints uncovered by our survey: Tech without the training. As one tech-loving Kansas faculty member explained, "It's absolutely useless and counter-productive to teaching unless it's deployed strategically, used wisely and properly supported." The ease and speed with which students can cheat and plagiarize. "Students do not consider 'finding an answer' on the internet unacceptable," grumbled one faculty member in Kentucky. "They do not see any difference between 'finding an answer' and researching a topic." Technology in search of a purpose. "Significant negatives have been caused by having technology shoved at faculty as solutions for which there are no problems," moaned a fine arts instructor in Maryland. "The notion that technology can replace face-to-face [and] allow classes to be larger or remote is pervasive, and has denigrated the quality of education." Continuous upgrades. As an engineering professor in Minnesota lamented, "[Just] when I learn how to use it, they change it and I have to start all over." The cost of tech at the expense of other aspects of education. "Technology will suck financial resources, thus faculty will continue to be underpaid and community college education will continue its steady demise," griped a liberal arts instructor and online coordinator at a New Mexico community college. The full results of the Teaching with Technology Survey appear in the August/September digital issue of Campus Technology. Highlights from the survey will also be posted on this site over the coming months. You can check back for ongoing coverage in our Research section. Who Responded There are a lot of people who play a part or have a vested interest in the use of technology in colleges and universities. But for the sake of this survey, CT wanted to find out what faculty thought about the topic, so we targeted our questions to that role within the institution. Everybody else who responded to the survey was eliminated from the results we're sharing with you here. We were left with 524 qualified participants who held faculty roles. Of those, 69 percent work in public institutions, 23 percent in private not-for-profit colleges and another 8 percent work in private for-profit schools. Seven in 10 institutions (71 percent) run four-year programs; the other 29 percent run two-year programs. Our typical respondent has spent an average of 21 years in the field. Nearly half of the respondents (49 percent) have 21 years or more of experience working in higher education; the next largest group (33 percent) has between 11 and 20 years. The respondents come from a gamut of school and college types. The top three most represented are education (19 percent), business (14 percent) and liberal arts (10 percent). Every other discipline has single-digit representation. The average size of the institution's student body in our survey is 13,886. However, nearly six in 10 respondents work in colleges or universities with fewer than 10,000 students. Respondents come from almost every state in the union, with particularly high representation from California, Florida, Texas, New York and Ohio, in that order. (We apologize to our Canadian respondents who felt unloved; next year we'll be sure to include your provinces as well.) WEDNESDAY, Oct. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Oregon had a significant and lasting increase in emergency department visits after Medicaid coverage was expanded, a new study shows. "For policymakers thinking about expansions, our results suggest that a typical Medicaid program will increase health care use across settings -- including the ED [emergency department] -- for at least two years, and that it won't lead people to go to the doctor instead of the ED," said study co-author Katherine Baicker. She's a professor of health economics at Harvard University's School of Public Health, in Boston. Emergency department visits increased 40 percent after Oregon expanded Medicaid coverage in 2008, and the increase persisted for at least two years, Baicker and her colleagues said in a joint Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology news release. There was no evidence that newly insured Medicaid patients were more likely to substitute doctor's office visits for trips to the emergency department. Rather, investigators found they were more likely to use both types of care. The researchers also found that Medicaid coverage significantly improved people's financial security and reduced depression rates, but appeared to have no impact on physical health or employment. The study appears in the Oct. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "Our finding that Medicaid increased ED visits generated a lot of debate about whether this might just be a temporary spike; now we know that the increase in ED visits persisted for at least the first two years of Medicaid coverage," said study co-leader Amy Finkelstein, a professor of economics at MIT. More information The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has more on Medicaid. Irvine, Calif. -- Children who have been in the U.S. foster care system are at a significantly higher risk of mental and physical health problems - ranging from learning disabilities, developmental delays and depression to behavioral issues, asthma and obesity - than children who haven't been in foster care, according to a University of California, Irvine sociologist. "No previous research has considered how the mental and physical well-being of children who have spent time in foster care compares to that of children in the general population," said study co-author Kristin Turney, UCI associate professor of sociology. "This work makes an important contribution to the research community by showing for the first time that foster care children are in considerably worse health than other children. Our findings also present serious implications for pediatricians by suggesting that foster care placement is a risk factor for health problems in childhood." Published online Oct. 17 (Eastern time) ahead of print in Pediatrics, the large-scale study is the first to offer health comparisons based on a nationally representative sample of U.S. children. Turney and co-author Christopher Wildeman, associate professor of policy analysis & management at Cornell University, analyzed data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health. Of the more than 900,000 kids included in the survey, 1.3 percent were identified as having been in foster care. They were compared to children who hadn't spent time in foster care, those who had been adopted from foster care and those living in a variety of family arrangements, including single-mother and economically disadvantaged households. Using logistic regression models, researchers found that kids who'd been in foster care were: Seven times as likely to experience depression Six times as likely to exhibit behavioral problems Five times as likely to feel anxiety Three times as likely to have attention deficit disorder, hearing impairments and vision issues Twice as likely to suffer from learning disabilities, developmental delays, asthma, obesity and speech problems "This is typically a difficult-to-reach population, so having access to descriptive statistics on their living arrangements, physical well-being and behavior provided an excellent opportunity to help identify the health challenges they face," Turney said. "This study expands our understanding of the mental and physical health of these highly vulnerable children, but we must take a closer look if we are to understand how foster care really affects child well-being." ### The study is available online at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/recent. About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu. Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists. Contact: Pat Harriman 949-824-9055 pharrima@uci.edu Heather Ashbach 949-824-1577 hashbach@uci.edu Yemeni children fill empty jerrycans with water from a donated source amid ongoing widespread disruption of water supplies in an impoverished coastal village on the outskirts of the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, on October 18, 2016 (AFP Photo/-) Aden (AFP) - The Saudi-led coalition accused Yemeni rebels of repeatedly breaching a ceasefire on Thursday, the first day of a truce under global pressure to end a war which has killed thousands. At least 11 people were killed in sporadic clashes between rebels and pro-government forces, despite all sides insisting they will pause the fighting. The truce, for an initial period of three days, took effect just before midnight on Wednesday to allow sorely needed aid deliveries in Yemen where the conflict has also left millions homeless and hungry. The Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Huthi rebels overran much of the impoverished country on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Five previous truce attempts failed but cautious optimism preceded the current pause after intensified international pressure following an escalation of combat. But Major General Ahmed Assiri, the coalition spokesman, told AFP, "there is no ceasefire at all" because of repeated rebel breaches. "This is the same situation as the previous time when we called for a ceasefire," Assiri said. And Saudi Arabia's foreign minister told reporters in Washington that rebels were stepping up their attacks. "As of this morning Washington time there had been more than 150 violations by the Huthi-Saleh side," Adel al-Jubeir said, referring to the rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Saudi Arabia and Washington accuse Iran of arming the Shiite Huthi insurgents, but Tehran denies the charges. The coalition and Hadi both vowed to abide by the ceasefire despite alleged violations by the rebels. Pro-government forces declared "respect for the truce" but reserved the right to respond to infractions. The rebels said they would respect the ceasefire as long as "the enemy" abides by it, but urged their fighters to be ready to retaliate against "all aggression". Story continues - Thousands have died - The coalition says it will continue an air and maritime embargo, to prevent weapons shipments to the rebels, and maintains airborne reconnaissance. At dawn, coalition aircraft flew twice over the rebel-held capital Sanaa without conducting raids, according to residents, who said they have had enough of failed ceasefires. "They're mocking us with a three-day truce," said Ali al-Doush, a 32-year-old civil servant who has not been paid for three months. "We want an end to the war." Nearly 6,900 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians, while another three million are displaced and millions more need food aid. The deaths Thursday included three civilians killed in a coalition air raid on Saada province, a historic Huthi stronghold, rebel-controlled media said. Assiri denied that any air strikes took place over Yemen, although coalition warplanes carried out surveillance. He said a Patriot missile shot down a missile fired by rebels in Marib, east of the capital Sanaa. A man and his daughter were wounded in a cross-border attack from Yemen in the kingdom's Jazan region, Saudi civil defence authorities said. Assiri said coalition artillery and aircraft retaliated. - '43 rebel violations' - "We will respond to each violation. We will be reactive," he said. "It's so easy. If they stop, we will not fire a bullet." Official Saudi media said there were more than 43 rebel violations along the border. Military sources and residents said there had also been fighting around the besieged third city Taez, and pro-Hadi positions came under fire in Sarwah, east of Sanaa. The last ceasefire attempt began in April and collapsed as UN-brokered peace talks broke down in August. Fighting then escalated, until an October 8 coalition air strike which the UN said killed more than 140 people and wounded at least 525 at a funeral in Sanaa. On Thursday a panel of UN experts concluded the strike was in violation of international humanitarian law, accusing the coalition of failing to take "effective and adequate precautionary measures to minimise civilian casualties". In the wake of the incident the United States announced an "immediate review" of its intelligence and refuelling assistance to the coalition, whose investigative team said the funeral was "wrongly targeted". The US Navy also for the first time struck rebels directly earlier this month, hitting radar sites which Washington said were involved in missile launches against a US warship and other vessels. The ceasefire does not apply to jihadists who have exploited the conflict to gain ground in the south. Suspected Al-Qaeda militants on Thursday killed four soldiers at a checkpoint in the southern province of Abyan, a security official said. One attacker was killed and another wounded. Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz who came to power in 2008 boasts that he has turned his nation into a regional haven of peace thanks to his reorganisation of the military and security forces (AFP Photo/Lintao Zhang) Nouakchott (AFP) - Mauritania denied Thursday that a suspected jihadist cell uncovered by the authorities had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group (IS), after its members appeared in court accused of targeting a recent Arab League summit. Government spokesman Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheikh said the group were "amateurs" and denied a formal link with IS central command during a news conference. "This group was made up of 10 amateurs who were planning activities in support of a terrorist group," Ould Cheikh said, insisting there was no IS cell in Mauritania. However a judicial source, speaking to AFP on Wednesday when the group appeared before a prosecuting magistrate, painted a different picture of what it said were 10 men "apprehended just before the Arab (League) summit which took place on July 24." They had intended to "terrify" Arab leaders by raising the IS black flag and scrawling graffiti on buildings to assert the presence of the group in the Mauritanian capital. In addition "a Salafist was pulled out of prison in Nouakchott to help with the enquiry", the source said, while "the other 10 had links to this Salafist", using the word for an adherent of an ultra-conservative brand of Islam. Local press said the gang's leader was a former faith healer turned extremist and IS supporter. All remained in custody on Thursday. Mauritania jailed three men for between five and 10 years for links with IS in June 2015, with the court shown a video in which all three pledged allegiance. In August of that year a young Salafist leader was arrested and accused of spreading IS propaganda. Kidnappings and attacks by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were frequent when Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz came to power in 2008. But he boasts that he has turned his nation into a regional haven of peace thanks to his reorganisation of the military and security forces. The mainly Muslim republic, sandwiched between the west coast of Africa and the Sahara desert, is seen by Western leaders as a bulwark against militant Islamist groups. The spotlight has been thrown on the growing threat of Islamist extremism across Africa's vast Sahel region since a French-led military intervention drove Al-Qaeda-linked groups out of the towns of neighbouring Mali's desert north in 2013. Danish English As part of the execution of the 2018 Strategy, TDC Group adjusted its Danish organisation during September 2016 towards a more customer-centric organisation with further end-to-end process responsibility in the business lines. For the financial reporting it means that more costs are allocated to the reporting segments Consumer, Business and Wholesale, whereas correspondingly fewer costs are allocated to Other operations in Denmark. TDC will report in accordance with the adjusted organisation with effect from the Interim Financial Report for January-September 2016. Comparative figures in the income statements for the business lines are restated accordingly. A restated Fact Sheet with comparative figures for Q1 2014 to Q2 2016 is therefore now available on TDCs website and attached to this release. The restatement does not give rise to any changes to TDCs guidance for 2016, which was announced on 21 June 2016. Camposol Holding Ltd. will hold a conference call announcing the third quarter 2016 results on Wednesday October 26th,2016. The telephone conference will be held at 10:00 a.m. (Lima) as described below. Jorge Ramirez, CEO, and Maria Cristina Couturier, CFO, will host the conference call presentation and a Q&A session at 10:00 a.m. (Lima). To participate in the conference call, please use the following numbers: London, UK Local +44 (0) 20 3427 1911 New York, US Local +1 212 444 0896 Oslo, Norway, Local +47 2316 2729 Chile National Free Phone 123 0020 9330 Colombia National Free Phone 01 800 915 7426 Participants will be asked for their name and conference ID. The Camposol conference ID is: 1917957 Audio access for the meeting is available by dialing the above mentioned numbers. To access the presentation webcast in connection with the conference call, please use: http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/t5u4ww9o Participants are advised to log on to the service and check their configuration well ahead of the telephone conference commencement. Please use the following link (that is also available from the registration page of your webcasts): http://edge.media-server.com/m/player/help/systemcheck.php?lan=en If you are unable to participate in the call, a playback of the conference is available until November 26th, 2016 by dialing: Replay - London, UK Local +44 (0) 20 3427 0598 Replay - US Local +1 347 366 9565 Replay - Oslo, Norway Local +47 2100 0498 Followed by replay access number: 1917957 For further information, please contact: Jossue Yesquen Lihim, Head of IR jyesquen@camposol.com.pe Phone: +511 621 0800 - Ext: 7171 About CAMPOSOL CAMPOSOL is the leading agro industrial company in Peru, the first producer of avocados and soon the first producer of blueberries in the world. It is involved in the harvest, processing and marketing of high quality agricultural products such as avocados, blueberries, grapes, mangoes, tangerines and shrimp; which are exported to Europe, the United States of America and Asia. CAMPOSOL is a vertically integrated company located in Peru, offering fresh and frozen products. It is the third largest private employer of the country, with more than 13 thousand workers in high season, and is committed to support sustainable development through social responsibility policies and projects aimed to increase the shared-value for all of its stakeholders. CAMPOSOL was the first Peruvian agro industrial company to present annual audited sustainability reports. CAMPOSOL has achieved the following international certifications: BSCI, Global Gap, IFS, HACCP and BRC among others. Company Applauds Employee Dedication and Perseverance in North Carolina SMITHFIELD, Va., Oct. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, all Smithfield Foods processing facilities and farms in North Carolina have returned to normal operations, and while floodwaters reached lagoons on three Smithfield contract farms following the historic flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew, there continues to be no report of lagoon breaches or failures on the companys company-owned or contract farms as a result of this flooding. The storm brought flood levels unseen in nearly 500 years, unmatched transportation challenges including a 10-day closure of both Interstate 95 and Interstate 40, and widespread devastation to communities across the eastern half of the state. We are deeply grateful to our more than 10,000 employees across North Carolina who have been affected by this disaster but have remained committed to our operations, customers and consumers. Weve provided warm meals, transportation, and activated our Employee Assistance Program to assist employees. Smithfields EAP provides support to employees and their families during challenging times and includes services such as counseling sessions, legal consultations, family and caregiver assistance as well as other resources. The effects of this storm were severe, and I could not be more proud of our North Carolina employees and their response in the face of adversity, said Kenneth M. Sullivan, Smithfields president and chief executive officer . I am thankful to be a part of the Smithfield family, and proud that we are able to provide support to the entire area as they begin to pick up the pieces. Through our Helping Hungry Homes hunger-relief initiative, we have provided more than 75,000 pounds of protein to local food banks and will continue to provide additional protein to other affected areas in the coming weeks. Beyond food donations, we have also pledged to provide $25,000 to the American Red Cross in North Carolina to further support our employees and communities during this challenging time and throughout the recovery. About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, Farmland, Armour, John Morrell, Cook's, Kretschmar, Gwaltney, Curly's, Margherita, Carando, Healthy Ones, Krakus, Morliny and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Mr. Zarrab, 33, stands accused of facilitating millions of dollars in transactions on behalf of Iran and other sanctioned entities through the use of false documentation and front companies, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud. Attorneys for Zarrab called for dismissal of the indictment, saying that the governments case was unprecedented and a prosecutorial overreach of the first order. Richard M. Berman of Federal District Court rejected the defense arguments, ruling that the indictment clearly set forth the required elements for the charges. The dismissal of an indictment is an extraordinary remedy reserved only for extremely limited circumstances implicating fundamental rights, he wrote. The case is watched closely in Turkey, where in 2013, Zarrab, who has pleaded not guilty to his current charges, was detained by the authorities during a corruption investigation of businessmen with close links to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who then prime minister and now the countrys president. According to Turkish news reports, Mr. Erdogan raised Zarrabs case with Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. during talks at the United Nations. Mr. Erdogan said there were malicious intentions in the prosecution of Zarrab. Zarrabs lawyers, in seeking dismissal, argued that the United States sanctions laws are limited to U.S. persons and exports from the U.S. The prosecutors efforts to extend those laws in Zarrabs case,is not only unjustified and a due process violation, it is a dangerous extension of U.S. law that should not be allowed. The office of the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, asked the judge to deny the defense motion. What arguably is unprecedented about this case is the scope, complexity and reach of the defendants own unlawful scheme, and his level of access to both Iranian and Turkish government officials and to banks to arrange and facilitate that scheme. Neither Benjamin Brafman, a lawyer for Zarrab, nor Mr. Bhararas office commented on the judges ruling. Zarrab is being detained without bail, and is scheduled for trial on Jan. 23. Disclosure: Some links on this page are monetized by the Skimlinks, Amazon, Rakuten Advertising, and eBay, affiliate programs. All prices are subject to change, and this article only reflects the prices available at time of publication. Theres been a lot of talk this week about the Google Pixel smartphones and how they stack up to the latest premium phones from Apple, Samsung, and others. But you know how you can really stand out at any show-me-your-smartphone party? By using a Windows phone. While Microsofts mobile phone platform has a tiny market share, the companys latest flagship phones are still pretty powerful little devices especially since they can also act as (sort of) desktop computers when you connect a keyboard, mouse, and monitor through an optional Display Dock. Microsoft currently charges $499 for its top-of-the-line Lumia 950 XL. But right now eBay seller never-msrp is offering the phone for $386. Thats less than the price youd pay for the smaller, less well-specced Lumia 950 at the Microsoft Store. Here are some of the days best deals. Smartphones Laptops and tablets Other You can find more bargains in our daily deals section. Shabaab Claims Killing 50 Somali Forces in Afgoye Suicide Bombing and Raid, Executing Accused Spies for Britain, Kenya NSC 2016 Day 2 Keynotes Focus on Motivation Charlie Morecraft and Scott Geller urged their audience to actively care for co-workers and take safety responsibility personally. The afternoon keynote's speakers warned that workplace violence can happen anywhere, so be prepared. ANAHEIM, Calif. Both keynote presentations on Oct. 18 at the 2016 National Safety Congress & Expo focused on strongly motivating the listeners. Charlie Morecraft of Phoenix Safety Management and Scott Geller of Safety Performance Solutions and Virginia Tech shared the stage for the morning keynote, with Morecraft recounting the severe burn injuries he suffered on the job at a New Jersey refinery and the agonizing recovery, countless operations, and severe cost to his family and himself the accident ultimately caused all because Morecraft chose that day, as he had many times before, to take shortcuts rather than follow a more cumbersome but safer procedure and wear all of the proper PPE. "You can't afford an accident like this. Your family can't affort an accident like this. What caused this accident was my attitude toward safety," said Morecraft, who has co-presented keynote speeches with Geller at NSC annual conferences since 2006. The afternoon keynote concerned workplace violence and featured four speakers. They included Carol Cambridge, CEO of Violence Free; Carri Casteel, MPH, PhD, president of the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research; Kumani Armstrong, special counsel to the director of California's Department of Industrial Relations, the parent agency of Cal/OSHA; and Kevin Foust, police chief and director of security at Virginia Tech. Casteel and National Safety Council CEO Deborah A.P. Hersman discussed violence statistics, including that violence is the third-leading cause of U.S. occupational fatalities, following motor vehicle crashes and falls, and it is the second-leading cause of occupational fatalities for women in the United States. Armstrong said the rate of being victimized by violence at work is five times greater in health care and social assistance than in other industries. Cal/OSHA has nearly completed a rulemaking on preventing workplace violence at hospitals, and the rule will be voted on Oct. 20 in Oakland by the state's Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board, Armstrong said. If adopted at that meeting, the rule will go to the Office of Administrative Law for ultimate implementation, and then Cal/OSHA will turn its attention to a violence prevention rule for general industry, he said. News Microsoft and AWS Expand Their Clouds, Scrap over Public Sector Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS) this week took turns touting their respective clouds' footprints and public sector credentials, often at each other's expense. Both companies were sponsors of the IACP Conference in San Diego, Calif., which is hosted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and provides a showcase for solutions aimed at law enforcement and public sector organizations. The event was the backdrop for a series of announcements from the two companies seemingly geared at one-upping each other. First, AWS on Monday announced the opening of a new region in Columbus, Ohio, its fifth in the United States and the third it's launched this year after Seoul and Mumbai. The new Ohio region has three availability zones, bringing AWS' cloud infrastructure roster to 38 availability zones and 14 regions. It also has plans to open four more regions in France, the United Kingdom, Canada and China. AWS evangelist Jeff Barr provides an exhaustive list of services supported in Ohio region in this blog post. AWS touted the Ohio region as a boon for the area's public sector and education customers. "Customers and area citizens alike will benefit from new technology opportunities in state and local government organizations, and within the growing startup and developer community in Ohio. AWS looks forward to working closely with area businesses and public sector organizations to grow a cloud ecosystem," the company said in an announcement. "AWS will also work with area students and teachers to help build the next generation of cloud computing workers." Microsoft in turn detailed plans to offer four additional cloud regions specifically for government entities. Two new regions for the Department of Defense (DoD) -- one in the central U.S. and the other in the East Coast -- will launch by the end of 2016, according to a blog post Tuesday by Jason Zander, corporate vice president of Microsoft Azure. Two more Azure Government regions are slated to open in 2017 -- one in Arizona and one in Texas. These four government-specific regions are in addition to four other general-purpose Azure regions that Microsoft is planning in France and Korea. All told, Microsoft has 30 live cloud regions worldwide compared to AWS' 14 -- a discrepancy that Microsoft likes to bring up -- and two live dedicated U.S. government regions (in Virginia and Iowa) compared to AWS' one (in the West Coast). "[O]ur bi-coastal, government-only datacenters offer data replication in multiple locations within the country for business continuity," Zander wrote. "By comparison, the other major cloud provider only offers one government cloud region in the Pacific Northwest." However, it should be noted that comparing the two companies' region counts is complicated by their varying definitions of the term "region." Microsoft uses the word to describe a single location that contains one or more datacenters. Microsoft says it has over 100 cloud datacenters, but not how many are located in each region. Meanwhile, AWS uses "region" to describe a single location that contains one or more availability zones, which in turn contain one or more datacenters. The argument could be made that AWS' "availability zone" is more comparable to Microsoft's "region." AWS' Barr pointed out the distinction in his blog, citing "some industry-wide confusion about the difference between Regions and Availability Zones of late." AWS lists its regions here and Microsoft its Azure regions here. Microsoft and AWS have also been taking turns comparing their respective clouds' public sector credentials. For example, according to AWS earlier this month, its cloud is in use by about 7,000 educational, 22,000 nonprofit and 2,300 government institutions. Microsoft's Zander countered Tuesday that its Azure Government Cloud is used by about 6 million people across 7,000 organizations in different levels of government. AWS also announced that it now complies with the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) standard in six states, the latest being Washington. Zander on Tuesday said that Microsoft meets that standard in 23 states. A consumer confidence index compiled by MasterCard has revealed a plunging drop in the first half of 2016. The latest result of 33.6 is the lowest since 2009 and represents a 10.8% fall on the previous six months. It seems fears over quality of life, income and job security have left Singaporeans pessimistic about the future of the economy and the labour market. But what exactly has caused this downturn in mood and how does the city state expect to revive confidence levels in the jobs market in the second half of the year? Ongoing pressure over job security Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images One reason Singaporeans might attribute to their confidence slump is a shift in balance when it comes to permanent employment. In the financial industry, a recent report revealed a high demand for interim managers. The report, from recruitment firm Robert Half, cited business continuity, leadership enhancement and changes in management as incentives to hire an interim manager. While this may be efficient and cost-effective for business heads, this type of flexible resourcing is a worry when it comes to job stability and the long-term prospects of those looking for more permanent employment. Whats more, those who have a permanent job may find it to be not so permanent after all, as even the biggest firms show signs of downsizing or relocating due to wider economic concern. Barclays announced in early September that it would be cutting around 100 jobs from its IT department in Singapore. The cuts follow the closure of Barclays cash equities operations across Asia as it seeks to reduce headcount globally. Elsewhere in Singapores job market, sentiment among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has also fallen. The most recent report from the SBF-DP SME Index, the measure of business confidence that looks ahead over a six-month period, revealed muted opinion and pessimism with regard to profit outlook. The CEO of The Singapore Business Federation, Ho Meng Kit, even went as far as urging SMEs to look overseas for prosperity, or face a long period of low growth or even declining profitability. Story continues Fresh support for employees Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images It is clearly a worrying time for the business sector in Singapore and by extension, the job market. But there is some positive news emerging from the doom and gloom, beginning with the announcement that next year Singapores Ministry of Manpower is to establish an employment claims tribunal to hear salary-related disputes. The tribunal aims to take over from the labour courts, where the majority of salary-related claims are currently heard, and will aim to provide resolution for employees covered under the Employment Act who earn up to S$4,500 per month. Although the new tribunal is not set to start operating until April 2017, the promise of a new dispute resolution service will be uplifting for many citizens whose fears over job security and salary issues may be denting their confidence. Elsewhere, career development programmes are starting to emerge perhaps an attempt to curb job market woes spurred by low birth rates of the past few decades and the impending retirement of the baby boomer age. In the hotel sector, two schemes have been launched by the Ministry of Manpower. One focuses on helping workers obtain specific skills to further their careers, while the other is known as the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) and aims to help executives transition more smoothly between multiple industries. The PCP is already available in 12 industries, such as manufacturing, infocomm, healthcare, early education and social services. There are also calls for a little perspective. While there has admittedly been an increase in redundancies, Singapores unemployment rate of three per cent is still comparatively low. The rate, which grew 0.3% on the previous quarter, has been exacerbated by the slowing economy and cautious hiring as a result of global uncertainty. While the rise of unemployment sparked concern when it emerged in the second quarter, economists have urged that it is too soon to say the labour market is slacking particularly considering that the news of a fall comes after four quarters of near continuous labour market growth. The drop in confidence suggests consumers will remain cautious something visible in the decline in attendance at this years Singapore Grand Prix. There is also further risk that this weakness may spill over into domestic activity, causing more accentuated and consecutive tumult for the labour market. Growth forecasts have already been lowered for the year, with estimations now at around 1.8%. That represents the slowest pace since 2009. This is why all eyes will be on both the public and private sectors of Singapore for the rest of the year to see how the pessimism plaguing the nation is curbed, to try to encourage a rosier conclusion to the year. (By Sarah Thorp) WASHINGTON, D.C. On the heels of this week's failed missile attacks on a US Navy vessel, the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies published the following timeline illustrating the interceptions of ballistic missiles in Yemen. Since the March 2015 launch of the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council's military Operation Decisive Storm, which was developed to bolster the Yemeni government under President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, missile attacks launched from Houthi-held territory have accelerated. yemen missile war Although the majority of the missile launches were intercepted, the graphics showcases how the war in Yemen has the chance to spill over beyond its borders. This fact was particularly driven home when a Houthi missile attack caused extensive damage to a former US Navy ship that was being operated by the United Arab Emirates at the start of the month off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. The Houthis were also believed to be responsible for two attacks over the course of four days against the US-operated USS Mason, which was patrolling in the Bab al-Mandab Strait between Yemen and Eritrea. These attacks led to a US counter strike against Houthi radar platforms. The Houthis are an Iranian-backed militant group that rose up against the internationally recognized Yemeni government in 2014, ultimately driving the president into exile in Saudi Arabia in March 2015. This precipitated a bloody and ongoing free-for-all in Yemen that pits the Houthis and their supporters against Gulf-supported forces loyal to the Yemeni government in exile, ISIS, and al Qaeda. According to the BBC, more than 6,800 people have been killed in the conflict since 2015, and 80% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance. NOW WATCH: The US struck radar sites in Yemen after rebels tried to attack a Navy ship with missiles More From Business Insider If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more. If youre looking for a new all-in-one printer for your home office, you just got a few new options. Brother (TYO:6448) just introduced a new line of all-in-one devices that are designed specifically for small businesses as part of its INKvestment line of printers. Brother Introduces New Business Smart Printers There are two new models available this month, including the Business Smart Plus MFC-J5830DW and Business Smart Pro MFC-J6535DW. And the company is also releasing the XL versions of those devices, which can support businesses with larger printing volumes, in November. Both devices come with mobile connectivity features, including the ability to print from smartphones and other mobile devices using WiFi and the ability to work with services like AirPrint and Google Cloud Print. Users can also scan documents to popular services like Google Drive and Dropbox, or use free Brother cloud apps to fine tune documents. Mobile and cloud features are becoming increasingly important to small businesses. But the main draw of these new devices, according to Brother, is the ability for businesses to save time and money when it comes to printing. Phil Lubell, Senior Director, Product Marketing, Brother International Corporation said in a company statement, The top-of-mind concerns of small businesses when it comes to printers are the cost of ink, cartridge yields and the durability of their printer. This expanded line of Brother INKvestment all-in-ones was developed specifically for small businesses. With its high-quality printing, rich feature package, durable build, and low-cost ink cartridges, customers can spend less time worrying about buying ink and more time growing their businesses. According to Brother, the cost of printing on these new devices is less than a penny per page for black and less than a nickel per page in color. They also come with the ability to connect to Amazon Dash Replenishment, so you can get new ink automatically instead of needing to make a separate trip. In addition to the new releases this month, Brother is also releasing two supplementary models in December. The MFC-J5930DW and MFC-J6935DW devices offer similar benefits, but with additional paper trays and automatic two-sided copying and scanning features. Qualify for discounts, special offers and more with a Business Prime account from Amazon. You can create a FREE account to get started today. Samsung (KRX:005930) tested the batteries for the exploding Galaxy Note 7 in a self-owned lab. It is the only manufacturer of smartphones allowed to test their phone batteries in-house, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The rest of phone makers must analyze their phone batteries at one of the 28 labs certified by the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA), a trade group representing the wireless communication industry. Phone batteries must go through an experimentation and assessment process in order to comply with standards established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Samsung officially stopped production of its newest device, the Galaxy Note 7, last week due to reports of the phones exploding, igniting and melting. This came roughly a month after it decided to recall and halt shipments of the product. Is The Atypical In-House Battery Testing by Samsung to Blame? The battery is the source of these potentially dangerous malfunctions. A representative for Samsung said that no problems were detected while at the internal testing labs, according to the WSJ. We are working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7, Samsung said in an official statement last week. Because consumers safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 while the investigation is taking place. But there have been reports of other Samsung products breaking down and becoming harmful. Marie Terrios Samsung S6 Active mobile phone was crackling and sizzling in her front left pocket and burned severe gashes into her thigh and shin, according to an exclusive story for The Daily Caller News Foundation (TheDCNF). Terrio went to the hospital and was treated for second and third degree burns that resulted from the combusting cellular device. My leg looked black and the pain was unbelievable, Terrio told TheDCNF. A California man is suing Samsung for intense burns allegedly caused by his Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Batteries are the identified cause in the majority of examples of overheating or exploding mobile devices. Samsung testing its own batteries seems like it could potentially be a conflict of interest, in which a manufacturer may be more likely to green-light a battery for reasons of profit motive. John Copeland, a former employee of Motorola who now works at a battery test lab in Atlanta, said that cellphone developers would use their own labs because it would help maintain secrecy over the products and the features. Manufacturers are very concerned about their proprietary information leaking out, Copeland told the WSJ. Copeland believes that the audits were thorough enough to ensure an absence of conflicts of interest. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Republished by permission. Original here. National Science Competition Ohio 13-Year-Old Wins $25K in 2016 Young Scientist Challenge Maanasa Mendu, left, won the Young Scientist Challenge Tuesday. Her 3M mentor, Margaux Mitera, is on her right. A 13-year-old ninth grader from Mason, OH has won the 2016 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge in St. Paul, MN. Maanasa Mendu won $25,000 and the title of Americas Top Young Scientist immediately following a live competition Tuesday at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul. Nine other finalists from across the country competed in the scientist challenge, which paired the students with 3M scientists to develop practical inventions. Mendu, a student at William Mason High School in the Mason City School District, created Harvest, a bio-inspired energy device that uses solar and wind power to create energy. This innovation was inspired by a visit to India where she discovered many people lacking basic life necessities, such as clean water and lighting. Through her invention, Mendu hopes to provide a globally applicable, cost-effective energy source. Mendus approach reflected the competitions goal of applying science to everyday life, creating a solution that may improve lives and strengthen communities around the globe. Over the past three months, Mendu and the nine other finalists had the opportunity to work with a 3M scientist to develop their personal inventions as part of a summer mentorship program. Mendu was paired with Margaux Mitera, a 3M senior product development engineer whose research has helped 3M develop new Post-it Note products. During the final competition hosted by Discovery Education Vice President Lance Rougeux, the finalists presented their completed inventions to a respected panel of scientists and leaders from both Discovery Education and 3M, including honorary guest judge Trace Dominguez, whos producer, writer and host of Discoverys DNews program. Each year, the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge reminds us of the inspiring ingenuity that results when we empower our youngest generation to apply science, critical thinking and creativity to solve real world problems, Bill Goodwyn, president and CEO of Discovery Education, said in a statement. The remaining nine finalists also received prizes from Discovery Education and 3M. Second through fourth place winners each received $1,000 and a trip to a taping of a show on Discoverys family of networks. These winners are: Rohan Wagh of Portland, OR, a ninth grader at Sunset High School, who received second place for his invention that utilizes the natural metabolism of bacteria to create energy; Kaien Yang of Chantilly, VA, an eighth grader at Nysmith School for the Gifted, who received third place for his innovation that uses pumpkin seed oil to create both a biodiesel and bioplastic that reduces emissions and pollution from plastic; Amelia Day of Summer, WA, a ninth grader at Sumner High School, who received fourth place for her invention that uses sensory feedback to help rebuild neural connections inside the brain during rehabilitation. The fifth through 10th place winners each received $1,000 and a $500 Excitations gift card. These finalists, in alphabetical order, are: Meghna Behari of Swickley, PA, an eighth grader at Marshall Middle School; Mrinali Kesavadas of Mahomet, IL, a ninth grader at Mahomet-Seymour High School; Rohit Mital of Rochester Hills, MI, a ninth grader at Adams High School; Sara Makboul of Acworth, GA, a ninth grader at Kennesaw Mountain High School; Sofia Tomov of Knoxville, TN, an eighth grader who is homeschooled; Will Paschal of Madison, GA, a ninth grader at Morgan County High School. Since its inception in 2008, the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes, paired students with world-renowned scientists to give them real world insights and offered science resources to millions of students, teachers and families across the country, according to a news release. Winners have gone on to be featured in Forbes magazines annual 30 Under 30 list, meet the president of the United States, speak before Congress and demonstrate their inventions on national TV shows such as ABC World News Tonight, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Fox & Friends. For more information about the competition and the finalists, visit YoungScientistChallenge.com. Research Race, Gender Gaps Persist in Computer Science Education With increasing support from public and private investors, including well-known companies like Google and Facebook, more K12 schools are offering computer science (CS) classes across the country (up 25 percent since last year). Many students have the opportunity to learn CS now, but research shows that structural and social barriers still persist that keep minority students from learning CS skills. Google for Education, in partnership with Gallup, released several reports today on the status of CS education in the United States. The latest Google-Gallup study titled Diversity Gaps in Computer Science points to a race and gender gap in K12 CS education. According to the report, Black and Hispanic students face discrepancies in access and exposure to CS classes and to computer use at home and at school, despite their parents being more likely to want them to learn CS compared to White parents (92 percent versus 84 percent respectively). Black students are also less likely than White students to have CS class at their school (47 percent and 58 percent respectively). Other key information includes: Girls are less likely than boys to be aware of CS learning outside of school, and less likely to be encouraged by teachers or parents to learn CS skills; and It is rare for students to see computer scientists that resemble them in the media, especially for female and Hispanic students. The report looks at various social barrier that can hinder participation for underrepresented groups in CS, including CS stereotypes in the media; lack of encouragement to learn CS; and misconceptions from parents and teachers that students may not be interested in CS education. For another report, Trends in the State of Computer Science in U.S. K12 Schools, Google and Gallup surveyed more than 1,600 students, 1,600 parents, 1,000 teachers, 9,800 principals and 2,300 superintendents. Among the highlights are: More schools have CS classes this year, with 40 percent of principals reporting they offer CS classes at their schools; More than nine in 10 parents believe that opportunities to learn CS are a good use of school resources; Relatively few (three out of 10) parents and teachers have expressed their support for CS education to school administrators; and Positive perceptions of CS education and careers persist among all groups. The set of reports also includes older reports like K12 Computer Science Education: U.S. State Reports, which summarizes the status of CS education for the 11 states surveyed in 2015. Images of Computer Science: Perceptions Among Students, Parents and Educators in the U.S. examines perceptions about CS as well as opportunities for students to become more involved. Another report titled Searching for Computer Science: Access and Barriers in U.S. K12 Education argues that exposure to technology is vital to building student confidence for CS. Lastly, Women Who Choose Computer Science What Really Matters, published in 2014, looks at four factors that influence young women to pursue CS careers (which includes social encouragement, self perception, academic exposure and career perception). To access any of the reports for free, visit the Google for Education site. Virtual Reality Stanford VR Project Shows Students Oceans of the Future A new, free virtual reality program allows users to explore just what happens as climate change kills off coral reefs. The Stanford Ocean Acidification Experience is a free science education tool that takes students to the bottom of the sea and then fast-forwards their experience to the end of this century, when, as scientists predict, many coral reefs are expected to corrode through ocean acidification. By putting the experience in VR, the collaborators say they are hoping to change people's behavior in the real world. The project came out of Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, which created a related 360-degree video project that also examines the problem of global warming and its impact on the ocean's life forms. But it's the VR version that allows the viewer to deep-sea dive and collect samples off of the ocean floor. The simulation places the viewer into heavy traffic, where he or she can follow carbon dioxide molecules as they float from car tailpipes to the sea, where they're absorbed. Then the viewer steps into the waves and moves around coral as it loses its vitality and displays the effects of increasingly acidic water on marine life. A narrator explains what's happening as the story unfolds and encourages the viewer to undertake specific actions, such as a species count. "You're not watching something, you're doing it," said Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of the lab and a communications professor. "You learn by doing. These are magic, teachable moments." The lab created the software in partnership with marine biologists Fiorenza Micheli from Stanford and Kristy Kroeker, formerly at Stanford and now at the University of California, Santa Cruz, as well as Roy Pea, a professor at Stanford's Graduate School of Education. The development process took two years to recreate a virtual replica of an actual rocky reef around the Italian island of Ischia, where underground volcanic vents have been spewing carbon dioxide at the reef. The data collected from that site has allowed researchers to measure the impact on marine life and to extrapolate what effect people's increasing fossil fuel use will have in decades to come. A related video, "The Crystal Reef," filmed in 360 degrees and developed as part of a master's degree project by a lab member, premiered during the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year. There, people could watch the film on VR headgear. "We had a line of dozens of people for 11 hours a day, six days straight," said Bailenson, in a Stanford article about the project. The VR project has also gone to Washington, where lawmakers and staffers tried it out during a Capitol Hill event organized by non-profit Ocean Conservancy. Among them was Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. "This simulation shows in rich detail the damage carbon pollution inflicts on our oceans," said Whitehouse after his viewing. "I appreciate the Stanford Ocean Acidification Experience for calling attention to the peril our oceans face and what we must do to protect them." SINCE THE RAPTURE OCCURS BEFORE THE FUTURE 7 YR TREATY IS SIGNED, I WONT BE AROUND TO HAVE THE ACTUAL TREATY SIGNING. BUT UNTIL THEN THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO THE BEGININGS OF THE ISRAELI / ARAB PEACE PROCESS. AND AS CLOSE TO THE 7 YEAR SIGNING THAT WE GET BEFORE THE RAPTURE OF THE SAVED TO HEAVEN. UNTIL WE MEET JESUS IN THE CLOUDS BODILY, AND COME TO EARTH 7 YRS LATER. ST. LOUIS (AP) Water from a rare, record-setting winter flood was receding in the St. Louis area Friday, allowing some major roadways to reopen and offering hope for flood-weary residents that the worst of this sudden catastrophe was behind them. For others, the worst is still to come, with expected crests in coming days in southern Missouri, southern Illinois, then onto Arkansas, Tennessee and other southern states. The biggest problem was the Meramec River, a smaller tributary of the Mississippi. Some points along the river topped the 1993 record by 4 feet, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of homes and businesses in southwest St. Louis suburbs like Pacific, Eureka, Valley Park and Arnold. Several hundred homes took in water, and residents are just beginning to assess the damage. Keith Roeder leaves his trailer in the Starling Mobile Home Park with his clothing as the Meramec River continues to rise in Arnold, Mo., on Thursday. Roeder, who was told to leave last night, said, "I never ever thought it would get this bad." (Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) People use a canoe to navigate a flooded street in Arnold, Mo., on Thursday. Surging Midwestern rivers forced hundreds of evacuations, threatened dozens of levees and brought transportation by car, boat or train to a virtual standstill Thursday in the St. Louis area. (Jeff Roberson/The Associated Press) Steven Schuck checks on his trailer as he takes a tour of the Starling Mobile Home Park where he lives in Arnold, Mo., on Thursday. The park, which fronts the Meramec River, was evacuated late Wednesday. (Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Taylorville Fire Department Dive and Rescue Team members, from left, Jeff Stoner, Mike Mann and Nick Hackney search for two missing Christian County men, last seen Monday, while riding on a boat on the Sangamon River running through South Fork Township, Ill., on Thursday. (David Spencer/The State Journal-Register) Gracie Ijames, 9, of Imperial, warms her hand on in a bonfire in Kimmswick, Mo., on Thursday. (Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) People use a canoe to navigate a flooded street in Arnold, Mo., on Thursday. (Jeff Roberson/The Associated Press) Houses are surrounded by water in Arnold, Mo., on Thursday. (Jeff Roberson/The Associated Press) Floodwater reaches the rooftop of a house in Valley Park, Mo., on Thursday. (Jeff Roberson/The Associated Press) Floodwater from the Meramec River surround the bridge deck of I-44 and Highway 141 in southwest St. Louis County on Wednesday in Missouri. (J.B. Forbes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) People hang out by the recently built-up levees holding rising Mississippi River waters at bay in Kimmswick, Mo., on Thursday. Floodwater was starting to recede at some hard-hit Midwestern communities Thursday, but hundreds of homes were damaged, hundreds more remained evacuated, and getting through St. Louis by car, boat or train was next to impossible. (Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Firemen spray water towards water seepage under the city's makeshift flood levee in downtown Alton, Ill., on Wednesday. (John Badman/The Telegraph) Students from Eureka High School form a line to dump floodwater from the basement of William and Gretchen Bedo in Eureka, Mo., on Wednesday. (Huy Mach/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Floodwater from the Meramec River surround the bridge deck of I-44 and Highway 141 in southwest St. Louis County on Wednesday. (J.B. Forbes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Volunteers build a five-block-long emergency levee in an effort to save more than 150 houses and several businesses from the rising Sangamon River in Petersburg, Ill., on Wednesday. (Rich Saal/The State Journal-Register) David Fritch, associate manager of the Casey's in Petersburg, Ill., climbs over a sand berm built to hold off approaching water from the Sangamon River on Wednesday. Fritch and store manager Clayton A. Roberts closed and locked up the store, like many of the other businesses near the river. Volunteers were building a five-block-long emergency levee in an effort to save more than 150 houses and several businesses from damage. (Rich Saal/The State Journal-Register) a house is surrounded by floodwater in Eureka, Mo., on Wednesday. A rare winter flood threatened nearly two dozen federal levees in Missouri and Illinois on Wednesday as rivers rose, prompting evacuations in several places. (Jeff Roberson/The Associated Press) Paul Dusablon, left, and Richard Kotva row from the Circle K at Springdale Park after helping the owner move electronics off the floor inside the convenience store, in Fenton, Mo., on Wednesday. (Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Prev 1 of 17 Next With water finally going down, the Missouri Department of Transportation was able to reopen northbound lanes of Interstate 55 south of St. Louis on Thursday, about a day after they were closed, and southbound lanes opened Friday morning. MoDOT spokeswoman Shaunda White said 76,000 vehicles pass through that area on a typical day, so that's going to be a significant relief. Water also shrank from Interstate 44, where a 24-mile stretch southwest of St. Louis has been closed for two days. White said crews still needed to clear debris and ensure the roadway was safe before reopening it, though that also could happen Friday. The devastating flood, fueled by more than 10 inches of rain over a three-day period that began last weekend, is blamed for 20 deaths. Four others are still missing two teenagers in Illinois and two men in southwest Missouri. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner was slated to visit flood-damaged areas on Friday, planning stops at Alton, Grafton and four other communities. Rauner has declared 12 counties disaster areas. In Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, south of St. Louis, the Mississippi was still rising but there was good news: The crest forecast for late Friday or early Saturday, once expected to be a record, was now expected to fall about 2 feet short of the 1993 mark. Many downtown merchants had cleared out, just to be on the safe side, in case the levee gave way. We are breathing a bit easier, said Sandra Cabot, director of tourism for the historic French settlement that dates to the 18th century. We are very confident in our levee. We've never been tested at this level before. Other southern Missouri and Illinois towns were getting ready for the high-water mark. A record-tying crest was expected by the weekend in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, but a floodwall offers protection and is not considered endangered. Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio and Mississippi rivers meet, seemed safe, despite a near-record crest prediction. It appeared the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would not need to blast a hole in the Birds Point waterway in southeast Missouri, as it did in 2011 to relieve pressure from the flood protection at nearby Cairo, Illinois. The Corps said the intentional breach would be considered if the Ohio River reached 60 feet at Cairo, but the weather service projects it will top out at 57.5 feet on Sunday. In Eureka, Missouri, firefighters and their boats have been in high demand, accounting for roughly 100 rescues of people in their homes, businesses or vehicles since Tuesday, said Scott Barthelmass, a Eureka Fire Protection District spokesman. Nine levees five on the Mississippi River, three on the Missouri and one on Illinois' Kaskaskia River were topped by water this week, but those earthen barriers protect farmland and otherwise unpopulated areas. Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, contributed to this report. 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. A resurgence of summer that pushed New Mexico temperatures into record territory in recent days will back off for a bit this week before turning up the heat again on Saturday and Sunday. Wednesday is the first day we will get pretty close to average, maybe two to three degrees either side of average, said Todd Shoemake, a meteorologist with the Albuquerque office of the National Weather Service. Thursday will be a couple of degrees cooler than Wednesday. On Friday, the temperatures start to rebound. The warming trend continues on Saturday and Sunday up to temperatures about 10 degrees above normal. The average high temperature in the Albuquerque area this time of year is 70 degrees, give or take a degree. On Sunday, the official high temperature recorded at the Albuquerque International Sunport was 83 degrees, one degree shy of Albuquerques record high for that date, set in 1909. Other cities around the state set record highs for Sundays date. Tucumcari got up to 95, breaking the previous record of 90, set in 1979. Roswell warmed up to 93, edging out the old record of 92, set in 2011. And Clayton topped out at 91, besting the previous mark of 89, notched in 1991. Las Vegas (82), Santa Fe (81) and Los Alamos (76) also set records Sunday. Albuquerques cool but brief interlude starts Wednesday, when the high is expected to be 70 degrees. Thursdays high is forecast to be 68 and Fridays 73. Lows this week will range from 48 tonight down to 42 on Thursday night. It will be dry as well as warm. There is no precipitation in the forecast. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Donald Trump says the media is more crooked than Hillary Clinton, his Democratic presidential rival. Trump spoke in Grand Junction Tuesday. He and his running mate, Mike Pence, have complained that the election is going to be rigged. They say the news media is colluding with Clinton by reporting that multiple women accuse him of sexually assaulting them. Trump also insists there will be fraud at the polls on Election Day. He said he doesnt believe polls showing hes trailing Clinton in Colorado. Trump said everywhere he goes, he draws crowds of thousands of people. Elections veterans caution that large crowds at rallies dont equate to winning a general election. Trump appeared earlier Tuesday in Colorado Springs. Pence is scheduled to campaign in Durango on Wednesday. RICHMOND, Texas An 88-year-old man has been treated and released from a Houston-area hospital after he was bitten by an alligator near his home. Authorities say the man was cutting weeds near a pond behind his home when he was bitten on Tuesday. He was later treated for hand and arm injuries. Investigators say the man had previously fed the alligators in the pond near Richmond, located southwest of Houston. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens are investigating the incident. According to state law, it is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 to feed an alligator. PHOENIX A federal appeals panel that rejected a Democratic effort to block a new Arizona law barring groups from collecting early ballots from voters now has expedited a full hearing on the request. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled arguments for Wednesday. Last week, a panel summarily rejected an emergency injunction request. But late Friday, the three judges on the panel decided to expedite a full hearing on the Democrats request. The previous schedule called for hearings well after the Nov. 8 general election. A different three-judge panel is set to hear the case. The new law signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey earlier this year means people who collect mail-in ballots in most cases face a felony charge. Democratic groups argue the law disproportionately affects minority voters. Ducey called it a common-sense law to protect election integrity. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas L. Rayes last month shot down Democratic groups request for an injunction to keep the law from being enforced. In his opinion, Rayes said lawyers representing state and national Democratic groups failed to show that the law would disparately impact minority voters. He said it simply regulates an administrative aspect of the electoral process. Democrats appealed, urging the 9th Circuit to overturn Rayes and issue an injunction blocking the law. Spencer Scharff, voter protection director for the Arizona Democratic Party, said the decision to expedite the hearing is a good sign. We are optimistic that the 9th Circuit will rule in our favor and find that we are likely to succeed on the merits and issue an injunction, Scharff said. That would prevent the state of Arizona from enforcing H.B. 2023, a measure that criminalizes the act of helping a neighbor vote. The Democratic groups sued Secretary of State Michele Reagan, but the state Republican Party intervened and asked to be a party to the lawsuit. Tim Sifert, spokesman for the state GOP, declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. But after Rayes ruled last month, state party chair Robert Graham hailed the ruling. Ballot harvesting is a practice used by the Democrats and their leftist allies in Arizona that was rife with opportunity for manipulation and outright fraud, Graham said in a statement. Both parties have used ballot collection to boost turnout during elections by going door-to-door and asking voters if they have completed their mail-in ballot. If they have not, they urge them to do so and offer to return it to elections offices. Democrats have used the method aggressively in minority communities and argue their success prompted the new GOP-sponsored law. The lawsuit filed by the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, state Democratic Party and numerous voters alleged the law violated the federal Voting Rights Act. In their injunction request, they argued there has been a lengthy history of discrimination at the polls in Arizona and that the law was orchestrated to suppress voter turnout among Democratic voters. Democrats are also appealing another ruling by Rayes that rejected their request to order election officials to count ballots cast by voters in the wrong precinct. They say the practice disparately affect minority voters. But Rayes said the state has a valid reason not to count such votes because different races are on ballots in different precincts and Democrats havent shown that minorities were affected more than white voters. The race for Republican Rep. Barbara Comstocks seat in northern Virginia is tightening in the final three weeks of the campaign, with several independent political analysts moving the race to toss-up status. Experts consider the district among the most competitive in the nation despite lackluster fundraising numbers from Democratic challenger LuAnn Bennett and evidence that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump might not be the burden on down-ballot candidates that some had expected. Comstock and Bennett were scheduled to face off Wednesday morning for the final debate off the campaign and their first joint public event since a 2005 video of Trump bragging about groping women was released. Trump dismissed his lewd comments as locker room talk, but Comstock called the video disgusting, vile and disqualifying and urged him to drop out of the race. Until then, she had not endorsed or repudiated the GOP standard-bearer. Like her colleagues in moderate Republican districts across the country, Comstock has to worry that voters turned off by Trump will stay home on Election Day and cost her her seat. The district includes all of Loudoun, Clarke and Frederick counties as well as Manassas and Manassas Park and parts of Fairfax and Prince William counties. In recent years, the district has seen an influx of professionals many of them women and minorities who polls show are cool to Trumps candidacy. Comstock, 57, is finishing her first term in Congress. Bennett, 63, is a real estate executive and longtime Democratic donor making her first bid for public office. The Cook Political Report this week will move the race to the competitive Republican toss-up category, according to David Wasserman, its House editor. The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report already considers it a toss-up district, tilting toward the Republican. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton holds an 11-point lead over Trump in Virginia and a 21-point lead with women, according to a new SurveyMonkey poll of 15 battleground states conducted with The Washington Post. Recognizing the national climate, Comstock has tried not only to separate herself from Trump but also to portray herself as an ally for Democratic members of the Virginia delegation to the GOP-controlled chamber. The congresswoman has maintained a lead in fundraising throughout the campaign and had about $2 million cash on hand going into the final weeks, compared with Bennetts $90,000 balance, finance reports show. The Bennett campaigns lackluster fundraising report is not surprising because she has few ties to the District and shows that this is a DCCC-based cookie cutter campaign very dependent on outside money, Comstock campaign manager Susan Falconer said in a statement, referring to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Overall, Bennett has raised $1.9 million, including a personal loan to her campaign of $70,000, while Comstock has raised about $4.4 million, including almost $2 million from party committees, PACs and other accounts, reports show. Bennett said she will have the money to compete in the final weeks. We are confident that we will have the resources necessary to continue to deliver that message these final few weeks, Bennett spokesman Robert Howard said. Dig beneath the surface of Barbara Comstocks campaign and youll see its propped up by outside money from special interest groups, not Northern Virginia voters. Both candidates have benefited from spending by outside groups, which have poured more than $3.7 million into the race, according to data compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project. That total includes $1.5 million from groups that oppose Comstock, including the DCCC and House Majority PAC, and $2.1 million from groups that oppose Bennett, including the Congressional Leadership Fund and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Emilys List, which backs Democratic women who support abortion rights and has endorsed Bennett, recently poured an additional $230,000 into ads already airing in the district. They feature black-and-white images of mostly women and a message saying Comstock is too right wing for Northern Virginia because she wants to wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and opposes same-sex marriage. In addition, Bennetts campaign got a boost from Emilys List President Stephanie Schriock, who rallied volunteers on her behalf last weekend, as well as three state Democrats Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring, who hosted a fundraiser for her at a winery. Actress Marlo Thomas and Lynda Bird Johnson-Robb, the daughter of President Lyndon Baines Johnson and a resident of the district, visited phone banks for Bennett. Wednesdays debate will be hosted by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce in Fairfax County. virginia-comstock-repeat WESTCLIFFE, Colo. A wildfire in southern Colorado has destroyed five homes, and hundreds of people remain under evacuation orders, authorities said Tuesday. The fire has scorched more than 25 square miles, the Pueblo County Sheriffs Department said. The fire started when high winds blew a metal outbuilding into a power line, the sheriffs department said. Another 281 homes were threatened, and 13 outbuildings have been destroyed, authorities said. Firefighters were trying to build containment lines along the north side of the fire Tuesday to prevent it from spreading, but the blaze was still uncontained Tuesday night, authorities said. Two Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters began dropping water on the fire from large fabric buckets Tuesday afternoon after Gov. John Hickenlooper ordered the Guard to help civilian firefighters. The Guards top commander, Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards, said the helicopters would fly firefighting missions as long as they were needed. The wildfire was burning east of the small town of Westcliffe near the Rocky Mountain foothills. Custer County Sheriff Shannon Byerly extended his sympathies to people who lost property. Its a tough situation, and hopefully we can stop additional losses, he said. A stretch of dry, warm weather has raised the fire danger in much of Colorado, especially on windy days. Residents of 175 homes were ordered to evacuate Monday, and people who live in 70 other homes were warned to be ready to leave in case the fire spreads toward them. Those on standby include the residents of the town of Beulah, which was evacuated earlier this month because of another wildfire. That fire is believed to have been started by an excavator operator working in a ditch, possibly by creating a spark. Steven Michael Quezada was there. As was Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian. Lets not forget about Jonathan Banks, who said he flew in from New York to make the event. Oh, and even Aaron Paul called in to leave a message for New Mexico fans. It was a Breaking Bad-esque reunion of sorts (and a few from Better Call Saul) on Tuesday night at the KiMo Theater. A sold-out crowd was on hand to listen to the conversation between Emmy Award winner Bryan Cranston and Emmy nominee Bob Odenkirk. Cranston was on the ninth stop of a 14-city tour for his book, A Life in Parts. The event was part of the series A Word With Writers, which benefits Albuquerque public libraries. The series has raised about $10,000 for the library foundation. The event was presented by Bookworks. A Life in Parts follows Cranstons life beginning at the age of 7 in a United Way commercial, where he was cast by his father. The memoir maps his zigzag journey from abandoned son to beloved star by recalling many odd parts hes played in real life paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, lover, husband, father. Cranston told the story of not having his parents while growing up. My father left the family when I was 10, he says. By the time I was 12, he was completely out of our lives. I didnt reconnect with him until I was 22. For over an hour, Cranston and Odenkirk talked about making it in the film industry. The conversation opened up to the audience towards the end. When asked what is his favorite activity to do Albuquerque, Cranston and Odenkirk were joined by Jonathan Banks. Cranston said, I did it today when I flew in and I saw my family. The crew that I worked with and his show (Better Call Saul) and hung out for like three hours. (I) didnt really want to leave and it was emotional and passing those snakes and seeing everybody, by and large you have pretty much the entire crew on your show. It was emotional. The other thing I have to do is get decent New Mexican food. And Im a Christmas guy, a little bit of each. [October 18, 2016] Enabling the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): Waterfall Security Announces the Launch of the Unidirectional CloudConnect ROSH HAAYIN, Israel, Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Waterfall Security Solutions, a global leader in cybersecurity technologies for critical infrastructure and industrial control systems, today announced the launch of its Unidirectional CloudConnect,an innovative solution based on Waterfall's patented Unidirectional Gateway technology. It is designed to meet the challenges of both cybersecurity and interoperability, thereby enabling the widespread adoption of the IIoT. A recent survey conducted by IOT Nexus revealed that more than 80% of the current roadblocks to the IIoT adoption relate to cybersecurity and interoperability concerns. "The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is clearly a hot topic today. Owners and operators recognize the potential benefits of more operational information and advanced, data-driven asset management strategies," said Sid Snitkin, VP and GM of the Enterprise Advisory Service at ARC Advisory Group. "Cloud-based analysis and data sharing enable many of these IIoT benefits, but cybersecurity concerns are inhibiting more rapid IIoT adoption. We applaud efforts like Waterfall's Unidirectional CloudConnect to overcome these concerns and protect industrial sites from the cloud." "Waterfall's Unidirectional CloudConnect is an essential enabler for the Industrial Internet of Things. CloudConnect secures industrial sites from cyberattacks from the cloud and the Internet, while delivering seamless interoperability of the industrial systems with cloud applications," said Lior Frenkel, CEO and Co-founder at Waterfall Security Solutions. "As a secure gateway to the cloud, combining Waterfall's renowned cybersecurity with innovative protocol interoperability and unificatin, CloudConnect enables industrial sites to reap the efficiencies of the IIoT." Use cases for the Unidirectional CloudConnect include: Direct connection to Internet cloud services by industrial sites leveraging the efficiencies of predictive maintenance, big data analytics, and other business-transforming benefits. Connection to the cloud via IIoT vendors offering big data analytics and operational efficiencies to industrial sites. Unidirectional CloudConnect uses Unidirectional Gateways to gather data from industrial sources such as historians, industrial systems and devices. It seamlessly recodes gathered information into cloud-friendly unified formats, including relational databases, publish/subscribe protocols, and XML/SOAP web services. CloudConnect then transmits the cloud-friendly data to Internet-based industrial cloud providers. "We are already experiencing interest from both industrial customers and vendors, due to our success in providing stronger-than-firewall cybersecurity," remarked Frenkel. "From airports with sensors gathering data, to big data analytics vendors working with oil & gas companies, our Unidirectional CloudConnect has received a warm welcome by the industrial community." Unidirectional Gateways were pioneered by Waterfall Security and deployed worldwide since 2007. Waterfall's Unidirectional Security Gateway product family is an evolutionary alternative to firewalls, providing protection for the safety and reliability of industrial systems that firewalls simply cannot match. Industrial sites around the world deploy Waterfall products to provide industrial systems with safe and reliable IT/OT integration, vendor and cloud services, and remote monitoring. The products are recognized to reduce the cost and complexity of compliance with NERC CIP, NRC, NIST, CFATS, ANSSI, ISA, and other standards, regulations and best practices, worldwide. Waterfall Security Solutions is exhibiting at IOT World Congress as part of the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) pavilion. Click here to schedule a meeting. About Waterfall Security Solutions Waterfall Security Solutions is the global leader in industrial cybersecurity solutions employing hardware-enforced unidirectional communications technology. Focused on protecting industrial control systems and critical infrastructure from cyberattacks originating from external networks, Waterfall products represent an evolutionary alternative to firewalls. The company's growing list of customers include national infrastructures and control systems in power plants, nuclear plants, on/off-shore platforms, refineries, manufacturing plants, utility companies plus many more. Deployed throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Waterfall products support the widest range of leading industrial remote monitoring platforms, applications, databases and protocols. For more information, visit http://www.waterfall-security.com. For inquiries: Susan Becker +972.508710777 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160119/323489LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enabling-the-industrial-internet-of-things-iiot-waterfall-security-announces-the-launch-of-the-unidirectional-cloudconnect-300346659.html SOURCE Waterfall Security Solutions Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The federal government is again squandering our tax dollars and burdening our future generation with more debt. President Obama is wrong in his assumption that American tax dollars should pay to bring refugees into this country. American citizens did not create this refugee situation. The Obama administration has increased our national debt to over $19.5 trillion and now they are in the process of moving our nation into deeper debt. If the president, his cronies or special interests desire these refugees to come to this country, then they need to use their own personal pocketbook. Obama has said that through fiscal year 2017 the United States will accept 110,000 refugees. While I do not want to deny anyone a safe place to live and prosper, I am reasonably certain that the burdens and care of these refugees will not be well received by the person that has to pay for it or loses their job because of it. I have expressed my concern to one of my U.S. senators that allowing refugees with certain ethnic culture, possible subversive religious tendencies, and allegiance to a country that does not like Americans, probably would not be in the best interest of the United States. This senator replied with a well thought out letter, which gave assurances that American citizens should not be concerned about their safety and the possible infiltration of ISIS terrorists, and that the federal government has implemented many new screening precautions. Thats great, but honestly, these assurances mean little after witnessing the last six years of mismanagement and deception this country has endured from the Obama administration and the senators and congressmen that choose to support his and their political party agendas, regardless of any opposing view or concerns from their constituents. The federal government has already spent or promised $4 billion to help other countries with their refugee problems and I estimate that the cost to bring these refugees to this county is $38 billion annually. American citizens did not create this situation and I do not think it is right to burden our children with more debt to pay for misappropriated tax dollars. What started out as a petty power struggle over an unruly suicidal patient in her tiny kitchen could have huge ramifications on the publics right to know about a persons criminal record. It does indeed appear that then-paramedic Christine Stump got a raw deal when she was arrested the next day on a charge of battery on a police officer (she grabbed Albuquerque officer Regina Sanchezs arm and pulled it away from the patient during the 2008 incident). But on balance, erasing that arrest from history would be a bad deal for New Mexicans because of the precedent it would set. Because the public needs the ability to fully examine a political candidates past, to do thorough criminal background checks on prospective employees, and for victims to have their personal experiences with the criminal justice system on the record. They do not need a state-sanctioned revision or erasure of history. But that is exactly what they would get if the New Mexico Supreme Court grants Stumps request to expunge the incident from any database or background search in the name of clearing her name. The far-reaching consequences would mean: n The public might never know if a political or job candidate (think teacher, day care worker, home health care aide) had arrests for various crimes that didnt result in convictions. They might never know about the Albuquerque health care provider who faced a string of sexual misconduct allegations including exposing himself at an amusement park and to workers at a fast-food drive-up window, and improperly touching two female patients so serious he was fired from the practice with which he was affiliated, with the state medical board requiring him to have a chaperon present when seeing female, under-age patients. And they would deal with the fatal fallout of more cases like Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis. Investigators deleted the fact that he used a gun in a previous arrest in his application for a Navy security clearance. He got his clearance and went on to mow down 12 people who had simply gone to work Sept. 16, 2013. In fact, should justices grant Stump an expungement and disappear her arrest, there will also be no record that when Stump wanted the patients handcuffs off and for the officer to back off and stop agitating the patient, Sanchez allegedly pushed the suicidal womans hand, face and arm into the gurney. So in this case, it would also erase the record of questionable conduct, at best, by an Albuquerque police officer. There would be no record that the city quickly pulled the case out of court and into mediation, where all involved agreed to dismiss it. Or that there might be a behavioral pattern when this incident is combined with the fact Sanchez was found to have violated federal policy by using a police database for personal reasons, then lying about it. Greg Williams, an attorney for the Foundation for Open Government (which has opposed all legislative attempts to expand the states expungement law) has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Supreme Court case and argues, Stump made some serious allegations about supposed wrongdoing by an APD officer, and its not appropriate for public records that have allegations about law enforcement to be deleted as if they never existed in the first place. Second Judicial District Judge Clay Campbell ruled on Stumps request last year, concluding that judges lack the authority to expunge records. Hes right. Thats for the legislative and executive branches to decide, and on that front, legislators have tried to pass an expungement law at least 11 times since 2005, and the four times they succeeded in trying to rewrite make that erase history, governors vetoed it. Then-Gov. Bill Richardson wrote of the important public interest to arrest records, giving the example an employer who hires a driver should be able to compile a full, clear picture of a prospective employees driving record, including whether that person has a history of DWI or other vehicular crimes. Gov. Susana Martinez, a career prosecutor, pointed out that crimes including sexual assault and domestic violence are hard to get convictions on because the assailant pressures the victim. And if those two governors have found a common ground, its worth taking note. Anyone who follows criminal cases knows innocence is not the only reason cases dont move forward, that misdemeanor convictions can be pleaded down from felony charges, and that people can petition for pardon or clemency to clear their names. Along those lines, Stump would do better to target the agencies that hold a record of the incident for not following Campbells request to attach his ruling so future employers get the whole picture of what went down. A Journal records search of Stump with Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center and Metropolitan Court records showed that not one included attachments per Campbells order, and none of the three could explain why. The public deserves a full picture from its public records, as does Stump and anyone who comes in contact with the legal system. But the high court should find that erasing that picture and leaving the public in the dark and at risk isnt an option. 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. Albuquerque parents, teachers, business leaders and elected officials gathered Tuesday to offer their two cents on education. New Mexicos Public Education Department organized the community meeting to get input on the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, a successor to No Child Left Behind that gives states more policy control. State Education Secretary Hanna Skandera is holding forums in six cities, from Farmington to Las Cruces, and will review the feedback before she completes an ESSA plan for the U.S. Department of Education. Nonpartisan policy organization New Mexico First collaborated with PED to organize and facilitate the series of meetings. Im excited to have the opportunity to travel around our state, hear community voices and share some of our resources and successes, Skandera said. On Tuesday, participants were divided into small groups in a conference room at Central New Mexico Community Colleges Workforce Training Center. Each person had a chance to share opinions on teacher evaluations, school grades, academic requirements, standardized testing and other areas. The discussions were wide ranging, touching on the poor economy, low teacher pay, ethnic diversity and poverty. A number of attendees worried that educators are teaching to the test because their evaluations are tied to assessments such as the controversial Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Jeff Tuttle, a third-grade teacher at Monte Vista Elementary School, said he was happy to hear from people with varied backgrounds and approaches to education. Its always nice to have the opportunity to come together at many different levels, he said. I think as a country, we have forgotten how to engage with political controversy in a productive way, and people are used to talking around each other. Tuttle suggested that PED hold statewide community meetings every year. Albuquerque Public Schools board member Peggy Muller-Aragon also thought the conversation was valuable. She attended with fellow APS board members Lorenzo Garcia, Barbara Petersen and Analee Maestas. This shows that the governor and secretary of education want to listen to everybody, and a lot of times, thats not what we hear, Muller-Aragon said. They really do care what teachers think and parents think and administrators think. Albuquerque was the fourth city on the ESSA tour, which kicked off in Gallup on Oct. 12, then stopped in Farmington and Santa Fe. Next, Skandera will travel south to Roswell and Las Cruces. New Mexico First will review all the community input and compile a report later this year. PED officials hope to submit their ESSA plan by March. Albuquerque Public Schools offers specialized education in a variety of areas from science to dual language and fine arts. Families can learn more about the options during the districts annual School Choice Fair from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Representatives from traditional APS schools, as well as magnets and charters, will be on hand to provide information. Free parking is available in the convention center parking lot off Martin Luther King Jr. Deborah Elder, APS executive director of innovation, expects a strong turnout. Interest in school choice has grown steadily over the years, and currently, 13,000 APS students attend schools outside their neighborhood boundaries. I think more and more our community is recognizing that the choices that we have in our society also extend to education, Elder said. The desire to have different options to look at is valued, and I think APS is responding by implementing new programs and strengthening programs we have had for some time. The district hopes to create new specialized magnet schools in the coming years and will seek community input during the fair. Attendees can fill out an exit survey to describe the types of programs they would like. APS begins taking transfer requests for the 2017-18 school year on Jan. 1. SANTA FE An Edgewood womans complaint that it took too long to get law enforcement documents related to the fatal shooting of her husband by State Police in 2015 has received a favorable ruling from a district judge. But defendants gave notice last week they are appealing that decision to a higher court. The dispute involves the case of Ethan Noll, 34, who was shot and killed by State Police after he pointed a rifle at officers following an hours-long standoff in Edgewood on April 4, 2015. Officers from the Edgewood Police Department and the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office were also present. Nolls widow, Erin Noll, filed a civil complaint in Santa Fe District Court in November 2015 to compel a judge to enforce the state Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) on the town of Edgewood, the Department of Public Safety and the sheriffs office after the agencies refused to release records on the shooting that Erin Noll requested just days after her husbands death. The sheriffs office was later dropped from the suit. A Santa Fe District Court judge ruled DPS and Edgewood violated the act when they delayed releasing the public records. Erin Noll received them in May 2016, after Santa Fe District Attorney Jennifer Padgett cleared the officers of any wrongdoing in the shooting. DPS and Edgewood also were ordered to pay for the womans costs and attorney fees. Both DPS and Edgewood filed a notice of appeal of the ruling last week and plan to take the case to the New Mexico Court of Appeals, according to court documents. A law enforcement exception to IPRA applies to records that reveal confidential sources, methods, information or individuals accused but not charged with a crime. District Judge Francis Mathew wrote, At no time hereto did DPS, the Town of Edgewood or the District Attorney attempt to review the requested documents to determine if any of the requested documents did not contain confidential information. Mathew added, The decision by each of the Defendants to deny the IPRA requests of the Plaintiff without seeking in camera review of the information requested to determine if it came within the law enforcement exception violated IPRA and entitles the Plaintiff to recover her costs and attorney fees in this matter. He ruled that DPS must pay $11,804 and Edgewood must pay $9,524 to Erin Noll for attorney fees, and the two defendants must split an additional cost of $890. Mathew noted that DPS and Edgewood delayed releasing the records because former Santa Fe District Attorney Angela Spence Pacheco asked they not be released until she took the case to an investigative grand jury. In a letter to DPS and Edgewood, Pacheco wrote that making the records public would prejudice the grand jurys review of the incident. Pacheco retired at the beginning of the year, and Padgett, her appointed replacement, did not take the case to a grand jury and instead used an internal review to clear the officers. Thick smoke from a blaze set to reduce wildfire risks blinded motorists Wednesday on the main highway across northern Arizona near the Grand Canyon, causing numerous accidents as haze clouded the freeway for hours and reduced visibility to 20 feet, officials said. The fire to burn dry brush and trees was set Tuesday in the Kaibab National Forest that surrounds Flagstaff, and officials knew that a wind shift overnight would send smoke toward Interstate 40. But they were surprised that it did not dissipate as predicted, said Brady Smith, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman. Multiple collisions with minor injuries to motorists and passengers were blamed on smoky haze that settled over the highway for about five hours. Authorities closed I-40 for hours to prevent more accidents. Police had not immediately determined whether the poor visibility was the cause of a fatal accident after a vehicle was sandwiched between two tractor-trailers before dawn, Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves said. Controlled burns are frequent events in Arizona this time of year as forest managers work to thin brush and trees that can present major wildfire risks in summer months. Smoke from the fires can cause a nuisance for residents and tourists who flock to the Flagstaff area this time of year to look at fall foliage only to encounter a haze overhead. Grand Canyon officials warned this week that controlled burns on at the canyons North Rim could produce smoke visible throughout the national landmark. And burns to the south in the Prescott area earlier this month prompted complaints from residents about poor air quality. Kaibab National Forest officials had announced Tuesday that the burning operation would produce visible smoke along the highway, and Smith said electronic signs cautioned drivers about the potential hazard. The planned fire was set west of Flagstaff and forest officials thought there would be enough air movement overnight Tuesday into Wednesday to dissipate the smoke. But the area at this time of year experiences temperature inversions allowing smoke to be trapped close to the ground and hover over the highway, said Cory Mottice, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Flagstaff. It almost always gets trapped after dark, he said. Its just a question of where the wind blows it. Forest officials thought weather conditions would vent smoke near the freeway more than it did in low-lying areas, Smith said. I believed they used good judgment based on the conditions and the information that they had, he said. Traffic was diverted before dawn until about 9 a.m. on I-40 between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon gateway town of Williams to an alternate route that added about one hour of travel time for motorists. The highway was reopened when the smoke dissipated. BOULDER, Colo. The mystery surrounding a human foot found in a snow boot at Eldora Mountain Resort this summer has been partially solved. The foot and other remains found nearby were identified Wednesday as those of an 83-year-old Denver man, Ervin Mettler, who had apparently been camping in the area. Boulder County coroner Emma Hall is investigating how he died, although foul play isnt suspected by sheriffs investigators. The foot in a size 13 boot was found June 1 after the snow melted by a ski resort worker. In July, a trail runner found more remains about three-quarters of a mile from the resorts lake near a lake where it appears Mettler had been camping. Mettlers identification card was also found, and his identity was confirmed with dental records, Hall told the Daily Camera (http://bit.ly/2esy7O0). DNA evidence was also used to link the two sets of remains, she said. Its not clear exactly when Mettler died, but his remains are believed to have been there for several months. Mettlers landlord tried to report him missing in February in Denver, but a report wasnt filed because the person wasnt family, Sheriffs Cmdr. Mike Wagner said Thursday. Investigators found that Mettler was an outdoor enthusiast who liked to camp even in the winter so its possible he could have been camping at that time, Wagner said. ___ Information from: Daily Camera, http://www.dailycamera.com/ A Carlsbad woman allegedly attempted to smuggle $19,600 worth of contraband into Lea County Correctional Facility. Erika Espinosa, 31, of Carlsbad allegedly had 25.6 grams of methamphetamine, 12.4 grams of heroin and 60 suboxone strips on her person when questioned at the prison. According to a news release from the Lea County Drug Task Force, Espinosa hid the drugs in a blue balloon on her person. Deputy Commander Sean Roach said the task force is not releasing the name of the person Espinosa was allegedly visiting in the prison. Espinosa was charged with bringing contraband into a place of imprisonment, trafficking a controlled substance to wit heroin, trafficking a controlled substance to wit methamphetamine and distribution of a controlled substance. 2016 the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) Visit the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) at www.currentargus.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The final U.S. presidential candidates debate is traditionally about foreign policy, but given the heated controversies of the past few weeks, international affairs are unlikely to be the primary focus on Wednesday night. Nevertheless, its worth considering some of the issues that may pop up. On matters of foreign policy, the gulf in experience between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state, is pronounced. Trump marched through the Republican primaries with a host of discordant, sometimes contradictory, largely substance-free policy prescriptions that played to a populist crowd. It measures up oddly against the more considered positions of Clinton. Her critics harp on her alleged misuse of classified emails and, more broadly, frame her candidacy as that of a doyenne of the establishment: To some conservatives, shes too weak and conciliatory, like the current president; to others, shes a neoconservative hawk in liberal clothing. During the debate, a range of hot-button foreign policy issues may get trotted out. Heres the context youll need to parse through the bluster. Syrian refugees are a threat to the United States A controversial tweet by Donald Trump Jr. may not have been an official Trump campaign talking point, but it echoed the logic that underlies the Republican nominee and the defeated GOP candidates consistent opposition to refugees. Trumps son tweeted an image of a bowl of Skittles, and asked whether you would eat from it if you knew a few Skittles were poisoned. This was meant to be an analogy about the threat posed by Syrian refugees coming to the United States. Beyond the fact that its offensive and weird to liken desperate human beings to pieces of candy something that even Skittles parent company pointed out Trump Jr.s argument is also a scare tactic. The risk of an American being killed by a refugee in a terrorist attack is 1 in 3.64 billion, as others noted last week. The United States is not prone to the same influx of migrants that arrived over the past year-and-a-half in Europe, where indeed some people linked to the Syrian refugee exodus have participated in terrorist attacks. The existing measures in place to screen refugees applying for asylum in the United States are among the most stringent in the world. A prospective applicant and their families go through months, even years, of checks conducted by a number of federal agencies and aided by international organizations. And then theres the question of Syrian refugees themselves. The United States, a country where leaders across the political spectrum trumpet an American exceptionalism thats anchored in a unique history of immigration and diversity, is taking in far fewer Syrian refugees than a number of other Western nations. The burden on Syrias neighbors particularly Jordan and Lebanon is straining those nations to breaking point. And a whole generation of young Syrians is growing up in squalor. In Jordan, more than half of all Syrian refugees are children, according to the United Nations. In Lebanon, a quarter of a million Syrian kids are not going to school. The global number of refugees in the world is the highest ever recorded. Its possible to simply take Iraqs oil This is a demand voiced over the past year by Trump, who while decrying the Iraq war and a subsequent intervention in Libya, seems convinced it makes sense to plunder a foreign nations oil wealth. The Washington Posts Steve Mufson discussed this idea with a group of Middle East experts in Washington, who derided what is an illegal, impossible and beyond goofy idea that would entail if nothing else a renewed American military presence in Iraq to guard over resource extraction and against likely infuriated Iraqis. Matthew Reed, vice president of a consulting firm focused on oil and politics in the Middle East, offered a withering assessment of the proposal: Theres no reason to believe the Iraqis would allow this. No country would. Instead, the government would call on foreign courts to intervene; the population would protest and violence would be unavoidable. Seeing as Iraqs oil infrastructure is a sprawling network, vulnerable and almost entirely aboveground, it cant possibly be protected on the cheap or exploited without local consent. Consider also the moral costs of taking this oil: to do so then would have proven conspiracy theorists right about American intentions and destroyed what little credibility the U.S. had; to deny Baghdad vital revenues would have only increased public suffering, making the country even riper for insurgents like ISIS. and can you simply bomb the Islamic State to smithereens Furthermore, Trump has promised a tough military solution to defeat the Islamic State, one which involves subtle strategies, such as bombing the s out of the militant group, targeting the families of suspected terrorists, and maybe just leaving it all to the Russians to handle. He has declined to lay out a coherent strategy for the destruction of the Islamic State, even while constantly signaling his unique ability to do so. What most experts agree and reporting on the ground clearly indicates is that military action is only one component of defeating the jihadist organization. It rose up, after all, amid political dysfunction and chaos in Iraq and Syria, and profited from the ill will of restive Sunni populations chafing under the rule of regimes dominated by other sects. Destroying the Islamic State has to also involve efforts to work toward larger solutions in the region: deescalating the ruinous civil war in Syria and paving a way for a political reconciliation, as improbable as it seems right now. And then pushing for more stable, reliable governance in Iraq. There are no easy options to achieving any of this. But any future American president will have to make an earnest effort to getting to grips with these conundrums. The Kurds are the answer This is a common refrain from U.S. politicians searching for allies in the battlefields of the Middle East. Kurdish militias have fought the Islamic State, taken territory from the autocratic regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad and even boast of being secular and pro-womens rights. Whats not to love? The travails of the Middle Easts largest, stateless ethnic group are complex, mired in factional infighting, as well as the larger politics of key regional powers. Turkey, where one-fifth of the population is Kurdish, is deeply opposed to the West arming and enabling Syrian Kurdish factions on the other side of its border as it fights a Kurdish insurgency at home. If you want to champion the Kurds, you have to also be willing to consider the new geopolitical challenges that an emboldened Kurdish nationalism may pose for the region. Russia is the great enemy Sure, Russian President Vladimir Putin is a domineering autocrat and the Kremlin has undermined American interests in a host of geopolitical hotspots. But the specter of Moscow has loomed disproportionately large over the American political conversation. Listen to Clinton and her allies, and you get a picture of global menace, a country that wages stealthy cyber wars and props up dictatorships. Listen to Trump, and you get Putin as a parable of strength, a foil to the supposed fecklessness of President Obama. Neither assessment is particularly insightful. Russia can still be a useful partner with the U.S. on a number of fronts, not least in brokering the landmark nuclear deal with Iran and, perhaps eventually, instigating some kind of endgame for the ghastly Syrian civil war. And Putin, its nationalist ruler, is desperate to distract from his countrys domestic woes, which include a severe economic slump. In the last two years alone, 14 million Russians fell out of the middle class as wages failed to rise alongside a surging cost of living. And Trump thinks the United States is the nation in decline. The world is more dangerous than it has ever been The election campaign is suffused with the rhetoric of doom and gloom, particularly stoked by Trump and other Republicans who grandstand over rising terror threats in the West and the collapse of law and order in inner cities. The truth, though, is that despite the hideous violence of the past year, the world is not less safe than it has been in the past. Psychologist Steven Pinker, who has researched the waning of violence in human history, offered this note of optimism in a recent NPR interview. The impression that some kinds of violence have gone up over the last five years has some truth to it, he said. Because of the Syrian civil war, the rate of death in warfare has drifted upward a little bit in the last five years. There has been a small increase in homicide in the United States in the last three years. But both of those figures are at a fraction of what they were in the 60s, 70s and 80s. These are the decades that are celebrated, presumably, by those proclaiming Trumps motto of Make America Great Again. Tharoor writes about foreign affairs for The Washington Post. He previously was a senior editor at TIME, based first in Hong Kong and later in New York. debate-global KABUL Two Americans were killed and another three were injured in a rare attack on foreign troops in the Afghan capital Wednesday, U.S. and Afghan officials said. A gunman fired on international advisers at an ammunition depot near Camp Morehead, a training site for Afghan commandos, about six miles south of Kabul. The attack, which took place near the entrance of the base, killed one U.S. service member and injured another. One U.S. civilian was also killed, and two more were wounded in the assault, a statement from the NATO-led coalition said. The gunman, which the Afghan Defense Ministry said was wearing an Afghan army uniform, was killed after international troops responded with gunfire. The injured Americans remained in stable condition, NATO said. It happened near an arms depot. The attacker opened fire on his [coalition] friends, Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said. A U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the situation was still developing, said the Americans were at the depot as part of the NATO training mission for Afghan security forces. The United States supplies the NATO mission with about 6,800 troops to advise and assist Afghan troops, which are battling a fierce Taliban insurgency in key areas across the country. An additional 3,000 U.S. troops are dedicated Operation Freedom Sentinel, a separate counterterrorism mission focused on al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The U.S. official said it was not clear Wednesday whether the assailant was in fact a member of the Afghan National Army. But Wednesdays shooting appeared to be what is known as an insider or green-on-blue attack, where Afghan allies turn on their U.S. and foreign mentors. At least 150 coalition troops have been killed in such attacks since 2008, according to data compiled by the Long War Journal, which is published by the D.C.-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. The assaults which have been attributed both to Taliban infiltration and cultural differences between Afghan and foreign troops surged in number from 2011 to 2013. But the attacks became more infrequent as the bulk of U.S. and NATO troops withdrew from the country. U.S. forces have suffered only two combat casualties in Afghanistan this year, both of which occurred in the volatile Helmand province in the countrys south. At Camp Morehead, elite Afghan commando units learn ambush tactics, how to call in airstrikes, and train for short missions. But the commandos, which number about 11,000, are increasingly stretched thin. As Afghan forces struggle to beat back Taliban militants in places like Lashkar Gah and Kunduz, which was briefly taken by insurgents again this month, casualties and desertions have depleted their ranks. Anytime we lose a member of our team, it is deeply painful, Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said Wednesday in a statement. There were no further details on the two Americans who were killed. More than 2,350 U.S. troops have died supporting military operations in Afghanistan since 2001. Gibbons-Neff reported from Washington. Sayed Salahuddin in Kabul contributed to this report. afghan-1stld-writethru [October 19, 2016] Philippine Government Selects Unisys to Design and Operate Modernized Civil Registry System to Better Serve Citizens BLUE BELL, Pa., Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) today announced it has been awarded a contract by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to design and operate phase 2 of its Civil Registry System modernization project. Under the 12-year contract, Unisys will deliver digital government services to modernize the Civil Registry System and manage the end-to-end process to originate, authenticate, secure and issue civil registry documents such as birth certificates to citizens. Unisys will lead a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to design, develop, operate and maintain the modernized system. "The PSA's Civil Registry System is the central repository for authenticated official documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates. Citizens need quick and easy access to these trusted documents as they are the foundation for many other items such as visas and passports. Unisys has been appointed to further improve the service we provide our citizens," said Dr. Lisa Grace S. Bersales, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General, Philippine Statistics Authority. The transformation program includes modernizing the network infrastructure and application system based on Unisys InfoImage imaging software using Unisys digital government expertise. The PPP will also provide a nine-story building to house a brand new customer service facility and data center, centralizing the back office infrastructure. Unisys will also roll-out 40 additional Civil Registry System outlets, doubling the current number of outlets where citizens apply for documents, as well as introduce elf-service kiosks and mobile outlets to increase the reach and accessibility in remote locations. The modernization activity is expected to be deployed over a two-year period. "The Philippine government is demonstrating global leadership in applying digital government technology to better serve citizens with this project," said Mark Forman, global public sector leader, Unisys. "The Civil Registry System touches every family in the Philippines, and Unisys is committed to bringing best practices and technology to their benefit in this modernization." As a PPP arrangement, Unisys will bear the upfront cost of the development and build and will share with the PSA the fees collected from citizens for the provision of the service. The new contract builds on Unisys' previous success improving the services provided via the Civil Registry System. In 1999 Unisys was engaged to digitize the largely manual Civil Registry System, resulting in document requests being fulfilled in as little as 30 minutes in metro Manila and within two hours outside the capital, tripling the monthly transaction volume from 292,000 to more than 1 million. Unisys employs local Filipino staff to man the outlets and all data is kept within the Philippines. "Unisys is delighted to continue working with the Philippine Statistics Authority," said Tony Windever, vice president, Unisys Asia Pacific. "The Philippines has a growing population spread across more than 7,000 islands, and the majority do not have access to the Internet. Phase 2 of the modernization program is designed to improve the reach and convenience of services to citizens. In addition to doubling the number of Civil Registry System outlets, Unisys will use technology to further increase the accessibility of services to citizens via the introduction of self-service kiosks and mobile outlets that can travel to multiple locations." Unisys has a strong history and experience working with public sector organizations. More than 300 government agencies worldwide rely on Unisys solutions. About Unisys Unisys is a global information technology company that works with many of the world's largest companies and government organizations to solve their most pressing IT and business challenges. Unisys specializes in providing integrated, leading-edge solutions to clients in the government, financial services and commercial markets. With more than 20,000 employees serving clients around the world, Unisys offerings include cloud and infrastructure services, application services, security solutions, and high-end server technology. For more information, visit www.unisys.com. Follow Unisys on Twitter and LinkedIn. RELEASE NO.: 1019/9460 Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder. UIS-C To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/philippine-government-selects-unisys-to-design-and-operate-modernized-civil-registry-system-to-better-serve-citizens-300347002.html SOURCE Unisys Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The 28-year-old accused of terrorizing New York and New Jersey with a series of bombings has been moved out of the hospital and into a New Jersey state prison, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Corrections said Wednesday. Ahmad Rahimi, a U.S. citizen who was born in Afghanistan, was moved into the prison early Tuesday evening, said Matt Schuman, the corrections department spokesman. Rahimi is facing both state and federal charges in connection with what authorities said was a terror spree motivated by a range of radical Islamic influences. He is suspected of a bombing that injured dozens in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan and of placing several other devices in New York and New Jersey that did not hurt anyone. Rahimi had been recovering in the hospital from gunshot wounds he suffered in a confrontation with police, and he made his first appearance in court in Elizabeth, N.J., last week via a video feed. He is charged there with attempted murder and weapons counts stemming from his firefight with police. In federal court, where he has not yet appeared, his charges include using weapons of mass destruction and bombing a public place. Schuman said Rahimi would normally have been sent to the Union County Jail but was taken instead to a state prison under a rule in the New Jersey code that allows suspects who have not yet faced a trial to be housed in the state prison system for safety and security purposes. The Union County Jail has faced well-publicized troubles over the years. In 2007, two inmates escaped and left a note mocking a corrections officer, who was later found dead of an apparent suicide. Two other inmates were able to leave their cells and freely roam through a detention area in 2011, according to the Newark Star Ledger. An official familiar with the case said the facility to which Rahimi was moved is the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. newyork-bombing The polls, both in their top-line numbers and underlying data, look bleak for Donald Trump. The latest Fox News poll, for example, shows only 80 percent of Republicans support him evidence of the remarkable success of the #NeverTrump movement. Moreover: Overall, 61 percent of voters say Hillary Clinton has the temperament to serve effectively as president. Sixty-one percent think Trump doesnt. By a 7-point margin, voters say Clinton has the judgment to serve (53-46 percent). Its the reverse for Trump, as by a 23-point margin they believe he lacks the judgment (37-60 percent). That goes a long way toward explaining why Clinton is preferred over Trump by more voters when it comes to making decisions about using nuclear weapons (+25 points), handling an international crisis (+19), and handling foreign policy (+18). . . Trumps personal ratings are worse than Clintons. She has a net negative rating of 4 points (47 percent favorable vs. 51 percent unfavorable). Trump is under water by 19 points (40 percent favorable vs. 59 percent unfavorable). Again, the party faithful arent all with Trump: 22 percent of Republicans have a negative opinion of him. Thats more than twice the number of Democrats who view Clinton unfavorably (9 percent). While Trump dominates media coverage and has shaken the country and the GOP to their core, Trump actually is not politically persuasive. (In the most recent Fox News poll, for example, 74 percent of Americans favor a path to citizenship; only 18 percent want to deport as many as possible.) Trumps unfavorable ratings remain sky-high. In all likelihood, he is going to lose decisively. So why should we be concerned if he doesnt concede or continues to whip his followers into a fury? It seems that the worry about the aftermath of the election reflects a flawed assessment of his importance once he suffers a humiliating loss. If Hillary Clinton gets 300-plus electoral votes she isnt going to wait for Trump to telephone to declare victory nor will the networks delay calling the race. (This election may stand out as one of the medias earliest presidential-election calls.) Trump can go on ranting that the race was fixed or that the media did him in, but its not clear that anyone but his hard-core followers will care and even some of those may wash their hands of him once he loses. The election is likely to be bad news for the current GOP, but rather good news for the health of our democracy. Consider all the positives if Trump is beaten soundly: The vast majority of Democrats and Republicans will have reaffirmed the security of our elections, debunking paranoia about widespread fraud. Voters will have repudiated decisively a candidate revealed to be a racist, misogynist, narcissist and bully. Voters will also have rejected a message claiming that the United States is a Third World hellhole that doesnt win anymore. In other words, a large majority of the electorate will have signaled that they think the United States is great already. The election will have reaffirmed that facts do matter and that presidents are expected to know things. Millions of Republicans will have put country above party to vote for Hillary Clinton, Gary Johnson or Evan McMullin. Sure, Trump will likely still have millions of followers, but then so do the talk-radio cranks. He will still have his Twitter account and may even try to incite his followers. The amount of attention he receives, however, will be vastly reduced. He will have no more power than he does now to determine public policy or influence those outside his narrow stratum of Kool-Aid drinkers. Trump will be just another loud-mouthed hater on the right. Could Trump take millions of voters out of the GOP? I suppose so, but it is not clear how invested in the GOP these voters were to begin with. In any case, if Trumps shock troops leave the GOP, the Trumpkins would have to find others to vote for or would have to check out of politics entirely. In either case, center-right activists and candidates should be happy to reorient their appeal, making themselves accessible and their message attractive to the vast majority of Americans rather than tolerable only to a narrow fringe. The alt-right folks can go back to their cesspool. In sum, this is not likely to be a heads-he-wins/tails-we-lose election. Unless an extraordinary series of events takes place, Trump will lose and the country will be better off. To paraphrase Ronald Reagans comment about the Cold War, we should be able to say in less than three weeks, We (e.g. the United States, decency, tolerance, democracy) win, he loses. Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for The Post, offering reported opinion from a conservative perspective. trump-rubin-comment WASHINGTON Once the Obama administration is over, Johnny Wright, the man responsible for first lady Michelle Obamas ever-shifting hair looks, from those bangs to a glam side-sweep, will have a little more free time on his flatiron wielding hands. So whats his plan? At the Tuesday night state dinner for the Italian prime minister at which Wright was an actual guest instead of just helping the first lady with her pre-dinner primp as usual he told reporters that he is planning a move to New York. Which will probably please at least one of his Big Apple-based clients: NBC anchor Tamron Hall, who has mock-complained that she is forever in line behind Wrights First Client for appointments. Wright hails from Chicago, where he first styled the tresses of the wife of the then-senator from Illinois, and moved to Washington at the beginning of the administration. In addition to Obama, he developed a loyal client list at Immortal Beloved salon. His next chapter will include something in beauty and fashion, he said, unsurprising since his stint with FLOTUS has boosted him from unknown to the rarefied list of sought-after-by-celebs stylists. Probably something with Sirius radio, probably, he said, though he said he could not reveal too much about the still-under-wraps plans. reliable-source Forget the press, read the internet, Donald Trump told supporters at a Tuesday afternoon rally. On the very same internet the day before, a joke tweet from Weird Twitter about ripping up Trump ballots was a major conservative media story, presented as actual evidence of voter fraud. It wasnt. Sure, the internet has always been full of fake news, hoaxes and outrage trolling. But as we creep even closer to Election Day, internet misinformation is clearly growing more powerful. And thats why were temporarily bringing back What was fake on the internet, a debunking roundup of the hoaxes, memes and other fakery circulating online, just for the election. We asked Snopes managing editor Brooke Binkowski to characterize the effect of the 2016 election on Internet misinformation. Her answer began, Oh, my God. It is ridiculous, Binkowski said, in all the possible connotations of that word. Its interesting and engaging in a way, but its also really depressing. Elections have a tendency to bring out the worst of the internet misinformation cycle, but there are a couple things, Binkowski said, that make 2016 special. First, she said, people just want to be mad about something. And thats having an effect on how they scrutinize information. Theyre willing to believe without any proof that some random statement from a random person is true, she said, as long as it confirms their pre-existing worldview. Second, there are more people at this point getting their news from, say, Facebook, particularly older users who might not be as experienced at examining information online. Or, as Binkowski characterized it, there were fewer racist uncles on the internet in 2012. Last, everyones hungry for more news, and the journalists responsible for meeting that appetite do not always have the support they need to sort through it. Thats when they might stumble into a hoax, or disinformation hole, and unwittingly end up amplifying it. Hire more fact-checkers! Binkowski argued. Heres a roundup of the misinformation and fakery on the internet over the past several days: 1. This random person is not a Postal Service worker ripping up absentee ballots that vote for Trump. @Randygdub is a person on Weird Twitter, an often-misunderstood place where jokes exist only for themselves. When they made a joke about ripping up absentee ballots that vote for Trump a bunch of people thought the tweet was for real and became furious about it. People fail to get Weird Twitter all the time, but the thing that makes this particular case remarkable is how far up the chain it was misunderstood. After Jim Hoft, who blogs at Gateway Pundit, wrote a very serious blog post about it again, with no evidence that @randygdub, whose bio says the user lives in California, was even a postal worker based in Columbus, Ohio the story ended up on the Drudge Report. And then, Rush Limbaugh talked about it on his show on Monday, at length. For what its worth, the USPS ended up investigating this Twitter joke and said in a tweeted statement that it does not believe these tweets were made by a postal employee. And although lol no. 2. #Repealthe19th did not trend because a ton of Trump supporters want to ban women from voting. #Repealthe19th was a real Twitter trend last week. And its a real hashtag with the stated purpose of calling for the repeal of the right of women to vote in the United States. But the fact that it trended on Twitter was not as many assumed and a few news articles implied because of a massive wave of Trump supporters calling for an election thats just for men. Instead, according to our own analysis of a scraped sample of #Repealthe19th tweets near the peak of the hashtags popularity, it was because a ton of people on Twitter were furious about the hashtag existing at all. #Repealthe19th snuck into the news cycle after FiveThirtyEights Nate Silver tweeted maps showing the predicted election results if just men or just women voted. If just men voted, the maps suggested, Trump would win. If just women voted, Hillary Clinton would win, in a landslide. The tweets attracted a small cluster of #Repealthe19th replies an apparent mix of genuine and troll from Trump supporters, over the next 24 hours Then, a day after Silvers original tweets, the Los Angeles Times wrote about the hashtag in a short article, attributing it to angry Trump supporters. Less than an hour later, the hashtag began to trend. 3. Obama did not demand a monument to himself. President Barack Obama did not say: Being the first black president and all, dont you think I deserve a monument. I mean, theres plenty of monuments dedicated to racist white people, as a recent Observatorial article shared around Conservative Facebook claims. As Snopes noted, the article actually refers back to two credible articles examining how Obamas presidency might be honored someday, although it didnt really get the facts right in translation. Also, its worth noting that the article is basically a new variation on a very old and fake rumor claiming that Obamas face will end up on Mount Rushmore in the near future. 4. The Dalai Lama did not say that Trump is worse than Hitler. The website ReligiousMind.com claimed recently that the Dalai Lamas recent visit to Switzerland included some scathing remarks about Donald Trump. Dalai Lama become the first religious figure to compare Trump to Hitler, the blog post claimed, quoting the religious leader as saying, I see another Hitler in the making, and that if the United States elects Trump, it will be the end of great Amarican (sic) civilization. No other record of the Dalai Lama saying anything even close to this exists from his recent trip, but the fake article made the rounds on Facebook recently. The Dalai Lama has been asked multiple times for his opinion on Trump, and his responses are usually pretty reserved. He recently made fun of Trumps hair, though. 5. The Clinton Foundation didnt give thousands of dollars to the Sharia Law Center The leak that claimed to financially link a Clinton Foundation voter suppression initiative to Glenn Beck, the Black Panthers and a group called the Sharia Law Center was obviously not a real invoice. But it still fooled a bunch of people, as the Daily Beast recently reported. The person behind it, identified as Chris from Massachusetts, has created a whole bunch of hoaxes this election season with the intention of baiting Trump supporters. One of those was a very fake memo in which the Clinton campaign complained to Public Policy Polling that their election polling was unacceptable, because we arent paying you $760,000 per month to show a FIVE POINT LEAD. Donald Trump Jr. even tweeted out the fake leak as real before eventually deleting the tweet. internet-fake The substantial body of writing perhaps half of it by David Wondrich about the early history of the cocktail helped lay the foundation for its rebirth. In the dozen or so years since that revival began, bartenders have plowed through the literature and old recipe books, revamped old drinks and put them back on menus, and reveled in the return of once-vanished ingredients. At the same time they were rediscovering, they were inventing, stepping from the solid bedrock of Manhattans and martinis to create new drinks. Until now, no book has explored that more-recent history, the bartender-driven Revolution of the Bibulous that has occurred in the bars all around us. If youve wondered what happened to your drink in the past decade, how you went from drinking crappy commercial sour mix leaded with vodka to some delicious and expensive concoction traced with European liqueurs and chilled with perfectly clear artisanal ice, youll enjoy some time with Robert O. Simonsons latest book, A Proper Drink: The Untold Story of How a Band of Bartenders Saved the Civilized Drinking World. Im not one for envying other writers; were all being ground up by the same publishing mill unless were Stephen King, which, last time I checked, only one of us is. But Ill admit: Sometimes Im jealous of Simonson. Partly because he can pull off a dapper fedora, but mainly because he lives in Brooklyn and therefore has regular access to many of the bars that formed the epicenter of the cocktail earthquake. Dont get me wrong: Theres plenty for a cocktail geek here in the District; we have our own core of heavy hitters. But Washington doesnt offer the density of the East Village, where you cant swing a subway rat without hitting a cocktail den. Simonsons book ranges the globe in its reporting, but New York is the perfect vantage point from which to cover the scene. Its somewhat ironic that a man who has spent the past decade seeking out and writing about elegant depressants stumbled onto the topic while on the hunt for stimulants. In 2006, Simonson was a theater writer trying to break into wine writing, and he had gone out to report on a combination coffee pop-up/theater experience in Soho (of course) when the PR rep for the event mentioned a little cocktail festival she was putting on in New Orleans and suggested he come down. Simonson, excited to check out a city hed never been to, took her up on the idea. That PR rep was Ann Rogers, now Ann Tuennerman; 10 years on, her conference, Tales of the Cocktail, can hardly be described as little. I can only imagine encountering New Orleans for the first time through Tales, a swelter of Louisiana heat and drinking that while highly educational can feel like the citys bon temps have roulezed you, along with your overtaxed brain, sweat glands and liver, right into the Mississippi. Simonson was so smitten that he tumbled down the rabbit hole and has been sending up boozy dispatches from Wonderland ever since, most notably in the New York Times. When I talked to Simonson about how he got started, I got deja vu as he described an early meeting to test gin and tonics with Wondrich, mixologist Julie Reiner and bartender-writer St. John Frizell, all well-established figures in the cocktail scene by then. They were such big deals. I was terrified of them, he says. (How the student becomes the master, grasshopper: That nervousness over meeting people who have vast expertise in a subject youre just getting into more deeply? Exactly how I felt when I first met Simonson.) Simonson is such a fixture in the cocktail writing world that it was startling to be reminded that he hasnt always been doing it. Thus I read with another weird whiff of deja vu or whatever you call it when an experience is so well described that it causes an intense sense memory of your own about his first encounter with a Sazerac: The edges of my vision blurred and my focus trained on the glass in front of me. I was simultaneously tasting three things I never had before: rye whiskey, spicy and bright; Herbsaint, as herbal as the name hinted; and Peychauds bitters, which well, what the hell were they anyway, and what did they do? A broader version of that question drives A Proper Drink: What is the cocktail renaissance, anyway, and what has it done to the way we drink today? Simonson captures the re-ascendance of bartending as a career and clarifies how drinks crossed various ponds, who took them there, how the word spread. He talked to hundreds of sources bartenders and distillers and brand ambassadors and importers from around the world to clarify who kicked it off, who influenced whom, how did particular drinks travel from one market to the next, what are the new classics? He leaves no coaster unturned. At times, I was cast back to studies of various literary movements the Romantics, the Beat poets whose work was driven forward by conversations and rebuttals and examinations of one anothers output. Your patience for the books deep dive may depend in part on how inclined you are to see the cocktail as a work of, if not art, then at least popular culture; to believe that exploring its influences and origins is a worthwhile task. But if you just want recipes, the books got those, too, both rediscovered oldies and those modern classics (such as the Paper Plane) that cropped up during the past decade or so. My favorite is the Laphraoig Project, which appears in a section of should-be classics. Its a Last Word-esque concoction, butched up with Scotch, one of those mystifying why does this work? type of drinks whose contents seem as if theyll be at war and yet somehow form an amazing sip. The sips, though, are only part of what has made the cocktail renaissance what it is, and when I asked Simonson for some of his likes and dislikes about the scene, he homed in on the social element, the thing people have enjoyed since the beginning of time about bars: having that third place, this place of conviviality where if youve had a bad day you can have a better one. And he notes his pleasure in the way bars allow you to develop a relationship with the person making your drink, which is not something you can usually enjoy at a restaurant with the chef. In that vein, he notes that the rise of celebrity bartenders, globetrotting competitors whose bars have become so famous that theyre rarely in them anymore, may be the worst thing that has ever happened to bartending. This may sound ungenerous, because for so long bartenders didnt have much of a career . . . but now I think careerism is in overdrive. When the career of being a bartender removes you from the bar, Im not sure how good a thing that is. . . . Its supposed to be about hospitality, and wheres the hospitality if youre not even there? If I had a bar, he says one of those daydreams that, from my experience, every booze writer entertains from time to time I think Id be the kind of bar owner who was always at my bar. We may never see what a Robert Simonson joint would look like, but if it replicated this books smarts, attention to detail and appreciation for people, Id probably be there a lot, too. Maybe even if he opens it in Brooklyn. Allan is a Hyattsville, Md., writer and editor. Follow her on Twitter: @Carrie_the_Red. spirits The brutal gang-rape and killing of a teenage girl in Argentina has shaken its citizens and sparked renewed protests against gender violence in the country. Protesters called for a nationwide womens strike Wednesday after horrific details emerged about the death of 16-year-old Lucia Perez. Police said Perez was picked up by her killers on Oct. 8 outside her high school in Mar del Plata, a coastal city about 250 miles south of Buenos Aires, according to El Pais. She was held her against her will at the home of one of the men, where she was reportedly given large amounts of cocaine and marijuana, then repeatedly gang-raped and penetrated with a wooden pole, the newspaper reported. The assault caused Perez so much pain that she went into cardiac arrest, BBC News reported. Two men brought Perezs body to a local medical center, claiming she had overdosed on drugs, BBC reported. They had washed Perezs body and changed her clothes beforehand, according to the Independent, but doctors noticed signs of violent sexual penetration upon closer inspection of the girls injuries. I know its not very professional to say it, but Im a mother and a woman, lead prosecutor Maria Isabel Sanchez said last week, according to the Independent. And Ive seen a thousand things in my career, but nothing equal to this litany of abhorrent acts. The authorities named three suspects in the case, according to El Pais: Matias Farias, Juan Pablo Offidani and Alejandro Alberto Masiel. Sanchez said police found several used condoms and sex toys at Fariass home, where the rapes allegedly occurred, the paper reported. The gruesome case prompted calls for Argentine women to wear black on Miercoles Negro, or Black Wednesday, and to go on strike for an hour, regardless of their occupations. In your office, school, hospital, law court, newsroom, shop, factory, or wherever you are working, stop for an hour to demand no more machista violence,' the march organizers wrote, according to BBC News. Machista violence refers to violence spurred by male chauvinistic behavior. Since her death, Perezs grieving family members have joined in marches calling for an end to domestic violence and other horrific treatment of women. We cant understand such barbarity, Lucias mother, Marta, told BBC News. Its impossible to understand. The way they killed her was inhuman, Lucias father, Guillermo, told the station. In an emotional statement published by La Poderosa, Lucias brother, Matias, remembered his sister as one who loved art, rock music and animals. Authorities initially refused his request to identify Lucias body, until her brother insisted, he said. Though the three suspects were in custody, Matias Perez wrote that it was not enough. He urged people to protest in the streets against such violence, because it could happen to anyone. Only in this way will we prevent thousands more Lucias being killed, Matias Perez wrote. And then we can close [Lucias] eyes and see her rest in peace. On Wednesday, the hashtag #NiUnaMenos Spanish for not one less and the name of a movement to protest femicide was trending on Twitter in Argentina. Several politicians and other high-profile figures joined in support. For Florencia Aguirre de Coyhaique. For Lucia Perez of Mar del Plata, Michelle Bachelet, the president of Chile, tweeted in Spanish. For all women, I say with strength: Not One Less. Florencia Aguirre was a 9-year-old girl whose body was found in her stepfathers woodshed in southern Chile earlier this month, officials said. Last year, the Ni Una Menos campaign also mobilized thousands to protest violence against women in mass demonstrations across Argentina, as well as in Uruguay and Chile. The demonstrations in June of 2015 were sparked by outrage over similarly shocking cases. In May of that year, a man allegedly beat his pregnant 14-year-old girlfriend to death, then buried her body in his courtyard, USA Today reported. A month earlier, the husband of a kindergarten teacher who had requested a divorce reportedly barged into her classroom and slit the teachers throat in front of her students, according to AFP. According to Ni Una Menos, one woman is killed every 30 hours in Argentina just for being a woman. Argentinas Supreme Court recorded 286 murders of women as a result of gender violence in 2015, according to the Guardian. Of the victims, 18 percent were under 20 years old; 43 percent were between the ages of 21 and 40. Violence against women is not limited to Latin America but a global problem, according to the United Nations, which cites physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner as the most common form of violence women around the world experience. According to World Bank data, rape and domestic violence pose a greater risk to women between the ages of 15 and 44 than cancer, car accidents, war and malaria, the U.N. stated. Violence against women is not confined to a specific culture, region or country, or to particular groups of women within a society, the U.N. stated. The roots of violence against women lie in persistent discrimination against women. argentina As the operation to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul gets underway, American troops are poised to expand their hands-on support to local forces battling the Islamic State. In a sign of the importance of the long-awaited offensive, military leaders are authorized to place U.S. forces advisers with Iraqi army battalions for the first time as they push toward militant lines, exposing U.S. forces to greater risks. Military officials say the troops will remain back from the thick of combat, and will limit their support to coordinating air and artillery fire, providing intelligence and helping plan troop movements. The U.S. role will not, they insist, look like the years following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when U.S. troops who operated nominally in support of local forces often did the bulk of the fighting themselves. This time, U.S. advisers are not meant to be the front-line troops, Capt. Jeff Davis, a military spokesman, told reporters Tuesday. Several days into the operation, Pentagon officials have provided only general information about where U.S. troops will be located and how exactly they will take part in the hoped-for advance. While American troops have been widely seen alongside local forces in forward positions east of Mosul, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook on Monday said only that some forces were positioned on the outskirts of the city. He said it was not yet clear whether U.S. forces would be permitted to enter the city proper. Officials reluctance to provide greater detail reflects a desire to protect U.S. advisers, attached to local units in small groups of about a dozen. It is also part of an effort to keep the U.S. role in the background, as Iraqi leaders have ruled out a combat role for foreign forces and local military commanders seek to claim victory after past defeats. But questions about the extent of U.S. activities in the unfolding ground operation also serve to highlight the elasticity of the American advisory role, which has been employed in a host of counterterrorism conflicts since 2001, such as joint planning at heavily guarded headquarters and combat situations where U.S. troops fight alongside or even ahead of local forces. David Maxwell, a former U.S. Army Special Forces colonel now at Georgetown University, said military advisers must grapple with the tension between nurturing local forces who are often beset by deep, systemic problems and accomplishing the overall mission. One of the challenges we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan was that there was so much pressure to accomplish the mission, that often U.S. partnered forces would take the lead, he said. Sometimes, haziness about the U.S. advisory role is rooted in confusion about the terms military officials use to describe these activities, including advise, assist and accompany, said William Wechsler, who until last year served as deputy assistant defense secretary for Special Operations and counterterrorism. For the average person, advising sounds like something that is done from pretty far away, from time to time, with pretty limited responsibility, he said. To the military, advising is something that youre doing on a day-to-day basis, shoulder to shoulder with your partners, and their success becomes your success. Another element is that while operational rules are established in Washington, decisions that shape the reality of what U.S. troops do are made by personnel in the field. This could come into play in the Mosul operation when advisers, who in most cases are authorized to accompany local troops only up to where they can protect themselves, make decisions about where that point stands. While policy limits must be established up front, there has to be some degree of flexibility allowed to those in the field, said Wechsler, who is now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. At the end of the day its a call for the people at the tactical level to determine what the last terrain feature might be. Advisers must also respond to changing battlefield threats that alter the advisory role, sometimes with deadly results. Last year, a Delta Force soldier became the first combat casualty in the renewed U.S. campaign in Iraq while providing support to an Iraqi rescue operation. When the Kurdish fighters came under unexpected fire, U.S. forces tried to come to their aid, and the U.S. soldier was killed. Unlike some past operations, U.S. advisers in Mosul, who now number a couple hundred, are expected to remain in a secondary role. Thats partly because of Iraqi wishes but also a strong U.S. desire to avoid casualties. It may also reflect confidence that Iraqi troops, with the help of U.S. advisers and air power, can get the job done. The Washington Posts Loveday Morris and Kareem Fahim in Iraq contributed to this report. Thomas Gibbons-Neff contributed from Washington. iraq-policy A Democratic congressional candidate in central Virginia pulled down her Facebook page this week after receiving what she said where thousands of negative messages, some obscene and threatening, from Donald Trump supporters. Jane Dittmar is running against state Sen. Tom Garrett, a Republican from Buckingham, for an open seat currently held by retiring Republican Rep. Robert Hurt in the 5th district, which spans a large section of the state from the northern Virginia exurbs, through the Shenandoah Valley and down to the North Carolina border. Trump has strong support in rural, conservative swaths of the district but analysts say Dittmar could pull off an upset if voters in liberal strongholds, such as Charlottesville, turn out to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton. Dittmars campaign received most of the online comments and voice mails amid two campaign flaps that reflect the national political climate. In the first case, an armed Trump supporter legally protested outside her office last week, unnerving volunteers who called the police. Thenreports surfaced by conservative bloggers about a 1999 car accident in which Dittmar was initially charged with driving under the influence but she ultimately pleaded guilty to reckless driving. We sort of feel under attack on all sides by the Republicans at this point, Dittmar said. She accused Garrett of quietly spreading sleazy Republican charges as a diversion from a poor campaign finance report, which shows she has outraised him outraised him 2 to 1. Im disappointed in Tom, she said. Garrett denied having anything to do with the stories and accused Dittmar of trying to hide an apparent DUI arrest in which minors were involved. Fortunately, voters of the Fifth District have the opportunity to make the determination as to which candidate uses better judgment, Garrett spokesman Andrew Griffin said. On Oct. 13, Daniel Parks, a Trump supporter, parked his pick up truck outside Dittmars Fluvanna County campaign office. Alone inside the office, 71-year-old volunteer Susan Wolff said she watched him open the tailgate and set up Trump signs. At first, she said, she locked the office door, but then went outside to talk to him. The exchange was pleasant, Wolff said, until she began to walk away and he said something about Trumps promise to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. Im very sensitive about this because my parents were Holocaust survivors and they fled Nazi Germany, she said. I said to him, Thank goodness there was no wall when my parents came here or I wouldnt be here.' Volunteers floated in and out of the office throughout the day and at one point Parks tucked his shirt behind his holster to reveal he was carrying a weapon, Wolff said. She eventually called 911, and around the same time learned that the county sheriff was already keeping watch in the parking lot as a precaution. The protest, first reported by a local CBS affiliate, ended peacefully after about 12 hours when the office closed for the evening. Attempts to reach Parks were unsuccessful. The real trouble began after Dittmar posted Facebook and Twitter messages encouraging volunteers to call the police if they felt uncomfortable with the armed protest. Comments began to appear using profanity and obscene terms to criticize Dittmar, according to screenshots of the comments taken by the campaign. She is dumb as a box of rocks they will take her head off it they dont rape her first, read one message posted on Garretts page. Another commenter said: Jane you are a retarded and should disembowel yourself with a spoon. The posts flourished until Monday night when Dittmar instructed her staff to take down the page; it was reactivated Tuesday morning with nearly 5,000 messages. Around the same time, several conservative blogs posted stories about the 1999 car accident. Dittmar said she was driving with her then-3-year old son on a dark country road when she swerved, causing her bumper to glance into the side of a berm. The airbag activated and she suffered two black eyes, a broken nose and a split lip. Dittmar said she waited for the police but got a ride home before they arrived so she left identification on the front seat to avoid giving the impression she had abandoned the car. She later learned she was charged with driving under the influence and not restraining a child. Dittmar said the charges were dropped in exchange for a guilty plea to reckless driving. She said her son was in a car seat and she had not been drinking. You can get charged with a lot of things when youre not at your vehicle when it gets towed away, and I understand that, she said. Albemarle County Police Lt. Todd Hopwood declined a request for the police report. Wolff, the campaign volunteer, said Dittmar believes national attention to the armed protest outside her campaign office might help her bid. If I win the election it could be because of this, she said, according to Wolff. Everyone knows my name now. virginia-garrett HOUSTON A Houston-area couple pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges related to forcing a Nigerian woman to care for their five children and home without pay for two years, having her work nearly 20 hours a day. Chudy Nsobundu, 57, and his 49-year-old wife, Sandra Nsobundu, recruited the woman in Nigeria with the promise of a $100 monthly wage, prosecutors said. Instead, authorities say they abused the woman physically and verbally while she worked at their home in the Houston suburb of Katy, denying her compensation or outside contact from September 2013 to October 2015. Chudy Nsobundu pleaded guilty to visa fraud while his wife pleaded guilty to unlawful conduct with respect to documents in furtherance of forced labor, said U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Attorneys for the couple didnt immediately return calls seeking comment on Wednesday. The Nsobundus, who are naturalized U.S. citizens originally from Nigeria, will be sentenced on Jan. 4. They remain free on bond. Sandra Nsobundu faces up to five years in prison, while her husband faces up to 10 years imprisonment. According to court documents, the nanny would work every day from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., couldnt take breaks and had to eat leftovers and not fresh food, including being forced to only drink milk left in bowls in which the children had eaten cereal. She also couldnt take hot showers. Authorities said the Nsobundus prevented the nanny from leaving their employment by keeping her passport and by threatening her with physical and mental abuse. The nanny reached out for help and was rescued following a tip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Prosecutors are seeking restitution in the amount of $129,108 to pay for back wages owed to the nanny, whose name has not been released by authorities. For years, world leaders have been arguing over the best way to protect the chilly Southern Ocean at the bottom of the world from threats like pollution and overfishing. Now, they may finally be one step closer to an agreement. This week, members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) have convened in Hobart, Australia, for an annual meeting, where they will discuss the conservation and management of the Southern Ocean. And one of their priorities will be to continue negotiations on proposed marine protected areas, or MPAs, that have proved challenging. Establishing the MPAs is crucial to the protection of, and continued research on, the Antarctic ecosystem, conservationists have argued. But some countries are concerned that the protected area could damage their fishing operations in the Southern Ocean, and for the past few years, negotiations have fallen flat. The Southern Ocean, which surrounds the continent of Antarctica, may sound like a lifeless, frozen wasteland. But its actually a teeming ecosystem, home to everything from microscopic algae and tiny shrimplike krill to penguins, seals and whales. In fact, its an important commercial fishing interest to some countries, particularly when it comes to krill and toothfish. Managing the fishing industry was a major reason CCAMLR was established in the first place, in 1980. Its responsibilities as an international body, now composed of 24 nations plus the European Union, include protecting the common resources in the Southern Ocean by setting catch limits for commercial fisheries and designating areas and times of the year when fishing cannot occur. In 2009, the commission established its first MPA around the South Orkney Islands, just northeast of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. However, some scientists have been critical about the compromises that were involved in reaching an agreement. A paper published last week in Science journal noted that the final MPA excluded some ecologically important zones to avoid conflict with commercial krill fisheries operated by several CCAMLR States. Since then, other countries have proposed additional MPAs in the Ross Sea, the East Antarctic and, most recently, the Weddell Sea. For an MPA to be established under CCAMLR rules, all member states must agree on the proposal, said Evan Bloom, director of the U.S. State Departments Office of Oceans and Polar Affairs and head of the U.S. delegation to CCAMLR. The Ross Sea and East Antarctic proposals have been under negotiation for five years, but none of the MPAs have been approved. If the proposals were to pass in their current forms, nearly 10 percent of the total Southern Ocean would be protected. The MPAs would include no-take zones, where fishing would not be permitted, as well as special research areas, where fishing for scientific purposes would be allowed. These MPAs are critical for protecting the health of the Antarctic ecosystem, and maybe even fisheries in other parts of the world, conservationists have argued. Krill are a staple food for penguins, whales, seals, seabirds and other Antarctic animals, but some studies have suggested that they may be in decline in certain parts of the Southern Ocean. This may be thanks to overfishing, as well as effects of the warming climate. The Southern Ocean is also an important contributor to the health of other marine ecosystems around the world, noted Andrea Kavanagh, director of the global penguin conservation campaign for the Pew Charitable Trusts. Its the site of a critical ocean process known as upwelling, in which nutrient-rich water bubbles up from the bottom of the sea and joins currents that carry it to other parts of the planet. Theres also scientific value in preserving what may be some of the last pristine marine ecosystems left on Earth, she added. Theres potential that these reserves could end up offering answers on how to help ecosystems adapt what are the things that we need to manage to help ecosystems adapt to a changing climate, she said. But some countries are worried about the limits these protected areas may place on their fisheries, and these concerns have stalled negotiations for the past few years. Last weeks Science paper noted that certain concessions have been made on both the Ross Sea and East Antarctic proposals, including reductions in the size of the areas that would be protected. Historically CCAMLR has been this institution where they require science to make decisions, said Cassandra Brooks , the papers lead author and a PhD candidate at Stanford Universitys School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences. In other words, without sufficient data to suggest that fishing is safe in a given area, it would not be permitted. But recently, Brooks said, some member states have called for a reverse in the burden of proof required, suggesting that until theres enough data to know that theres enough of a threat, we shouldnt have a marine protected area, she said. Until now, Russia has been among the most vocal opponents of the proposed MPAs. According to Bloom, its the only nation left that is not on board with the Ross Sea proposal. But that could change this year. At this meeting, Russia has been more amenable to talking with us, he said. And so we are in the process of seeing whether we can bring them on board with the goal of hopefully establishing what would be the worlds largest marine protected area by the end of this session of CCAMLR. While its unclear what caused the change of heart, Bloom noted that Secretary of State John Kerry who has used his diplomatic role to draw historic new levels of attention to the oceans has been communicating with the Russian government about the issue ahead of this years CCAMLR meeting, and theres been a real high-level push to get Russia to sort of come to the table on this. The improved negotiations may also be part of a renewed Russian interest in polar conservation. Earlier this year, President Vladimir Putin declared that 2017 will be the Year of Ecology, and over the summer the government expanded the Russian Arctic National Park. That, to us, sent a great signal that theyre concerned about [the] poles, Kavanagh said. Bloom cautioned that the Ross Sea proposal is the only one that is likely to move forward this year, if any of the MPAs are approved at all. And even if that happens, some scientists are concerned about the concessions that might be necessary to move the proposal forward. A few CCAMLR member states have proposed setting a time limit on the MPAs, so that they would need to be renewed in 20 or 30 years, Brooks noted. This is an outcome that many conservationists hope to avoid, worrying that such a compromise might set a precedent for future international high-seas MPA negotiations. The hope is we get [an MPA] thats in place long enough to be effective and long enough to meet its objective, which I would say would be a minimum of 50 years, Brooks said. But attendees of this years meeting agree that, in general, the climate is more optimistic than it has been in years. Its taken us six years to get to a place where people are feeling this positive, Kavanagh said. southern-ocean [October 19, 2016] LandWorks Upgrades Web AutoMapper Online Mapping Service Now Includes USLandGrid HOUSTON, Oct. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LandWorks Inc., a developer of innovative land management solutions, has improved its Web AutoMapper online service that translates land legal descriptions into GIS-ready map polygons. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161018/430080 The updated Web AutoMapper features a new interface that is easier to use, including a job detail web page that lets you review and edit your polygons before you buy. Clients can now have their property polygons mapped against USLandGrid's national land base, with the option of buying land grid townships containing the mapped property. "These changes make the Web AutoMapper even easier and more cost effective to use," said LandWorks President Jerry Bramwell. "Anyone with a need to create land maps can do so in just a few minutes at minimal cost." For about 20 percent of the cost of manual mapping, Web AutoMapper has simplified land records mapping in the oil & gas, renewable energy, mining, banking, utility, pipeline, state/local government, telecommunications, transportation, water and real estate sectors. The cost to map a legal parcel description with Web AutoMapper is $2 per polygon with the USLandGrid offered at just $7 per PLSS Township. "The USLandGrid data provides the tie between a legal description and the geography of that parcel of land," said USLandGrid Vice President of Sales Anthony Ford. "Producing polygons this way allows you to get your land positions on a map for critical analysis using the GS." "LandWorks selected USLandGrid for inclusion in Web AutoMapper because it is the best basemap available for any industry or profession to use in mapping property legal descriptions," said Bramwell. "An important benefit of the USLandGrid is that its data layers are continuously updated as more accurate survey data becomes available." LandWorks first introduced Web AutoMapper in 2013 as an inexpensive, fast and easy method of processing many types of standard property descriptions and converting them into digital map polygons. Legal descriptions that would take days or weeks to map manually can be processed in minutes with this online software-as-a-service application. A customer simply logs onto Web AutoMapper at www.LandWorks.com/automapper and creates an account. The user then submits an Excel spreadsheet containing one or hundreds of legal descriptions in Jeffersonian Township/Range or Texas Survey/Abstract formats. Within seconds, Web AutoMapper provides an onscreen report detailing which polygons can be generated, which cannot, and shows an overview of the mapped polygons aligned to the USLandGrid. If the customer decides to proceed, a credit card is provided. For customers who don't already own the Grid, they have the option of buying it by the township along with their mapped polygons. Web AutoMapper generates a zip file of the purchased polygons and USLandGrid townships either in Esri shapefile or file geodatabase format in NAD 83 or 27 for direct download into Esri ArcGIS software as well as other popular mapping systems, such as IHS Petra, IHS Kingdom and LMKR GeoGraphix. As a Cloud-based application, Web AutoMapper brings the full power of the standalone LandWorks AutoMapper software to every level of digital map user via the Internet. Introduced in 2002, the onsite AutoMapper package is purchased by an organization and sits behind their firewall as a production-grade GIS mapping tool. The software is used extensively by organizations that must manage large tracts of land and keep property records up to date, such as local governments, energy companies and natural resource management entities. About LandWorks, Inc. (www.landworks.com) LandWorks, an Esri Gold Business Partner, provides software and services utilizing Esri GIS technology. Since 1995, the company's primary focus has been providing software products and services for managing any type of land right in any industry including oil and gas, mining, pipelines, telecommunications, electric/gas utilities, wind energy, transportation and water. With offices in Houston and Denver, LandWorks also offers fast, accurate mapping and data entry of land rights agreements, and has one of the largest GIS land mapping service staffs in the U.S. 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/landworks-upgrades-web-automapper-online-mapping-service--now-includes-uslandgrid-300347484.html SOURCE LandWorks Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] They keep your vitamins fresh, your indigestion tablets fizzy and your beef jerky from turning weird colors. They also protect your favorite coffee and chocolate products and can ensure your drum set doesnt get ruined during shipping. The next time you notice one of those desiccant packets or little plastic canisters in your prescription bottle or your box of shoes, send a silent thank you to a nondescript factory in Belen. Clariant, a global company based in Switzerland, employs 300 in Belen an operation that runs five days a week around the clock south of the city to make a variety of products that suck up destructive moisture. The factory turns out products ranging from the small silica envelopes to large packs filled with clay material that are draped over large products shipped in cargo containers. The goal is the same: to prevent moisture from reducing the effectiveness or destroying the shelf life of any number of products. Desiccants and packaging components manufactured by Clariant in Belen are an essential part of delivering safe and effective products all the way to the end patient or consumer, product manager Mark Florez said. The Clariant plant is among the manufacturers in New Mexico that exported $3.6 billion in goods and services last year, according to the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership. The partnership recently celebrated Manufacturing Day to highlight industries located in New Mexico. We have a long history in Valencia County, and we are very proud to be contributing to the community and economy of New Mexico, Florez said, referring to the operations start in 1983. The 200,000-square-foot Clariant facility is housed in two buildings, where employees do everything from sewing the little bags that contain silica to processing a weekly 300 tons of clay, some of it coming from a mine in eastern Arizona. While moisture can be destructive, so can oxygen. Some of Clariants products work to protect items such as beef jerky, which can turn colors and lose flavor when exposed to too much oxygen, and probiotics, which are live cultures that degrade from both dampness and an excess of oxygen. The smaller bags and plastic canisters are probably most familiar to consumers, because they are in all kinds of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products, such as over-the-counter and prescription drugs, herbal supplements, vitamins and beauty products. Belen employees produce about a billion of the miniature canisters a year, Florez said. Little known fact: Although the items are imprinted with a do not eat warning, thats not because they will poison you. Its simply so consumers know its not just another vitamin or drug tablet in the bottle, said Ryan Grauer, a sales manager based in Colton, Calif. SACRAMENTO, Calif. Californias attorney general is conducting a criminal investigation into whether employees at San Francisco-based Wells Fargo bank stole customers identities in the sales practices scandal that rocked the bank and cost its CEO his job, documents released Wednesday show. A search warrant and supporting affidavit released by the state Department of Justice show that agents sought evidence related to allegations that bank employees created up to 2 million bank and credit card accounts without customers approval in order to meet sales goals. The warrant, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, was served Oct. 5. Copies obtained by The Associated Press under a public records request show Attorney General Kamala Harris office sought the names of customers who had accounts opened without their permission, the names of employees who opened the accounts and their managers, and fees associated with the improperly opened accounts. We cant comment on an ongoing investigation, Kristin Ford, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, said in an email. Wells Fargo spokesman Mark Folk said in an email that the bank is cooperating in providing the requested information. Justice Department Special Agent Supervisor James Hirt said in a 14-page affidavit seeking the search warrant that there is probable cause to believe that employees of Wells Fargo Bank unlawfully accessed the banks computer system to obtain the PII (personal identifying information) of customers. Employees then used the illegally obtained information to commit false impersonation and identity theft by opening unauthorized accounts, credit cards and various other products that resulted in the accumulation of fees and charges for Wells Fargo, Hirt said. One Los Angeles customer was surprised to learn last year that a Wells Fargo employee had opened a $10,000 line of credit linked to his accounts without his authorization, according to the affidavit. Another was shocked when she and her husband began receiving notices from the bank on payments they allegedly owed on three life insurance policies they had never purchased. Bank employees repeatedly opened and closed her bank accounts, causing her to bounce checks and pay bank fees. A third found her money transferred from her checking account to a savings account without her permission. The 74-year-old woman also reported receiving multiple bank credit-debit cards and being signed up for online banking without permission. The bank previously said it has fired about 5,300 employees for improperly engaging in fraudulent account sales. This is a huge case of fraud, said Beth Givens, executive director the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit San Diego-based consumer advocacy organization. At its face value, these individuals identities have certainly been stolen. I think one of the effects this case could have, particularly on Wells Fargo, is a loss of trust in this institution, but that could spread out to the banking industry in general, she said. I would be concerned about the reputation of the entire industry. Graciela Aponte-Diaz, director of California Policy for the Center for Responsible Lending, said the attorney generals investigation is needed. Californians deserve to know in full detail the extent of damage these activities have caused and what their long term affects will be. We hope the attorney generals investigation yields results for unanswered questions that Californians have, she said in a statement. Hirts affidavit says employees benefited from the practice by getting bonuses based on their productivity. Fees from the improper accounts topped $3 million. Harris, a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate in next months election, joins state, and federal regulators in California and other states in attempting to punish the banking giant. California State Treasurer John Chiang said last month he would end doing business with the bank, a decision since echoed by officials Illinois, Ohio, and several cities. Hirts sworn statement cites information first developed by the Los Angeles City Attorneys Office, which announced a $185 million settlement with the bank in September. Congress also weighed in before CEO John Stumpf announced his retirement a week ago. We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain. Tech and government investment specialist Veritas Capital has made another deal in the wake of its weighty $10.65bn Fund VIII close from earlier this month with the buyout of analytics provider Verisk's energy business. Published On Oct 19, 2016 06:29 PM By Raunak The Internet is flooded with a picture that allegedly features the next-generation Wrangler and Jeeps flagship model, which is reportedly called the Grand Wagoneer. It is rumoured to have been clicked by an attendee at a recent Jeep dealers meet. We know that the picture is a little hazy, but this is our best look at the new models from the American automaker yet. If you pay attention to the vehicles in the picture, all the latest models of the American brand the Renegade, 2018 Wrangler, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and the 2019 Grand Wagoneer are there, but it sadly doesnt feature the new India-bound Jeep Compass. However, what is relevant to us here are the 2018 Jeep Wrangler (second from left) and the 2019 Grand Wagoneer (towards the extreme right). Reports suggesting the revival of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer have been doing the rounds of late. Though the automaker hasnt said anything concrete about this flagship model, it is highly likely that it will be christened the Grand Wagoneer. With similar design cues a sleek, seven-slat grille and headlamps and wrap-around tail lamps it looks like a Grand Cherokee on steroids, but the new SUV is the more mature looking of the two. Interestingly, the Grand Wagoneer will feature discrete seven-dot LED daytime running lights and its tail lamps also mimic the same pattern. It is likely to come in two variants, namely, the Wagoneer and the Grand Wagoneer, and is likely to come in 2018 as a 2019-year model. As expected, the 2018 Wrangler is unmistakably a Wrangler. Jeep will never deviate from the Wranglers basic boxy design cues, perhaps because that is what people love about it. What we can tell from the picture is that the next-gen model will feature larger fenders with LED daytime running lights, a typical seven-slat grille and circular headlamps (which appears to be an all-LED unit), and the rear gets Renegade inspired X-pattern LED tail lamps. It will reportedly also be based on a new lightweight platform and will even offer a hybrid powertrain. The new Wrangler is likely to make its debut at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show. Also Read: Jeep Wrangler Pickup Spied! Source Read More on : Wrangler Unlimited Published On Oct 19, 2016 04:34 PM By Alshaar for Honda New Accord Ahead of the launch of its latest eco-friendly product, the Accord Hybrid, Honda has critiqued the support given to promote such vehicles in India. The Japanese carmaker also called for a clear distinction between fully hybrid and mild hybrid technologies for equitable distribution of resources. Honda Cars India president and CEO Yoichiro Ueno told PTI that the subsidies offered to hybrid vehicles under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles) India scheme are not sufficient in their current form. "There are different levels of hybrid technologies -- some are mild systems while some full hybrid systems. I think it is necessary to differentiate, otherwise the cost difference is there," he said. As pointed out by Ueno, both mild and fully hybrid models get similar kind of benefits under the FAME India scheme that was launched last year. Besides, imported CBU models do not come under the ambit of the scheme, making them all the more expensive to own. Both these factors have played against the Jap carmaker whose Honda Accord has a higher level of hybrid technology than the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Mahindra Scorpio Intelli-Hybrid, and is also is a CBU import. The Honda India boss also added that initial government support is necessary for hybrid vehicles to succeed in a country. "If I see other countries, hybrid technologies initially needed some government support. In most of the countries government initially supported with some reduced taxes or incentive to the customer," he said. Modified On Oct 19, 2016 02:15 PM By Arun for Isuzu D-MAX V-Cross 2015-2019 A few units were reportedly facing 'vibration issues', that were fixed by a remap Japanese automaker Isuzu has issued a statement regarding the recall of the D-Max V-Cross. When contacted, we were told that a vibration/jerking issue was reported by a few customers, which was fixed by a software update of the ECU. We had received feedback from some D-MAX V-Cross customers who were experiencing engine vibrations at some RPM levels. This was checked internally and the issue has been resolved by remapping the ECU. The process is simple and takes approximately 30 minutes and has resulted in much better performance of the engine. The same has been extended to other customers who have not reported the issue, said a spokesperson. The 2.5-litre 136PS motor is known for its reliability and it is good to see Isuzu proactively fixing any problems in the vehicle. A few customer testimonies were shared with us as well, which showed a generally positive experience. Messages from the customers also reflected that the issue had been resolved with the remap. Isuzu is offering the remap to other customers as well. In case you own one, it would be wise to contact service personnel to get the update done. Also, it is safe to assume that units of the pickup that are still in the making will come with the update from the factory itself. The V-Cross is an extremely niche product with a limited audience, and such steps will only strengthen Isuzu's after-sales credibility. We think the V-Cross is a nice blend of utility and lifestyle, and has managed to breathe some life into a nascent segment in the country. We've driven it already; you can check out the review here. Read More on : D-Max V-Cross Government Advisory Group Recommends Massive Increase to Canadian Immigration Numbers Over Next Five Years CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Advisors also call for tech and IT occupations to be exempt from LMIA process An external advisory group to the government of Canada is set to call for a substantial increase in overall immigration numbers to the country. The Advisory Council on Economic Growth, which advises federal Minister Bill Morneau, will call for a 50 percent increase in immigration to 450,000 people annually over five years. In addition, the advisory group will recommend that skilled workers and entrepreneurs have easier entry to Canada. The external advisors consider immigration as part of an effort to stimulate the economy over the short and long terms. The 14-member group includes institutional investors, business executives, venture capitalists, and academics. Its recommendations are scheduled to be delivered to the government on Thursday, October 20. If the government implements the advisory groups recommendations, it would continue what it has already begun since it took office nearly 12 months ago. Just last month, it was revealed that immigration numbers for the past year were the highest in modern history, with a total of 320,932 new immigrants having landed in the country as permanent residents over the period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. That is one-third higher than the previous year, when 240,844 immigrants came to Canada, representing the fastest growth in nearly three decades. In addition, federal immigration Minister John McCallum has made it clear that he wishes to substantially increase the number of new immigrants to Canada in order to fill labour shortages and react to demographic challenges resulting from aging populations. The Liberal Party of Canada, which is currently in government, is generally viewed as supportive of immigration, diversity, and multiculturalism. Since taking office, the government has overseen the arrival of large numbers of skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and refugees. Over the coming few weeks, it is expected that the government will reveal its immigration plan for 2017 and beyond. The government is also expected to make improvements to certain immigration programs and reduce processing times across the board. The latter objective is one that has already begun in earnest, yielding positive results. In the 12-month period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016, processing times for all permanent residence programs together decreased by an enormous 42 percent. Tech and IT industries want smoother process The advisory group notes that many stakeholders in the tech and IT sector are frustrated with the current immigration setup, resulting in hiring delays, or even missing out on key staff altogether. The current immigration process is overwhelming even Kafkaesque, says Tobi Lutke, CEO of software firm Shopify, Inc., based out of Ottawa. The people we need to bring to Canada are not building widgets that Canadians otherwise would. The people we are recruiting . . . are the teachers that help us to scale [up]. If we want to build the best companies in the world here, we need to allow the best people in the world to move here. As a result of the sentiments shared by Lutke and other business leaders, the advisory group is calling for certain tech and IT occupations to be exempt from the requirement for businesses to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before the hiring of foreign nationals may take place. The LMIA process ensures that Canadian citizens and permanent residents have the opportunity to apply for open positions before foreign nationals may be hired. Taking growth seriously After a year in office and with continued popular support when it comes to immigration, the government now has a tremendous opportunity to grow the country and its economy for the betterment of all. That includes Canadians and newcomers alike, says Attorney David Cohen. The government advisory groups recommendations should and I believe will be taken seriously. Provincial governments are consistently lobbying the government for larger allocations for the Provincial Nominee Programs due to labour demand and demographic realities. Canada has a shrinking workforce as a percentage of its overall population, and this trend cannot continue. Fortunately, we appear to have a government that sees the bigger picture. In particular, the recommendation to remove LMIA requirements for IT positions will help businesses to develop their products and get them to market quicker. This would be of benefit to all. The recommendations should also come as a delight to potential immigrants to Canada from around the world. Moving to a new country is a life-changing, serious prospect. It becomes easier when you know that your destination wants you to come. In a world where an increasing number of countries and regions are looking inward, Canada is something of an anomaly in that it is reaching out. In the global scheme of things, Canada represents a positive future. To find out if you are eligible for immigration to Canada, please fill out a free online assessment today. 2016 CICnews All Rights Reserved 09:00 - 11:30, Tuesday 8 November, CIWEM, London Join our exclusive briefing this November as we discuss & debate the role of society lotteries; our panel will address the regulation surrounding lottery fundraising, best practice & how to maximise earning potential and the future of lottery fundraising programmes. This event is designed to provide space for charities to debate with other charities. As a result, there are no corporate spaces available and we will withdraw places booked by non-charity delegates. We will issue a refund minus an administration fee of 15%. If you are interested in sponsoring a future FFT please contact Yvette on 020 7819 1202 or via [email protected]. Charities still lag behind the private sector on digital maturity, but they are improving, according to the latest UK Business Digital Index. The benchmarking survey, produced by Lloyds Bank, found that the sector has made progress in most areas. Charities overall score rose from 36 out of 100 in 2015 to 42 out of 100 in 2016. Small businesses scored 45 in 2015 and 54 this year. The report found that 51 per cent of charities have basic digital skills, compared to 62 per cent of small businesses. The percentage of charities accepting online donations rose from 24 per cent in 2015 to 53 per cent this year. According to the report, charities are 28 per cent more likely to report an increase in income than less digital charities. More charities are also investing in digitals skills than last year, though the vast majority, 78 per cent, have no budget for digital skills. Martha Lane Fox, executive chair of Doteveryone, said in the introduction to the report: This year, the charity sector has made some major improvements in its digital skills. However 49 per cent of charities still lack all five Basic Digital Skills. A strong digital economy is not enough. We also need a strong civil society, to tackle the challenges we face today. Lloyds surveyed 2,000 small businesses and charities about their digital activities. It also carried out in-depth interviews. Governance & Leadership magazine recently looked at the issues facing charities and trustees when it comes to embracing digital, subscribers can read it here. Civil Society Media's annual Charity Technology Conference takes place next month with sessions addressing building and embedding digital skills in charities. Find out more here. A Commons committee debate yesterday on the new bill proposing changes to the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme ended with the government refusing to extend it to SMS, online and cheque donations, despite efforts by opposition MPs to persuade it to do so. Among the changes that had been suggested to the Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Payments Bill by various Labour and SNP MPs included widening the scheme to include donations by text, cheque or the internet; removing the requirement for charities to have to match donations by a ratio of 10:1 to their gift aid claims; and ensuring that local scout, girl guide and cadet branches are able to claim individually under the scheme, rather than being considered as part of a single national charity. The bill already extends the scheme from solely cash donations to contactless payments including Oyster cards - but Labour MP Rebecca Long Bailey argued that text donations ought also to be included and SNP MP Kirsty Blackman made a case for including cheques. But Jane Ellison MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said the scheme was never intended to cover methods of donations for which well-established and well-used processes for claiming gift aid already exist. Gift aid matching requirement In response to submissions to remove the matching requirement, Ellison said that the bill already removes the requirement for charities to have been registered with HMRC for two years before they can make claims under the scheme, and the requirement to have a specified history of gift aid claims. This leaves the matching requirement as the only link between the Small Donations Scheme and the wider gift aid scheme, she said, and this link is important to deter fraudulent claims. Ellison also declined to launch a review of the gift aid scheme as a whole within the next six months, as requested by Long Bailey. Connected charities and community buildings The new bill proposes changes to the community buildings section of the scheme, which Ellison claimed would make the rules much more flexible and generous, especially for very small local charities. The government anticipates that the vast majority of connected charities will be better off claiming under the community buildings rules, because connected charities are to be provided with an 8,000 allowance for each building, rather than a single 8,000 allowance to be shared between the group. The vast majority of connected charities will automatically receive the most beneficial allowance, Ellison said. Long Bailey said the opposition was happy to support these changes, but she requested the bill be amended to make clear that local scout groups, girl guide groups, and Army, Navy and Air Force cadet groups are not considered to be connected, so that they can claim individually under the scheme. However Ellison refused to support this proposed amendment, claiming that scrapping the connected charities rules would incentivise large charities to splinter into groups of smaller charities to increase their entitlement to small donations allowances. But Labour MP Anna Turley refused to let the point drop: This is a really important provision that deserves greater explanation from the government, she said. It should seek to include organisations, such as Age UK or Mind, which have much more devolved structures. For example, on the back of the loss of the steelworks in Redcar and Cleveland, the number of referrals to Redcar and Cleveland Mind went up by 93 per cent. That charity relies almost entirely on its own local fundraising. That is an exact example of where the charity ought to be able to have a lot more freedom to raise money and keep its gift aid donations locally, rather than having to be part of a national structure. I implore the minister to take this away and explore it much more widely. Ellison responded that she was fairly certain that the charity cited by Turley would benefit from the bill, because it probably does not fundraise in its own premises. If it fundraises in the local area through quizzes or events or whatever it will now be entitled to claim against its community building for any activity in the local area, she said. Rebecca Long Bailey then referred the minister to a comment from CFG that scouts and such groups often cannot claim under the community buildings rules because buildings have to be open to the public some or all of the time, and scout huts and barracks are usually closed to the public. Charity Finance Group has made a suggestion that HMRC could develop regulations and criteria to define local groups for the purposes of the Act. Would the minister give serious consideration to that proposal?, Long Bailey asked. I am happy to reflect on the points made, Ellison concluded. Lets talk about reality the credit union movement is an older movement, and in some cases older founders are still engaged and involved in their institution. The first credit union society was formed in Germany in 1849, and it was in the early 1900s that North America saw this model replicated locally. Our movement was founded during a time where technology was non-existent, when towns still had important local buildings as gathering places, and communication was much slower. Our brick-and-mortar institutions have served us well over the years. At our small credit union, so many of our members tell us their first or best experience with a financial institution was at a credit union. The legacy we have built as an industry is strong and proud. It is also amazing how many members will go out of their way to use our services, even when we arent the most convenient providers. In the early-2000s, a company called ING Direct launched in the US. Its model was simple deposit accounts were online, with a few cafes throughout the country. It offered a slightly higher rate in exchange for lack of access to brick-and-mortar. It felt a bit revolutionary at the time, and I recall it even feeling a bit scary to send money to my account with them. ING Direct US was acquired by CapitalOne and is now the 8th largest U.S Bank by deposit accounts. The idea caught on maybe bricks-and-mortar arent always the most important feature of a deposit account. But why are we talking about banks? Because the financial industry is still changing and evolving. Mobile apps, remote deposit capture, Virtual Tellers and Fintech are not going to go away. Brick-and-mortar is still relevant, but many leaders in the industry know that we need to engage millennials over the long term to stay sustainable. Millennials are the most connected generation, many having grown up always using technology. Our college students today cant imagine not having a cell phone to communicate with friends. Millennials are more engaged, and more connected to social causes than prior generations. Credit unions, with our community orientation, can capitalize on this fact that the current generation entering the workforce wants to be socially responsible. This is our next generation of member, as well as what our next generation of manager, then later what our industry leaders and CEOs will look like. Diversity in staffing is important, and having multiple generations in the same workplace is a huge advantage to any organization. Older, experienced employees have expertise and skills that are invaluable to the stability of a credit union while younger employees can bring a fresh perspective and draw attention to rapidly changing industry trends. Therefore, its important to have an engaged organization where sharing and learning happens and employees can learn from the best of what each generation has to offer. Make Sure Employees are Engaging Cross-Departmentally: Organizational silos prevent learning. They also prevent understanding of the challenges that your teammates are facing. Do the best you can to have departments (even if you are very small) engage other departments in the process of product launches, collections, member-onboarding, and general operations. Ideas come from communicating across perspectives. Allow Staff to Cross-Train in Areas Outside their Roles: While it is important for isolation of duties for dual-control purposes, people often find they have strengths in areas of interest. If your credit union is larger, consider establishing a mentor program between veteran employees and new employees. Younger employees may be interested in figuring out what their long term career interests are and enjoy the opportunity to learn about opportunities to growth within the organization or industry. Provide Opportunities for Autonomous Decision Making within Boundaries: All credit unions are guided by policy and compliance requirements, and we all must be responsive to regulatory changes. However, whenever and wherever possible, give creative control to staff. Give some flexibility in decisions about member service, and have a platform for employee feedback. Give newer employees to the industry to stretch and make mistakes within appropriate boundaries. Creating an organization committed to growth requires a willingness to change. In smaller organizations, it is often observed that a role becomes defined by the strengths and skills of the individual managing the responsibility. A job description can evolve based on what one individual can bring to the table. The industry is changing. We must preserve the important legacy that our founders have left us, but we must also recognize where we need to change in order to remain relevant. New voices and new faces provide the opportunity to think differently, and we can develop a strong onboarding program for our younger employees. A lawsuit in North Dakota federal district court could provide an early test of the reach of a federal appeals court decision that confronted what the judges called the massive, unchecked power of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In June, the CFPB sued payment processor Intercept Corp., alleging the company and two of its executives allowed clients to make unauthorized and illegal withdrawals from consumers accounts. The CFPBs complaint in U.S. District Court for North Dakota alleged Intercept ignored red flagssuch as warnings from banks and complaints from consumersand knew or consciously avoided knowing that many of the transactions initiated by those companies were fraudulent or illegal. Lawyers for Intercept seized on a Washington federal appeals court ruling last week that struck down as unconstitutional the structure of the CFPB. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that too much power was vested in the CFPBs director, Richard Cordray, whom Judge Brett Kavanaugh described as the single most powerful official in the entire U.S. government, other than the president. Water striders' ability to walk and jump on the surfaces of ponds and lakes has long amazed curious observers -- and inspired robot designers who want to mimic the bugs' talent. Now, scientists have measured for the first time key parameters that allow them to walk on water -- by studying their leg shadows. The findings, reported in the ACS journal Langmuir, could contribute to designs for water-skimming robots. More than 2,000 years ago, Greek scientist Archimedes explained flotation, stating that the upward, floating force on an object in water equals the weight (or downward force) of the water displaced. The principle has informed the building of ships, submarines and other aquatic vehicles. But for tiny water striders, water isn't displaced. It is expelled by the insect's hairy legs. The updated Archimedes principle predicts that the weight of the expelled water should equal the floating force. But confirming this prediction experimentally is a challenge. Because water striders are so light, they are almost impossible to weigh using conventional techniques. So Yu Tian and colleagues used an unconventional method -- analyzing the shadows cast by the insects' legs. The researchers placed a white sheet of paper at the bottom of a lab aquarium housing water striders and installed a light source above the water. The insects' stick-straight legs cast shadows that were rounded, representing the curvature of the water and the expelled water volume from which the floating force and weight can be calculated, the researchers say. Also, from these measurements, the striders' slightest shifts in weight and body angle could be detected for the first time. ### The authors acknowledge funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The abstract that accompanies this study is available here. Watch the water striders in this Headline Science video. The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With nearly 157,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org. Follow us: Twitter Facebook Australian scientists have worked with researchers in Germany to create the most detailed map of the Milky Way, using the world's largest radio telescopes. The HI4PI project, which is a combination of an Australian survey and a German survey, provides the most sensitive and detailed view of all of the hydrogen gas in and around the Milky Way and will help solve the mysteries of our galaxy. Team leader for the Australian survey, Professor Naomi McClure-Griffiths from The Australian National University (ANU), said the study revealed for the first time the fine details of structures between stars in the Milky Way. "Very small gas clouds appear to have helped form stars in the Milky Way over billions of years," she said. Professor McClure-Griffiths said her research group at ANU was using the data map to answer the big questions about the Milky Way and neighbouring galaxies. "How does the Milky Way get the new gas it requires to continue forming stars? And where are all of the small dwarf galaxies that must surround our Milky Way? The next steps will be exciting," she said. Professor McClure-Griffiths said her research group would use the map to hone their work with the Square Kilometre Array and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, which will provide even more detailed maps of the Milky Way. The HI4PI project used the largest fully steerable radio telescopes in the southern and northern hemispheres, Australia's 64m CSIRO Parkes dish and the 100m Max-Planck telescope in Effelsberg, Germany. The project improves the previous neutral hydrogen study, the Leiden-Argentine-Bonn (LAB) survey, by a factor of two in sensitivity and a factor of four in angular resolution. The HI4PI project involved ANU and the University of Western Australia in Australia, and the University of Bonn and Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany. The research article, titled 'HI4PI: A full-sky Hi survey based on EBHIS and GASS', is published in Astronomy and Astrophysics. ### Watch a video animation that shows all of the hydrogen gas in the Milky Way and neighbouring galaxies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2mgpsTFuV8&feature=youtu.be BETHESDA, MD - Early results from the BabySeq Project, a Boston-based study exploring the impact of whole-exome sequencing (WES) on newborn infants and their families, suggest some utility in genetically sequencing these infants and offer new insights into parental attitudes toward the procedure and results. Findings were presented at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2016 Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C. Led by Robert C. Green, MD, MPH, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Broad Institute; and Alan H. Beggs, PhD, of the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; the project has recruited more than 100 families to date. Infants are enrolled from the neonatal intensive care units at Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital as well as the well-baby nursery at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Half of each group is randomized to receive WES - genetic sequencing of all protein-coding genes, with analysis of about 1,800 genes implicated in childhood health - and follow-up counseling. Data are collected from participating families at enrollment, when receiving their sequencing results, three months after sequencing, and ten months after sequencing. "This is the first randomized trial to sequence healthy infants with interpretation and return of the information," Dr. Green said. "We faced enormous early challenges in creating processes for informed consent, accurate sequencing and interpretation, choosing which genes to report, clearly reporting results to families and their providers, and measuring potential benefits and harms." "Having created these processes, we are now collecting data from medical record reviews and parental surveys, in order to measure medical benefits, harms, and costs, as well as parents' understanding of genetic sequencing, their attitudes and anxieties about it, and any actions they may have taken based on the results," said Shawn Fayer, MSc, MS, Project Manager of the BabySeq Project. So far, the researchers have identified potentially harmful variants in two healthy infants who were sequenced - variants that would not have been detected otherwise - suggesting some value in sequencing infants with no family history of genetic disease. It is not yet known how this knowledge will affect the families' medical actions or the infants' eventual health outcomes. In some cases, challenges during the recruitment process led to unexpected insights. Before enrolling, parents had the opportunity to meet with a genetic counselor to discuss the study. Those who declined to participate after learning about the study expressed concerns about receiving unfavorable or uncertain results, insurance discrimination, and confidentiality and privacy. These findings reflect current societal attitudes about genetic testing, which are likely to affect its clinical implementation. In the coming months, the researchers hope to enroll several hundred additional infants and families. In addition to measuring parental attitudes about sequencing newborns, they plan to assess the usefulness of WES information over time, including how it is used in later medical decisionmaking. "This is the first rigorously designed study to examine the often-cited vision that humans will benefit from having genomic information from the very first days of life," said Dr. Green. "While it will take many years of follow-up to determine the ultimate benefits and harms, we are already learning a tremendous amount about creating the process for returning genomic information in newborns, parental hopes and concerns, and the kinds of results that are emerging." ### The BabySeq Project is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Development and the National Human Genome Research Institute, both part of the National Institutes of Health. Presentation: Dr. Green will present his research on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, from 9:45-10:00 a.m., in Room 109 of the Vancouver Convention Centre. Press Availability: Dr. Green will be available to discuss this research with interested media on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, from 11:00-11:45 a.m. in the ASHG 2016 Press Office (Room 111). Reference: Green RC et al. (2016 Oct 19). Abstract: The BabySeq Project: Preliminary findings from a randomized trial of exome sequencing in newborns. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2016 Annual Meeting. Vancouver, B.C., Canada. BETHESDA, MD - Adding non-invasive prenatal genetic screening (NIPS) for fetal chromosomal abnormalities to the current prenatal testing strategy in Quebec would be more cost-effective than current approaches based on blood tests and amniocentesis, according to research presented at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2016 Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C. Healthy human body cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46. However, errors during the cell replication process can cause the chromosomes to distribute unevenly, a condition known as aneuploidy. Led by Francois Rousseau, MD, MSc, Professor of Medicine at the Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec, a diverse group of scientists, physicians, health economists, and laboratory physicians used a complex computer simulation to compare the cost-effectiveness of 13 protocols for prenatal testing for fetal aneuploidies such as Down syndrome: Six that are commonly used in countries around the world; six that add NIPS, a blood test of cell-free DNA in the mother's blood, to those common procedures; and one that uses NIPS only. Current protocols generally start with a blood test, followed by amniocentesis if the blood test indicates high risk of aneuploidy. NIPS is less invasive than amniocentesis and thus less risky for pregnant women and fetuses, but unlike amniocentesis, it is not a definitive diagnostic test, Dr. Rousseau explained. "In addition to being safer, we wanted to find out whether the introduction of NIPS as a first- or second-tier test would be more cost-effective than current options in the context of the health system in Quebec," he said. To answer this question, Dr. Rousseau and colleagues developed a computer simulation for each of the 13 protocols they studied. Based on real data from the Ministry of Health on 113,000 pregnancies in Quebec in 2014, they created decision trees of the steps that would have been taken in those pregnancies if each protocol was followed, accounting for real-world factors such as families that opt out of the screening program and loss to follow-up. They then assigned a cost to each procedure followed and computed the total cost to the healthcare system for each protocol. This was divided by the number of Down syndrome cases detected to calculate the cost per case detected. For the protocols with NIPS, the researchers also calculated the incremental cost per case detected - the extra cost per case detected that would not have been detected without NIPS. Each simulation was run 1000 times to evaluate the consistency of the results. This was followed by sensitivity analyses, in which the researchers tried changing variables such as participation rates and costs of NIPS to measure whether the relative cost-effectiveness of protocols changed as a result. "Using these measures, we found that a Serum Integrated option, followed by NIPS for women at high risk, was the most cost-effective," Dr. Rousseau said. This approach entails a blood test at 10 weeks into gestation, followed by a second blood test at 12-14 weeks. For blood test results indicating high risk (about 1 in 300), NIPS is performed within a week, and when NIPS confirms there is a risk, amniocentesis is performed and a diagnosis is made as appropriate. This approach would reduce the number of amniocentesis procedures performed by about 90 percent. A Serum Integrated option without the intermediate step of NIPS, the approach currently used in Quebec, was second-most cost-effective. In contrast, the universal NIPS option was least cost-effective. The sensitivity analyses showed that these results held even if the cost of NIPS was halved. In addition to accounting for a range of possibilities in Quebec, the sensitivity analysis data may help other health jurisdictions extrapolate the findings to their own areas, Dr. Rousseau noted. Costs of procedures and participation rates can vary geographically, and prenatal screening decisionmakers can use the scenarios closest to their own context to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of various protocols with and without NIPS. "Ours was the first study to compare the cost-effectiveness of NIPS approaches in the Quebec context, and the simulations were a great way to evaluate so many options head to head," Dr. Rousseau said. They accounted for many real-world challenges in the program, which were validated by two independent groups of experts. "The next steps would be to perform a budget impact analysis and to do a pilot test or clinical trial of the one or two most promising options to see how these results play out in the health care system," he said. ### This work is part of PEGASUS, a larger project examining the effectiveness of different NIPS approaches as compared to existing practice; the health economics of NIPS; the ethical, legal, and social issues related to this technology; as well as implementation challenges. PEGASUS is funded by Genome Canada, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Genome Quebec, Genome BC, Genome Alberta, and other partners. Presentation: Dr. Rousseau will present his research on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, from 10:15-10:30 a.m., in Room 109 of the Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building. Press Availability: Dr. Rousseau will be available to discuss this research with interested media on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, from 2:00-2:45 p.m. in the ASHG 2016 Press Office (Room 111). References: Rousseau F et al. (2016 Oct 19). Abstract: Noninvasive prenatal screening for common aneuploidies in a Canadian province: A cost effectiveness analysis. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2016 Annual Meeting. Vancouver, B.C., Canada. BETHESDA, MD - Infection with Zika virus disrupts fetal brain development by interfering with the proliferation of human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs), a type of cell that drives neurodevelopment and proliferates into brain and nervous system cells, according to research presented at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2016 Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C. Understanding Zika's mechanisms will illuminate how viral infection leads to birth defects such as microcephaly, a condition marked by an abnormally small head and brain size, and could inform the development of therapies and vaccines, the study authors said. "We set out to study why Zika causes microcephaly and related viruses like dengue virus don't," said Feiran Zhang, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at Emory University and presenting author on the research. Dr. Zhang and his colleagues at Emory, Johns Hopkins, and Florida State University focused on the effects of the virus in hNPCs, which are highly susceptible to Zika infection. The hNPCs used in this study were derived from healthy skin cells, Dr. Zhang said. Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947. Since then, two distinct lineages of the virus have been identified, one African in origin and the other Asian. To compare the effects of each virus on gene expression in these cells, the researchers examined all the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) produced by four groups of hNPCs: cells infected with an Asian strain of Zika virus, cells infected with an African strain of Zika virus, cells infected with a reference strain of dengue virus, and a control group. They found that compared to dengue infection, Zika infection more strongly affects expression of genes involved in DNA replication and repair, processes that are important in brain development. Interestingly, they found that infection with the Asian strain of Zika virus triggered a stronger innate immune system response than the African strain, including increased expression of the gene TP53. In addition, treatment with p53 inhibitors more strongly inhibited the Asian strain's pathogenicity - its ability to cause harm - than that of the African strain. "These results suggest that compared to the African strain, the Asian strain's mechanism for causing disease is more dependent on p53," Dr. Zhang explained. He noted that the strain of Zika currently circulating in the Western hemisphere is more similar to the Asian strain than the African one. In addition to studying mRNA, the researchers also analyzed small RNAs in each group of hNPCs. Both mRNA and small RNAs play important roles in regulating gene expression, Dr. Zhang explained. The researchers observed changes in human small RNAs produced in hNPCs upon Zika infection, as well as in small RNAs directly generated from Zika virus. Working in laboratory mice, they injected the most abundant of these small RNAs into the mouse brain to assess the impact of each on brain development, including whether they caused microcephaly. They have identified specific small RNAs from Zika virus that could impact brain development and lead to microcephaly, at least in mice. "Our results suggest that Zika virus might function as a 'Trojan horse' by 'hijacking' the human cell's machinery," Dr. Zhang said. "Once it infects a human cell, the virus could interact with human enzymes to produce these small RNAs, which could in turn alter brain development and lead to microcephaly." The researchers are now studying which human mRNAs could be regulated by these small RNAs. They hope their findings will inform the development of preventive and therapeutic approaches. "It's likely that the mechanisms we found are just some of the many ways in which Zika virus acts," Dr. Zhang said. "We want to identify some important pathways in Zika pathogenesis, which we hope will inspire the experts in treatment and vaccine research," he added. ### Presentation: Dr. Zhang will present his research on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, from 10:15-10:30 a.m., in Room 302 of the Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building. Press Availability: Dr. Zhang and Principal Investigator Peng Jin, PhD, will be available to discuss this research with interested media on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, from 1:00-1:45 p.m. in the ASHG 2016 Press Office (Room 111). Reference: Zhang F et al. (2016 Oct 19). Abstract: Molecular signatures associated with Zika virus exposure in human cortical neural progenitors. Presented at the American Society of Human Genetics 2016 Annual Meeting. Vancouver, B.C., Canada. In 360 BC, Plato wrote, "Whatever comes into existence, always comes as a whole." In 2016, scientists are using the same philosophy to develop a new automation model for robotic systems. "No phenomenon exists entirely alone. Each is a part of other phenomena," wrote Hua Chen, an associate professor at Hohai University, Chanzhou Campus, with YangQuan Chen, a professor at the School of Engineering, University of California, Merced. In a paper published in IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica (JAS), Chen and Chen proposed a new model for designing control systems used in automation. Traditionally, a control system typically consists of a machine directing or responding to another machine's behavior. Each piece is precisely defined as a cause and effect. The proposed model disregards such definitions. The authors write of the Ouroboros, an ancient symbol of a snake eating its own tail, as a representative example of their method. It's near impossible to decipher how the snake came to bite itself, nor to clearly define where the head ends and the tail begins. The circle supports itself as a whole system. "Different from the traditional control standpoint, the principle of self-support idea treats the control inputs as an essential part of the control system dynamics itself," Hua Chen said. "In other words, in a closed-loop setting, control input signals and [the] system's behaviors are interlaced, serving mutually a cause and effect pair -- thus, a 'one-snake' picture." By thinking of the whole instead of separate parts, it's possible to create a better system capable of goals with variable parameters, such as an autonomous vehicle tracking an unknown target. "Our suggested [generalized fractional-order principle of self-support] control strategy is an important method when considering the system with long term memory, [as] our methods can be less model dependent or even model-free, yet with desirable robustness characteristics," said Hua Chen. The mathematics supporting the proposed method rely on the inclusive attributes of fractional order calculus, in which single equation may be used to describe several potential outcomes over a significant length of time. The results of such mathematics then inform the next step, so any miscalculations can be corrected on the fly within the system. "Just as [with the snake circle]," Hua Chen said, "if we consider the control input as [part of] its inner dynamics -- [meaning] the controller is not the reason of moving -- it also can be looked [at] as the results of the tracking error feedback." ### Fulltext of the paper is available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7589490 http://www.ieee-jas.org/EN/article/downloadArticleFile.do?attachType=PDF&id=174 IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica (JAS) is a joint publication of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc (IEEE) and the Chinese Association of Automation. JAS publishes papers on original theoretical and experimental research and development in all areas of automation. The coverage of JAS includes but is not limited to: Automatic control/Artificial intelligence and intelligent control/Systems theory and engineering/Pattern recognition and intelligent systems/Automation engineering and applications/Information processing and information systems/Network based automation/Robotics/Computer-aided technologies for automation systems/Sensing and measurement/Navigation, guidance, and control. To learn more about JAS, please visit: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=6570654 http://www.ieee-jas.org A fallen tree, a lightning strike -- whatever the reason, it doesn't take much to disrupt the electrical grid. An outage could last just a few minutes, but restoring electricity to millions of people typically takes hours, days, or even weeks. The outdated system, developed a century ago, is long due for an overhaul. Enter the energy internet. It's based on the idea that electricity could be distributed similarly to the actual internet. The energy internet hasn't yet reached reality, but scientists at Northeastern University in Shenyang, China, have proposed a way to help actualize the theory. "[The energy internet] brings new challenges to the study of some basic problems in power systems, one of which is... energy management," wrote Huaguang Zhang, the director of the Electrical Automation Institute at Northeastern University. Zhang and his team published their proposal in IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica (JAS). "Unlike conventional power systems, the upcoming energy internet emphasizes comprehensive utilization of energy in the whole power system by coordinating multi-microgrids." A main power grid could partner with decentralized generators, ranging from fuel to wind turbines and solar power, to delegate energy to multiple microgrids within each designated network. "Each microgrid can either inject spare power (if working in low loads) into or absorb lacking power (if working in high loads) from other microgrids or the main grid," wrote Zhang. In their paper, Zhang and his team determined how to best optimize this power exchange between the main grid and the multiple microgrids using computer science algorithms. The algorithms are consensus based, meaning the decentralized generators within the system agree that one of them will represent their ideal state. This leader communicates with the main grid and collects the power costs of each generator to set the price of electricity within the network. The next algorithm allows for each generator to precisely calculate their local needs compared to the global supply and demand by collecting information from their networked microgrids. Based on this information, they can request more energy, or sell surplus energy to the main grid to be sent to a different generator. The researchers simulated their proposed management method between seven separate systems under different time constraints and energy loads. Every time, the algorithms proved effective. "The proposed approach is implemented in a distributed fashion, which only requires local communication among neighbors," wrote Zhang. "Thus, it is more cost-effective, reliable, and robust compared to the centralized approaches." ### Fulltext of the paper is available: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7589482&tag=1 http://www.ieee-jas.org/EN/article/downloadArticleFile.do?attachType=PDF&id=166 IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica (JAS) is a joint publication of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc (IEEE) and the Chinese Association of Automation. JAS publishes papers on original theoretical and experimental research and development in all areas of automation. The coverage of JAS includes but is not limited to: Automatic control/Artificial intelligence and intelligent control/Systems theory and engineering/Pattern recognition and intelligent systems/Automation engineering and applications/Information processing and information systems/Network based automation/Robotics/Computer-aided technologies for automation systems/Sensing and measurement/Navigation, guidance, and control. To learn more about JAS, please visit: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=6570654 http://www.ieee-jas.org The work has now demonstrated it is feasible to replace the solvent with an ionic liquid of low vapor pressure, which does not perturb the sample characteristics. This allows the molecules to be excited with a laser pulse and to record the behaviour of the excited energy states. It provides insight into the physical and chemical processes of novel liquid energy materials that might be employed in organic solar cells or catalysts, for instance. Numerous processes take place in solution not only in nature, but in engineering applications as well. One example is organic solar cells made of dissolved dye molecules; another is a new class of catalyst materials consisting of nanoparticles in solution. Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is well suited to reveal the processes triggered by light in these systems of materials. A precisely tuned excitation pulse from a laser, called the pump pulse, promotes electrons in the sample to an excited state, whereas application of a precisely timed and short probe pulse allows to measure the binding energy of the excited electrons. This permits reconstruction of how the excited electrons fall back to their ground state, and conclusions to be drawn about the physical, chemical, and biological processes that can take place in these materials. However, pump-probe laser experiments detecting photoelectrons are only feasible under ultra-high vacuum. The method is well-established for solid-state matter, but not for liquid samples. Liquids immediately evaporate in vacuum. Up to now, they could only be studied with costly techniques and with the use of equipment like the liquid micro jet. Ionic liquids never evaporate Now a group headed by Prof. Emad Aziz has shown for the first time that there is a simple alternative for conducting time-resolved PES experiments on dissolved samples. They replace the solvent with what is called an ionic liquid. This is made up of organic molecules networked to one another through ionic forces (i.e. like a salt), which compose a liquid at room temperature. Ionic liquids do not evaporate even under ultra-high vacuum. Red dye tested The team was successful in dissolving a prototype red dye (1) for organic solar cells in an ionic liquid (2) and studying it with photoelectron spectroscopy. This involved exciting the dye with a laser pulse. During the first picosecond (10-12s) afterwards, the probe pulses sampled the binding energy of the excited electrons 150 times. The graph produced from the data shows the intermediate energy states at which the excited electrons emit their energy. Since light-induced processes for this dye have already been studied in depth, the physicists were able to compare their experimental data with existing results. Perfect results with this new method "The alternative solvent has no influence on the ultrafast processes. All processes that take place during the first picosecond correspond perfectly to results of measurements in conventional solvents as well as to simulations", explains Mario Borgwardt, who carried out the experiments as part of his doctoral dissertation. An important result: it is the fast processes that lead to losses in a solar cell, for example. Summing up, Emad Aziz has no doubt that "ionic liquids are a good alternative to conventional solvents for analysing molecules in solution using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Outlook: exploring light reactive catalysts Now the team intends to investigate nanoparticles in ionic liquids using PES, in particular nanodiamonds made of carbon. In DIACAT, a large cooperative project at HZB involving many partnering organisations, scientists are testing the suitability of nanodiamonds as light-sensitive catalysts for producing solar fuels. The new methodology has come at just the right time. ### Publication: "Ultrafast excited states dynamics of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ dissolved in ionic liquids", Mario Borgwardt, Martin Wilke, Igor Yu. Kiyan and Emad F. Aziz, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics der Royal Academy of Chemistry (2016) DOI: 10.1039/C6CP05655E Note: The experiments took place in the Joint Ultrafast Dynamics Laboratory in Solution and at Interfaces (JULiq) operated jointly by HZB and the Free University of Berlin. A new large laser laboratory will be built at the Wannsee Campus, likewise headed by Aziz. (1): Transition metal complex of ruthenium trisbipyridine [Ru(bpy)3]2+ (2): 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate [EMIM][TfO] Scientists have created a detailed map of the Milky Way using two of the world's largest fully steerable radio telescopes in Germany and Australia. The research looked at neutral atomic hydrogen--the most abundant element in space and the main component of stars and galaxies--across the whole sky in a survey known as HI4PI. The project required more than a million individual observations and about ten billion individual data points. University of Bonn astronomer Dr Juergen Kerp said although neutral hydrogen is fairly easy to detect with modern radio telescopes, mapping the whole sky is a significant achievement. "Radio 'noise' caused by mobile phones and broadcast stations pollute the faint emissions coming from stars and galaxies in the Universe," he said. "So sophisticated computer algorithms have to be developed to clean each individual data point of this unwanted human interference. "Next to the thousands of observing hours an even larger amount of time has been spent creating the final scientific data product released today." The HI4PI survey used CSIRO's Parkes Observatory and the Effelsberg 100m Radio Telescope operated by the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy. It improves the previous neutral hydrogen study, the Leiden-Argentine-Bonn (LAB) survey, by a factor of two in sensitivity and a factor of four in angular resolution. Professor Lister Staveley-Smith, from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, said the study reveals fine details of structures between stars in the Milky Way for the first time. "These structures had been smeared out by the coarse sampling of the sky in the LAB survey," he said. "Pilot studies of the HI4PI data show a wealth of filamentary structures never seen before. "Tiny clouds become visible that appear to have fuelled star formation in the Milky Way for billions of years. "These objects are too dim and too small to be detected even in the other galaxies closest to us." Dr Benjamin Winkel, from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, said having a clearer picture of the hydrogen in the Milky Way would also help astronomers to explore galaxies even at cosmological distances. "Like the clouds at the sky, all observations we receive from the distant Universe have to pass through hydrogen in our own Milky Way," he said. "The HI4PI data allows us to correct accurately for all these hydrogen clouds and clean the window we are watching through." The research has been published today in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. HI4PI data will be freely available to scientists around the world through the Strasbourg astronomical data centre. ### More Information: The name 'HI4PI' is drawn from the fact that this study measures radio wavelength radiation emitted from neutral atomic hydrogen atoms (HI) across the entire sky. Observing in all directions for an 'all-sky' survey in this way creates a sphere of data, and because the solid angle (a two-dimensional analogue of an angle) of a sphere is equal to 4 'steradians' (or square radians), we chose the name HI4PI for this work. The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) is a joint venture between Curtin University and The University of Western Australia with support and funding from the State Government of Western Australia. The Argelander Institut fuer Astronomy (AIfA) is an academic, research and educational institute and a part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Bonn, Germany. The institute conducts cutting-edge research over a broad range of theoretical and observational topics from stars to cosmology. The Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie main area of research is radio astronomy but the activities of the institute encompass the whole area of astronomical observations throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Publication Details: 'HI4PI: A full-sky Hi survey based on EBHIS and GASS', published in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Journal October 20th, 2016. Available from http://www.icrar.org/HI4PI Multimedia: Images and video available from http://www.icrar.org/HI4PI (password: 'atomic'--removed when embargo lifts). Contacts: Prof. Lister Staveley-Smith (UWA, ICRAR, CAASTRO) Ph: +61 425 212 592 E: Lister.Staveley-Smith@icrar.org Dr Juergen Kerp (Argelander Institute for Astronomy, University of Bonn, Germany) Ph: +49 228 73 3667 E: jkerp@astro.uni-bonn.de Dr. Benjamin Winkel (Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy) Ph: +49 2257 301-167 E: bwinkel@mpifr.de Pete Wheeler (Media Contact, ICRAR) Ph: +61 423 982 018 E: pete.wheeler@icrar.org UCLA scientists have made a major advance in understanding the biology of schizophrenia. Using a recently developed technology for analyzing DNA, the scientists found dozens of genes and two major biological pathways that are likely involved in the development of the disorder but had not been uncovered in previous genetic studies of schizophrenia. The work provides important new information about how schizophrenia originates and points the way to more detailed studies -- and possibly better treatments in the future. Schizophrenia is a chronic, disabling mental illness whose symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions and cognitive problems. The illness afflicts about 1 percent of the human population -- more than 50 million people worldwide. Because the causes of schizophrenia are poorly understood, current medications can help diminish the symptoms but do not cure the disorder. The study, which is published online in the journal Nature, is likely to have an impact beyond schizophrenia research because it demonstrates a general and potentially powerful new strategy for illuminating the mechanisms of human disease. "This work provides a road map for understanding how common genetic variation associated with a complex disease affects specific genes and pathways," said principal investigator Dr. Daniel Geschwind, the Gordon and Virginia MacDonald Distinguished Chair in Human Genetics and professor of neurology and psychiatry at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Schizophrenia has long been known to be highly genetic; it often runs in families. A large genome-wide association study of people with schizophrenia, published in 2014, linked the disorder to small DNA variations at more than 100 distinct locations on the human genome. However, most of those locations lie outside of actual genes, so their roles in schizophrenia have been unclear. Genome-wide study analyses of other major diseases have come up with similarly puzzling results. In some cases, the non-gene locations identified in these studies have turned out to be what are known as "regulatory regions," which serve to enhance or repress the activity of genes lying near them on the genome. But many of these disease-linked locations have no obvious gene target nearby on the genome. One possibility is that these mysterious disease-linked locations are also regulatory regions that target genes lying relatively far away on the genome. They could do this if they are brought physically close to those "distant" genes by the complex twisting and looping that DNA undergoes when packaged into a chromosome, just as two opposite ends of a rope can end up close together when the rope is coiled. To investigate that possibility, Geschwind and his team used a relatively new, high-resolution version of a technology called "chromosome conformation capture," which chemically marks and then maps the locations where loops of chromosomal DNA come into contact. Because each cell type in the body can have subtly different 3-D chromosome structures, the researchers applied the technique to immature human brain cells from the cortex -- the large region across the top of the brain that handles higher cognitive tasks. Schizophrenia is believed to be a disorder of abnormal cortical development. The mapping revealed that most of the more than 100 schizophrenia-linked sites from the 2014 study contact known genes during brain development. Many of these are genes that already have been linked to schizophrenia in previous studies. Others had been suspected of involvement, for example because their level of activity in schizophrenics is known to be abnormal in the cortex. The genes newly linked to schizophrenia in the study include several for brain cell receptors that are activated by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, implying that variations in the functions of these receptors can help bring about schizophrenia. "There's a lot of clinical and pharmacologic data suggesting that changes in acetylcholine signaling in the brain can worsen schizophrenia symptoms, but until now there's been no genetic evidence that it can help cause the disorder," Geschwind said. The analysis also pointed for the first time to several genes that are involved in the early-life burst of brain cell production that gives rise to the cerebral cortex of humans. In all, the researchers identified several hundred genes that may be abnormally regulated in schizophrenia but had not been linked to the disorder before. In further experiments and analyses of two dozen of those genes, they found additional evidence of abnormal regulation in schizophrenia. As further studies clarify the roles of these genes in schizophrenia, scientists will get a more complete picture of how the disorder develops and persists, and should then be able to develop more effective treatments. "In the near term we're using the findings from this study to help us understand schizophrenia better, but we're also planning to apply this same strategy to identify key genes in the development of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders," Geschwind said. In principle, the 3-D chromosome mapping technology can be used to make sense of gene association data for any disease involving genetic risk. This same approach also can be used to discover relationships between genes and their regulatory regions in ordinary biological processes. ### The first author of the study was postdoctoral fellow Hyejung Won. Other co-authors were Luis de la Torre-Ubieta, Jason Stein, Neelroop Parikshak, Jerry Huang, Carli Opland, Michael Gandal, Farhad Hormozdiari, Daning Lu, Changhoon Lee, Eleazar Eskin and Jason Ernst, all of UCLA at the time of the study; and Irina Voineagu and Gavin Sutton, of the University of New South Wales. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, Glenn/AFAR Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and the National Research Foundation of Korea. ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Michael J. Yaszemski, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon and researcher, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Selection is one of the highest honors in medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Dr. Yaszemski is one of two Mayo Clinic physicians to be elected this year. Andrea Cheville, M.D., physical medicine and rehabilitation researcher and director of the Cancer Rehabilitation Program at Mayo Clinic also was selected. "To have colleagues from distinct practice areas recognized in the same year is an incredible honor for them individually and for Mayo Clinic as a whole," says John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO, Mayo Clinic. "Such recognition underscores the commitment of our physician-scientists in advancing research to address unmet patient needs, educating the next generation of physicians and scientists, and providing unparalleled care for patients and their families." Dr. Yaszemski has a spine surgery practice at Mayo Clinic and routinely cares for patients who have skeletal defects that require reconstruction. His clinical practice includes spinal surgery and oncologic surgery of the spine, sacrum and pelvis. "Dr. Yaszemski is known as a strong clinical collaborator and he has built a differentiated surgical practice at Mayo Clinic. His team approach to complex spine surgery often includes colleagues in neurosurgery and is exemplary in the singular focus on the needs of the patient," says Mark W. Pagnano, M.D., chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Mayo Clinic. "Dr. Yaszemski's surgical contributions and research advances continue to make a difference, not just for patients at Mayo Clinic but for patients nationwide and patients worldwide. His surgical skills are well-recognized amongst the nation's spine surgeons." Dr. Yaszemski is the director of the Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Laboratory. His research is in the development of biodegradable scaffold polymers to support bone regeneration and spinal cord regeneration using tissue engineering strategies. He is a deputy director within Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine. His research focus areas include: Biodegradable polymers Bone tissue engineering Spinal cord regeneration Nerve tissue engineering Sarcoma cell and molecular biology Dr. Yaszemski's long-term research goal is to change the way that many common debilitating, life-threatening musculoskeletal conditions are treated. The use of biodegradable polymers in bone tissue engineering will be significant to patients with spine instability or spinal cord injuries. "Dr. Yaszemski's achievements reflect his commitment to provide healing for patients with extremely complex conditions," Dr. Noseworthy says. "His service and dedication to patients, and moreover our country is extraordinary." He is a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general and served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed orthopedic surgery residency at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He performed fellowship training in spine surgery and orthopedic oncology at Harvard Medical School while on active duty as an Air Force Institute of Technology student. He completed a doctorate degree in chemical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from Lehigh University. He is a member of the Lehigh University Board of Trustees. Dr. Yaszemski has received numerous awards during his career. In 2013, he received the William W. Tipton, Jr. M.D. Leadership Award, the highest award given annually by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He was named the John and Posy Krehbiel Endowed Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, honoring Bernard F. Morrey, M.D., emeritus chair of the Department of Orthopedics at Mayo Clinic. He organized and served as the first chair of the musculoskeletal tissue engineering study section at the National Institutes of Health and served as a member of the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. He begins a four-year term of service on the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in January 2017. He is deputy editor of the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research-Part A. He chaired the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Devices Advisory panel and is a member of the FDA Science Board. Dr. Yaszemski is a member of Mayo Clinic's M.D./Ph.D. Committee. He has mentored more than 200 Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. students, spine surgery and musculoskeletal oncology clinical fellows, medical students, undergraduate students, international visiting predoctoral students, visiting scientists and postdoctoral research fellows. He is a member of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery's Education Committee. Other physician-researchers who have been elected to the academy while at Mayo Clinic include: Clifford Jack, M.D. (2013), Richard Ehman, M.D. (2010), Denis Cortese, M.D. (2005), Andrew Engel, M.D. (2003), and the late Thoralf M. Sundt, M.D. (1991). The National Academy of Medicine has about 1,800 active members. ### About Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org CORVALLIS, Ore. - Populations of coral reef fish in shallower, more vulnerable habitats likely owe at least some of their sustainability to the prodigious reproductive abilities of large, old counterparts that dwell at greater depths, a recent study suggests. Researchers found that fish in the mesophotic zone - 30 to 150 meters underwater, the depth limit for reefs that depend on photosynthesis - are present in lower densities than at other depths, but consisted of larger, older fish with better than average reproductive capabilities. That mesophotic population, research suggests, is heavy on what are known as BOFFFFs: big, old, fat, fecund, female fish. Results of the study were recently published at nature.com. Primary funding for the research came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research. Su Sponaugle, a professor of integrative biology at Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center, teamed up with two other researchers, lead author Esther D. Goldstein and Evan K. D'Alessandro, both of the University of Miami, to study the demographics of bicolor damselfish populations across three reef depths off the Florida coast. The team studied bicolor damselfish at shallow (less than 10 meters); deep shelf (20 to 30 meters); and mesophotic reef locations, looking at population density and individuals' structure, growth, size and reproductive output. The damselfish is a small, short-lived plankton feeder that's closely associated with reef habitat. At mesophotic depths, however, the fish can live more than a dozen years. The researchers sought to assess the potential of mesophotic reefs to support robust fish populations. Because of their greater depth, those reefs are less susceptible to both human-caused and natural habitat disturbances such as temperature increases. The scientists found that as water depth increased, the bicolor damsel fish population density decreased and age distributions shifted toward older, and larger, individuals. Among those individuals are the BOFFFFs that produce lots of large eggs that likely hatch high-condition larvae. The larval stage for the bicolor damselfish lasts 30 days, during which time the larvae are carried by water currents to eventually settle to a reef. At whatever depth they settle to, within 24 hours, larvae will metamorphosize into juveniles and then remain in close proximity to the reef for the duration of their lives. "They're very site attached," Sponaugle said. "Once they settle somewhere, that's where they live, grow and reproduce - that is, until they're eaten." Across all depths, the fish are genetically similar, meaning it's probable that shallow water and mesophotic reefs exchange young. "Mesophotic reefs are sort of a warehouse for future fish in the shallower reefs," Goldstein said. "The fish are older and larger on average, and they invest a lot into reproduction, which is good. "So even though there are not as many of them on these deep reefs, their offspring hatch from larger eggs and likely experience higher survivorship, so it would seem they have the capacity to contribute more than their fair share to the shallow-water environments." ### Humans living in South Africa in the Middle Stone Age may have used advanced heating techniques to produce silcrete blades, according to a study published October 19, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Anne Delagnes from the CNRS (PACEA - University of Bordeaux, France) and colleagues. Middle Stone Age humans in South Africa developed intentional heat treatment of silcrete rock over 70,000 years ago to facilitate the flaking process by modifying the rock properties - the first evidence of a transformative technology. However, the exact role of this important development in the Middle Stone Age technological repertoire was not previously clear. Delagnes and colleagues addressed this issue by using a novel non-destructive approach to analyze the heating technique used in the production of silcrete artifacts at Klipdrift Shelter, a recently discovered Middle Stone Age site located on the southern Cape of South Africa, including unheated and heat-treated comparable silcrete samples from 31 locations around the site. The authors noted intentional and extensive heat treatment of over 90% of the silcrete, highlighting the important role this played in silcrete blade production. The heating step appeared to occur early during the blade production process, at an early reduction stage where stone was flaked away to shape the silcrete core. The hardening, toughening effect of the heating step would therefore have impacted all subsequent stages of silcrete tool production and use. The authors suggest that silcrete heat treatment at the Klipdrift Shelter may provide the first direct evidence of the intentional and extensive use of fire applied to a whole lithic chain of production. Along with other fire-based activities, intentional heat treatment was a major asset for Middle Stone Age humans in southern Africa, and has no known contemporaneous equivalent elsewhere. ### In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163874 Citation: Delagnes A, Schmidt P, Douze K, Wurz S, Bellot-Gurlet L, Conard NJ, et al. (2016) Early Evidence for the Extensive Heat Treatment of Silcrete in the Howiesons Poort at Klipdrift Shelter (Layer PBD, 65 ka), South Africa. PLoS ONE 11(10): e0163874. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163874 Funding: We acknowledge support by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Open Access Publishing Fund of University of Tubingen. The research of PS was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) through the research project Heat Treatment in the South African MSA (Grant Nr: CO 226/25-1, MI 1748/2-1, NI 299/25-1). Financial support was provided to CSH for the excavation of the KDS site and subsequent analysis by a National Research Foundation/Department of Science and Technology funded Chair at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa and by the University of Bergen, Norway. AD and KD have benefited from the financial and logistical support of the Evolutionary Studies Institute (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg) during their stay in Cape Town. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Grauer's gorilla, which is confined to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is now Critically Endangered, according to a study published October 19, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Andrew Plumptre from Wildlife Conservation Society, USA, and colleagues. This is the first analysis of the Grauer's gorilla population since civil war broke out in the region in 1996. Since the war, armed miners have hunted bushmeat including gorillas, but the presence of militia has complicated assessments of the gorilla population. Plumptre and colleagues assessed local community and ranger-collected data that included encounter rates at gorilla nests at 10 sites as well as spatial occupancy across the species' range. Before the war, the population was estimated at 16,900 individuals. The researchers now estimate that there are only 3,800 Grauer's gorillas left in the wild, a 77% decline in a single generation. While this species was previously classified as Endangered, the gorillas are now listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species based on this new population estimate. The new analysis also suggests that the gorilla's range is about 19,700 km2, and identified three key areas that are the most critical for the remaining population of this great ape. The researchers believe that Grauer's gorilla could be lost from many parts of its range within five years, and call for greater conservation efforts. Approaches include halting mining in protected areas as well as motivating the military to protect wildlife in this biodiversity rich region. "While we knew that Grauer's gorilla was in trouble nobody had realised how much they had declined", stated Andrew Plumptre of the Wildlife Conservation Society who led the study. "The results in this paper provide the evidence to list this ape, which is the world's largest primate, as Critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of threatened species". ### In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162697 Citation: Plumptre AJ, Nixon S, Kujirakwinja DK, Vieilledent G, Critchlow R, Williamson EA, et al. (2016) Catastrophic Decline of World's Largest Primate: 80% Loss of Grauer's Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) Population Justifies Critically Endangered Status. PLoS ONE 11(10): e0162697. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0162697 Funding: Support for this analysis was primarily provided by the generous support of the Arcus Foundation through the Jane Goodall Institute (Arcus 1202-03). The surveys referred to in the report were funded by other donors, notably Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Frankfurt Zoological Society, KfW, Rainforest Trust, UNESCO, USAID/CARPE, US Fish and Wildlife Service and World Bank. We are also grateful to Wildlife Conservation Society for supporting Andrew Plumptre and Deo Kujirakwinja to compile and analyse the data; CIRAD, who supported Ghislain Vieilledent to help with the R-analyses, Chester Zoo, who supported Stuart Nixon's time during the writing of this report, and the University of York, who supported Rob Critchlow. Competing Interests: The analysis presented in this paper was funded by the ARCUS Foundation using data collected by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Fauna and Flora International and Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature and funded by a variety of donors listed in the financial disclosure section. Two of these funders, KfW and World Bank are a commercial source of funds but this does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials." (as detailed online in our guide for authors http://www.PLOSone.org/static/editorial.action#competing) as the IP and data sharing rights are owned by WCS. Australia may not immediately spring to mind as your archetypal Noah's ark, but the list of native creatures that make their homes on the vast continent reads like an encyclopaedia of species from Gondwanaland, ranging from monotremes to marsupials. Of the five surviving monotremes, platypuses and short-beaked echidnas are the only two that make their homes in Australia and although little is known about the life styles of either one, Christine Cooper, from Curtin University, Australia, and Phil Withers, from the nearby University of Western Australia, are beginning to uncover details about the echidna's physiology. So when Cooper and Withers invited Christofer Clemente, from the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, to hop on the back of their echidna fieldwork to learn more about the animals' day-to-day antics, Clemente jumped at the offer. The team publish their discovery that individual echidnas are responsible for aerating 200m3 of soil each year, making them a keystone species in the ecological health of the continent, in Journal of Experimental Biology at http://jeb.biologists.org. 'I had these little accelerometers that I had got from the University of Queensland', says Clemente, who admits that when Cooper and Withers suggested teaming up he was having a frustrating time attaching them to the backs of lizards that promptly vanished into the bush. Would the echidnas prove more cooperative? Within a few weeks, he found himself driving with Cooper and Withers to the Dryandra Woodland to track the spikey monotremes, and this time his patience was rewarded. Despite searing daytime temperatures of 45C and the echidnas hunkering down for lengthy periods in caves, the team was able to retrieve the trackers successfully. 'And when I went back and looked at the data, it was fantastic', laughs Clemente. The only drawback was the tracker's short (24 h) battery life, so Clemente collaborated with University of Queensland engineers Surya Singh and Philip Terrill to redesign them. 'The [new] sensors were very small, about the size of a postage stamp', says Clemente, recalling how Craig Freakley individually hand-soldered each component onto the new chips using a microscope and minute soldering iron. Returning with the redesigned trackers to Dryandra 18 months later in the spring with Cooper, Withers and Freakley, Clemente filmed the echidnas so that they could correlate the accelerometer traces with specific echidna behaviours to get a handle on the private lives of the elusive animals. Recalling that the temperature difference between the summer and spring was about 25C, Clemente says, 'I was interested in how echidna activity changes with these differences and we found that there is a huge effect'. During spring, the animals waddled around at a stately 0.3m/s for much of the day. However, when the temperatures rocketed, the animals dramatically reduced their activity to a couple of hours in the morning and, instead of walking, they sprinted everywhere at their top speed of around 0.6m/s; 'They certainly try to avoid really hot temperatures', says Clemente. During the first field trip, he had also noticed a large number of digging scars in the ground where the animals had been prospecting for their favourite snacks - juicy termites. Wondering how much of an impact the animals' excavations might have on the environment, Clemente was impressed to see that they invested as much as 10% of each day in digging. And when he calculated how much soil an individual could shift in a year, it was an impressive 200m3; 'so if you have 12 echidnas, they are moving the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool of dirt a year, which is quite a lot', laughs Clemente. And he suspects that the echidna's monumental earthworks could have profound implications for Australia's environmental health. Explaining that the echidna is one of the few native burrowing species surviving in Australia and that burrowing animals are essential for aerating soil and mixing in organic material, Clemente says, 'They are probably one of the last really big bioturbators [soil mixers] left in Australia, which means that they are really important for the environment'. ### IF REPORTING THIS STORY, PLEASE MENTION JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY AS THE SOURCE AND, IF REPORTING ONLINE, PLEASE CARRY A LINK TO: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/219/20/3271.abstract REFERENCE: Clemente, C. J., Cooper, C. E., Withers, P. C., Freakley, C., Singh S. and Terrill, P. (2016). The private life of echidnas: using accelerometry and GPS to examine field biomechanics and assess the ecological impact of a widespread, semi-fossorial monotreme. J. Exp. Biol. 219, 3271-3283. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.143867 This article is posted on this site to give advance access to other authorised media who may wish to report on this story. Full attribution is required, and if reporting online a link to jeb.biologists.com is also required. The story posted here is COPYRIGHTED. Therefore advance permission is required before any and every reproduction of each article in full. PLEASE CONTACT permissions@biologists.com THIS ARTICLE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, 19 October 2016, 18:00 HRS EDT (23:00 HRS BST) The nuclei of atoms of heavy elements do not necessarily take a spherical shape: they may be variously extended or flattened along one, two or even three axes. An international team of physicists, led by scientists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow (IFJ PAN) and the Heavy Ion Laboratory at the University of Warsaw (HIL), has recently presented the results of experiments showing that complex superdeformed nuclei occur in much lighter elements as well. The majority of heavy atomic nuclei do not look at all like a perfect sphere, but are subtly flattened or extended. The prestigious journal Physical Review Letters has published results of experiments evidencing that highly explicit and complicated deformations, thus far observed solely in heavy nuclei, do appear in lighter elements such as calcium. The research was conducted by scientists of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Krakow and the Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw (HIL) along with broad international cooperation. "Regarding that, we've known for several years that the nuclei can be slightly deformed even in light elements. Our experiments, however, have shown that in the case of calcium 42Ca they come to a particularly clear and complex deformation, called a triaxial superdeformation. Similar effects have been observed, but only in heavy elements, built from approximately 130-170 protons and neutrons," explains Prof. Adam Maj (IFJ PAN), who along with Prof. Faical Azaiez from the French Institut de Physique Nucleaire d'Orsay was one of the originators of the search. Atomic nuclei contain from one proton to more than 200 protons and neutrons. Glued together by strong forces, which overcome powerful electrostatic repulsion between positively charged protons, the nuclei are structures shaped by very complex quantum phenomena. The dynamics of the processes occurring here is so fast that observing the atomic nucleus over a sufficiently long period of time (in the microworld, still only fractions of a second), we see the nucleus only as a statistically averaged shape. In some cases, it is simply that of a sphere. Since the 1950s, however, researchers have observed nuclei which are elongated, sometimes significantly, such as an ellipsoid with one axis twice the length of the 2 others - such a case is known as nuclear superdeformation (relatively common nuclei are also found stretched at an axis ratio of 3:2). At this distortion it is possible to become more refined, as large deviations from the spherical shape occur not only along one, but even along three axes. The distorted nuclei, known as super-deformed triaxial, have so far been observed only in heavy elements. Atomic nuclei have a size of several femtometers, or one quadrillionth of a meter. Direct observation of such small objects is, of course, impossible. Information about their structure relies more on indirect methods, by analyzing the gamma radiation emitted by the nucleus passing from states of higher energies to states of lower energies. Depending on the structure of the nuclei and the method of their excitation, the nature of the resulting excited state may differ: the nucleus can vibrate in various ways as a whole, but can also, for instance, be activated to spin. The Polish physicists are especially interested the latter, spinning, states. Currently, Coulomb excitation is the most reliable method to observe deformed nuclei, a process in which nuclei are excited as a result of collisions occurring exclusively through electromagnetic interactions. As a result, the theoretical description of the phenomenon can avoid accounting for the extremely complex strong interactions, and in practice the use of well-known tools of classical electrodynamics is sufficient. Experiments on superdeformed light nuclei were based on very careful observation and detailed analysis of the gamma radiation emitted by the nucleus of calcium 42Ca, caused to spin as a result of a collision with a target constructed of lead 208Pb or gold 197Au (each 42Ca nucleus was striking the target nucleus with the kinetic energy of 170 MeV, or million electron volts). The measurements were carried out at the Italian INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL), and they were used in the AGATA gamma radiation detector. This detector, the most advanced of the gamma-ray Germanium detectors currently in use, is the product of international cooperation and is characterized by an extremely high power of resolution. The experiment concerning superdeformation of the nuclei of calcium was the first one using this sophisticated device. "While processing the data provided by AGATA, we used many methods and tools, such as the well-known GOSIA program for analysis of Columb excitation, which has been under development for several years at the Heavy Ion Laboratory in Warsaw. It turns out that the excited 42Ca nuclei are superdeformed and at the same time triaxial, which is confirmed by calculations using advanced theories of the structure of the atomic nucleus," says Dr. Katarzyna Hadynska-Klek (HIL), who led the analysis of the data. Exciting 42Ca nuclei to the superdeformed triaxial state requires relatively low levels of energy (approx. 2 MeV), and because the superdeformed energy state is very near the basic spherical state, we can talk about a certain state of coexistence between the two states. "A full analysis of the data collected in Legnaro took us three years. Along the way we had to conduct another, complementary experiment at the Warsaw cyclotron. Its results exclude one of the alternative variants of interpretation of the AGATA detector," says Dr. Pawel Napiorkowski, the project leader at HIL. The discovery of triaxial superdeformation in 42Ca will help physicists to better understand the phenomena in atomic nuclei. Modern theoretical tools do not allow for accurate modeling of nuclei with an atomic number far exceeding 40, which has limited the development of research into superdeformation. Meanwhile, in the case of calcium many theoretical obstacles disappear. It is also likely that the measurements and analysis will be used in the future to search for other superdeformed states at low excitation energy, including a longer life-span than the typical quadrillionths of a second. Finding such states would allow scientists to turn our attention to the formation of what is known as inversion, a scenario in which the majority of nuclei are attained not in the ground state, but in the excited state. This would be a significant step towards building a nuclear laser capable of emitting coherent nuclear gamma radiation. ### Cooperation between the centres of Krakow and Warsaw is done within the consortium of the National Cyclotron Laboratory. Scientists from many countries have played an important role in the research, in particular Dr. Jose Javier Valiente Dobon (INFN LNL, Italy) and Dr. Magda Zielinska (HIL, Poland; CEA, France). In Poland, research was funded by grants from the National Center for Science and the European Union. The Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ PAN) is currently the largest research institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The broad range of studies and activities of IFJ PAN includes basic and applied research, ranging from particle physics and astrophysics, through hadron physics, high-, medium-, and low-energy nuclear physics, condensed matter physics (including materials engineering), to various applications of methods of nuclear physics in interdisciplinary research, covering medical physics, dosimetry, radiation and environmental biology, environmental protection, and other related disciplines. The average yearly yield of the IFJ PAN encompasses more than 450 scientific papers in the Journal Citation Reports published by the Thomson Reuters. The part of the Institute is the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) which is an infrastructure, unique in Central Europe, to serve as a clinical and research centre in the area of medical and nuclear physics. IFJ PAN is a member of the Marian Smoluchowski Krakow Research Consortium: "Matter-Energy-Future" which possesses the status of a Leading National Research Centre (KNOW) in physics for the years 2012-2017. The Institute is of A+ Category (leading level in Poland) in the field of sciences and engineering. CONTACTS: Prof. Adam Maj The Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences tel. 48-606-291860, 48-12-6628141 email: adam.maj@ifj.edu.pl Dr. Pawel Napiorkowski Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw tel. 48-604-226689 email: pjn@slcj.uw.edu.pl SCIENTIFIC PAPERS: "Superdeformed and Triaxial States in 42Ca"; K. Hadynska-Klek, P. J. Napiorkowski, M. Zielinska, J. Srebrny, A. Maj, F. Azaiez et al.; Physical Review Letters 117, 062501 (2016); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.062501 LINKS: http://www.ifj.edu.pl/ The website of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. http://press.ifj.edu.pl/en/ Press releases of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. IMAGES: IFJ161019b_fot01s.jpg HR: http://press.ifj.edu.pl/news/2016/10/19/IFJ161019b_fot01.jpg IFJ161019b_fot02s.jpg HR: http://press.ifj.edu.pl/news/2016/10/19/IFJ161019b_fot02.jpg Atomic nuclei do not in any case look like a perfect sphere (top). With a larger number of protons and neutrons the nuclei can be flattened or extended along one, two or three axes. The latter case (bottom right) is known as superdeformed triaxial. (Source: IFJ PAN) Infants who were born less than two years after a mother's bariatric surgery had higher risks for prematurity, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and small for gestational age status compared with longer intervals between bariatric surgery and childbirth, according to a study published online by JAMA Surgery. Because bariatric operations can result in nutritional deficiencies in the mother, there has been some concern that surgery may adversely influence fetal development and infant outcomes, such as neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions and congenital malformations, which are likely to be affected by maternal metabolic and nutritional derangements. Although some preliminary studies have investigated these outcomes, conclusions are conflicting and limited by small sample sizes. In addition, a "safe" interval between bariatric surgery and childbirth remains undefined. Brodie Parent, M.D., of the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, and colleagues examined the association of bariatric surgery with subsequent perinatal outcomes and the operation-to-birth (OTB) interval with perinatal risks. Data were collected from birth certificates and maternally linked hospital discharge data from Washington State. Participants were mothers who had bariatric surgery prior to childbirth (postoperative mothers [POMs]) and their infants (n = 1,859) and a population-based random sample of mothers without operations (nonoperative mothers [NOMs]) and their infants matched by delivery year (n = 8,437). A total of 10,296 individuals were included in the analyses. In the overall study group, the median age was 29 years. Compared with infants from NOMS, infants from POMs had a higher risk for prematurity (14 percent vs 8.6 percent), NICU admission (15 percent vs 11 percent), small for gestational age (SGA) status (13 percent vs 8.9 percent), and low Apgar score (a combined measure of neonatal activity and vital signs, determined by the obstetrician 5 minutes after birth) (18 percent vs 15 percent). Compared with infants from mothers with greater than a 4-year OTB interval, infants from mothers with less than a 2-year interval had higher risks for prematurity (12 percent vs 17 percent), NICU admission (12 percent vs 18 percent), and SGA status (9 percent vs 13 percent). "This study underscores the higher risk status of this population and may indicate that a recently postoperative mother with underlying nutritional, metabolic, and physiological changes is at an elevated risk for perinatal complications. These findings could help inform health care professionals and postoperative women of childbearing age about the optimal timing between bariatric surgery and conception," the authors write. "Undoubtedly, bariatric operations result in many health benefits for morbidly obese women of childbearing age and reduce obesity-related obstetrical complications. Findings from this study should not deter bariatric surgeons from offering such therapy to this population. Although we found evidence for some increased perinatal complications among POMs, our results indicate that these risks attenuate over time and approach the baseline population risk within 2 to 3 years. In other words, after 2 to 3 years, mothers appear to reap the benefits of a weight loss operation without increasing fetal risk." ### (JAMA Surgery. Published online October 19, 2016.doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2016.3621. This study is available pre-embargo at the For The Media website.) Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc. WASHINGTON -- As data demands continue to grow, scientists predict that it's only a matter of time before today's telecommunication networks reach capacity unless new technologies are developed for transporting data. A new technique could help avert this bandwidth crunch by allowing light-based optical networks to carry more than one hundred times more data than is possible with current technologies. Laser light comes in many different shapes, or spatial modes. However, today's optical networks use just one spatial mode to carry information, limiting the amount of data that can be transmitted at one time. Researchers led by Andrew Forbes, a professor at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, developed a technique known as spatial multiplexing that reshapes a laser beam into many spatial modes that can each carry information. In a paper presented at the OSA Laser Congress in Boston, the researchers demonstrate optical communication with more than 100 spatial modes by combining their new spatial multiplexing approach with wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), which uses different wavelengths of light to carry information. "We created 35 spatial modes encoded in three different wavelengths, producing 105 total modes," said Carmelo Rosales-Guzman, research fellow and first author of the paper. "Our new method might serve as the basis for future communication technologies." The researchers demonstrated that their technique can transmit data with 98 percent efficiency in a laboratory free-space optical network, which uses light to transmit information over the air. The scientists say the approach should also work in optical fibers, the basis for fiber-optic communications. Increasing bandwidth with more light modes The new technique makes use of light with an orbital angular momentum, which gives it a twisted, or helical, shape. Different spatial modes can be created by varying the number of twists, known as the azimuthal degrees of freedom. While other scientists have been exploring the use of azimuthal degrees of freedom for increasing bandwidth, recent research showed that even though, in theory, the set of modes with orbital angular momentum is infinite, in practice there aren't enough modes available to make significant improvements. Forbes' team solved this problem by using the azimuthal degrees of freedom plus another variable known as a radial degree of freedom. Each azimuthal degree of freedom can have, in theory, an infinite amount of radial degrees of freedom, but there are practical limitations that restrict this number. Because all the modes are orthogonal to each other, the signals don't get mixed up as they travel and can be separated upon arrival at their destination. The researchers say that this is the first time two spatial degrees of freedom have been used to optically encode information. Key to this new approach is an optical device known as a spatial light modulator. The researchers used one spatial light modulator to shape the laser light into the various modes and another to reverse the process on the receiving end. "One of the advantages of our approach is that we only need a single detector to demultiplex all the spatial modes to recover all the information," said Rosales-Guzman. "This is faster than other approaches for increasing bandwidth that need multiple detectors." Sending pictures pixel by pixel To test the new technique, the researchers used it to encode a grayscale and color image. Each image was sent across a communication link pixel by pixel and then each pixel was recovered to reconstruct the image. For the grayscale image, each gray level was linked to a separate spatial mode, allowing transmission of 105 gray levels. "In this demonstration, sending a 10,000-pixel image took 5 to 7 minutes," said Rosales-Guzman. "However we could increase that speed by sending two or four pixels at the same time or by using many more wavelengths." Real-world free-space optical networks -- which can transfer information between buildings, for example -- come with many challenges that aren't present in the lab. As a next step, the researchers are partnering with experts in free-space communication to adapt their technique for practical applications. "We are working with a company in South Africa that already makes a device that has the ability to use different spatial modes for free space communication," said Rosales-Guzman. "We are interested in trying to increase the bandwidth of their device to four times what it is capable of now." ### About the Presentation Angela Dudley, an honorary academic at the University of Witwatersrand and a visiting scholar in Andrew Forbes' lab, will present "Free-space communication with over 100 spatial modes" during the Free Space Optical Communications I session of the Application of Lasers for Sensing & Free Space Communication Conference on Thursday, Nov. 3 from 9:15 to 9:30 a.m. in Room 1 of The Westin Boston Waterfront. MEDIA REGISTRATION: Media/analyst registration for OSA Laser Congress 2016 can be arranged by emailing mediarelations@osa.org. Please visit the event website at OSA Laser Congress for additional information, including travel arrangement details. About OSA Laser Congress The OSA Laser Congress will be held 30 October - 03 November at the Westin Boston Waterfront in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The Congress features the latest advances in solid state laser development and related technologies for free space laser communication, laser-based sensing, and numerous industrial applications. It provides attendees with a comprehensive view of the latest technological advances as well as applications of laser technologies for industrial products and markets. In 2016, the Congress offers three collocated meetings: Advanced Solid State Lasers Conference (ASSL), Application of Lasers for Sensing & Free Space Communication (LS&C) and Laser Applications Conference (LAC) along with the Executive Forum. About The Optical Society Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and entrepreneurs who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org/100. Tohoku University's Tetsuo Endoh, Tokyo Electron Limited's Gishi Chung and Keysight Technologies Inc.'s Masaki Yamamoto have been awarded Japan's Prime Minister's Award for Contribution to Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration. The award recognizes outstanding achievements or pioneering efforts in industry-academia-government collaboration, especially by leaders in businesses, academia and public research institutions. The collaboration brought expertise from scientists at Tohoku University and partnered them with major global companies Tokyo Electron and Keysight Technologies to research and develop innovative integrated electronics systems. Together, the group has developed high tech equipment for manufacturing and evaluating STT-MRAM (1). "We are delighted that our research with consortium members has been successful," says Professor Endoh, Director of the Center for Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems (CIES) at Tohoku University. "The CIES' global consortium is unique, with a system that makes it easier for academic, industry and government organizations to collaborate. These partnerships are essential for advancing the research and application of integrated spintronic devices worldwide." For his part in the joint effort, Endoh has helped establish an R&D hub for advanced integrated circuits -- CIES' global consortium -- at Tohoku University. As a financially independent and self-sustainable operation, the CIES consortium provides a successful example for R&D management in universities. The consortium allows two-part contracts with contributing companies: the first part consisting of basic rules for all members, while the second part takes into account individual requests, allowing flexibility within a united framework. Intellectual Property of core technologies is also managed at CIES so that they can provide free licenses for all participants. Currently the consortium has more than 30 members. Endoh has pioneered 3D NAND memory (2) research, and contributed to its mass production. The large capacity storage technology is widely used in USB drives, SD cards and SSDs. World class manufacturers of semiconductor production equipment, Tokyo Electron Limited, led by Senior Vice President Gishi Chung, was acknowledged for its part in developing equipment for manufacturing STT-MRAM. Similarly, Keysight Technologies spearheaded by the vice president and general manager of Keysight's Hachioji Semiconductor Test Division, Masaki Yamamoto, has developed equipment to evaluate STT-RAM. Both companies have launched sales of the equipment, a move which forecasts STT-RAM as the future of high performance non-volatile memory. This will make manufacturing the technology possible on a global scale. The Cabinet Office of the Japanese Government has played a central role in identifying and honoring successful cases of academic-industry-government collaboration since 2003. (1) STT-MRAM (Spin Transfer Torque - Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory): A memory device that uses magnetoresistance--a material's tendency to change its electrical resistance when a magnetic field is applied externally. The device is capable of high-speed random access, and consumes very little power as it retains the data even when the power is off. Because of these features, STT-MRAM is gaining traction as the next-generation technology for such applications as embedded memory, main memory and logic. (2) 3D NAND Memory: Semiconductor storage memory staked memory cells with vertical MOSFET. It's expected to be an important next-generation memory technology due to its high density - replacing existing planer-type NAND memory. Major semiconductor chip manufacturers in Japan and overseas have already begun sample shipments. ### About the Center for Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems at Tohoku University The Center for Innovative Integrated Electronic Systems (CIES) was established as the first research base of the Science Park at Tohoku University's Aobayama campus in October 2012. The Center was created to research innovative integrated electronic systems with energy-saving technologies, drawing on the research knowledge base at Tohoku University and its vast experience in academic-industrial collaborations. CIES was the first research center at a Japanese university to have a 300mm wafer process line and characterization tools that are compatible with industrial R&D labs. CIES operates out of cutting-edge facilities as a base for innovations between Tohoku University and multinational corporations. CIES has official government support, and is included in Sendai City's special zone for the promotion of private investments -- a business model for supporting local enterprises. BUFFALO, N.Y. - Numerous studies have found that heavy alcohol use -- by the victim and/or perpetrator -- is a factor in more than half of sexual assaults on college campuses. Now, research from the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions has found the abuse of prescription drugs by college students also can play a role in negative sexual events such as sexual assault and regretted sex. RIA Senior Research Scientist Kathleen Parks, PhD, studied the effects of nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) by college students, including opioid analgesics (such as Oxycodone), anxiolytics/sedatives (such as Xanax, Valium or Ambien) and stimulants (such as Adderall or Ritalin). NMUPD is defined as the use of a medication without a legal prescription. The research found that among the 1,755 students studied, more than 500 reported NMUPD, and of those, a significant number experienced negative sexual events. More than 14 percent of the students who abused prescription drugs experienced regretted sex, and among the female students, 7.1 percent reported being victims of sexual assault. Significantly, the only prescription drugs associated with regretted sex and sexual assault were anxiolytics/sedatives. "The responsibility for rape or any sexual assault always falls squarely with the perpetrator," Parks says. "This study shows NMUPD, particularly anxiolytics/sedatives, can have similar effects as alcohol, including slowed decision-making and physical coordination, which can decrease the ability to recognize danger or fend off a potential perpetrator." PHOTO: http://bit.ly/2eSaRMt. The study did not find that nonmedical use of opioid analgesics or stimulants was associated with negative sexual events. "NMUPD is an increasing public health concern, particularly among emerging and young adults," Parks said. "Given the results of this study, parents and college administrators should be concerned about the relationship we found between nonmedical use of anxiolytics/sedatives and negative sexual events, and find ways to educate students about the potential dangers." ### The study is available online and will appear in a special issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors in December. Its co-authors are Michael Frone, PhD, senior research scientist at RIA, Mark Muraven, PhD, Department of Psychology, University at Albany, and Carol Boyd, PhD, RN, FAAN, University of Michigan School of Nursing. RIA is a research center of the University at Buffalo and a national leader in the study of alcohol and substance abuse issues. RIA's research programs, most of which have multiple-year funding, are supported by federal, state and private foundation grants. Located on UB's Downtown Campus, RIA is a member of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and a key contributor to UB's reputation for research excellence. To learn more, visit buffalo.edu/ria. New research suggests that nurses need more help dealing with disrespectful behaviour from colleagues if patient care is to be maintained. The study, led by Dr Roberta Fida from the University of East Anglia (UEA), argues that in order to retain high quality nurses it is important to understand what factors might protect them from the negative effects of workplace mistreatment. It comes at a time when many countries are facing nursing shortages which are expected to worsen as the workforce and population ages. The ability to cope with the high levels of stress that nurses face in the workplace is important to their health and wellbeing. Incivility - defined as rude and discourteous comments and actions, and a general lack of concern for others - can come from colleagues, managers or patients. It remains a widespread issue and has previously been linked to nurse burnout - in terms of emotional exhaustion and cynicism - and, in turn, to poor mental health and staff leaving their jobs. This new study, conducted with Dr Heather Laschinger from the University of Western Ontario in Canada, investigated whether individuals' beliefs about their ability to deal with workplace-specific stressful events can protect nurses from these negative effects. It is part of a wider research project on nursing work environments led by Dr Laschinger. Published in the journal Health Care Management Review, the results show that self-efficacy - the belief in one's capabilities to achieve a goal or an outcome - does have a protective role. The more nurses believed in their capability to cope with stressful interpersonal situations at work the less they perceived incivility from co-workers and supervisors. Nurses with higher levels of self-efficacy also experienced less emotional exhaustion and cynicism a year after they were first surveyed and reported fewer mental health issues. However, self-efficacy was not significantly related to later intentions to leave the job. Dr Fida, a lecturer in organisational behaviour at UEA's Norwich Business School, said: "These results are encouraging because self-efficacy is something that can be supported and promoted by proactive hospital management. Every effort must be made to ensure that incivility is not tolerated and to create working conditions that prevent subsequent burnout to ensure both employee and organisational health. "Developing strategies to strengthen nurses' ability to deal with negative behaviour from different sources is also critical to ensuring high-quality patient care, while training and retaining highly qualified nurses is vital for addressing the supply and demand imbalance facing the profession." The study involved 596 registered nurses in Canada who were surveyed at the start and again a year later. They were assessed on their levels of self-efficacy, their perception and experience of workplace incivility and burnout (emotional exhaustion and cynicism), their mental health and intention to leave their job. Physician and co-worker incivility significantly affected nurses' emotional exhaustion and cynicism a year later, while supervisor incivility did not have a significant effect on either. Nurses who reported greater emotional exhaustion and cynicism at the start of the study reported poorer mental health a year later. Although cynicism was significantly related to job intentions, emotional exhaustion was not. Dr Fida said: "Nurses' confidence in their ability to handle incivility from team members is a crucial factor in maintaining a unified work group necessary for high-quality patient care. Confidence in their ability to deal with incivility from supervisors is also important in this respect. If managers are dismissive of concerns or ideas from frontline co-workers, patient care is threatened." The researchers recommend providing nurses with opportunities to build their coping strategies for managing job demands and difficult personal interactions. For example, providing exposure to effective role models, such as colleagues and supervisors who are able to deal with these stressful situations and in this way show nurses a way of managing the possible difficulties experienced when interacting with their colleagues. Providing meaningful verbal encouragement from managers and co-workers is also recommended. ### 'The Protective Role of Self-Efficacy against Workplace Incivility and Burnout in Nursing: A Time-lagged Study', Roberta Fida, Heather Laschinger and Michael Leiter, is published in Health Care Management Review. COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Say you're a hotel manager trying to decide whether to build a pool: Will the additional reservations you bring in from that amenity offset the cost of construction and maintenance? Or say you offer free bottled water to all guests. If you stopped doing so, would you save money in the long run? Researchers at the University of Maryland and Georgetown and Cornell Universities offer some answers to these questions. Their work focuses on amenities -- free "extras" -- offered by hotels, but could be applied to extras offered by other kinds of businesses, too. "Our study shows that such amenities can be quite profitable, but that this varies from brand to brand," says Roland Rust, Distinguished University Professor and David Bruce Smith Chair in Marketing at UMD's Robert H. Smith School of Business. "Return on Service Amenities," is forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing Research and co-authored by Rust, Michel Wedel, a Distinguished University Professor and the PepsiCo Chair in Consumer Science at the Smith School; Rebecca Hamilton at Georgetown's McDonough School of Business; and Chekitan S. Dev at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration. Most previous work on amenities examined how they affected initial consumer choice, but this study went further by incorporating profits from return visits into the calculations. It focused on bottled water, Wi-Fi, and fitness centers -- amenities with very different costs and different (if overlapping) audiences. In all three cases, the freely offered goods paid for themselves for many hotel brands -- the bottled water and Wi-Fi within a year, the fitness center over the long term. (For one hotel, however, even the gym paid for itself, and then some, within a year.) But the methodology offers a way to identify amenities that are pointless expenditures, too. And it's simple enough to run in a spreadsheet. The study drew on a survey of 5,090 business and leisure travelers who were presented with choices between hotels with different features; they varied on price, convenience, loyalty programs, and the presence or absence of the three amenities. The researchers also partnered with a global hotel company -- one that oversees several brands -- to survey people before and after they completed their stay: 782 people answered questions about whether they expected to use certain amenities and, after the fact, whether they had done so. That allowed researchers to link actual usage with return visits. The surveys included customers at six hotel brands, ranging from "upscale" to "luxury," in different parts of the country. Those data, in turn, were linked to information about revenue generated by the stays of those same consumers. Of the three amenities, free Wi-Fi had the largest effect on initial consumer choice. Across the six brands, it boosted the chance a hotel would be selected anywhere from 2 percent to 17 percent. There was only a slight effect on repeat visits, however. Overall, ROI was positive for five of the six brands, even in the first year. In contrast, free bottled water had a weak effect on initial choice, but for three of six brands the effect on return visits was high. As a result, the ROI, within a year, for free bottled water was also positive for five of the six brands. The story was very different for fitness centers, which are much more expensive to provide, with installation costs of at least $125,000. As a result, the ROI was negative for the first year for five of the six brands. The sixth had a strong payback, even in one year. While plenty of consumers value gyms, it was the high up-front investment that meant it took longer for them to pay for themselves. The authors buttressed their survey results with data from the field: They looked at 517 hotel properties, comparing those that introduced the bottled water during a given period to those that did not. The study found that adding bottled water increased revenue by 2.2 percent. "Using our methodology," Rust and his co-authors write," a service provider can evaluate the profitability of offering a particular service amenity based on its effects on both initial choice and repeat purchases to consider its return on investment," the authors write. ### The research was supported by grants from the Center for Excellence in Service, at the University of Maryland's Smith School. Rust is Executive Director of the center. A digital, full copy of "Return on Service Amenities" is available to reporters by contacting Greg Muraski at gmuraski@rhsmith.umd.edu or 301-892-0973. ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The University of Michigan was recently awarded funding from the National Institutes of Health to establish an institutional career development program for advanced training in emergency critical care research. The program, named the U-M K12 Career Development Program in Emergency Critical Care Research, is one of four training sites in the country and seeks to prepare early career clinician scientists for leadership roles and independent research careers in emergency care research. Among the four programs supported by the NIH, the U-M program has a unique focus on clinical research in critical illness and injury. The training will recruit four junior faculty scholars with diverse backgrounds and a passion for emergency critical care research and pair each scholar with a multidisciplinary mentoring team. The mentoring team will help the scholar create a three-year customized individual career development plan and then work with them to achieve milestones focused on academic courses, professional development training, expert consultations and research. Scholars will receive: A broad knowledge and training in modern clinical and translational science Coursework to address gaps in scientific training Instructive and experiential training in intellectual/philosophical approaches to modern investigation and technology development Improved scientific and grant writing skills Enhanced research mentoring and leadership skills The scholars will be able to choose from mentoring teams led by experienced and highly published senior clinician-scientists in emergency medicine, pulmonary and critical care, neurology, general and trauma surgery, cardiovascular disease, biomedical engineering, and biostatistics. "This program will allow these junior faculty scholars to learn the most effective ways to perform clinical research in emergency critical care," says Robert Neumar, M.D., Ph.D., co-leader of the program and chair of emergency medicine at U-M. "Scholars will be guided by mentors with active NIH funding with the goal they personally transition to individual funding by the end of the third year of the program." Neumar will co-lead the new program with David Pinsky, M.D., chief of cardiovascular medicine and director of the U-M Frankel Cardiovascular Center, demonstrating the support of faculty from across U-M. "Dr. Pinsky and I are enthusiastic about this new program and the possible bench to bedside advances that could arise from it," Neumar says. "We are constantly seeking new ways to improve outcomes for patients and we hope this program will encourage the next generation of clinician-scientists to become actively involved in cutting-edge research happening at this institution." The program will be housed in the Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care, which is administratively anchored within the U-M Department of Emergency Medicine. MCIRCC encourages collaborative and interdisciplinary research on acute illnesses and injuries. The scholars will become affiliates of MCIRCC, the Cardiovascular Center Clinical Research Group and other relevant multidisciplinary research centers at U-M. "These research centers will further demonstrate to the scholars the importance of cross-cutting collaboration," Pinsky says. "The scholars will get a taste of the breadth of emergency and critical care research happening here at U-M and how it can potentially transform the future of patient care." ### Disclosure: This program is supported by the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number K12HL133304. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The African clawed frog's ancestor inherited one set of chromosomes each from two different species and doubled its whole genome some 18 million years ago, according to an international research consortium led by Japanese and American scientists who sequenced the entire genome of the Xenopus laevis for the first time. Scientists hope that the finding will help our understanding of vertebrate evolution, as the vertebrate genome doubled twice 500 million years ago. X. laevis is unusual in that it is a tetraploid species that has four sets of chromosomes, while many organisms, including humans, are diploid and have two sets of chromosomes. How and when this came about has been a topic of debate for some time. One hypothesis is that the tetraploid X. laevis inherited one half of its genetic material from each parent when two diploid ancestral species mated, and the genome of this diploid offspring then doubled, giving rise to a tetraploid organism with twice the number of chromosomes as its ancestors. "X. laevis is an essential organism for biological and biomedical research, but the sheer size and complexity of its genome made it difficult for scientists to sequence the genome in its entirety," says Associate Professor Masanori Taira, leader of the Japanese research team at the University of Tokyo. He continues, "We thought that sequencing the entire genome would not only be valuable for biological and biomedical research but also provide clues as to the origins of tetraploidy." The researchers sequenced the entire genome of the J (Japan) strain of the frog inbred in Japan, in which the genetic codes inherited from the mother and father, respectively, are identical. The US team led by Dan Rokhsar and Richard Harland at the University of California, Berkeley, used the shotgun method to sequence short fragments of DNA and piece them together like a puzzle. The Japanese team sequenced very long fragments of DNA and determined the location of the long DNA on the chromosomes. This extra step helped to distinguish the separate genome sequences inherited from each ancestral species. "I thought that analyzing the 'transposable elements' (segments of DNA that move around the genome) that become fixed or inactive over time, might be one way of tracing the two ancestral genomes, present as subgenomes in X. laevis," says Taira. He suggested this idea to his co-authors, Dr. Akira Hikosaka at Hiroshima University and Dr. Yoshinobu Uno at Nagoya University. They tested Taira's idea and discovered that indeed two sets of chromosomes originated from different diploid ancestors. Curiously, the scientists also found that the subgenomes evolved separately in the nucleus, giving rise to shorter S and longer L types, the first evidence of animal subgenome evolution. The L type chromosomes preserved most of the ancestral genetic information, while the S type showed greater gene loss, deletion and rearrangement. "Scientists believe that two rounds of whole genome duplication 500 million years ago contributed to the emergence of the first vertebrate species and an explosion of diversity in this group. We think our discovery will improve our understanding of this important event in our evolutionary history," says Taira. ### Research contact Associate Professor Masanori Taira Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 JAPAN Tel: +81-3-5841-4434 E-mail: m_taira@bs.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp Press officer contact Project Specialist Kanako Takeda Public Relations Office, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 JAPAN Tel: +81-3-5841-0654 Email: kouhou@adm.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp Journal article Adam M. Session, Yoshinobu Uno, Taejoon Kwon, et al., "Genome evolution in the allotetraploid frog Xenopus laevis," Nature, 2016. URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature19840 DOI: 10.1038/nature19840 Collaborating institutions (Japanese team, 30 out of 74 researchers from the following institutions were involved) National Institute of Genetics Nagoya University Hiroshima University National Institute for Basic Biology National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Hokkaido University Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology Yamagata University National Center for Child Health and Development Tokyo Institute of Technology Tokushima University Rikkyo University University of Maryland College Park Kitasato University University of Virginia Niigata University Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Links Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo Funding U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through grants HD065705, HD080708, P41 HD064556, GM086321 DSR, RMH AMS, JBL.TM, SM and P41 HD064556 to Xenbase; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI Grant Numbers, 221S0002 (A.T., Y.K., A.F.), 24590232 (S.T.), 25440180 (A.H.), 15K14521 (M.K.), 15K07082 (H.Ogino), 22570137 (T.T), 25460245 (A.S.), 23370059 (Y.I.), 23113004 (Y.M.), 25251026 (M.T.), and 22127007 (N.U.). Additional support was provided by the UNIST Research Fund Grant Number 1.150094.01, 1.150043.01 and 1.160060.01 (T.K), U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute (J.S.), the Hiroshima University Phoenix Leader Education Program (S.T.), National BioResource Project of MEXT Japan (A.S.), the US National Institute of Health Office of the Director and US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (M.F.F., Y.O.), the US National Institute of General Medical Science (I.Q., S.H., J.B.W.), the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas(CPRIT) and Welch(F1515) (E.M.M.), the US NIHGM and NHLBI (J.B.W.), and the Okinawa Institute for Science and Technology Graduate University (O.S). Work conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 DSR AMS, JAC, UH, SS, JC, JJ, JG, JS; J.K. was supported by an NSF graduate research fellowship, and A.M.S. was supported by a NHGRI Training Grant. Grant R01HD069344 to GJCV. About the University of Tokyo The University of Tokyo is Japan's leading university and one of the world's top research universities. The vast research output of some 6,000 researchers is published in the world's top journals across the arts and sciences. Our vibrant student body of around 15,000 undergraduate and 15,000 graduate students includes over 2,000 international students. Find out more at http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/ or follow us on Twitter at @UTokyo_News_en. A team of researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington will test concepts it developed during the last year to use geothermal energy to make Texas bridges and overpasses safer during winter weather. Xinbao Yu, an assistant professor of civil engineering, is the lead investigator on a two-year, $743,000 award from the Texas Department of Transportation. The funding is phase II of a TxDOT Innovation Project that began with a $193,000 phase I award in 2015 and will use lab-scale models to test the findings from the first phase. Anand Puppala, a professor in the Civil Engineering Department and associate dean of research in the College of Engineering, is co-principal investigator on the project. Postdoctoral fellow Aravind Pedarla and two of Puppala's doctoral students will contribute as well. The team is working on this research through UTA's Organized Research Center of Excellence on Sustainable and Resilient Civil Infrastructure, which explores and develops research solutions for better design and construction of sustainable and resilient civil infrastructure in a complex, natural, and man-made hazardous environment. During the first phase of the project, Yu and Puppala's review of existing research found that most places that use geothermal energy to warm bridge decks install the heating elements internally during construction because it is easier to implement the technology then. TxDOT, however, identified existing bridges as its area of greatest need, so the researchers will focus on creating new technology that will allow them to add geothermal heating to the undersides of bridges and overpasses instead. In new bridges, the process works by pumping groundwater through a circulation pipe to bring thermal energy from the ground to the surface. One end of the circulation pipe is embedded into the bridge deck, which warms to the point where ice and snow melt instead of sticking to the surface. Installing a similar system on external surfaces on the underside of existing bridges adds challenges, because the heat-transfer efficiency must be much better so that the heat goes to the bridge deck, not to the air. "We are looking for an alternative for deicing solution or sand. Those are costly, troublesome to use, and hard on roads and vehicles. We will look at the long-term cost benefits of using geothermal energy to melt icy roads, as well as the initial costs and environmental impact, and I am confident that our proposals will be preferable to current standards," Yu said. The new award will allow the team to build scale models in a lab and test them under various environmental conditions, then apply their findings to near-full-scale deck panels and test those under near field conditions outdoors. The research is just one example of how UTA contributes to sustainable urban communities, a theme of the university's Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact, said Engineering Dean Peter Crouch. "Our national infrastructure is a continuing concern, and the research that Dr. Yu and Dr. Puppala have undertaken shows great promise for extending the life of our roads and lessening the environmental impact of making those roads safe during winter conditions," Crouch said. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, Texas has more than 52,000 bridges, by far the most in the United States. ### About The University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Arlington is a Carnegie Research-1 "highest research activity" institution of about 55,000 students in campus-based and online degree programs and is the second-largest institution in The University of Texas System. U.S. News & World Report ranks UTA fifth in the nation for undergraduate diversity. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans on Military Times' 2016 Best for Vets list. Visit http://www.uta.edu to learn more, and find UTA rankings and recognition at http://www.uta.edu/uta/about/rankings.php. For more on the Strategic Plan, see Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact. Network of Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites is an integrated national platform for population data collection and analysis Scientists from the Wits School of Public Health, the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) in Kwa-Zulu Natal and the University of Limpopo have established a network of surveillance sites to study health and demographics in rural communities and thereby understand the impact of poverty, inequality and unemployment. This network of Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites is an integrated national platform for population data collection and analysis. It is one of 13 projects that make up the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap (SARIR) funded by Department of Science and Technology and the European Union. Research infrastructures (RIs) are large scale facilities, resources and related services that the scientific community uses to conduct research. Dr Mark Collinson, Senior Researcher in the MRC/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), and HDSS champion, says: "Establishing this research infrastructure is an important step towards understanding how poverty, inequality and unemployment impact South Africans' lives and how to design better interventions to remedy the situation for an improved future." The surveillance sites will enable real-time longitudinal studies of South Africa's fast-changing poorer communities and national datasets on health, education, employment and socio-economic well-being. This evidence-based data will inform cost evaluations and policy towards improving health and well-being interventions for the poor. Furthermore, the surveillance sites will serve as interdisciplinary research platforms for local and international collaboration. This will increase capacity for conducting research in the social sciences crucially needed in South Africa. The project will begin by integrating and standardising three existing surveillance sites in South Africa: MRC/Wits Agincourt HDSS in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, established in 1992 (current population 115,000); University of Limpopo Dikgale HDSS in Dikgale, Limpopo, established in 1996 (current population 35,000); and AHRI's Population Intervention Platform in uMkhanyakude, KwaZulu-Natal, established in 2000 (population 100,000). Another network of surveillance site nodes will be added to include Gauteng (urban), eThekwini (urban), Eastern Cape (rural) and Western Cape (urban). This expanded platform, representing over 1% of the national population (55,6 million) will enable unprecedented understanding of emerging populations as well as of the bi-directional migration flows that link poor, rural communities with urban centres. Dr Kobus Herbst, AHRI Deputy Director and HDSS champion says: "From our perspective, ill health is a cause [of people returning to rural homes]. If one can study the dynamic between rural and urban populations and better understand the impact of ill health and lack of access to services, and its relationship to inequality and poverty, we will be better able to measure the impact of government policies and intervene to address these issues." ### Scientists have linked mutations in a single gene to autism in people who have a rare tumor syndrome typically diagnosed in childhood. The findings, in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), may lead to a better understanding of the genetic roots of autism in the wider population. The findings are published Oct. 19 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. Studying 531 patients at six clinical centers in the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Australia, the researchers found that mutations in the NF1 gene that cause the disease also contributed to autistic behaviors in almost half of the patients. "NF1 is caused by mutations in a single gene -- NF1," said first author Stephanie M. Morris, MD, an instructor in neurology. "Our research indicates that this single gene also is associated with autism spectrum disorders in these same patients. That may make it possible to look downstream from the gene to find common pathways that contribute to autism in the wider population." NF1, the disorder caused by NF1 mutations, usually appears during childhood. Symptoms can vary in severity, but they include cafe au lait spots, which are flat, brown spots on the skin. Other symptoms include tiny nodules on the iris of the eye, nerve tumors, bone deformities such as a curved spine or a bowed lower leg, and optic gliomas, tumors of the optic nerve. Kids with NF1 also can have learning disabilities. "In the 25-plus years that I've taken care of kids with NF1, we've only recently started to recognize that these children also often have symptoms of autism," said senior investigator David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor of Neurology and director of the Washington University NF Center. "In the past, we didn't really understand the association between NF1 and autism, but now we have new insights into the problem, which will allow us to design better treatments for children with NF1 and autism." The findings also could help scientists who study the genetics of autism understand how mutations in a single gene can contribute to symptoms of autism, such as problems with social and language skills and repetitive behaviors. About 100,000 people in the United States have NF1. It is equally common in both sexes and in all ethnic groups. Autism, meanwhile, affects 1 percent to 2 percent of all children in the United States and is four to five times more common in boys than in girls. "What's unique about our findings is that it's likely mutations in the NF1 gene are driving most of the symptoms of autism in children with NF1," said the study's other senior investigator, John N. Constantino, the Blanche F. Ittleson Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and director of the William Greenleaf Eliot Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. "Here, we have a single-gene disorder that affects a fairly large number of people and is causing autism in a significant number of those who are affected. This work could provide us with an opportunity to study a single gene and figure out what it is doing to cause autistic syndromes." Constantino said most autism spectrum disorders are influenced by multiple genes but that isolating this one gene can aid efforts to learn how other, unrelated genes may interact along that same pathway to contribute to autism in people who don't have NF1. Learning how those various genes come together to cause symptoms eventually could lead to better treatments. But already the findings are benefiting children and families treated at the Washington University NF Center. "We've been able to screen children at our center, identify autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit disorder and problems with executive cognitive function," Morris said. "And when we identify these deficits in kids, we can tell their parents, inform their schools and enable these children to get the resources and support they need -- specifically academic and social support - to improve their quality of life." ### Morris, SM, Acosta MR, Garg S, Green J, Huson S, Legius E, North KN, Payne JM, Plasschaert E, Frazier TW, Weiss LA, Zhang Y, Gutmann DH, Constantino JN, and the International NF1-ASD Consortium Team (INTACT). NF1 gene mutations engender the full spectrum of autism. JAMA Psychiatry. Oct. 19, 2016. This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant number U54 HD087011. Additional funds came from Schnuck Markets, Inc., the Neurological Sciences Academic Development Award at Washington University School of Medicine, the NIH New Innovator Award 1DP2OD007449, and the Opening the Future grant of KU Leuven. Washington University School of Medicine's 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient-care institutions in the nation, currently ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare. Joachim Hagopian states in this article: "This tit for tat game Empires playing now is serious risky business. Repercussions may have a boomerang effect manifesting as either a false flag or real cyber security breaches that could wreak havoc with US military and economic infrastructure. One morning we may wake up and not be able to withdraw cash from our local ATM or even pump gas. Or if asymmetrical warfare escalates to EMP attack, we may find ourselves without electricity for months, which within the first year is estimated to result in the death of 90% of the American population." War between US and Russia Could Be Sooner than Later. The Danger of a Nuclear War by Joachim Hagopian, 10/18/16 atPertinent parts as follows:"Right now the US mainstream media is obsessing over Donalds alleged womanizing and female groping soap opera as the Clintons/MSMs pruriently entertaining smokescreen, neatly designed to cover up Hillary/Bills serial raping and her criminal lead role as enabler/strong armed intimidator of past victims.""Meanwhile, barely noticed in a virtual media blackout in the West are at least a half dozen high alert, significant international developments this last weekend that all strongly indicate the extreme danger of a nuclear war breaking out at any time against Russia and its Eastern alliance. Again, do not pay attention to the US deceivers behind their Oz-like curtain and their frenzied pushing of Western propaganda machine levers as sleight of hand distraction to willfully withhold the fact that many unreported major world events are simultaneously occurring now that foretell the start of World War III potentially just days away.""The current threat level to every human life on this planet even surpasses the October Cuban Missile Crisis of 54 years ago as the earth today is in more peril by manmade destruction than any previous time in human history. Yet the neocon madness of Obama, Hillary and their MSM minions do not want Americans to know this dire truth that the US is rapidly moving to very likely execute a series of false flags that could ignite a global war between US-NATO and the Eastern powers: Russia, China and Iran.""And based on alarming rapid fire events, it could even begin prior to the scheduled November 8th presidential election just three weeks away. Make no mistake that perfect storm of destabilizing developments triggering WWIII, the global economy crash and possible martial law timed with the US presidential election that many independent journalists like myself have been writing about for months is unfolding right this very moment.""Here are just a few of these disturbing breaking news events and anomalies that are currently unfolding over this last weekend that are conspicuously missing in action from all MSM headlines:"FAA issues no fly zone over parts of Montana"Per the FAA on Saturday a no fly zone went into effect for most of the day from 3PM to midnight over selected parts of the state of Montana.""The FAA claimed that US military rockets were being launched in connection with space operations yet the only missiles in Montana are nuclear armed warhead missiles. According to NewsPrepper.com, the missile silos in Montana are armed with Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs) and each MIRV contains a 100 kiloton nuclear warhead. Within a half hour after launch, each single rocket is capable of destroying eight cities anywhere on earth.""The real question is what was the government actually up to on Saturday with nuclear missiles in Montana?"Buildup of US military planes and ships on Diego Garcia Island"Last Friday in this remote US military outpost on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean (see image below), a US military private contractor who cycles through every nine days working on the island for ongoing maintenance of military hardware reported an enormous, unprecedented buildup of US Air Force bombers - both B-1s and B-2s. Some were painted flat black. On a related note, this past week the US Air Force was caught dressing up its warplanes disguised as Russian aircraft that would likely be used in false flag operations to blame Russia for aggression it didnt commit. The civilian contractor on Diego Garcia stated that far more activity was witnessed than any time prior in the 9 years hes been on the job there. He reports that under the tightest security the government has blocked off access roads and that so many warplanes have been assembled on the island that aircraft are now being parked on blocked off roads.""A count of over a dozen refueling tankers were sighted and flights were taking off on the average of every 15 minutes. He also observes the tent city that sprang up includes temporary barracks and hangars for both US Air Force and Navy personnel. His ex-Air Force coworker speculated that the ultra-tight security and sudden influx of so much activity is characteristic of top secret nuclear weapons movement. Speaking of which, the eyewitness also noticed that 6-8 US Navy vessels were offshore and the island docks were busily unloading countless pallets of bombs. Obviously sneaky Obama is up to something very big against his targeted cold war enemies potentially including nuclear powered Russia and China."DEFCON Level 3 warning"Even the Sunday edition of the British rag the Daily Star ran the headline US nuclear attack warning upgraded to level 3 as Russian threat goes beyond Cold War. Though midway through the article the Star quietly backtracks from its sensational headline claiming the US government has not officially released any public notice that the US is currently on DEFCON level 3, it references its breaking news headline based on the conspiracy theory website defconwarningsystem.com.""The five-level alert system ranges from level 5 at no threat at all to level 1 which is all-out nuclear war within the hour. "CIA coordinating cyberattacks on Russia"No doubt also high on Obamas meeting agenda last Friday is the covert cyber operation against Russia. As part of US retaliation for Putin allegedly hacking into DNC and Clinton emails while trying to change the election outcome in favor of Trump, all unsubstantiated deep state lies, MSM presstitute NBC News just reported that the CIA is coordinating the launching of cyberattacks against Russia.""This tit for tat game Empires playing now is serious risky business. Repercussions may have a boomerang effect manifesting as either a false flag or real cyber security breaches that could wreak havoc with US military and economic infrastructure. One morning we may wake up and not be able to withdraw cash from our local ATM or even pump gas. Or if asymmetrical warfare escalates to EMP attack, we may find ourselves without electricity for months, which within the first year is estimated to result in the death of 90% of the American population."US at war now in Yemen and signs of escalating violence and conflict at other global hotspots"This weeks aggression in Yemen by US Navy destroyers firing cruise missiles on Yemen soil can easily be construed as yet another clear, premeditated act of war against both Yemen as well as its fellow Shiite ally Iran.""Again without confirming any evidence of truth behind its claim, a highly deceitful US insists that Houthi rebels fired a missile twice during this past week at a Navy destroyer. Hence five missiles were launched by the destroyers at alleged Houthi radar stations.""Its no accident or random event that the Ukraine conflict is also heating up now. This week a helicopter with NATO military instructors onboard was shot down by Donetsk freedom fighters. With freshly supplied new heavy weapons and even American snipers, the US puppet government in Kiev launched another offensive into the Donetsk Peoples Republic with heavy mortar shelling. The US is stepping up its hostilities globally on all hotspot fronts in its apparent launch of this centurys world war.""As yet another further sign of the Wests plan to wage global war against Eastern powers, a Sunday FARS News Agency article is reporting that based on recent WikiLeaks released emails sent to Hillary, Israel has entertained designs in its warming of relations with the House of Saud to use a Saudi airbase from which Israeli air force jets can be deployed for purposes of attacking Iran. The article also mentioned in a related matter that The New York Times in 2010 disclosed that Saudi Arabia was prepared to give its air force stand down orders so that Israeli warplanes could safely pass through Saudi airspace to enable Israel to attack Irans nuclear and military facilities."Russias preparedness for nuclear warIn response to the cold war approaching the boiling point in recent weeks, and in total contrast to America, Russia has been busy preparing its citizens for potential nuclear war. Moscow ordered all Russian citizens, diplomats and students traveling, working or studying abroad to immediately return home. Members of Russias diplomatic corps were threatened with reprimands and career demotions should they refuse to comply with the Kremlin directive. Additionally 40 million Russian citizens, thats near one-third of the nations total population, just completed an unprecedented massive nuclear war defense drill. Also unlike the US, Moscow has built underground facilities for housing its 12 million residents under the capital city for safe refuge. Again unlike America, Russia is taking the extreme threat of nuclear war with the West very seriously. Even MSM fixture ABC News ran a story how Russians have been preparing for a nuclear winter outcome. In stark contrast, outside of Putin bashing and the election sideshow, neither Washington nor its propaganda whores in the press have alerted Americans that they are currently in grave danger. In fact its been an MSM news blackout while Russian media has told its citizens that nuclear war is imminent. Meanwhile as another sign that Putin means business, in response to NATOs nuclear missiles activated in Romania and Poland, Putin has ordered at the ready his nuclear capable missiles in Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave between NATO members Poland and Lithuania.____________________________You still have time to register for the 2 peace parties, Peace & Freedom and the Green Party, this week, before October 24, 2016. You can register online at: https://covr.sos.ca.gov/?language=en-US or you can go to your County Registrar at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/ . If you go to the County Registrar, after registering to vote, sign up immediately to be a permanent vote by mail voter, ask for your ballot and immediately vote since you can vote in California within 29 days of election day.For more information, see Candidate Statements at http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/en/candidates/president-candidate-statements.htm and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sntk8sDDtN4 (Gloria LaRiva interviewed by Abby Martin) Its worth the price and the hassle. PlayStation VR is worth it, because its the closest gaming has ever come to magic. It wont transform your gaming habits just yet, but it will forever transform your expectations of what gaming is capable of. Sony pulled it off. They reverse engineered the PS4 to accommodate a virtual reality (VR) headset and, despite a lengthy and cable-laden setup process, the result is amazing. Its by far the most accessible and user-friendly of the high-end VR headsets. Crucially, it also the most comfortable. This is the first VR headset that you could wear for hours it is very light, adjustable and the breathability for your eyes and face is impressive. Theres still a long way to go before VR becomes truly comfortable, but PSVR does banish discomfort, at least, which is a big step forward. That comfort is hugely important, because you dont want anything to prevent the magic and it is like magic. Despite using VR many times now, it still astonishes this writer to be placed in a digital world that feels real in a visual and physical sense. In London Heist, one of Sonys launch games, you are placed at the centre of a Guy Ritchie-style gangster story, complete with shootouts and kidnappings. You reload your gun by picking up the clip with one hand and shoving it into the gun hilt, held in your other hand. But guns are boring and well-trodden the real magic came in a dingy London pub at the start, when you realise you can pick up the cigar in front of you with one hand and light it with the other. You dont have to do that, but you can. There you are, all gangster-like, lighting up a Cuban while your dodgy partner explains the plan. The sense of being there, thanks to your in-game hands and the immersive quality of VR, is simply astonishing. In Job Simulator, where you can attempt to master a number of cartoon-world professions like being a chef or a mechanic, the physicality really comes into play. As the mechanic, for example, you must open the car bonnet, pull out different engine parts and replace them, pour fluids into the fluid shaft, take out headlights and clean them for the first time ever in gaming, you are truly performing actions in a 3D world. Motion controls, like the Wii, touched on this feeling, but nothing compares to actually being there, turning your body and head to search for parts, reaching low to grab a can of oil, flipping some bacon on a pan as the chef. The actual game aspect, where you try to keep costs low by doing things quickly, isnt great but this unrivalled physical tangibility is a fresh kind of fun for gaming. Unless you are two years old, when was the last time you were allowed to throw food around a kitchen without consequences? Ketchup, everywhere! Well be reviewing PSVR games in more detail in coming weeks, like the transformative Rez Infinite and thrilling Eve Valkyrie (which will make Star Wars and Battlestar fans very happy), but its important to state now that PSVR isnt perfect. Motion sickness is almost unavoidable and, after two minutes of playing Driveclub VR, in which your car travels at top speeds, this writer had to stop playing and felt ill for an hour afterwards. This recurred with a number of games to a lesser degree, but only the ones that include lots of movement. In addition, the field of vision on PSVR is excellent but limited you will always see the circular black edges of the headset in the corner of your vision while playing, especially when wearing glasses. Finally, to achieve the best experience, you should purchase motion controllers along with the headset and PlayStation camera, all of which raises the price. Still, if you love games and the worlds that they inhabit, its hard to put a price on this experience. PSVR wont replace Fifa or GTAV and its not suitable for Call of Duty or Skyrim just yet, but for the first time ever we really get to inhabit those worlds. Until now, weve looked at them through a window, from afar, but VR lets us step through that window and into those worlds. Its like Alice through the looking glass. Its like Neo in the Matrix. Its like magic. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 19, 2016) - NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE US OR THROUGH US NEWSWIRE SERVICES Neo Lithium Corp. ("Neo Lithium" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:NLC) has received final engineering reports from Novigi Ltd. (Santiago, Chile) and Celimin (Center for Advanced Research on Lithium and Industrial Minerals of Antofagasta University), both reputable organizations at arm's length to the Company, on the process required to produce lithium from the 3Q Project's brine. A representative 0.5 tonne sample of the Northern Target was collected this January and sent for process studies. "We are very pleased with these positive process results, which are equivalent to metallurgical studies in base metal mining. In simple terms, these results indicate that the 3Q Project brine can be concentrated to a very high level simply by solar evaporation without the need to add high cost additives, which are required to be added by almost all other lithium brine projects that are in production" stated Waldo Perez, Chief Executive Officer. The results of these studies show that Northern Target lithium brine can be concentrated by simple solar evaporation, with no costly additives required, to up to 2.6% lithium in approximately eight months. The results also show that with minimal cleaning using lime and sodium sulfate, the brine can be further concentrated up to 4.6% lithium. Further evaporation to approximately 7% lithium is feasible but further studies are on-going to define the evaporation time to achieve that concentration. The results of the studies show that recovery of the ponds should be approximately 25 tonnes of lithium carbonate per hectare of pond constructed, comparable to other projects in the region. The results of the studies also demonstrate that the brine could produce potash as a by-product during the evaporation process although volumes and quality will require further studies. "These process studies demonstrate that Neo Lithium's 3Q Project brine has unique chemical properties that lend themselves to lithium carbonate production using standard, low cost solar evaporation technology. These results strengthen our view that the extraordinary nature of our 3Q Project," stated Constantine Karayannopoulos, Chairman. With these results in hand the Company has already designed a pilot pond series that will be constructed on site covering an area of approximately 1 ha to test these study results at the project. Construction is expected to start in the next 30 days. About Neo Lithium Corp. Neo Lithium Corp. is quickly becoming the most prominent new name in lithium brine exploration by virtue of its quality team and Project. Already well capitalized, Neo Lithium is rapidly advancing its newly discovered 3Q Project - a unique high-grade lithium brine reservoir and salar complex in the Lithium Triangle. The 3Q Project is located in the Province of Catamarca, the largest lithium producer in Argentina. The Project covers approximately 35,000 ha and the salar complex within this area is approximately 160 km2. Recent exploration results indicate a high grade lithium target in the northern portion of the salar complex extending for approximately 14x3 km with the combined lowest magnesium and sulphate impurities in the industry. Low impurities are a key factor in traditional low cost evaporation techniques for final lithium production. Hot springs on the property with elevated lithium content are part of the recharge system of the salar complex. The technical team that recently discovered this unique salar complex is one of the most experienced in the modern era in lithium salars, having discovered and led the technical work, including resource definition and full feasibility study that established the Cauchari lithium salar as the third largest lithium brine resource in the world. Additional information regarding Neo Lithium Corp. is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile. Waldo Perez, Ph.D, P.Geo., the CEO and President of Neo Lithium Corp. is the Qualified Person who approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release. Claudio Suarez-Authievre, Ph.D, Chartered Chemist (ACPO) has verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information contained in this release. The studies include experiments on the brine at bench scale and simulated evaporation routes using thermodynamic databases. The data will require further field test to verify the process on site. This study is applicable only to the surface brine found in the Northern Target of the 3Q Project. If the brine changes composition at depth further studies will be required to verify its process. Weather data was taken from near-by weather station (50 km). On site weather station data will be required to validate these results. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Forward Looking Statements - Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements include but are not limited to, statements as to the achievable concentrations of lithium from the 3Q's Project's brine, that test results are indicative of future results, the sufficiency and suitability of available land for pond construction, the suitability of brine from the 3Q Project for lithium carbonate production and the process therefor, and the future construction of pilot ponds and the timing therefor. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates" "intends", "anticipates", "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "can", "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will", occur or be achieved, or the negative connotations thereof. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, which could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Although the Company believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions and has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 19, 2016) - RT Minerals Corp. (TSXV: RTM) (the "Company") announces completion of its core drilling program at Ballard Lake. The Company completed three NQ core holes that totaled 435m. The first two holes intersected mineralization and alteration similar to gold-bearing structures mapped on surface. The Ballard Shear Zone gold target includes an alteration halo with coarse pyrite and quartz tourmaline veins in mafic schist, pillow basalt and gabbro host rocks. Several alkaline ultramafic dikes cut the Ballard Shear zone in core and on surface, and will undergo petrology for classification. The third core hole intersected Ballard Lake Stock and failed to intersect significant alteration or mineralization. The Company collected 153 samples of split core that were submitted to Swastika Laboratories Ltd. for Gold fire assay and 30-element ICP analysis. Swastika Laboratories Ltd. is accredited by Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation Inc. (CALA) and meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for Gold by Fire Assay. The Company is pleased to appoint Mr. Kevin Kivi, P.Geo. as Qualified Person ("QP") for the Ballard Lake Project. Mr. Kivi has 33 years of mineral exploration experience in search of diamonds, base and precious metals worldwide. He worked on Rio Tinto's Canadian diamond team at Lac de Gras from 1993 until the Diavik discovery, and then built and managed the company's diamond laboratory in Thunder Bay. Kevin became a consultant in 2004 exploring for diamonds, base and precious metals for major, junior, and private companies. Mr. Kivi is President of KIVI Geoscience Inc. and Orebot Inc. Mr. Kevin Kivi, P.Geo. reviewed Ballard Lake drill core, QA/QC sampling and Chain of Custody protocols and approves the technical content of this press release. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Antoniazzi President and Chief Executive Officer RT Minerals Corp. Telephone: 604-681-3170 Fax: 604-681-3552 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 accuracy of this news release. Forward-looking Statements Certain statements in this press release relating to the Company's exploration activities, project expenditures and business plans are approximate and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of securities legislation. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements represent management's best judgment based on current facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable, including that operating and capital plans will not be disrupted by issues such as adverse market conditions, mechanical failure, unavailability of parts, labor disturbances, interruption in transportation or utilities, or adverse weather conditions, that there are no material unanticipated variations in budgeted costs, that contractors will complete projects according to schedule, and that actual mineralization on properties may not achieve any category of resource(s). The Company makes no representation that reasonable business people in possession of the same information would reach the same conclusions. Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In particular, fluctuations in the price of gold, equity markets or in currency markets could prevent the Company from achieving its targets. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. There is no guarantee that drill results reported in this news release or future releases will lead to the identification of a deposit that can be mined economically, and further work is required to identify resources and reserves. We seek safe harbour. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA--(Marketwired - Oct. 19, 2016) - Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (TSX:PTM)(NYSE MKT:PLG) ("Platinum Group" or the "Company") announces positive results from an Independent Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") on the Waterberg PGM Project completed by international and South African engineering firm WorleyParsons RSA (Pty) Ltd. trading as Advisian. Platinum Group holds a 58.62% effective interest in the Waterberg Project with the Japan, Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation ("JOGMEC") holding a 28.35% interest. Empowerment partner Mnombo Wethu Consultants (Pty) Ltd. ("Mnombo") holds the balance of the joint venture. JOGMEC funding is in place to advance the project through completion of a Feasibility Study ("FS"). Platinum Group Metals plans to continue drilling the deposit and to advance the project to completion of a FS and a construction decision. The Company also plans to file a mining right application, with Joint Venture approval, based substantially on the results of the PFS. Highlights of the PFS include: Validation of the 2014 Waterberg Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") results for a large scale, shallow, decline accessible, mechanized platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold ("4E") mine. Annual steady state production rate of 744,000 4E ounces in concentrate. A 3.5 year construction period. On site life-of-mine average cash cost of US$248 per 4E ounce including by-product credits and exclusive of smelter discounts. After-tax Net Present Value ("NPV") of US$320 million, at an 8% discount rate, using three-year trailing average metal prices. After-tax NPV of US$507 million, at an 8% discount rate, using investment bank consensus average metal prices. Estimated capital to full production of approximately US$1.06 billion including US$67 million in contingencies. Peak project funding estimated at US$914 million. After-tax Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 13.5% using three-year trailing average price deck. After-tax IRR of 16.3% at investment bank consensus average metal prices. Probable reserves of 12.3 million 4E ounces. Indicated resources updated to 24.9 million 4E ounces (2.5 g/t 4E cut-off) and deposit remains open on strike to the north and below a 1,250 meter arbitrary depth cut-off. R. Michael Jones, CEO and co-founder of Platinum Group said, "The completion of the PFS significantly increases the Company's attributable 4E reserves and is an important milestone for the project and the Company. The PFS has a similar approach, similar peak funding in US dollar terms with increased production, compared to the PEA. Waterberg is designed to be a low cost, multi-decline, fully mechanized, mining complex along an initial 13 km deposit strike length with two 300,000 tonne per month mills built in close sequence. At 744,000 ounces annual steady state production and a modelled 18 year mine life, Waterberg is very large and offers excellent exposure to the essential metals of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold. Amazingly, the deposit is still open. The PFS covers only the first 218 million tonnes in Indicated resources to date. With the full support of our joint venture partners JOGMEC and Mnombo, we look forward to advancing Waterberg during the remainder of 2016 and 2017 with more drilling, a FS on the initial complex, and the submission of a mining right application. From an original US$20 million commitment by JOGMEC in 2015, approximately US$8 million of further project funding remains to be spent. We are very appreciative of JOGMEC's continued commitment and support. We look forward to growing and advancing Waterberg so that we may fully understand this new part of the Bushveld complex that we and our joint venture partners have discovered. We will work hard to maximize the value of the resource for all stakeholders including shareholders, employees, the Government of South Africa and the local communities." This press release has been prepared by the qualified persons named herein. This press release is qualified in its entirety by reference to the PFS, which is expected to be filed shortly on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and the SEC's EDGAR site at www.sec.gov. Investors should refer to the PFS for further information. SCALE AND PGM INDUSTRY POSITION As a result of the shallow depth, good grades and a fully mechanized mining approach, the Waterberg Project has the opportunity to be a safe mine within the lowest quartile of the industry cost curve. The project resources consist of 60% palladium and the PFS estimates that Waterberg will produce 472,000 ounces of palladium annually; more palladium than the Stillwater Mine produced in 2015, or about 6% of the world's palladium production in 2015. Producing approximately 744,000 4E ounces per year, Waterberg would be one of the largest platinum group metals mine complexes in South Africa based on 2015 production numbers. It is estimated that Waterberg will create approximately 3,361 new primary highly trained jobs with transferable skills. The increased safety, improved working conditions, low costs and decline access for rapid development all provide attractive features compared to traditional platinum and palladium mines in South Africa. The project is in an area prioritized for economic development. Relations with the small rural community in the area have been business like and positive. Total Ounces Produced - Life of Mine KEY RESULTS Resource Update Additional drilling since the April 2016 Resource Report has updated the resources as follows: T-Zone 2.5 g/t Cut-off Resource Category Cut-off Tonnage Grade Metal 4E Pt Pd Au Rh 4E Cu Ni 4E g/t Mt g/t g/t g/t g/t g/t % % Kg Moz Indicated 2.5 31.540 1.13 1.90 0.81 0.04 3.88 0.16 0.08 122,375 3.934 Inferred 2.5 19.917 1.10 1.86 0.80 0.03 3.79 0.16 0.08 75,485 2.427 F-Zone 2.5 g/t Cut-off Resource Category Cut-off Tonnage Grade Metal 4E Pt Pd Au Rh 4E Cu Ni 4E g/t Mt g/t g/t g/t g/t g/t % % Kg Moz Indicated 2.5 186.725 1.05 2.23 0.17 0.04 3.49 0.07 0.16 651,670 20.952 Inferred 2.5 77.295 1.01 2.16 0.17 0.03 3.37 0.04 0.12 260,484 8.375 The Total Mineral Resource is summarized below: Waterberg Total 2.5 g/t Cut-off Resource Category Cut-off Tonnage Grade Metal 4E Pt Pd Au Rh 4E Cu Ni 4E g/t Mt g/t g/t g/t g/t g/t % % Kg Moz Indicated 2.5 218.265 1.06 2.18 0.26 0.04 3.55 0.08 0.15 774,045 24.886 Inferred 2.5 97.212 1.03 2.10 0.30 0.03 3.46 0.06 0.11 335,969 10.802 4E = Platinum Group Elements (Pt+Pd+Rh+Au). The cut-offs for mineral resources have been established by a qualified person after a review of potential operating costs and other factors. The mineral resources stated above are shown on a 100% basis, that is, for the Waterberg Project as a whole entity. Conversion Factor used - kg to oz = 32.15076. Numbers may not add due to rounding. Resources do not have demonstrated economic viability. A 5% and 7% geological loss has been applied to the Indicated and Inferred categories respectively. Effective Date Oct 17, 2016. Metal prices used in the reserve estimate are as follows based on a 3-year trailing average (as at July 31/2016) in accordance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") guidance for the assessment of resources; US$1,212/oz Pt, US$710/oz Pd, US$1229/oz Au, US$984/oz Rh, US$6.10/lb Ni, US$2.56/lb Cu, US$/ZAR15. Total aggregate mineral resources at Waterberg on a 100% project basis have increased slightly since those reported in April 2016. Inferred category resources have decreased to an estimated 10.8 million 4E ounces from 11.71 million ounces 4E Inferred in April, 2016. Indicated category resources have increased to an estimated 24.9 million 4E ounces, from 23.9 million 4E ounces Indicated in April 2016: The mineral resources are classified in accordance with the SAMREC standards. There are certain differences with the "CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves"; however, in this case the QP believes the differences are not material and the standards may be considered the same. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability and Inferred resources have a high degree of uncertainty. The mineral resources are provided on a 100% project basis and Inferred and Indicated categories are separate and the estimates have an effective date of 17 October 2016. A cut-off grade of 2.5 g/t 4E for both the T and the F-Zones is applied to the selected base case mineral resources. Cut off for the T and the F-Zones considered costs, smelter discounts, concentrator recoveries from previous engineering work completed on the property by the Company. The resource model was cut-off at an arbitrary depth of 1,250 meters, although intercepts of the deposit do occur below this depth. Mineral resources were completed by Mr. CJ Muller of CJM Consulting. Mineral resources were estimated using kriging methods for geological domains created in Datamine from 303 original holes and 483 deflections. A process of geological modelling and creation of grade shells using indicating kriging was completed in the estimation process. The estimation of mineral resources has taken into account environmental, permitting and legal, title, and taxation, socio-economic, marketing and political factors. The mineral resources may be materially affected by metals prices, exchange rates, labor costs, electricity supply issues or many other factors detailed in the Company's Annual Information Form. The data that formed the basis of the estimate are the drill holes drilled by Platinum Group, which consist of geological logs, the drill hole collars surveys, the downhole surveys and the assay data. The area where each layer was present was delineated after examination of the intersections in the various drill holes. There is no guarantee that all or any part of the mineral resource not included in the current reserves will be upgraded and converted to a mineral reserve. Reserves Reserves are stated on a 100% Project Basis. Reserves are a subset of the Indicated resources and the mine plan was developed from the October 2016 resource model above and includes mine modifying factors such as geological losses, dilution, development overbreak, mine design factors, in stope losses and the extraction ratio from the mining methods applied to the T and F-Zones. The independent Qualified Person for the Statement of Reserves is Mr. RL Goosen (WorleyParsons RSA (Pty) Ltd Trading as Advisian). The table below shows the prill splits, which are calculated using the individual metal grades reported as a percentage of the total 4E grade. There are no Inferred mineral resources included in the reserves. Prill Splits Prill Split Grade Zone Pt Pd Au Rh Cu Ni % % % % % % T-Zone 29 49 21 1 0.16 0.08 F-Zone 30 64 5 1 0.07 0.16 Probable Mineral Reserve at 2.5 g/t 4E Cut-off- Tonnage and Grades Waterberg Probable Mineral Reserve - Tonnage and Grades Zone Mt Cut-off grade (g/t) Pt (g/t) Pd (g/t) Au (g/t) Rh (g/t) 4E (g/t) Cu (%) Ni (%) T-Zone 16.5 2.5 1.14 1.93 0.83 0.04 3.94 0.16 0.08 F-Zone 86.2 2.5 1.11 2.36 0.18 0.04 3.69 0.07 0.16 Total 102.7 2.5 1.11 2.29 0.29 0.04 3.73 0.08 0.15 Probable Mineral Reserve at 2.5 g/t 4E Cut-off- Contained Metal Waterberg Probable Mineral Reserve - Contained Metal Zone Mt Pt (Moz) Pd (Moz) Au (Moz) Rh (Moz) 4E (Moz) 4E content (kg) Cu (Mlb) Ni (Mlb) T-Zone 16.5 0.61 1.03 0.44 0.02 2.09 65,097 58.21 29.10 F-Zone 86.2 3.07 6.54 0.51 0.10 10.22 318,007 132.97 303.94 Total 102.7 3.67 7.57 0.95 0.12 12.32 383,103 191.18 333.04 Reasonable prospects of economic extraction were determined with the following assumptions: Metal prices used in the reserve estimate are as follows based on a 3-year trailing average (as at July 31/2016) in accordance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") guidance for the assessment of resources and reserves; US$1,212/oz Pt, US$710/oz Pd, US$1229/oz Au, US$984/oz Rh, US$6.10/lb Ni, US$2.56/lb Cu, US$/ZAR15. Smelter payability of 85% was estimated for 4E and 73% for Cu and 68% for Ni. The effective date is October 17, 2016. A 2.5 g/t Cut-off was used and checked against a pay-limit calculation. Independent Qualified Person for the Statement of Reserves is Mr. RL Goosen (WorleyParsons RSA (Pty) Ltd Trading as Advisian). The mineral reserves may be materially affected by changes in metals prices, exchange rates, labor costs, electricity supply issues or many other factors. See Risk Factors in 43-101 report on www.sedar.com and the Company's Annual Information Form. The reserves are estimated under SAMREC with no material difference to the CIM 2014 definitions in this case. The estimation of mineral reserves has taken into account environmental, permitting and legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing and political factors. Based on the cut-off grade and a maximum depth cut-off of 1,250 meters the Probable reserve will support an 18 year mine life. PROJECT PFS RESULTS The PFS results validate the PEA with similar capital costs in USD, increased production profile (from 655,000 3E ounces/yr PEA to 744,000/yr 4E ounces PFS) and an increase in sustaining capital. Optimization of the mine plan and working on reducing underground sustaining development capital will be part of the upcoming Feasibility Study. PROJECT MODEL TIMELINE The project time line includes a construction decision following the completion of a FS and first production 3 years later. Under the PFS model, first production is estimated as mid-2021, if the FS is completed at the end of 2017 and a mining right and other permits are granted as planned. Final reef tonnes are scheduled to be mined in 2038. CAPITAL COSTS Capital costs to full production and peak funding of the project are estimated in Rand 2016 terms. Peak Funding is estimated at US$914 million. The costs are estimated in USD at 15R/1USD with a flat exchange rate. Escalation of costs in Rand terms are estimated to be mostly offset over time by future Rand devaluation. TOTAL CAPITAL Facility Code Facility Description To Full Production ZAR (M) Sustaining Capital ZAR (M) To Full Production USD (M) Sustaining Capital USD (M) 2000 Underground Mining 6,092 9,766 406 651 3000 Concentrator 2,850 159 190 11 4000 Shared Services & Infrastructure 1,063 43 71 03 5000 Regional Infrastructure 2,566 0 171 0 6000 Site Support Services 691 67 46 04 7000 Project Delivery Management 1,399 147 93 10 8000 Other Capitalised Costs 246 83 16 06 9000 Contingency 999 1,202 67 80 Total Capital 15,906 11,468 1,060 765 The estimates for the scope of work, within the given battery limits, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and exclusions contained in the PFS, are considered to be within the accuracy range required for a PFS of +25%. Monte Carlo simulation was used to provide a 12% contingency that was used in the estimates. Waterberg 2016 PFS Results Details Item Units Total Mined and Processed Mtpa 7.20 Platinum g/t 1.11 Palladium g/t 2.29 Gold g/t 0.29 Rhodium g/t 0.04 4E g/t 3.73 Copper % 0.08 Nickel % 0.15 Recoveries Platinum % 82.5% Palladium % 83.2% Gold % 75.3% Rhodium % 59.4% 4E % 82.1% Copper % 87.9% Nickel % 48.8% Produced in Concentrate Concentrate ktpa 285 Platinum g/t 24.2 Palladium g/t 51.5 Gold g/t 4.9 Rhodium g/t 0.6 4E g/t 81 Copper % 1.9 Nickel % 1.8 Recovered Metal in Concentrate Platinum kozpa 222 Palladium kozpa 472 Gold kozpa 45 Rhodium kozpa 6 4E kozpa 744 Copper Mlbpa 11 Nickel Mlbpa 12 KEY ASSUMPTIONS Economic Assumptions Parameter Unit 3 Year Trailing Average Investment Bank Consensus Price Platinum Palladium Gold Rhodium T and F Combined Basket (4E) Nickel Copper USD/oz USD/oz USD/oz USD/oz USD/oz USD/lb USD/lb 1,212 710 1,229 984 899 6.10 2.56 1,213 800 1,300 1,000 960 7.50 2.90 Base Metals Refining Charge Copper Refining Charge Nickel Refinery Charge % Gross Sales Pay % Gross Sales Pay % Gross Sales Pay 85% 73% 68% FINANCIAL RESULTS Average Life of Mine ("LOM") Operating Cost Rates and Totals per Area in ZAR and USD Average LOM (ZAR/t) Total LOM (ZAR M) Average LOM (USD/t) Total LOM (USD M) Mining R 271.90 R 27,915 $ 18.13 $ 1,861 Engineering & Infrastructure R 107.49 R 11,036 $ 7.17 $ 736 General & Admin R 40.71 R 4,180 $ 2.71 $ 279 Process R 154.52 R 15,864 $ 10.30 $ 1,058 Total OPEX Cost R 574.62 R 58,994 $ 38.31 $ 3,933 4E Cash Costs before and after Credits and Costs Item US$/oz 4E in Concentrate Life-of-Mine Average 5-Year Average 2022 - 2026 10-Year Average 2022 - 2031 Mine Site Cash Cost 389 390 374 Nickel Credits Copper Credits 98 42 97 40 98 40 Total Mine Cash Costs After Credits 248 253 236 Realisation cost (smelter "cost", transport) 232 224 231 Total Cash Costs After Credits 481 477 467 Financial Results Three Year Trailing Average Price Deck 15R/1USD Flat Item Discount Rate ZAR Millions (Before Tax) ZAR Millions (After Tax) USD Millions (Before Tax) USD Millions (After Tax) Net Present Value Undiscounted 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 14.0% 36,096 18,213 12,666 8,565 5,519 3,249 1,555 25,042 11,883 7,808 4,805 2,584 939 -278 2,406 1,214 844 571 368 217 104 1,669 792 520 320 172 62 -19 Internal Rate of Return Project Payback Period (Years) from 2017 16.6% 10 13.5% 10 16.6% 10 13.5% 10 Investment Bank Consensus Price Deck Item Discount Rate Before Tax (ZAR M) After Tax (ZAR M) Before Tax (USD M) After Tax (USD M) Net Present Value Undiscounted 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 14.0% 45,781 24,180 17,426 12,402 8,641 5,812 3,676 31,946 16,184 11,263 7,610 4,884 2,842 1,311 3,052 1,612 1,162 827 576 387 245 2,130 1,079 750 507 325 189 87 Internal Rate of Return Project Payback Period (Years) from 2017 19.8% 9 16.3% 9 19.8% 9 16.3% 9 Sensitivity Analysis - Post Tax Three Year Trailing Average Price Deck 15R/1USD Flat Parameter Change in Parameter Change in Parameter Change in Parameter Change in Parameter Change in Parameter Metal Prices IRR (post-tax) NPV (8% Discount) (R000) NPV (8% Discount) ($000) -20% 5% -2,467 -164 -10% 10% 1,211 67 0% 13.5% 4,805 320 10% 17% 8,344 556 20% 20% 11,854 790 Head Grade IRR (post-tax) NPV (8% Discount) (R000) NPV (8% Discount) ($000) -20% 6% -1,513 -101 -10% 10% 1,562 104 0% 13.5% 4,805 320 10% 16% 7,562 504 20% 19% 10,505 700 Capex IRR (post-tax) NPV (8% Discount) (R000) NPV (8% Discount) ($000) -20% 17% 8,161 544 -10% 15% 6,484 432 0% 13.5% 4,805 320 10% 12% 3,109 207 20% 10% 1,395 93 Opex IRR (post-tax) NPV (8% Discount) (R000) NPV (8% Discount) ($000) -20% 18% 7,435 496 -10% 16% 6,121 408 0% 13.5% 4,805 320 10% 12% 3,246 216 20% 10% 2,124 142 CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY The immediate next steps for the Waterberg Project are the development of a mining right application and working towards a FS. The PFS specifies that the project will utilize an EPCM contractor and a mining contractor for the development of the mine, overseen by an experienced in-house Platinum Group owners' team. Initial development is planned with contractors with a later takeover for mining by an owners' team. Equipment operators will be trained at an existing MQA certified training center developed and owned by Platinum Group. PLANNED MINING METHODS The mining blocks of the Waterberg deposits occur at depths from 140 meters to 1,250 meters along 8,000 meters of strike length of reserves. The deposit is known from drill intercepts to continue below 1,250 meters and to extend for over 13,000 meters of strike length. Access to the mining complex is planned by three decline ramp clusters. Decline ramps have advantages over vertical shafts in terms of capital cost, and importantly, time. Declines to the depths of the top of the Waterberg deposit can be developed over 24-36 months whereas vertical shafts, shaft infrastructure and equipping can take six to seven years. Mining will be completed by safe, efficient fully mechanized methods and the dip and thickness of the zones are driving the mining method selection. A fleet of approximately 400 trackless machines including drill rigs, loaders, dump trucks and other trackless machines will be used for mining and development. A minimum mining width has been set at three meters so that all mining can be fully mechanized, safe and efficient. Mining Method Vertical Mining Height Dip of the Reef Key Advantages Blind Longitudinal Retreat 3 - 15m 35 On reef development. Good grade, extraction. Sub-level Open Stoping - Longitudinal 3 - 15m >35 On reef development. Good extraction. Bulk and low cost. Sub-level Open Stoping - Transverse >15m >35 Bulk method. High efficiency, large tonnage, good extraction, ultra-low cost. Portal and Underground Layouts (October 17, 2016) The mine utilizes a large supply of new mechanized trackless mobile equipment for mining and feed ore onto large conveyors from underground to the processing plant. The mine will rely on both the T and the F reef from more than one portal to make the tonnage profile steady state of 600,000 tonnes per month. METALLURGICAL RECOVERY AND PROCESSING The flotation test work indicated that the Waterberg ores are amenable to treatment by conventional flotation without the need for re-grinding. A standard flotation concentrator can be used to produce a saleable concentrate, at a 4E grade of no less than 80 g/t, with no deleterious products. A 4E recovery rate in excess of 80% is expected at the proposed mill feed grades. Metallurgical test work on the Waterberg ores by SGS, Mintek and DRA has focused on recovery of 4E platinum group elements and copper-nickel sulphides with the objective of producing a high grade concentrate attractive for smelting in South Africa. The processing plant is designed in two 300,000 tonne/month Mill-Float in two cycles "MF-2" standard platinum industry modules for ramp-up and operational flexibility. A JOGMEC reagent circuit with some opportunity for increased recovery has also been tested. The plant modules are designed to accept T reef, F reef or a blended combination. The ore types can be co-mingled without negatively affecting recoveries. INFRASTRUCTURE The main infrastructure requirements for the Waterberg Project are access roads, tailings storage, water management, power supply and process plant to service and treat the targeted mine production. The Waterberg Project is situated in a remote area and will require approximately 32 km of existing unpaved roads to be surfaced. BULK WATER SUPPLY A combination of sewage effluent together with groundwater is considered the most viable solution to meet the proposed mining schedule. Several available options were considered including a pipeline to be developed for several users to the south, including for other proposed and active mines. This option was not chosen as it is considered to have greater risk due to the large number of parties involved. Sufficient water sources for the project were identified and early discussions for the preferred arrangements were positive. BULK POWER SUPPLY The updated electricity supply plan compiled by Eskom provides for the establishment of two 77 km long 132kV overhead lines from the Eskom Burotho 400/132kV main transmission substation. The development of the abovementioned infrastructure will be done in conjunction with Eskom on a self-build basis and this work is already in an advanced stage including the application for permits for the proposed power line. METALS MARKETS AND OFFTAKE The Waterberg Project will produce a flotation concentrate from the processing plant which is assumed to be sold or toll treated into the local South African market. Production of up to 285,000 tonnes of concentrate per annum will be available at peak production. The concentrate will contain approximately 80 g/t 4E's plus copper at between 1% and 9.2% and nickel at between 1.1% and 5% copper. The concentrate does not contain any penalty elements such as chrome and is rich in sulphur, thus making it a desirable concentrate to blend with other high chrome concentrates. No formal marketing studies have been conducted for this study nor have the local smelter and refinery operators been formally contacted to understand the appetite in the local industry to treat the concentrate to be produced from the project. Informal indications from smelters are that the concentrate is attractive. Based on the large volume of concentrate and the significantly lower operating cost of the metal without the smelter discount, the consideration of production of an onsite smelter matte or combination with other Northern Limb material for further critical mass is recommended. The company will consider this recommendation with its partners JOGMEC and Mnombo. LABOUR, SOCIAL AND PERMITTING The Waterberg Project will create safe long term jobs with transferable mechanized equipment operations skills for a large part of the work force. The increased safety and ability to create good paying well trained jobs is an attractive community benefit. The social license to operate has been a focus of the company with ongoing positive meetings and interactions. The next stage of the project will involve the development of a Social and Labour Plan as part of the mining right application. The project involves normal measures for the protection of the environment similar to other platinum mining operations. 2016 AND 2017 PROGRAMS FUNDED During 2015, JOGMEC committed to fund US$20 million of project work at Waterberg. Approximately US$8 million of that commitment remains to be completed and will fund 100% of the costs for the balance of 2016 and into 2017. QUALIFIED PERSONS The following Qualified Persons have completed work in preparation of the PFS and are responsible for the contents: Independent Engineering Qualified Person: Mr. Robert L Goosen (B.Eng. (Mining Engineering)) Pr. Eng. (ECSA) Advisian/WorleyParsons Group Mr. Robert L Goosen (B.Eng. (Mining Engineering)) Pr. Eng. (ECSA) Advisian/WorleyParsons Group Independent Geological Qualified Person: Mr. Charles J Muller (B.Sc. (Hons) Geology) Pr. Sci. Nat. CJM Consulting (Pty) Ltd Mr. Charles J Muller (B.Sc. (Hons) Geology) Pr. Sci. Nat. CJM Consulting (Pty) Ltd Independent Engineering Qualified Person: Mr. Gordon I. Cunningham B. Eng. (Chemical), Pr. Eng. (ECSA), Professional association to FSAIMM Turnberry Projects (Pty) Ltd. This press release has been reviewed and approved by R. Michael Jones, P.Eng., a non-independent Qualified Person and the CEO of the Company. He has verified the technical information for disclosure in this press release by reviewing the work of the QPs on a test basis, visiting the site and meeting with the project QPs through the development of the PFS. DATA VERIFICATION, QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CONTROL Scientific and Technical Information in this Press Release related to mineral resources has been reviewed and approved by Charles J Muller, (BScHons) Pr Sci Nat (Reg. No 400201/04), an independent consulting geologist and resource estimator of CJM Consulting, an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 -Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). He has verified the data by reviewing the detailed assay and geological information and metallurgical work on the Waterberg deposit. He is satisfied that the data is appropriate for the resource estimate by reviewing the core, assay certificates and quality control information as well as reviewing the procedures on sampling, chain of custody and data base records of the Platinum Group exploration team. Base metals and other major elements were determined by multi acid digestion with Inductively Coupled Plasma ("ICP") finish and PGEs were determined by conventional fire assay and ICP finish. Setpoint Laboratories is an experienced ISO 17025 SANAS accredited laboratory in assaying and have utilized a standard quality control system including the use of standards. Bureau Veritas South Africa and Genalysis of Australia with similar standards and approaches have been used for assays and umpire checks. Platinum Group utilized a well-documented system of inserting blanks and standards into the assay stream and has a strict chain of custody and independent lab re-check system for quality control. Details are available in the NI 43 101 reports on the project at www.sedar.com and www.platinumgroupmetals.net. The independent QPs for the PFS (CJ Muller, GI Cunningham and RL Goosen) have visited the Waterberg property for personal inspection during 2016. Mr. RL Goosen last visited the site on 13 October 2016, Mr. GI Cunningham on 13 October 2016 and Mr. CJ Muller on 29 March 2016. They all have undertaken due diligence with respect to the PTM data. Other than as specified below they jointly take responsibility for the report. Charles J Muller - Geology and Mineral Resource Estimation Robert L Goosen - Reserve Estimation, Mining and Infrastructure Gordon I Cunningham - Metallurgy, Metals Markets, Offtake, Capital cost and financial model The QPs have verified the data sufficiently for the reporting of resources, reserves and this Pre-Feasibility Study. The QPs have reviewed and approved their relevant section of this press release. OPPORTUNITIES The company plans to work towards optimization of the mine plan, development plan and waste development plan for ventilation with the objective of reducing sustaining capital in the FS stage. Further drilling will be completed with the objective to upgrade some of the resources and the deposit remains open. A longer mine life will also be targeted in the high grade T reef areas. High grade thickness areas in the F reef will also receive targeted drilling with the objective of increasing definition for the FS mine plan. Further metallurgical work will be completed in the FS including the potential for increased recoveries using the JOGMEC circuit. The Waterberg concentrate is attractive for smelting and is of large strategic scale importance to the industry. RISKS The project at a PFS stage has all of the normal mining projects risks including but not limited to, estimation risk for the resources and reserves, recovery risks, capital cost and operating cost estimation risks, permitting and community and surface rights access risk. Government regulation stability and amendments of the fiscal regime is an additional risk. Waterberg is a large green-fields project and final off-take of the proposed metal is yet to be negotiated for a large volume of concentrate. ABOUT PLATINUM GROUP METALS LTD. Platinum Group, based in Johannesburg, South Africa and Vancouver, Canada, has a successful track record with more than 20 years of experience in exploration, mine discovery, mine construction and mine operations. Formed in 2002, Platinum Group holds significant mineral rights in the Bushveld Igneous Complex of South Africa, which is host to over 70% of the world's primary platinum production. The Company is currently focused on ramping up the Maseve Mine, its first near-surface platinum mine, to commercial production. Platinum Group has expanded its exploration and development efforts on the North Limb of the Bushveld Complex on the Waterberg Project. Waterberg represents a new bulk type of platinum, palladium and gold deposit. On behalf of the Board of Platinum Group Metals Ltd. "R. Michael Jones" President and CEO Disclosure The Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE MKT LLC have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this news release, which has been prepared by management. This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, the projections and assumptions relating to future events that are contained in the PFS, including, without limitation NPV, IRR, costs, potential production of the Waterberg Project and other operational and economic projections with respect to the Waterberg Project; future activities at Waterberg and the funding of such activities; trends in metal prices; potential future market conditions; the Company's overall capital requirements and future capital raising activities, plans and estimates regarding exploration, studies, development, construction and production on the Company's properties, other economic projections and the Company's outlook. Statements of mineral resources and mineral reserves also constitute forward-looking statements to the extent they represent estimates of mineralization that will be encountered on a property and/or estimates regarding future costs, revenues and other matters. Although the Company believes the forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including; the Company's capital requirements may exceed its current expectations; the uncertainty of cost, operational and economic projections; the ability of the Company to negotiate and complete future funding transactions; variations in market conditions; the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located; metal prices; other prices and costs; currency exchange rates; the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities; the Company's ability to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, or to be fully able to implement its business strategies; and other risk factors described in the Company's shelf prospectus and registration statement, Form 40-F annual report, annual information form and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulators, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com, respectively. This press release also includes a reference to mineral resources and mineral reserves. The estimation of resources and reserves is inherently uncertain and involves judgement. Mineral resources that are not reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Judgements associated with geology, tonnage grades in place and that can be mined may prove to be unreliable and inaccurate. Fluctuations in metals prices, exchange rates, labour costs and government regulations among other things may materially affect resources and reserves. The company does not yet have a right to mine the reported resources and reserves and there can be no assurance that the company will convert its prospecting permits to a mining right. Cautionary Note to U.S. and other Investors Estimates of mineralization and other technical information included or referenced in this press release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. The definitions of proven and probable reserves used in NI 43-101 differ from the definitions in SEC Industry Guide 7. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. As a result, the reserves reported by the Company in accordance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. In addition, the terms "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" are defined in and required to be disclosed by NI 43-101; however, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Additionally, disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian securities laws; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measurements. Accordingly, information contained or referenced in this press release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. VANCOUVER, Oct. 19, 2016 - Orex Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: REX OTCQX: ORMNF) ("Orex"), is pleased to announce that the Phase-III diamond drilling program on the Sandra Escobar Project in Durango, Mexico, has been completed up to hole SA-16-062. Results for holes SA-16-054 to SA-16-060, drilled in the Main and Cerro Chato Zones in the southeastern region of the project, are presented in the table below. Drilling for Phase-IV is due to start in early November. The Sandra Escobar Project is being advanced by Orex under an option agreement with Canasil Resources Inc. (TSX.V: CLZ) ("Canasil"). Highlight for this batch of holes is SA-16-057 in the Main Zone, which yielded 41.00 metres core length (33.58 m true thickness) grading 108 g/t silver, starting 45 metres below surface. This includes 11.00 metres core length (9.01 m true thickness) grading 237 g/t silver. Holes SA-16-054 and 055 are reconnaissance holes on the eastern side of the Cerro Chato Zone, which confirms that the favourable horizon in this area is silver mineralized. Holes SA-16-057 to 060 are from the southern side of the Main Zone. Additional activities on the Sandra Escobar exploration program include an Aeromagnetic and Radiometric Survey being flown by Geotech Ltd. and an initial Resource Estimate being prepared by Mining Plus, due for completion around the end of October. Metallurgical work is also being conducted, under the direction of Blue Coast Metallurgy. Initial testing shows that the native silver and silver halides are amenable to cyanidation, whereas the argentiferous manganese oxides will require a reductive leach process stage. These manganese oxides have responded well for the liberation of silver in reductive leaching during the preliminary testing phases. The metallurgical program is currently underway. Orex's President, Gary Cope says, "This is an active time for the exploration of the Sandra Escobar Project. We are encouraged by the early stage metallurgical tests and look forward to the initial resource estimate. A new phase of diamond drilling is being scheduled for November-December." Sandra Escobar Project 2015-2016 Diamond Drilling Program Holes 54 to 60 Hole From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) True Thick. (m) Ag (g/t) CERRO CHATO ZONE SA-16-054 5.00 21.00 16.00 12.26 36 Includes 9.00 13.00 4.00 3.06 48 Includes 10.00 11.00 1.00 0.77 65 (Lower Interval 1) 89.00 98.00 9.00 6.89 46 Includes 92.00 97.00 5.00 3.83 53 Includes 93.00 94.00 1.00 0.77 75 (Lower Interval 2) 128.00 131.00 3.00 2.30 31 SA-16-055 7.00 17.00 10.00 7.66 32 Includes 10.00 13.00 3.00 2.30 52 Includes 10.00 11.00 1.00 0.77 63 MAIN ZONE SA-16-056 Hole Abandoned Short of Target Depth SA-16-057 62.00 103.00 41.00 33.58 108 Includes 69.00 92.00 23.00 18.84 152 Includes 69.00 80.00 11.00 9.01 237 Includes 71.00 74.00 3.00 2.46 394 SA-16-058 101.00 115.00 14.00 11.47 28 Includes 106.00 113.00 7.00 5.73 39 Includes 108.00 112.00 4.00 3.28 50 Includes 110.00 111.00 1.00 0.82 62 (Lower Interval) 151.50 162.00 10.50 8.60 18 Includes 157.50 159.00 1.50 1.23 24 SA-16-059 52.50 55.00 2.50 2.05 24 Includes 52.50 54.00 1.50 1.23 30 (Lower Interval) 72.00 85.00 13.00 10.65 16 Includes 77.00 81.00 4.00 3.28 22 Includes 77.00 78.00 1.00 0.82 29 SA-16-060 72.00 112.00 40.00 32.76 55 Includes 78.00 101.00 23.00 18.84 69 Includes 79.00 83.00 4.00 3.29 122 Includes 80.00 81.00 1.00 0.82 185 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. TORONTO, Oct. 19, 2016 - Kerr Mines Inc. ("Kerr" or the "Company") (TSX:KER) is pleased to announce it has begun dewatering and rehabilitation activities at its flagship Copperstone Mine located in Arizona. The rehabilitation activities are consistent with Kerr's strategy to re-start production at Copperstone. "We are firmly focused on restarting operations at Copperstone," said Chris Hopkins, Interim CEO of Kerr Mines. "Completing the de-watering activities will represent a major catalyst in our efforts to unlock Copperstone's potential value. The Company has also begun developing an exploration and underground development program." The Copperstone Mine produced nearly 500,000 ounces of gold through open pit mining. Existing infrastructure which remains from this time, or which has been subsequently installed by the Company's predecessor and wholly owned subsidiary, American Bonanza Gold Corp., is considerable and serves to reduce the current capital requirements for the mine. Existing infrastructure includes a power line and substation, and three water wells, all sufficient for the proposed operations at Copperstone. Additional infrastructure on site includes offices, maintenance shops and a laboratory building (permitted tailings facility, processing facility and mill). TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Oct. 18, 2016) - Euro Sun Mining Inc., (TSX:ESM) ("Euro Sun" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has obtained a new prospecting permit from Romania's National Agency for Mineral Resources for the Stanija area, located approximately 3 kilometres east of its Rovina Valley Mining Licence, in west-central Romania. The Stanija property covers 42 square kilometres in the highly prolific Golden Quadrilateral mining district in the South Apuseni mountains. The permit is valid for three years and exploration work will begin immediately. Extensive exploration activities were conducted in the Stanija area after the modern mining law became effective, in 1998; initially from 2000 to 2004 by European Goldfields, and again by Euro Sun's subsidiary, SAMAX Romania SRL, in 2007. Based on results from this historical work, Euro Sun has already identified several exploration targets within the two target areas. Stanija Western Target Previous exploration work has intersected porphyry-style gold-copper mineralization in surface trenches, underground works, outcrop rock chip sampling, and RC and DDH drilling. Three areas within this western target will be subject to detailed geological mapping and rock chip sampling this quarter. Stanija Eastern Target Samax Romania SRL, European Goldfields and the Romanian State mining company had conducted extensive exploration within this target area which indicates porphyry-style mineralization at depth and mineralized epithermal vein-style mineralization at near surface. Euro Sun will conduct discrete soil geochemistry on these target areas with detailed surface mapping, rock chip sampling, and additional geophysics. G. Scott Moore, President and CEO of Euro Sun Mining stated, "The granting of this new prospecting permit by the Romanian Government clearly demonstrates that the country is supportive to new mining projects. We have been in continuous dialogue with the government since taking over management in May of 2016 and feel we are well aligned with respect to the ratification of our mining licence, as well as our commitment to developing a sustainable long-life mining asset in Romania. In addition, the prospectivity of the Stanija area is enhanced by its proximity to our Rovina Valley Project for which a feasibility study is planned in 2017." Figure 1 - Stanija Prospecting Permit Location is available at the following link : http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1072978_fig1.pdf Recent Corporate Developments In September 2016, Euro Sun successfully re-launched the Rovina Valley Project with a new brand identity and website. The Company graduated to the Toronto Stock Exchange on September 12, 2016 under its new ticker symbol, ESM. In parallel with the TSX listing, the Company implemented a share consolidation, resulting in approximately 50 million shares outstanding. About Euro Sun Mining Inc. Euro Sun is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed mining company focused on the exploration and development of its 100%-owned Rovina Valley gold and copper project located in west-central Romania, which hosts the second largest gold deposit in Europe. Caution regarding forward-looking information: This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the election of directors. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.eurosunmining.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause 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. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. TOLEDO -- A Mattoon man has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first degree murder regarding the July 20 shooting death of a Mattoon man at a residence in Greenup. Lamont Mimms, 23, plead not guilty regarding the murder of Eric M. Lavaly, 22, during his preliminary hearing on Monday in Cumberland County circuit court. Mimms also pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted first degree murder, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the July 20 incident. Cumberland County State's Attorney Jonathon Braden said Illinois State Police Special Agent Scott Rhodes testified, during the preliminary hearing, about the investigation into the shooting. Braden said Rhodes reported that the incident took place at Trenten Adamson's home at 610 W. Cumberland St. in Greenup. He said the agent testified that Mimms, Adamson and Lavaly were at this residence when Kyle Covault of Casey arrived there, allegedly to sell an unspecified amount of cannabis. The state's attorney said Rhodes reported that a fight allegedly started shortly after Covault's arrival and gunshots were allegedly fired between him and Mimms. Braden said the agent testified that shots fired by Mimms mortally wounded Lavaly and wounded Covault. Braden said Mimms, who is in the custody at the Coles County jail on an unrelated charge, is scheduled to have a status hearing on the first degree murder and others charges in Cumberland County on Monday. Mimms' appointed attorney, Ed Deters, confirmed that Mimms plead not guilty to the Cumberland County charges, but declined further comment. Braden said Adamson, 27, and Laurinda McWhorter, 24, of Charleston have been arrested on charges of allegedly conspiring with Mimms and Lavaly to commit armed robbery against Covault. He said Adamson and McWhorter are in the custody of the Cumberland County jail. Braden said Covault, 22, has been charged with being in possession of a cannabis with intent to deliver and unlawful use of a weapon regarding the July 20 incident. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous will travel to Western Sahara this week as the United Nations works to ease tensions with Morocco over its mission in the disputed territory. Ladsous told reporters on Tuesday that he will hold talks in Rabat, visit the headquarters of the UN mission MINURSO in Laayoune and cross into Algeria to visit the refugee camps in Tindouf. The visit will be the first by a senior UN official since Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made a controversial trip in March, angering Morocco over his use of the term "occupation" to describe the status of Western Sahara. Ladsous described his visit to MINURSO as a "morale-boosting" exercise for the mission after Morocco cut dozens of staff in angry retaliation over Ban's use of the term. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in April demanding that MINURSO return to "full functionality" but not all 75 staffers are expected to go back. A review of the staffing is under way and some of the mission's work could be handled by the UN regional hub, a senior UN official said. The United Nations announced in August that UN envoy Christopher Ross was prepared to travel to the region for talks on ending the decades-old conflict over Western Sahara. That trip is "still under discussion," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, adding: "To say that Western Sahara is a complex and complicated issue would be an understatement." Ban is due to return to Morocco in November to attend the COP22 conference on climate change in Marrakesh. The council met behind closed doors on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Western Sahara, but there was no concrete outcome to the discussion. MINURSO was established in 1991 after a ceasefire ended a war that broke out when Morocco sent troops to the former Spanish territory in 1975 and fought Sahrawi rebels of the Polisario Front. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, declared by the Polisario in 1976, is a full member of the African Union. Morocco maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of the kingdom despite UN resolutions that task MINURSO with organizing a referendum on self-determination. The aggrieved flagbearer of the All People's Congress (APC) Hassan Ayariga has described Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a comedian. Nana Addo is a comedian, the disqualified pizza maker, whose aspiration to occupy the seat of government the Flagstaff House was cut short by the Electoral Commission spewed. Speaking on Starr Chat Wednesday, Mr. Ayariga jabbed the New Patriotic Party flagbearer, saying he is not fit to be at the presidency. If I were him I will retire. Anybody at the age of 72 would have retired, the former leader of the People's National Convention (PNC) during the 2012 elections told host Bola Ray . He, however, noted he is on good terms with the former foreign affairs minister and they have always had a hale and hearty chat anytime they meet. Ayariga described his disqualification by the Electoral Commission as painful. I'm not a happy man when it comes to things that I do right and somebody will disqualify us. According to him, the EC has woefully erred in disqualifying him as his party is the most vibrant political party in the country. He said the APC has 240 constituency offices across the country with 30 branded pickups, 10 regional offices, and a national office and that the APC is the only party that satisfies the constitutional requirements of the EC. -starrfmonline The ruling NDC has reacted to the hooting at President John Mahama by some NPP supporters at Kokompe in Accra, saying the party will not descend to the level of the opposition party. Hundreds of traders and residents in the NPP stronghold on Tuesday shocked the President by waving the change sign when he stormed the area to campaign. The bewildered President had no choice than to wave at the charged crowd from the roof of his SUV vehicle as the traders continuously rolled their hands to signal change; a slogan of the opposition New Patriotic Party. A video of the incident has gone viral. Reacting to the development, the campaign coordinator of the NDC Kofi Adams said the crowd was motivated by the teachings of their flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo. Look, if that is the way well do our politics then Nana Akufo-Addo cannot go to all places in this country to campaign. Because there are NDC supporters everywhere, when we got to Kokompe there were huge NDC supporters following President Mahama but the indiscipline Nana-Akufo Addo has preached to his supporters led them to misbehave towards the president, Adams said. He added: We were just passing through the area, where the incident happened is a known NPP spot as they had hoisted a big flag of Akufo-Addo, so clearly the people were NPP supporters who wanted to embarrass the President. But just as Michelle Obama said. When they go low, we go high, when they do their all-die be-die stuff, well show them that we are matured and we do clean politics. A Deputy General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho is continuing with his relentless attack on Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. In his latest diatribe, he called the NPP Vice Presidential candidate Dr. Mahmudu Bawumia an incompetent liar who does not deserve to be made Vice President of Ghana. Speaking at the Ashanti regional launch of the NDC's campaign Saturday, Mr. Anyidoho said what Dr. Bawumia knows best is spreading lies and falsehood in his attempt to make the NPP look good. Dr. Bawumia, a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana appears to be a thorn in the flesh of the governing party. His constant reference to President John Mahama's administration as incompetent has irked leaders of the NDC greatly. He has over the years held a series of lectures on Ghana's economy, repeatedly pointing out that things are going in the wrong direction. Largely opposition elements call him a prophet because he has previously correctly predicted unpalatable economic outcomes which were dismissed by government but which turned out exactly as he projected. In an election year, Dr. Bawumia's comments on the economy not only frustrate but anger the NDC a great deal. He has thus become the target of harsh criticism and even plain insults from his opponents who insist that his analysis are voodoo and grand deception. Recently President John Mahama himself challenged Dr. Bawumia to tell Ghanaians the cost of the redenomination of the local currency undertaken by the Kufuor government in 2007 when he was Deputy Governor of the Central bank. Bawumia responded saying the request proved the President was incompetent since in his view the information was readily available. Speaking at the NDC's Ashanti Regional campaign launch in Kumasi, Mr. Anyidoho said Dr. Bawumia reeked of lies. He claimed the Deputy Governor (who was not known to be NPP at the time) gave a contract to a brother of the NPP's flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo and paid him huge sums. He composed a song in Hausa in which he described the respected economist as a foolish man. Story by Ghana I Myjoyonline.com The running mate of the New Patriotic Party says the governing National Democratic Congress cannot claim to love northerners when it misappropriates funds meant to alleviate poverty in the north. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said a government that runs down the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority a policy initiative meant to arrest the poverty situation in the northern parts of Ghana; "steals" the money meant to execute the policy cannot profess to love people from northern descent. He was reacting to accusations by some officials of the governing National Democratic Congress that the NPP does not respect people from the North. With some 50 days to go for election 2016, the Northern region undoubtedly remains a key battle ground for the front runners in the election. The General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia while addressing party followers in Tempane in the Northern Region said it is only the NDC that does not discriminate against any Ghanaian. He accused the NPP of discriminating against northerners and using Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a northerner as a 'trojan horse' to cover up their discrimination. But NPP and Dr Bawumia have responded, chronicling a tale of policies that have gone bad or riddled with corruption and misappropriation of funds. The NPP running mate told supporters of the New Patriotic Party in Buipe in the Northern Region that the NDC cannot be trusted because its record in the north is nothing to write home about. "John Mahama is a northerner, but what happened to the SADA money? Who 'chopped' the SADA money? Is it the NPP" he asked a crowd of energetic partisan supporters. "If they loved northerners they wouldn't have chopped the SADA money. They say they love the northerners but they have not paid school feeding grants for two terms for schools in the northern region. Do they love us?" he asked again to which the crowd said No. "They say they love the northerners but who chopped the GYEEDA monies? They say they love the northerners but who has refused to pay teacher trainee allowances. "They say they love northerners but they only love their stomachs," he stated to a rapturous applause by the crowd. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah Former President Jerry John Rawlings is not happy with elements in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who are allegedly baying for his blood. He is surprised that recent attacks on him have been orchestrated by people within the NDC, the party he founded. The ex-President cited the recent petition presented by the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) leader, Henry Lartey to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) asking them to investigate circumstances under which he (Mr Rawlings) reportedly received an amount of $5 million from the late Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha, as gift in 1998. Mr Rawlings says his own people in the NDC are behind the ploy to sully his hard-won reputation. Concern According to him, About three days before his drama [Henry Lartey went to file the petition], I got information that he was going to be financially rewarded for what he did and incidentally he was instigated not by people in the opposition. Mr Rawlings disclosed this when members of the Queen Mothers' Foundation of Ghana paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Accra yesterday. An obviously unhappy Jerry Rawlings wondered, Why are people worried about the level of integrity we've tried to maintain? We say we are Christians; we swear on the Bible, Muslims on the Koran. He, therefore, threw an open challenge to Henry Lartey and anyone who thinks he has done anything untoward to avail themselves so that they go the spiritual way to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of their claims against him. Challenge I'd like to invite people like him [Henry Lartey] that we go traditional as well. That we invite the white man's technology (lie detector) to also come and verify the truthfulness, the integrity of my word. And for him to be simply asked who paid him to do what he did, the former president fumed. That, he said, was because the culture of disrespect which has engulfed the Ghanaian society has compromised its peace and made it vulnerable. When we used to exercise a culture of respect in the past there was a thick layer of peace, which could not be compromised that easily. Today that layer of peace is so thin a little provocation is all it takes to get matters out of hand, he underscored. Mr Rawlings had admitted that, indeed, he received money from the late Nigerian dictator, Sani Abacha, but maintained that it was $2 million and not $5 million as earlier speculated by the media. Mr Rawlings had similarly expressed concern about a publication in the Africawatch magazine alleging that he has Parkinson disease, saying that the publication was engineered by elements in the NDC who want to embarrass him. Mission The queen mothers, who were led by Mamaga Noviode of Sogakope in the Volta Region, had gone there to express concern about the poor quality of political discourse and abusive language used against eminent persons in the run-up to the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 7. The rest included Nana Akyembaku Mansa from the Central Region, Nana Ama Serwaa from Ashanti, Nana Akua Gyasiwaa from Eastern, Mamaga Maamele from Klikor in the Volta Region and Abesewaa Hemaa, Nana Afia Gyamaa Pinsan. Worry They were particularly concerned about the negative attacks on former President Rawlings, mostly from members of his own party and wondered whether those lending their voices to such contemptuous speech had forgotten the role he played in Ghana's political development. Mamaga Noviode said, We have come here to plead with you to exercise extreme patience and restraint and not allow such attacks to compel you to respond in anger. Charge They have since charged the NDC to publicly reprimand members who show disrespect to the founder of the party to prove that they value the role he played in the establishment of the party. Touching on the issue about peace before, during and after the elections, the former president said the 2016 elections would be a real test of Ghana's resolve and issued a note of caution to all stakeholders to ensure that the process is free and fair in order to guarantee post-election peace. We've been able to exercise the necessary restraint through quite a number of elections. This one is going to be a real test and I can only appeal once again that we make it as free and fair as we possibly can in order to maintain the peace, he emphasized. Mr Rawlings indicated that to guarantee a result that would be acceptable to all nobody should attempt to misbehave or do anything fraudulent. He expressed his gratitude to the traditional rulers for the visit and showing concern and asked them to call for free and fair elections to guarantee the peace. Also present at the meeting were Reverend Professor Richard Lawson, a member of the NDC Council of Elders, as well as Adams Guma, former District Chief Executive (DCE) of Walewale. By Charles Takyi-Boadu 19.10.2016 LISTEN By Ken Sackey/Benjamin Mensah, GNA Accra, Oct 19, GNA - The minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus in parliament on Tuesday accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of being fraudulent and corrupt in fixing the recent cocoa producer price of GH 475 per bag for the 2016/2017 crop year.. The NPP described the price as rather low, adding that instead of admitting to the widespread discontent and offering the long-suffering farmers a price closer to GH 600 per bag of 64 kilogrammes (kg) each, the government had resorted to propaganda. Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minority Spokesperson on Cocoa Affairs, addressing a press conference at Parliament House, in Accra, said: 'The low producer price they are paying to cocoa farmers is as a direct result of the fact that the gross proceeds from cocoa exports are riddled with fraud and corruption perpetrated by the NDC government. 'That is the real reason why they are not providing sufficient incentives to farmers by giving them a remunerative price.' He alleged that in the cocoa growing areas of Sefwi, Nzema, Brong-Ahafo, Ashanti, Akuapem, Kwahu and Volta, NDC propagandists were going round with rumours that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP presidential candidate, had not co-operated with international banks to attract higher cocoa producer price. Rather, President John Dramani Mahama signed the document, Dr Akoto said, adding: "The NDC are attempting to shift the blame for the slave-wage cocoa prices from themselves to the innocent NPP flag bearer. Dr Afriyie Akoto said the claim by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) that it spent more than $838 million in 2015/2016 importing and distributing fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals for cocoa farmers needed to be verified. Besides, he said, another claim that the $ 150 million was spent on cocoa roads needed to be explained. "It would be important for COCOBOD to provide the names and locations of the farmers and the quantities of fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides and other chemicals supplied to them," he said. Dr Afriyie Akoto attributed the massive leakage of imported chemical inputs to smuggling to neighbouring countries which had denied farmers the much needed inputs and reduced their yields. He also said the leakage had cut the amount available "to pay remunerative prices to cocoa farmers", adding that chemicals, which had been imported and distributed to farmers, had not been tested. The NPP said, in spite of the huge amounts involved in the construction of cocoa roads, the contracts for the construction and maintenance of roads in cocoa producing areas were sole sourced with inflated quotations. GNA A NOTE FROM PENNY: I'm on vacation this week -- probably doing fall yard work (yee haw), so here's a column originally published on July 29, 2010. To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out what all the hullabaloo is about in Arizona regarding illegal immigration. Of course, when I hear or read someone preface something with "to be honest," I always wonder if that means they're not being honest anytime they do NOT start out a comment that way. Personally, I'd say either you're honest or you're not; you shouldn't have to point out that something you say is being said honestly. But I digress. I think the judge who, on Wednesday, put the kibosh on some of the most controversial parts of the new Arizona immigration law probably steered the state clear of a good bit of violence had the measure taken full effect as scheduled today. But I don't get the big uproar to begin with. The laws this country needs to deal with immigration already are in place. Sure, they're imperfect. A law-abiding person who wants to become an American shouldn't have to shovel through years of government red tape in order to do so. And, certainly, not just anyone who hobbles up on our shores -- possibly carrying a shaving cream can full of plutonium or a toothpaste tube with the bubonic plague in it -- should be able to be stamped "American" before their swim trunks dry. But if our hapless government could just get its act together long enough to enforce the laws on the books, Arizona wouldn't have its collective boxers in a wad. We have rules for a reason. I bet your mom told you when you were a kid not to touch a burner on the stove 'cause it was hot. I'll even go so far as to say that it is probably a rule in every household that youngsters don't touch stuff cooking on the stove so they don't get burned. Ah, but you were a little rebel, weren't you? You didn't quite believe Mom's warning that you'd fry a finger against the side of the spaghetti pot if you touched it. So, when she turned her head to call everyone else to the supper table, you reached out that tiny little index finger and touched the hot pan on the stovetop. Well! Mom was right and you jerked that digit away from the heat faster than your fat Uncle Fred reached for the plate of bacon at Sunday morning brunch. Then you braced yourself for Mom's "I-told-you-so" look. See? Good moms are always right. Ignore the rules, and you'll have a singed fingerprint or two. Try driving on the left side of the road on your way to work today (OK, for that one knucklehead out there -- I'm kidding; don't really do it; just imagine it). You can picture the chaos that will cause. And if the cops ignore you -- laughing at the honking and screeching of tires as you go by the doughnut shop, before they bite into a second apple fritter -- the craziness will just get worse ... a society headed toward anarchy because you steered your Pacer to the curb on the left. Rules = reasonable order in the world. Ignoring the rules = a path toward chaos. Let's say you schedule a meeting for 10 a.m. on your busy calendar. Your co-workers roll in at 10:05, 10:15, maybe even 10:25. That's going to make it hard for you to make your 10:30 appointment for a lobotomy. And, if you're late, they might let the orderly with only two fingers stitch you up. Where there are rules, there is a reason. When you schedule something, there are reasons to keep to that timeline ... not the least of which is the domino effect on the rest of your day. And when the government makes a law, there are good reasons (we hope) -- so it should be enforced. I'm not in favor of labeling every illegal immigrant a "criminal" in the sense of equating such folks with murderers, rapists, etc., only because they are in this country without proper papers. But the fact is that it IS illegal to be here without going through the correct channels. At this point, though, we can't just round up every illegal immigrant and ship them back to Timbuktu, either. It seems pretty simple to me: Put in place a process for those here illegally at this current time to become legal; give a deadline, such as the end of the year 2011, for them to at least start steps to become legal. As of Jan. 1, 2012, if you're here illegally, you know what to expect: The US will actually enforce its laws (gasp!). That allows mostly honest, hard-working folks here for a better life to become legit -- and pay taxes, and receive benefits in return, like the rest of us -- instead of remaining illegal. It also lets authorities, at least in theory, weed out The Bad Guys here illegally for nefarious purposes. I suppose some would say that plan is "amnesty." Well, we have three choices: 1., Let things go on as they are; 2., enforce existing laws on everyone, paint them all with the same brush, and overload jails with illegal folks; or 3., compromise with a plan that, yes, will let current illegals "get away" with their law-breaking status. Oh, big deal. I don't mean to throw y'all for a loop, but it's pretty plain and simple: Our government needs to get its act together. Shocked, aren't you? Never thought of that, did you? Folks who want to come to America should be able to do so legally in a timely manner that is both mindful of national security and reasonable to new citizens. It really shouldn't be this difficult. Arizona doesn't need new laws, and neither does any other state. Law enforcement needs the personnel to do what it's charged to do; and if the majority of folks don't like the existing laws, then they should be changed. Adding redundant measures is just more government waste. Maybe moms should run the country. At least then they'd have something clever to say as they warn citizens of the consequences if they don't follow the rules. "Don't come crying to me ...!" Accra, Oct 19, GNA - Mr. Kwame Amoah, the Greater Accra Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, (EC) has said there would be both manual and machine verification of voters for the 2016 Election. 'This means if a person gets disqualified by means of the verification machine, the voter would have the alternate option of manual verification,' he explained. 'Your finger print could get distorted because of a scar or some other similar interruption.' Mr. Amoah was speaking at a Capacity Building Seminar on Media Reportage for the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Accra. 'A person's finger print could easily be distorted for a legitimate reason, and that should not mean a legitimate voter should be disqualified,' he said. Mr. Amoah said the EC had laid down measures to ensure that no qualified voter was wrongfully denied his right to vote. On other aspects of the Election, he said, the EC had also gone the extra mile to ensure that election officials such as the returning and presiding officers had genuine interest in the success of the election and were not political party affiliates. He said besides selecting polling officials by standards that ensured their efficiency, these officials would also be thoroughly trained on all the critical issues that bordered on the success of the Election. Mr. Amoah said whilst party agents served the interest of their respective political parties and their presence at polling centres was legal, they had no right to cause any form of chaos. He advised political party leaders to thoroughly educate their agents on the need to be law abiding on the Election Day. 'Political parties should choose the right agents, who would express their misgivings within the confines of the law, and not stir trouble unnecessarily,' said Mr. Amoah. A collaboration between the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the European Union Project -2016, the two-day seminar was attended by a cross section of journalists from both the state and private media. GNA Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - The 25th Session of the Joint Campaign Planning Course (JCP) has been held at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra. A press release from the French Embassy in Accra copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the course was organised and sponsored by the Government of France, and was attended by 22 participants comprising Army officers and Gendarmerie from the rank of Major to Colonel drawn from West Africa, Central Africa and Madagascar. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr FranAois Pujolas, the Ambassador of France to Ghana, said the course 'shows the commitment of France to help build a better and common response at the regional level to all security challenges'. He lauded the joint participation of officers from countries in the sub-region and beyond, and commended the efforts made by the KAIPTC and the Ghana Armed Forces to support and develop the use of French language in a Defence and Security context. The course which was designed in two phases mainly focused on the practical methods of operative planning, a procedure which encompasses preparation for a joint operation at country level, the release stated. The course Director and liaison officer, Lieutenant Colonel Philippe Costes of the French Armed Forces, indicated that the objective of the programme was to encourage the use of a common language in order to facilitate planning between different armies engaged in a regional crisis. The Ambassador later presented certificates to the students in the presence of Air Vice Marshall G.S. Evans, Commandant of KAIPTC. GNA By Laudia Sawer, GNA Old-Ningo (GAR), Oct 19, GNA - Mr Sylvester Tetteh, New Patriotic Party's (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ningo-Prampram has chided government for failing to resource the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). Mr Tetteh said it was so sad and disappointing that the NCCE lacked the needed logistics to carry out public education and engagement. He criticized the government on Tuesday when participants at an NCCE durbar at Old-Ningo expressed their disappointment at the lack of frequent public education and engagement by the Commission in the villages. The NCCE is a constitutional institution established by an Act of Parliament and its mandate enshrined in the 1992 Constitution to formulate, implement and oversee programmes intended to inculcate into the citizens of Ghana, awareness of their civic responsibilities and appreciation of their rights as a people. He charged the NCCE to boldly insist on getting the needed resources to work with since their work was enshrined in the constitution. "The work of the NCCE is enshrined in the constitution therefore they must not be afraid of political leaders", he stressed. Mr.Tetteh noted that he had a better understanding of the work and importance of the NCCE when he joined the civic club during his school days adding, the Commission's work should not be undervalued. He therefore urged government to at least provide an official vehicle to the Ningo-Prampram District office of the NCCE to facilitate workers' movement to the scattered villages and towns in the district to educate them on the December 7, general elections. Mr Tetteh also called for the provision of logistics to the Police to enable them fully monitor the elections and enforce peace in the area. He commended the Police for their professional work in the District and charged them to deal fairly with anybody who would foment trouble at the various polling stations irrespective of their party affiliations and positions. The NPP parliamentary candidate however expressed his unhappiness about the naming of Ningo Prampram among the flash points for the elections. He blamed that on the internal wrangling in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during its parliamentary primaries and advised them to desist from giving the area a bad name. Miss Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, Ningo-Prampram District NCCE Director, responding to questions from participants, said even though her outfit was logistically constrained, they organized a number of educational programmes for faith based organizations and other identifiable groups. Miss Badu expressed the hope that a request for a pick-up from the District Assembly would be met to enable them intensify their educational programmes and engagements with residents. She however pleaded with Assembly members and unit committee members, as well as the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee members to augment the effort of the NCCE by educating people in their areas. GNA By Patience A. Gbeze, GNA Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - One hundred and forty-seven (147) parliamentary candidates from five political parties and eight independent candidates are contesting the 34 seats in the Greater Accra Region in the 2016 elections. Out of the number, 119 are males and 28 females. Ablekuma West Constituency recorded the highest number of contestants - three males and three females from five political parties and an independent candidate. Six constituencies also recorded the lowest number of three candidates each - Weija Gbawe, Amansaman, Ablekuma North, Dadakotopon, Tema Central and Sege. The Weija Gbawe constituency stands out as gender active constituency as all the three Parliamentary Candidate representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) are women. Mr George Kwame Amoah, Greater Accra Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said Gbawe Weija and Ablekuma West constituencies registered three women each, the highest in terms of women who filed their candidature to contest. The analysis formed part of 'GNA Tracks Election 2016 project', which sought to sensitise the electorate on the various issues raised by political parties, elections management body (EC) and other governance institutions. The project also sought to ensure gender and social inclusion in national politics, provide voice for the youth, vulnerable groups, opinion leaders and the broader spectrum of the society, to achieve a peaceful poll on December 7. It also aimed at creating a platform to dissect the manifestoes of all political parties and provide in-depth analysis of each thematic area to the electorate to enable them to make an informed judgment. Mr Amoa said 10 constituencies namely: Domeabra Obom; Anyaa/Sowutuom; Okaikwei Central; Korley Klottey; Dadekotopon; Ledzokuku; Tema Central; Ashaiman; Adentan and Ada registered a woman each, representing the least. He said no female has filed to contest in 16 constituencies. Those constituencies are Bortianor/Ngleshie Amanfro; Amansaman; Madina; Ayawaso East; Ayawaso North; Ayawaso Central; Ayawaso West; Okaikwei North; Ablekuma South; Odododiodoo, Tema East; Tema West; Kpone Katamanso; Shai- Osudoku; Ningo Prampram, and Sege. Mr Amoa said the NDC and the NPP filed parliamentary candidates in all the 34 constituencies; Convention Peoples' Party (CPP), which filed 30 candidates; Progressive Peoples' Party, 24 candidates; eight independent candidates; the Peoples' National Convention (PNC), six candidates, National Democratic Party and All Peoples' Congress filed four candidates each. He said Great Consolidated Peoples' Party, Democratic Popular Party and United Progressive Party filed a candidate each, while the United Front Party, Independent People's Party and Ghana Freedom Party did not file any candidate in the Region. GNA By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA Wa, Oct. 19, GNA - The Centre for Advancing Rural Opportunity (CARO-Ghana), a youth led women and child centered non-governmental organisation, has called for the establishment of a sanitation fund across all districts in the Upper West Region. Such a fund, the NGO said, would enable hard-to-reach communities which do not have the resources to construct and maintain sanitation facilities such as latrines to access fund to build and maintain such facilities. Mr Salifu Freeman Kanton, the Executive Director of CARO, said this in a statement copied the Ghana News Agency on the occasion of the celebration of the Global Hand Washing Day. He said this is necessary because over the period there have been setbacks to the construction of household latrines in the quest to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in communities. Mr Kanton also called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to renew their commitment and enforce laws on sanitation in the Water and Sanitation Hygiene sub-sector especially in the Upper West Region. "It is sad to notice that 72 per cent of people in the Upper West Region are still involved in Open Defecation (OD) and about seven out of every 10 people do not have an improved sanitation facility in their homes", the CARO Executive Director said. Mr Kanton said since 2008, CARO Ghana had been working assiduously in the WASH sector in the Upper West Region through the training of over 140 stakeholders in the WASH sub-sector on proper Hand Washing with Soap (HWWS) and Household Water Treatment and safe Storage (HWTS) mechanisms in several districts in the region. "We have trained people in more than 500 communities on the construction of local hand washing facilities such as the tippy-tap, magic bottle and veronica buckets", he said. He said the NGO also trained soap retailers, food vendors, chemical sellers, under takers and natural leaders in some communities on HWWS and Hygiene practices. Mr Freeman Kanton said CARO Ghana would continue to advocate and sensitize communities on proper HWWS and the need to maintain a clean environment and ensure proper sanitation conditions in the region. GNA Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - Five organisations have signed letters of Agreement with the Food and Agriculture organisation's(FAO) Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) programme, aimed at supporting private sector in the implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA). The beneficiary organisations of the grant are the Nature and Development Foundation, Kumasi Wood Cluster Association, Ghana Timber Millers Organisation, Timber Development Division and the Resource Management Support Centre. They are expected to use the funding to undertake projects that support Ghana's VPA implementation. Ghana and the European Union (EU) signed the VPA in November 2009 to address the problem of illegal logging and trade in associated timber products. Speaking at the signing, Mr William Hanna, Ambassador of the EU delegation to Ghana, said the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) that came into force in 2013 had placed an obligation on the European private sector to ensure that their timber supplies are coming from legal sources. He said recent efforts across the EU for greater enforcement of the EUTR was driving demand for FLEGT licenses, which Ghana would soon be in a position to issue to meet all due diligence obligations under the EUTR. Mr Hanna said in anticipation of the supply of FLEGT licensed timber, there was a growing interest in the EU market in better understanding the systems, procedures and processes that result in the issuance of such a license. In this connection, there would be a visit to Ghana from representatives of EU trade associations and their membership to develop the understanding by coming to see for themselves how the system would operate. 'The decision to make this visit to Ghana is an acknowledgement of the progress that has been made here towards licensing,' Mr Hanna said. Dr Abebe Haile Gabriel Gebreyohannes, FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Africa and Country Representative to Ghana, commended government for the efforts and measures to improve the governance of the forest sector. He said the actions were bringing Ghana closer to fulfilling its commitment to implement the VPA and also bringing significant benefits to the population. Mr Gebreyohannes said eight new initiatives had been endorsed for funding in Ghana to support private-sector actions and implementation of the VPA in Ghana but the agreement being signed were for five projects. Three of these projects focus on helping the private sector to better understand and prepare to comply with the VPA requirements while the two other projects are being signed to support increased opportunities and capacity development for small-holders and artisanal millers to encourage legal production to meet the demands of markets. 'This event today demonstrates how FAO is working closely with the governmentto ensure that all of the support we can offer will have the greatest impact on the governance objective they have set for the VPA,' he said. Mr Samuel Afari Dartey, the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, said some policy issues that had remained intractable and which created stumbling block for the issuance of FLEGT license are almost resolved. He said the Commission was making sure that identified gaps were adequately addressed, not only for the purpose of issuing out legality licenses to the international market but that these technical and regulatory systems were improved to ensure better forest management and sector governance. 'At the end of the process, we want to be confident in declaring that Ghana's FLEGT licenses are issued from a well thought through and wholly credible legality assurance system,' Mr Dartey added. GNA 19.10.2016 LISTEN By Jerry Azanduna, GNA Bawku (U/E) Oct. 19, GNA - The Inter-Party Dialogue Committees (IPDCs) formed by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Bawku have been charged with the responsibility of ensuring credible, free and fair elections in the area. The Committees were inaugurated on Thursday in three districts in Bawku and these included the Bawku Municipal, Pusiga and the Binduri District Assemblies. The Committees were formed to mediate on issues of concern between political parties and to act as a buffer zone in the constituencies to stem the emergence of conflicts among political parties and monitor any breaches of the rules regarding the electoral process. The IPDCs also have a duty to investigate cases of abuse of the rules and regulations and resolve petty conflicts and misunderstandings affecting the electoral process and would also embark on issuing of joint statements on political issues to defuse tension. The membership of the IPDCs consists of representatives of all registered political parties, civil society organizations, independent governance institutions, religious groups, the media and the security agencies. Mr Roland Azumah, the Bawku Municipal Director of the NCCE, said the IPDCs would be organizing interactive inter-party fora at the district, constituency and zonal levels to initiate and sustain dialogue for stakeholders in the resolution of conflicts. He said the IPDCs would focus on deepening the collaboration among the NCCE, Electoral Commission (EC), Political parties, the Youth, Security Agencies, District Assemblies, Traditional authorities and civil society in the promotion of non-violence. Mr Daniel Baya Laar, NCCE Director in charge of the Binduri District, asked the committees to live up the task mandated them as they were mediators of peace. Mr Kofi Owusu-Asante, the Electoral Commission Officer in charge of the Bawku Municipal, outlined the electoral offences to the committee members and said it was punishable by law if anyone committed any of those offences. Some of the electoral offences include double voting, attempt to vote when one is not a registered voter, to vote in the name of another person and the obstruction and interference with the work of the electoral officials among others. Superintendent of Police, John Kusorbgor, the Bawku Municipal Police Commander, said maintaining peace in the area is a collective effort and urged the people to be law abiding. He called on them to desist from using social media platforms to spread false information that may cause conflicts. GNA By Iddi Yire, GNA Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has launched its report on political parties' electoral promises on education. The report dubbed: 'Civil Society Evaluation of Electoral Promises Under Education; Achievements, Challenges and Way Forward', seeks to track the implementation status of promises made in the 2012 National Democratic Congress's (NDC) Education Manifesto to assess the extent to which the manifesto promises have been fulfilled. It also evaluates the 2016 Manifesto promises of the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the current educational needs of the country to ascertain the level of compliance. According to the GNECC, of the numerous political parties in Ghana, the NDC and NPP, were selected because, as at the time of conducting the study, they were the only political parties contesting the December 7 Polls, whose manifestoes had been launched. The Convention People's Party (CPP), which is also participating in the Polls, is yet to launch its manifesto on Sunday, October 23. The report's evaluation covers Early Childhood, Basic Education, Secondary, Teacher Development, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Launching the report in Accra, Mr Bright Appiah, the GNECC Chair, said the manifestoes' assessment revealed that while most promises attempted to address various challenges in the education sector, a significant number of them were not linked to education priorities agreed on both national and international levels. He explained that failure to link the promises to international development frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, would have negative implications for the achievement of recommended goals and targets, which served as a guide for which strategic actions needed for the educational sector. He said with regard to the NDC 2012 Manifesto, the Coalition observed that there was a strong commitment by the NDC-led Government to expand access and improve the quality of basic, secondary and TVET. However, he said, some promises in the Manifesto were mostly not measurable and definitive, thereby making it impossible to evaluate. Mr Appiah noted that although Ghana was moving towards decentralised education management, none of the major political parties listed in its manifesto plans towards rolling out the Education Decentralisation Act, when passed into law. The GNECC Chair, on behalf of the Coalition, recommended that future manifestoes be more definitive, specific, measurable, realistic and had time-bound promises as well as a costing plans. He said the promises must take into account the available resources, more so when Ghana already committed more than five per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) into education. He, therefore, called for more emphasis on addressing improvement of learning outcomes and inequalities in the distribution of education facilities and resources. Mr Appiah also tasked political parties to consult civil societies in the development of manifestoes as that would ensure broader policy and strategic options for political parties in developing manifestoes. On the Methodology used in conducting the study, Ms Veronica Dzeagu, the GNECC National Coordinator, said in undertaking the research, the 2012 and 2016 Manifestoes of NDC and NPP and Education Policy documents were analysed. 'The relevant performance reports of government agencies and Ministries, global and regional frameworks for development of education SDGs and AU Agenda 2063 and other related relevant secondary data were also reviewed,' she said. She explained that the criteria used for the analyses included contextual relevance, practicability, measurability and compliance with the SDGs, in particular Goals Four and Five, Goals and Strategic priorities of Agenda 2063, and Ghana's own current education strategies. Ms Dzeagu said the report represented the findings of the assessment and makes recommendations on the priority areas to which attention should be given to develop education delivery as a way forward. The GNECC is a network of civil society organisations, professional groupings, educational/research institutions and other practitioners interested in promoting quality basic education for all. Formed in 1999, the Coalition has steadily grown over the years with a current membership of about 200 organisations. Its philosophy is premised on the fact that education is a fundamental human right and key to breaking the cycle of poverty. GNA By Samira Larbie, GNA Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - The World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Region has honoured Professor Francis Kwesi Nkrumah for his distinguished and diligent role in Poliomyelitis eradication initiatives in Africa. Poliomyelitis (Polio) is a crippling and potentially deadly infectious viral disease which is caused by a virus transmitted by a person to person through fecal-oral route or by a common vehicle such as contaminated food or water. Prof Nkrumah was given three awards for having served on the Africa Regional Certification Committee (ARCC), honoured by the WHO Ghana office and also as one-time chairman of the Regional Task Force on Immunization (TFI). Dr Rose Leke, the Chairperson Africa Region of Certification Commission, speaking on behalf of the Regional Director at the ceremony, said the WHO country office had also taken the opportunity to honour Prof Julius Mingle, the Chairman of the National Task Force on Containment (NTF) and Dr Fred Wurapa Chairman of National Certification Committee (NCC). Polio eradication began globally after the resolution adopted during the 41st World Health Assembly meeting in May 1988 which called on countries to get rid of the disease by 2005, however, in Ghana the eradication initiatives began in 1996 till date. Prof Nkrumah through his relentless effort together with Dr Wurapa and Dr Mingle had brought the country to its current state alongside other African countries as far as polio eradication was concerned. Prof Nkrumah served as the Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research from 1990 and 1998. Prior to his tenure at Noguchi Memorial, he was Professor and Academic Head of the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zimbabwe from 1983 to 1990. He taught medicine in the Department of Child Health, University of Ghana Medical School, beginning in 1969, and became Chairman of the department in 1980. His service as an advisor and expert to scientific and international groups is extensive. Prof Nkrumah serves as Chairman of the Taskforce on Immunization in Africa, WHO/AFRO, as a member of the Global Commission for Certification of Polio Eradication, WHO/Geneva, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET). He also served at Dar el Salaam, as a member of the Governing Board, Medicines for Malaria Venture, (MMV), and Geneva; and as a member of the Strategic Advisory Council, Children's Vaccine Program at PATH, among others Prof Nkrumah's health sector interests are health research and health development, malaria and control of tropical endemic diseases, primary health care and child survival, Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), and vaccine preventable diseases. Mr Stanley Diamenu, the Immunization Officer, WHO, said Ghana from 1996 till date reported a total of 45 mass polio vaccination campaigns throughout the country with a house-to-house strategy from 1996 to 2015 to accelerate the eradication process. He said through the 45 mass vaccination campaigns, 195,000,000 doses of oral vaccines had been administered to children aged 0-59 months with the support from WHO to facilitate the polio free certification process. Mr Diamenu said polio eradication efforts are satisfactory compared with some countries in the region. 'But with the global polio end game plan to introduce one dose of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) into the routine immunization programme is still standing though it has been put on hold briefly due to vaccine stock availability on the global market'. Prof Nkrumah expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) for giving them the opportunity to serve and the ARCC for the honour than to them. Prof Nkrumah, who has now retired, said the country must maintain the success attained in the polio eradication campaign. GNA Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - Sixteen Ghanaians have been granted scholarships to pursue Master's Degree programmes in Australia under the Australia Awards Scholarship. A statement issued by the Australian High Commission, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the awardees were part of 144 beneficiaries selected from 11 African countries. It said the beneficiaries were scheduled to undergo a two-day workshop in Accra as part of activities to help them gain valuable advice on adapting to the new culture they were going to experience. The beneficiaries would also receive recommendation on excelling in their various courses, developing professional networks and linkages as well as assistance to use their newly acquired skills and knowledge to contribute to the development of Ghana at the completion of their studies. The statement said the Awardees would join a network of more than 290 Alumni who continued to make significant contributions in sectors critical to Ghana's economic development such as agricultural productivity, extractive industry and public policy. The activities would be climaxed with an evening reception hosted by Andrew Barnes, the Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Ghana. Members of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as well as Alumni and Ghanaian Government officials would be at the reception on Wednesday. Congratulating the beneficiaries, Mr Barnes said: 'The award recipients have demonstrated the leadership potential necessary to advance development in Africa. 'Indeed, we are delighted that through our Australia Awards programme, their talent and expertise will be nurtured and that they will be in a position, on their return home, to make an important contribution to national and regional development.' Australia Awards-Africa is a programme of the Australian Government that provides postgraduate training opportunities for African professionals. It provides equal opportunity to people regardless of gender, ethnicity or disability and encourages applications from women and persons with disability. The application process is open and competitive with the latest round of Australia Awards Scholarships and Short Courses, closing on 15th December, 2016 and 15th January, 2017 respectively. GNA Location: London Job Introduction BBC World Service Group is an international multimedia broadcaster, delivering a wide range of language and regional services on radio, TV, online and via wireless handheld devices. It uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 320 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, satellite, cable channels and digital platforms. BBC Thai on Facebook was launched in July 2014 to bring impartial and balanced news to Thailand where media has been censored following a military coup. To build on its success, a news site at BBCThai.com will be launched so to make our digital news offer more comprehensive and also to further strengthen BBCs position in a market of 67 million people. A team of journalists and producers in London and Bangkok are being recruited to report on the situation in Thailand for our audience of need in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Thai Service also specialises in using Facebook Lives for special reports, and raising debates about Thailand-related topics on Google Hangouts/YouTube and engaging with many forms of social media. This is a really exciting opportunity for a Multimedia Journalist to join BBC Thai. You will be using a range of multimedia tools for reporting in Thai in search of original news source and stories for relevant online and social media outputs. Main Responsibilities Reporting to the key Editors, you will be expected to search for news or interview original sources in Thailand and Southeast Asia to get stories for BBC Thai on a daily basis. Utilising your excellent journalistic skills and experience, you will suggest new angles on existing stories, move the story on and put forward new ideas appropriate to the Service and regions style and content. You will create original and exciting material for a range of multimedia outputs such as text stories, audio bulletins and video reports for both BBC Thai online and Facebook, or other social media platforms. Taking responsibility for studio production of live and pre-recorded programmes, as well as responding to breaking stories whilst on air and resolving technical difficulties is a key part of this role. Nairobi (AFP) - A British journalist arrested in Mogadishu while on a reporting assignment has been released by Somalian security forces, his employer Al-Jazeera said on its website Thursday. Hamza Mohamed was arrested on Tuesday along with a driver, fixer and cameraman. He had been in the country for a week. Somali authorities had earlier informed Al-Jazeera that they had detained the journalist but that he had not been charged with anything. Hamza Mohamed had frequently travelled to the country over the past few years from where he had reported "with accuracy and integrity", Al-Jazeera said in an online report. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) had said Hamza and his colleagues were arrested on their return from a trip outside the capital, during which they were suspected of visiting territory controlled by the radical Islamist group Shabaab to interview senior Shabaab leaders. "Journalists are constantly caught in the crossfire of the war between government forces and Al-Shabaab's armed militants. They are either the victims of deadly reprisals by the militants or they are arrested by the authorities on suspicion of collaborating with Al-Shabaab," said RSF. RSF said the arrest came just days after the detention of Abdi Aden Guled, editor-in-chief of the daily Xog-Ogaal who was arrested on Sunday and freed on Tuesday. Somalia is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists: 45 Somali reporters were killed between 2007 and 2015, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The main threat is from Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab fighters trying to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu, however authorities are also accused of numerous violations. RSF lists Somalia as 167th out of 180 countries in its 2016 press freedom index. Location: Bangkok Job Introduction BBC World Service Group is an international multimedia broadcaster, delivering a wide range of language and regional services on radio, TV, online and via wireless handheld devices. It uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 320 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, satellite, cable channels and digital platforms. BBC Thai on Facebook was launched in July 2014 to bring impartial and balanced news to Thailand where media has been censored following a military coup. Thai Service also specialises in using Facebook Lives for special reports, and raising debates about Thailand-related topics on Google Hangouts and YouTube and engaging with many forms of social media. Main Responsibilities We are recruiting for an experienced Senior Broadcast Journalist to work across the departments output specifically within Social Media. You will take full editorial responsibility of social media newsgathering operation in BBC Thai Service, by curating, generating and editing social media contents on bbcthai.com and all platforms, Facebook, LINE, Google+, Twitter and others , as relevant to Thailand. You will help form strategic editorial development of BBC digital offering in BBC Thai, working closely with BBC World Service Digital team to implement the Digital Roadmap and to contribute to the goal of reaching 500m weekly audiences by 2022. You will report to BBC Thai Editor and East Asian Digital Editor and work with all service editors and desk editors in the region. Your main responsibilities will include leading on the production, curation and distribution of all digital content, videos, and innovative editorial projects to serve Thai audience whilst ensuring BBC Thais social media newsgathering for digital content adheres to the standards of excellence and efficiency required of BBC World Service Group, and complies fully with the BBC's editorial guidelines and objectives You will be responsible for coming up with creative and innovative ways in storytelling and implementing them for BBC Thai especially for social media consumption. 1. Comments must not be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted. 2. Comments must not involve little more than name-calling and insulting remarks. 3. Comments must not be made by "anonymous" or "unknown". 4. Comments must not try to sneak in some free advertising for themselves (like spam). I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published. The contract the Lincoln Atheists signed with Lamar Advertising called for the nonprofits billboard to go up outside of the combination Subway-Phillips 66 at 1648 South St. on Oct. 10. But a day earlier, the group's president, Brian Aden, was at the regular Sunday get-together at Meadowlark Coffee, and there it was. The Good Life without God? the sign reads. Its possible. Visit us at LincolnAtheists.org. According to Lamars statistics, the south-facing junior poster makes an average of 26,218 impressions a week. The text, printed atop an outline of the state of Nebraska, was set to be on display for a month. But then several people threatened to stop doing business at the gas station/store, and the sign's coming down early, according to correspondence between Lamars Lincoln general manager and the Lincoln Atheists. The group was told Tuesday. We are grateful for the work Lamar did for us and with us, but we are disappointed that we dont get an equal platform to share ideas, said Shawn Capler, marketing director of the atheist group. I think a group like ours is necessary because not everyone is religious, but I think everyone needs a community. Wed like to think that we provide community for those without any religious beliefs. The reason the group sought to advertise in the first place was to reach out to other atheists, said Aden. Our goal of course was never to upset any property owners or anything, he said. A day before he learned the billboard would be removed, Aden said reaction to the sign had been cordial, if limited. Surprisingly, we havent had as much feedback regarding our billboard as I expected, he said in an email on Monday. A few people had commented at LincolnAtheists.org that they were happy to see the sign. The groups Facebook page saw an uptick in members as well, Aden and Capler said. Aden said its likely that was driven by the billboard and by an article on a blog called the Friendly Atheist that has been shared this month. He said he'd gotten no negative comments about the sign. To us directly, we still havent gotten anything, Aden said Tuesday. The comments were made without ever bothering to contact us through our website. In some ways, its what I expected, to be honest. Our very existence is offensive to a lot of people. Scott Morton, general manager of Lamar's Lincoln branch, said the company must respect the wishes of landowners upon which the company leases space. At this point, were just going to refund them all of their money, even though they got some display time, he said. Morton said he and the companys staff consider free speech rights when making decisions on which organizations and companies with which they do business. They also balance those considerations with the possibility that the words on the billboards could offend passersby. Ive turned away so many messages over the last 28 years, I cant tell you, he said. In the case of the atheists billboard, the company rejected the first design submission -- a black background with the words Let God on it with the d crossed out, leaving the words Let Go visible. Soon after, the parties agreed on a second choice, the runner-up in a design contest voted on by the group's 24 members. My first choice would be to put it up somewhere else in Lincoln, Aden said. If thats not possible, were not upset at Lamar. Its unfortunate because I dont think theres anything offensive about it. Capler said the group, which incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in March 2015, will continue with its scheduled get-togethers and volunteer work. Members meet for coffee and board games and adopted a two-mile stretch of U.S. 79 near Raymond. This December, the Lincoln group and the Omaha Atheists (who put up a billboard in the summer of 2012), will have displays at the Capitol for the second-straight year. Capler said the paperwork has already been filled out. As for the billboard on private property, he said, his group is willing to let go. We have nothing to gain from that fight, Capler said. Thats beyond the scope of our organization. Were just a humble little nonprofit that wants to help people. Hai Dao, owner of the gas station, said Wednesday morning that he called Lamar on Tuesday because I had customers complain about it a lot. Prior to hearing the complaints from several of his regulars, he said, he hadnt given the ad much thought. I didnt pay attention to the sign, Dao said. I didnt know how long it had been there. In the 10-plus years he has owned, as well as worked at, the corner gas station, Dao said, he had never had shoppers threaten to take their business elsewhere because of a sign on the property. I want to make my customers happy, he said. I have my regulars, they say they love my business, but they dont like to see (the ad) out there. On Wednesday, Dao said one person had come into the store to express disappointment that the sign was removed. He said he has since considered removing the billboards altogether from the parking lot. October 19, 2016 Yosemite Realizes a Management Goal to Establish a Sister Park on Six Continents Yosemite National Park signed three new sister park agreements on Thursday, September 29, 2016 with Cumbres de Monterrey National Park in Mexico, Blue Mountains National Park in Australia, and Wadi Rum Protected Area in Jordan. Park officials joined Yosemite Acting Superintendent Linda Mazzu to sign a formal agreement between each park and Yosemite, which cemented a formal relationship as the National Park Service enters a second century of service. A goal of Yosemite National Park has been to strengthen international relations and to enhance the International Affairs program at Yosemite by establishing a sister park on six continents, excluding Antarctica. This allows Yosemite to share information and resources, learn from fellow Rangers and park managers across the globe, share best practices in park management, exchange technical assistance, and expand opportunities for collaboration in the areas of resource management. We are elated to formally welcome three new international sister parks, stated Mike Gauthier, Yosemite Chief of Staff and International Affairs Program Manager. We are excited to collaborate with our peers and bring Rangers from across the world together as we work to address many challenges facing parks and protected areas worldwide. Yosemite National Park has signed 15 sister park agreements with parks in 9 countries: Blue Mountains National Park - Australia, Torres del Paine National Park - Chile, Huangsham and Jiuzhaigou National Parks - China, Berchtesgaden National Park - Germany, Wadi Rum Protected Area - Jordan, Cumbres de Monterrey - Mexico, Lake Hovsgol and Tengis-Shishged National Parks, Ulaan Taiga, and Horidal Saridog strictly protected areas - Mongolia, Chitwan, Langtang, and Sagarmatha National Parks - Nepal, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania. This significant signing ceremony was the capstone event of Yosemites first International Symposium, titled Partners in Global Conservation. This event brought together over 60 people, including representatives from almost all of Yosemites sister parks, staff from Yosemite National Park, members of the Yosemite Gateway Community, and park partners including Yosemite Conservancy, Yosemite Hospitality, Global Parks, Nature Bridge, and Mongol Ecology Center. It also worked to build a stronger community of practice among rangers and park partners across the world. For a city so rich in history and tradition, its not so surprising Richmond, Virginia remained in the dark ages during the early stages of the craft beer movement. However, one bill quickly changed that. In the summer of 2012, a law passed in Richmond allowing breweries to finally serve customers pints in their tasting room, instead of the measly samples they had become accustomed to. Since then, a flood of breweries has opened their doors in the capital city. Despite the growth, the city is nowhere near a point of saturation. Each brewery has developed their own complementary niche with the styles they offer, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. Working together, local breweries have formed the Richmond Breweries United, helping to make Richmond a destination for beer enthusiasts everywhere. Fifteen years ago, life-long friends Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh met up at Hardywood Park sheep station in Australia. At the end of each day, the two would wind down with a glass of the park owners amber ale. Little did they know that experience would forge their future. Ten years later, the farms owner gave Eric and Patrick permission to carry on the Hardywood name in the states. While they initially wanted to open their location farther south, they fell in love with Richmonds independent restaurant scene, thinking many restaurants would be willing to take a chance on craft beer. To Patrick there was a sense of adventure in the city. He thought it was small enough to make an impact, but big enough to make a name for themselves with the brand. So, they opened Hardywood Park Craft Brewery in Richmond in 2011. Over the last few years Hardywood has been at the forefront of the Richmond beer scene, pushing the boundaries with an array of styles, many of which use locally sourced ingredients. Patrick recalls the time a local came in with a huge piece of ginger he had been growing on his farm nearby. That experience would give birth to one of their most well-known beers, Gingerbread Stout (GBS). Be on the lookout in the next month for an announcement of what Hardywood plans to drop this December. Located a mile from the only location in America where three trains cross at a single point sits a brewery owned by three friends looking to bring their love for the West Coast IPA to their hometown. Even though Triple Crossing has been pumping out a range of styles for locals since opening in 2012, the group likes to focus mainly on their hoppy treats, which are their personal favorites. While you can swing by their tasting room located in downtown Richmond to try some of their brews on-site, keep an eye out for the opening of their Fulton location, which will feature a rotating menu, both crowlers and growlers, and four-packs to take home with you. If hoppy beers arent your thing, Triple Crossing is currently working on starting a barrel program, featuring spontaneously fermented beers aged in wine barrels. A lot has changed since An Bui first opened Richmonds true craft beer bar back in 1995, a Vietnamese restaurant called Mekong. An says you would have been hard pressed to find anything other than Sam Adams back then. Nineteen years later, An opened the Answer Brewpub, connected to the restaurant that started it all with a goal to not only provide his own beers, but also showcase the beer Richmond has to offer. Despite operating on such a small system (5bbl), An has quickly made a name for himself, especially with his hoppy beers, which are offered on-site and in crowlers to take home. However, one thing that makes the Answer Brewpub unique is the Andall, a system similar to the randall. Venture in to the back of the establishment to be greeted not only by a killer tap list, but the Andall menu, what An likes to call The Art of Adjuncts. This menu features 8-10 beers that An runs through his Andall system, which is similar to the Randall developed by Dogfish Head. But unlike the Randall, An runs his beer through a keg and then directly to the line. For those that arent looking to drink big beers, the Andall pumps out sours as well. Perhaps the most well-known name coming out of the Richmond beer scene right now is The Veil Brewing Company. A little over two years ago, co-owner Dustin Durrance was making regular trips up to Vermont to score some of his favorite beers when he was connected with Matt Tarpey, who had worked at The Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, and did an apprenticeship at Cantillon. The two quickly became friends through their shared love of great beer, and one day Dustin mentioned that if Matt was ever interested in opening a brewery in Richmond (Matt and his wife are from Virginia), it would be something he could make happen. Once Matt was on board, Dustin and co-owner Dave Michelow went into brewery mode, and 18 months later, The Veil was open. Located in an industrial area of Richmond, The Veil has made a name for itself through its hoppy beers, extending the reach of the northeast IPA down the coast. Its also home to one of the more eclectic tasting rooms youll see, sporting an industrial chic vibe, covered in concrete and punctuated with chandeliers, taxidermy, and a full glass mirror behind the bar. For those visiting the brewery, The Veil offers several beers on tap for on-site consumption. While growlers are not currently an option, cans are released on Tuesdays, and if youre lucky theyll last a few days. For those of you looking to see how Matts experiences at Hill Farmstead and Cantillon will shape his spontaneous beers, youre going to have to wait a few years. In the meantime though, swing by to enjoy a cold one; we promise you wont be disappointed. Opened in December 2012 by Jay Bayer and chef Adam Hall, Saison has created a location for visitors to not only grab an excellent meal or cocktail, but also, more importantly, a great beer. The 49-seat restaurant and bar located in Historic Jackson Ward offers an award-winning beverage program with 12 rotating draft lines that take seasonality and culinary pairing into consideration. For those looking for something a little more casual, or something to take home, check out the attached market/cafe Saison Market, which is fully stocked with interesting and delicious beer. Everything on the shelves or in the cooler is available to go, but if you want to stay awhile, the market also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as espresso from their full service espresso bar. The owners of Saison are more than proud to be the neighborhood place to grab an early coffee and a late beer. The Cask Cafe and Market has been serving locals with unique beers from around the country since the fall of 2013. While the Cafe serves wine and a select food menu that features local ingredients, their main focus is and has always been beer. Located just south of Carytown, also known as SoCA to the locals, Cask is the perfect setting for craft beer enthusiasts to grab a pint and hang-out. For those that are looking to grab some beers for the weekend, Cask was also one of the first bars in Richmond to offer visitors the option to take their beers home in growlers. Jason Stein is a New York-based beer nerd. You can find more of his writing on NYC Beer Society. Vogue has endorsed a presidential candidate for the first time in the history of the publication. On Tuesday, the fashion magazine endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has hosted several high-profile fundraisers for Clinton since she announced her candidacy. Vogue has also profiled Clinton on six separate occasions, including in December of 1998, when she was on the cover. This endorsement comes because of the incredibly high stakes the magazine feels this election brings with it. Vogue has no history of political endorsements, their endorsement says. Editors-in-chief have made their opinions known from time to time, but the magazine has never spoken in an election with a single voice. Given the profound stakes of this one, and the history that stands to be made, we feel that should change. The Trump family has also been featured in Vogue numerous times throughout the publications history. Melania Trump covered the February 2005 issue, which was an exclusive on her marriage to the current Republican presidential nominee. Vogue argues that Clinton, not Trump, is the candidate of hope for Americas future in bitterly divided times. Two words give us hope: Madam President, reads the piece. Women won the vote in 1920. It has taken nearly a century to bring us to the brink of a woman leading our country for the first time. Lets put this election behind us and become the America we want to be: optimistic, forward-looking, and modern. Read Vogues full endorsement here. Louisville postdoc elected to the Board of Directors for the National Postdoctoral Association By: National Postdoctoral Association Andrew Bankston, Ph.D., postdoctoral associate at the University of Louisville Contact Amy N. Wilson Office & Marketing Manager awilson@nationalpostdoc.org Amy N. WilsonOffice & Marketing Manager End -- The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) has elected four individuals to the Board of Directors for the three-year term of service beginning on January 1, 2017: Andrew Bankston, Ph.D.; Tullia Bruno, Ph.D.; Chantelle Ferland-Beckham, Ph.D.; and Yvette Seger, Ph.D.Andrew N. Bankston, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in biochemistry, cell and developmental biology from Emory University in 2013, where he worked in the lab of Yue Feng, M.D., Ph.D. He is currently a postdoctoral research associate in the lab of Scott Whittemore, Ph.D., at the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center at University of Louisville. His research focuses on the role of autophagy in developmental myelination and myelin repair after injury. He served as chair of the NPA Outreach Committee since February 2015. Locally, he is a member of the University of Louisville postdoctoral advisory board, bringing more resources to postdocs and increasing communication between postdocs. He is also a member of the planning committee for a local career seminar series (CRAFT) which hosts speakers to provide information on the wide range of potential career options for postdocs. In addition, he is a volunteer leader and member of event planning committees within the local chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He utilizes interactions with members of the public within the society to explain the current issues faced by postdocs and their impact on the overall scientific enterprise.The directors were elected from a field of five candidates during the 2016 election, which ran from September 23, 2016 through October 7, 2016. The newly elected directors will join the following members of the Board: Tracy Costello, Ph.D.; Josh Henkin, Ph.D.; Juliet Moncaster, Ph.D.; Barbara Natalizio, Ph.D.; Marina Ramon, Ph.D.; Kate Sleeth, Ph.D.; and Jana Stone, Ph.D. The NPA's executive director, Julie Fabsik-Swarts, M.S., CFRE, CAP, serves as an ex officio member of the Board of Directors.-###-The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 educational association headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 2003, the NPA seeks to provide a national voice for postdoctoral scholars; to facilitate positive change for postdocs; and thereby to advance the research enterprise in the United States. The NPA serves the postdoctoral community, including more than 3,400 individual members and some 200 institutional members. The NPA provides support to the postdoctoral community through resources, toolkits, professional development and networking opportunities. To learn more about the NPA, visit http://www.nationalpostdoc.org With this acquisition, Okanagan brand pellets will be available this fall to retailers exclusively from American Biomass. By: American Biomass Contact Rachel Cornell 1-800-BIOMASS (800-246-6277) ***@americanbiomass.com Rachel Cornell1-800-BIOMASS (800-246-6277) End -- American Biomass and Viridis Energy Announce Acquisition of Okanagan Wood Pellets by American BiomassBedford, New Hampshire - October 18, 2016 - American Biomass Corporation Inc., a leader in wood pellet distribution, has completed its purchase of Okanagan Wood Pellets from Viridis Energy, Inc. With this acquisition, Okanagan brand pellets will be available this fall to retailers exclusively from American Biomass."We are excited to add the Okanagan Wood Pellet brand for our wholesale customers," said David Nydam, CEO of New Hampshire based American Biomass. "Okanagan is one of the highest quality brands in New England with tremendous brand loyalty from both retailers and consumers. We are proud to be able to provide these super premium pellets to the retailers throughout New England and beyond.""Okanagan Pellets have been extremely popular with our retailers and consumers alike," said Christopher Robertson, CEO of Viridis Energy. "We are very pleased that American Biomass can now build on that history with the successful transition of Okanagan to them."American Biomass will begin offering these high quality softwood pellets to retailers immediately, just in time for the peak demand in wood pellets."Interest in this brand has been extremely strong" added David Nydam. "Retailers are delighted to have this strong brand with its strong consumer following on their shelves this winter."About American Biomass - American Biomass has been a leader in the distribution of quality wood pellets to small and mid-sized retailers throughout the eastern United States for the last ten years. The American Biomass team works closely with its retail clients - handling all delivery logistics, and ensuring wood pellet procurement is a simple, trouble-free experience. Dave Cox, Middleton Idaho DUI Analyst and Consultant, recently concluded multiple DUI Seminars in Virginia, helping DUI attorneys win more DUI cases. Contact Dave Cox ***@yourduipro.com Dave Cox End --Your DUI Pro, recently traveled to Virginia to present his well-received "Winning DUI Cases" Seminar. Dave visited Roanoke, Richmond, and Virginia Beach; Virginia to deliver the seminar to some of Virginia'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 Virginia's best DUI attorneys:"Any attorney, experienced or not, who attempts to deffend a DUI, and who has not taken this course, is incompetent!"John Boswell - Crewe, Virginia"Excellent and informative. I feel better prepared to negotiate & try cases."Stephanie Pease - Abingdon, Virginia"This is the finest CLE course I have ever attended. A wealth of extremely useful information presented in an exciting and entertaining manner."Cameron W. Gilbert - Chester, Virginia"Very thorough and informative course."Steven Washington - Portsmouth, Virginia"Excellent - very useful & first rate material. I have used this seminar in the past in my cases successfully."John D. Hooker Jr. - Virginia Beach, VirginiaDave 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 Washington, Idaho, Ohio, Nebraska, Louisiana, and California. Dave will be visiting the following cities:Richland and Spokane; WashingtonLewiston, IdahoDayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati; OhioGrand Island, Lincoln, and Omaha; NebraskaAlexandria, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans; LouisianaStockton, Bakersfield, and Fresno; CaliforniaTo 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 Media Contact Dept. of Colorado Auxiliary Secretary/Treasurer ***@alacolorado.com 303-367-5388 Dept. of Colorado Auxiliary Secretary/Treasurer303-367-5388 End -- A Highlands Ranch Rock Canyon High School student, senior Sydney Marchando, has been selected to receive a $20,000 scholarship from the Samsung American Legion Scholarship Program.Sydney was sponsored by Unit 1260 Highlands Ranch to attend the 2016 Girls State Program. Sydney was a citizen of the city of Sunflower and her counselor was Marissa Sotomayor.The ALA Girls State is a premiere Americanism program that girls who have finished their junior year in high are able to attend. It is a one week course of intensive study in civics. They create their own city, county and state governments. They can campaign for political office and develop laws that are debated before the house and senate, just like on Capitol Hill.It was during attendance to at the Colorado Auxiliary Girls State in June 2016 that Sydney applied for the Samsung Scholarship.In 1966 the program was established when the worldwide electronics leader Samsung endowed a scholarship fund of $5 million to show its appreciation for U.S. veterans who came to Korea's aid during its struggle against communist forces during the Korean War. The American Legion administers the Samsung American Legion Scholarship Program, which is funded by the interest and other income from the endowment.Every year, $300,000 in Samsung American Legion Scholarships are awarded to nearly 100 American Legion Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary Girls State participants.Scholarship applications are restricted to high school juniors who attend the current session of either The American Legion Boys State or Auxiliary Girls State program and are a direct descendant - i.e. child, grandchild, great grandchild, etc. - or a legally adopted child of a wartime veteran who served on active duty during at least one of the periods of war officially designated as eligibility dates for American Legion membership.Winners are selected according to academic record, involvement in school and community activities, community service and financial need. Applicants who are direct descendants of Korean War veterans will receive special consideration.Samsung scholarships are for undergraduate study only and may be used for tuition, books, fees, and room and board.- -- -For More Information Contact Rhonda Larkowski, Department of Colorado Auxiliary - Secretary/Treasurer, phone: 303-367-5388 or Email:dept-sec@alacolorado.com Research shows region's companies more likely to suffer from cyber threats ME attacks average out at 85%, versus global average of 79% End -- Businesses in the Middle East are more likely to suffer from cyber attacks when compared to their global counterparts, says latest research. A recent report found the regional average for cyber attacks on businesses stands at 85%, compared to a global average of 79%. In line with the mounting need for cyber security in the Middle East, security intelligence and analytics firm LogRhythm will showcase its award-winning Security Intelligence and Analytics Platform at this year's installment of the GITEX Technology Week."Our primary focus is to spread awareness on the importance of innovative security intelligence and analytics. To stop attacks from resulting in a data breach or any other cyber incident, organisations need a unified view into all threats," explains Mazen Dohaji, regional director for the MENA region at LogRhythm. "Our platform detects emerging threats and neutralises them quickly and efficiently."Businesses operating within the Middle East are growing increasingly aware of the new threat landscape associated with digitisation. To bolster their cyber security capabilities and elevate the protection level of their critical information infrastructures, many are looking to step up their cyber security activities."Cyber security is an end-to-end challenge and it needs an end-to-end response. Companies in the Middle East need solutions well aligned with their businesses. Given the rapid growth of the digital ecosystem and connectivity, cyber security solutions need to be efficient, scalable and sophisticated,"adds Dohaji.LogRhythm's Security Intelligence and Analytics Platform uniquely unifies next-generation SIEM, log management, network and endpoint monitoring and forensics, and advanced security analytics. The security intelligence company will be showcasing at Exclusive Networks Middle East (Hall 1, D1-20), StarLink (Hall 1, D1-1) and Dubai Silicon Oasis (Zabeel Hall, Z-B20). PowerPlug Ltd, provider of PC Power Management solutions, is now a member of ISEA, an organization dedicated to supporting the growth of a local innovative Smart Energy industry and the adoption of Smart Energy solutions in Israel. PowerPlug Joins Israeli Smart Energy Association Contact Nimrod Yedaya, VP Customer Services ***@powerplugltd.com +1-646-7517797 Nimrod Yedaya, VP Customer Services+1-646-7517797 End -- PowerPlug Ltd, provider of PC Power Management solutions, announced today that it has joined the Israeli Smart Energy Association. ISEA strives to bring together innovators from the Smart Energy sector, creating a growing community that will work together to accelerate the adoption of Smart Energy solutions and the growth of the Smart Energy industry in the local sector.The Israeli Smart Energy Association is a non-profit organization that serves as a national platform, bringing together local and global Smart Energy players and stakeholders. ISEA's goal is to share knowledge, drive initiatives, and build partnerships through seminars, conferences & events, and by nurturing a strong networking community. "We are happy to join the growing list of ISEA members," said Eyal Yechieli, PowerPlug CEO, "we've found a strong local community in ISEA and we look forward to taking part in both their local and global Smart Energy initiatives and opportunities."In recent years ISEA has taken part in global energy events and conferences in Poland, India, Italy, Bulgaria, the United States, and more, and has offered members access to a growing global ecosystem, including cooperation opportunities with The Chinese-American Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation, UK Energy Innovation Centre, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and others. In addition, ISEA has lead the creation of the first comprehensive database of Israeli companies in the Energy industry.The Israeli Smart Energy Association is a national association representing government, private entities and NGOs who share a common goal and interest in building and developing smart energy solutions in Israel, focusing on economic growth through a sustainable future. Founding members include The Israel Electric Corporation, IBM, Siemens, and Partner Communications. Visit http://www.isea.org.il to learn more.PowerPlug Ltd, founded in 2009, is a leading provider of PC Power Management solutions for medium to large organizations. The company's mission is to reduce the environmental and financial impact of PC power consumption, cutting organizational costs and carbon emissions without any interferences to IT operations or end-user productivity. PowerPlug's software solutions lead to savings of up to 60% in PC power costs and to a significant reduction of an organization's carbon footprint.The company's leading product, PowerPlug Pro, has already been implemented by organizations with as little as 200 PCs and as many as 40,000 PCs, including medical centers, financial institutions, IT companies, universities, government agencies and more. PowerPlug Pro also includes the patented Wakeup Portal, enabling network administrators and end-users to easily turn on PCs remotely from any power state, including shutdown. Visit http://www.powerplugltd.com to learn more about PC Power Management solutions and green energy savings for businesses. Travelers now have a new option in the eco-adventures market thanks to the Eco Alternative Tours company. By: Eco Alternative Tours Contact Daniela Ramirez ***@ecoalternativetours.com Daniela Ramirez End -- Travelers now have a new option in the eco-adventures market thanks to the Eco Alternative Tours company. The company features unique and intriguing tour options in Copper Canyon, Mexico. Travelers can choose to take part in guided hikes, day trips, and stay tours and treks, all of which immerses them into the culture.Eco-Alternative Tours was started by Chunel and Daniela, who wanted to show what life is actually like in this rather mysterious region of Mexico. The tours take a look at the indigenous people found in the Sierra who are called the Raramuri. Participants on the tours will learn about the Raramuri's beliefs, culture, and language.The Raramuri people celebrate all the simple things in life and take a nature-based approach. They believe in living in a way that doesn't affect nature negatively. The idea behind these tours is that travelers experience something that they can then take back to their everyday life. It's about taking travelers deeper and really immersing them in the culture of the region.Daniela and Chunel are more than just the owners of the company they also have a strong interest and knowledge of the Copper Canyon region. They each spent time teaching workshops and art to Raramuri children who had moved to the city. The idea was to teach these children so that the skills of the Raramuri people wouldn't be lost.Chunel himself is Raramuri, which sheds all kinds of light on the tours he leads. Daniela is an anthropologist who has studied in the region. Because the tour groups they lead are small, it is a relaxed and inclusive environment where travelers are encouraged to ask questions and really delve into the culture. Some options can even be customized to fit the travelers' requests/interests.In order to give back to the Raramuri people and the Tarahumara culture, a portion of the tour sales are given back to the Raramuri.Eco Alternative Tours is currently in the running to win a rather prestigious award - the UIAA Mountain Protection Award. This internationally recognized award is given to a company or project that supports "sustainable tourist practices" within mountain regions.To learn more about the various stay tours, day tours, hiking, and the Tarahumara culture, be sure to visit Eco Alternative Tours ( http://www.ecoalternativetours.com/ ) website, or contact them at USA: 805 824-4413 or MEXICO: +52 (635) 116-6534. NioCorp Developments Ltd., the mining company that wants to extract rare metals from a site near Elk Creek, is making plans to build a pipeline that will drain its underground mine of naturally occurring saltwater and pump it into the Missouri River. The plans have set off alarm bells for environmental groups and people who depend on the river for their livelihoods, like Scott Mansker, who organizes the worlds longest non-stop river race on the river from Kansas City to St. Charles, Missouri. While no permit applications have been filed, NioCorp is getting its ducks in a row, meeting with state and federal regulatory agencies, as well as county elected officials. Were taking a careful and measured approach here, making sure we talk to everyone before we start submitting applications, said Scott Honan, Niocorps mining engineer. NioCorp wants to mine niobium, titanium and scandium. Once it's up and running, the operation would produce a pre-tax cash flow of $438 million a year. NioCorp is working on a feasibility study and confident it will have the money to get it done. The study will be shown to lenders and investors in hopes of raising the nearly $1 billion to build and operate a mine and processing facility about 70 miles southeast of Lincoln. NioCorp officials previously said the company hoped to begin construction by the end of this year, but spokesman Jim Sims said Monday mid-2017 is looking more likely. NioCorp will need to continuously drain underground water from the surrounding bedrock to keep the mine from flooding. The water is naturally brackish and locked beneath 500 feet of impermeable limestone, according to NioCorp. The water has a salt content of about 18,000 milligrams per liter, which is about half of seawaters average of 35,000 mpl. Once mixed with the Missouri River, the water will be diluted, reaching fresh-water quality within less than 5,000 feet of where it discharges into the river, NioCorp says. Mansker, who gets his drinking water from the Missouri and depends on its recreational quality for the annual paddle race, said the water would add to the many pollutants flowing into the river. On the surface, it doesnt sound like a lot of water," he said. "But its just one more pipe, one more burden on this drinking water resource we all share. Its a death by 1,000 cuts. They are a for-profit company. Theyre looking for the cheapest way to get rid of this wastewater, and the cheapest way is to dump it in the Missouri River and never hear about it again. NioCorp estimates it will increase the average chloride content of the Missouri by approximately 5 parts per million from 25 to 30 milligrams per liter, well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys acute limit for chloride in freshwater systems, which is 860 milligrams per liter, and EPAs chronic limit for chloride in freshwater systems, which is 230 milligrams per liter, the company said. Plans call for the pipeline to run east from the mine site along the Johnson/Pawnee County line, then make a short jog north into Nemaha County, ending at the Missouri River Oxbow just downstream of the Little Nemaha River confluence. Mansker said he also worries the water could become contaminated with water used in the process of extracting metals from rock. NioCorp spokesman Jim Sims said that wont happen. Plans call for keeping the bedrock water and processed water streams separate. Most water for processing will be recycled, but all excess will be treated and discharged in accordance with all applicable federal and state standards, he said. How exactly it would be disposed of is not yet known because officials are still in the planning process. Jane Kleeb, founder of watchdog group Bold Nebraska, said Nebraskans will be watching and urged NioCorp to be open with its plans. "Any time a corporation wants to dump polluted water into our rivers, citizens must see in writing the plan to ensure our drinking water is not at risk and what the process is to see the test results," she said. "The NioCorp project is known for their initial community outreach so we hope transparency and accountability continues. NioCorp hopes to build the 30-mile pipeline along existing roads, using as many existing rights of way as possible to minimize the amount of leases it must get from private landowners. The company would have to cross some private land. The 24-inch diameter pipeline would move 9,500 gallons per minute. County board members have said theyre open to the idea of using rights of way but want to see more details. The mine proposal has been popular in Southeast Nebraska, with many locals investing in the startup. Nemaha County Commissioner Marvin Bohling said the mine would boost the area economy, and the pipeline would provide tax dollars for local governments. By that, you should be supporting it, he said. Well probably go to some public input or farmer input before making a final decision (on right of way), but I dont see any big major problems with it as of now. Blockchain powered Ecocoin won the first H4ckEnergy hackathon in Groningen, Netherlands by building an IBM Hyperledger energy grid for consumers buy and sell energy. By: Stichting Hackitarians Media Contact Stichting Hackitarians ***@hackitarians.com +31639583979 Stichting Hackitarians+31639583979 End -- After a full weekend and 48 intense hours of collaboration, excitement and solution-finding, the best idea according to a jury of industry experts was a project called EcoCoin at Hackenergy 2016.The hackathon was sponsored by ENGIE Nederland, Energy Academy Europe, the City and Province of Groningen - and backed by Groningen's IBM Client Innovation Center (CIC)."It was a great event, bringing the energy transition where it belongs: with people who want to work on our future, and a great way to connect knowledge, innovation and business. We look forward to welcoming new energy business ventures and to hosting a following edition!" stated Maurits Alberda, Manager Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Energy Academy Europe.Brendon Geils (USA), Simon Appel (Germany) and Hodge Hodgson (Germany) - the three hackers from the winning team, built a Blockchain-fueled peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading system on the open source Hyperledger Blockchain managed by the Linux Foundation of which IBM is a significant partner.Similar to other projects that have been worked on for over a year, such as the Transactive Grid being built by LO3 Energy and ConsenSys in the USA, EcoCoin was constructed in 25 hours as the team spent the first day brainstorming and formulating the idea."The first night we spent the entire night brainstorming then by 11am the next day we conceived the idea," said Brendon Geils, one of the hackers. "At that point we had 25 hours left to hack - and we did it in the next 25 hours.""The use cases are various," stated Hodge Hodgson, "One is that we can bring individual producers and consumers of energy, whether that be solar or be that from combined heat and power or whatever source together and the other one is that we can whitelabel the tool for intermediaries like the utilities in order to have their foot in the door and keep customer retention."It was unsure at press time if the team would take the 5000 euro cash prize or alternatively opt to enter the startup accelerator programme called Energy Venture Lab/Startup Fast Track, backed by energy multinational ENGIE, Groningen University/VentureLab North, Hanze UAS and the Province of Groningen.But they do plan to attend Ultrahack 2016 in Helsinki in November - an international hackathon league with winners from more than a dozen other hackathons in Europe competing for a share of over one million euro in investment funds. This was arranged by Hacked in Groningen Hackathon League in partnership with Futuretournaments Oy in Finland and the Ecocoin team will receive a 1000 euro grant for travel, accommodation as well as tickets to attend the Slush festival after Ultrahack - one of the largest tech events in the Nordics.Richard Kastelein, from Stichting Hackitarians who organised the event said that Ecocoin's project was amazing and deserved to win as they really had a working prototype at the end of the event."There is a lot of fresh innovation being done in the area around peer to peer energy trading, Blockchain, AI and Iot," stated Kastelein. "And these digital nomads really grabbed onto the concept, ran with it and nailed it."Hackers from Germany, Spain, USA, UK and the Netherlands attended the event, held in Groningen, an Hanseatic student city in the Northern Netherlands and there were nine presentations in total at the end of the event.Best Design was won by Hack the Truck, Best Technology was won by Joris and Best Commercial Concept was won by UU-IoT with their James Project - and all received 400 euro in cash prizes for their work.H4ckenergy 2016 brought together the challenges faced by the world in the transition of energy with the people who have the passion and ability to solve them. Participants gathered for 48 hours to engage in a energy-related problem solving pressure cooker and workshop.The event was held at the Energy Barn on the Hanzehogeschool campus at the Energy Transition Centre (EnTranCe) and sponsored by ENGIE Nederland, Energy Academy Europe, Gemeente Groningen and the Province of Groningen, H4ckenergy was fueled by IBM and organised by Stichting Hackitarians (foundation)and part of the Hacked in Groningen hackathon league.See event website at http://www.h4ckenergy.comVideo https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=R_PijZJAe4s Press Contact: Richard Kastelein, Stichting Hackitarians, weare@hackitarians.com Castellum AB (publ) has sold 21 properties in Malmo and 7 properties in Lund. Sale price totalled 92.11m (SEK 893m), after transaction costs and deferred assessed taxes of 4.54m (SEK 44m), which is in line with the latest valuation. The properties are to be vacated by December 1st, 2016. The r... [] Clothing retailer Kenvelo opens this month a 156 sqm outlet store within Fashion House Outlet Centre Bucharest. The lease transaction reaffirms the maturing evolution of the Romanian retail market, with Kenvelo being the 11th new brand that joins the scheme since the beginning of the year. The new lease agreement [] Marriott Internationals new agreement with Chandris Hotels will mark the return of the Marriott Hotel brand to the vibrant city of Athens, following an absence of more than two years. Once the hotel completes its 13.65 million ($15 million) transformation, the Athens Marriott Hotel will debut in 2018 with 366 [] Purpose-built for customers in developing countries like India, Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa, Philippines, etc, Honda Brio was first launched back in 2011. After a long wait, Honda has finally decided to give the small hatchback a mid-life facelift, before a new generation Brio is launched by 2019/20. The facelift variant gets much-needed changes on the outside and the inside, giving the Brio a better chance to compete with rivals like Maruti Swift, Hyundai Grand i10, etc. We were in Delhi recently to test drive the new Honda Brio and here is our brief review. Exteriors In the front, new Honda Brio gets the same updates as seen on the facelifted Amaze sedan which was launched in India earlier this year. This is in the form of a new bumper, which gives the car a much sportier look than before. You also get headlight cluster with blackened border, new front grille finished in hi-gloss black with a thin chrome lip, and foglights. The side view more or less remains the same, except for the addition of new alloys, and of ORVM with turn indicators. At the rear, new Brio gets a revised tail-lamp design and an edgy tailgate spoiler. Overall, the car looks much more attractive than before. It also seems to have a larger road presence, thanks to the bulkier bumpers. Interiors Much has changed on the inside of the new Honda Brio facelift. For starters, the entire dashboard has been replaced by a more classy and premium unit which is finished in all black with faux carbon fiber as well as brushed aluminium inserts. The center dash which houses the controls to air-condition unit, as well as to the music system, is finished in piano black. The instrument panel is now a singly unit which houses three dials, unlike the three seperate pods like in the older Brio. Thanks to a larger instrument console, it is easier for the driver to access vital data while driving. Seats, Space & Comfort Dimensions of the new Brio facelift remains same as before, so does the seating and storage compartments. Front seats offer good thigh and back support. Driver seat is height adjustable. Rear seats could offer decent legroom, but could have offered more thigh and back support. Rear seats get short integrated headrests, which are not comfortable for taller passengers. Air condition takes time to cool the cabin. Speaking about storage spaces, there is enough space in door pockets, glove box, and near the gear lever to store bottles / glasses / cups and other items. Boot space is at 175 liters, which is enough to fit in two small suitcases along with some duffle bags. Engine, Transmission & Mileage New Honda Brio comes with the same engine option as before. This is in the form of a 1.2 liter iVTEC four cylinder mill which generates max power of 88 PS @ 6600 rpm and peak torque of 109 Nm @ 4500 rpm. Transmission options on offer are 5 speed manual as well as a 5 speed AT. Brio Manual delivers a claimed fuel efficiency of 18.5 kmpl, while the Brio AT delivers 16.5 kmpl. During our test drive, we managed to achieve fuel efficiency of 12 kmpl and 10 kmpl respectively. Features & Safety Electric Power Steering Digital AC Control with Max Cool Function Central Locking Keyless Entry Tilt Steering Power windows Power Foldable Door Mirrors with Turn Indicator Light Full Size Steel Wheel Spare Tyre Electrically Adjustable Door Mirrors Rear Parcel Shelf Engine Immobilizer Dual SRS Front Airbags ABS with EBD Front Seat Belt Pretensioner with Load Limiter Day/Night Inside Rear View Mirror Driving Dynamics With mechanics of the car remaining same as before, there is not much difference as to how the new Brio drives as compared to the old one. The peppy 1.2-liter petrol engine feels at home in the 2500-3500 rpm range. As usual, red-lining this machine is way too much fun than any other car on offer in the segment. Steering wheel is very light and delivers decent response. The car fares well while driving in the city as well on the highways. Cruising at triple digit speeds is done without a sweat. The car maintains its composure at high speeds very well. What gives a bad ride experience is potholes and bumps, which unsettle the Brio very easily. The light-weight Brios suspension thuds once too often. Other than that, the suspension works wonderfully. Be it uneven highways, or taking on those fast corners. Brio manages all very well. Verdict Since the time Honda first launched Brio, many new cars have been launched in the segment. Some offer more equipment, some offer more space, while some offer a lower price tag. In spite of this, Honda Brio has managed to survive in the industry for more reasons than one. In bigger cities, when you are stuck in traffic jams, or looking for those small parking spaces, Brio works wonderfully for you. And thanks to the Honda badge, society does not look down upon you if you arrive in a Brio. In addition to this, Brios design is open to some fantastic mod-jobs, which will make the car look even cooler. Just have a look at the Brio RS which is on sale in Indonesia. What we expect to be improved is rear passenger comfort, and an option to buy Brio diesel. With Amaze and Mobilio based on the Brio platform, it should not be much of a trouble to offer diesel engine on the Brio. But somehow Honda has no plans to launch a Brio diesel, at least for now. RushLane Rating [wp-review id=210244] The existence of microbial life on Mars remains highly controversial, but recent evidence of water, complex organic molecules, and methane in the Martian environment, combined with findings from the 1976 Viking mission, have led to the conclusion that existing life on Mars is a possibility that must be considered, as presented in an article in Astrobiology. In "The Case for Extant Life on Mars and Its Possible Detection by the Viking Labeled Release Experiment," coauthors Gilbert V. Levin, Arizona State University, Tempe, and Patricia Ann Straat, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (retired), clearly outline the evidence to support the "biological hypothesis," which argues that the results of the 1976 Viking Labeled Release experiment were positive for extant microbial life on the surface of Mars. Further, Drs. Levin and Straat evaluate the "non-biological hypotheses" to explain the Viking results, which many scientists support, but the authors conclude that the experimental evidence supports a biological explanation and the likelihood that microorganisms were able to evolve and adapt to be able to survive in the harsh conditions of the Martian environment. "Even if one is not convinced that the Viking LR results give strong evidence for life on Mars, this paper clearly shows that the possibility must be considered," says Chris McKay, PhD, Senior Editor of Astrobiology and an astrobiologist with NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA. "We cannot rule out the biological explanation. This has implications for plans for sample return from Mars and for future human missions." Information could be the key to winning the race against antibiotic resistance. If we lose, a UK-funded analysis predicts a frightening future where drug resistant bacterial infections kill more people worldwide than cancer. The lack of progress in creating "new drugs for bad bugs" (a term coined by the European Commission's Innovative Medicines Initiative) is due, in part, to a lack of information -- especially in one particular area known as translocation. Translocation is the action an antibiotic must take to penetrate the outer membrane of a bacterial cell in order to reach -- and destroy -- its target. In Escherichia coli (E. coli), for example, the OmpF channel (porin) provides a translocation pathway for small molecules, water, and ions inward and outward through the outer membrane. So, which compounds are able to penetrate the outer membranes of bacteria, and which ones cannot? That, according to Wonpil Im, is the mystery. Solving such a mystery by amassing the necessary information is especially important when it comes to the "Big Bads" of bacterial infections known as Gram-negative pathogens like "superbugs." These are the bacterial species that are resistant to multiple drugs and are increasingly resistant to most available antibiotics. The infections that result can be lethal. A few examples: some strains of the Gram-negative pathogen E. coli can cause serious food poisoning and certain strains of the Gram-negative bacteria called Vibrio cholera cause cholera, an infectious -- and often fatal -- disease of the small intestine. Im, professor of biological sciences and bioengineering and Presidential Endowed Chair in Health -- Science and Engineering at Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA), is an expert in molecular simulation systems, which are very useful in the quest to solve such mysteries and provide the crucial missing information. His CHARMM-GUI, a web-based graphical user interface designed to model complex biomolecular systems, aids in simulation design to produce models that usually require considerable experience and time (even several weeks) in just a few minutes or hours. Now, through modeling and simulation, Im and his team have revealed the bilayer properties of 21 distinct Lipid A types from 12 Gram-negative bacterial species. Im and his colleagues from the University of Kansas, University of Maryland and Stockholm University investigate the differences and similarities of the membrane properties such as the area per lipid, the hydrophobic thickness, and acyl chain order. In addition, different neutralizing ion types (Ca2+, K+, and Na+) were considered, to examine the ion's influence on the membrane properties including lipid diffusion coefficients, ion residence times, and compressibility modulus that are experimentally comparable. Their results have been published today in an article in Biophysical Journal titled: "Bilayer Properties of Lipid A from Various Gram-negative Bacteria." Lipid A is one of three regions that make up lipopolysaccharides (LPS), an integral component of the outer leaflet of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria where they function as a shield and barrier to environmental threats to the bacterium. It is the LPS that make the outer membrane more impermeable to antibiotics. So, understanding and then manipulating LPS membrane stability could be an effective way to develop new Gram-negative antibiotics. Lipid A is the anchoring region of LPS -- and is responsible for the toxic effects of Toxic Shock Syndrome and sepsis. "The more information we can provide about the properties of the outer membrane of these so-called 'bad bugs,' the quicker researchers can determine which compounds might penetrate and effectively target a specific protein -- even turn it off," said Im. From the study: ." ..the resulting characteristics of different Lipid A obtained in this study form a basis toward the modeling and simulation of the outer membranes (with and without outer membrane proteins) of various Gram-negative bacteria. In particular, all Lipid A models in this study are available through LPS Modeler in CHARMM-GUI, so that these models can be used to further our understanding of the structure, dynamics, and function of various bacterial outer membranes." "My dream," he adds "is that one day pharmaceutical companies could come to my lab with 100 compounds with the potential to kill a given Gram-negative bacteria and ask: which ones should we try? And we could tell them." To advance this notion, Im has assembled a workshop titled "Workshop to Take Aim at Bacteria" to take place at Lehigh University on November 18, 2016. The workshop is designed to bring experts in research and policy (including a leader in the Innovative Medicines Initiative) to help speed antibiotic drug development. Paleontologists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the National Park Service found the first dinosaur bones in Denali National Park during an expedition in July. They also discovered several new dinosaur trackways, which are fossilized impressions left by ancient animals walking through mud that eventually became rock. Pat Druckenmiller, curator of Earth sciences at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, is leading a collaborative project with Denali National Park over the next several years to explore additional areas and make new discoveries. "This marks the beginning of a multi-year project to locate, document and study dinosaur fossils in Denali National Park," Druckenmiller said. "This is a world-class site for tracks of dinosaurs and other animals that lived in Alaska during the Cretaceous Period. Now that we have found bones, we have another way to understand the dinosaurs that lived here 70 million years ago." The research team found four different fragments, including one ossified tendon. The largest is a few inches long. They are clearly parts of bigger bones from a large animal. This rules out other animals with a backbone known from this geological period, including mammals, birds and even flying reptiles. Because they are parts of much bigger bones, Druckenmiller expects more complete remains may be found in the park. "Finding these bones opens a new chapter in the story of Denali dinosaurs," he said. "That story is still being written as we find new sites, new kinds of dinosaurs and evidence of their behavior." Before 2005, there was no known dinosaur record in Denali. That year, UAF students discovered the first track in the Cantwell Formation near Igloo Creek. Since then paleontologists have catalogued thousands of tracks. Still, this is the first time scientists have found identifiable bones left by animals that populated the area during the Late Cretaceous Period. advertisement Park geologist Denny Capps said Denali National Park was created to protect the present intact ecosystem 99 years ago. "We now know that it protects an ancient ecosystem, as well," Capps said. "Visitors could discover a fresh bear track next to a 70-million-year-old dinosaur track or potentially even a bone. Thankfully, these resources are protected within the Denali wilderness for all to enjoy." Heather MacFarlane, a UA Museum of the North research assistant, discovered the first bone. She and other researchers recognized the fragments as bones rather than sedimentary material based on the surface and internal structure. These fossils closely resemble other plant-eating dinosaur bones found in Alaska. Paleontologist Cassi Knight, physical science technician for Denali National Park, was with MacFarlane when the discovery was made. "It is significant because it answers a question that has been standing for the past 11 years; 'Are there dinosaur bones preserved in the Cantwell Formation?'" Knight said. "We have a great record of dinosaurs inhabiting this area, and now we finally know that their bones are preserved, too." Gregory Erickson, a Florida State University researcher who specializes in the use of bone and tooth histology to interpret the paleobiology of dinosaurs, was also part of the discovery team. He is preparing thin sections of some of the fossils. Scientists can examine these delicate slices under high-powered microscopes to determine the type of animal that left the bones behind. Annual growth lines and other patterns can also reveal the animal's age. Based on the shape and structure of the fossilized tendon discovered by the team, Erickson and Druckenmiller determined that it is from a large ornithopod dinosaur, probably a hadrosaur. These duck-billed, herbivorous dinosaurs were probably the most abundant large animals in Alaska. They were also the primary track-makers in the park during this time period. Another larger fragment is composed of spongy bone originating from the end of a large animal's limb. This microstructure shows the bone didn't come from a crocodile or other slow-growing, cold-blooded animal. It is clearly from a medium-sized to large dinosaur, they said. Druckenmiller and Erickson previously published documentation suggesting that during this time period, a distinct, polar fauna existed in what is now Alaska. Then, a polar forest covered the Arctic because the climate was much warmer. The dinosaurs had to contend with months of winter darkness and cooler temperatures than environments typically associated with dinosaurs. Mount Maunganuis Woods the Creative Agency have won bronze in the inaugural Public Good category at the 2016 Best Design Awards. The creative agency received receiving special attention for its collaboration with Priority One on the Young Innovator Awards programme. Woods was recognised for its design of an interactive dart stand display which aimed to get children engaged and stimulated by innovation in the simplest, most cost-effective way. The stand was visited by more than 2,500 Tauranga children in five days resulting in a record number of entries to the Young Innovator Awards, now in its seventh year. Woods was also a finalist in the Environmental Graphics category at Australasias premier design awards, cementing their place as the Bay of Plenty and regional New Zealands most awarded independent brand agency. Creative director Reuben Woods is pleased with the award. Obviously were pretty stoked about it. For us it confirms our position as the leading regional agency in New Zealand, and our philosophy of being world-class in the Bay of Plenty. Reuben says the idea was simple but effective, cutting to the heart of the message, which is what their agency is about. Were quite proud of educating the youth of the region about innovation with such a simple idea. Its a nice alignment working with other innovative businesses in the Bay, when we see ourselves in that light too. The Designers Institute of New Zealand 2016 Best Design Awards were held at Auckland Viaduct Events Centre on October 14. On a sunny, warm day last week, a couple of chickens stepped into a grassy yard and basked in the sun. The feces that stained their feathers had been washed away. Their little feet touched the ground like it was the first time feeling grass beneath them. Rebecca Moore Then they curled up under Rebecca Moore, one of several people who saved them from a brutal fate. And they purred. This browser does not support the video tag. Rebecca Moore "Chickens do purr," Moore tells The Dodo. "And these little ones are adjusting to being loved and cared about." No, this isn't chicken heaven. It's a small cottage in Woodstock, New York, where Moore is taking care of a couple of chickens named Buckles and Pancakes after a network of animal lovers managed to slip them away from a street-side slaughter. Dodo Shows Pittie Nation The Sweetest Pittie Was Living Under A Jeep Rebecca Moore Life couldn't have taken a more unexpected turn for these two chickens, who only days earlier were earmarked for slaughter in the kapparot ceremony - a traditional Jewish rite that involves swinging a chicken over one's head to absolve people of their sins, before slaughtering the bird. Rebecca Moore Every year, there are a few chickens who are too sick to even be sacrificed. They're typically abandoned on the sidelines. Rebecca Moore Buckles' toe had been torn off, likely during transit when crates of birds are stacked high. She couldn't stand on her own, leaving her little more than a heap of toppled feathers. And Pancakes was hardly in much better shape. Animal lovers often stand at the sidelines at kapparot ceremonies, hoping they might be able to save even one chicken. Moore managed to take both Buckles and Pancakes to her home in Woodstock. Because of the way these chickens, called broilers, are stacked, their droppings fall on each other, deeply staining their feathers. Rebecca Moore And Buckles, who was missing a toe, had to find a new way to stay on his feet. Moore recommissioned an old walker, transforming it into a chicken sling. Rebecca Moore Buckles took to it instantly. Rebecca Moore Then there's the matter of caring for chickens who were bred, and genetically manipulated to be nothing more than a meal. "They become so big and heavy that they literally can eat themselves to death," Moore says. "It's not like other chickens who you can leave food out for them to graze on. They have to be fed very specific portions. They can very quickly grow to be too heavy to support their own weight and they have zero immune system." Rebecca Moore Little by little, these chickens gained strength. The only thing they didn't seem to need was faith. Despite what they had been through, Buckles and Pancakes embraced the people who saved them. "These animals have been through such horrible stuff but within moments, they trust you and go to you for trust and support. They are incredibly forgiving," Moore says. At night, the chickens sleep inside, under a neon rooster sign. Rebecca Moore And then there came that first, brilliant day in the grass. Rebecca Moore "They were still injured but it was a sunny warm day, and I wanted to grab it," Moore says. "I took them outside and they only knew me for all of two days, and now when I sit outside, the little one just collapses with her head on my leg." Rebecca Moore If there's a lesson in saving just a couple of chickens, it's that Buckles and Pancakes offer a shining example of how even the most downtrodden souls can blossom under the sheltering sky of compassion. "They can actually live pretty good lives and be happy, free and loved," Moore says. Rebecca MooreAmber Cooper
Isaac Cooper was never a big fan of goats. He always thought they were kind of dirty ... and dare he say, kind of dumb. Then in 2014, everything changed. Amber Cooper Cooper and his wife, Amber, made plans to move to a rural property outside of Seattle, Washington. The owner used to have goats there, and the property was set up with a pasture and goat shed. The owner invited them to attend an open house at Puget Sound Goat Rescue, a nonprofit organization that rescues and cares for unwanted goats in Washington state. "We weren't intending to do anything more than see the goats at the rescue," Cooper told The Dodo. "But while we were there, one young goat got my attention and pretty much forced himself into my lap." Amber Cooper Something about the goat wriggled his way into Cooper's heart ... Dodo Shows Comeback Kids Family Stops At Nothing To Help Their Great Dane Run Amber Cooper ... and by the end of the day, Cooper knew he wasn't going home without him. Amber Cooper "What we always look for is to have an animal pick us, so when he got into my lap, it was like him saying, 'I want to come home with you,'" said Cooper. "So that's what sealed the deal for me." Amber Cooper This first goat, whom Cooper named Oliver, was soon followed by Otis, Charlie and Lily. More recently, the couple adopted two baby goats, Winston and Patrick. Amber Cooper Every goat (with the exception of Lily) was rescued from a local goat dairy farm, where female goats are forced to get pregnant to produce milk. When they produce female babies, these babies are raised to be dairy producers themselves. But the male babies are considered "waste products," and they're usually sent to slaughter. Puget Sound Goat Rescue works to rescue as many goats as they can, and rehome them in Washington. Amber Cooper Lily, on the other hand, was rescued directly from the kill pen in a slaughterhouse. Cooper thinks she must have come from a dairy farm herself, but the farmers probably thought she wouldn't produce well. When Cooper and his wife took Oliver home, the cuddle tradition continued. In fact, all of the goats loved cuddles. "I put a lawn chair outside their barn so we could sit with them in the evenings to brush them before I filled up their hay feeder and gave them fresh water," Cooper said. "Right off the bat, Oliver and Otis would jump up onto my lap, and that started the tradition of holding them each night." Amber Cooper The goats have grown over the last two years. According to Cooper, Otis now weighs 150 pounds. This doesn't stop Cooper from picking Otis up for cuddles. Amber Cooper When the goats don't want to be picked up, Cooper will go into the barn and snuggle with them in the hay. Amber Cooper For a man who didn't think much of goats, Cooper has come a long way. In fact, he said that he and his wife think of the goats as their children. "Yes, we think of them as our children, and we treat them like they are," he said. "We've had people tell us if they die, they want to come back as one of our pets." Amber Cooper Besides cuddling his goat kids, Cooper loves to build things for them - the goats already have a balance beam and teeter-totter, and he's planning to build a tower. He also loves watching the goats figure things out, which led Cooper to realize that goats are much smarter than he ever thought. Amber Cooper "Most normal people wouldn't go out and hold their goats every night," said Cooper. "But years ago, when we didn't have kids, we decided to be the crazy aunt and uncle in the family, and we're living the part." The goats seem quite happy with this arrangement. Amber Cooper The first day of school can be scary, especially when you don't know any of your classmates. And for a baby orangutan named Gatot, his first day was no exception. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue According to one Indonesian man, he was searching for firewood in the forest recently near Jelai Hulu, Ketapang in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, when he heard an animal crying. He followed the cries and stumbled upon Gatot, who was just a teeny, red-furred baby. It's unclear if the man's story is true. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue It's unheard of for mother orangutans to abandon their babies - mothers will stay with their young until they're 7 or 8 years old - so it was pretty clear that Gatot had been orphaned. While no one knows exactly what happened to Gatot, it's likely that villagers killed his mother while cutting down their rainforest habitat for palm oil plantations. Dodo Shows Cat Crazy Fluffy Cat Wants To Sit On His Dad At All Times Heribertus / International Animal Rescue The man took Gatot home with him, treating him like a human baby and feeding him milk from a bottle. While this might seem "sweet," keeping orangutans as pets is illegal - and harmful to the animal; they can develop psychological disorders and suffer from malnutrition, along with other issues. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue Borean orangutans have also recently been listed as critically endangered, with habitat loss and hunting being two of the biggest contributing factors driving the species to extinction. Anytime an orangutan is taken out of its habitat, there's a detrimental effect to the entire species. Luckily for Gatot, authorities found out about the man keeping him as a pet, and alerted International Animal Rescue (IAR) to come rescue the baby. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue According to IAR's Facebook page, Gatot is the smallest and youngest orangutan currently in the group's care. After giving him medical treatment, the IAR team knew the best thing for Gatot was for him to socialize with other orangutans, and to learn the climbing and foraging skills that would help him go back to the wild someday. On his first day of school, IAR vet nurse Fitri carried Gatot up a ladder to meet his classmates. But Gatot was scared and frightened - he cried and clung to Kandi, another orphaned orangutan. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue Kandi let Gatot hold onto him for a while ... Heribertus / International Animal Rescue ... but Kandi wasn't too sure about Gatot. After all, Gatot was making a lot of noise. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue Then Gatot grabbed onto Jamila, a slightly older female orangutan. Unlike Kandi, she seemed quite happy to hug Gatot and help him through his first-day jitters. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue With the help of his new friends, Gatot should do well in school, and he'll learn everything he needs to know about being a wild orangutan. Heribertus / International Animal Rescue "The first day at any school is tough and it is heartbreaking to see little Gatot seeking comfort from the other orangutans around him," Alan Knight, CEO of IAR, said in a statement. "However it is among his own kind that he will learn the behaviors and the skills he will need to prepare him for life back in the wild. I've no doubt that he will soon adapt to his new environment and start to grow in confidence." Heribertus / International Animal Rescue To help IAR give Gatot and other orphaned orangutans round-the-clock care, you can donate here. You can also sign this pledge not to consume any products containing palm oil, which have a devastating effect on Indonesian wildlife.@kamathesurfingpig
It all began when Kama the pig accidentally fell into the pool. Kai Holt - Kama's dad - was hanging out in the backyard with his three kids at the time. Kama loves to play "chase master," a game that involves running as fast as he can around the pool, trying to catch Holt's son. When Kama took a corner too quickly, he fell into the water. @kamathesurfingpig "He started swimming like a little motorized boat," Holt told The Dodo. "And I thought - whoa, that pig can swim. We didn't know that he could swim that well." @kamathesurfingpig After that, Kama couldn't get enough of the water. He started regularly jumping into the pool and playing with the pool toys, and even leapt into the hot tub. And when Holt went to surf at the local beach in Waimanalo, Hawaii, Kama followed him into the water ... Dodo Shows Odd Couples Dog Is So Gentle And Patient With Her Foster Kittens @kamathesurfingpig ... and started to surf. @kamathesurfingpig "We took a paddleboard out one day - one of those soft top ones," Holt said. "And Kama hopped on. Everything happened so quick." @kamathesurfingpig @kamathesurfingpig Kama was a natural - soon he was hanging 10 like he'd been doing it everyday. When Kama fell off the board, Holt initially worried. But Kama shot up through the waves and hopped back on Holt's board. @kamathesurfingpig @kamathesurfingpig "He's like Michael Phelps," Holt said. "Michael Phelps of the pig world. We used to race him to see if we could beat him, but we could never beat him. Not even the lifeguard could beat him." Life wasn't always so cruisey for Kama. When he was just a couple weeks old, Kama was all alone in the world - no mom and no home. Holt was camping with his friends on Bellows Beach in Waimanalo when Kama wandered up to him. @kamathesurfingpig "He just came into our campsite," Holt said. "We thought the mom must be around, but we didn't find her. Usually when babies are alone like that, that means something happened to the mom." @kamathesurfingpig Holt doesn't know what happened to Kama's mom, but he thinks hunters killed her. There's a large pig population Waimanalo, and Hawaii officials are trying to eradicate pigs because they believe they're responsible for a lot of the deforestation and erosion in the area. In fact, Holt says that the state pays hunters to eradicate them. @kamathesurfingpig Holt looked after Kama for the rest of his camping trip. When it was time to go home, Kama came too. "He's like a kid," Holt said. "I couldn't leave him alone." Holt has three human kids, but Kama quickly became his fourth child. He bottle-fed Kama until he was strong enough to lap milk from a bowl. And Holt took Kama everywhere he went - and he means everywhere - the hardware store, restaurants, the bar, and of course, the beach. @kamathesurfingpig Now Kama surfs with Holt almost everyday. Holt says that Kama especially loves 3- or 4-foot waves. "He surfs Hawaiian style," Holt said. @kamathesurfingpig @kamathesurfingpig While it's possible that Kama may have found his passion for water on his own, he probably has Holt to thank for introducing him to surfing. @kamathesurfingpig Kama has influenced Holt's life too. Holt became a vegetarian, and now he runs a little sanctuary for rescued animals. Besides Kama, Holt takes care of six sheep, five pigs, four chickens, four dogs, two ducks, a turkey, a goose, a peacock, a rabbit and a cat. @kamathesurfingpig The shy, nocturnal, tree-dwelling animals were about to be sold as pets over the internet , according to International Animal Rescue (IAR), an organization that runs a slow loris rescue center, where these animals will recover from their plight. The animals are "traumatized," IAR says. Captured slow lorises are typically packed in tight boxes during smuggling. "The modus operandi of these criminals begins with the hunters who capture the animals from the wild," Diki Budiman, assistant director of the special crime unit in Polda, West Java, says in a press release. "The lorises are then sold online, via Facebook and other social networks." Social media is being used more and more by animal traffickers, according to IAR. "The police got to these lorises just in time," IAR writes. "Now, our team are working flat out to stabilize the lorises' condition. It will be touch and go during the next few days as to how many of them survive."Therese Vu
Therese Vu and her husband, Duc Tran, were loving parents to two inseparable dogs for 16 years. When one passed away from kidney failure, the other passed away from the same thing - just one month later. "I literally believe that the second one passed away from a broken heart," Vu told The Dodo. "I can't even put into words how saddened I was to lose them both, and I honestly didn't know if I could open my heart and home up to another dog again." But that all changed when Vu and her husband met Kanga and Roo. Therese Vu Kanga and Roo are a brother and sister pair who were both born with only two legs, and are products of overbreeding and inbreeding. Their breeder tried to care for them for about a year, but was overwhelmed by their special needs, according to the Georgia-based rescue group Angels Among Us. Finally, she decided to surrender the Chihuahua pair to the rescue. Kanga and Roo were in foster care for several months and attended countless adoption events. During that time, not a single person applied to adopt them - until Vu saw a post about the pair online. Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Woman Tries Every Day For A Month To Rescue This Dog Therese Vu "As soon as I saw Kanga and Roo, I just KNEW that they were meant to be ours," Vu said. Vu and her husband did research on caring for dogs with special needs, and by the time they met the pups, they were more than ready to be their forever parents. "Within the first few seconds of interacting with them, they captured our hearts, took over our home, and completely changed our world," Vu said. "We adopted them on June 25, 2013, and couldn't image life without them." Therese Vu Kanga and Roo adjusted to their new home with ease. Their parents even covered the floors of their home with blankets and mats to make it easier for the duo to scoot around. The now 5-year-old dogs grew up only having two legs each, and grew used to finding creative ways to get around. They're both super fast at scooting or hopping, and seem to prefer that to using the wheelchairs their parents had specially made for them. Therese Vu "Everywhere that they walk indoors is padded/soft," Vu said. "In addition to that, we wanted to find a solution for when we took them outdoors." Therese Vu Coincidentally, the couple has a good friend who works with human prosthetics, and helped create sweaters for Kanga and Roo out of the same material amputee patients wear before putting on a prosthetic limb. The sweaters help prevent the dogs' bellies from getting irritated or infected from scooting along the floor, and as a plus, also make them look super cute. Therese Vu "We were so thrilled with how much this has helped them that we began offering the sweaters to dog owners around the world with fellow two-legged dogs," Vu said. "We send the sweaters completely free of charge, and have shipped them all over the U.S. and even the world." Therese Vu Kanga and Roo are the sweetest, most loving dogs, and seem to have absolutely no idea that they're any different at all - especially since they're both missing two legs. They have no trouble getting around, and spend absolutely every second hanging out together. Therese Vu These dogs have truly changed their parents lives, and of course, the lives of absolutely everyone they meet. "It is upsetting whenever people see differently-abled dogs and think they should just be put down," Vu said. "I would challenge anyone who feels that way to spend two minutes with Kanga and Roo. That's all it would take for them to realize just how happy, energetic, lovable and ABLE that they truly are." WASHINGTON, D.C.A political weather map of America would show Wall Street under a cloud, and Silicon Valley bathed in sunshine. Over the Obama administrations eight years, the technology industry has embedded itself in Washington. The president hung out with Facebook Inc.s Mark Zuckerberg and hired the governments first chief tech officer. At least at the lower levels of officialdom, the revolving door with companies such as Google is spinning ever faster as it once did with Wall Street.` Politicians have played down their connections to finance since the taxpayer bailout of 2008. No such stigma attaches to tech, for now. But as the Valley steps up its lobbying efforts, with a wish-list that ranges from immigration to rules for driverless cars, some critics warn that similar traps lie in wait: its not easy for the government to police an industry from which it poaches talent and solicits help with writing laws. If youre trying to influence government policy on behalf of a corporate sector, its not better that you do it for the tech industry than for Goldman, said Jeff Hauser from the Center for Economic Policy and Research in Washington. Hauser heads the Revolving Door Project, which scrutinizes political appointees. Even amid mounting concern over inequality, he says wealthy tech executives and their companies are still considered cool. In other words: it may be hard to persuade people these days that whats good for Goldman Sachs is good for America but it might just work for Google. The five biggest U.S. tech companies are now the five biggest companies, period at least as measured by market value. And theyre flexing that financial muscle. The tech firms spent $49 million (U.S.) on Washington lobbyists last year, while the five largest banks shelled out $19.7 million, data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics shows. On the personnel front, the Campaign for Accountability, a non-profit group, studied the to-and-fro between government and Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc. It found that 183 people who worked under President Barack Obama through last year were hired by Google, while 58 headed the other way. Google is in Washington to help policy-makers understand our business and the work we do to keep the Internet open and fuel economic growth, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company said by e-mail in response to questions. Facebooks goals in the capital include protecting customers, explaining how our service works, and maintaining an open Internet and a culture of innovation, it said in an e-mail. There have been other high-profile moves out of Washington: former Attorney General Eric Holder this year took a job at Airbnb Inc., and David Plouffe, Obamas one-time campaign manager, started at Uber Technologies Inc. in 2014. Persistent rumours have linked Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg with the post of Treasury secretary in a Hillary Clinton administration. Sandberg, a former chief of staff at the Treasury under Larry Summers, told a conference this month that she plans to stay at Facebook. Apple Inc.s chief executive officer Tim Cook and Microsoft Corp.s founder Bill Gates were on a list of Clintons potential vice-presidential nominees, according to an e-mail allegedly from her campaign chair that was released by WikiLeaks. The administrations view is that tech people are welcome in Washington because they can help make things work better and help is certainly needed. Penny Pritzker, the commerce secretary, says the government is shifting toward using technology the way business has been doing for years. It has set up a coding boot-camp for employees, while data scientists work across federal agencies to mine the archives and help improve transportation projects. We view data as currency, Pritzker said in an interview. She travels to Silicon Valley at least once a quarter and has an advisory council of 21 tech experts. Megan Smith, the former Google manager who took a job as Obamas chief technology officer in 2014, says the long-term goal is to make government services as smooth a user experience as that offered by, say, Amazon or Dropbox. Collaboration with tech companies predates Obamas creation of a special post to oversee it. Zillow Group Inc., the real-estate website, helped the Treasury after the housing-market collapse, according to Stan Humphries, its chief analytics officer. I was struck by how little data the government had in areas such as price indexes or foreclosures, Humphries said. The Seattle-based firm filled the gap, offering its micro-data to Federal Reserve researchers and even, on occasion, to Neel Kashkari, then an assistant secretary at the Treasury department and now in charge of the Minneapolis Fed. They were soon sucking up every bit of data that we had available, said Humphries. In Washington, favours typically come at a price though. Tech giants, which are in the habit of buying up smaller companies and also trying to tie customers to their own platforms, keep a close watch on antitrust policy. In 2013, Google like Microsoft before it was threatened with a potentially costly legal battle. Federal Trade Commission staff said the company unlawfully maintained its monopoly over Internet searches, though the 20-month probe was eventually closed. Competition policy, thats the thing theyre most scared of, said Barry Lynn, a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, a Washington think-tank. If a Microsoft-style case was brought against any of these companies, it could totally change their business prospects. It could result in radical changes to the scale and structure of their corporations. Cases have been opened in Europe against Google and Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft, said Lynn. Hes a Republican, showing that concern about the growing power of the tech giants isnt confined to the political left. Not that the left doesnt share it. Clinton has talked about tougher antitrust laws aimed at ending the abuse of economic power by corporations. Shes also taken aim at their shifting of profits overseas to avoid taxes. Hauser, who worked at the Justice Departments antitrust division before joining the Revolving Door Project, said tech firms are at the leading edge of tax avoidance because of the ways theyve perfected moving their intellectual property overseas. He said Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lews support for Apple, after the iPhone-maker was ordered to pay back-taxes in Europe, is an unprecedented stance for a Democratic administration. Clintons Republican rival Donald Trump proposed a tax cut for companies that repatriate profits, though it didnt win him many converts in the tech industry. Then theres the labour market. Trump has taken aim at Apple among other companies that have shifted jobs overseas. Were going to get Apple to start building their damn computers and things in this country, he said in January. But the iPhone-maker announced this month its setting up a second R&D centre in China. Big tech simply doesnt hire on the same scale as its heavy-industry predecessors. And technology is reshaping the workforce in other ways too, with Silicon Valley favourites such as Uber and Taskrabbit Inc. at the forefront. Theyre central to the growth of a gig economy thats spurred calls for rules on health-care and employment insurance to be updated. Tech companies also typically back immigration rights for skilled labour that have become politically toxic, and they support trade accords that both presidential candidates oppose. Theyve clashed with the government over the balance between internet privacy and national security, notably when Apple boss Cook refused to help unlock an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters. Beyond the shopping-list of specifics, says Lynn, the industry has one overarching desire: light-touch regulation. They want to be left alone, he said. They want to be allowed to do what they want to do. And to keep Washington at arms length, it helps to get close to it first. SHARE: BRUSSELSFederal Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland met Wednesday with the head of Wallonia in an effort to save a trade deal with the European Union that could collapse if the small Belgium region does not support it by Friday. A spokeswoman for Freeland says she met with Wallonia President Paul Magnette, who earlier Wednesday said his region could not sign on to the deal by Friday, which has been set as a deadline to get the last of the 28 EU nations on board. Anne-Louise Chauvette says the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, also known as CETA, is a priority for the federal government and it is working hard with its European partners so that it can be approved and implemented next year. Belgium can only back the deal if its regions, including Wallonia, approve it. Without unanimity among EU nations, the deal will collapse. Magnette told TV network RTBF that despite progress over the past few days it is insufficient. And you cannot say now: you have 3 days to accept. His statement further clouds the fate of the so-called Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Wallonia a francophone southern region in Belgium has expressed concerns the deal could erode labour, environmental and consumer regulations. Canadian European trade envoy Pierre Pettigrew told the Montreal Board of Trade on Tuesday that he remains hopeful the agreement will be approved later this week, despite snags that have stalled a critical vote on the deal. Pettigrew who was dispatched to meet with Magnette last week said Canada has done everything it could to address any concerns within the EU, and now the ball is in its court. We have worked very hard in the last few months to bring reassurances that we in Canada share those same progressive views, Pettigrew said. EU nations were scheduled to vote on the deal Tuesday, but that was delayed after Magnette raised objections, saying he needs a few more days. Pettigrew said the vote could happen as early as Thursday, when EU leaders kick off a two-day summit. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who is no stranger to trade deals given his role as one of the architects of NAFTA, appeared unfazed by the dispute. Every once in a while you run into a hiccup in these things, said Mulroney, who also spoke before the Montreal Board of Trade. This is a hiccup, but I dont think its going to derail such an important negotiation. International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada has made significant changes to the deal and remains cautiously optimistic that it will receive European approval. I am both hopeful and I also hope that Europe and Europeans can come together to make this decision, which is the right one for Canada and for Europe, she said in Ottawa. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to fly to Brussels next week to sign the agreement should it be unanimously approved by the EU. With files from The Associated Press More on thestar.com: Belgian region may scuttle EU trade deal: Walkom SHARE: A top executive with the company that owns the National Enquirer has joined the board of Postmedia Network Inc. as part of a restructuring move to reduce the debt load of Canadas largest newspaper publisher. Chatham Asset Management, a New Jersey-based hedge fund that now has an equity stake in Postmedia, asked American Media Inc. executive David Pecker to join Postmedias board. Chatham is a common investor in Postmedia and American Media, said Pecker, whose AMI publications include Mens Fitness, Ok!, Globe and the National Enquirer. Chatham has been one of the few hedge funds or private equity groups that has been very, very successful in their investment in print, said Pecker, who has served as AMI chairman, president and CEO for 17 years. In a restructuring deal that closed on Oct. 5, Chatham converted its second-lien debt notes into equity in Postmedia. A principal with Chatham Asset Management declined to comment. Pecker said there was commonality between Chathams investment in Postmedia and its other investments in companies such as Lee Enterprises, McClatchy newspapers and American Media Inc. Like other publications, Pecker said American Media was struggling as it faced double-digit declines in advertising revenues. I had a very, very leveraged balance sheet where I was just on the brink myself, four times, he said. Pecker credited Chatham, which held American Medias debt, for turning $125 million (U.S.) in debt into equity, but also restructuring the balance sheet. They gave me enough air cover where I could invest in digital; before, I could not get my former private equity partners to invest in digital, Pecker said. And over the last four years, I was able to grow my digital revenue from $10 to $50 million, and that helped me to offset my further decline in print revenue. Pecker said his specific experience is one of the reasons Chatham asked him to join Postmedias board. As part of the change, some Postmedia board members have left and two other members were added: Mary Junck, executive chairman of Lee Enterprises, and human resources and administration executive Daniel Rotstein. Postmedia CEO Paul Godfrey said in an interview that American Media and Pecker have no role in the day-to-day operations of Postmedia. Godfrey said the addition of the U.S. executives is helpful to Postmedia. It keeps us informed of all the things that are taking place in the United States, in many markets. We are delighted to have them, he said, adding that the voting structure means the company remains in Canadian hands. He noted the board additions mean the company is complying with rules that restrict representation of non-Canadians to 25 per cent. Postmedia had been weighed down by debt, but shareholders and debt holders approved the media conglomerates proposal to restructure its $648-million debt last month. Under the deal, Postmedias debt has been reduced by about $307 million, with its annual interest expense cut by about $50 million. Pecker said he has been impressed with Postmedia including its ad operations and programmatic business, headed up by Andrew MacLeod, who has just been named Postmedias chief operating officer. Pecker hinted that he might consider having Postmedias ad operations business to handle work for his group down the road. Right now, I have an outside service bureau that does my ad operations, which Im paying them for, he said. I was thinking of switching over and using his group, adding he would pay Postmedia for those services. He added that the additional liquidity and capital funding from Chatham should help Postmedia to grow its digital business and hopefully offset the continuing declines in print revenues. Chatham Asset Management issued a separate news release on Oct. 6, saying its funds have acquired 61.16 million variable voting shares of Postmedia Network Canada, which represents about 65 per cent of variable voting shares, or 32 per cent of the voting rights attached to all outstanding voting shares of Postmedia. Read more about: SHARE: A Toronto group pushing for the regulation of short-term, Airbnb-style rentals is welcoming a city staff proposal to evaluate the impacts of the rentals and consider what kind of restrictions should be imposed on the booming business. Fairbnb, which is led by the hotel workers union, says the report is an important step in ensuring there are rules governing short-term rentals. But it doesnt go far enough in looking at how online rental platforms such as Airbnb can be held to account when that doesnt happen. Platform accountability is really where its at if we want to develop regulations that work, said Fairbnb spokesman Thorben Wieditz. The city report, before executive committee Wednesday, recommends public and stakeholder consultations be held early next year to look at how to protect the interests of neighbourhoods and property owners and the citys stock of housing. Its a good first step according to Ward 27 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, who wishes it had come sooner as it will be at least another year before staff put specific regulation proposals before council. Toronto has received more than 45 complaints to Municipal Licensing and Standards since 2014 related to short-term rentals, and there are 25 active investigations, says the city report. Two operators have been charged with zoning bylaw violations. As well as the property damage, neighbourhood disruptions and criminal activity that some short-term rentals attract, the business is undercutting Torontos stock of licensed hotels by putting 10,000 additional accommodations into the city, said Wong-Tam. The city is losing 2,000 hotel rooms. Some are being converted to condos. But Wong-Tam said, We would be dishonest if we did not say that short-term accommodation is not having an impact on our hotel services and the business operations side of hotels. While it needs to mitigate the negative effects of short-term rentals, the staff report says it must also ensure residents can be allowed to occasionally rent their homes and that Toronto can promote tourism. Although Toronto is behind some cities in considering licensing and restrictions for Airbnb-style rentals, it gives the city an opportunity to learn from other jurisdictions, said Fairbnbs Wieditz. We can already assess what has been done elsewhere, what has worked and what has not worked, he said. The city report looks at six North American centres that have regulated short-term rentals, including Vancouver, Seattle, Philadelphia, New York City, San Francisco and Portland. All of them restrict the number of days a property can rent and four require licenses or permits. Fairbnb plans to fly in the mayor of Santa Monica and one of their councillors, plus a New York assemblywoman, to speak directly to the executive committee chaired by Mayor John Tory. The mayor, who was out of town Wednesday, has not said what kind of regulation, if any, he supports. But a spokeswoman said Tory understands the importance of the issue. "The sharing economy and companies like Airbnb have great economic potential for our city, and great benefits for its residents. But the potential impacts of these new technologies, particularly on neighbourhoods, must be carefully considered," said an email from Keerthana Kamalavasan. Fairbnb's Wieditz says, We can learn a lot from Santa Monica." Since June, the Pacific coast town of 90,000 residents (it grows to 500,000 visitors on weekends and holidays) has banned the rental of an entire home for less than 30 days. Hosts that share their homes with renters for short periods are required to apply for a city license. They must also pay a 14-per-cent transient occupancy tax, to be collected by the online rental platform, to help Santa Monica enforce the rules. But Airbnb is suing the city, saying its ordinance places an undue burden on property owners wishing to rent their places, according to a Los Angeles Times report. In New York City, short-term rentals must pay an occupancy tax of 5.9 per cent, plus a room fee of 50 cents to $2 (U.S.) In Toronto, hotels and motels pay commercial property taxes, but that doesn't apply to bed-and-breakfasts or short-term rentals. Airbnb had 12,260 Toronto listings on Sept. 1, says the city report. Another 2,000 were listed on Flipkey, VRBO, HomeAway and Roomorama. Airbnb officials have repeatedly stated that it welcomes regulation. Airbnb is pleased to see the city of Toronto is moving toward an inclusive consultation process on home sharing. We are reviewing the citys report in detail. We look forward to participating in the process and to continuing to share data and information about our community with city staff, Mayor John Tory and all of Toronto city council, said an emailed statement from Airbnbs Alex Dagg on Wednesday. At a Toronto Star editorial board meeting last week, another Airbnb spokesperson noted that different cities have different rules and regulations, including some that are very restrictive or require homeowners to register in person at city hall. Some cities have permitted rentals for a primary home, but created more scrutiny when it comes to multiple rentals. With files from Vanessa Lu SHARE: More than 80 years after the Dionne quintuplets were whisked away from their family and transformed into human tourist attractions that drew millions, the home where they were born could be on the move. The house has served as a museum in North Bay for the past 30 years, but recently closed because tourist numbers have dwindled. Appraisals of the property show it could be worth more than $975,000. The city is looking to potentially use the land for other purposes, sparking a rallying cry among those who view the house as an important symbol in Canadian history. It was where five young girls became worldwide sensations when they became the first quintuplets known to have survived infancy. The original building in which they were born in Corbeil, Ont., was moved in the 1960s and again, in 1985, to nearby North Bay, where it remained. Until last year, the citys chamber of commerce operated the Dionne Quints Museum in the home as a not-for-profit, where visitors could learn about the sisters upbringing. In 2015, the City of North Bay declared surplus the land where the structure sits, and it went out for sale through a request for proposal process. The decision has left some residents worried about the uncertain future of the building. We have to save this museum, said Carlo Tarini, a family friend and spokesperson for the last two surviving Dionne quints. Theyre obviously upset, this is the house where they were born and I think its an important part of Canadian history. . . . Its a story of miracle birth but also of terrible abuse. Born in 1934, the babies were soon made Wards of the King under the Dionne Quintuplets Guardianship Act. The government moved them across the road from their birthplace to a tourist theme park that became known as Quintland. The quintuplets were exposed to the public three times each day in an exhibit enclosed by one-way viewing windows, as well as a playground that doubled as a public observation area. Quintland brought in about $500 million during the near-decade it operated. This story still resonates today because its a story about child exploitation, Tarini said. Although it was never labelled a freak show, it was certainly strange to take away children from their parents in order for them to be viewed three times a day by the tourists. With 2017 approaching and Canada about to celebrate its 150th anniversary, he said, were about to throw away a very important memory. During the 1930s, their birth and their survival was one of the only good stories during the Depression years, Tarini said. When people went to the movies, the news reel would cover their growing years. It was pictured as sort of a fairy-tale life, but in fact they were treated much more like Cinderellas than princesses. Jaclyn Bucik, a spokesperson for North Bay, said the city is looking to relocate the home, which it owns, although she couldnt yet say where. Following the closing of the museum last year, a transition committee began exploring options for its relocation. Bucik said there are no plans to tear down the building, despite some rumours to the contrary. The Dionne story is an important part of not only the fabric of our community. . . . Its an important part of our history as Canadians, she said. Tarini said hed ideally like the home to stay in North Bay, but the next best option would be the Museum of History in Gatineau, Que. He said hes emailed the museum to gauge its interest. North Bay resident Jeff Fournier said the home plays a large role in the cultural heritage of the area. Fournier recently launched an online petition to preserve the homestead and keep it in North Bay. There definitely is a lack of direction as to whats going to happen to it and nobody has come out and made any official statements about what will happen to it, he said. Theres a huge concern that the home could be moved out of the city or that it could possibly be dismantled. Patti Carr, executive director of the North Bay chamber of commerce and a member of the transition committee, said theres no need for concern. I think everybodys going to be satisfied, she said. Its going to be well-kept. Carr said the chamber decided to close the museum last year because of how few visitors it had recently received. About 2,000 people came to see it in 2015 compared with 15,000 three decades ago. I dont know of any other chamber around the world that runs a museum, Carr said. Its not a money-making operation at any stretch. But Fournier said its important to keep the story of the Dionne quintuplets alive. By maintaining the Dionne homestead as a museum, it will help to ensure that the whole story is kept in the forefront of peoples minds, Fournier said. I think if we lose this history, these types of mistakes that occurred in the past to the five quints could reoccur in the future. We dont want that. SHARE: Provincial and territorial health ministers are imploring Ottawa not to diminish its role as a funding partner in health care any further. Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins, who co-chaired a meeting of his counterparts from across the country, said funding from Ottawa will be inadequate if the federal government proceeds with plans to cut the annual increase in health transfers next year. (It) will result in a declining partnership, he told a news conference Tuesday at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto. What we are asking as provinces and territories is that the federal government . . . not withdraw further, that we want them to sustain the level of partnership that traditionally has been there, he said. Canadians have seen that partnership very seriously erode since medicare was created about a half century ago when the federal government footed half the bill, Hoskins said. Today, Ottawa is only paying 20 per cent of the tab, a share that will decrease further if Ottawa next year cuts the annual escalator in the Canada Health Transfer to 3 per cent from 6 per cent. Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott, who also served as co-chair, tried to steer the conversation away from money and toward system improvement, innovation and accountability. She repeatedly pointed out that Canada spends more on health care than many other developed countries that have superior health systems. She expressed disappointment that planned system improvements that Ottawa funded in the 2004 health accord did not materialize. Philpott indicated that she wants new funds to be targeted to such areas as mental health and system innovation. She also reiterated an earlier commitment to provide $3 billion for home care, including palliative care. I have made it clear to them that we would love, for instance, to invest in innovation. I want to know how they want to use those investments in innovation. I have told them that I am very interested in mental health care, she said. Hoskins said his provincial and federal counterparts are on board with that but that they need a boost in the annual increase in health funding as well just to maintain the status quo. You can transform and we have to transform, but you have to do that in a way which respects and understands that you need to sustain the existing system, he said. Hoskins cited a Conference Board of Canada report that found that a spending increase of 4.4 per cent is needed just to keep the lights on, just to keep the existing services working because of pressures from a growing and aging population. Quebec Health Minister Gaetan Barrette said Ottawas current plans for health spending will amount to $60 billion less over the next decade for the provinces and territories. It says to Canadians, We will not provide up to the level of $60 billion. Thats whats at stake, he said. The 2004 health accord which includes annual funding hikes of 6 per cent expires next spring. The former Conservative government decided unilaterally that annual health spending will increase at a lower rate of 3 per cent after that. The provincial and territorial ministers are hoping Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will reconsider that when the first ministers meet later this year. Hoskins said a 50 per cent cut in the annual funding increase will translate to $1 billion less for the provinces and territories next year. Ontario alone stands to lose $400 million. Philpott apologized about confusion over comments she made earlier on accountability for funds. Some provincial and territorial ministers expressed anger over an insinuation that health transfers were not being spent on health. Philpott said that was not what she meant. I apologize if people misunderstood, she said. There is certainly no intention to make accusations. Philpott said the Canada Health Transfer, which stands at $36 billion, will increase by about $19 billion over the next five years. Its really important for Canadians to know that we are going to continue to contribute to the Canada Heath Transfer, the federal minister said. Philpott said that over the last five years, $9 of every new $10 spent on health in Canada came from the Canada Health Transfer. We are contributing he largest part to spending. In addition to the Canada Health Transfer, extra funds will be provided for targeted priorities with strings attached to ensure transformation goals are met, she said. This is Canadians money . . . . We want to find a way that we can work together so that as we agree to make new investments, that we have already got a sense of plan, Philpott said. In elaborating on why Ottawa should fund new, more efficient ways of providing health care while at the same time provide sufficient funding for the current health system, Hoskins offered the example of dialysis for kidney failure. The ministers discussed how it would make more sense to monitor blood pressure to prevent kidney failure and thereby lessen the need for dialysis, he noted. Thats great and we are all working toward that end, but you still have to provide dialysis today because that individual who needs it will be dead in three weeks without it, Hoskins said SHARE: OTTAWAWhen Pearl Achneepineskum stands on the stage to sing with Gord Downie during his solo concert in remembrance of her brother, Chanie Wenjack, she will be faced with a million emotions. But nervousness will not be one of them. Im ready, said Achneepineskum backstage at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa after an emotional smudge ceremony was held with members of her family, Downies family and Algonquin residential school survivors from the Ottawa area. Achneepineskum is not a professional musician. She has never played at a concert of this size, but she is ready to tell the world about her brother. Twelve-year-old Chanie Wenjack froze to death on railroad tracks outside Kenora, northern Ontario, 50 years ago this Oct. 22. Downie, Canadas beloved music icon and frontman for the Tragically Hip, is gripped by Chanies story and the fact that many Canadians were unaware of the countrys residential school history. Downie is remembering Chanie through his Secret Path initiative, a multimedia release of a graphic novel, album and animated film adaptation, aimed at teaching Canadians about Chanies story and the legacy of residential schools. Downie will play two sold out Secret Path shows, the first one here in Ottawa and the second this Friday in Toronto. Downie invited all of Wenjacks extended family to come to the concerts. More than one dozen family members flew in from Thunder Bay and points north. In Ottawa, he met the Wenjack family on Monday evening, greeting them as they arrived, and, then they all had supper. Chanies older sisters, Pearl and Daisy, are residential school survivors. For nearly 130 years, 150,000 First Nations kids were sent away from their parents and communities to attend 140 government funded, church run residential schools. Nearly 4,000 children never made it home. Downie was introduced to the story of Chanie by his brother Mike, after he passed on to him a 1967 Macleans magazine article written by Ian Adams. He was so moved by the story of the 12-year-old boy who ran away from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School, outside of Kenora, and tried to walk nearly 600 km home to Ogoki Post, Marten Falls First Nation, that he began to write poetry and songs about Chanie. Downie recorded the music to, Secret Path, in 2013. When he finished his Man Machine Poem Tour with the Hip on August 20, Downie, who has terminal brain cancer, challenged Canadians to look to the North and to do something. Downie has since devoted his time to teaching Canadians about Chanie and our residential school history. Alvin Fiddler, grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation 49 First Nations in northern Ontario including Marten Falls flew to Ottawa to be part of the concert and to support the Wenjack family. This is going to be a very emotional and difficult night, with a lot of mixed emotions knowing the 50th anniversary of his passing is coming soon. But what Gord is doing with the Secret Path is a very healing ceremony, not just for the Wenjack family but for everyone who lost loved ones during the residential experience, Fiddler said. SHARE: On a recent visit to a provincial jail in Thunder Bay, Renu Mandhane, Ontarios chief human rights commissioner, asked a correctional officer if there was anything she should see. The officer gave her the name of an inmate who had been in continuous segregation or solitary confinement for more than four years, awaiting trial. For Mandhane, his situation put a stark face to new provincial jail statistics, made public Tuesday by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, that show alarming and systemic overuse of segregation, the commission said in a news release. In jails between October and December 2015, 4,178 individual inmates spent at least a day in segregation, according to an analysis by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Of those, 1,594 inmates, or 38.2 per cent, had a mental health alert on file, a proportion the commission believes underestimates mental health issues and disabilities. Nearly a quarter of segregation placements exceeded two weeks. In the three months, the inmate with the longest continuous time in segregation in one setting had been there 939 days. Any transfer to another setting resets the clock. As part of a provincial review of solitary confinement, the rights commission asked the ministry for segregation data. The ministry produced a report on a three-month period of its choosing, accompanied by a briefing and a host of caveats around the revealing analysis. The analysis is part of submissions by the human rights commission that draw attention to what it calls systemic reliance and overuse of segregation. The submission also flags United Nations standards that find segregation longer than 15 days can be tantamount to torture or other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The commission is calling on the government to collect and release segregation data annually and, based on what is known, take immediate steps to address how its use of segregation is violating prisoners rights. It is renewing a call to eliminate segregation. The provincial review comes after a 2013 human rights settlement with the ministry. The new statistics, the commission said, raise concerns the ministry is not complying with its obligations in the settlement. The commission released the jail data a day after the Ontario government announced it would cut by half the number of consecutive days inmates can spend in segregation for purely disciplinary reasons, to 15 from 30. However, the vast majority of inmates placed in segregation are put there for non-disciplinary reasons, including protection of an inmate, medical reasons and alleged misconduct. According to the data released to the commission, only 4.3 per cent of inmate placements in segregation over the three months were disciplinary, and because of misconduct of a serious nature. About 68 per cent were deemed administrative. The government also announced Monday it would hire an independent third party to help overhaul how segregation is used. In the case of the Thunder Bay inmate, he has spent around 100 times longer in solitary than the UNs limit, said Mandhane. She didnt identify him, but his name is Adam Capay, according to Toronto criminal defence lawyer Tony Bryant. Bryant told the Star he has been asked by Capay to represent him on a first-degree murder charge, and that Capay is currently lawyerless. Bryant said hes seeking more information about the jail situation. Capay was charged in 2012 in connection with an altercation in a different jail, the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre, that left another inmate dead, according to news reports. In an interview Tuesday, Mandhane said she asked for and received a tour of the Thunder Bay Jail on Oct. 7 and was approached by a correctional officer. The officer was concerned about a particular inmate in solitary, said Mandhane. During her tour, she said she was shown the segregation unit but his name wasnt on the list of inmates there. Eventually she asked her guides, who included the jail superintendent and an assistant deputy minister, if she could see him. After getting his consent, Mandhane described being led down a flight of stairs to a windowless range that had a number of cells, including one at the end of the range with Plexiglas lining the outside of the cell. Thats where she spoke with the inmate, who said the lights were on 24 hours a day. Through a small hole in the glass, she spoke to the inmate she described as a young indigenous man. It is unclear on what charges he was imprisoned, but he told her he has been in continuous solitary confinement, awaiting trial, for more than four years, first at a jail in Kenora, then in the Thunder Bay jails. He told me that he had difficulty speaking as well as he used to because of the lack of human contact, said Mandhane, and that because of the artificial light, he couldnt tell day from night. He also talked about self-harming incidents and showed related scars. Hed been restrained at least once and said he was visited by a psychiatrist about twice a month, but that the sessions were minutes long and that he felt the purpose of the visits were to assess his suitability for continued segregation, and werent therapeutic in nature, said Mandhane. Corrections officials did not explain to Mandhane why he was initially placed in segregation or the reason for his continued segregation but confirmed he had been in for more than four years, she said. Mandhane said the ministry later indicated there are issues with him being in the general population. I dont dispute that, she said. But I think there was also clear evidence of mental health issues. Its not clear to me that he was really receiving any treatment. Rules require the jails to report to the ministry the reasons for continued segregation of an inmate. Where mental health is an issue, the ministry must consider alternatives. The Star sought comment from the ministry. There was no immediate response Tuesday. Segregation statistics for Oct.-Dec. 2015: 4,178 or 19.2 per cent of inmates spent at least a day in segregation across Ontario Of the 4,178: 1,889 served multiple terms in segregation 3,674 (87.9%) were male 454 (10.9%) were female (1.2% unknown) 38.2% had a mental health alert 56.9% identified as white 13.3% identified as black 13.1% identified as aboriginal 16.2 days: Average time spent in segregation SHARE: OTTAWACanadians have no doubt learned a lot about Justin Trudeau in the year since he was elected prime minister. Here are five examples: 1. He plays his cards close to his chest: Before and during the election campaign, Trudeau would let you know where he stood on issues. Marijuana? Legalize it. Deficits? Down with it. Raise taxes on the top earners? Of course. But since coming to office, he has kept particular views to himself. On the specifics of building pipelines and electoral reform, for example, Trudeau doesnt say what projects or voting system he backs. When asked about pipelines, Trudeau talks about the economy and environment going hand in hand, the need for social license and to work with aboriginal communities. Hes a waffler in the grand Liberal tradition, says Nelson Wiseman, director of the Canadian Studies Program at the University of Toronto. Trudeau likely has about two years at the most to push one or two major issues before he heads into re-election mode. He has spent the past year watching his polling numbers stay high and building political capital. What will he spend it on? 2. Hes a different leader than his father: The opposition likes to razz Trudeau about taking too many selfies and not focusing on the issues of the day. No one believes Trudeau isnt authentic when he poses for pictures or shakes hands with domestic and international crowds, even though his staff works hard to make sure he can get a picture with anyone who wants one. Trudeau is more social than many anticipated, Wiseman says, including letting people connect with him through his family. Trudeaus public image is opposite in many ways to that of his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who Wiseman describes as aloof and calculating: You cant imagine the younger Trudeau say, Just watch me. The current prime minister conveys a sense of passion for the country that seems sincere, says Max Cameron, director of Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at the University of British Columbia: Thats gold. 3. His campaign performance in 2015 was no accident: Penny Collenette, a former official in the Prime Ministers Office during Jean Chretiens tenure, says its almost as if Trudeau is still in campaign mode a year after the election. He clearly gets his energy from people and frankly, it will probably serve him well in this mandate, Collenette says. Perhaps his true governing style will not become apparent until budget decisions have to be made. Cameron agrees, saying Canadians are likely to learn more about Trudeaus specific positions on issues during the second year of his mandate. 4. Hes no micromanager: Andrew Potter, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada and the former editor-in-chief of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper, says some in politics like to wallow in the fine details (See: Stephen Harper), while others govern from 30,000 feet. Trudeau seems oddly disengaged to me, says Potter. Some decisions have caught people pleasantly by surprise, such as having gender parity in cabinet. But thats not what has people confused. Trudeau seems keen on being a global political leader and basking in the international spotlight something Canadians like because we tend to have an inferiority complex on the global stage, Wiseman says. The issue is what Trudeau does when he returns home. Its not clear to me what hes actually doing ... on a day-to-day job of governing, says Potter. 5. Sunny ways notwithstanding, he can still play the villain: At its core, governing is about making tough choices and trade-offs, says Cameron: Getting aboriginal buy-in for pipeline projects and needing to get oil to tidewater, for example. Trudeau has shown an ability to wear a black hat when the situation demands it, such as his unilateral plan for a price on carbon, or taking a hard line on health care funding. In both cases, Trudeau took a position sure to be unpopular with the premiers, despite having vowed to work with them, Cameron says. Indeed, hes adopted more conservative policies on health care funding and greenhouse gas emission targets, says Potter evidence that Trudeau understands sunny ways might be a great strategy to get elected, but a terrible strategy to govern. SHARE: OTTAWAIt was a year ago today that Canadians headed to the polls in a federal election that elevated the third-place Liberals and Justin Trudeau into power with a comfortable 15-seat majority in the House of Commons. And, the political honeymoon for the Liberals appears little diminished a year later, with a variety of opinion polls placing support for the party consistently in the mid-40s to low 50s and the prime ministers personal approval ratings even higher. Trudeau celebrated his first year in office on Wednesday with a string of media interviews in which he talked up the work his government has done in the last 12 months. Im going to let critics and journalists and Canadians make evaluations of how Im doing, he said in an interview with Breakfast Television Toronto. Im focused on what needs to be done, and thats a question of growing the economy in ways that helps the middle class. Trudeau said his government has done a lot of big things that are making a real difference in peoples lives, but added that theres a lot more to do. The Liberals first year in office has seen a variety of measures, including an influx of Syrian refugees, environmental pledges, upper income tax hikes, health care promises and indigenous commitments. But now that the Liberals have put a hold on health care transfer increases, maintained the old Conservative carbon cutting targets, fought First Nations in court and approved a major liquefied natural gas plant in B.C., there is some grumbling across the land. Still, the change in tone and style from the former Conservative government has yet to lose its novelty. Canadians had a very clear choice a year ago today and they picked the one party committed to investing in their communities, Trudeau said. They know that ten years of cuts from Stephen Harper wasnt growing the economy. We need to do it the right way and thats exactly what were doing. The Liberals still have plenty of hard tasks ahead. They include creating a new infrastructure investment bank, a recreational marijuana market, plotting a path to emissions targets, hashing out home care and pharmacare promises and revamping the electoral system. Katherine Fierlbeck, a political science professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, notes that Trudeaus sunny ways mantra stands in stark contrast to the venomous presidential election spectacle fast approaching its climax south of the border. I suspect the Trudeau Jr. glow has lived as long it has precisely because of whats going on in the States right now, said Fierlbeck. More on thestar.com: Liberals should be bold in tackling challenges of second year: Editorial SHARE: In a development that casts further doubt on Bombardiers role as vehicle supplier for Ontario light rail projects, Metrolinx is seeking out other potential manufacturers for its Mississauga-Brampton line. On Tuesday, Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, issued a request for qualifications an early stage of the procurement process for the planned Hurontario LRT, a 20-km, 22-stop line that will run from the Port Credit GO station to Steeles Ave. in Brampton. In addition to designing, building, operating and maintaining the $1.4-billion line,the document also asks the successful bidder to supply a fleet of 44 light rail vehicles (LRVs). The inclusion of vehicles as part of the procurement means that Metrolinx will not operate Hurontario with vehicles from the order it placed with Bombardier in 2010. That $770-million purchase of up to 182 LRVs has been hit with delays. The Hurontario news also comes one month after it was revealed that the province told consortia bidding on Torontos Finch LRT that they could include vehicle suppliers as part of their submissions as well. Metrolinx had previously said it would use trains from the Bombardier purchase on the Finch line. In an email, a spokesperson for the Quebec-based manufacturer signalled that the company planned to follow through with the entire original order. Bombardier signed a contract in 2010 to supply 182 light rail vehicles . . . We refer you to Metrolinx regarding where they plan to use them, said Marc-Andre Lefebvre. Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins wouldnt respond directly when asked whether the delays to the agencys original LRV order had prompted the province to seek out other potential suppliers for the Hurontario line. There are several benefits for including the vehicles in project procurement, Aikins said, including transferring the risk of vehicle delays or quality issues to the consortium and ensuring close integration of the trains with the rail infrastructure. Metrolinx placed the original LRV order with Bombardier six years ago to supply vehicles for Toronto-area LRT lines. However, the purchase was large enough that some of the vehicles could have been used on other provincially funded projects as well, including Hurontario. Bombardier, has yet to deliver the first Eglinton Crosstown test vehicle, which was originally scheduled to arrive in 2014. In July, Metrolinx served Bombardier with a notice of default, alleging it was in breach of contract. Of the initial order, 76 vehicles are slated to run on the Eglinton Crosstown and 14 are headed for Waterloos ION line. The remaining 92 have yet to be allocated, according to Aikins. Aikins said she couldnt comment on whether Metrolinx would commit to buying all 182 vehicles from Bombardier. She also wouldnt say whether Metrolinx would seek out other potential vehicle suppliers for the Hamilton LRT. The province expects to issue a request for qualifications for that project next year. Bombardiers struggle to build rail vehicles on time is affecting transit projects across the province. The TTC is suing the company for $50 million for repeated delays to its order for 204 streetcars. Construction of the Hurontario LRT is scheduled to begin in 2018, and is expected to be complete by 2022. Read more about: SHARE: As Chris Hughes lay in the dark two-by-two-metre cell, with no electricity, a small hole in the wall for a window and just a hole in the ground for a toilet, he wondered if his wife Grace and three young children knew he was still alive. Nobody knew I was there, he said. I had disappeared. I thought, my family must think Im dead. On Sept. 30, a few days before the Canadian man found himself in a Cuban detention centre, Hughes had flown a drone above the Plaza de la Revolucion in Havana. A photographer with a media business in Toronto, Hughes said he had been travelling through the Americas, previously going to Panama and Colombia. He had brought a drone with him, which he used to shoot photos and videos. He said he did not have any issues using it the drone in other countries, and no problems bringing it in through Cuban customs on Sept. 28. But two days later, the drone proved to be a significant problem. Hughes said he and a Cuban friend and tour guide were questioned by police about the drone at the Plaza de la Revolucion, a historic square home to the Cuban administration. The pair was taken to a police station, where Hughes said they were interrogated for around 12 hours. He said he was brought to his rental apartment to pick up his clothes, and then brought to a detention centre, where he would remain for nearly two weeks but never charged. Global Affairs confirmed that consular officials at Canadas embassy in Havana provided services to a detained Canadian citizen. To protect the privacy of the individual concerned, further details on this case cannot be released, Global Affairs spokesperson Austin Jean said in an email. The Star reached out to the Policia Nacional Revolucionaria office near the plaza, but was referred to a Havana-based immigration office. A receptionist at that number told the Star police was not to give any information by phone. Another official advised the Star to submit requests through the Canadian Embassy in Cuba. Hughes said he was held at what appeared to be an immigration detention centre and was again interviewed by Cuban authorities. Based on the questions, he believes Cuban authorities thought he was a spy. After Hughes wife hadnt heard from him in three days, she decided to alert the Canadian embassy. She said they were able to locate him after making contact with the family of his Cuban companion. She then paid for Orlando Ismael a friend and project manager of Hughes business to fly from Canada to Cuba to try to find answers. Ismael, who arrived in Havana on Oct. 6, said he went to the police station at the plaza and was told about a detention centre for foreigners. He said officials at the detention centre confirmed Hughes was there and that he was arrested for flying a drone in the square. Although he briefly saw Hughes, Ismael was not able to speak with him at length. Hughes said that the fifth or sixth day of his detention I didnt know exactly how long Id been there he was able to meet with a woman from the Canadian embassy. But it wasnt all good news; he said she told him the government had to let the investigation play out. The investigator had told me that if Im found guilty on any level, or if they find out Im working with the American government, that Ill spend the rest of my life in jail, Hughes said. Then, on Oct. 11, Hughes said he was brought into a room, asked to review the contents of his bag and informed that the following morning he would be taking an 8 a.m. flight back to Toronto. The next day, he was at Pearson International Airport, being embraced by two of his children and his wife. This whole thing felt like something out of a movie, his wife said. Although it was harrowing, Hughes said he understands why he was detained, and doesnt begrudge Cuban authorities. He plans to return one day he said authorities told him he is welcome to come back. If youre under your mothers roof, you play by your mothers rules, he said. My issue with the whole thing is that I had no clue whether I was going to be there for 13 days or 13 years. I just didnt know what was going to happen. SHARE: Rain was splattering across the sidewalks in a tidy neighborhood along Cheney Ridge Road off 84th Street as Jim Gordon made his way door to door. Gordon knocked, introduced himself, asked residents to consider voting for him next month. Some people recognized him; some did not. This is a neighborhood of older Lincolnites -- she's 84, nonpartisan; he's 96 and she's 87, both Republicans, Gordon was advised by an aide armed with election canvassing data as he approached each door. Pumpkins rested near a number of the doors; an eclectic combination of witches and American flags spilled across one doorstep; the knock on one door was greeted only by a barking dog. At the end, Gordon's bid for a seat in the Legislature garnered no rejections and no commitments, but a lot of promises to read his campaign brochure and consider him. Gordon is matched against Suzanne Geist in a contest to succeed term-limited Sen. Kathy Campbell in the 25th District, a legislative district with a rich heritage of independent and consequential senators, including Jerry Warner, Ron Raikes and Campbell. That's a line that stretches back a half-century. Geist led Gordon in a five-candidate contest in the May primary election when voters cut the field to two nominees. Property tax relief and controlled government spending head the list of priorities on Gordon's handout brochure. But there is more. "My heart is with the children of our community and our state," Gordon said as he sat at his dining room table before heading out into the light rain. And that is the message delivered in a campaign mailer addressed to parents and grandparents who live in the district. Gordon, who has been president of the national Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, said he believes "every child is special." People he visits with on their doorsteps -- an estimated 7,500 stops so far -- want to talk most often about taxes, especially property taxes on their homes, along with the death penalty, he said. Gordon said he'd like to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits and he'd look to collection of state sales taxes on purchases made online and by catalog, not only as a means of leveling the playing field for local retailers but as a potential revenue source. However, Gordon recognizes that Congress may need to act on that issue first. Tapping into other revenue sources could help relieve the taxes paid by homeowners, he said. On the death penalty, Gordon said he is content to "abide by the decision of the voters" when they choose in November whether to overrule legislative repeal of capital punishment or ratify the Legislature's decision. As for his own personal view, Gordon said, "I sat down with myself to consider it" and determined that "the worst of the worst, who are not going to be rehabilitated and may put at risk the lives of other inmates or the people in charge of their keeping," probably need to face the possibility of a death sentence. On his list of legislative priorities are early childhood and K-12 education, roads and other infrastructure improvements, affordable higher education, job creation and income tax reduction. Like Campbell, he supports expansion of health care coverage to low-income working Nebraskans by accessing hundreds of millions of dollars of federal Medicaid dollars available to Nebraska under the Affordable Care Act. "If people don't have insurance, they don't get preventive care," Gordon said, and the end result is high-cost, emergency room treatment that is reflected in insurance rates paid by all Nebraskans. Gordon is a registered Democrat but says he would be an independent, nonpartisan senator in the spirit of the nonpartisan Legislature just as Campbell, a registered Republican, has been. Campbell has endorsed Gordon's candidacy, and so have two of his primary election opponents who are Republicans, he said. Gordon has some personal connections to the Legislature -- his wife, Karen Kilgarin, is a former state senator; his mother, Sally, was an assistant sergeant-at-arms before she retired at the age of 102. In a district that is predominantly registered Republican, Gordon's walk might be uphill. And it is made with a cane in hand. Gordon, 70, a Lincoln attorney, participated in 32 combat assaults during the Vietnam War before he was seriously wounded and hospitalized for 17 months. "I came home with a shattered leg and a cane for life -- but I did come home," he says in his campaign brochures. "That was a gift that shaped me." "Life is unfair sometimes," Gordon said, "but let's see if we can do something about it." The 25th District is composed of parts of east Lincoln, Waverly, Walton and northern Lancaster County. Gordon reported $139,025 in total campaign receipts and $17,703 in cash on hand as of Oct. 4, according to documents filed with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission. Its the $85 question that has trundled into provincial court and transfixed the passions of a Toronto law student for almost two years did he or did he not stop at an Etobicoke stop sign on the night of Nov. 12, 2014? Tanvir Islam, 34, is adamant that he broke no laws and claims hes fighting the traffic ticket on principle and integrity, refusing to plead guilty to a lesser offence or accept a lower fine. At the same time, Islam contends that his drawn-out case is an ugly example of a court system thats wasting time and money pushing back against his assertion of innocence on an $85 traffic ticket. Theyre in control of what matters (cases) they want to litigate, Islam told the Star this week. Its a gong show gone wild. To hear Islam recount this story is to hear of a man claiming to take on an outrageous and obstinate court process. He claims hes been told by the ticketing officer and Crown prosecutors that a dashboard camera from a police cruiser shows him committing the $85 offence stopping his car improperly at a stop sign. But despite multiple requests for the Crown to disclose the video, which Isam says have been made orally in court and in writing, no video has been produced. I am extremely confident that this video will exonerate me, Islam said. Dennis Morris, a Toronto defence lawyer who once represented former Mayor Rob Ford, said he knows Islam and has given him some advice on the case. A lot of times these things go on and on and on, he said. You can imagine hes spent countless hours on this. The ticket saga began just days after the alleged traffic offence, in November 2014. Islam said he applied in writing to appeal the ticket in court and also filled out a form requesting disclosure of the dashcam video. He didnt hear anything for about a year, he said. The matter resurfaced when he went to renew his drivers licence and was told he had an outstanding conviction and fine, he said. Shocked, Islam said he filled out a one-page application to get the matter reopened, which he said was approved by a Justice of the Peace, who set a trial date for Feb. 4, 2016. Islam said he asked for the disclosure of the video that day and was told by the Crown lawyer who spoke with the ticketing officer, who Islam said was in court for every hearing up until that point that they would produce it for him. The matter was adjourned until May, he said. In the meantime, after speaking with lawyers that he knows, Islam said he went to the Crown office at the courthouse, to see if they would toss out the ticket. They wouldnt, but said he could plead guilty to a lesser offence, and Islam said he refused. Im not going to plead guilty for something I didnt do, he said. The case proceeded. In May, Islam said he filed a Charter application to have the case thrown out because of unreasonable delay an argument which has gained prominence after a Supreme Court ruling in July capped provincial court cases with an 18-month limit, barring convincing justification for the delay. Islam said the case was again adjourned because he was arguing that he was told he could see the dashcam video, and now the Crown wouldnt give it to him. Islam said the justice of the peace wanted transcripts from the previous hearing, but there were none. The case was put over again, he said. On Monday, there was another hearing, to discuss the unreasonable delay application and another that Islam said he filed: abuse of process for the lack of video disclosure. But another issue came up, he said. Islam used a website, GetFreeFax.com, that emailed his affidavit and court files to the Crown fax machine. The issue, as Islam explained it, was whether this is a legitimate way to submit documents to the court. The judge adjourned the case again to deliberate on this, and the next date is scheduled for late January 2017, Islam said. Its completely ridiculous. Toronto Police Service spokesperson Mark Pugash declined to comment on the case Wednesday. There are a number of key uncertainties that remain about this, not least whether Mr. Islam filed his documents correctly, he said. In an email, City of Toronto spokesperson John Gosgnach said about 55 per cent of traffic tickets given out in the city are contested. Of those, about one third are resolved without a trial, usually through an early resolution meeting with a prosecutor, where the ticket is amended or withdrawn, Gosgnach said. A prosecutor is not concerned about having a ticket paid, but rather in addressing conduct which is in breach of the regulations for the road which have been put in place by the legislature for the orderly flow of traffic and the safety of the public, he wrote, on behalf of the citys legal services department. Where there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe an offence has been committed a prosecutor has an obligation to put the case before the court. Islam, meanwhile, claims the government is wasting money and that the video should prove his innocence. But why not just pay the 85 bucks and get it over with? Out of integrity, out of principle, but most importantly to hold the state accountable for their assertions, he said. This would amount to a potential wrongful conviction. He said hell be in court again Jan. 26. SHARE: QUITO, ECUADOREcuadors government acknowledged on Tuesday that it had temporarily restricted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges internet access at its embassy in London after the whistle-blowing site published documents from Hillary Clintons presidential campaign. A foreign ministry statement said that while it stands by its decision in 2012 to grant Assange asylum, it doesnt interfere in foreign elections. Leftist President Rafael Correas government said it was acting on its own and not ceding to foreign pressures. The ministry didnt specify the extent of the restrictions on Assanges access to the internet, saying only that the limitations wouldnt affect WikiLeaks ability to carry out its journalistic activities. The announcement confirmed WikiLeaks claim that Ecuador was behind the cut-off but disputed its assertion that the decision was made because of U.S. pressure. On Monday, the group tweeted: We can confirm Ecuador cut off Assanges internet access Saturday, 5 p.m. GMT, shortly after publication of Clintons Goldman Sachs (speeches). In followup messages posted Tuesday, the group claimed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had personally intervened to ask Ecuador to stop Assange from publishing documents about Clinton. Citing multiple U.S. sources, WikiLeaks said the request was made on the sidelines of negotiations which took place last month in Colombia. The State Department denied the allegation. While our concerns about WikiLeaks are long-standing, any suggestion that Secretary Kerry or the State Department were involved in shutting down WikiLeaks is false, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in an email. Speaking to reporters later, deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Kerry never even raised the issue or met with Correa during his visit to Colombia. There just was no meeting, he said. They didnt discuss any of this stuff. Assange has been holed up at the modest embassy suite at No. 3 Hans Crescent for more than four years after skipping bail to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex crimes allegations, a position which until now hasnt prevented him from continuing to play a pivotal role in exposing state secrets and backroom trade deals. WikiLeaks said unspecified contingency plans were in place and the site and its Twitter feed appeared to be working as usual. On Tuesday it released another tranche of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, suggesting that the groups ability to publish has yet to be compromised. The disclosure was the 11th installation in a series of leaks that have captured the workings of Clintons inner circle and included excerpts of her well-compensated speeches to investment bank Goldman Sachs. Those leaks themselves are part of a wider cascade that have embarrassed the Democratic Party and which the American intelligence community has recently described as an attempt by the Russian government to interfere in the U.S. election. Staff at WikiLeaks and the embassy either declined to comment or didnt return messages. Assange fled to the Ecuadorean Embassy on June 19, 2012, after a drawn-out and ultimately unsuccessful legal battle against being sent to Sweden, where he remains wanted over an allegation of rape. Ecuador granted him asylum, but British authorities have made clear they would arrest him if he tried to leave. Londons Metropolitan Police used to maintain a visible presence outside the building, although officers were nowhere in sight when an Associated Press journalist visited on Tuesday. Assange has carved out a life at Hans Crescent, dining on delivered food, welcoming famous well-wishers and even occasionally addressing the media from the embassys balcony. But evidence mutual suspicion with his hosts surfaced after BuzzFeed News drew on leaked documents to detail tensions between Assange and Ecuadorean embassy staff. If Assange is being cut off from the internet for diplomatic reasons, it might jibe with Correas politics. The leftist politician recently told the Moscow-backed RT broadcaster that hed prefer Clinton over Trump. For the United States, Id like the winner to be Hillary, whom I also know personally and appreciate very much, Correa said. Marc Becker, a professor of Latin American history at Truman State University in Missouri, said that while Clinton had successfully pulled Correa into her orbit during her tenure as secretary of state, he doubted Ecuador had merely bowed to U.S. pressure. He ventured that Correas government opposes the idea of interfering in another countrys affairs and doesnt appreciate their guests using their resources to that end. Assange isnt likely to submit to the internet ban quietly. Over the weekend WikiLeaks released three lines of code it described as precommitments, labelling them John Kerry, Ecuador, and FCO an apparent reference to Britains Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Precommitments are cryptographic functions that can be used to verify the integrity of material released subsequently. Thomas White, a U.K.-based security researcher and transparency activist, saw the posts as a warning to the named parties that WikiLeaks had ammunition in reserve if Ecuadorean authorities do not continue to offer him political asylum. Read more about: SHARE: MEXICO CITYThe jogger trots down a narrow sidewalk, apparently oblivious to the slim man in black trailing a few yards behind. Early morning traffic passes as usual. Nothing seems amiss. As the jogger crosses a street, his pursuer accelerates and raises his right hand to the joggers head. The jogger collapses, coils into a fetal position, then rolls onto his back with arms and legs extended. Blood seeping from his head flows into the street. A gun comes into view as the assailant turns and sprints away, startling a pedestrian and a cyclist. The video, captured by a security camera Monday in the upscale Mexico City exurb of Metepec and leaked to the media, has caused a sensation here. The victim was Vicente Antonio Bermudez Zacarias, a 37-year-old federal judge based in the state of Mexico, just outside Mexico City. Transported to the hospital, he was pronounced dead of a single gunshot to the head. Even in a country that has become synonymous with violence, the shooting of a federal judge in daylight is a stunning occurrence. The assault drew broad condemnation and official vows to find whoever was responsible. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said he had ordered the attorney general to investigate the very lamentable act. Authorities have offered no motive. The video would seem to suggest a professional hit by someone familiar with the judges routines. It was not clear whether Bermudez had received threats before his slaying. His extensive caseload included some of Mexicos highest-profile criminal cases. He was involved in legal rulings regarding the 43 college students who disappeared in the state of Guerrero two years ago and are presumed to have been killed. They were last seen in the custody of local police. This month, the judge blocked a request from Gildardo Lopez, suspected of being a hit man for a Guerrero-based drug gang to be transferred from the high-security Altiplano prison outside Mexico City. Among the suspects Bermudez has jailed are an operative of the ultraviolent Zetas gang and a boss in the so-called Jalisco New Generation cartel, a leading drug-trafficking organization. His judicial district issued an order last year stalling the extradition of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, Mexicos most notorious trafficker, to the United States, where he faces charges of murder and other crimes. Mexican officials say they expect the extradition to occur by February. One of Guzmans lawyers, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, denounced as yellow journalism any effort to link his client to the judges assassination. I have heard that he was ... very honest, impeccable, and that he was widely respected, he told the Televisa network. There is no basis to see Joaquin Guzman behind this act. Whoever the killer, the assassination has quickly become a testament to what many Mexicans view as a culture of impunity. The judiciary lives under a constant siege of criminal interests that look to twist institutional rulings through the classic method of filling the judge with money or lead, columnist Julio Hernandez Lopez wrote in the newspaper La Jornada. To a large extent, the mechanisms of judicial decision-making have been compromised by this mafioso threat that in no way has been confronted and exterminated. The day before the judge was killed, the Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico warned publicly that the country was in flames because of unchecked violence, with proliferating numbers of kidnappings, extortion threats and assaults on streets and in buses and trains. In certain zones of the country, violence is escalating and appears uncontainable, the church declared in its weekly newsletter From the Faith. At times the country feels at war with itself. Five Mexican soldiers were killed last month in an ambush on a military convoy in northern Mexico, suspected of being orchestrated by sons of Guzman. The church itself has suffered, with more than a dozen priests killed across the country in the last four years, including two last month in the state of Veracruz. In that case, police announced the arrest of a suspect this week. Veracruz has been an epicentre of violence, including the killings of journalists and others who were critical of the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party. Disgust over the killings contributed to the partys defeat in June in the election for governor there. On Tuesday, the Mexican media reported that an arrest warrant for organized crime and illegal enrichment had been issued against Javier Duarte, who stepped down from the governorship last week with six weeks remaining in his term amid widespread allegations that he was corrupt and implicated in violence. Human rights groups say that during Duartes six years in office hundreds of people disappeared and were killed in Veracruz, where rival cartels battle it out for access to lucrative drug- and people-smuggling routes to the United States. Many victims remain missing. In a recent case, four university students went missing Sept. 29 and their mutilated corpses were found several days later. As is often the case, it remains unclear why they were targeted. SHARE: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, behind in the polls, has started claiming that the election will be stolen from him because it is rigged. When Trump talks about the election being stolen from him, he seems to be referring to a range of issues, from voter fraud to the media being allied against him. He also said this week that he expects more than a million deceased individuals to vote against him. These claims have the potential to resonate with many Americans who already question the integrity of this countrys elections. A September Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 46 per cent of registered voters believe that electoral fraud happens at least somewhat often. But stealing an election in this country isnt easy. In fact, experts say its nearly impossible given how voting works. And documented instances of voter fraud are actually very rare. Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said the rate of fraud is smaller than the rate of Americans being struck by lightning. Below, we explain why rigging an election is so unlikely. What would rigging an election actually entail? Rigging an election would demand a widespread, nationwide effort with the two major parties colluding at every level. This is why election law experts say it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to rig an election. In this country, voting is an open, multi-step process with scores of witnesses from both parties each step of the way. Chris Ashby, campaign finance and election lawyer at Virginia-based Ashby Law, points out that American elections are held in open, public rooms, such as school gyms and community centres. There are no back rooms, secret doors or hidden hallways, Ashby wrote recently. The ballots, voting machines and election materials are locked and sealed when they arrive in the voting place, and when they are removed after the election is over, they are locked and sealed again. In most states, there are poll observers in each county who have been chosen and trained by both the Republican and Democratic parties to watch for problems or efforts to disenfranchise voters during the voting process. The poll observers are allowed to watch the poll workers and other election officials, who have also undergone training to run the polling places and help conduct the election. Voters use equipment that is publicly tested and observed by party representatives and representatives of the campaigns, Ashby said. After its tested, voting equipment is locked and sealed. Stealing an election requires the cooperation of the Republicans and Democrats who are the polling place election officials, along with the poll watchers from each party who are watching the election officials conduct the election, Ashby said. It would also need, he points out, the cooperation of the another group of Republicans and Democrats after the election who are watching the counting of ballots. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is running for re-election, said during a debate this week that Trump should stop saying the election is being rigged. We have 67 counties in this state, each of which conduct their own elections. I promise you there is not a 67-county conspiracy to rig this election, he said. The FBI released a statement Tuesday saying that agents work with federal, state and local officials to ensure a fair election process. How do I know that the votes are being counted fairly? Every jurisdiction has multiple overlapping systems in place to ensure fair vote counts, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law. After voting is over in each polling place, representatives for the political parties and the candidates literally watch the election officials count the votes. They also later participate in what is called a public canvass where the election results are gone over again to make sure they are right. The outcome of the election is not official until the canvass is finished, sometimes several weeks after Election Day. The purpose of the canvass is to account for every ballot cast and ensure that every valid vote cast is included in the election totals, according to the bipartisan federal Election Assistance Commission. This involves accounting for every absentee ballot, every early voting ballot, every ballot cast on Election Day, every provisional ballot, every changed ballot and every overseas and military ballot. Richard Hasen, an election-law expert at the University of California at Irvine and the author of The Voting Wars: From Florida 2000 to the Next Election Meltdown, said that counting votes at county offices and other places is a transparent act with Republicans, Democrats and good government groups watching the counting. When voting anomalies occur, generally because of human error, they are quickly caught and publicized on Twitter, and then corrected, Hasen wrote this week in an article in Slate. Are there actually a lot of dead people voting? No. Weiser says she often hears the claim that there are hordes of dead people voting but that this has been debunked repeatedly. There have been a handful of cases where votes have been cast in the name of dead people, and those have typically been minuscule in scale (like someone voting in the name of his or her recently deceased spouse) or involved ballot-box stuffing by unscrupulous election insiders, Weiser said in an email. She added: There has been no incident in over a century in which people were able to impact an election by mobilizing fraudsters to impersonate dead people at the polls. Deceased voters, just like people who move, do linger on the voter rolls, as the Pew Center on the States has documented, Weiser said. But to address that problem, she said that voter registration systems need to be modernized. How hard is it to vote more than once in a presidential election? Extremely hard, according to election experts. Hasen said there is zero evidence this kind of fraud has occurred regularly and that you would to have vote multiple times on a massive scale to influence the election. Hasen said that the only recent instance he knows involving multiple voting concerned a supporter of Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and other Wisconsin Republicans. This man registered and voted about a dozen times in a few elections in multiple jurisdictions, Hasen said. He was caught and literally pleaded insanity, because such a plan is literally insane. Is there any evidence of widespread voter fraud with people impersonating others? In one of the most comprehensive studies on voter fraud, Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt, who is now the deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, found only 31 incidents of voter impersonation out of more than a billion ballots cast between 2000 and 2014. Usually, only a tiny portion of the claimed illegality is substantiated and most of the remainder is either nothing more than speculation or has been conclusively debunked, Levitt wrote. The Government Accountability Office concluded in a report to Congress that the Justice Department had found no apparent cases of in-person voter impersonation ... anywhere in the United States, from 2004 through July 3, 2014. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONOn Monday, Oct. 17, two days after setting a new record by making 25 false claims in a day, Donald Trump did a rally in Green Bay, Wisc., and three interviews. He made 22 more false claimsadding a bunch of new ones about voter fraud to his usual litany. 1. Falsely said, of African-Americans, They like me better than they like her. (Clinton was up 86 per cent to 9 per cent with black voters in a typical recent poll.) 2. Falsely said, of voter fraud, Philadelphia is one thats mentioned. I think Romney got no votes and McCain got no votes. I mean, like no votes. (Both Mitt Romney and John McCain got votes in Philadelphia. Romney got zero votes in just 3 per cent of the citys districts, a fact the Republican chief in the city says is not suspicious given the overwhelming Democratic advantage in black neighbourhoods there and given that Barack Obama was running.) 3. Falsely said, Hillary even got the questions and answers in advance of a major debate. (Hacked emails suggest Clintons campaign was sent one question in advance for a Democratic town hall on CNN, not a major debate, not questions plural, and not answers.) 4. Falsely said, If you look at the polls and the polling places in various cities, theyre also rigged in the cities, lets not kid ourselves. (There is no evidence of election-rigging in American cities.) 5. Falsely said, There is tremendous voter fraud. (There is not. One expert found 31 cases between 2000 and 2014.) 6. Falsely said, This is a rigged election, folks. (It is not.) 7. Falsely said, By open borders, she means totally unlimited immigration. (Clinton supports limits on immigration.) 8. Falsely said, Hillarys plan includes open borders with the Middle East. (It doesnt.) 9. Falsely said, Your taxes will go way down under a Trump administration. (This claim would only be true if addressed to very rich people. Independent experts say the overwhelming majority of Trumps cuts will go to the rich. Half are for the top 1 per cent, according to the Tax Policy Center, and some middle-class families will pay even more than they do now. Most families below the top 20 per cent of earners are expected to reap income gains of less than 1 per cent.) 10. Falsely said, Crooked Hillary wants to raise your taxes big league. (This would only be true if addressed to very rich people. The Tax Policy Center says most residents below the top 1 per cent will receive minor tax cuts under Clintons plan, while the top 1 per cent will be hit with an average increase of $118,000.) 11. Falsely said, of the New START nuclear arms-reduction deal with Russia, They didnt even ask us for anything. They asked us not to reduce anything. (Jeffrey Lewis, scholar at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, says it is wrong to say Russia didnt ask for reductions. We each wanted the other to make different kinds of reductions, he says. We wanted to reduce the number of warheads and they wanted to reduce the number of delivery vehicles...The final thing was a compromise.) 12. Falsely said, apparently of sexual assault accuser Summer Zervos, The one young lady has five family members saying what she said is absolute nonsense. (One of her cousins has come forward to suggest she is not credible, not five relatives.) 13. Falsely said, ICE, last week. ICE endorsed us. ICE. (Trump was not endorsed by ICE, the government agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but by a union of its employees. The endorsement did not happen last week but three weeks ago.) 14. Falsely said, The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, allowed thousands of criminal aliens to be released because their home countries wouldnt take them back. (A 2001 Supreme Court decision requires these people to be released after six months if their home countries wont take them. While some critics say the U.S. should take a harder line on the matter to pressure these reluctant countries, it was not Clintons decision to release them or not.) 15. Falsely said, When you look at illegal immigrants voting all over the country...We have voters all over the country where they are not even citizens of the country and they are voting. (There is no evidence of this actually occurring in any widespread way all over the country. Trump was basing the statement on estimates of non-citizens voting from a disputed study.) 16. Falsely said, What was just found out is that the Department of Justice, the State Department and the FBI colluded, got together to make Hillary Clinton look less guilty and a lot better than she looks. (The documents show a request from a State Department official to the FBI to decide that one of her emails was unclassified rather than classified, and mention of a proposal for a quid pro quo. But there is no evidence that any such deal was actually made, or that there was collusion.) 17. Falsely said polls have us up by four in Ohio and doing really well everywherewe are ahead in the polls. (Only the Ohio part is accurate.) 18. Falsely said, She cant get 500 people into a room. Its crazy. (Clinton drew more than 15,000 people to a rally last week in Ohio.) 19. Falsely said, of companies leaving the country, Ford is leaving. (Ford is shifting small-car production out of the U.S., but it is not even cutting jobs at the affected plants, which will produce different vehicles. It is certainly not leaving.) 20. Falsely said, You have the disappearance of 13 iPhones, many of them whacked with a hammershe whacked them, a lot of them, with a hammer. (Clintons mobile devices were BlackBerrys, not iPhones. Two of them were allegedly hit with a hammer by an aide, not Clinton herself.) 21. Falsely said Clinton will double your health-care costs. (There is no evidence of this.) 22. Falsely said of illegal immigrants, In many cases theyre being treated better than our great veterans. (Every news outlet that has examined this claim has pronounced it ridiculous.) Read more about: SHARE: HONG KONGChaotic scenes erupted at Hong Kongs legislature Wednesday as pro-Beijing lawmakers prevented a pair of newly elected representatives advocating independence for the Chinese region from getting a second chance at taking their oaths. Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching of the radical Youngspiration party, who last week tweaked their pledges in an act of defiance against China, were among five lawmakers set to redo their swearing-in so they can take office. They were part of a new wave of activist candidates elected last month amid a rising tide of anti-China sentiment in semi-autonomous Hong Kong. However, the Beijing loyalists staged a walkout before their turn, forcing the meetings adjournment to next week because the 70-seat chamber lacked the 35-member quorum needed. Speaking to reporters outside the chamber, they blasted Leung and Yau for being disrespectful and insulting China and demanded they apologize, before getting into a yelling match with veteran pro-democracy activist lawmaker Long Hair Leung Kwok-hung. Leung threw slices of luncheon meat at them, a reference to their criticisms when the pro-democracy camp used similar delaying tactics. We havent had any sense of remorse from them, so we just have to do what I believe to be a very unfortunate choice, to walk out from the scene, to disallow the swearing ceremony to go on, said pro-Beijing lawmaker Paul Tse. Yau said the loyalists should be the ones to apologize because they are the ones who are betraying Hong Kongers. At the legislatures opening session a week ago, the duo and two other pro-democracy lawmakers modified their oaths, which call for pledging allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. Leung, 30, and Yau, 25, who took the English version of the oath, had vowed to defend the Hong Kong nation and mispronounced China as Shina, an archaic Japanese term for the country thats seen as derogatory. Leung crossed his fingers while taking the oath while Yau combined republic with a curse word. They were getting a second chance after the top court rejected an unprecedented legal challenge by Hong Kongs Beijing-backed top leader and justice chief, who had filed a last-minute injunction on Tuesday evening to stop them from being allowed the do-over. A third lawmaker, sociology lecturer Lau Siu-lai, was also prevented from retaking her oath. But two others finished before the walkout, including a pro-Beijing representative who forgot one word the first time. Read more about: SHARE: YOLA, NIGERIANigerias Boko Haram Islamic extremists have overrun a remote military camp in the northeast, leaving 13 soldiers wounded and an unknown number missing, the army said Wednesday. Mondays attack comes a week after one faction of Boko Haram released 21 of more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped from northeastern Chibok town, and as Nigerias government is negotiating for the release of another 83 of the girls abducted two-and-a-half years ago. The attack on Gashigar, on the border with Niger, is the third reported attack on the military after months of a lull during which the Islamic extremists hit soft civilian targets. Army spokesman Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman called the attack a temporary setback committed by remnants of Boko Haram that forced the soldiers to retreat. An operation is in progress to find the missing troopers and clear the Boko Haram terrorists at the general area, his statement said. It is believed the attack is by a splinter from Boko Haram that calls itself the West Africa Province of Daesh. The group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, named a new caliph of its only franchise in sub-Saharan Africa in August, provoking a struggle with Boko Harams longtime leader Abubakar Shekau. A battle of words on social media indicated the dispute is over Shekaus indiscriminate killing of Muslims. The group loyal to Shekau negotiated with the Swiss government and International Committee of the Red Cross acting as intermediaries for Nigerias government last Thursdays release of 21 Chibok girls, the first such negotiated settlement. President Muhammadu Buhari, who flew to Germany the day the girls were set free, is scheduled to meet with them and their families later Wednesday, according to a social media message posted by the official account of Nigerias presidency. Boko Harams 7-year-old Islamic uprising has killed more than 20,000 people, forced some 2.6 million from their homes and left tens of thousands facing famine-like conditions, according to aid agencies and the UN. Read more about: SHARE: RIO DE JANEIROThe powerful former speaker of Brazils lower house who spearheaded the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff was arrested Wednesday as part of a sprawling graft probe involving state oil giant Petrobras. Federal deputy Eduardo Cunha, who until recently was a key ally of new President Michel Temer, is accused of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion related to an oilfield purchase that Petrobras made in 2011 in the West African nation of Benin, among a series of other charges. Prosecutors said in a statement that they requested Cunhas detention on the grounds that he represented a threat to the integrity of the investigation and was a flight risk. They also asked for bank accounts he holds totalling more than $60 million (U.S.) to be frozen. Cunha was arrested in the capital, Brasilia, and was taken to the southern city of Curitiba, where Judge Sergio Moro is presiding over many of the Petrobras cases. In a statement, the former lawmaker said the arrest was absurd. The ex-speaker faces multiple ongoing investigations and has been accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes for himself and other politicians. Cunha denies all the allegations and has said he is the target of a witch hunt for being an adversary of Rousseffs Workers Party. Cunha launched impeachment proceedings against Rousseff in December when he was speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, accusing her of violating budget rules. That led to a Senate vote to remove her from office in August. By that time, corruption allegations already had forced Cunha to resign as speaker. Last month he was stripped of his congressional seat along with the legal protections against prosecution that come with elected office in Brazil. Cunha then began publicly criticizing Temer, his erstwhile ally, and Cabinet officials. He announced he would write a tell-all book about the impeachment with the first excerpts to be published in November. Analysts have said that if Cunha co-operates with prosecutors, he could potentially bring down others in the Petrobras case and create more headaches for the government. Maria Herminia Tavares de Almeida, a political science professor at the University of Sao Paulo, said Cunhas arrest shows that the Petrobras probe, which has already snared some of Brazils richest and powerful figures, still threatens others. Cunha was an obvious target, de Almeida told The Associated Press. Many feared that the investigations on Petrobras would be about to end or that they would focus only on the Workers Party, but today shows that there is a bigger picture. Following the arrest, Temers office said the president had cut short a trip to Japan and was expected to be back in Brasilia on Friday. Congress was expected to have a busy schedule this week, but deputy speaker Waldir Maranhao, an ally of Cunha, suspended Wednesdays session after the news broke. Swiss officials have confirmed bank accounts there in Cunhas name, with media reports putting their value in December at 2.4 million Swiss francs ($2.5 million U.S.). I hope the Swiss gives us that money back, said doorman Francisco Aldo, a resident of central Rio. Cunha is a big fish, but all that I hope is that he snitches on all the others that made him so big. Corruption in Brazil is far from over. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONRepublican presidential candidate Donald Trump did two Colorado rallies and an interview with radio host Mike Gallagher on Tuesday, Oct. 18. He made 19 false claims. 1. Falsely said, You go to Philadelphia, where Romney got zero votes, where McCain got zero votes. (Both Mitt Romney and John McCain got tens of thousands of votes in Philadelphia. Romney got zero votes in just 3 per cent of the citys districts.) 2. Falsely said, of voter fraud, Take a look at Chicago Take a look at some of these cities where you see things happening that are horrendous. (There is no evidence of a voter fraud problem in Chicago. A spokesman for the citys elections board told the Chicago Tribune, In the last 10 years weve had 10 referrals of suspicious activity to the states attorneys office and at the same time weve had nine million ballots cast.) 3. Falsely said, They even want to try and rig the election at the polling booths, where so many cities are corrupt and voter fraud is all too common. (Nobody is trying to rig the election. There is no evidence cities are corrupt in their elections. Voter fraud is not common.) 4. Falsely said, By open borders she means totally unlimited immigration. Come on in, folks. (Clinton does not support unlimited immigration.) 5. Falsely said, Hillarys plan includes an open border with the Middle East. (It does not.) 6. Falsely said, Now they say were tied in Colorado, and They say were tied. I dont think were tied. Another one says were two up, one says were four up. (Trump is down by an average of eight points in Colorado. While he was tied in one Gravis poll in early October, the Gravis poll in mid-October shows him down five points.) 7. Falsely said, And then you wonder why the murder rates the highest in 45 years. (The murder rate is among the lowest of the last 45 years. While it rose more than 10 per cent between 2014 and 2015 the biggest spike in 45 years it was still near historic lows at 4.9 per 100,000 people in 2015. In 1970, it was 7.9 per 100,000 people.) 8. Falsely said, As secretary of state, Hillary Clinton allowed thousands of criminal aliens to be released because their home countries refused to take them Who would do this? Who would do this? You know who would do this? A weak and pathetic politician. (A 2001 Supreme Court decision requires these people to be released after six months if their home countries wont take them back. While some critics say the U.S. should do more to pressure these reluctant countries to change their policies, it was not Clintons decision to release them or not.) 9. Falsely said of sexual assault allegations, Many of them have now already been debunked. (None have been debunked. Trump and his allies have offered rebuttals and counterclaims, but no allegation has been definitively disproven.) 10. Falsely said of John McCain, I hear hes doing badly since he unendorsed (Trump). (There is no evidence of this. A poll released Wednesday, taken after McCains unendorsement, showed him up 10 points.) 11. Falsely said, Look at our jobs report from last week, it was a disaster. Our jobs report last week was catastrophic. (While Trump is entitled to his opinion on the report, which was released the week before last, it is objectively wrong to go so far as to say it was catastrophic. The economy added 156,000 jobs. While this was short of analysts estimates of 172,000, analysts called it such things as solid and within the broad range of expectations; while some media outlets called it disappointing, only Trump is calling it a catastrophe.) 12. Falsely said, Were the highest-taxed nation in the world. (The U.S. does not even have the highest corporate marginal rate in the world; it is third. Taking all kinds of taxes into account, the U.S. is below average for the industrialized world.) 13. Falsely said, the disappearance of 13 iPhones, some by hammers. (Clinton used BlackBerrys as secretary of state, not iPhones.) 14. Falsely said, Hillary thinks most of the country is either deplorable, irredeemable, un-American, racist, or basement-dwellers in the case of the Bernie Sanders people. She said they were basement-dwellers. (There is no indication Clinton believes this about most of the country. She used deplorables and irredeemable to refer specifically to half of Trump supporters, then expressed regret for using the word half. She used un-American to refer specifically to Republican obstructionists in Congress. She never disparaged Sanders supporters as basement-dwellers, but sympathetically said some have been forced to live in their parents basements because they cannot find good jobs.) 15. Falsely said, Your taxes will go way, way down under a Trump administration. (This claim would only be true if addressed to very rich people. Independent experts say the overwhelming majority of Trumps cuts will go to the rich. Half are for the top 1 per cent, according to the Tax Policy Center, and some middle-class families will pay even more than they do now. Most families below the top 20 per cent of earners are expected to reap income gains of less than 1 per cent.) 16. Falsely said of illegal immigrants, They get taken care of better than our great vets. (Every news outlet that has examined this claim has pronounced it ridiculous.) 17. Falsely said Clintons immigration plan includes expanding catch and release on the border. (Writes the New York Times: The practice of catch and release releasing illegal border crossers back into Mexico without charging them with any violation was ended in 2006, under the Bush administration.) 18. Falsely said, The polls just came out in all of the swing states, Im either leading or within one or two points. (Trump is trailing in almost every swing state, in many by more than two points.) 19. Falsely said of sexual assault accuser Summer Zervos, The other person who was on the Apprentice, members of her family came out and said she spoke most highly of Donald Trump her family actually came out and said how unfair it was. (It is false to say members of her family said this, or that her family said this; a statement was issued by one cousin.) Other false things: Donald Trump said 22 false things on Monday, Oct. 17 New record: Donald Trump said 25 false things on Saturday Donald Trump made 33 false claims at second debate Read more about: SHARE: To loyal fans of Chris Christie, his interview Monday with NBC must come as a relief: the New Jersey governor took a small chance to throw his one-time foe Donald Trump under the bus. Its the candidates campaign. Its not my campaign, Christie said of the latest wave of scandal to hit Trump, whom he is supporting for president. Im proud of everything Ive said and thats all I can control. The rest of it I cant control. These lukewarm comments arent the only sign Christie is distancing himself from the GOP presidential nominees campaign. A rare presence on the trail (unlike fellow Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani), the governor reportedly did not appear alongside Trump at an event in New Jersey on Saturday night. And when asked recently about Trumps 2005 comments to Billy Bush, Christie called them completely indefensible. (To NBC, he said he took Trump at his word that womens allegations of sexual harassment are false, but quickly pivoted to another topic.) The irony is that Christies work within the Trump operation running his presidential transition continues apace in spite of his apparent desire to disassociate himself from Trump. Thats partly thanks to ex-Christie chief of staff Rich Bagger, a powerful force who is all-but-unknown outside New Jersey politics. A pharmaceutical executive on leave to direct Trumps transition, Bagger is at the centre of a group of increasingly beleaguered aides trying to plan a sober transition for one of the least predictable presidential candidates in recent memory. Members of Trumps transition continue to work toward specific goals and to attend regular meetings, including those convened by the Partnership for Public Service, even as new controversies dog the campaign. This is because transition officials see it as their duty to prepare for the possibility of a new government, regardless of whether that government ever comes to pass. (A slew of forecasts are currently predicting Trump will lose to Hillary Clinton, but yes, the transition is still working.) Bagger, who participated in Christies transition as governor, is said to embrace this view. Hes setting the tone, telling people to keep their heads down, said one ally. Bagger hails from Westfield, N.J., where he served on the town council and was elected mayor at 29. A lifelong Republican, he told the Princeton Alumni Weekly in 1980 he was verbally abused on campus for posting notices about GOP activities. Upon leaving Westfield, Bagger journeyed through New Jersey state politics, including five terms in the Assembly and a partial term in the Senate. His legislative career is seen as the root of the wonkish tendencies Bagger applies to transition planning. As Christies top aide, Bagger developed policy ideas that were turned into bills by Jeff Chiesa, Christies chief counsel. Together, Bagger, Chiesa and deputy chief counsel Kevin ODowd formed what was dubbed the triumvirate, wielding immense power over state leaders. Baggers other work is in the pharmaceutical sector. He occupied senior roles at Pfizer for more than 16 years prior to joining the Christie administration, including during the 11 or so he served in the state legislature. After leaving the governors office, he joined the Celgene Corp., an international bio-pharmaceutical firm whose executive chairman this summer supported Trump as a delegate at the Republican convention. Baggers career exemplifies some of the revolving-door practices that ethics watchdogs have criticized, a pattern that might elicit criticism should Trump win the election. His name has also come up in a handful of reports related to the so-called Bridgegate scandal that has raised questions about Christies political future. Appointed by Christie to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2012, Bagger was listed in at least one press account as a possible government witness in the legal battle over the lane-closing incident. Key prosecution witness David Wildstein also said he met with Christies inner circle, including Bagger, in 2010 to decide which Port Authority employees hired under Democratic governors could remain in their jobs. At a volatile time on the Trump campaign, sources close to the transition say Bagger continues with his calm but exacting approach. He is one of those guys who prides himself in (sic) the issues where everyone elses eyes glaze over, former Westfield Mayor Tom Jardim told Patch.com in 2009. He is also said to be quite intolerant of leaks. Read more about: SHARE: Suzanne Geist does not skip the house with a yard sign proclaiming support for her opponent when she walks through a quiet neighborhood on a late afternoon as the first red and gold leaves of autumn are fluttering to the ground. "I see the sign, but I would appreciate your support," she tells the man who answers the doorbell with a smile, handing him her campaign calling card. You never know how open a voter may be -- and there are many politically divided households. Lots of people are not at home this late afternoon, but Geist pauses on those doorsteps to write handwritten notes on her campaign handouts: "I'm sorry I missed you. Please vote." A pumpkin-head ghost is on duty in one yard in this affluent neighborhood south and east of 84th and A, and the people who are at home take time to visit briefly. Geist stands at the doorstep and tells them this is her first candidacy for elective office, and she is determined to listen to them. In turn, they tell her they'll consider voting for her next month. No one voices a firm yes or no. Since she entered the 25th District legislative race, Geist says, she has knocked on 13,000 doors. She has journeyed through many neighborhoods three times, block by block. "I'm going to work my butt off," she said with a laugh as she sat down for an interview at Scooters before embarking on this day's door-to-door journey. Geist, a registered Republican, is running as "a conservative voice," committed to low taxes, control of government spending, creation of a business-friendly environment and support for pro-life policies. Her campaign calling card will tell you she supports the death penalty and opposes expanding Obamacare in Nebraska. The Legislature has rejected annual efforts to access hundreds of millions of federal Medicaid dollars that are available to Nebraska to help expand health care coverage to the working poor. Party identification "just gives people a reference where you're coming from," Geist said. The 25th District is heavily Republican in terms of voter registration figures and has traditionally elected independent Republicans to the Legislature, including Sen. Kathy Campbell, who will be term-limited out of office at the end of the year. Although Geist is pleased to have the endorsement of Gov. Pete Ricketts, she said, "I don't feel that I have to align with him on everything (and) I don't think he would support me if I was not independent. "I don't know him that well," Geist said, "but I think we share the same business mindset." With a growing shortfall in anticipated state revenue, Geist said she may be inclined to focus more on "reducing the growth of government during the coming legislative session" rather than supporting state tax cuts at this time. "I don't promise tax cuts," she said. "And I don't hear about sales or income taxes" during visits on doorsteps, Geist said. "It's easy to say I'm going to cut your property taxes, but those are local taxes" that are determined by the level of local government and public school spending, she said. Ricketts and the Legislature stepped forward during the last two legislative sessions with increases in property tax credits that impacted the state budget. If elected in November, Geist said, she would go to the Legislature prepared to listen and learn. And keep her word. "I will say yes or no, and I will do yes or no. I would stand by my word and I would not bargain that away. What you see is what you get." "It's important to build relationships," Geist said. "I want to be a good strategic partner. "I would not have a big agenda the first session; then I'm all in," she said. "The most successful legislators understand they're not going to get their way all the time." Geist said. "There is give and take. "I understand it takes more than just my ideas. I just want to be a part of that effort. And I know I haven't heard all the ideas yet." If elected, Geist said, she plans to try to schedule regular neighborhood coffee gatherings during the legislative session in order to "protect myself from being insulated from constituents." "I want to continue to listen," she said. "Whether people agree or disagree, it's important that they can feel they are heard." Geist, 54, operates a small business selling clothing out of her home, a business she describes as "a one-woman show." "I've always been a political observer," she said, "but I never had the intention of becoming a politician. It was not on my radar or on my bucket list." But, she said, she decided to jump in out of concern for the future of her children and grandchildren. "I'd like to help make Nebraska the best place to begin in business and to start up businesses," Geist said. The level of taxation and government regulation has erected barriers that need to be eased or overcome, she said. Geist reported $48,237 in total campaign receipts and $10,005 in cash on hand as of Oct. 4, according to documents filed with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission. In 2015, Texas veterinarian Kristen Lindsey posted a photo to Facebook in which she posed with a cat that had been killed with a bow and arrow. My first bow kill lol, the photos caption read, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The only good feral tomcat is one with an arrow through its (sic) head! Vet of the year award . . . gladly accepted. The post enraged cat lovers and animal-rights activists, who called for Lindseys license to be revoked. In the aftermath of the picture, Lindsey was reportedly fired from her job at a veterinary clinic in Brenham, about 144 kilometres from Austin. On Tuesday, months after the initial Facebook posting, the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners ruled that Lindsey wont be allowed to practice for a year. Loris Jones, a spokeswoman for the state board, said the one-year period will be followed by four years of probation. While Lindsey is on probation, Jones said, she must work with a supervising veterinarian, who must be approved by the state board and will submit reports. Lindsey must also obtain additional education in animal welfare, Jones said. The Associated Press reports that Lindseys attorney had argued that his client thought the cat was feral, and that her actions werent out of the ordinary in the area where she lived. From the Associated Press: Her lawyer, Brian Bishop, told the board she believed the cat was feral and that it isnt unusual for people near her rural home west of Houston to dispose of feral animals. She shouldnt have posted an image to Facebook in April 2015, Bishop said, but she didnt act with criminal recklessness. This case would never have gone forward but for the fact that we live in a social-media age, Bishop said. Bishop said in an email Tuesday evening that he and his client were disappointed by the boards decision and planned to appeal. We are also disappointed that the Board has, for all intents and purposes, chosen to take sides in the culture war between the animal rescues zealots who have campaigned to destroy Dr. Lindsey and her family versus rural property owners who have the right to protect their property and their own animals from feral animals who are destroying their property and threatening their own animals, he said in an email to The Washington Post. Lindsey, Bishop wrote, did what she did to protect her property and her own cat from an animal that was trespassing on her property, damaging her property, and endangering her domestic cat and her horse. It should be very troubling to regular people that the State of Texas is spending precious tax dollars on the prosecution of someone who was simply protecting her property from a free-roaming feral animal, and that this Board doesnt have the integrity that the District Attorney in Austin County had to stand up to an irrational but loud lynch mob of zealots, he wrote. According to AP, the cat belonged to a neighbour of Lindseys and was named Tiger. A grand jury in 2015 declined to indict the vet, news outlets reported at the time. Read more about: SHARE: In August, you may recall, statues of a naked Donald Trump, sporting an oversized belly, among other things, appeared in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Cleveland. They were placed there by an anarchist collective called INDECLINE. As The Posts Peter Holley wrote of the Trump statues: Hoping to strip away the Teflon Dons legendary confidence to reveal the fleshy mortal beneath the expensive suits and long ties, members of the anarchist collective INDECLINE decided they would showcase the aspirant president in the most humiliating way they could imagine: without his clothes. Even earlier in the cycle, a satirical painting portraying a naked Donald Trump became so popular on the Internet that its artist, Illma Gore, placed it on her website for free download. On Tuesday, a caricature in the form of a statue of an almost naked Hillary Clinton was placed just outside the Bowling Green subway station at around 6 a.m., which caused an uproar. The life-size representation displayed her bare breasts with the head of a Wall Street banker resting his head on one. His lips were puckered, as if he was preparing to nurse from Clinton. One arm wrapped around her large belly, grasping it. Clintons face was twisted into a grotesque smile and, in addition, the statue depicted her with cloven hoofs beneath the knee. The statue wasnt up for three hours, the New York Daily News reported, before a furious bystander named Nancy (she refused to give her last name) knocked it to the ground and yelled, This is obscene. To put something up like this in front of my workplace ... I shouldnt have to see this, she later said. In a video captured by the newspaper, this woman continuously stomped on the statue and at one point sat on it, as its reported creator, 27-year-old Anthony Scioli, attempted to place it upright. Finally, police officers arrived at around 8:30 a.m. and forced Scioli to remove the statue. No one was arrested. Inevitably, some are arguing that the two statues, Trump and Clinton, are not equivalent. As Carin Kuoni, a professor of contemporary art and political engagement at The New School, told the Associated Press, the Clinton statue can be easily viewed as offensive rather than satirical. The history of how the female body appears has clearly been so negatively coded and inscribed that it makes for a completely different intervention when you see the sculpture of a naked woman than when you see a naked man, she said. Others saw a double-standard at work. It is absolutely unfair and ridiculous, Michael Bauer, 23, a business student at Baruch, told the New York Post, referring to Nancys protest of the statue. I bet that lady laughed when she saw the Trump thing online and yet got super-pissed at this. Like, where is your logic? As for the alleged artist, Scioli, he told the Daily Beast he would not confirm or deny being this particular artist of interest. I will however say how much I appreciate the exposure this piece is garnering. It is a firm personal belief that satire brings us closer to the root of the truth of issues and I find it rather unfortunate that in these divisive times, rather than spur a healthy, more lighthearted debate, it only seems to have led to more strife. Its important to note, though, that one of the women in Trumps life, his wife, Melania, was also pulled into this shaming-via-nudity tactic thats been used in this election when the New York Post published a fully nude photograph of her on the front page with the all-caps headline reading, The Ogle Office. Inside its pages were more explicit photographs of the woman who might become the nations first lady. Read more about: SHARE: Chris Wallace was a steady presence on debate night during the Republican presidential primary, helping to moderate three events broadcast on Fox News Channel. His style in those debates offers some clues about what to expect in the last general-election showdown Wednesday night in Las Vegas, when he will run the point alone. Here are five things to know about Wallace ahead of the final clash between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Wallace is the first-ever general-election debate moderator from Fox News Breaking into the moderator ranks isnt easy. For a while, it seemed like the Commission on Presidential Debates always picked Jim Lehrer or Bob Schieffer. But Lehrer and Schieffer are retired, and Fox News now 20 years old now has the first general-election debate moderator in its history. After complaining about NBCs Lester Holt and CNNs Anderson Cooper before each of the last two debates, Trump has not griped about the selection of Wallace. From the left, however, some Clinton allies are unhappy that the inclusion of any journalist from Fox News. Media Matters founder David Brock wrote a letter to the debate commission in September, requesting Wallaces removal. The commission rejected Brocks request immediately. Moderators always attract scrutiny. In this election, most of the objections have come from Trumps side, but that could change in the final debate. Related:Trump, Clinton face off in final debate as chaotic campaign nears end Surprise! Wallace is a registered Democrat Put down the pitchforks, Democrats. Wallace is actually on your team. Well, kind of. Wallace explained to The Washington Post in 2006 that his party affiliation is purely pragmatic and based on his desire to participate in local elections. The reason Im a registered Democrat is that in Washington, D.C., there is really only one party, he said. If you want a say in whos going to be the next mayor or councilman, you have to vote in the Democratic primary. However I vote personally, he added, I think Im professional enough that it doesnt have anything to do with the way I cover the news. In the past six months, Wallace has interviewed Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama Democrats often steer clear of Fox News, and that has certainly been true of Obama and Clinton. But each has been willing to sit down with Wallace on Fox News Sunday recently. The questions in both interviews were tough. Wallace grilled Clinton on some of the subjects that conservatives believe she skates, including gun control, her response to the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, and her use of a private email server as secretary of state. The Commission on Presidential Debates did not elaborate on the reasons behind its moderator selections, but its a good bet that the Obama and Clinton interviews helped Wallaces case. They showed he is seen by Democrats as fair and by Republicans as willing to ask questions conservatives care about. Wallace set a bear trap for Donald Trump in a primary debate Wallace arrived at a Republican primary debate in March armed with full-screen graphics created to debunk some of Trumps false claims. He later said that he had tried to anticipate some of the things Trump would say. Do I take a certain pleasure when I open the gate and he decides to walk down the path and Ive got the bear trap at the end of the path? Wallace said. Yeah. Sure. While Trump has not complained about the debate commissions selection of Wallace, the two do have a history of debate-night run-ins. But Wallace says he wont play truth squad this time Dont expect a repeat of the Chris Wallace slide show on Wednesday. I dont think its a good idea to get the moderator into essentially serving as the Encyclopedia Britannica, debate commission executive director Janet Brown told CNN last month. The commission clearly wants general-election moderators to avoid confrontations with the candidates, and Lehrer and Schieffer have both said their advice is to leave most of the fact-checking duties to the nominees. Wallace appears to be on board with a more hands-off approach. I do not believe it is my job to be a truth squad, he told Fox News colleague Howard Kurtz in September. More recently, Wallace left the door open to some fact-checking when he spoke to Brit Hume but reiterated that his goal will be to let the candidates go at it. Im not saying that if they dont that I wont, Wallace said of calling out false statements. But what would certainly be my preference is that they ... keep checking on each other. Read more about: SHARE: Malik Obama is exactly the kind of man Donald Trump says hed like to keep out of the United States. Hes a Muslim. He comes from Kenya, a country that has been racked by unrest in recent years and has been the target of terrorists from Somalia, who have fashioned themselves as Islamists. He currently has between three and 12 wives he wont say exactly how many and, clearly, doesnt adhere to traditional American family values, however you might define them. But Malik Obama is a naturalized U.S. citizen, and hes the half-brother of the current U.S. president. Most importantly, however, he is an ardent supporter of Donald Trump. At the Trump campaigns request, Malik Obama will be in the audience of Wednesday nights presidential debate in Las Vegas, allowing Trump and his faithful to collectively thumb their nose at President Barack Obama and his favoured successor, Hillary Clinton. It wasnt always this way. Malik Obama was his half-brothers best man when Barack Obama married Michelle. Barack Obama performed the same role at one of Maliks weddings. When GQ profiled Malik in 2013, Malik Obama claimed that he and his half-brother shared a knack for leadership because it is all in the genes. Somewhere between 2013 and this year, though, Malik soured on Barack. Part of the reason for that may be that he feels spurned by his successful and popular half-brother. My brother didnt help me at all, Malik told the New York Post, referring to a foundation he started in their shared fathers name. He wanted me to shut it down when I set it up. He hasnt supported me at all. Inspired by Barack, Malik once tried to run for the position of governor in Siaya, the district of Kenya along the northern shores of Lake Victoria that his father hailed from. He got one per cent of the vote. In the United States, Malik has worked mostly as an accountant for organizations in and around the Washington, D.C., area, including the American Red Cross, Lockheed Martin and Fannie Mae. He is registered to vote in Maryland. Hell be casting his ballot for Trump. His reasoning seems to have as much to do with his growing antagonism for his half-brother as it does with Trumps persona and ideology. When he endorsed Trump in July, he said he found the Republican candidate to be honest, and he believed in his campaign slogan: Make America Great Again. He says he thinks the women whove accused Trump of sexual assault are lying, and questions why they didnt come forward sooner. He also opposes the expansion of LGBT rights, which his half-brother has championed, and was disappointed that the U.S. killed Moammar Gadhafi, whom he considered one of his best friends. At heart, however, he and Trump share something deeper: They are habitually opportunistic about limelight. Malik Obama has relished the media coverage, and his invitation to Wednesday nights presidential debate has only gained him more of it. Trump, meanwhile, is using invitations to the debates for their shock value. To the last one, he invited four women who accused Hillary Clintons husband of sexual impropriety as a way of distracting from similar allegations against himself, if not to cast aspersions on Hillary Clinton for Bill Clintons actions. Trump also played up how Clinton had treated her husbands accusers harshly, while purporting to stand for womens rights. Malik is likely the only member of the extended Obama family who supports Trump. Obama is wildly popular in Kenya. Said Obama, Malik and Baracks uncle, told The Washington Post that America needs someone who is going to bring people and cultures together, and that is not what Donald Trump stands for. The American president is nonplussed about the headlines his half-brother has been grabbing. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the president hasnt spent a lot of time considering Trumps invitation to his half-brother. Earnest said the two dont have much of a relationship. The president has said that they talk about once a year, at most, these days. One can only imagine how the next conversation will go. Read more about: SHARE: Lets be clear: Justice Malcolm Rowe is likely to be a fine Supreme Court of Canada justice, if not one of the finest on that bench. His small-town roots, training and experience as an international lawyer, and activist tendencies all make him exceptionally suited to the task. That he rose to the top of the Prime Ministers new appointments process is telling, as are his thoughtful and erudite answers to the Independent Advisory Boards questionnaire. But lets also be clear: the appointment of Justice Rowe is a missed opportunity to make our Supreme Court more diverse and inclusive and, in doing so, more reflective of a modern Canada. Though the Prime Minister has made diversity in federal judicial appointments a priority, including charging the Independent Advisory Board to expressly consider diversity, there is no denying that Justice Rowe (despite being Newfoundlands first Supreme Court judge) is not the diversity candidate many had in mind. There are some critics of the Prime Ministers call for a more diverse judiciary who assert that appointing an aboriginal or visible minority to the Supreme Court is identity politics. That simply isnt the case no matter how much pride aboriginals or Canadas diverse communities may have felt with the appointment of one of their own as a judge, its unlikely many from those communities would cast their ballot in the next election simply because of the appointment. The issues facing Canadas First Nations, new immigrants and racialized communities are just too nuanced to be solved with a single appointment. In fact, the demand by some politicians that Justice Thomas Cromwells replacement be an Atlantic Canadian (and the corresponding litigation to try to constitutionalize the issue) is the kind of identity politics we should avoid: it plays to Canadas regional and historical insecurities and ignores the modern reality of Canada, which is far more urban and diverse then when our regional conventions were first established. So, can this missed opportunity be salvaged? Yes, if the prime minister takes four steps. First, he should make clear that Justice Rowe was appointed because he was the best Canadian for the job, not the best Atlantic Canadian. In doing so, he would affirm that his next appointment in September 2018 does not have to be from British Columbia (since Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin, who will retire then, notionally holds that seat on the Court), leaving open the possibility of appointing an aboriginal or minority judge from outside B.C. In particular, the current convention does not allow for the appointment of a Northern Canadian, even though the courts in the territories are some of the most diverse in Canada. Second, the prime minister should publish demographic statistics of the applicants for this appointment. How many women applied? Self-identified minorities? Aboriginals? Non-Atlantic Canadians? How many judges? How many lawyers? The problem with promising diverse appointments is that the talent pool at the senior levels of the bar or on the trial and appeal benches may simply not be there. Demographic statistics allow the government and the legal profession to consider where more work must be done to create a pool of good, diverse candidates. Third, the prime minister should revisit (though not necessarily reconsider) the functional bilingualism requirement. Potential applicants have two years to immerse themselves in French-language training. But the government should test whether the bilingualism requirement had a disproportionate impact on aboriginal and immigrant communities, where French-language education may not have been a priority for their parents. Finally, the prime minister should disproportionally fill the 60 other judicial vacancies with qualified women, aboriginal and minority judges. A more diverse Supreme Court is, in many ways, symbolic. The real work of the justice system happens in our trial courts that may be the only interaction many Canadians have with a judge. After every hearing, the Courts justices gather over lunch to discuss their views on the appeal. The appointment of Bertha Wilson in 1982 surely changed the discussion around that table about many issues, including perhaps most importantly abortion, gender rights and spousal abuse. The appointment of an aboriginal or minority judge will have the same impact, providing a much needed perspective on novel issues facing an increasingly diverse Canada and in an age of truth and reconciliation. Our justice system is the finest the world has ever known. But, sometimes, not only must justice be done, it must also be seen to be done. Ranjan Agarwal is president of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto and a partner at Bennett Jones LLP. SHARE: A year ago Wednesday the Trudeau Liberals scored a remarkable victory, far bigger than almost anyone had predicted when the election campaign began 11 long weeks earlier. A lot of factors went into that triumph not least the sunny ways personality of the party leader himself. But at the top of the list was surely the boldness of the Liberals approach, their willingness to break with economic orthodoxy and capture the mood of the moment. As the Liberals prepare to start their second year in office, they should keep that basic truth firmly in mind. Its easy for any government to let the day-to-day exercise of power grind it down, to make it defensive or overly cautious. But the Liberals got to the enviable position they now enjoy by taking calculated risks and not shying away from bold action when necessary. The same spirit should guide them if they want a successful Year 2. The government has had many successes in its first year; it has earned its continuing long honeymoon with voters. But lately there have been worrisome signs of dithering in important areas, with endless consultation on every imaginable issue replacing action. With that in mind, heres an agenda wed like to see as the Trudeau government enters its second year: First, make sure the ethical hiccups of the first year are not repeated. The mini-scandals over spending by the health minister and top aides to the prime minister were relatively small potatoes. But that kind of thing must not happen again or public perception of the Liberals is bound to change, and not in a good way. Make sure everyone in government gets that message, loud and clear. Reassert federal leadership in health care. Theres a crying need for more money in areas such as homecare, as health costs rise and the population ages. The government has promised to put an extra $3 billion over four years into services designed to keep people healthy and in their own homes as long as possible. But already the provinces are starting to complain that Ottawa wants to impose too many conditions. Health Minister Jane Philpott should hang tough. Simply handing over cash wont buy change. The federal government should insist on national standards in this area. Get pharmacare on the national agenda. This is a big one, but the lack of a program to cover prescription drug costs for many people is a gaping hole in our health care system. The Liberals have been disturbingly silent on this issue, but its time for them to speak up. Federal leadership is badly needed to start a serious discussion. Fix Bill C-51, the fatally flawed anti-terror bill. The Liberals promised to scrap the most objectionable parts of the law, but after a full year theyve taken no action. Instead, they announced a public consultation last month on security issues. Its fine to consult, but this looks too much like a stalling tactic. The government should lose no time in doing away with the provisions of C-51 that clearly violate the Constitution. Match rhetoric with action in fixing relations with indigenous people. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put reconciliation at the centre of his agenda, but the government has conspicuously failed to act in several areas. It has fallen short in funding child welfare on First Nations reserves, for example, and continues to fight class action lawsuits filed by victims of the infamous Sixties Scoop. The government should break decisively with old policies and fulfill its promise of true reconciliation. And it needs to show concrete results in improving water, housing and education on reserves. Make sure the second phase of the governments vaunted infrastructure spending plan lives up to its advance billing. This is the part of the plan thats supposed to focus on improving long-term productivity and trade access. This is an unimpeachable goal, but it risks bogging down in vague business-speak and being held hostage to regional rivalries. Done right, it could be one of the most important things the Liberals accomplish. But that will take the kind of discipline thats rare from any government. Dont shy away from setting robust immigration targets. Some polls suggest theres a public backlash against immigration, but the truth is Canada needs more newcomers to sustain growth in the future as our own birthrate sags. One recent study finds we will need to raise annual immigration targets over 400,000 just to maintain the labour force and keep growth rates up. When the government announces its target for 2017, it should listen to the experts, not the rumbles in the background. Do away with whats left of the Harper governments tough on crime agenda. The courts have chipped away at the Conservatives misguided crackdown on the nations non-existent crime wave. They have struck down such measures as mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes, which undercut the power of judges to tailor punishments to fit the circumstances of each offender. The government has been largely content to stand by while the courts act, but that isnt good enough. It should revise laws that are needlessly punitive or discriminatory, such as the mandatory victim surcharge that unfairly penalizes the poorest offenders. Show how Canada can meet its commitments on climate change. The government demonstrated admirable leadership this month when it announced it will impose a minimum national price on carbon starting in 2018, even though some provinces loudly objected. That may be the easy part, however. Soon Ottawa must decide on whether to allow expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline from Alberta to Vancouver. Its probably the most defensible major pipeline project around, but if it goes along the government will have to explain how approving it can be compatible with reducing Canadas carbon footprint over time. That wont be an easy sell. A French statesman once famously observed that gouverner, cest choisir to govern is to choose. The Liberals made a bold choice a little over a year ago not to accept the Harper orthodoxy of small government, and voters rewarded them with a solid majority. If they stick to that path during their second year they have a good chance of keeping voters on their side. But if they lose their nerve, all bets are off. SHARE: European shares traded lower across the board Wednesday, with major indices slipping modestly as regional corporate earnings disappointed and investors booked profits after Tuesday's solid session. The broadest measures of European shares, the Stoxx 600 index, fell by around 0.15% in early dealing, although there didn't appear to be a definitive direction for trading as the session advances. Britain's FTSE 100 slipped just below its Tuesday close of 7,000, while benchmarks in Germany (down 0.24%) and France (down 0.19%) opened with losses. One of the early big share movers of the session came from Paris and the CAC 40, where Carrefour (CRRFY) , Europe's biggest retailer and a global rival to Walmart (WMT) , rose 1.25% after solid third-quarter earnings and like-for-like sales growth of 3.2%. The group said third-quarter revenue came in at 27.781 billion ($30.51 billion). Other early movers include Accor, the French hotelier, after it said its U.K. business would benefit from the weaker pound. Shares in Europe's biggest hotel company rose 4.5% in early trading despite reporting weaker-than-expected third-quarter earnings that were heavily influenced by the recent spate of terrorist incidents in its home French market. In Britain, the mid-cap heavy FTSE 250 was held down by a massive decline in shares of Laird, a maker of smartphone components and a supplier to Appleundefined , which is an Action Alerts PLUS holding. Shares in the group fell 46% in London trading, its biggest one-day decline on record, after it issued a gloomy full-year profit projection that could be linked to the scrapping of Samsung's (SSNLF) Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. Frankfurt-listed shares of Intel (INTC) fell 5% in early trading Wednesday, hitting 32.62, after the chipmaker provided a lower-than-expected 2016 fourth-quarter revenue outlook after Tuesday's U.S. market close. The company sees fourth-quarter revenue of $15.7 billion, plus or minus $500 million. Analysts are looking for $16.1 billion. For the third quarter, Intel posted adjusted earnings of 80 cents per share, beating analysts' expectations of 73 cents per share. Revenue came in at $15.78 billion, higher than Wall Street's projected $15.58 billion in revenue. Outside of equities, Nymex Light Sweet Crude oil held on to gains built in the Tuesday session and was quoted at $50.75 a barrel as trading began to move into European hours. In currency markets, the pound extended Tuesday's sharp rally, rising to 1.23 against the U.S. dollar after trader softer in the Asia session. The euro, which traded within touching distance of a six-month low against the greenback overnight, rebounded to 1.0994 ahead of the European Central Bank's next policy meeting Thursday in Frankfurt. Stocks in Asia rose for the second consecutive session Wednesday as investor momentum from the strong U.S. corporate earnings season carried gains that were extended with in-line economic growth figures from China. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 notched its third straight day of gains with a modest 0.21% rise into the close of trading, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong pared earlier advances in the session and looks on course to end the day down around 0.38%. Saudi Arabia needs a sharper-than-expected increase in crude prices to balance its budget, according to a report published Wednesday by the International Monetary Fund, as the Kingdom attempts to cure its self-described "addiction" to oil. OPEC's biggest producer requires oil at $79.70 a barrel to fund government spending and offset slower economic growth, according to the IMF's latest regional outlook report. The Fund had previously forecast a break-even oil price of $66.70 for 2016. Benchmark Brent crude prices have averaged around $43.70 so far this year. The figures help explain why Saudi Arabia is pushing for an OPEC agreement to cut oil output and boost prices. It could also give pause to investors lining up to buy the country's first-ever international bond sale. Saudi Arabia hopes to raise as much as $17.5 billion in a three-part bond sale that will include five-, 10- and 30-year debt. Pricing the debut deal will test confidence in Saudi Arabia's fragile economy, which is attempting to reduce its dependence - described earlier this year by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as an "addiction" - to crude oil exports. The IMF said Saudi Arabia's non-oil economy is likely to grow just 0.3% this year, down from an earlier prediction of 1.6%, after cuts in government spending also curbed private sector spending. Saudi's Overall GDP growth, including oil, is expected to be about 1.2%, its lowest level since 2009. The Kingdom will post a deficit of about 13% of GDP this year, falling to 9.5% next year, according to the IMF. Saudi Arabia has emerged as the driving force behind a tentative agreement to cut OPEC oil output by at least 100,000 barrels a day to between 32.5 million and 33 million barrels a day. OPEC members are due to ratify that agreement at a meeting at the end of November. Saudi Arabia has committed itself to the cut despite the absence from the agreement of its regional rival Iran. Iran, which is OPEC's No.3 producer, maintains it should be allowed to increase production to recoup market share lost as a result of sanctions. Earlier this week, it said it planned to increase output by about 200,000 barrels per day in the short term. Iran's apparent ease with lower oil prices is reflected in its lower break-even oil price, which is likely $55.30 this year, according to the IMF report. Iran benefits from a more diverse economy than Saudi Arabia leaving it less dependent on oil revenues. Neither the Saudi or Iranian governments are likely to balance their budgets this year as average oil prices are expected to be in the mid-$40 range. West Texas Intermediate traded Wednesday at $51.02, up 1.45%, while Brent crude was at $52.41, up 1.4%. Abbott Laboratories' (ABT) Miles White indicated on a Wednesday morning conference call that he is unfazed by Muddy Waters' attack on St. Jude (STJ) , and that the two merger partners' $25 billion deal remains on track to close by year's end. Discussion around Abbott's other acquisition in the works, of Alere (ALR) , was minimal, but the CEO did opine on China challenges and rebuffed speculation that the health care company has any intention of selling its diabetes business. St. Jude has responded well and thoroughly to the short seller's assertions that its pacemakers and other heart failure devices are susceptible to hacking, White told investors following the release of its third-quarter earnings. "They've been in great communication with us," White said. "I don't see this impacting the close of the deal or the business long term." White also indicated that while he'd like to give his thoughts on Muddy Waters -- which on Wednesday issued yet another attack on St. Jude, unveiling a website with videos aimed to debunk its products alongside a series of tweets -- he'd said he'd refrain. "I will keep my thoughts to myself," the CEO said. Yesterday Abbott and St. Jude disclosed a $1.2 billion divestiture aimed at addressing antitrust concerns over their merger, which they agreed on April 28 to pursue. The companies are selling parts of their vascular closure and electrophysiology businesses to Japan's Terumo. White was also only slightly less mum when it came to Abbott's other pending and perhaps even more controversial acquisition -- the $7.9 billion cash and debt deal for Alere currently working through litigation. A pre-trial hearing in the Alere case is scheduled for Jan. 27, but Delaware Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock III has been pressing Abbott and Alere to reach a settlement. In light of ongoing controversy about the rationale for Alere, White said little about the deal except that it remains a long-term strategic fit. On other matters of speculation, White reiterated that Abbott's diabetes business remains a strategic and core unit for the company. "If it's on your radar for some strategic move, take it off your screen," the CEO told investors. "The opportunity there is nothing but great moving forward." White said that Abbott has rebuffed a number of inbound calls over the last five years from parties interested in acquiring the unit. Outside of merger talk, White discussed the challenges facing the nutritional market in China, including the recent spate of food and product safety scares and the rapid and overwhelming transition to e-commerce. While the company is actively working to mitigate the market challenges for what represents only about 3% of Abbott's total sales, its diversity and size mean that it is is well-suited to absorb shock when it happens in one part of the company, he noted. Even so, inventories have piled up and competitors of Abbott have oversupplied the market, White said, in light of the speed of the channel shift to e-commerce from modern trade alongside other market dynamics, including new safety laws that will take affect next year. "The long-term attractiveness of the market is definitely still there, but it's kid of in an odd transition period that I don't think was anticipated," White noted. "I know we've got a slower position in China, but it's not going to knock us back," White said, pointing to the better-than-anticipated performance of its U.S. nutritional business. Abbott Park, Ill.-based Abbott on Thursday reported adjusted earnings of 59 cents per share, topping analysts' forecast by a penny. Shares of Abbott retreated about 2.2% to $40.28 a piece by late morning Wednesday. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Some Wells Fargo (WFC) employees targeted Latino immigrants in the recently disclosed accounts scandal, sources told Bloomberg News' Laura Keller, Jeff Green and Kartikay Mehrotra in a report published earlier today. Keller joined BloombergTV's "Bloomberg Markets: America" on Wednesday afternoon to explain the findings in more detail. Employees at Wells Fargo opened millions of fake accounts for existing customers because they were desperate to meet sales goals at the bank, sources told Keller. Latino immigrants turned out to be "the perfect victim" for those fake accounts. "They found that it was easier to create a bogus account for somebody that didn't need a social security number," she explained. Instead, the immigrants used consular ID cards. Latino immigrants couldn't speak out against the illegal practices because of the language barrier. "Employees knew that by targeting these particular customers, they would not get caught as easliy as with some other customers," she explained. This news comes as the federal government and banks like Wells Fargo have been making a push to get the Latino community into the traditional banking sector, BloombergTV's David Gura noted. "It's really ironic to have a bank that set out to help that customer in the end re-victimizing them," Keller said in response. Shares of Wells Fargo were higher in late afternoon trading on Wednesday. (Wells Fargo is held in Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of his holding with a free trialhere.) 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 team rates Wells Fargo as a Buy with a ratings score of B. This is driven by a few notable strengths, which the team believes should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks the team covers. You can view the full analysis from the report here: WFC WFC data by YCharts Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Starbucks (SBUX) plans to double its stores in China in the next five years, the company announced on Tuesday. Starbucks has gone from 400 stores in China in 2011 to over 2,300 today and plans to hit 5,000 by 2021. "Starbucks and myself remain very bullish on the Chinese economy and specifically the buying power of the Chinese consumer," Starbuck's CEO Howard Schultz said on CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Wednesday afternoon. The coffee company has already been in China 17 years and has had time to build an "iconic" and "respected" brand in the country, he noted. The CEO has a positive outlook on store openings in China for a number of reasons. First, the Starbucks locations that were opened this year are the best performing stores of the past 10 years, Schultz claimed. Second, the company is building a roastery in Shanghai, which is a much larger city than Seattle, where Starbucks is based. Third, the middle class spending in China should support these stores as the government predicts they might have 15 years of GDP growth over 5% "You look at those numbers and there's a very very significant opportunity," he said. "We believe very strongly that these are the early days for Starbucks in China," Schultz concluded. (Starbucks is held in Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of his holding with a freetrial.) 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 team rates Starbucks as a Buy with a ratings score of B. This is driven by a few notable strengths, which the team believes should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks the team covers. You can view the full analysis from the report here: SBUX SBUX data by YCharts I dont want to alarm students who think taking calculus in high school is the key to a brilliant future. But leaders in math education are warning that, in many schools, that course is a mess, causing bright students to forsake, rather than embrace, their dream of a career in math and science. This is not true for students who take Advanced Placement calculus and score at least a 3 on the 5-point exam, but they make up only a third of the 600,000 students who take high school calculus each year. The rest are in trouble, because colleges dont know what to do with them. Ordinary high schools across the country admire the stellar ones, many of them in the Washington area, that have top-notch AP calculus courses. They want STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs for their students, too. There is now an expectation that every secondary school should offer AP calculus or its equivalent, with the result that the demand for calculus teachers is outstripping the supply of those who are fully qualified, said David M. Bressoud of Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., a former president of the Mathematical Association of America. Within our schools, there is tremendous pressure to fill these classes. Too many students are being accelerated, short-changing their preparation in and knowledge of algebra, geometry, trigonometry and other pre-calculus topics. Too many students experience a secondary-school calculus course that drills on the techniques and procedure that will enable them to successfully answer standard problems but are never challenged to encounter and understand the conceptual foundations of calculus, he said. Bressoud was chairman of the College Boards AP Calculus Development Committee from 2002 to 2005 and has just been appointed to its Mathematical Science Academic Advisory Committee. He was one of many mathematicians who encouraged the release of a joint statement in March by the Mathematical Association and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics saying high schools should focus less on calculus and more on establishing the mathematical foundation that will enable students to pursue whatever course of study interests them when they get to college. Instead, students who took high school calculus often find they have to retake college calculus, or even pre-calculus. Many flee to the humanities. I have enjoyed exchanging e-mails with Bressoud on this issue. He doesnt mind my scolding him, and his higher education colleagues, for creating the problem and then telling the high schools to go fix it. College professors love to toss thunderbolts from their ivy heights on how pitifully high schools are preparing students. They dont seem to recognize that it is the colleges, particularly their course designers and admissions departments, that have the power to change this but so far havent gotten around to it. High schools offer whatever courses colleges say their students need to have to be admitted. One is calculus. Selective university admissions officers love to see it on transcripts. An applicant who isnt taking calculus often has to explain why, particularly if he or she is interested in a STEM career. Bressoud knows that. He suggests several ways colleges could help clean up the mess. We need tools for assessing student readiness for calculus, he said, just as the AP calculus exams signal which students are ready for the next level of college math. High schools could use an alternative to calculus that would nurture the conceptual understanding vital to college-level math, he said. But first colleges must bless such a course so that the students who take it can count on being admitted even if they shun calculus. Grass-fed cattle roam on a farm in Kentucky. The animals super-lean meat calls for special treatment during cooking. (Luke Sharett/Bloomberg) In which I answer a leftover question from last weeks Free Range chat: My family owns a small herd of grass-fed cattle, and we love having our own source of excellent-quality beef. I love roasts but have had little success in producing a tender, juicy, flavorful roast with our lean meat. I need suggestions. [More Chat Leftovers: how to smoke tofu; which measuring cup to use ] Grass-fed beef is tricky. Because its so lean, it requires special handling. It cooks faster than grain-fed beef and can go from done to overdone in a flash. So, begin by following a few basic rules for roasting: Always start with the meat at room temperature. Leave it out for an hour or two before cooking. If youre following a recipe meant for regular beef, reduce the oven temp by 50 degrees and plan on cutting the roasting time by about a third. Insert a meat thermometer and check it frequently. A remote-read model is best, so you dont have to keep opening the oven door. Aim for rare or, at the very most, medium-rare. If you go beyond that, the result could be dry, tough and dull. Let the roasted meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing it. Those are general guidelines, but now let me suggest something specific. In The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook, author Shannon Hayes has a recipe that she confidently describes elsewhere as no-fail and thats frequently hailed by home cooks as the gold standard. Its called Super-Slow-Roasted Beef and involves roasting at your ovens lowest temperature, which for most of us is 170 degrees. No matter how lean your roast may be, this technique ensures a beautiful cut of beef that is juicy, pink in the center, and absolutely delicious, Hayes writes in the headnote. And the best part is that overcooking the beef is just about impossible. For those of us who dont own the book, Cool Springs Ranch in Canada has thoughtfully included the recipe on its website. And if you want to know more about how Hayes arrived at her roasting epiphany, she explains here on her website. Slow-roasting, by the way, also works great on grain-fed meat, as you already know if youve tried the recipe for Slow-Roasted Beef in our Recipe Finder. Have culinary questions of your own? Then tune in for todays chat, which (as always) starts at noon and lasts for one glorious hour. This weeks special guests: Cooks Illustrated founder Christopher Kimball, who spoke with Becky Krystal this week about his just-launched Milk Street Magazine, and Bring It! columnist Cathy Barrow, who writes this week about homemade crackers. Other topics ripe for discussion: Richmonds booming restaurant scene, as explored this week by Tom Sietsema; and its equally booming craft-brewery scene, sampled by Fritz Hahn. Be there! A periodic look at my recent communication with readers. L ike a number of restaurants, Kapnos Kouzina in Bethesda has a policy of not seating customers until the entire party is present. But what happens when one of the guests is a 92-year-old parking his car, another is his 89-year-old wife with a pacemaker, and the dining room isnt at full tilt? Nancy Segal, the couples daughter, was understandably upset when she learned her mother wasnt allowed to sit down ahead of her father. They kept telling her she could sit at the bar and its Friday happy hour, Segal, a member of the dinner party, wrote me. What happened to common sense and common courtesy? Its the same thought I had when I contacted the modern Greek restaurant for a response. General manager Timothy Galvin replied via email that Segals mother arrived 45 minutes ahead of the reservation and seemed perfectly happy to be offered a chair in the entry. When her husband came in, he immediately began berating our 20-year-old hostess, which prompted the staff to break its policy and seat the early birds, a move that involved some shuffling of parties, says Galvin. Subsequently, Segal and her companion showed up on time for a dinner that they all seemed to enjoy, the manager recalls. Partly because of the perceived slight, gratis champagne was sent to the table. Even so, Segal, who complained on her way out, says Kapnos Kouzina lost four customers and my respect. While I wasnt there to referee, my takeaway is this: Rules should be bent on occasion, particularly when theres an available table and a customer in need. Something fishy At what he describes only as a nice restaurant, Andy LaVigne and two other diners rated their entrees spot-on delicious. LaVignes wife, on the other hand, took one bite of her grilled dorade and pronounced it fishy. I tried it, and agreed with her, emailed the Arlington reader. She did not want to make a scene and didnt want another entree at that point. Whats the best way for someone to deal with a situation like that? For an answer, I reached out to Fabio Trabocchi, the owner of one of the finest seafood restaurants around, Fiola Mare in Georgetown. Like the professional he is, the chef said: We love when guests tell us when something is wrong. Its our responsibility to recover. Had the situation occurred in one of his restaurants, he says his staff would have sprung into action by preparing either a fresh version or an entree of the customers choice. Meanwhile, a small portion of pasta or soup would be whisked to the table so the diner could eat along with the other guests. The best time to complain about something, Trabocchi reminds us, is when the guest is still in the restaurant. Afterward is often too late to make proper amends. Speaking up shouldnt be viewed as disruptive, by the way. Raising a problem can be done subtly, without drawing much attention to oneself. Phrases Ive used in the past include This isnt what I expected and The chef might want to taste this. Both beat leaving a restaurant disappointed or hungry or both. Last dance (for a while) Theyve checked off Komi, Minibar, Obelisk and the Source , and cant do seafood or spicy at the moment. Also, they wont be drinking much. Where, in other words, should expectant parents go for a splurge meal before their baby arrives? Thats the question posed by District reader Jason Kleinman, who wants to keep the tab under $150. Kinship, the intime creation of chef Eric Ziebold, home to an exquisite roast chicken for two for $56, certainly fills the bill, as does Masseria . The romantic Italian retreat is watched over by Nicholas Stefanelli, who turns out exquisite pastas and squab cooked beneath a brick, all of which can be ordered a la carte (between $28 and $38). Yet another choice table awaits at the Dabney, a source of Mid-Atlantic fare and a handsome hearth, where the signature small plates top out at $20. A rocky situation On a visit to a family-run restaurant in Washington state, Barb Keeler of Kilmarnock, Va., got more than she bargained for in a bowl of chowder: a pearl-sized rock that nearly broke my tooth. She handed the pebble to her waiter, who informed the chef, who in turn told Keeler, I cant scrub every clam then walked away. What is the etiquette in this situation? asks Keeler. I felt like I should apologize! On the contrary, the chef missed an opportunity to smooth things out with profuse apologies (at a minimum) and the offer of a replacement or anything else the diner wanted preferably sans foreign objects. Restaurants are in the business of making people happy, after all. Other than the rock, how was your meal, Mrs. Keeler? It was marvelous, the easygoing reader shared on the phone. A night to remember A couples plan to celebrate their 30th anniversary with a Sunday night reservation at Equinox in Washington came to a literal halt recently when they encountered Secret Service and District police near the restaurant. Apparently there was a suspicious package and car, and nobody was allowed to enter the block, emailed Marguerite Tom-Wigfield. The Silver Spring resident and her husband, Allan, waited an hour before calling to cancel their reservation. A hostess encouraged them to return, as the situation had been cleared up, and so they did, only to find a room packed with diners who had been turned away from other restaurants. We sat in the bar, had a drink, but decided we were ready to call it a night. Chef-owner Todd Gray came over to apologize. He encouraged us to return and to contact him directly when we made our reservations so that he could do something to make up for the evening, wrote the Silver Spring reader. But that wasnt all. He was concerned that we would have no place to go for dinner since it was getting late on a Sunday night, so Gray rushed back to the kitchen to whip up two complete dinners within five minutes. The couple were so thrilled, they messaged me from the road. We are driving home not feeling disappointed, emailed Tom-Wigfield, but rather elated with tremendous gratitude and appreciation for the chefs kindness. A photo of their care package, alongside a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, followed. Confirming the details of the night, Gray said, Our goal is to exceed peoples expectations. Next week: a review of Haikan, a new ramen shop in Shaw. 1 of 17 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad A familys river retreat offers laid-back style and vintage finds View Photos A little 1948 house in the Northern Neck gets a new lease on life with the relaxed style of Richmond designer and artist Dana Gibson. Caption A little 1948 house in the Northern Neck gets a new lease on life with the relaxed style of Richmond designer and artist Dana Gibson. Designer and artist Dana Gibsons weekend river house on Virginias Northern Neck is a 1948 cottage built of World War II Navy surplus materials, including Jeep crates. John McDonnell/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. Swirling snowflakes and snow-covered marshes greeted Dana Gibson the first time she and her family drove to the 1948 cottage that would become their Rappahannock River weekend place. It reminded me of that scene in Doctor Zhivago when they come upon the abandoned country house frozen in time and push the door open, Gibson says. It was January 2014. Gibson, husband Mark Longenderfer and their two sons pushed open the front door the real estate agent said would be unlocked. Inside, the one-story house was a time capsule of vintage cottage living: whitewashed walls, heart-of-pine floors, board-and-batten walls. It was said to have been built of World War II Navy surplus materials, including Jeep crates. The house had not been lived in for several years; some old wicker with faded chintz cushions, iron beds and a few wobbly tables had been left behind. An old-fashioned but airy kitchen offered views of the water. We all liked it right away, says Longenderfer, 53, a general contractor. It was an easy, casual, come-in-and-throw-your-stuff-down kind of place. [Pinterest-fueled fantasies help turn a small cabin into a great escape] Dana Gibson and Mark Longenderfers weekend cottage on the Rappahannock River. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post) They bought the 1,100-square-foot house, less than two hours away from their Richmond home, as a family retreat. Now Gibson, Longenderfer and sons Jack, 18, and DeWolf, 16, come to their Northern Neck house in all seasons. In the fall, that means enjoying the sound of geese flying overhead as they take Paco, their beagle, for a walk. We enjoy the simple things here: good food, a breeze, a sunset, says Gibson, 52, who designs home accessories, fabrics and wallpapers. While some people would have knocked the place down and started over, keeping whats old is important to me. I wanted to keep this place authentic. Our decor is rustic and casual, with a bit of glamping style. That means baggy white slipcovers, rush carpeting and painted chests mixed with a few fancy curtains and glitzy chandeliers. Fishing poles are mounted to the rafters of the enclosed porch, where the family sometimes has dinner by the light of a silver candelabra. The house has a breezy, open plan. There are three small bedrooms and a side sleeping porch. Theres a nice living-dining room, and the front porch, which has a stunning water view, has several ceiling fans and cozy spaces to relax. [Photos: The most impressive vacation homes The Post visited recently] Gibson seems to have inherited a talent for art and design. Her mother is a painter. Her great-grandfather was Charles Dana Gibson, a 19th-century illustrator and artist and creator of the elegant Gibson Girl, modeled after his wife, Irene Langhorne Gibson. Nancy Lancaster, Dana Gibsons great-aunt and an owner of the London decorating firm Colefax and Fowler, was one of the most celebrated design figures of the past century, known for her classic English country house style of floral chintz fabrics, old portraits and painted furniture. Gibson was always attracted to art and design and began her business in the 1990s with a line of hand-sculpted porcelains that were sold at shops such as Neiman Marcus and Henri Bendel. She eventually expanded to other home accessories such as trays, lamps and tole wastebaskets, often in bold patterns and colors. Today she designs fabrics and wallcoverings for Stroheim, furniture for Miles Talbott, and napkins and notecards for Caspari. Gibson left the vintage kitchen pretty much as is, adding some open shelving and a green table plus a retro-looking Smeg refrigerator. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post) In furnishing her rural cottage, Gibson must have channeled Lancaster, who was known for making country houses livable. Although there is a casualness about it all, with thrift shop paintings leaning against the wall and boho throws from World Market tossed about, there are also touches of glamour. She kept the whitewashed walls and chose upholstery and curtains in neutral shades of brown, gray and green. The couple didnt do much to the structure of the house. Longenderfer and his crew insulated the living room ceiling and raised the kitchen ceiling. They took out the claw-foot tub from one of the bathrooms and replaced it with a tiled shower. They left the country kitchen pretty much as is, adding a retro Smeg fridge, open shelving and an old green table. The master bedroom, furnished with painted furniture and vintage finds, is casual and relaxed. The wallcovering was designed by Gibson. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post) The bedrooms are furnished simply, with comfortable beds, homey quilts, botanical prints and old mirrors. One bedroom has a chunky, white four-poster bed Gibson found on Craigslist for $125. In another, a decoupage lamp she received as a gift was topped by a custom shade sewn from a cowhide she picked up at a flea market. Curtains are made of one of her floral fabrics, and shes papered a few walls in her wallcoverings. [How to upcycle furniture for a one-of-a-kind look] Shes known for jewel tones in her work, and youll see them around in small doses. There are piles of iridescent silk pillows on the daybed in the sleeping porch. The dining chairs, which came with the house, have seat covers upholstered in five vivid colors, an idea she picked up from a room by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix. Gibsons seat covers are felt, a fabric she says does well with wet bathing suits. The family enjoys being by the river. DeWolf and his father go striper fishing, and dinner might be fish tacos from their catch of the day. Other local seafood is as fresh as can be, thanks to a neighborhood waterman and an oyster farm down the lane. They might enjoy a casual dinner by the river bank, at a table and a bunch of chairs Gibson pulled from various rooms, lit by a line of bulbs strung between trees. Gibsons sons are always telling her not to doll up the place too much; they like it just as it is. We do things here as a family we dont seem to have time to do at home, Gibson says. We watch the sun go down from the deck. When its raining, we play board games. Its a total escape. @JuraKoncius on Twitter instagram.com/jurakoncius The Schiaparelli lander, seen in an illustration, is part of a mission to analyze the atmosphere on Mars. The European Space Agency lost communication with it during its descent to the Red Planet. ( European Space Agency via Reuters ) This story has been updated. Scientists at the European Space Agency downplayed the likely loss of its Mars lander, saying Thursday that a wealth of data sent back by the experimental probe would help them prepare for a future mission to the Red Planet. The Schiaparelli lander was designed mainly to test technology for a European robotic mission to Mars in 2020 and avoid the fate of Europes Beagle 2 probe, which failed to deploy after landing in 2003. Data received from Schiaparelli show that it entered the atmosphere as planned Wednesday and used its parachute to successfully slow down in the harsh Martian atmosphere, but its signal was lost shortly before the expected touchdown. Experts said the probe may have descended too fast or too slowly and hoped that about 600 megabytes of data sent back to Earth would provide answers. The data are equivalent to about 400,000 pages of information for scientists to sift through. The experimental test has yielded a huge amount of data and clearly were going to have to analyze this in the days and weeks to come, but it gives us a lot of confidence for the future, said David Parker, ESAs director of human spaceflight and robotic exploration. We need to understand what happened in the last few seconds before the planned landing and that is likely to take some time, he said. Getting a spacecraft onto the surface of Mars is notoriously difficult, and the planet is littered with the remains of failed attempts. Only NASA has repeatedly succeeded in landing several robotic vehicles on the planet, including the Opportunity and Curiosity rovers. The apparent failure to achieve what rocket scientists call a soft landing marred an otherwise successful start to the ExoMars mission, a joint venture between ESA and Russian space agency Roscosmos. ESA chief Jan Woerner noted that Schiaparellis mother ship was put into orbit around Mars as planned. The Trace Gas Orbiter will analyze the atmosphere to help determine whether there is life on Mars. ESAs member states are expected to decide in the coming months whether to pay the estimated $330 million needed for the second part of the ExoMars mission in 2020. Scientists havent given up all hope that Schiaparelli might yet phone home. Don McCoy, the manager of the ExoMars project, said attempts will be made to reset the probes transceiver but noted that its batteries are only expected to last for a few days. Parker said his team was undaunted by the fate of Schiaparelli. Mars exploration is hard, and thats one of the reasons we do it, he said. Sabrina Regan, 10, of Potomac Falls, Virginia, made a Steampunk Hovercraft. Her legs are tucked underneath with fake legs and shoes in front. Her friends asked how she made the costume float. Steampunk Hovercraft Sabrina Regan, 10, of Potomac Falls, Virginia, made a Steampunk Hovercraft. Her legs are tucked underneath with fake legs and shoes in front. Her friends asked how she made the costume float. Family photo Has Halloween sneaked up on you this year? Its less than two weeks away, and perhaps you havent started thinking of a costume. Dont fear. We always find a group of creative kids to share their ideas on how to make something scary, funny or clever. The winners of this years KidsPost Halloween Costume Contest found inspiration from everyday objects (goggles) and things they love (The Nightmare Before Christmas). The trick was turning that inspiration into something wearable. They succeeded, often with materials you can find around the house or at a local craft store. We expect this bunch will be seasoned do-it-yourselfers by the time they reach adulthood. Kids featured in the printed KidsPost will receive a Halloween-themed prize package and four tickets to see Disneys Beauty and the Beast at Imagination Stage in Bethesda. Our thanks to all those who entered. Happy trick-or-treating! Matryoshka Doll Sasha Karpova , 10, Great Falls, Virginia Inspiration: My costume is a matryoshka, or Russian nesting doll, Sasha said. Im half-Russian and lived half my life in Moscow, where kids dont really celebrate Halloween. Supplies: About one yard of one-inch-thick foam; yellow felt to wrap around the foam; elastic band for waist; frog closures to keep the foam in a circle, red felt for skirt; black rickrack; blue, pink and green felt for flowers; hot-glue gun; red hoodie; red print scarf. Time it took: 24 hours. Grown-up help: Mom copied the design from a matryoshka doll the family had and did the sewing. Sasha cut out the felt flowers and attached them with a glue gun. blood Evelyn Hays , 10, Bethesda, Maryland Inspiration: I made it because I want to be a hematologist when I grow up, Evelyn said. (A hematologist is a doctor who treats blood diseases.) Supplies: Red bodysuit; red rope; red mini flying discs for red blood cells; stuffed animals for platelet, red blood cell and white blood cell. Time it took: Less than an hour after tracking down the supplies, which took a while. Grown-up help: Mom ordered the stuff that Evelyn needed. Evelyn taped on the flying discs and pinned on the stuffed animals. Then Mom helped wrap the ropes around her. Hot-air balloon Beatrix Regan , 12, Potomac Falls, Virginia Inspiration: I decided to make it because I knew it would be really fun to make, and because Ive always wanted to ride in one, Beatrix said. My dads sky-diving goggles gave me the idea. Supplies: Cardboard box, balloon, balloon harness, string, brown paint, brown paper bags, stuffing to fill bags, craft foam for hat, fleece for hat, boots, khakis, turtleneck, jacket, scarf and goggles. Time it took: About two weekends. The longest part was waiting for the giant balloon to arrive from an online order. Grown-up help: Mom helped create the hat, helped attach the balloon harness to the base and screwed on the harness. Beatrix wove the basket, put together the outfit and made everything else. oogie boogie Kyle Catanzaro , 12, Silver Spring, Maryland Inspiration: My costume is Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas, Kyle said. I made it because I think he is cool and somewhat scary. Supplies: Burlap, black yarn, cloth for the inside of the mouth, wire for the eyebrows. Time it took: Three to four weeks. Grown-up help: Mom taught Kyle how to sew, but he did the actual sewing. Steampunk Hovercraft Sabrina Regan , 10, Potomac Falls, Virginia Inspiration: I think steampunk stuff is neat-looking and thought a hovercraft would be really cool, Sabrina said. When I showed it to my friends, they asked how I made it float. (Steampunk is science fiction that often features steam-powered machines.) Supplies: Large cardboard box, water bottles, egg cartons, foam packages, pool noodles, leggings, boots, skirt. Time it took: Over three weekends, a little bit at a time so paint could dry. Grown-up help: Dad helped build the hovercraft and the harness that holds it up. Sabrina spray-painted everything, and the two took turns using a hot-glue gun to stick the pieces together. Mom made the hat. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department has issued food enforcement warnings to: Braeda Runza, 4901 O St. Staff must wash hands prior to donning gloves, corrected. Broccoli soup at unsafe temp for unknown time, soup discarded, corrected. Ladle, squeeze bottles, deli slicer, ice scoop and holder all had residues. Sonic Drive-In, 8445 Holdrege St. One employee with expired food handler permit; transferred employee does not yet have food handler permit. Chili at unsafe temp in hot hold unit and no temp entry in temperature log, chili removed, corrected. Residues on can open blade, cleaned during inspection, corrected. Bottle containing a chemical substance unlabeled, contents dumped, corrected. Falafel King Express, 114 S. 14th St. Employee without food handler permit. Employee using phone outside and returning to kitchen without washing hands; employee donned gloves without washing hands. Raw meat stored above leafy greens in reach in cooler, food relocated, corrected. Soiled dishes loaded in sanitizing compartment of warewashing sink. Shwarma meat on spit/cooker at incorrect temp for unspecified amount of time. Install air gap in sanitizer compartment of three compartment sink or separate sink for food prep only, repeat. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama welcome Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Agnese Landini to the White House for a state dinner. (The Washington Post) For the final state dinner hosted by President Obama, this one in honor of Italys prime minister, first lady Michelle Obama wore a custom rose-gold chain-mail gown from Atelier Versace. It was a slinky gown with an asymmetrical neckline that slithered like liquid metal down her torso and around her hips. It was pure Hollywood glamour. The gown hailed from the most rarefied corner of the Versace brand the collection that is shown on the runway as part of the Paris haute couture season, the treasure trove that stars wear down the red carpet on their way to collect their Oscars. Designer Donatella Versace is also a fan of the Obamas, having once used President Obama as a source of inspiration for a menswear collection. I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to dress the First Lady, Versace said in a statement. Thank you Michelle for all of the things you have done for America and the rest of the world, for the women in the United States and the rest of the world. [ Donatella Versace, Finding Inspiration in American Politics ] The choice, of course, pays homage to Italy, one of the world capitals of fashion. The country is known for its exquisite tailoring, luxurious fabrics and its ability to transform a sexy frock into a form of high art. This is also a moment when Italian fashion is ascendant, thanks to the powerful influence of Gucci, with its gender-blurring sensibility, the continuing impact of Prada with its intellectual eccentricity and a crop of younger brands that are beginning to gain traction on the international stage. And Obama has always been an internationalist when it comes to fashion, wearing the work of a diverse group of designers and brands Azzedine Alaia, Duro Olowu, Jean Paul Gaultier, Preen that come from all over the world. Yet she has traditionally chosen to highlight American designers on major occasions. The last time she wore a gown by a non-American designer for a state dinner was in 2011, when the White House welcomed Chinas then-president Hu Jintao. Obama chose a dress from Alexander McQueen, which had been created by British designer Sarah Burton. It was a vivid red dress with a stunning abstract print, but it also left many American designers feeling snubbed. The late Oscar de la Renta was particularly vocal in his disappointment, calling it a lost opportunity to turn the spotlight on American talent. 1 of 25 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad See photos from the Obamas final state dinner View Photos President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama host their final state dinner this one is in honor of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and wife Agnese Landini. It features a menu by celebrity chef Mario Batali and performance by Gwen Stefani. Caption President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama host their final state dinner this one is in honor of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and wife Agnese Landini. It features a menu by celebrity chef Mario Batali and performance by Gwen Stefani. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama pose for a photo as they greet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife, Agnese Landini, on the North Portico for a state dinner at the White House. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Wait 1 second to continue. One can argue that fashion is a global business, of course. And what better way for Obama to welcome Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Lindini than by showcasing her admiration for their countrys creativity and style. By using fashion to break down borders. By giving a nod to the bella figura. Still, its disappointing that an American designer was absent from this historic moment. From this finale. They have been so instrumental in helping Obama shape her public identity, her brand. Surely, they would have liked to see her through to the end. For eight years, all the attention at state dinners has been on the women on the first lady mostly, and occasionally on the wife of the visiting dignitary. In a welcome break from trade agreements, security concerns and environmental policy, all eyes turn to the women to see what they are wearing. It is old-fashioned and cliched, but of course, it makes sense because, frankly, there typically isnt all that much to consider when it comes to the men. 1 of 21 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Michelle Obamas state dinner style View Photos When it comes to foreign diplomacy, the first lady dresses for the spotlight. Caption When it comes to foreign diplomacy, the first lady dresses for the spotlight. Oct. 18, 2016 Michelle and Barack Obama pose for pictures with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife, Agnese Landini, during a state dinner at the White House. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Wait 1 second to continue. But this time, the prime minister made a statement. He wore a tuxedo by Italian designer Giorgio Armani. For all of the splendid Italian craftsmen whose names have been embedded in the global popular culture, the impact has been greater on mens fashion than on womens. And if there is a singular Italian designer whose name resonates beyond the frock trade and far beyond Italy itself, its Armani, who also attended Tuesday evenings dinner as a guest of the prime minister. That Armani was part of the Italian delegation speaks to the importance of fashion as an industry and the prominence of Armani himself. He rose to fame on his menswear, for the way in which he deflated, loosened and sexed-up the business suit. He did all of that without detracting from the suits message of power and authority. He made menswear glamorous, thanks to his works starring role in the 1980 film American Gigolo. Armani also brought his discerning eye to the red carpet, helping to redefine our understanding of what it means to dazzle not with high slits and revealing decolletage, but tastefully. But history will remember what his Italian style did for men. There are also, thanks to Obama, numerous American designers whose work is recorded in the history books. Tuesday night, however, belonged to Versace and to Italy. James OKeefe says hes an investigative journalist, making uncompromising videos that uncover hidden truths. And indeed some of OKeefes projects have produced memorable results: This week, two Democratic operatives tied to Hillary Clintons campaign lost their jobs after OKeefes organization, Project Veritas Action, posted secretly recorded videos of one of them apparently bragging about disrupting Donald Trumps rallies and speculating about how to conduct voter-fraud schemes. The videos gained widespread media attention and seemed to buttress Trumps claims that the election is rigged against him. OKeefe even titled the videos Rigging the Election. But as with many of OKeefes projects, the videos have raised questions among journalists. Most prominent: Do his ends justify his means? The techniques employed by OKeefe and his associates, they say, fall far outside journalistic norms. Mainstream news organizations discourage the methods that he regularly employs to expose questionable practices, usually by liberals or Democrats. Among the more problematic is Project Veritass associates use of aliases and false identities to gain access to the people it stings. The organization acknowledges that its people posed as political donors to trick the two Democratic operatives into speaking with them for the rigging videos. Although variations on such tactics have been employed by news organizations on rare occasions a Mother Jones reporter exposed prison abuses this year by taking a job as a guard, although he used his real name in applying for the position such deceptions are generally discouraged as a violation of trust between source and reporter. OKeefe, a 32-year-old Rutgers University graduate, has also used outright illegal means to pursue his quarry. While investigating Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) in 2010, OKeefe and three associates posed as telephone workers to enter her office in New Orleans. They were arrested, and OKeefe eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor criminal charge of entering a federal office under false pretenses. He received three years probation. An even bigger issue, however, has been the way in which OKeefe has edited some of his videos. In 2009, he and an associate posed as a pimp and prostitute to infiltrate ACORN, a community social-services agency. The resulting video showed ACORN members offering the pair advice on how to set up a brothel. It also showed outtakes of OKeefe and his partner dressed in the flamboyant attire of street hustlers, suggesting they had appeared that way when they spoke to the officials. In fact, the footage of the pair in costume was spliced into the video after the ACORN meetings, a fact the video didnt mention. Congress subsequently defunded ACORN, leading to its demise. OKeefe was later sued by one of his subjects, who claimed his privacy had been invaded by the surreptitious filming; OKeefe settled the matter for $100,000, admitting no guilt. OKeefes 2011 sting of NPR executives was fraught with discrepancies between what one of the executives said and how his comments were framed in the video. Then-NPR executive Ron Schiller was quoted in the video as saying that tea party activists were seriously racist people. But the raw footage of the encounter showed that Schiller was quoting two Republicans who viewed the activists that way, not that he held such views. Veritas spokesman Steve Gordon said the organization has matured over the past few years and now imposes stricter editing controls to ensure that the context of any clip is clear to viewers. The group also instructs its operatives not to lie to federal officials, or to engage in forgery, or to carry fake identification cards, he said. (OKeefe was unavailable for comment Wednesday.) But Gordon justified using false identities in the course of a project. An interview subject would not say the things he said if you were overt about being a reporter, he said. What a politician says on the podium or in a press release is not what he would say in a smoke-filled room to someone he thinks is an ally. I personally have no qualms misrepresenting my identity if it leads to a much greater truth that the public needs to know. Journalists say the best investigative reporting is done without deception and through the hard work of building cooperative sources and gathering data. There could be circumstances warranting OKeefe-like tactics, they said, but these are rare. If you lie to get a story, youre asking your audience to believe you, and thats a hard sell, said Mark Horvit, executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors, a journalists organization. Even if your story is accurate and justified and all the editing is honest, its hard to justify when you lied to get an interview in first place. The story can be awesome, but you risk eroding the trust of your audience if you cut corners to get it. Andrew Seaman, the chair of the Society of Professional Journalists ethics committee, calls OKeefe an advocate who uses some of the more controversial items in journalisms toolbox. The SPJs ethics code doesnt forbid undercover reporting, he notes. But it stresses that the methods OKeefe regularly uses should be a last resort in pursuit of information that is vital to the public. Seaman notes that although mainstream news organizations sometimes cross ethical boundaries, OKeefe regularly does so. James OKeefe is not an ethical journalist if we look at his actions in the context of the SPJs ethics code, he said. He obviously has an agenda, goes directly to surreptitious reporting methods and has a history of distorting facts or context. Nicholas Sparks has written 20 novels in 20 years and sold more than 100 million copies in 50 languages. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) A puddle, thats what Tyler Malik has been reduced to, a veritable puddle. He reaches and touches me to the core, she says mid-sob, face raw, as Nicholas Sparks that would be He signs books, hundreds of them, at a Union Square bookstore. Malik rose well before dawn and drove three hours from her Great Barrington, Mass., home to be rendered a wreck. Your stories mean more to me than I could ever explain in words, she tells the author, clutching two copies of Two by Two, his latest tear de force. Fans purchased more than 98,000 hardcover copies of the new novel in the opening week, further proof of Sparkss indomitable appeal. His total sales number more than 100 million in 50 languages. This fall marks a significant milestone in Sparkslandia: 20 years and as many books since the onetime North Carolina pharmaceutical rep sold his first novel. The Notebook crowned the bestseller list for more than a year. The movie, stuck for years in what the author calls development heck, finally appeared in 2004 and made Ryan Gosling a star (and a meme), and it transformed Sparks into the undisputed king of tear-soaked literature. I write in this strange little subgenre of whats called a love story, says Sparks, 50, sitting in his agents office, his face blanketed in foundation for the camera and a cavalcade of smartphone snaps. People read them because they move the reader through the whole range of human emotion. A former champion runner, Sparks has the powerful physique of a man who works out religiously. He tends to answer questions with an intense earnestness that borders on confession, oh, gosh punctuating many of his sentences. More than two decades ago, Sparks was a salesman with a dream: He wanted to produce a book like Erich Segals Love Story, Robert James Wallers The Bridges of Madison County or Nicholas Evanss The Horse Whisperer, then crushing the bestseller list. If the love story doesnt go, the Notre Dame graduate thought, maybe my next book would be a horror story or a thriller. There would be no thrillers. Instead, Sparks accomplished what almost no one else in his strange little subgenre, which tends to consist of one-hit wonders, has: He became a brand. [The Best of Me and the evil genius of the Nicholas Sparks empire] Eleven books became movies about ordinary people in love who happened to be portrayed by extraordinarily gorgeous actors, grossing $885 million at the global box office. Says Sparks, I think these movies lend themselves to people wanting to be cast in them because the actors themselves get to act and go through the entire range of human emotion. Every book hit the New York Times bestseller list, often spiking to the top. So, to celebrate his 20th anniversary in publishing, Sparks wrote a divorce story. Sparks signs copies of his newest book, "Two by Two" at Barnes & Noble in Manhattan in early October. The novel sold nearly 100,000 copies in the first week of sales. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) Two by Two, with a first printing of almost 1 million, refers to the adman hero, Russ, and his young daughter, whom he is left to raise alone after his wife leaves. Russ, Sparks says, is empathetic and at times a little bit clueless. Indeed. When his wife begins labor, Russ jumps in the shower so he can look fresh for the birth photos, something Sparks admits he did when his wife, Cathy, went into labor with the first of their five children, now ages 15 to 25. Two by Two features a salad bar of turmoil illness, death, despair, adultery but divorce dominates the narrative. (Fear not, the book also contains a love story.) Divorce, alas, is something Sparks now knows. After 25 years of marriage, the laureate of love and Cathy, who long served as his muse, divorced last October, no reason given. For our childrens sake, we regard this as a private matter, Sparks said when the couple separated in January 2015. Fans lamented on Twitter: Theres no hope for any of us. The vast majority of the book was written after my divorce, Sparks says. But, he adds, I wanted to make sure the story felt authentic, the dissolution felt authentic, the pain felt authentic, the achingly slow healing felt authentic. Anyone whos been through anything like this knows the healing is slow. He hopes, however, that his audience wont confuse his experience with the novel, especially the wife, Vivian, who will win no popularity contests. Vivian is not Cathy, he says. We remain friends. Our story is different. As a gift to readers, author Nicholas Sparks commissioned an original song for his book "Two by Two" by musician JD Eicher. The soundtrack includes the original song, and three of Eichers previous songs. Eicher accompanied Sparks on part of his book tour literally, singing while fans waited in line to have books signed. (Courtesy of JD Eicher) As a gift to his readers, Sparks commissioned an original song for the book by musician JD Eicher, whose previous big break was having a tune selected for an Olive Garden commercial. Hes averaging 1,000 free daily downloads. Eicher accompanied Sparks on his book tour literally, singing while fans waited in line to have books signed and witnessed a proposal at an appearance last week in suburban Denver, a regular Sparks phenomenon. Fans have also requested that Sparks write down favorite quotes so that they can get tattoos in his handwriting. [Sparkss love affair with romance] Two decades after his first tour, Sparks still appears thrilled to meet his fans, 90 percent of whom, he estimates, are women. His longest appearance, he recalls, lasted 17 hours: I think I signed 6,000 books. Theres no formula to his stories. Each time I think the well will be dry and Ill run out of ideas, he says. One of the goals is to make each of these novels feel unique. To do that, I vary as much as I conceivably can per novel. Ill vary the theme. Ill vary the ending: happy, bittersweet, tragic. Ill vary the voice: first person, third person or some are combinations, like third person limited omniscient. Ill vary the period, Ill vary the length. Importantly, Ill vary the age of the characters. But he knows what keeps readers happy. They know there will be a love story, and it will be set in North Carolina, he says. Those are the only two constants. JD Eicher performs the soundtrack for "Two by Two" as Sparks signs copies of the book. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) Rachel McAdams as Allie and Ryan Gosling as Noah in the movie of "The Notebook," Sparkss first bestseller. (Melissa Moseley/New Line Productions via AP) Theresa Park, a Harvard-trained lawyer, was a neophyte agent who had never sold a novel when she pulled The Notebook from a stack of unsolicited manuscripts in June 1995. The writing was so rough, but two-thirds through I got really choked up, and Im the least romantic person on the planet, she says. She recalls thinking, If this is doing this to me, whats it going to do to the rest of the women of the world? I felt that there was not a person on the planet who is not going to shed a tear. Jamie Raab, editor of all 20 books and president of Hachettes Grand Central Publishing, had the same reaction. I cried, and I almost never cry. She offered $500,000 to preempt an auction. Thats not enough, Park responded. I was thinking of a lot of money, like Horse Whisperer money. Ten minutes later, Raab called back and proposed $1 million. The three have worked together ever since. We never call them romances, Raab says. I think romance is formulaic. His books are not. Sparks, concerned that he might be a one-novel wonder, kept the salesman job for another 15 months after selling The Notebook. He became a very rich writer but chose to stay in New Bern, N.C., a central coastal town of 30,000. Its a very quiet life, he says. Quiet, but hardly simple. Sparks lives in a 24,000-square-foot house, a villa built from kisses, with a screening room, a bowling alley and a napping room, in addition to his writing room, where he plays television shows (House, Big Bang Theory) in the background while he writes. (Although Craven County was battered by Hurricane Matthew, Sparkss home was undamaged.) And he writes fast, usually six months start to finish. He bought a Bentley. On his wrist is a Patek Philippe watch that costs a serious five figures. He has more. A devout Catholic, Sparks founded the Epiphany School of Global Studies with Cathy a decade ago, a private institution anchored in the Judeo-Christian commandment to Love God and Your Neighbor as Yourself, according to the schools website. His influence is everywhere. His face appears on the website homepage. This summer I had this deadline for Two by Two and Im writing policies for the student handbook, he says. I think Ive donated close to $15 million over the years. Why launch a school? While the public school in New Bern is very good for many students, it doesnt work for other students for whatever reason, he says. I just thought that having a choice would be a good thing for the town in which I live. In 2014, former headmaster Saul Hillel Benjamin filed a federal lawsuit against Sparks and Epiphany, charging racial and religious discrimination and bias against gay individuals. Sparks declined to comment. The lawsuit is ongoing, he says. Of course, I have thoughts, but I dont think its wise to say anything. Fans wait for Sparks at the book-signing. The author estimates that 90 percent of his readers are women. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) Twenty years in, the Nicholas Sparks brand is going full force. The Notebook has been sold to the CW as a television series. Sparkss agent says she is within striking distance of signing a Broadway deal for The Notebook as well. Potentially, it could be the soggiest musical ever the rainstorm kiss onstage, verklempt fans producing squalls when Noah sings to Allie, It wasnt over! It still isnt over! After three Sparks movies were released in 18 months, his team decided to hold back the movie rights on Two by Two. Says Park, It was too much of a glut. Were going to take a little break and give everyone a breather. A Sparks glut? As Eicher sang and played guitar, and the team unrolled his latest book to weeping fans like Malik, Sparks felt the weight of his readers expectations. He had scanned the packed house, the line snaking through the bookstore, and declared that the signing would last a little over an hour. Almost two hours, about 500 books and so many tears later, Sparks was done and heading to Pittsburgh to sell more. He professed fatigue but looked rejuvenated while obsessing about the next book, No. 21, with the team. Anne Arundel County The following incidents were reported by the Anne Arundel County police. For information, call 410-222-8050. ARNOLD AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Arnold, Oct. 10 to Oct. 13. During the week, an estimated four burglaries occurred at homes in the area. An Arnold man, 19, was charged with numerous crimes including burglary, theft and trespassing. BROOKLYN AREA ROBBERIES Wasena Ave., 5400 block, 1 a.m. Oct. 12. An armed male stole cash from a man in his driveway and fled on foot. CROWNSVILLE AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Generals Hwy., 1200 block, 8:50 a.m. Oct. 5. Equipment was stolen from an auto center. Veterans Hwy., 8600 block, 10:01 p.m. Oct. 6. Property was stolen from a gas station. Landmark Rd., Oct. 10. A Glen Burnie man, 41, was found in possession of stolen property from the above burglaries. He was issued multiple arrest warrants; the investigation is continuing. GLEN BURNIE AREA HOME INVASION Summer Wind Way, 400 block, 11:51 p.m. Oct. 10. Two armed males pushed their way into an occupied apartment, stole cash and property, and fled. ROBBERIES Shelly Rd. and Whitemore Ct., 12:07 a.m. Oct. 12. Two males stole cash from a man, assaulted him and fled in a vehicle. HANOVER AREA ROBBERIES Ridge Rd., 7800 block, 10:36 p.m. Oct. 7. Two armed males stole cash from a service center and fled in a vehicle. LAUREL AREA HOME INVASION Cecilton South, 300 block, 12:53 p.m. Oct. 4. Several people entered a home, threatened occupants and fled. A Temple Hills man, 19, was arrested and is a suspect in burglaries in other jurisdictions. LINTHICUM HEIGHTS AREA ROBBERIES Hammonds Ferry Rd., 700 block, 5:36 a.m. Oct. 13. A male with a knife stole cash from a man at an ATM and fled in a van or SUV. ODENTON AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Piney Orchard, Oct. 12. In the past several weeks, property was stolen from vehicles in the area. Two Odenton men, 21 and 23, were charged with offenses related to the thefts from vehicles. PASADENA AREA ROBBERIES Fort Smallwood Rd., 8800 block, 1:23 a.m. Oct. 14. A male with a shirt over his head entered a convenience store and demanded cash, but a clerk refused. The male attempted to open the cash register, but failed and left the store. Mountain Rd., 2800 block, 3:27 a.m. Oct. 13. An armed male stole cash from a convenience store and fled. SEVERN AREA ASSAULTS Blue Jay Ct., 1800 block, 4:54 p.m. Oct. 8. Two males approached a male and fired a handgun, striking the male twice, and fled in a vehicle. The male was listed in critical but stable condition. Deer Run Ct., 8300 block, 11 p.m. Oct. 10. Five males assaulted a male pedestrian. During the assault, one of the males shot the pedestrian in the arm, and they all fled. ROBBERIES Donaldson Ave., 3 a.m. Oct. 12. An armed male robbed a convenience store and fled. Annapolis These were among incidents reported by the Annapolis Police Department. For information, call 410-268-9000. ROBBERIES Taylor Ave., 600 block, 10:30 p.m. Oct. 8. Two armed, masked men stole cash from employees at a business and fled. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Beech St., 1000 block, Oct. 5 to Oct. 6. Cash and vehicle keys were stolen from a vehicle. Colonial Ave., Sept. 23 to 9:30 a.m. Oct. 7. Cash was stolen from a vehicle. Hunt Meadow Dr., 1600 block, Oct. 5 to Oct. 11. Someone forced open a rear door at a home; nothing was reported stolen. Landings Ct., 9 p.m. Oct. 6 to 7 a.m. Oct. 7. A gift card was stolen from a vehicle. Linden Ave., 6 p.m. Oct. 5 to 8:30 a.m. Oct. 6. Jewelry was stolen from a vehicle. Madison St., 1100 block, 6:20-7:30 p.m. Oct. 10. A video game controller and games were stolen from an apartment. West St., 4 p.m. Oct. 4 to 4 p.m. Oct. 6. A drone was stolen from a vehicle. Howard County These were among incidents reported by the Howard County Police Department. For information, call 410-313-2236. COLUMBIA AREA ASSAULTS Red Branch Rd., 9100 block, 5:45 a.m. Oct. 9. Someone broke into a business and attempted to assault an acquaintance. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Clocktower Lane, 9700 block, Oct. 8. Two female youths asked a resident to use a phone inside a home. Once inside, the females stole keys to a vehicle and fled in that vehicle. Two Columbia girls, 15 and 16, were charged with vehicle theft. Departed Sunset Lane, 6300 block, 6:20-9:07 p.m. Oct. 10. Jewelry was stolen from a home. Eden Brook Dr., 7200 block, 3:01 a.m. Oct. 9. Someone entered a vacant apartment through an unlocked slide door and damaged the interior. Golden Bell Way, 6100 block, noon, Oct. 11. A laundry room window was damaged in an attempt to gain entry to a home. Stevens Forest Rd., 5700 block, 4:27 p.m. Oct. 9. A television, watch and keys were stolen from an apartment. The keys were used to steal a vehicle from a parking lot. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Basket Ring Rd., 9600 block, 10:23 a.m. Oct. 6. A rental vehicle was stolen. Clocktower Lane, 9700 block, 12:55 p.m. Oct. 6. A 2000 Hyundai was stolen. Dobbin Center Way, 6400 block, Oct. 7 to Oct. 8. A 2002 black International tow truck was stolen. Eden Brook Dr., 7200 block, 9:41 a.m. Oct. 7. A 1994 green Toyota Camry was stolen. A Columbia man, 18, was charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, theft, rogue and vagabond and malicious destruction of property. ELKRIDGE AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Darby Downs, 7200 block, Oct. 10 to 8 a.m. Oct. 11. A television was stolen from an open garage. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Mayfield Ave., 7600 block, 7:42 a.m. Oct. 6. A 2006 orange Honda was stolen. Paragon Cir., 7800 block, Oct. 9 to Oct. 10. A yellow Yamaha motorcycle was stolen. Washington Blvd., 6600 block, Oct. 7 to Oct. 8. A 2000 blue Ford Expedition was stolen. ELLICOTT CITY AREA ROBBERIES Baltimore National Pike, 9000 block, 3:05 a.m. Oct. 13. A male with a knife stole cash from a gas station and fled. Joyful Way, 4800 block, 9:53 p.m. Oct. 8. A delivery driver returned to his vehicle to find a male in the vehicle. The male implied he had a weapon, stole cash and fled. Rogers Ave., 3000 block, Oct. 2. A man with his face partially covered stole cash from a business and fled. An Ellicott City man, 21, was charged with robbery and theft. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Beechwood Rd., 4700 block, 2:15 p.m. Oct. 6. Two males entered a home and claimed there was a water main break nearby. When the homeowner was being distracted, she saw more males leaving her home. She left the home and called 911. Hannon Ct., 2400 block, 5:46 p.m. Oct. 11. A rear window at a home was broken, but nothing was reported stolen. Mount Hebron Dr., 2200 block, 2:34-4:05 p.m. Oct. 11. Jewelry and a computer were stolen from a home. Tuscany Rd., 10300 block, 5:25 p.m. Oct. 6. A male youth was seen entering a home through a bedroom window. An Ellicott city male, 13, was charged with burglary. LAUREL AREA ROBBERIES Washington Blvd., 9600 block, 1:37 a.m. Oct. 9. A male with his face partially covered assaulted an employee at a business, stole cash and fled. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Hammonds Branch Way, 8200-8300 blocks and Spring Branch Ct., 8200 block, 2-4:45 a.m. Oct. 7. Wallets, knives and power tools were stolen from vehicles. Shears Ct., 8400 block, 3:23 p.m. Oct. 10. Cash, poker chips and a handgun were stolen from a home. MARRIOTTSVILLE AREA HOME INVASION Henryton Rd., 1500 block, 1:43 p.m. Oct. 5. Two males kicked in the front door at a home, but fled before police arrived. Nothing was reported stolen. A Roosevelt High School student walks through a hallway in June 2015 in Washington, D.C. City school officials touted successes in the school system this week. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) John Davis wants to permanently become chancellor of D.C. Public Schools, saying that he has applied to keep the job he now has on an interim basis. I want to see the great things that we are doing continue, and I want to see them continue in a great way, Davis told The Washington Post. Davis, who took over as interim chancellor on Oct. 1 after Kaya Henderson stepped down, has been with the school system for nine years, most recently as the chief of schools. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said she hopes to name the next chancellor by the end of October. [Outgoing D.C. schools leader wants to move out of public eye] Davis wants to build on the plans Henderson put in place: He said he wants to continue to grow enrollment, improve graduation rates and boost student achievement by offering more engaging opportunities, such as study abroad and internship programs. Earlier this week, President Barack Obama visited D.C.s Benjamin Banneker High School to highlight the countrys rising graduation rates, and the president praised D.C. schools for posting larger graduation rate gains than any U.S. state. We have great momentum occurring, Davis said. I want to keep it going, and I am humbled and excited about it. [Obama touts education record at D.C.s Banneker High School] Davis began his career in education as a middle school math teacher in Baltimore City schools. His three children attend D.C. public schools, so he said he gets a close-up view of the work the school system is doing on a daily basis. Davis spoke of his children and his leadership briefly at his first State of the Schools address Tuesday night. Davis, school principals, staff and students highlighted several of the school systems programs aimed at making school more engaging and relevant. Elizabeth Baird-Thompson, a third-grade literacy specialist at H.D. Cooke Elementary, outlined how third-grade students are learning about the election process. Their unit, called people, law and democracy, will culminate with the creation of a get-out-the-vote campaign. Two students spoke about traveling abroad for free this summer via a new program aimed at giving hundreds of students of all socioeconomic backgrounds the experience of visiting another country. [This school district wants all of its student to see the world for free] Before I went on this trip, I had never gotten on a plane, said Randy Sams, a Ballou High School student who traveled to Brazil. This trip gave me a broader mindset, and made me appreciate the little things, like to enjoy your food and savor the taste. And appreciate public transportation. Although the event focused solely on the systems new initiatives and positive trends, the city schools have been working to address wide achievement gaps and disparity in graduation rates between white and black students. Just a quarter of the student population is meeting academic standards on standardized tests linked to the Common Core academic standards. [A top-performing D.C. school just saw a dramatic drop in its English test scores] Davis said if he stays on as the chancellor, he will focus on empowering those around him to spur more growth and improvement. As one large team, we have to do an incredible amount of work, Davis said. We have to show an incredible amount of love and compassion, and at the same time give students a rigorous education that challenges them. The scope of civics education should expand beyond explaining how government works to include teaching students about the importance of becoming active participants and problem-solvers on a wide range of issues, U.S. Education Secretary John B. King Jr., Jr. said in a speech Wednesday at the National Press Club. Pointing to minority figures who took stances based on their civic beliefs from Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman to Martin Luther King and Colin Kaepernick King argued that schools have a special responsibility to prepare students for their role in a democracy. He said that purpose was one of the original goals for American public education, something that has become more important as the country becomes more diverse. He called on schools and colleges to be bold and creative in educating for citizenship, and to make preparing students for civic duties just as much a priority as preparing them to succeed in college and in their careers. [Many Americans know nothing about their government. Heres a bold way schools can fix that.] King said data show that the vast majority of U.S. students have a dismal basic understanding of how government functions and that such ignorance continues into adulthood. Just a third of Americans know that Joe Biden is the vice president or can name even a single justice on the Supreme Court, King said. The secretarys remarks arrive in the waning days of a presidential election campaign that has been marked by voter dissatisfaction with both candidates, lagging enthusiasm for the political process among young voters, charges of voter fraud and what Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump alleges is a rigged process. [Teachers struggle with a presidential campaign full of vitriol, adult themes] King began his address by reemphasizing the importance of the ballot box. Voting is the cornerstone of freedom, he said. The right to vote undergirds all our other rights. To not vote is to turn your back on your neighbors and your community and your country. But voting alone is not enough, he said. Teachers should prepare students to become more involved in communities, to volunteer and to think beyond our own needs and wants. He urged educators to help students develop as writers and speakers who could engage leaders and fellow citizens. While pushing for a deeper understanding of the Constitution and of how government operates at every level, King emphasized that the process and approach should not be partisan. Civic education and engagement is not a Democratic Party or a Republican Party issue, he said. Solutions to problems can and should be rooted in different philosophies of government. We have to make sure classrooms welcome and celebrate these different perspectives. King specifically addressed the role schools should play in developing citizens who will work to end violations of civil rights at the hands of police and courts, something he said is essential to changing police training to include bias identification and how to defuse tense situations. Educated citizens who take part in society, King said, will push to curtail racial profiling and end discriminatory practices by prosecutors and courts that have a dire impact on poor people. King said it is important for students to be truly familiar with documents that have shaped Americas history, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; Sojourner Truths Aint I a Woman speech and Dr. Kings Letter from a Birmingham Jail. The Common Core State Standards which the Obama administration has supported encourage teachers to immerse students in the study and analysis of original documents. But its not enough to be able to quote from the documents, King said. Students need to know why they remain relevant. They need to be able to put themselves into others shoes, and to appreciate the different perspectives that have shaped our nations history, he said. We should teach students that slavery is not just a scar on our national character erased by the Civil War. We should teach them to acknowledge and wrestle with the ways that ugly legacy continues to shape our country and helps explain the treatment of people of color in America today. King urged schools to make civics a part of every class, not to treat it as an add-on. Students, he said, should be given opportunities to do democracy. By getting involved in real issues, students learn that it is not enough to just shout about their disappointments and criticize the ideas of others, he said. They have to offer solutions. They have to work together to advocate for those solutions. They have to push to make sure the solutions are implemented. And they have to understand that change takes time. Virtually all uniformed officers with the Baltimore County police will be equipped with body cameras by September 2017 under a new plan. (Damian Dovarganes/AP) Baltimore County will equip all uniformed officers with body cameras within a year and review how officers respond to individuals with mental-health and drug-abuse issues, officials said Wednesday. The reforms were announced 11 weeks after the death of Korryn Gaines, a 23-year-old woman who was shot by police in her apartment as she wielded a shotgun during a standoff that she live-streamed on social media. Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson, County Executive Kevin B. Kamenetz (D) and county Health Officer Gregory Wm. Branch also said the department is implementing stricter requirements for investigating sexual assaults and is creating a task force to consider options for training police to de-escalate situations. Kamenetz declined to discuss specifics of the Gaines case, citing a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by her family. But he said the review of police policies and procedures for dealing with individuals who have behavioral-health issues will lead to recommendations that will help us avoid these kinds of tragic incidents in the future. [The standoff that led to the death of Korryn Gaines] Korryn Gaines (From video) The nonprofit Council of State Governments Justice Center will lead the review, working with police and county health officials. The body-camera order means virtually all of Baltimore Countys more than 1,400 uniformed police will wear the devices by September 2017, accelerating an earlier deadline of December 2018. Since beginning its body-camera program in July, the department has outfitted 128 officers with cameras. The officers involved in the Gaines incident, which drew national attention through social media, were not wearing body cameras. Police were attempting to serve warrants on both Gaines and her boyfriend, Kareem Kiean Courtney, 39. Gaines had been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in a March traffic stop; Courtney was charged with second-degree assault in a domestic incident involving Gaines. Prosecutors declined to press criminal charges against the officer who fatally shot Gaines, saying that police fired only after Gaines raised the shotgun and that she returned fire. Her 5-year-old son, who was nearby, was wounded in the exchange. Jim Bell, an attorney for the Gaines family, said the family is encouraged by the departments reform efforts but feels the proposals dont go far enough. These changes dont address treating individuals like human beings, he said. They had a low level of respect for the lives of African Americans and African American children. [Charlotte, officer did not activate camera until after Keith Scott was shot] The police union in Baltimore County said officers there have largely embraced body cameras and were consulted about the program before it was implemented. Theyre okay with it at this point, said Cole Weston, president of the Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4. The District, which began equipping all of its officers with body cameras last year, now requires officers to confirm with dispatchers that the cameras are switched on before they respond to a call or interact with civilians. Weston said rank-and-file county officers also welcome additional training on de-escalating confrontations and working with mentally unstable individuals. We dont push back on that, he said. If its well thought out and presented in an academic setting that can be helpful to officers in the field, we have no issues with that. Marylands legislature made broad changes this year in how law-enforcement agencies hire, train and discipline police. The bill was based on recommendations from a work group that the General Assembly created after the death of Freddie Gray from injuries suffered while in Baltimore police custody, an incident that led to protests and riots in the city. Del. Shelly L. Hettleman (D-Baltimore County), who attended the announcement Wednesday, praised local officials for taking the additional measures. Im happy to see the county executive stepping up here . . . bringing some outside folks in and shedding some transparency on the police-accountability side as well as the sexual-assault and rape cases, Hettleman said. Law-enforcement officials nationwide have been grappling with tension and mistrust between police and minority groups in the wake of numerous high-profile civilian deaths, protests and ambush killings in the summer of officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge. This week, the president of the nations largest police management organization formally apologized on behalf of the group for historical mistreatment of communities of color. Terrence M. Cunningham, the police chief in Wellesley, Mass., issued the statement at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego. About 23,000 law-enforcement officials in the United States are members of the organization. Baltimore Countys Johnson, who attended the conference, said Wednesday that there is ample evidence to indicate that there were past injustices, adding that reforms have been taking place in public safety nationwide for years. Lynh Bui contributed to this report. Farmers markets, pumpkin festivals, Halloween festivities, and more this week in the Montgomery County community calendar from The Washington Post. (Lisa M. Bolton/The Washington Post) Thursday, Oct. 20 Fulks Corner farmers market Fresh produce, ready-made food, goat meat, breads and more. 12:30-6 p.m. through Nov. 17. Thursdays, 12:30-6 p.m. through Nov. 17, Fulks Corner Farmers Market, Fulks Corner Avenue at Route 355, Gaithersburg. 301-590-2830. gaithersburgmd.gov. Free. Smartphone 101 Learn the basics of using a smartphone, taking pictures, managing email, tracking your fitness steps and more. Take your smartphone. 1-2 p.m. Holiday Park Multiservice Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton. 240-777-4999. Free. An Evening with Edgar Allen Poe Arts Barn and Montgomery Playhouse present six short Poe plays recommended for age 12 and older. 1 and 8 p.m., Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Rd., Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394. gaithersburgmd.gov. $20, age 14 and younger $12. Widowed Persons support group For anyone that has lost a spouse in the past two years. A meeting of the Widowed Persons Service. Thursdays at 2-3:30 p.m. Holiday Park Multiservice Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton. 301-949-7398. Free; registration required. Fall Colors A multimedia exhibit from the Latino Art League of Greater Washington. Monday-Thursday at 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday at 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Through Oct. 29. Friendship Heights Village Center, Friendship Gallery, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. 301-656-2797. friendshipheightsmd.gov. Free. Autumn Glory A juried exhibition on display in both the Arts Barn and Kentlands Mansion galleries celebrates the fall season with a wide range of mediums and styles, from representational to abstract. Through Oct. 31 at the Arts Barn and Nov, 11 at Kentlands Mansion. Arts Barn, Gallery, 311 Kent Square Rd., Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394. gaithersburgmd.gov. Free. Tiny Dancer Ruth Marie Carl displays her black-and-white photographs of dancers in fairy tale settings. Through Nov. 13. Glen Echo Park, Park View Gallery, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. 301-634-2222. glenechopark.org. Free. Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad fundraiser The 76th annual door-to-door fundraising campaign canvasses Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Upper Northwest Washington, Glen Echo and parts of Cabin John, North Bethesda and Potomac. Through October. Residents can expect uniformed volunteers and emergency vehicles in neighborhoods 4:30-9 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. weekends. The annual drive helps fund the organizations $2 million annual operating budget. 301-652-0077. development@bccrs.org. bccrs.org. Election workers needed for 2016 presidential election The Board of Elections seeks volunteers age 17 and older to serve as election workers at polling places during the presidential general election on Nov. 8 in Rockville, Potomac, Bethesda, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Darnestown and Boyds. Bilingual volunteers are needed throughout the county. Volunteers will be trained and compensated. To apply online or for more information, visit the website. Montgomery County Board of Elections, 18753-210 N. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg. 240-777-VOTE. 777vote.org. Foto Friday The Glen Echo Park Partnership presents an exhibition by f11, a womens photography collective by a group of nine women. Artists reception Sunday, at 2-4 p.m. Through Nov. 13. Glen Echo Park, Popcorn Gallery, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. 301-634-2222. glenechopark.org/exhibitions. Admission to the gallery is free. Friday, Oct. 21 Museum After Hours: Snallygaster Author Patrick Boyton will discuss his book, Snallygaster: The Lost Legend of Frederick County, about the mythical creature of South Mountain that snatches children and chickens. Opening reception features tastings of brewed craft beer from Laytonsvilles Waredaca Brewing Company. Part of the Museum After Hours programs. 6:30-8 p.m. Gaithersburg Community Museum, 9 S. Summit Ave., Gaithersburg. gaithersburgmd.gov. 301-258-6160. $10. Collision/Collusion: A Personal Underground New paintings by Michael Sastre depict smuggling operations on Florida airstrips. An accompanying installation includes airplane parts and swamp stuff. Through Nov. 20. VisArts at Rockville, Kaplan Gallery, 155 Gibbs St., Rockville. 301-315-8200. visartsatrockville.org. Free. Lions Club Winter Coat Drive The Lions Club and Takoma Park Police Department have launched a winter coat drive to Benefit Shepherds Table clothing closet and Sligo Adventist Church. Used winter coats, gloves, mittens and hats are needed to help provide warmth to persons who have little means of protecting themselves from the upcoming winter weather. Drop-off boxes will be available 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays at two locations. Through Nov. 30. Takoma Park Municipal Building, First-floor lobby, 7500 Maple Ave., and Old Takoma Ace Hardware, 7001 Carroll Ave. 202-438-1686. 301-891-7142. Gaithersburg Meals on Wheels volunteers needed Meals on Wheels has an urgent need for drivers to deliver hot lunches and cold suppers in the Gaithersburg area during late morning and early afternoon. Delivery takes about one hour, with eight to 12 clients on each route. Once a week or every other week. Training is provided. Asbury Methodist Village, Kindley Center, 333 Russell Ave., Gaithersburg. 301-216-4200. 301-869-0190. lisamkoenig1@gmail.com. Saturday, Oct. 22 Cars N Coffee Bethesda For car enthusiasts, a weekly meetup to discuss and show off your cars. First coffee free. Saturdays at 8-10 a.m. Corner Bakery Cafe Bethesda, 10327 Westlake Dr., Bethesda. 301-217-0049. Free. Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous A free 12-step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating or bulimia. 8:30-10 a.m. Hughes United Methodist Church, 10700 Georgia Ave., Wheaton. 781-932-6300. foodaddicts.org. Free. Main Street farmers and artists market Farmers, artists, acoustic performers, craftspeople, prepared foods and more. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. year round. Saturdays at 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Farmers Market at the Kentlands, 301 Main St. (Kentlands Main Street Pavilion), Gaithersburg. 301-258-6350. gaithersburgmd.gov. Free. Butlers Orchard Pumpkin Festival Hayrides, face painting, pumpkin cannon, straw maze, apple slingshot, giant slides, pick-your-own pumpkins and more. Food available for purchase. Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 30. Butlers Orchard, 22222 Davis Mill Rd., Germantown. 301-972-3299. butlersorchard.com. $12; age 1 and younger, free. Fall festivities at Sharps farm Hayrides to pick pumpkins, a five-acre corn maze and mini-maze, scarecrow making, face painting, a country store, farm animals, straw bales, apples and cider, baked goods, and pumpkin painting. Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Through Nov. 6. Sharps at Waterford Farm, 4003 Jennings Chapel Rd., Brookeville. 410-489-2572. sharpfarm.com. Free, fee for some activities. From the Big Apple to the Capital The photography exhibition showcases three photographers feelings toward New York City and Washington. Presented by Glen Echo Park Partnership and Friends of the Yellow Barn. Saturdays-Sundays at noon-6 p.m. through Nov. 13. Glen Echo Park, Stone Tower Gallery, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. 301-634-2222. glenechopark.org/exhibitions. Admission to the gallery is free. Tour of National Park Seminary The guided walking tour of the historic former school for women, now a residential community, begins across from 2755 Cassedy Street in front of the old gymnasium. 1 p.m. National Park Seminary Historic District, 2755 Cassedy St., Silver Spring. 301-589-1715. saveourseminary.org. $5, age 12 and younger, free. Sunday, Oct. 23 Full Body Stretch Class This 45-minute excercise class will target specific muscles in your body to help relieve stress and stiffness. Class meets weekly and is performed on the floor and standing. Sundays 10:15-11 a.m. White Oak Community Recreation Center, Senior Center, 1700 April Lane, White Oak. 240-777-6940. Free. Discovery Day: Rock collecting Learn about local rocks and minerals and how they are used in everyday objects. Maryland fossils, fluorescent rocks and minerals will also be discussed. Sponsored by the Gaithersburg Community Museum, the Gem, Mineral and Lapidary Society of Montgomery County and the U.S. Geological Survey. 1-4 p.m. Gaithersburg Community Museum, 9 S. Summit Ave., Gaithersburg. 301-258-6160. gaithersburgmd.gov. Free. Monday, Oct. 24 Community Policing discussion Montgomery County Police Cmdr. Marcus Jones will discuss safety issues and concerns. 6-8 p.m. White Oak Community Recreation Center, 1700 April Lane, White Oak. 240-777-6940. Free. Caregivers Support Group Judith Bernstein of GPS Senior Care Partners facilitates a monthly meeting for anyone caring for parents or partners with serious illness or dementia. Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. through Nov. 14, Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. 301-656-2797. friendshipheightsmd.gov. Free; registration requested. Tuesday, Oct. 25 Caregiver Support Group via Telephone A free support group for spouses and adult children. Call in advance to obtain access number for the conference call. Visit the website for complete list of caregiver support groups. Tuesdays at 6-7:30 p.m. 301-754-7152. HolyCrossHealth.org/caregiversupport. Free, registration required. An Evening with Victoria Browning Wyeth Victoria Browning Wyeth, photographer and granddaughter of renowned visual artist Andrew Wyeth, will discuss her work, memories of her family and conversations with her grandfather. Reception will follow. Glen Echo Park, Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. 301-634-5379. yellowbarnstudio.com. $40, members $30. Registration required. Wednesday, Oct. 26 Shady Grove Farmers Market Located on the campus of Johns Hopkins University. Rain or shine weekly 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Shady Grove Farmers Market, 9601 Broschart Rd., Rockville. 301-792-9448. www.shadygrovemarket.org. Intergenerational Halloween Party Costumes encouraged. Grandparents and grandkids, come dressed for the party, games, treats and more. 5-6:30 p.m. Holiday Park Multiservice Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Dr., Wheaton. 240-777-4999. Free. Kensington Poetry Readings Joseph Baldi Acosta and Donald Berger read from and discuss their poetry. Open readings will follow. 7 p.m. Kensington Row Bookshop, 3786 Howard Ave., Kensington. 301-949-9416. kensingtonrowbookshop.com. Free. Square dance lessons and dancing Dancers of all experience levels are welcome. Casual dress. 7:30-9:45 p.m. North Chevy Chase Christian Church, 8814 Kensington Pkwy., Chevy Chase. 301-598-2574. $7. Autumn Glow The five-day indoor fine art and craft show and sale features original paintings, drawings, photography, prints, sculpture, pottery, fiber art, woodcarving, jewelry and other fine crafts by members of the Art League of Germantown. Figure drawing demonstration with a costumed model on Oct. 26 at 4-7 p.m. Visit the website for full event schedule. Through Oct. 30, BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Dr., Germantown. 301-528-2260. alog.org. Free. Thursday, Oct. 27 Political discussion: Jonathan Weisman The New York Timess deputy Washington editor will speak on the 2016 presidential campaigns and election. 7:30 p.m. Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. 301-656-2797. friendshipheightsmd.gov. Free; registration is requested. Compiled by Lisa M. Bolton Email: mocoliving@washpost.com Fax: 301-279-5665 Mail: Community Calendar, Montgomery Local Living, The Washington Post, 51 Monroe St., Suite 500, Rockville, Md. 20850 Details: Announcements are accepted from public and nonprofit organizations only and must be received at least 14 days before the Thursday publication date. Include dates, times, exact address, prices and a publishable contact phone number. Jamshid Amouzegar, who held several prominent ministerial positions, including prime minister, in pre-revolutionary Iran and who was kidnapped in the 1970s by the terrorist Carlos the Jackal, died Sept. 27 at a hospice facility in Rockville, Md. He was 93. The cause was sepsis, said a brother, Kuros Amouzegar. Dr. Amouzegar was trained as an engineer in the United States and began his career in Iran in the early 1950s on water resource development. He went on to hold several positions in the Iranian government, including undersecretary in the ministry of health; secretary of labor; secretary of agriculture, and secretary of health. From 1965 to 1974, he was secretary of finance and represented Iran in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Dr. Amouzegar later served as Irans secretary of the interior before becoming prime minister from August 1977 to September 1978. He left Iran in December 1978, two months before the Iranian revolution, led by religious hard-liners. At an OPEC meeting in Vienna in December 1975, Dr. Amouzegar was among dozens of people taken hostage by a terrorist group led by Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, a Venezuelan militant known as Carlos the Jackal. As he took the OPEC ministers prisoner, he introduced himself by saying, I am the famous Carlos. You will have heard of me. Jamshid Amouzegar in 1975. (STR/AP) Three people were killed during the initial siege. Dr. Amouzegar was one of several hostages flown to Algeria, where he and a Saudi Arabian oil minister were threatened with summary execution. The Algerian president, Houari Boumedienne, said any killings would result in a full-scale attack on the airplane on which Carlos held the hostages. After 72 hours, a settlement was reached, leading to the release of Dr. Amouzegar and the remaining hostages. Carlos went free and was not captured until 1994. Jamshid Amouzegar was born June 25, 1923, in Tehran. His father was an Iranian supreme court justice and scholar who wrote 20 books, including a dictionary of the Persian language. Dr. Amouzegar studied at Tehran University before leaving Iran in 1944 to study civil engineering in the United States. He received a bachelors degree in 1946 from Cornell University, a masters degree from the University of Washington in 1948 and a doctorate from Cornell in 1950. He did not return to Iran after leaving the country in 1978. He lived in Chevy Chase, Md., and later in Rockville and was an independent consultant to the governments of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for many years. His wife of 54 years, the former Ulrike Schultz, died in 2005. Survivors include three brothers, Jahangir Amuzegar, a former Iranian minister of commerce and finance and board member of the International Monetary Fund, of Bethesda, Md., Hushang Amouzegar of Holt, England, and Kuros Amouzegar of Washington. Dr. Amouzegar described the kidnapping by Carlos the Jackal in an interview that was published in The Washington Post in 2000. On Dec. 21, 1975, I was presiding over the OPEC conference in Vienna when a door flew open. Dont move, this is . . . Gunshots drowned out the voice. I ducked for cover. When the shooting stopped, I looked at the bullet holes in the wall behind me. Had I been two inches taller, I would be dead. Later, my wife needed medical treatment in the United States. I accompanied her. While we were here, the shah was overthrown. Other former prime ministers were killed. The upshot? I believe in fate. An earlier version of this story incorrectly implied that Dr. Amouzegar had a role in the 1973 Arab oil embargo of the United States. Iran did not participate in the embargo. Theres little doubt that expansion and improvements to Southeast Community College facilities would benefit students and employers throughout SCCs 15-county area. But the $369 million bond issue is too ambitious and would push property taxes up at a time when farmers in the region are coping with low prices for grain. The plan would exacerbate a fundamental flaw with Nebraskas tax structure, which relies too heavily on property taxes. The goal of reducing property taxes ranks No. 2 on the editorial boards agenda for this year. The proposal would add about $39 to the annual tax payment for a home valued at $100,000. It would add a tax increase of about $1.52 an acre to farm land, according to Craig Head vice president of issue management for the Farm Bureau. An average-sized farm would pay about $38,000 in new taxes over the 30-year life of the bond, according to Terry Keebler, a member of the Farm Bureaus board of directors. A coalition, including the Farm Bureau, Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Soybean Association and the Lincoln Independent Business Association, was formed to oppose the bond issue. Credit the SCC board, however, for trying to come up with a solution to a chronic problem in southeast Nebraska -- a shortage of skilled workers which is a drag on economic growth. SCC has waiting lists of student who want to get into popular programs like welding and nursing. The need to provide training for those workers was emphasized by the business and labor leaders who support the bond issue. Its a dog-eat-dog world just trying to find qualified applicants to fill positions so we can continue to grow, said Matthew Wegener, founder of ISoft Data Systems and co-founder of Turbine Flats. The bond issue proposed by the SCC board is a first for community colleges in the state. Since the system was created in 1971, no district has asked voters to approve a bond issue. It calls for $127 worth of improvements to SCCs Beatrice campus and $88 million at the campus in Milford. The remainder would be spent in Lincoln, and could include construction of a $120 million campus near the Telegraph District at 21st and Capitol Parkway. Unfortunately the board has no alternative for paying for the bond issue other than relying on property taxes. The Legislature should explore whether it could provide other options to pay for bond issues to expand community colleges in the state, which offer an affordable education for students. Perhaps the SCC board could do more to creatively fund its growth by seeking private donations or partnering more with the private sector. However, given the current over-reliance on property taxes in Nebraskas tax structure, the sizable property tax hike required by the SCC bond issue cannot be justified. Prince William County These were among incidents reported by Prince William County police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-792-5123. BRISTOW AREA THEFT/BREAK-IN Bristow Rd., 10800 block, 8:30 a.m. Oct. 10 to 6:30 a.m. Oct. 11. Firearms and cash were stolen from a residence entered through an unlocked upper-story window. DUMFRIES AREA ROBBERIES Jefferson Davis Hwy., 17000 block, 3:23 p.m. Oct. 6. A gunman robbed a bank of cash. Jefferson Davis Hwy., 17400 block, 9 p.m. Oct. 9. A woman arranged through social media to meet three people at a hotel room to make a narcotics transaction. The woman went to the room, then left. She returned with three men who forcibly entered the room and robbed the occupants of marijuana, a cellphone, a wallet and a bag. A woman, 24, a Lorton man, 31, and a Dumfries man, 28, were arrested. THEFT/BREAK-IN Avenel Lane, 17600 block, 11:15 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 7. A toolbox was stolen from a residence entered through an open garage door. HAYMARKET AREA THEFT/BREAK-IN Ridge Rd., 1800 block, 8 p.m. Oct. 9 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 10. An attempt was made to enter a community center by damaging a rear door. MANASSAS AREA ASSAULT Montrose Way, 10500 block, 10:27 a.m. Oct. 9. During an argument, a man hit a female acquaintance. A Manassas man, 41, was arrested. WEAPON Bull Run Rd. and June St., 10:29 p.m. Oct. 7. Several gunshots were heard. No one was reported injured. ROBBERIES Parkland St., 8600 block, 3 a.m. Oct. 1. Three gunmen who arranged a drug transaction through social media robbed a male juvenile of cash. Sudley Rd., 8300 block, 5:11 p.m. Oct. 10. During a fight, a man assaulted another man and robbed him of cash. A Woodbridge man, 27, was arrested. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Bethlehem Rd., 700 block, 7:36 p.m. Oct. 9. Three men attempted to enter a business through an unlocked rear door. They fled empty-handed when an alarm sounded. Festival Lane, 10300 block, 8 p.m. Oct. 10 to 9 a.m. Oct. 11. Cash was stolen from two businesses entered through unlocked rear doors. Margate Ct., 7500 block, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 7 to 10 a.m. Oct. 10. A video-game system and jewelry were stolen from a residence entered by damaging a door. TRIANGLE AREA ASSAULT Kilmer Lane, 18200 block, 10:29 p.m. Oct. 6. During an argument, a woman attempted to stab a male acquaintance with a knife. A Triangle woman, 25, was arrested. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Joplin Rd., 18400 block, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7. Firearms and jewelry were stolen from a residence entered by damaging a rear door. Lost Pond Ct., 3200 block, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 8. A computer tablet was stolen from a residence entered through an open garage door. WOODBRIDGE AREA HOMICIDE Bayside Ave., 1400 block, 5:56 p.m. Oct. 8. Responding to reports of gunshots, police officers found in front of an apartment building a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Jose Moises Garcia Flores, 40, of Woodbridge was pronounced dead at the scene. ASSAULT Valley Stream Dr., 15200 block, 5:30 a.m. Oct. 8. During an argument, a man repeatedly hit a female acquaintance with an electrical cord and prevented her from leaving the residence. A Woodbridge man, 27, was arrested. WEAPON Yardarm Pl., 12500 block, 4 a.m. Oct. 4. Several gunshots were heard. Holes were found in a front window and an interior wall of a residence. ROBBERIES Cranmer Mews, 3400 block, 12:57 a.m. Oct. 8. A man pushed a male juvenile off a hoverboard and fled with the device. When the juvenile attempted to chase him, the man pulled out a knife. Forest Lane, 1400 block, midnight Oct. 11. Two masked men entered a residence, assaulted a male resident and demanded money and drugs. The two fled with cash, marijuana and other items. Hylton Ave. and Knowles St., 3 a.m. Oct. 6. Three men exited a vehicle and assaulted a male pedestrian who attempted to flee. They robbed him of cash and a jacket. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Alison St., 13300 block, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 9. Cash and a video-game system were stolen from a residence entered by damaging a basement door. Cavalier Dr., 12500 block, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 6. A residence was entered through a damaged window, and several interior walls were damaged. Nothing was reported stolen. Critton Cir., 11800 block, 8:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Oct. 4. An attempt was made to enter a residence by damaging a front door. Enterprise Lane, 14900 block, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 7. A tablet and jewelry were stolen from a residence entered by damaging a basement window. Hill Meade Lane, 11500 block, 2 p.m. Oct. 9 to 4 p.m. Oct. 10. Lawn equipment was stolen from the yard of a residence. The residence was entered by damaging a rear basement window. Several cabinets were searched. Nothing else was reported stolen. Winding Loop, 14700 block, 11:59 a.m. Oct. 11. A video-game system, games and other equipment were stolen from a residence entered by damaging a rear door. Woodmark Dr., 2800 block, 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 4. A laptop computer was stolen from a residence entered through an unlocked window. Manassas These were among incidents reported by Manassas police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-257-8000. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Bennett Dr., 9200 block, Sept. 24 to Oct. 8. A safe was stolen from a residence. Cedar Ridge Dr., 10200 block, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7. A political sign was stolen from the yard of a residence. Manassas Park No report was received from Manassas Park police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-361-1136. Daryl Thompson, 27, of Suitland, Md., has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed in connection with fatal shootings that happened this summer in Northwest D.C. (Courtesy of D.C. Police ) UPDATE: District prosecutors said on Thursday that the office did not pursue charges against Thompson in connection with the death of Roberts. They said the investigation continues. D.C. police say they have arrested a suspect in connection with two fatal shootings this summer in Northwest and Southeast Washington. Daryl Thompson, 27, of Suitland, Md., was charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed. Police said he was arrested in Michigan and extradited to the District, where he was formally charged Tuesday. Interim D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said at a news conference that with the arrest, We take a repeat violent offender off the streets. Police said Thompson was charged in the July 30 shooting of Edward Roberts Jr., 29, in the 3500 block of 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights. He died at an area hospital. [Video identifies persons of interest in fatal shooting in Columbia Heights] Newsham also said that Thomspon was charged in the Aug. 29 fatal shooting of Tyler Jerel McEachern, 23, who was attacked about 2 a.m. in the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace SE. He also died at an area hospital. [Police seek suspect in shooting on Buena Vista Terrace] Police also said that Thompson was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a nonfatal shooting shortly before Roberts was killed on 14th Street. That shooting occurred in the 5300 block of Georgia Avenue NW. Police did not discuss possible motives in the cases or say if the two homicides are related. Newsham praised residents for helping police after surveillance video was made public. I cant tell you how many people came forward with tips in those cases, the interim chief said. D.C. police have arrested one of two men who authorities allege robbed a popular all-night diner near the Tenleytown Metro station early Monday, with one urging his armed accomplice to just shoot customers and staff. Willie Quinones, 26, of Southeast, was charged with armed robbery. Police said officers arrested him Monday, the same day as the hold-up of Osman & Joes Steak n Egg Kitchen. Police announced the arrest Tuesday night. A second man was being sought. The robbery occurred about 3 a.m. Monday in the 4700 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW. The men fled with money from a cash register and a purse. A police report says one of the men slapped a customer who tried to reach for a cell phone. [All-night diner robbed at gunpoint] The restaurants manager, Justin Anderson, said Monday that the men got in through a back door while deliveries were being made and workers were conducting inventory. He and the police said the gunmen demanded that workers open the safe, but none there that morning had the combination. When the robbers learned they couldnt get into the safe, a police report says one told the gunman: Shoot them then, just shoot them. Anderson said that after a similar armed robbery in September, in which attackers got access to the safe and escaped with up with $4,000, the store changed its policy and refuses to accept cash at night. Anderson said the cash register was nearly empty on Monday, and that the men got no more than $200. No arrests have been made from the earlier robbery, which occurred Sept. 27. In that case, police said one of the robbers fired a gun when a customer refused to comply. No one was struck. Metro Transit Police are being criticized for excessive use of force after a video posted Tuesday showed an officer pushing and tripping a high school student, knocking her to the ground, after she refused to throw away a bag of potato chips and a lollipop. The three-minute video, posted by a member of the Districts Black Lives Matter chapter, shows the 18-year-old in handcuffs, surrounded by three police officers, just outside the fare gates at Columbia Heights station. [Watch the YouTube video of the teen arrested by Metro Transit Police] All right, sit down, one officer says. Sit down. The handcuffed teen refuses, crying, No! The officer then hooks his arm behind her elbow and kicks backward against her calf, knocking her to the ground as people watching and filming the altercation gasp. The teen props herself up against the wall, and the officer pushes on her shoulder and forces her back down. Sit down! he yells. Stop touching me! she yells back. The teen is not identified in a transit police arrest report, but officials say she is 18 years old. She was arrested for unlawful entry, and police took her to a D.C. police station. The report said she was not injured during the arrest. Metro spokesman Richard L. Jordan said police decided not to pursue charges. He declined to comment on whether officers handled the incident appropriately or whether excessive force was used. The person who posted the footage on YouTube said in the video description that the girl is 17, not 18, and a student at Bell Multicultural High School. The description also said that an officer slammed her against the car when she was transported to the police station. On Twitter, the Black Lives Matter chapter criticized the arrest, saying the footage shows transit police violently interacting with Black bodies as usual. [Metro Board to Transit Police chief on officer accused of trying to help ISIS: What happened here?] According to the arrest report, the incident happened just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Police said the teenager was on the paid side of the fare gates, holding a bag of potato chips, and an officer told her to put the food away. Metro bans customers from eating or drinking on trains and in stations. The police report said the teenager responded with a defiant No! Police then told her twice that she would need to leave the station if she didnt put her food way. When she refused, the arrest report said, the officer reached for her wrist and placed handcuffs on her. The video begins after that. After the teenager is knocked to the ground, she refuses to tell police her age or give them her student identification. One officer then opens her backpack and begins searching inside. You didnt have to put it that tight, she says, apparently talking about the handcuffs. She then demands to know why officers are searching her bag and asks a friend to remove it. The yellow bag of potato chips sits in the foreground of the shot until an officer slides it away with his foot. A crowd is gathered around the fare gates, with more than one person appearing to made a video recording of the arrest. The officer who knocked the teenager to the floor starts to shoo away the growing crowds, instructing bystanders to get on a train or leave the station. Thanks for riding Metro, he says. You guys have a good day. [Crime on Metro has riders fearful, police officers frustrated] In the video, a bystander explains to others in the crowd that the teenager had been holding a bag of chips and a lollipop. Oh, goodness. Because she had a lollipop? That is outrageous, says one woman watching the officers search the students backpack. That is ridiculous. Some of the bystanders began speaking directly to the officers. You could have told her to put it away, or [taken] the lollipop . . . that is crazy, one says. An officer turns to the crowd, arguing back. Well, we asked her for the lollipop, we asked her for the food, and she refused and told me she wasnt going to do it, the officer says. Thats why shes under arrest. Its a little girl! says the bystander. Little girls can break the law! Little girls can get arrested like everybody else! the officer responds. And she goes to juvenile detention and her mom comes and picks her up. Thats how it works! Its not the first time Metro Transit Police have come under fire for their handling of snack scofflaws. In 2004, a 45-year-old employee of the Environmental Protection Agency was arrested at Metro Center for chewing on the last bite of a PayDay candy bar as she passed through the fare gates. She was released several hours later after paying a $10 fine. [Mouthful Gets Metro Passenger Handcuffs and Jail] And in 2000, a 12-year-old girl made international headlines when she was arrested for eating a french fry at the Tenleytown-AU station. If she had been an adult, police would have issued her a citation and fine, but because they cannot fine minors, they charged her with a criminal offense and took her into custody. Her case was ultimately brought before the U.S. Court of Appeals. The incident led Metro to change its policy, mandating that minors caught snacking on trains or in stations receive three written warnings before they can be charged. [Girl Whose French-Fry Arrest Led to Metro Policy Change Sets Sights on College, Career] Correction: This story was changed to reflect that prosecutors decided not to pursue charges. It originally said charges were dropped. Travelers may soon be able to get refunds for delayed baggage, more accurate information about on-time performance of the airlines they fly and more transparency when booking tickets with online travel services, under executive actions announced by the Obama administration Wednesday. Airline passengers deserve to have access to clear and complete information about the airlines they choose to fly and to expect fair and reasonable treatment when they fly, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in making the announcement. The actions were taking today and in the coming months will expand aviation consumer protections we have previously enacted. These actions will enable passengers to make well-informed decisions when arranging travel, ensure that airlines treat consumers fairly, and give consumers a voice in how airlines are regulated, Foxx said. Foxx said Wednesdays announcement builds on efforts to promote competition and protect consumers at a time when mergers mean they have fewer choices when it comes to flying. But Nicholas E. Calio, president and chief executive of Airlines for America, an industry trade group, said the public should be cautious about new efforts to re-regulate the industry. It would be difficult to find an industry that is more transparent than the airline industry; customers always know exactly what they are paying for before they buy, Calio said. Further, the fact that a record number of people are flying underscores that customers are benefiting every day from affordable fares and the ability to choose among carriers, amenities and service options that best meet their needs. Dictating to the airline industry distribution and commercial practices would only benefit those third parties who distribute tickets, not the flying public. Foxx said the administration already requires airlines to refund bag fees when luggage is lost, but he said officials soon hope to add a requirement that airlines refund fees when luggage is substantially delayed. Officials offered no details on how substantially would be defined, and there is no specific timeline for when the rule would go into effect. Congress included a similar provision for lost or mishandled luggage in its funding extension for the Federal Aviation Administration approved this summer. The provision says passengers would be eligible for refunds if bags are delivered 12 to 18 hours after the scheduled arrival of a domestic flight or 15 to 30 hours after an international flight. It will be left to officials at the Department of Transportation to make a final determination. Under the administrations rules, airlines must also change the way they report the number of bags that are mishandled or lost. Instead of tallying the number of lost baggage reports and comparing those numbers with the overall number of travelers, they now will have to compare the number of mishandled bags with the total number of checked bags. Those changes will likely go into effect in January 2018. [7 ways that Congress must-pass aviation legislation affects you] The rules also include new protections for travelers who purchase tickets from online booking services. Foxx said that consumers may not be aware that some listings may be biased in favor of certain airlines. Online sites would have to be neutral or disclose any bias in their offerings. That requirement could go into effect by the end of the year. Airlines also will have to revamp the way they report on-time performance by including flights operated by smaller regional carriers that are part of their networks. And, for the first time, airlines will be required to report the number of wheelchairs they mishandle an effort, Foxx said, to give customers with disabilities a measure of airline performance. This rule change also would go into effect in 2018. Foxx noted that more than 700 million passengers are expected to travel on 9 million flights in the United States this year. He said the administration's actions will spur competition. Airline passengers deserve to be treated fairly and with respect when they book travel, when they are in the air and once they land, said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. These new actions build on our previous efforts and will help ensure that consumers have access to more information so they can make informed decisions when choosing a flight and expand consumer protections, including requiring passenger refunds for delayed baggage. We need to continue working to make flying easier and more transparent for the public. The administrations actions come on the heels of an effort by Congress to improve the flying experience for consumers. Several traveler-friendly provisions were included as part of an agreement approved by the House and Senate this summer that extended funding for the Federal Aviation Administration through September 2017. [Newly passed air travel legislation is a big win for consumers] In addition to the provision on lost and mishandled baggage, the legislation also included several provisions designed to expedite the security screening process, which came under scrutiny this spring after travelers reported hourslong waits at airports in Atlanta and Chicago. The legislation also requires airlines to seat families with children together without charging them an additional fee. A Democratic congressional candidate in central Virginia temporarily shut down her Facebook page this week after receiving what she said were thousands of negative messages, some obscene and threatening, from Donald Trump supporters. Jane Dittmar is running against state Sen. Tom Garrett (R-Buckingham) for an open seat currently held by retiring Rep. Robert Hurt (R) in the 5th District, which spans a large section of the state from the northern Virginia exurbs through the Shenandoah Valley and down to the North Carolina border. Trump has strong support in rural, conservative swaths of the district, but analysts say Dittmar could pull off an upset if turnout is heavy in liberal strongholds such as Charlottesville. Dittmars campaign received most of the online comments and voice mails after two incidents. In the first case, an armed Trump supporter legally protested outside her office last week, unnerving volunteers, who called the police. Then reports by conservative bloggers surfaced about a 1999 car accident in which Dittmar was initially charged with driving under the influence but she ultimately pleaded guilty to reckless driving. We sort of feel under attack on all sides by the Republicans at this point, Dittmar said. She accused Garrett of quietly spreading sleazy Republican charges as a diversion from a poor campaign finance report, which shows she has outraised him outraised him 2 to 1. Garrett denied having anything to do with the stories and accused Dittmar on Tuesday of trying to hide an apparent DUI arrest in which minors were involved. But he showed up Wednesday at a news conference Dittmar held in Charlottesville to join her in a call for more civility. Garrett said he had faced sharp criticism from Trump loyalists after he condemned lewd comments made by the GOP standard-bearer in a 2005 video published by The Washington Post. Garrett, who still plans to vote for Trump, could benefit from the GOP candidate because parts of the district are Trump strongholds. On Oct. 13, Trump supporter Daniel Parks parked his pickup truck outside Dittmars Fluvanna County campaign office, opened the tailgate and set up Trump signs. Alone at the time inside the office, 71-year-old volunteer Susan Wolff first locked the door. Then she went outside to talk to him. The exchange was pleasant, Wolff said, until she began to walk away and he mentioned Trumps promise to build a wall along the southern U.S. border. Im very sensitive about this because my parents were Holocaust survivors and they fled Nazi Germany, she said. I said to him, Thank goodness there was no wall when my parents came here or I wouldnt be here. At one point during the day, Parks tucked his shirt behind his holster to reveal he was carrying a weapon, Wolff said. She eventually called 911 and learned that the county sheriff was already keeping watch in the parking lot as a precaution. The protest, first reported by a local CBS affiliate, ended peacefully after about 12 hours when the office closed and volunteers left for the evening. Attempts to reach Parks were unsuccessful. But the real trouble began after Dittmar posted Facebook and Twitter messages encouraging volunteers to call the police if they felt unsettled by the armed protest. Comments began to appear on Dittmars and Garretts pages using obscene language to criticize Dittmar, according to screen shots of the comments taken by her campaign. She is dumb as a box of rocks they will take her head off it they dont rape her first, read one message. Another said: Jane you are a retarded and should disembowel yourself with a spoon. By Monday night, Dittmar instructed her staff to take down the page; it was reactivated Tuesday morning with nearly 5,000 messages. About the same time, several conservative blogs posted stories about the 1999 car accident. Dittmar said she was driving with her then-3-year-old son on a dark country road when she swerved, causing her bumper to glance into the side of a berm. The air bag activated and she suffered two black eyes, a broken nose and a split lip. Dittmar said she waited for the police but got a ride home before they arrived, so she left identification on the front seat to avoid giving the impression she had abandoned the car. She later learned she was charged with driving under the influence and not restraining a child. Dittmar said the charges were dropped in exchange for a guilty plea to reckless driving. She said her son was in a car seat and she had not been drinking. Albemarle County Police Lt. Todd Hopwood declined a request for the police report. Wolff, the campaign volunteer, said Dittmar told her national attention on the armed protest might help her congressional bid. If I win the election it could be because of this, she said, according to Wolff. Everyone knows my name now. LuAnn Bennett (D), left, and Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) greet each other after their first debate in the race for Virginias 10th Congressional District in Lansdowne, Va., on Oct. 6. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) In the final debate of a tightening contest for a Northern Virginia congressional seat Wednesday, Democratic challenger LuAnn Bennett departed from her practice of tying Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock to Donald Trump. Instead, she worked to paint the incumbent as an extreme partisan in a do-little Congress and mentioned the Republican presidential nominee just once when asked about him. Comstock touted her local connections and said she has been an ally to congressional Democrats representing the region in the GOP-controlled House while calling Bennett out of touch with the districts priorities. Trump has lost support in the state, according to recent polls, and has been a lightning rod in the race for the 10th Congressional District. Independent political analysts have responded by moving the contest from lean Republican to toss-up and tilting toward the Republican in recognition. The 10th District includes all of Loudoun, Clarke and Frederick counties as well as Manassas and Manassas Park and parts of Fairfax and Prince William counties. Questions at the debate, hosted by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, focused predominantly on transportation, which both candidates agreed is a barrier to economic development in the congested region. Comstock noted she sits on a committee that negotiated a compromise five-year transportation bill passed by Congress that will help fund infrastructure improvements. Theres only one person on this stage who will be in the majority, she said. We dont need another minority member of Congress. Bennett responded, First of all, thats a big assumption at this point. She added that Congress has not passed an appropriations bill in many years and avoids votes on tough issues. If that happened in your business or my business, we would be out of business, said Bennett, a 63-year-old real estate developer and longtime Democratic donor who is making her first bid for public office. Turning to the Affordable Care Act, Comstock said lawmakers pleaded with President Obama to get bipartisan buy-in on the landmark legislation. Obamacare was totally partisan, said Comstock, 57, a onetime GOP staffer who is finishing her first term in Congress. Not a single Republican voted for Obamacare. What we need is to have bipartisan solutions. At the end of the hour-long debate, candidates were asked what priority they would promote if a president of the opposite party invited them to dinner. Comstock said in a theoretical meeting with a President Hillary Clinton, she would advocate for a continuation of Vice President Bidens cancer moonshot to advance a cure. Bennett said she would talk up ways to boost investment in the Northern Virginia economy if Trump becomes president, and not some stupid wall and pretend someone else is going to pay for it. Comstock steered clear of Trump. Ive made my statement known and my views, she told reporters. For much of the campaign, Comstock, who supported Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in the state GOP primary, avoided saying whether she would vote for Trump. But after a 2005 video surfaced this month in which he bragged about groping women, Comstock became one of the first Republicans in the country to denounce his behavior. She urged him to drop out of the race and said she could not vote for him or Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee. With the move, Comstock risked alienating Trump supporters but may have endeared herself to independent voters in the bellwether of Loudoun County, where polls indicated many voters are turned off by the partys standard-bearer. In a debate in Loudoun County two weeks ago, Bennett worked Trump into answers to many questions. But at the Fairfax County debate Wednesday, she mostly focused on Comstocks record, such as her opposition to a tax-laden transportation funding bill and Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act in the General Assembly. Asked after the debate about the shift, Bennett said she was not changing strategy. She said Trump and Comstock have similar views on abortion, equal pay, climate change and immigration. This is an agenda she will take to Congress, she said. If you dont like Donald Trumps agenda, you shouldnt like Barbara Comstocks either. Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, said House races are mostly about local issues and personalities, and Bennett is diversifying her case for unseating the incumbent. The Trump factor is there, theres no denying it, and LuAnn Bennett doesnt need to say it anymore, quite frankly, said Rozell, who attended the debate. Trumps campaign is in a downward spiral, it seems, and shes already getting that benefit. I found it interesting that on the same day the Journal Star editorial board praised Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and Sen. Deb Fischer for rejecting Donald Trump as a viable candidate for the presidency ("Campaign plunges to new lows," Oct. 11) because of the release of a 2005 tape showing Trump as his repugnant self there was an article on the same page written by one of the media's staunchest conservatives. George Will ("Trumps vile candidacy is chemotherapy for GOP," Oct. 11) had this to say: "Again, the tape revealed nothing about this arrested-development adolescent that today's righteously recoiling Republicans either did not already know or had no excuse for not knowing." Will is referring to you, Rep. Fortenberry, and to you, Sen. Fischer. There is no excuse you can muster! Alhough why would you since we now know you still plan on voting for this arrested-development adolescent ("Fortenberry, Fischer say theyll vote for Trump despite disgust," Oct. 12). Quite the principles you've set for yourself. Party before country always. Nebraska deserves better. Adam E. Dunn, Lincoln Obama administration officials are predicting that the number of Americans with private health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will increase by about 1 million in 2017, an upbeat final forecast for the presidents signature domestic achievement before he leaves office. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell said Wednesday that an estimated 11.4 million people, on average, will have health plans from the laws insurance exchanges during the coming year. The forecast is more optimistic than those of some outside analysts, who predict that enrollment growth will slow or even backslide. The conflicting expectations arise from disagreements about the effect of upheaval in some exchanges as they approach their fourth year, with insurers defecting in parts of the country and the remaining ones sharply raising prices. Administration officials are playing down the impact. Burwell used the annual enrollment prediction as a kind of paean to what she heralded as the biggest step forward in a generation the administrations work to usher in insurance that is better, more affordable and more broadly available. She acknowledged that future ACA proponents will need Congress as a partner to accomplish any substantial changes in the law, including a public insurance option to foster more market competition in places with few insurers. The secretary contended that the laws marketplace is sustainable in terms of its size. In remarks at HHS headquarters, she said that it is strong and will continue to be strong because it is offering a product that people want and need. Officials said they expect 13.8 million people to choose or be re-enrolled automatically in ACA health plans during the upcoming enrollment period, which runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31. They predict that about 9.2 million will be current marketplace customers an estimate that signifies a drop-off from the 10 million people whom HHS expects to have ACA coverage at the end of December. The rest of the total will be people who have stayed uninsured, plus people who have individual policies outside the marketplaces. The administrations forecast comes three weeks before the presidential election, and the ACA has been a stark dividing line between the main candidates policy views. Branding it terrible, Republican Donald Trump has pledged to completely repeal the six-year-old law; like many others of his party, he points out what he says are myriad signs that it is failing. Democrat Hillary Clinton is an avowed supporter, though she wants to expand federal assistance to make health plans more affordable and to allow a public option a position President Obama now embraces. [In North Carolina, ACA defections leave little choice for many consumers] Against that partisan backdrop, the attractiveness of the insurance exchanges carries outsize significance this fall, even though they reach only a small fraction of Americans with private coverage: those who cannot get affordable health benefits from a job. Despite the Republicans persistent attempts to discredit and dismantle it, the ACA has survived two Supreme Court challenges and the disastrous 2013 debut of HealthCare.gov, when computer defects hindered many consumers attempts to get coverage through the new federal health exchange. Along the way, the law has helped to bring about a large decrease in the ranks of the uninsured. The upcoming sign-up period represents a significant pivot point for the ACA. The biggest threat now facing its federal marketplace and similar ones run by the District, Maryland and 15 other states is a matter of who has signed up: too many Americans with illnesses that consume a lot of medical care, and too few young adults and other healthy people to help balance out insurers costs. That dynamic lies behind the withdrawal of major insurers, including United HealthCare and Aetna Health, from some marketplaces, leaving nearly 20 percent of the people who now have ACA coverage with only a single insurer available for next year. [Uninsurance rate drops to the lowest level since before the Great Recession] Goldman Sachs analysts predicted last month that, with insurers leaving and prices changing, the number of Americans in ACA plans is likely to drop by roughly 20 percent next year. And last week, Standard & Poors predicted between an 8 percent decrease and a 4 percent increase. Based on the HHS figures announced on Wednesday that 10.5 million Americans had marketplace coverage in place as of mid-2016 the low end of S&Ps projected range would translate into average enrollment next year of less than 10 million. Both outside assessments suggest that HHS is underestimating how many Americans, with incomes too high for insurance subsidies, will drop marketplace coverage because of spiking prices. Congressional budget analysts also provide forecasts. Their most recent estimate of ACA enrollment is 15 million people in 2017. In Wednesdays predictions, HHS did not include the central figure of past forecasts: how many people it expects to have ACA health plans by the end of the coming year. Instead, it anticipated average enrollment during 2017. Kathryn Martin, acting assistant secretary for planning and evaluation, insisted that we are not moving the goal post. We are using what we believe is a more meaningful metric. The law requires most Americans to have health coverage. The penalty for remaining uninsured now stands at $695 per adult or 2.5 percent of income, whichever is higher. KANSAS Man gets 15 months in failed terrorist plot A Kansas man was sentenced Tuesday to 15 months in prison for helping a would-be jihadists unsuccessful plan to plant what they thought was a bomb at Fort Riley Army base. Alexander Blair, 29, also was sentenced to two years of supervised probation. He was accused of loaning $100 to John T. Booker Jr., 21, to store what they thought was an explosive device. Prosecutors said Booker intended to detonate it outside the northeast Kansas base in support of the Islamic State group. The device was a fake bomb built by FBI informants. Blair pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in May, and U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree said from the bench that he regretted that federal anti-terrorism laws required him to treat Blair as if the Topeka resident had multiple previous criminal convictions despite Blairs previously spotless record. The judge also said he concluded that an unusual genetic personality condition made Blair susceptible to manipulation by Booker. Prosecutors had pushed for the maximum five-year prison sentence, but Crabtree said it would be too harsh for Blairs relatively small role in the conspiracy. The judge also rejected the defenses request for five years probation. Booker, who is also from Topeka, pleaded guilty in February to two felonies under an agreement calling for him to serve 30 years in prison, but he has not been sentenced. He was arrested in April 2015 outside Fort Riley, about 60 miles west of Topeka, as he was trying to arm what he thought was a 1,000-pound explosive device. Associated Press NEW YORK Video from ISIS fighter attempts to clear man A New York City college student killed fighting for the Islamic State group in Syria made a video trying to clear the name of an Arizona man who was charged with helping him join, prosecutors said. The 24-year-old students November death was revealed in papers filed Monday and Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. The student was identified in court papers as Samy El-Goarany. The Arizona man, Ahmed Mohammed el Gammal, was arrested last year and has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys said the video is unreliable and overly prejudicial and should be precluded from a trial scheduled for December. Prosecutors say El-Goarany left his parents home in Middletown, N.Y., in January 2015, telling them he was returning to his Manhattan college. Instead, the government said, he flew to Turkey and then Syria. Prosecutors said an unidentified person contacted a relative in November to say El-Goarany was killed fighting in Syria. The person provided photographs of a handwritten note in which the student said: If youre reading this then know that Ive been killed in battle, prosecutors said. The government also said it had found a YouTube video in which El-Goarany, clad in military fatigues, said on Sept. 8, 2015 two weeks after el Gammals arrest that he was in the Islamic State. Associated Press Man sentenced for grabbing womans hijab during flight: A North Carolina man who acknowledged grabbing and pulling off a Muslim womans hijab on a flight from Chicago to Albuquerque has been sentenced to a year of probation that includes two months of home confinement. Federal prosecutors say Gill Parker Payne, 37, of Gastonia, N.C., also was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. During a Southwest Airlines flight on Dec. 11, Payne grabbed and removed Khawla Abdel-Haqs hijab, a religious headscarf, midflight. He was seated several rows behind her and did not know her. Vets license suspended for killing cat with bow and arrow: The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners on Tuesday suspended the license of a veterinarian who used a bow and arrow to kill a cat that had wandered onto her property near Houston and boasted of the kill online. Kristen Lindsey cannot practice for a year and her suspension will be followed by four years probation and other requirements. Her lawyer said she believed the cat was feral. The cat, named Tiger, was owned by Lindseys neighbor. From news services SYRIA Assads wife says she rejected offers to flee The wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in a television interview broadcast Tuesday that she had declined offers to leave her country earlier in the five-year-long war in return for safety and financial security for her and her children. Asma Assad, 41, was speaking to Russia 24, an official Moscow-based channel. It was her first interview with international media since the conflict broke out in 2011. She said the foolish offers were aimed at undermining confidence in her husband. I was offered the opportunity to leave Syria or rather to run from Syria, Assad said in the 33-minute interview conducted in English. It doesnt take a genius to know what these people were really after. It was never about my well-being or my children. It was a deliberate attempt to shatter peoples confidence in their president. She did not specify who the offers were from. Assad said everyone in Syria is at risk because of the war. But she added, I refuse to live in fear. She also said help from Damascuss friends, such as Russia, had been invaluable to alleviate peoples suffering. Associated Press YEMEN U.N. announces deal on 72-hour cease-fire The warring parties in Yemen have agreed to a 72-hour cease-fire that will take effect shortly before midnight Wednesday, the U.N. special envoy to Yemen said. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said he hopes the temporary truce can lead to a permanent and lasting end to the conflict. Ahmed said he received assurances from all parties to the conflict that hostilities would cease at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday for an initial period of 72 hours. The warring factions agreed to the conditions of a temporary April cease-fire plan, he said. That agreement requires them to allow free and unhindered access for humanitarian supplies and personnel to all parts of Yemen, he said. The war in Yemen began in 2014 when Shiite rebels seized the capital, Sanaa. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an air campaign against the rebels. The Saudi coalition and the United States back the internationally recognized government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Associated Press UNITED NATIONS Cultural agency adopts Jerusalem resolution UNESCOs executive board on Tuesday approved a resolution that Israel says denies the deep historical Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem. The resolution is not expected to have any concrete effect on Jerusalem itself, but it aggravated diplomatic tensions around the city and within the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It is the latest of several UNESCO measures that Israelis see as evidence of ingrained anti-Israel bias within the United Nations. UNESCO voted in 2011 to admit Palestine as its newest member. The resolution, titled Occupied Palestine, lays out rules for the preservation of holy sites in Jerusalem and uses only the Islamic name for a hilltop compound sacred to both Jews and Muslims. The site includes the Western Wall, a remnant of the biblical temple and the holiest site where Jews can pray. Jews refer to the hilltop compound as the Temple Mount. Muslims refer to it as al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary. It is the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam. Israel had suspended its cooperation with UNESCO over the resolution last week, though it isnt clear what that would entail. Associated Press Burundis president signs bill on ICC withdrawal: Burundis president has signed legislation to make his country the first to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, which had said it would investigate recent political violence there. No country has withdrawn from the ICC, which prosecutes cases of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The legislation had won overwhelming support from Burundian lawmakers last week. Observers say a pullout from the ICC takes effect a year after the day the U.N. secretary general is formally notified. 7 dead as Somali troops fight al-Shabab: Somali police said at least seven people are dead after hours of clashes as Somali and African Union troops pushed back al-Shabab extremists from a town near Mogadishu. The attacks in Afgoye started when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle near a Somali police station and African Union base. Gunmen then attacked military bases. Police said two al-Shabab fighters and five Somali soldiers were killed. Two suspects were detained. From news services Tristan Schulz is held by his mother, Mindy. Tristan was killed at 5 months old when he and his mother were struck by a Jeep in Loudoun County. (Aliyah Dastour/Alimond Studios) A 5-MONTH-OLD boy, Tristan Schulz, was killed not long ago when the driver of an SUV plowed into his stroller as his mother was pushing it across a marked crosswalk in Loudoun County. At the time, according to what a witness told police, the SUVs driver was holding up his cellphone, which may have distracted him. If so, Tristans tragic death fits a disturbing pattern of distracted driving that has contributed to the biggest surge in traffic deaths in a half-century. The District, Maryland and at least 13 other states have enacted laws banning drivers from using handheld phones. But lawmakers in Virginia, where Tristan was killed, have rejected the idea more than once, ignoring extensive research showing that the use of handheld phones by motorists is dangerous. All but a small handful of states, plus the District, now prohibit texting while driving, and at least 37 states, plus the District, ban all cellphone use for teenagers and other novice drivers. In addition, school bus drivers are forbidden to use cellphones in about 20 states. Nonetheless, Americans like to be left to do as they please in their cars, so legislative resistance to regulating cellphone use has endured even as data have clarified the risks. In most states, drivers may still legally use handheld cellphones for purposes other than texting and emailing. Cellphone use leads to slower braking reaction time, drifting from lanes and increased tailgating, according to a World Health Organization survey in 2011. The ongoing tolerance of cellphone use by drivers helped traffic deaths spike more than 10 percent in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year. And the United States 35,000 traffic deaths in 2015 represented the biggest increase since 1966. A 2013 study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute indicated that while the specific act of talking on a cellphone may not directly increase the risk of accident, the associated activities reaching for a phone, checking contacts, dialing and so forth make crashes three times more likely. That study and similar ones were available last winter to Richmond legislators, who nonetheless killed a bill to ban the use of handheld cellphones in the General Assemblys Transportation Committee. Like most other states, Virginia has had a no-texting-while-driving law on the books since 2013. The trouble is that enforcement is all but impossible: Some drivers may say they were simply dialing their phones, which is legal in the state. Thats why it makes more sense to enact a flat ban on drivers using handheld phones perhaps exempting only the use of a GPS device which is more easily monitored and enforced by police. Public education on the risks of cellphone use behind the wheel is valuable, but should be hammered home with legislation bearing stiff fines, possible loss of license and other sanctions. Those are common-sense moves to improve public safety and save lives. In a month, our country will make a monumental political decision: Will it be Mr. Donald Trump or Ms. Hillary Clinton? As a voting American citizen, I take this decision very seriously. I am a registered Republican. I am a conservative. I am Christian. I am an NRA life member. I am a woman who wants to empower other women. I am an aspiring nurse who has made a lifestyle choice to protect, advocate and care for those in need. Which political candidate will protect this country and, in turn, protect me and my family? Which candidate will protect my constitutional rights as an American citizen? Who will uphold the values and beliefs that once shaped the United States? This election isnt about which side of the aisle you sit on. It's not about which bathroom the candidates use. It's not about who offends you the least, and it's not even about who has the most political experience. It's about protecting our freedom as American citizens! I urge everyone who will be making a stop at their local polling place to do one thing first: Educate yourself! Read newspapers, magazine articles, blogs and the Constitution! Listen to news programs and radio talk shows. Seek out all sides: liberal, conservative and everything in between. Remember, there are always three sides to every story: their side, your side and the truth! Do your research, check the facts and then vote for the candidate who will best protect your fundamental constitutional rights. Kate Phelps, Lincoln Making predictions three weeks before the U.S. election is risky, but the likeliest bet right now is that the center will hold in American politics and Hillary Clinton will be elected president. Thats important for lots of reasons, the biggest of which is that it could begin to stabilize a very unsettled world. Nate Silver, a leading polling guru, projected Monday night that, based on major surveys, the chances of a Clinton victory had increased to 88 percent, up 5 points in a week and 33 points from her low ebb in September before the first debate. Silver estimates that Clinton has a roughly 7-point lead in the polls, about the same margin in the RealClearPolitics average. Anything could happen in three weeks, of course, but these numbers should dampen, at least slightly, what has been a feverish global mood. Traveling on three continents over the past two months, I have heard widespread anxiety about the state of the world. To many analysts, Vladimir Putins Russia has seemed on the march while the United States and its allies are in retreat. The danger of U.S.-Russian conflict was described by Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, a former senior CIA officer, in a recent article. As a life-long observer of Russia, I have never been as concerned as I am now on the state of Russian-American relations, he wrote. A dangerous zero sum game pattern has emerged as US and Russia make moves and countermoves that mimic practice during the Cold War. Aggressive Russian actions in Ukraine, Syria and cyberspace have led some analysts to review Cold War texts such as Herman Kahns classic On Escalation, which describes a psychology of escalation dominance where adversaries take action in the expectation that they will prevail. Some experts argue that Russia is tempted by the perception that the United States has lost its superiority in conventional weapons and its will to use them. But theres more stability in the current U.S.-Russian confrontations than some might think. First, diplomatic conversation between the two countries is nearly continuous. Its easy to make fun of Secretary of State John F. Kerrys tireless (and seemingly fruitless) negotiations with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. But these meetings reduce the possibility of accidental conflict. So does the almost daily contact between the U.S. and Russian militaries to deconflict potential confrontations over Syria. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is working on new high-tech weapons that should eventually restore U.S. overmatch. Russias seemingly dominant position in these conflicts is also more fragile than it looks. Thats because of the growing weakness of an economy suffering from sanctions and low oil prices. Russia, by most measures, is moving in reverse: The International Monetary Fund projects a decline in its GDP this year of 0.8 percent. Monthly wages fell by 9.5 percent in the year that ended in August. Russias rainy day cash reserve has declined by nearly two-thirds since 2014. Military muscle masks Russian economic decline. According to Reuters columnist William E. Pomeranz, the governments share of GDP has nearly doubled over the past decade to about 70 percent, heading back toward Soviet levels. This has brought gross corruption and inefficiency. Even in its showcase energy sector, Russia lacks the technology to develop difficult offshore or Arctic reserves. U.S. campaign rhetoric sometimes makes it seem like the world is falling apart. But the next president will inherit a stronger American economy and structure of global alliances than the sound bites suggest. European allies, for example, are stressed by migration and populist anger. But so far, the fragile center seems to be holding there, too, and it would probably be reinforced by a Clinton victory. In Asia, the next administration will build on enhanced economic and military ties with two close partners, South Korea and Japan, which over the past year (with careful nudging from Washington) have become better friends with each other, too. Paradoxically, perhaps, the biggest threat to the future remains the traditional Cold War problem of nuclear weapons. North Korea is recklessly seeking to become a nuclear state. Irans program has been contained, but for how long? And Russian leaders, recognizing their severe lag behind U.S. conventional forces (despite the showy operations in Syria), still seem to see their strategic depth in terms of nuclear weapons. The U.S. election, on current evidence, will probably yield a modest consolidation for global order after a period of stress. The good news is that the bad news seems less likely than a few weeks ago. But as Nov. 8 approaches, the world is holding its breath. Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Thomas Hicks, a Democrat, is chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Matthew Masterson, a Republican, is vice chairman, and Christy McCormick, a Republican, is a member of the commission. Recent reports regarding the ability of foreign hackers to change the outcome of the U.S. presidential election are overstated. Foreign hackers will not pick our next president Americans will. To be sure, malicious actors may be looking at the U.S. election system as a possible target. While headlines on this conversation may be new, election officials have been working to secure our voting systems for years. As threats emerge and evolve, those of us who work in elections are responding, adapting and constantly improving. Recently, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson commended this work and expressed confidence in the election process, saying: It is diverse, subject to local control, and has many checks and balances built in. At the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), we use research, voting system testing information, and reports from state and local officials about the performance of their systems to improve our certification of voting systems. We work with state and local officials across the country to identify and share best practices regarding cybersecurity, including information on testing systems, auditing the results and creating contingency plans. Election officials use this information to better prepare and secure their systems. Since the widespread purchase of electronic voting systems following the 2000 election, officials have worked to adapt their laws, policies and procedures to mitigate threats as they arise. State and local election officials surround their systems with layers of security. The first security layer is the decentralized nature of our elections. Remember, states and localities run elections. Across the nation, more than 9,000 election jurisdictions have been diligently preparing for presidential voting. There is not one unified system or even 50 systems for a malicious actor to attack; rather, thousands of distinct systems would have to be targeted. FBI Director James B. Comey recently cited the clunky decentralized nature of elections as a positive for securing the process. The next security layer is that the voting systems used across the country are tested at the federal level by the EAC. No EAC-certified voting system is connected to the Internet. State and local officials then test the systems against additional requirements. Local officials publicly test each voting machine before each election to ensure the system is ready. After those local tests are completed, election officials physically secure, seal and lock systems for use in the election. Additionally, poll workers protect the systems. Anyone who has ever worked the polls knows how protective these workers are of the election process. Finally, laws and policies for post-election audits are in place in a majority of states, and many of these audits are conducted publicly. Continuity-of-operations plans ensure that the election can continue in cases of natural disaster, local emergencies or a cyber-related issue. As a last resort, emergency provisional ballots can be used to ensure that every eligible voter is given the opportunity to vote, even if all other systems are not operating. If voters have questions or concerns, there are three steps they can take. First, they should talk to their local election officials. These officials want voters to have confidence and to participate in the process. Second, they can sign up to be poll workers. There is no better way to learn about the process and have ones questions answered. Third, they can take advantage of all the ways to get involved. Check your voter registration information to make sure it is up to date. Attend a pre-election test of voting systems. Watch post-election audits of the votes. And, of course, vote. Election officials work diligently to better secure the voting process. Because of their efforts, the process is more secure than it has ever been. Voters should head to the polls on Nov. 8 with full confidence that they, not some foreign hacker, will choose the next president of the United States. PRESIDENT OBAMAS foreign-policy legacy will include significant, if temporary, curbs on Irans nuclear program but not the broader detente with the Islamic republic that he hoped for. More and bitter evidence of that came Tuesday, when Tehran announced that two American citizens and a permanent U.S. resident had been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of cooperating with the hostile U.S. government. Siamak Namazi, 45, a businessman born in Iran, was an advocate of better relations and more trade between the two countries which is probably the reason he was arrested while visiting the country a year ago. His 80-year-old father, Baquer, a former UNICEF official, was cruelly imprisoned after he traveled to Tehran in February. His family pointed out that the fathers prison term amounts to a death sentence, given his relatively poor health, for the crime of seeking to help his equally innocent son. The Namazis are not the only dual nationals suffering persecution in Tehran. Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen, permanent U.S. resident and State Department contractor, was detained in September 2015 while attending a conference. Reza Robin Shahini, 46, of San Diego was arrested in July. All were reportedly seized by the intelligence service of the Revolutionary Guard, the same force that subjected Post correspondent Jason Rezaian to 18 months of imprisonment before his release in a prisoner swap in January. The government of Hassan Rouhani, which negotiated the nuclear deal with the Obama administration, is often portrayed as opposed to this de facto hostage-taking. If so, the government appears powerless to prevent it. Instead, officials complain about the relatively slow return of Western investment and trade following the lifting of United Nations sanctions, even as some of those who promote the opening are unjustly imprisoned. Iranian foreign policy, too, remains unchanged. The regime has dispatched thousands of fighters to Syria to prop up the regime of Bashar al-Assad and is using Shiite militias to extend its influence across Iraq. It is encouraging Russias new bid for influence in the Middle East while doing its best to drive out the United States. In that context, the long sentences handed to the Namazis are grim but unsurprising. The Revolutionary Guard wishes to head off Western investments that might infringe on its own business interests; and it may hope that its prisoners can eventually be exchanged for lucre. Though it was officially part of a separate claims settlement, the Obama administrations delivery of $400 million in cash to the Iranian regime at the time of the release of Mr. Rezaian and other prisoners may have whetted the appetites of Tehrans jailers. The administration, which duly pronounced itself deeply concerned by the prison sentences, may face the choice of striking another distasteful deal or leaving office with a notable blemish on its Iran legacy. In the meantime, promoters of Iranian-American understanding such as the younger Mr. Namazi would be well advised not to set foot in Tehran. ON FRIDAY, President Obama unveiled a Presidential Decision Directive trumpeting further overtures to the Cuban government designed to make the thaw he announced on Dec. 17, 2014, irreversible. That would imply regardless of results which so far have been paltry, at least in terms of freedom and prosperity for Cubas long-suffering people. Indeed, Cubans are worse off now than how they imagined their future when normalization began, opposition journalist Yoani Sanchez noted recently. The Castro regime has arrested almost as many peaceful opponents so far this year (8,505) as it did in all of 2015 (8,616), according to the nongovernmental Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation. The ranks of the repressed include dissident lawyer Julio Alfredo Ferrer Tamayo, who was thrown in prison Sept. 23. His law firm was also ransacked and documents were taken. Havanas municipal government has just banned new licenses for private restaurants and instructed existing ones that it will start enforcing onerous taxes and regulations more tightly. It was, Reuters reported, a new sign that Cubas Communist-run government is hesitant to further open up to private business in a country where it still controls most economic activity, following similar retrenchment in agriculture and transportation last year. The economy is stagnating due to the Castro regimes perennial mismanagement and cutbacks in aid from Cubas chaotic patron, Venezuela. In July, Cubas economy minister warned that fuel consumption would have to be cut by nearly a third in the rest of the year, along with restrictions in state investments and imports. Cubas cash crunch helps explain why sales of U.S. goods (those permitted under long-standing humanitarian exceptions to the embargo) are running well below what they were before the thaw. Some 89,000 Cubans have fled to the United States since the policy began. Havanas response to Mr. Obamas latest olive branch was to demand more concessions. Mr. Obamas directive does not hide the purpose of promoting changes in the political, economic and social order, top diplomat Josefina Vidal asserted. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Vidal led a large nationally televised rally at Havana University to protest the genocidal embargo, part of a broad anti-U.S. propaganda campaign timed to coincide with Mr. Obamas announcement. An optimistic view of these developments would be that the administrations strategy is working: Frightened by the prospect of freer business activity, and ideologically challenged in the absence of a Yanqui enemy, Cubas leaders must clamp down on the former and invent the latter and round up the usual dissident suspects. That may be true; but recent events also show the tension between the presidents twin goals of doing business with the Cuban government as a legitimate equal and relieving the misery of the Cuban people, which is caused by their government. Even on the ideological defensive, the Cuban regime retains the capacity to resist change and to punish citizens who seek to bring it about. We have never opposed a thaw in relations, only Mr. Obamas decision contrary to his earlier promise to exclude from the process all those Cubans who have been bravely fighting for increased freedom. Now Mr. Obama is giving the regime a green light: No amount of repression can derail his policy. That is a strange and unfortunate message. TWICE IN the past 16 years, voters in Montgomery County have rejected term limits for local elected officials. They should again by saying no on next months ballot to Question B, which would set three-term limits for the county executive and members of the County Council. Montgomery, Marylands most populous jurisdiction, has an unusually engaged, motivated electorate, perfectly willing to show incumbents the door, as it has with at-large members of the council three times in the past 14 years. Thats an effective means of exercising term limits surgically; no improvement would result from Question Bs meat-cleaver approach. Its presence on the Nov. 8 ballot arises from the exertions of Robin Ficker, an anti-tax activist who was also responsible for putting similar measures before the voters in 2000 and 2004. Mr. Ficker is irate that the county raised property taxes this year, the first significant increase for homeowners in seven years, driven both by the need to maintain a top-flight school system and to plug a revenue gap stemming from a Supreme Court ruling that Maryland has unconstitutionally double-taxed income earned outside the state. The best argument for term limits is that they prompt an infusion of new blood into tired governing bodies and, possibly, more diverse pools of candidates. In practice, Montgomery has a council that, whatever its faults, is reasonably diverse if top-heavy with veterans: Of the councils nine members, five would be barred from seeking reelection in 2018 if voters approved Question B, which would impose a limit for three four-year terms. (The limit would also apply to County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), but he is likely to retire in any event.) There are several problems with term limits, beyond the fact that they are unnecessary in places such as Montgomery. One is that fresh eyes are also dewy, and local governance is complicated. It can take a couple of years for members to gain the expertise they need to become effective. A vacuum of experience in a council stocked with relative novices is a recipe for shifting power to unelected staffers and, more worryingly, special interests with deep pockets in Montgomerys case, developers and public-employee unions. Recent history suggests that the longer members hold office, the less sway special interests have. Prince Georges County, the only Washington-area locality with term limits, offers a useful counter-example. With a two-term maximum, the council is constantly starting anew. And while the councils current lineup is a decided improvement on some in the recent past, it lacks the expertise found in Montgomery. The right way to set term limits is to throw bad officials out of office. Montgomery voters are up to that task; they should reject Question B. Debbie Mukamal is executive director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center at Stanford Law School. David Sklansky is a professor at Stanford Law School and a faculty co-director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center. The relentless drumbeat of black men shot dead by police continues, leaving community after community anguished, angry and seeking justice. The protests this month over the killings of Carnell Snell Jr. in Los Angeles and Alfred Olango in El Cajon, Calif., underscore once again the desperate need to assure all Americans that the criminal-justice system values their lives and is committed to ridding itself of racial bias. Providing that assurance will require reforms not just in policing but in prosecution as well. It is especially imperative to rethink the way that fatal shootings by police officers are investigated and prosecuted. Police officers who kill civilians rarely face criminal charges. About 1,000 civilians are killed by police each year, but since 2005 only 77 officers have been charged with manslaughter or murder in connection with those deaths. And criminal investigations in these cases usually drag on for months or years before the community and the victims family members know whether charges will be filed. Most police shootings are not crimes, even if they reflect bad policies and deficient training. But some are, in fact, crimes. The delay, and the lack of transparency, in resolving these cases can take a serious toll on the legitimacy and credibility of the criminal-justice system. And when, as usually happens, no criminal charges are filed, questions are often raised about whether the local prosecutors, who work hand in hand with police, were biased. A new report from the Stanford Criminal Justice Center recommends ways to improve the criminal investigation and prosecution of police shootings. The recommendations aim to balance three goals: protecting the independence of prosecutorial decisions, providing accountability for those decisions and ensuring that the prosecutors and investigators working on these cases have the requisite expertise. These goals are often in tension. Making prosecutors more accountable, for example, can undermine their ability to exercise independent judgment. Officials outside the criminal-justice system often will have fewer conflicts of interest but typically will lack the skills and experience necessary to handle a complicated criminal case. Taking these difficult trade-offs into account, our report recommends changes both in the investigation and in the prosecution of fatal police shootings. First, except when absolutely necessary, a criminal investigation should not be led by the agency employing the officer involved in the incident. Such probes which involve securing the crime scene, collecting and testing physical evidence and interviewing witnesses often are conducted by the very agency employing the officer under investigation, giving rise to insuperable and unnecessary conflicts of interest. It is difficult to investigate ones own colleagues. Even when complete objectivity is possible, the appearance of bias undermines the public trust in police and public perceptions of fairness. That is why the Justice Department and President Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing both have warned that self-policing by a law-enforcement agency should be avoided. Rather than the employing agency, state-level officials or a neighboring law-enforcement agency unconnected to the shooting should lead the investigation. In Wisconsin, a new state law requires that at least two independent investigators conduct the investigation of any officer-involved death. This approach, while only a few years old, seems to be working and enjoys support of both law enforcement and community advocates. Second, steps should be taken to address the real or apparent conflicts of interest faced by the local district attorney in deciding whether to file criminal charges. County prosecutors work closely with local law-enforcement agencies: Police bring them their cases, carry out investigations and serve as witnesses at trial. When those same prosecutors decide whether to charge a police shooting as a criminal homicide, it can be difficult for the community to have confidence that the decision is made impartially especially when, as usually happens, the decision is not to file charges. One possible solution to real or perceived conflict of interest is to appoint an independent prosecutor, but that can undermine both the competence and the political accountability of the charging decision. A better solution would be to task another countys district attorney, or the states attorney general, with overseeing the investigation and making at least an initial determination whether charges are warranted. That determination could be reported publicly, in the form of a recommendation to the local district attorney, who could make the final decision whether to prosecute. The sharing of responsibilities would address the conflict of interest but allow the district attorney, democratically chosen by the voters of the county, to make the ultimate decision. The problem of police shootings will not be solved solely, or even mainly, by criminal prosecutions. More efforts are needed to reduce the number of police shootings through improved tactics and training. But when police shootings do occur, it is critical to ensure that the criminal investigations and charging decisions are handled in ways that not only are fair but also are perceived to be fair, both by police officers and by the community. The GOP presidential nominee is out on the trail ahead of the general election in November. The GOP presidential nominee is out on the trail ahead of the general election in November. Donald Trump goes into his third and final presidential debate on the defensive, with Hillary Clinton threatening to poach a string of once loyally Republican states from a man who says he hates losers. Trump is in danger of being one of his partys biggest losers and, as President Obama pointed out on Tuesday, a whiny one at that. The states on Clintons new target list include Arizona and, of all places, Texas. In Nevada, the polling is mixed, though Clinton seems to have gained ground. A Monmouth University poll released Tuesday put Clinton ahead of Trump here by seven points. Trump was up by two points last month. But a new Post-Survey Monkey survey, which showed her in a commanding position nationally, had her still down here by four. All these states have something important in common: They include large numbers of Latino voters, who are clearly mobilizing to defeat Trump. He is also suffering from profound weaknesses among African Americans, college-educated voters of all backgrounds and the young. The newest Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Democratic presidential Hillary Clinton with a 4-percentage-point lead over Republican nominee Donald Trump among likely voters. Respondents were also asked about Donald Trump's lewd comments about women, and how locked-in their votes are. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) Much has been written about whether Clinton will be able to bring enough young voters to the polls on Nov. 8 and also not lose too many of them to third-party candidates. But notice this: Nobody is saying that she will hemorrhage younger Americans to Trump, because she wont. For millennials, the choice is Clinton, third party or the couch, said John Della Volpe, who has long overseen Harvard Universitys Institute of Politics polling of young people. Yes, the couch, meaning abstention, is a far bigger threat to Clinton among younger voters than the Republican nominee. [Trump supporters are talking about civil war. Could a loss provide the spark?] There is a lot of speculation about lower turnout overall I am not convinced by this, given the stakes in the election but there is not much doubt about the engagement of Latinos, as Aaron Zitner reported this week in the Wall Street Journal. And a Journal-NBC News-Telemundo survey, which had a larger-than-usual sample of Latinos to get a better fix on their preferences, found Clinton leading Trump among them 67 percent to 17 percent. Trump is thus on track to run behind Mitt Romneys already-anemic 27 percent tally among Latinos against President Obama in 2012. Romneys Hispanic showing was, in turn, worse than John McCains in 2008 and much worse than George W. Bushs in 2004 and 2000. Now it would be one thing if no one had anticipated what a Trump-like candidate would do to the partys chances, or if the GOP had been united around a go-for-broke strategy among white voters. But some of the most intelligent analysis of why Trumpism would be a disaster for Republicans came from inside the GOP itself. The March 2013 report for the partys Growth & Opportunity Project (widely known as the autopsy of Romneys 2012 defeat) deserves revisiting at this moment. It was unflinching in offering words that unless Trump has a miraculous recovery by Election Day will merely have to be cut and pasted into a post-2016 autopsy. The nations demographic changes add to the urgency of recognizing how precarious our position has become, its authors wrote. If we want ethnic minority voters to support Republicans, we have to engage them and show our sincerity. They went on: If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States . . . they will not pay attention to our next sentence. It does not matter what we say about education, jobs or the economy; if Hispanics think we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies. [Trumpism must be crushed. Here is one way to do it.] As for young voters, the report noted the party did not have to share their views on every issue, but we do need to make sure young people do not see the Party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view. . . . If our party is not welcoming and inclusive, young people and increasingly other voters will continue to tune us out. In the long history of advice-giving, its hard to think of a case where good counsel was so resolutely rejected. And whats important is that large chunks of the Republican Partys primary electorate did the rejecting. All the reports in the world wont change the party if its own members are determined to stay a doomed course. This is why some Republicans may be hoping privately that Clintons effort to expand the Democrats map actually succeeds. It may take a true partywide catastrophe for the GOP rank and file to come to terms with the United States that exists, not the one they wish they could call back into being. Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. IN AN editorial Tuesday, we described how Donald Trump is attacking both halves of a fundamental and long-standing equation of American democracy: that the loser recognizes the winner and that the winner lets the loser remain in the political arena. By claiming his loss could happen only as a result of cheating, and threatening to jail Hillary Clinton if he wins, Mr. Trump is rejecting a pillar of our republic. But that is not the only pillar under assault: Mr. Trumps blanket indifference to truth is similarly an attack on democracy. All politicians fudge the truth at times. But their misrepresentations usually have at least some connection to reality. Without basic acceptance that facts and evidence matter, authentic debate becomes impossible, as does governance. Put simply, both sides must agree that two plus two equals four before they can argue about budget numbers. Mr. Trump would not concur if he concluded it was in his interest for two plus two to equal five. He invents alternate realities and encourages his supporters to inhabit them. For example: Thousands of New Jersey Muslims celebrated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Or: Many people saw bombs all over the San Bernardino shooters apartment and neglected to report them. Both claims are false; Mr. Trump nevertheless repeats them and uses them to justify unjustifiable policy, such as banning Muslim immigration. His war on reality has escalated as his poll numbers have declined. After the recent firebombing of a North Carolina GOP building, he immediately and with no evidence accused Clinton allies of being responsible. If it emerges that the culprits had no connection to Ms. Clinton, he will no doubt invent one. His fables about illegal immigrants pouring across the border to cast illegal votes are equally reprehensible. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps surrogates on Oct. 16 accused the media of ignoring the release of hacked emails from Hillary Clintons campaign by WikiLeaks. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) Over the weekend, Gov. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), Mr. Trumps running mate, tried to return the candidate to the territory of dishonest but tenuously connected to reality: Mr. Trumps insistence that the election is being rigged against him refers to biased media coverage, Mr. Pence maintained. Mr. Trump responded by doubling down on the ridiculous assertion that large-scale voter fraud is occurring. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump and Ms. Clinton are scheduled to debate for the last time. We hope there will be discussion of real issues. But Mr. Trumps falsehood-per-minute tally in his last encounter with Ms. Clinton, from the size of the trade deficit to his position on the Iraq War, was astonishing. Given Mr. Trumps indifference to the truth, we are skeptical that the final meeting can be much of a debate either, in any conventional sense. As with his threat to imprison his opponent if he defeats her, Mr. Trumps total dismissal of reality and wanton embrace of conspiracy theories should be disqualifying. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump called supporters in Grand Junction, Colo., to watch the polls in St. Louis, Philadelphia and Chicago, as he continued to allege that voter fraud is rampant in communities across the country. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump called supporters in Grand Junction, Colo., to watch the polls in St. Louis, Philadelphia and Chicago, as he continued to allege that voter fraud is rampant in communities across the country. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post) We are three weeks from the election, and very close to the edge. Retiree Gerald Miller, a volunteer at Donald Trumps rally here, is confident his man will win on Nov. 8 unless theres foul play. Miller, wearing an NRA pin and a tea party cap over his long hair, shares Trumps concern that the election may be rigged by the Clinton campaign. It is enough to skew the election. They can swing it either way, he said, particularly because Hillary Clinton may have the FBI working for her in committing the fraud. So what happens if Clinton is declared the winner? Donald Trump is going to holler fraud if he doesnt win, figured Miller, who is white and says he has PTSD from racial violence he suffered in the military. I think were on the verge of a civil war, a racial war. This could be the spark that sets it off. Republican presidential nominee Donald J Trump held a campaign rally in Colorado Springs , Tuesday. There supporters said they were on the look out for voter fraud in the upcoming election including votes being cast using the identities of deceased people. (Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post) I fear Miller may be right. Objectively, Trump is in big trouble; master handicapper Stuart Rothenberg wrote for The Post online on Tuesday that Trumps path to electoral-college victory is nonexistent and said he could win fewer than 200 electoral votes. But I spent a couple of hours before the rally in this indoor show ring talking to many Trump supporters and found them in states of denial and fury. I didnt find one who expects Trump to lose. To varying degrees, most agreed with Trump that the election process is rigged. And some predicted ominous things if Trump loses if not violence, a mass rejection of the legitimacy of the democratic process. [Trump is rigging the election: No matter who wins, America loses] Ann Macomber, a Christian, retired teacher and Trump volunteer handing out fliers saying Hillary Clinton is coming for your guns, told me the voting system in Colorado has been infiltrated: dead people voting, voters with bogus addresses, precincts that report more votes than registered voters. Its happening. Its sad, Macomber said. If we lose this election, we cant trust anything in America anymore. Were not sovereign. Some observers dismiss Trumps talk of a stolen and rigged election as just more rantings of a narcissist who cant accept that he is almost certain to lose. But the talk of election fraud is more nefarious than that and clearly an effort to destabilize the post-election environment. In early August, Trump consigliere Roger Stone declared that there is widespread voter fraud and argued that if theres voter fraud, this election will be illegitimate . . . we will have a constitutional crisis, widespread civil disobedience, and the government will no longer be the government. In an interview with the conservative outlet Breitbart, Stone said Trump has gotta put them on notice that their inauguration will be a rhetorical . . . bloodbath. 1 of 60 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad What Donald Trump is doing on the campaign trail View Photos The GOP presidential nominee is out on the trail ahead of the general election in November. Caption The GOP presidential nominee is pressing his case ahead of Election Day. Nov. 7, 2016 Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at SNHU Arena in Manchester, N.H. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. Now the head of Breitbart News is the head of the Trump campaign, and Trump, who had quieted the fraud talk when he was improving in the polls, is raising it more than ever. Voter fraud is all too common, Trump told a few thousand people Tuesday afternoon in Colorado Springs, but if you mention it, he said, they say bad things about you, they call you a racist. He scolded Republican leaders for saying everything is peachy with the election process and warned that this could be the year America truly lost its independence. Warned Trump: Its going to be a one-party system. This is your final shot. He particularly scolded the press, which created a rigged system and poisoned the minds of so many of our voters. But he also found corruption in voter surveys (I dont believe the polls anymore) and in his opponent (many times worse than Watergate). We wont let them stop maybe the greatest movement in the history of our country! Trump said, prompting chants of USA!, some foul language shouted at the press corps and, after the rally, a mass chant of Shame on you! directed at the press risers. [Elizabeth Warren: Trump didnt invent the rigged election myth. Republicans did.] The candidates reckless closing message that nothing is on the level not Democrats, not the press, not the polls, not Republican leaders, not even the integrity of the voting process has left many of his supporters prepared to declare the election results illegitimate. I know the Democrats cheat. Ive seen it, Jay Hendricks, wearing a Hillary Clinton Killed My Friends T-shirt, told me at the rally. I dont trust the Democratic side, agreed David Gibson, predicting lawsuits if Clinton wins. Joseph Salmons, wearing a Les Deplorables T-shirt and pin, told me the election wont end anything. The movements starting. Even if he doesnt win, its gonna tip, he said. But tip into what? I sincerely hope people dont lose their minds, Salmons said. If they manage to keep their cool, it will be despite the best efforts of Trump. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence inspects a charred chair outside the Orange County Republican Party headquarters in Hillsborough, N.C., on Oct. 18, after it was firebombed. (Ben Mckeown/Associated Press) The supplies inside their firebombed office had burned to ashes and now smelled like exhaust, but the volunteers at the heart of the Orange County Republican Party vowed to keep working. They pulled out the flagpole, topped with a soot-covered brass eagle, and unfurled a blackened red, white and blue flag. They planted melted Trump-Pence lawn signs on a small patch of grass, set out folding tables and took to their phones to resume encouraging people to vote. Instead, the phones kept ringing with callers who wanted to encourage the volunteers. Trump-Pence signs? Blake Halsey, 21, a political science major at Methodist University, told one caller. Were running out. People keep coming by to pick them up. In the aftermath of the firebombing that ripped through the local GOP headquarters in this central North Carolina town, locals of all political persuasions have been flocking to the scene at a strip mall, intent on making a point: that even as a nasty presidential campaign rages nationally between two widely disliked candidates, Americans cannot let violence and hatred spill into their communities. They want to ensure that the bombing was an exception not a new normal. Hillsborough, N.C., police are investigating "arson and graffiti" that destroyed the local GOP headquarters in Orange County overnight on Saturday, Oct. 15. The local chairman streamed a video amid the damage on Oct. 16, which includes charred campaign signs, melted office supplies and graffiti calling them "Nazi Republicans." (Facebook/North Carolina GOP via Storyful) This is a county of good people, Bill Knight, 77, said to a friend. Have you ever heard of a firebombing in Hillsborough? No, the friend said. The past week has brought quite a change for the Republican faithful in this heavily Democratic county, which is home to the states liberal bastion of Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolinas flagship campus. One day, these volunteers were watching the presidential debates with catered barbecue. Now they had become a part of the political spectacle: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the Republican vice presidential nominee, made a surprise visit Tuesday and declared the firebombing an act of political terrorism. The crime was discovered Sunday morning after an unknown vandal or vandals threw an object filled with flammable liquid through an office window overnight. Nearby, someone spray-painted a 6-foot-high message that read: Nazi Republicans, leave town or else. It was accompanied with a swastika. Nobody was in the office at the time. The news of the incident trickled out at first. According to Gov. Pat McCrory (R), local authorities initially handled the event as a simple act of vandalism. The partys county chairman, Daniel Ashley, 63, just happened to be finishing up a sausage, bacon and country ham breakfast at Cracker Barrel with his wife and planned to stop at the office to pick up bottled water. Driving up the hill to the strip mall, he saw the police tape. As he got closer, he saw that someone had thrown the object through a sign that read Freedom Speaks. Ashley said he was scared that his small grocery store might be bombed next. He was resolved that his party, somehow, would go back to business. Were not going away, said Ashley, his hands and his nose covered in soot from rummaging through the offices remains. This is my community, this is my home. The terrorists want us to go, but once you run back home, theres nowhere else you can run to. Police have no suspects, and they have not discovered a motive. Ashley said that the person who did this obviously does not like Republicans. He said that he hoped that it might have been a neighborhood kid who took a joke too far, but that he could not ignore the possibility of something more nefarious: Was this the type of voter intimidation against Republicans that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump had warned might happen? Was this a symptom of the bitter campaign? Would the candidates use a tragedy for political purposes? Within hours, both candidates were weighing in. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted that the attack was horrific and unacceptable. Very grateful that everyone is safe. Trump came out aggressively, tweeting: Animals representing Hillary Clinton and Dems in North Carolina just firebombed our office in Orange County because we are winning. Knight, who said he will vote for Trump, had enough of this language. Asinine, he called it. She called people deplorable, and now hes calling them animals? What makes him any better than her? No wonder we are in so much trouble. One of the nominees is a scoundrel and the other is a damn outright crook. Knight said he would have hoped that Trump, in such uneasy time, wouldnt have been so impetuous. The North Carolina GOP was more conciliatory when it tweeted, Thank you for your thoughts & prayers, Sec. @HillaryClinton. A Democrat living in Boston set up a Web page to help the Orange County Republicans fund their rebuilding. The goal was $10,000. Within hours, $15,000 was raised. The countys chapter of the Democratic Party called to offer well-wishes. The Rev. William Barber, the head of the state chapter of the NAACP and a Clinton supporter, immediately condemned the firebombing. We detest and denounce any violence and we know violence because theres no other civil rights organization thats had more violence perpetrated on it, Barber said. We have people still alive [whose] houses were bombed, here in North Carolina, cars were bombed, and people have faced death threats. . . . We wouldnt want anyone to experience that, Democrat or Republican. The political climate in North Carolina has been tense. McCrory and Sen. Richard Burr (R) are facing difficult reelection bids, while polls show a tight race between Clinton and Trump in what is considered a must-win state for the GOP nominee. Meanwhile, the eastern part of the state has endured devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew, Charlotte is recovering from protests following the police shooting of a black man, and a court recently ruled that the states GOP-backed voter ID law unfairly targeted black voters. A day after the presidential candidates tweeted about the firebombing, the swastika and the threat were covered up. Inside, the office was a mess. Wires popped out of the cushion where Ashley sometimes napped, and the carpets were blanketed in ash and glass. Sample ballots disintegrated to dust and soot coated I Voted stickers. A charred image of Ronald Reagan as a cowboy still hung on the wall. Other Republican chapters were bringing trunks filled with signs to replace the ones that were lost. Locals were gobbling them up. A 78-year-old registered Democrat told the volunteers, I hope this lights a fire under you. A registered independent named John Rucker, 30, came by to help in any way possible. Your heart has to go out to these people; this is a historic event in our home. I think the media has been making us feel more divided then we are, but were not, Rucker said. Stephen Scott, 49, came with his 5-year-old daughter to pick up more signs. Ill take one of the melted ones, he said. I support Trump, and we have to show who we are. As voters picked up lawn signs, state GOP vice chairwoman Michelle Nix remarked: Enough is enough. Our silent majority is not silent anymore. Before the bombing, state GOP leaders had hoped to pick up votes in Orange County. Although Democrats outnumber Republicans 3 to 1 here, the number of independents has grown by 21 percent since 2012, records show. GOP officials hoped some of them were former Democrats who liked Trump, state GOP Chairman Robin Hayes said. The local party tried to seize the opportunity by being more active about finding volunteers, making phone calls, knocking on doors and registering voters. About a week ago, Ashley recalled, the group set up a tent near downtown Hillsborough. There was some interest, but a man walked to the table and called them Nazis. Another person cursed at them because the group supported Trump. I think youre a bunch of racists, Ashley recalled the man saying. I dont really care what you think, he replied. Ashley shrugged off those expressions as signs of a vibrant democracy. The wonderful thing about the American system, he said, is that you can take disagreements to the ballot box. But now people were worried about more aggressive times. According to Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens, there have been a few isolated instances of crimes that seemed politically motivated. In April, for example, someone burned rainbow flags, a common gay rights symbol, that had been placed beside a church. Now, in the wake of the bombing, some locals say they fear that the conversation has shifted away from how to tolerate different political views to how to cope with the scourge of electoral ugliness. As Shawna Johnson, 22, and her husband, Tony, walked out of Jays Chicken Shack, she said she worried about what Trumps impulsive attitude might portend for the presidency. I think both sides have been provocative; Trump says mean things and Clinton has these negative commercials that really hit you in the heart, said Tony Johnson, 25. Then a headquarters gets bombed. It really drives the point home that these campaigns might be subliminally fueling people to hate each other. As the sun set on the bombed-out party headquarters, this was how they treated one another: A man who had been traveling through Virginia with TRUMP-PENCE splayed across his RV doors sped into the parking lot to donate large signs. Two people sat down and discussed how they didnt understand why it was so hard to ask a person to show identification at a voting precinct if they have to do the same to buy a box of Sudafed. A man wearing a Hillary for Prison T-shirt came to help move a heavy bookshelf. The next day, Pence had shown up, and there were rumors that Sen. Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, may do so, too. And Ashley, the chairman, was inside looking for help. Can someone help me pull out this carpet? he said. We have work to do! I read in your paper that Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts still plans on voting for Donald Trump despite the mountain of crass things Trump does and says ("Ricketts sticking with Trump," Oct. 11). Also, Mr. Ricketts is actively supporting some candidates for the Nebraska Legislature, giving them money and endorsing one against another. I wonder if this support will help or hurt Ricketts' preferred candidate? After all, this governor has lost one corporation's headquarters to another state and will probably lose another. He has used $300,000 of his own money in an ill-guided attempt to bring the death penalty back to Nebraska ("Ricketts further funds death penalty effort," Oct. 15). How good is Mr. Rickett's judgment? Maybe those legislative candidates he supports don't really want his endorsement? At the end of Sen. Marco Rubios 40-minute talk to Jewish voters here, a young member of the Boca Raton Synagogue asked the awkward question. Could Rubio comment on the trajectory of the GOP after November? No, I have no idea whats going to happen, Rubio said. Look, Ive been wrong in my projections so far. Everybody got the joke. Had the presidential primaries gone another way had Rubio not spent the run-up to Super Tuesday joking about Donald Trumps hand size and flop sweat, he might be the Republican nominee for president. Hed be up 10 points against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, sighed Anthony Di Perna, a reluctant Trump voter. Instead, Rubio is running for the Senate again and trying to protect a lead as Trump brings rubble down around him. In Rubios telling, in speeches and in Mondays first televised debate, the election is a choice between two deeply flawed candidates, and the worst thing a voter could do would be to register his disgust down ballot by voting for Democrats. U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.) celebrates in Palm Beach Gardens in August after winning the Democratic primary to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio for his Senate seat.. (Richard Graulich/AP) Rubio has maintained a single-digit advantage over Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.), a moderate Treasure Coast Democrat who was recruited by the national party after Rubios original pledge to leave the Senate. Democrats hopes dimmed after Rubio decided to run for reelection to the Senate after all. But now, they are asking if Trumps toxicity and Rubios delicate dance with the candidate at the top of the ticket can put Florida back into play. Rubio has endorsed Trump, but he has avoided appearances with him and media inquiries. At Mondays debate, Rubio offered himself as a senator who shared the sour feelings of the swing voter never mind his endorsement of Trump. Onstage, Rubio goaded Murphy for overstating his CPA credentials. On social media, Rubios team worked to turn Murphys attempt at focusing on the Trump endorsement Lets talk about Donald Trump again into a desperate gaffe. By Tuesday morning, that team was declaring victory. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee canceled its ad buy. Rubios presidential bid had ended in a humiliating, home-state loss to Donald Trump. But voters knew him. They did not know Murphy. The same strategists who had drafted Murphy into an open race had perhaps found the limits of the anti-Trump backlash. We have a senator whos putting his own political ambition ahead of whats best for Florida, Murphy said in an interview. Most leaders in the party have not only disavowed Trump, but unendorsed him. Sixteen senators have had the courage to unendorse him. Not Marco Rubio. He doubled down. Recruited, touted and funded by the DSCC, Murphy spent the weeks before the Trump implosion explaining why that group and a related super PAC had already started to scrap $6 million of $10 million in planned ad buys. He had $4 million left to spend, just $600,000 less than the incumbent. Rubios line that both candidates were flawed skipped over Clintons higher favorable ratings still underwater, but not as toxic in Florida as Trump. And Democrats, who a month earlier had despaired about beating Rubio, began the week looking for an opening a path to the Senate laid by angry Trump voters leaving the rest of their ballots blank. At a debate against Democratic rival Patrick Murphy, Oct. 17, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) explained why he believes U.S. elections aren't "rigged," contrary to what GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump says. (WFTV) Not everyone has declared the race over. Last week, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) flew into Orlando to join Murphy and local candidates for Congress at a news conference commemorating four months since the Pulse nightclub shootings. I spent the morning on the phone calling my donors and national donors, telling them to put money into Florida, Chris Murphy said. I think Trump is the kiss of death for down-ballot candidates no matter what you do. If you dont pull your support, youre going to get asked questions about why youre sticking with this monster. Rubios campaign, which has outraised and outspent Patrick Murphy, is trying to play confident without exposing the candidate to risk. In the week after The Washington Post obtained a tape of Trump bragging about an unwanted advance on a married woman, Rubio held no events that were announced to the news media. The senator reaffirmed his support for Trump in a statement; in public, he focused more on quick visits to areas damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Meanwhile, Trump was barnstorming Florida with some of the most brazen speeches of his campaign. At one rally in Pensacola, he absolved Rubio of his primary attacks. We like Marco, Trump said quickly. But as he worked his way down the state, Trump accused House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) of undermining him, seemingly mocked the looks of a People magazine writer who had accused him of pinning her against a wall and kissing her, and hinted that an international conspiracy was trying to rig the election against him. Trumps Thursday rally took place just 30 minutes from the Boca Raton event, and a few attendees could be heard debating whether they could speed down there in time to catch the nominee. Meanwhile, at the rallies themselves, by far the biggest happenings in Republican politics, enthusiasm for Rubio is hard to find even among voters who intend to support him. I had to dig very deep, admitted James Tomlinson, 59, an Army retiree who attended Trumps rally in Lakeland. Oh, I did a lot of soul searching on that one. A lot. And I was going back and forth: Vote for him. Dont vote for him. Vote for him. Dont. But I did. But I tell you, if he pulls another stunt like he did, hell never get my vote again. The stunt, Tomlinson explained, was Rubios role in the failed immigration reform debate something ignored completely in the Senate race. At Trumps rally in Panama City Beach, Marla Clark, a 52-year old assistant at a law firm, said she had wrestled with whether to vote for a senator who had not impressed her and had lost her vote in the primary. I mean, I have to, because my vote counts, she said. But I need to sit down and really figure it out, because Florida was not impressed with Marco Rubio. A big problem for Murphy one that the ads were supposed to solve is name recognition. In the polls where he runs strongest, up to 30 percent of voters still have no opinion of Murphy. On Thursday, after the Rubio and Trump events in Boca, The Washington Post accompanied Democratic volunteers as they registered people to vote at nearby Florida Atlantic University, where the only voters who knew Murphys name were college Democrats. More often, asked about the Senate race, voters talked about it as a static and confusing choice unrelated to the Trump-Clinton race. Paul Nagib, 19, said he was backing Trump because of what hed read about the Democratic nominee in the book Clinton Cash. He had no opinion of the Senate race. I really have to read up on it, he admitted. I havent paid attention, said Zach Goosens, 24, who admitted he was likely to not vote at all because the candidates were being forced to pick from were so disagreeable. In the race that Democrats expected, this might not have been an issue. Murphy was recruited when the Republican nominee looked to be one out of a half-dozen obscure GOP officials, from a Pinellas County congressman to the states lieutenant governor. Speaking about the race, several Republican strategists suggested that Murphy would be winning if he were a generic D facing off against a Trump-flummoxed generic Republican. Since winning his swing district in 2012, Murphy had prepared for such a race. In Boca Raton, Rubio told voters that he was the only candidate who has been critical of the nominees of both parties. But Murphy had alienated some progressives a problem that fizzled when his primary opponent Alan Grayson imploded by talking up structural changes to Social Security and Medicare. Hed been one of very few Democrats to vote to create the Select Committee on Benghazi. Asked about that vote this week, Murphy said it was to his credit, and he swung at Rubio for not condemning Trumps call for a special prosecutor against Clinton. I have one of the most independent voting records in the country, Murphy said. Thats my pledge to everybody Im going to continue doing whats best for Florida. But those accusations and threats to imprison your political opponent sound a lot like what Nicolas Maduro says in Venezuela, a lot like what Fidel Castro says in Cuba. Ive had numerous phone calls with people from around the state, asking me, Wait a minute, hasnt Marco Rubio made a career on being against Castro and what happened in Cuba? Rubios campaign, which has had little to say to reporters recently, has not engaged with this. The Rubio who is showing up is looking past November and hoping voters will do the same. Weve always had a discourse in this country thats been heated when it comes to politics, Rubio said in Boca Raton. But we didnt hate each other. Its unbelievable: People literally hate each other. Jenna Johnson and Philip Rucker contributed to this report. Less than three weeks before Election Day, the 2016 campaign is suddenly focused on an unusual, emotional and highly politicized topic for a presidential race: sexual assault. Donald Trump and his surrogates have denied allegations that the candidate sexually assaulted nine women, casting doubts on their credibility, asserting their allegations are lies and, in Trumps case, mocking their looks. At the same time, Trump and his allies have bolstered the stories of women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual improprieties, castigating the media for not believing them. Much of the debate has been shaped by cultural shifts in recent years that have dissipated the stigma of sexual assault and shifted public sympathy toward survivors, said Scott Berkowitz, president of the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Its certainly become a much bigger part of the election than we ever anticipated, Berkowitz said. Its a positive that the countrys talking about this issue and acknowledging it and that were not pretending it doesnt exist, but certainly its disheartening at the same time. The debate has been particularly painful for many victims of sexual assault, who must endure nonstop coverage of allegations of groping and kissing without consent along with backlash against the women who made the claims about Trump. Many also fear that brushing off allegations of sexual assault, as Trump and his backers have done, minimizes that it is a pervasive problem that affects millions of women and men. In this video from 2005, Donald Trump prepares for an appearance on "Days of Our Lives" with actress Arianne Zucker. He is accompanied to the set by "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush. The Post has edited this video for length. (Obtained by The Washington Post) [What happens when you ask women for their stories of assault? Thousands of replies.] Personally, its been really challenging to have our country talking about an issue that touches me so deeply and personally, said Nikki Fortunato Bas, who attended a rally of sexual assault survivors at Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday. The events of the past few weeks have been a breaking point, she said, that led her to publicly say she had been assaulted. She is not alone. In the wake of a 2005 tape in which Trump boasted that he could force himself on women because he was a star, author Kelly Oxford asked women to tweet stories of the first time they were assaulted and more than 8 million people responded within 24 hours. Since the tape was first reported by The Washington Post on Oct. 7, RAINN said the number of people calling its hotline jumped by 35 percent. Ebony Tucker, director of advocacy with the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, said that such reactions are positive but that the debate has also come with negatives. A lot of the remarks that weve heard and a lot of the remarks that people have said brought to light a lot of the . . . archaic thinking people have around sexual assault, she said during a Facebook Live event this week hosted by The Post. Helen Brumley, a sexual assault survivor who appeared with Tucker, said Trump is basically giving America a crash course on victim-blaming 101. In recent decades, politicians on both sides of the aisle have led fights to curb sexual assault and help victims. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) and Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) have worked to help end a backlog of untested DNA from rape kits. The White House has fought sexual assault on college campuses, and administration officials, including Obama, will not travel to campuses that do not do a good enough job handling assault cases. Earlier this month, Obama signed a bill guaranteeing sexual assault victims certain rights under the law, including that they will not be charged for a sexual assault evidence kit. Survivors and advocates share what its like to have sexual assault at the forefront of the presidential contest and a late night TV punchline, and discuss the benefits of sharing their stories. (TWP) [Enabler or family defender? How Hillary Clinton responded to her husbands accusers] Amidst the partisan bickering and gridlock in Congress, this law demonstrates that citizens can still effect positive change and that bipartisan progress is still possible, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said in a statement. But in the 2016 presidential election, the issue has become sharply divided along partisan lines, including claims by some Trump allies that the behavior described by Trumps accusers groping and forced kissing might not be considered assault. Trump has also come under sharp criticism for suggesting last week that the women were not to be believed in part because they were not attractive enough for him to assault. In defending those remarks, Trump special counsel Michael Cohen said on CNN on Tuesday, I think what Mr. Trump is really trying to say is that theyre not somebody that he would be attracted to and therefore the whole thing is nonsense. The resistance against the accusers is particularly awkward for the Trump campaign, which simultaneously argues that women who accused Bill Clinton of wrongdoing years ago should be believed. Before the second presidential debate, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway retweeted an earlier message from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton: Every survivor of sexual assault deserves to be heard, believed, and supported, adding: Every being the operative word here. The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment this week on the issue. Clinton has said that Trump insulted and demeaned women, along with other groups. She has pointed to others who have rebutted Trumps remarks, including first lady Michelle Obama and professional athletes who struck back against Trumps assertion that the comments on the tape were locker room talk. At a rally in Ohio earlier this month, Clinton called Trump an equal-opportunity insulter and said his comments do not represent America. That line of attack was expected to continue at Wednesday nights debate. Hillary Clinton has directly confronted Donald Trump on the debate stage over his alarming and unacceptable comments, and she looks forward to having the opportunity to do so again, Clinton spokesman Jesse Ferguson said. Ashley OConnor, a Republican strategist, said Trump has a core group of supporters who will stick with him no matter what. Hes clearly not backing down, attacking anybody who gets in his way, attacking women who are coming forward accusing him. Its just incredible, she said, noting that it is a tactic likely to turn off the swing voters and moderate women he desperately needs. Part of winning a general election is winning that support, and I dont see how that strategy does that. [Surrogates explaining away Trumps sexual behavior only seem to make things worse] OConnor said that Trump is in essence saying, You need to believe the people who have come forward and accused Bill Clinton. You need to believe that Hillary Clinton was attacking these women. But dont believe the women who have come forward against me. Katelyn Beaty, editor at large at Christianity Today, said that sexual assault has not been understood as an issue in the evangelical world and that churches have been slow to know what to do with the stories of women who are abused. Some of Trumps evangelical supporters have claimed that Clinton was complicit in her husbands behavior as a way to defend Trump. To me, that kind of response shows that evangelicals are coming at this from a political, ideological perspective rather than a matter of right and wrong or justice, she said. Beaty, for one, said she thinks that putting sexual assault into the political arena might not be a bad thing. I think, on one level, it should be politicized because questions of character and treatment of women should be aspects of what we look at in a presidential candidate, she said. A decision last week by a federal appellate court is casting new light on practices in the real estate field that buyers and sellers often know little about: creative, under-the-table payoff schemes among realty brokers, mortgage lenders and title companies that can stifle market competition and raise settlement costs to consumers by hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The court case involved a $109 million fine levied against mortgage lender PHH by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for allegedly violating the federal real estate anti-kickback statute through its mortgage insurance operations. PHH disputed the charges and filed suit, challenging not only the CFPBs interpretation of the anti-kickback law but also the bureaus constitutionality. The constitutional challenge focused on the unusual structure of the bureau, which is headed by a single director who can be terminated only for cause. The court agreed with PHH on the statutory-interpretation issue, vacated the fine and ruled that henceforth the CFPB director would be like other executive branch agency heads: removable by the president at will. Created by Congress in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the bureau has substantial oversight powers. During its short life, the CFPB has levied fines or provided financial relief to consumers totaling what it estimates to be in excess of $11 billion from banks and other entities accused of illegal activities. Although the PHH case did not directly involve the types of fees-for-referrals practices that are widespread in the real estate industry, the ruling has called into question the legitimacy of the bureaus regulatory interpretations on marketing services agreements and certain affiliated business relationships. In a typical marketing services agreement, a title company or lender agrees to pay a real estate broker or an individual agent fees for promotional assistance say, by prominently displaying a title companys brochures or actively making recommendations to home buyers about the benefits of using its services. The money involved can be significant thousands of dollars a month in some cases. One title agency head who refuses to participate in such arrangements, Todd Ewing of Federal Title & Escrow, told me that the going rate for marketing services that was quoted to him by a brokerage firm in the Washington, D.C., area was $15,000 per month. In exchange, the brokerage firm would steer new buyers to Ewings title firm. Mark Greene, a loan originator for HomeBridge Financial Services in New Jersey, says that some large realty brokerage firms essentially put it out for bid: They ask lenders who would like to receive referrals from their agents, What do you offer us? It goes to the highest bidder, he told me in an interview. Late last year, the CFPB issued a stern warning about marketing services agreements: Large numbers of them may violate the anti-kickback law, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, known as RESPA. Based on the bureaus investigative efforts, it said, it appears that many [marketing services agreements] are designed to evade RESPAs prohibitions against kickbacks and unearned fees. As a result of the bureaus statement, some major lenders said that they were terminating whatever marketing services arrangements they had to avoid the risk of being hit with penalties by the CFPB. But now, in the wake of the PHH decision that calls into question the CFPBs interpretations of RESPA, there are concerns in the industry that some companies no longer will feel constrained and may return to old referral-scheme practices or invent new ones. One legal expert on RESPA, Marx Sterbcow of New Orleans, told me, My fear is that were going to see [companies] think, Okay, now there are no more rules, which might lead to a resurgence of illegal payoff schemes. That, in turn, could destabilize markets harming lenders and title companies that refuse to make referral payments and expose consumers to needlessly higher settlement charges. What can you do to avoid settlement cost rip-offs? Sterbcow recommends you ask this question of any realty agent who seems to be nudging you toward a specific title agency or lender: Does your broker or do you have any type of business relationship with this company? Ask for any written disclosure about the relationship, which may be tucked away with other boilerplate documents you received, and easy to miss. Most important of all: Always shop the market aggressively for your mortgage, title and settlement services. Compare quotes. When service providers arent paying for what may amount to referrals, they often can offer you better prices. Ken Harneys email address is kenharney@earthlink.net. Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi was in New Delhi on Oct. 18 as part of a three-day state visit. (Poulomi Basu/For The Washington Post) Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi said this week that it will take time to address her countrys ongoing humanitarian crisis and deflected charges that she has not done enough to speak out on behalf of Burmas persecuted Rohingya Muslim community. Suu Kyi spoke to The Washington Post as her administration marks six months in office, and as fresh violence threatens to derail the countrys peace process. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate and dedicated critic of the former military government came to power at a time when she must deal with a worsening humanitarian crisis that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The crisis deepened this month when assailants thought to be part of the Rohingya community attacked three police posts in the western part of the country, killing nine police officers. Scores of people were killed and villages torched in a military crackdown that followed. Suu Kyi said Tuesday that video of the alleged attackers shows clearly that their intentions were to wage jihad and that they had exhorted their brothers from the Muslim world to join them. We are of course determined to contain the situation and to make sure that we restore peace and harmony as soon as possible, Suu Kyi said. We are not going to allow either the security or stability or the integrity of our country to be threatened. Suu Kyis government came to power in March after the countrys first election following decades of military rule. She said continuing the peace process with ethnic militias fighting in the countrys north and east was her top priority. But her civilian government must find ways to work with the still-powerful military and take steps to rejuvenate an economy that faltered during decades of brutal military rule. Burma, also known as Myanmar, remains one of the poorest countries in Asia. In August, Suu Kyi appointed former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan to look into the situation with the Rohingya. More than 1 million Rohingya Muslims live in Burma, but they are considered stateless and have long been denied basic rights. More than 120,000 are still living in fetid camps in Rakhine state after violent clashes with their Buddhist neighbors in 2012. They have little access to health care and 30,000 of their children do not have proper schools, according to a U.N. report in June. The report cited a pattern of gross human rights violations against the Rohingya, acts that it said could rise to the level of crimes against humanity in a court of law. The government restarted a process of citizenship verification for the Rohingya in June, but many of the Rohingya refused to participate, Suu Kyi said. Human rights activists say they were suspicious that some kind of new card would mean a further erosion of their rights. Things take time, she said. The situation in the Rakhine is a legacy of many, many decades of problems. It is not something that happened overnight. Were not going to be able to resolve it overnight. It goes back even to the last century. Suu Kyi told the U.N. investigator that the government would avoid using the term Rohingya, which many Burmese consider incendiary. Many Burmese call the Rohingya Bengali, a reference to the fact that some migrated from Bangladesh years earlier. This is inflammatory, Suu Kyi said. We simply say Muslims of Rakhine state. Because this is just a factual description which nobody should object to. But of course, everybody objects because they want their old emotive terms to be used. Suu Kyi brushed aside the frequent criticism that, as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, she has not done enough to speak out about the Rohingyas plight. She did not go near the camps on a campaign swing through the state last fall and spoke of the conflict only in the vaguest terms. Well, I have spoken about it, but people dont like the way I talk about it because I dont take sides, she said. Nobody takes any account of that because that is not what they want to hear. They want me to make, you know, incendiary remarks, which I am not going to do. Ive made it very clear that our work is not to condemn but to achieve reconciliation. Richard Horsey, a longtime Burma analyst and adviser to the International Crisis Group, said that Suu Kyi had made strides in addressing the issue after her government took over, including the appointment of Annan. But the spate of violence may change that, he said. These recent attacks have completely changed the landscape here and whats possible to do right now, Horsey said. It has a huge potential to make the situation much, much worse and much harder to fix. Suu Kyi, whose official title is state counselor, spoke at Burmas embassy while on a trip to India this week. The country is familiar terrain for her, as she spent part of her high school and college years living in New Delhi while her mother was ambassador here. Suu Kyi, now 71, spent decades campaigning against the military dictatorship in her country, including a total of more than 15 years under house arrest. For her efforts, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. She was freed in 2010 shortly before the military generals began economic reforms that were supported by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration. Despite the resounding victory of her National League for Democracy in last Novembers elections, Burmas generals retain a tight grip on power, reserving 25 percent of the seats in the countrys parliament, which gives them veto power over any constitutional amendment. The military also appoints the key ministers in home affairs, border affairs and defense. Tacitly neither will challenge the other much, Horsey said. Shes not challenging the military on security issues and not pushing for changes in the constitution, and theyre not showing signs of actively undermining her civilian government. When Suu Kyi visited Washington and met with President Obama last month, he announced that he would remove remaining economic sanctions on the country. They include a longtime ban on imports of gems from the countrys jade and ruby mines and a list of individuals and companies barred from doing business with U.S. entities. This final move should spur foreign investment from the United States, which remains a fraction of the estimated $9 billion in foreign investment in the country this year, experts said. Weve depended on sanctions long enough, Suu Kyi said. Sanctions were put into place at a time we most needed a little leverage. I think its time that we moved on to a different phase. Read more Jade from Burmas rapacious mines was long banned by Washington. Until now. Obama, using his executive authority, lifts trade sanctions on Burma In Burmas north, thousands protest continuing low-grade war Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- A South Sioux City man born with a rare form of dwarfism will be a special guest of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at Wednesday night's presidential debate in Las Vegas, the Clinton campaign said Tuesday. Ryan Moore, 29, also is featured in a new Clinton campaign video in which he shares the story of his more than 20-year friendship with the former first lady. At age 7, the South Sioux Cityan and his family met Clinton at a 1994 congressional hearing where she advocated for a national health care reform plan backed by then-President Bill Clinton. She has kept in touch with Moore since then. As an infant, he had several medical issues and surgeries. Companies didn't want to hire his father because they would be required to pay for Moore's health care. The Moore family was one of seven families chosen to testify at the 1994 congressional hearing in Washington. I dont know what it was about our family that she spotted right away, and came over to my parents, he says in the video. Clinton then held Ryan while addressing those in attendance. Moore was later mentioned in two of Clinton's books, including her 1996 book "It Takes a Village." In the Clinton campaign video released Tuesday, titled "Ryan," Moore tells how Clinton kept the photo of her holding him at the 1994 event inside the White House and then gave it to him when he visited her prior to a major surgery. "She looks at me the way I always wanted to be looked at by everyone," Moore says in the video. Moore, an instructional technology leader with the South Sioux City school district, spoke on behalf of Hillary Clinton during the Democratic National Convention this summer in Philadelphia. In that primetime address, he shared his personal story and how Clinton had supported him over the years. Wednesday's debate in Las Vegas, the third and final debate between Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump, will begin at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast live on TV and streamed online. Then-Lt. Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr. during his confirmation hearing in January 2016 before becoming commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Anytime we lose a member of our team, it is deeply painful, he said Wednesday. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Two Americans were killed and another three were injured in a rare attack on foreign troops in the Afghan capital Wednesday, U.S. and Afghan officials said. A gunman fired on international advisers at an ammunition depot near Camp Morehead, a training site for Afghan commandos, about six miles south of Kabul. The attack, which took place near the entrance of the base, killed one U.S. service member and injured another. One U.S. civilian was also killed, and two more were wounded in the assault, a statement from the NATO-led coalition said. The gunman, who according to the Afghan Defense Ministry was wearing an Afghan army uniform, was killed after international troops responded with gunfire. The injured Americans remained in stable condition, NATO said. It happened near an arms depot. The attacker opened fire on his [coalition] friends, Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said. Elite Afghan commandos crouch during a lesson at Camp Morehead in Afghanistan in February. (Tim Craig/The Washington Post) A U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the situation was still developing, said the Americans were at the depot as part of the NATO training mission for Afghan security forces. The United States supplies the NATO mission with about 6,800 troops to advise and assist Afghan soldiers who are battling a fierce Taliban insurgency in key areas across the country. An additional 3,000 U.S. troops are dedicated to Operation Freedom Sentinel, a separate counterterrorism mission focused on al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. The U.S. official said it was not clear Wednesday whether the assailant was in fact a member of the Afghan National Army. But Wednesdays shooting appeared to be what is known as an insider or green-on-blue attack, where Afghan allies turn on their U.S. and foreign mentors. At least 150 coalition troops have been killed in such attacks since 2008, according to data compiled by the Long War Journal, which is published by the D.C.-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. The assaults which have been attributed both to Taliban infiltration and cultural differences between Afghan and foreign troops surged from 2011 to 2013. But the attacks became more infrequent as the bulk of U.S. and NATO troops withdrew from the country. U.S. forces have suffered only two combat casualties in Afghanistan this year, both of which occurred in the volatile Helmand province in the countrys south. At Camp Morehead, elite Afghan commando units learn ambush tactics and how to call in airstrikes, and they train for short missions. But the commandos, which number about 11,000, are increasingly stretched thin. As Afghan forces struggle to beat back Taliban militants in places like Lashkar Gah and Kunduz, which was briefly taken by insurgents again this month, casualties and desertions have depleted their ranks. Any time we lose a member of our team, it is deeply painful, Gen. John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said Wednesday in a statement. There were no further details on the two Americans who were killed. More than 2,350 U.S. troops have died supporting military operations in Afghanistan since 2001. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Gibbons-Neff reported from Washington. Sayed Salahuddin in Kabul contributed to this report. Brazilian police Wednesday arrested Eduardo Cunha, the architect of former president Dilma Rousseff's impeachment until engulfed in corruption charges. (Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images) The powerful former speaker of Brazils lower house who spearheaded the ouster of President Dilma Rousseff was arrested Wednesday as part of a sprawling graft probe involving the state oil giant Petrobras. Federal Deputy Eduardo Cunha, who until recently was a key ally of new President Michel Temer, is accused of corruption, money laundering and tax evasion related to an oil field purchase that Petrobras made in 2011 in the West African nation of Benin, among other charges. Prosecutors said they requested Cunhas detention on the grounds that he represented a threat to the integrity of the investigation and was a flight risk. They also asked for bank accounts he holds totaling more than $60 million to be frozen. The ex-speaker faces multiple investigations and has been accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes for himself and other politicians. Cunha denies all the allegations and has said he is the target of a witch hunt for being an adversary of Rousseffs Workers Party. Cunha launched impeachment proceedings against Rousseff in December when he was speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, accusing her of violating budget rules. That led to an Senate vote in August to remove her from office. By that time, corruption allegations already had forced Cunha to resign. Last month he was stripped of his congressional seat, along with the legal protections against prosecution that come with elected office in Brazil. Cunha then began publicly criticizing Temer, his erstwhile ally, and cabinet officials. He announced that he would write a tell-all book about the impeachment, with the first excerpts to be published in November. Analysts have said that if Cunha cooperates with prosecutors, he could bring down others in the Petrobras case and create more headaches for the government. Maria Herminia Tavares de Almeida, a political science professor at the University of Sao Paulo, said Cunhas arrest shows that the Petrobras probe, which has ensnared some of Brazils richest and powerful figures, still threatens others. After the arrest, Temers office said the president had cut short a trip to Japan and was expected to be back in Brasilia on Friday. Swiss officials have confirmed bank accounts there in Cunhas name, with news reports estimating their value in December at 2.4 million Swiss francs, or about $2.5 million. Demonstrators, including Israeli and Palestinian activists, protest in support of peace near the West Bank city of Jericho on Oct. 19. (Mohamad Torokman/Reuters) Two weeks ago, a small group of Israeli women set off on a protest march to Jerusalem from northern Israel to demand that the Israeli government restart a peace process with the Palestinians. On Wednesday, after reaching the Palestinian city of Jericho in the West Bank, the core group of 20 women were joined by more than 3,000 others, including about 1,000 Palestinian women. Although most of the Palestinians could not proceed beyond the barrier that separates the West Bank from Israel, the Israeli women headed for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus formal residence, where they held an emotional rally. The group, which calls itself Women Wage Peace, is made up of women from across the political spectrum and the religious divide. At the rally, many held banners reading, Right, Center and Left are all calling for an agreement, Women Wage Peace. We are not an organization; we are a movement. We have defined goals, and when we reach those goals we will disband, said Marie-Lyne Smadja, a co-founder of the group. From history we have seen that when women are involved in resolving conflicts, there was much more success. Demonstrators near Jericho on Oct. 19. (Mohamad Torokman/Reuters) Organizers of the group points to U.N. Resolution 1325, which urges all actors to increase the participation of women and incorporate gender perspectives in all United Nations peace and security efforts. They say that it worked in Northern Ireland and in Liberia. [Most Palestinians still blame Britain for the Israeli occupation, poll finds] The movement was founded two years ago after the Gaza war, when many Israeli mothers had to send their sons to fight. Vardit Kaplan, who serves as the movements spokeswoman, said that more than 10,000 women have registered with the group. And, she said, they have been building connections with Palestinian women, some of whom joined the march to Jerusalem. I came because I want to see a peace agreement with the Palestinians, said Tanya Harkavi, who is from the city of Kfar Saba, near Tel Aviv. Harkavi, a mother and a grandmother, said that women are better positioned to solve disputes because of their roles within the family and that it was time they become involved in the dispute with the Palestinians, too. Two years ago, my son was in the army; he fought in the Gaza war. I decided then that I did not want to launder army uniforms anymore. I want peace, said Miki Rom, who also lives near Tel Aviv. Activists with Women Wage Peace take part in a march at the Qasr al-Yahud baptismal site near Jericho on Oct. 19. (Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images) People demonstrate in support of peace near Jericho on Oct. 19. (Mohamad Torokman/Reuters) One of the rallys key speakers was Michal Froman, a religious Jew from the Israeli settlement of Tekoa. She was stabbed this past January at a clothing store by a Palestinian teenager from a nearby village. Froman, the daughter-in-law of the well-known peace activist Rabbi Menachem Froman, was three months pregnant at the time. It was important for me to speak here because I want people to know that the settlements are not preventing peace. I think the opposite: that peace will come from the settlements, said Froman, who brought her 4-month-old daughter to the rally. [Graphic: A new kind of terrorism in Israel] Olfat Haider, an Arab Israeli from Haifa, was among the group that walked from the north of Israel to Jerusalem. She said she believes that Jews and Arabs can live together, and must live together. Its time to hear some womens voices. Women can talk to each other, they dont fight with their egos, she said. Each speaker at the rally received rapturous applause. But for many in Israel, such gatherings come with a degree of hopelessness, not only because the momentum for peace has all but disappeared, but also because many do not believe that there is a negotiating partner on the other side. Since peace efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry failed more than two years ago, there has been little attempt by either side to return to talks. Among the speakers was Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, who helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. After two days in Israel, walking with Jewish and Palestinian women, she said she believed that there were partners for peace on both sides and that finding a solution was possible. I say to my sisters in Israel, that this is your time to stand up and say no to war and yes to peace, said Gbowee, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. When you stand firm for what you believe, the men with guns are afraid of you. Calls for peace are painted on a border wall that separates Israel and the northern Gaza Strip in the community of Nativ HaAshara on Oct. 18. (Jim Hollander/European Pressphoto Agency) Read more: New attacks against Israelis show Palestinians have lost hope, some say A Palestinian teen killed an Israeli mom. Now their families struggle with why. Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world BURT COUNTY -- Two days after a rural Burt County man was killed by leaking anhydrous ammonia, pipeline officials will meet with area residents at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Magellan Midstream Partners of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will meet with people who were evacuated from their homes Monday night at City Hall in Decatur. Wednesday morning, Magellan officials said more than 50 company and pipeline contract representatives, federal regulators and state and local emergency responders are on site. They are working to repair a leak and said air quality readings continue to improve. "It is our goal to completely isolate the failed portion of the pipeline today, which will allow the reopening of local roadways," Magellan spokesman Tom Byers said in a news release Wednesday morning. "A decision to allow local residents to return to their homes will be made later today." *** George Kahlandt drives by the pipeline north of Tekamah every day on his way to help his nephew with the cattle. He didn't think much about it until late Monday night, when a set of flashing lights came up his drive. His wife, Sandra, saw the lights coming and opened the door. It was a couple Decatur volunteer firefighters. The 8-inch pipeline, owned by Magellan Midstream Partners of Tulsa, Oklahoma, had ruptured and leaked anhydrous ammonia. There was a poisonous cloud of gas in the area and they needed to leave. One man, 59-year-old Phillip Hennig, died and 23 homes within a two-mile radius had to be evacuated, and area roads were closed, including U.S. 75 going both directions between Nebraska 32 in Tekamah to Nebraska 51 in Decatur. Anhydrous is widely used as fertilizer and is transported as a liquid but turns into a gas when released. Area residents called authorities at 9:20 p.m. Monday to say they smelled anhydrous at 3310 County Road P, about 8 miles north of Tekamah and just west of U.S. 75. Being farmers, they knew (smelling) anhydrous was not a good thing," said Burt County Emergency Manager Terry Schroeder. "They started calling 911. Hennig left his home to investigate the smell. When he didn't return, his son, a recent high school graduate, went to look for him, said a relative, Joan Saxton. Nebraska State Patrols HAZMAT team, working with Tekamah Fire and Rescue, reached the site and removed Hennig's body just before 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to Burt County Sheriff Robert Pickell. Hennig's son was evaluated at an area hospital and released, Saxton said. No other injuries have been reported. Magellan Midstream Partners reported 294,000 gallons of liquid anhydrous spilled, said company spokesman Bruce Heine. The company, which is working with state and federal regulators, is investigating the cause of the leak. Magellan, which had 25 employees and 21 contractors in Nebraska working on the situation, set up an emergency headquarters at the Decatur fire house. The company expected to have the pipeline fixed by Wednesday. Meanwhile, those evacuated either stayed with family or at a hotel paid for by Magellan. Completion of the repairs will eliminate the emissions coming from the site, allowing people to return to their homes and roadways to be reopened, Heine said. Schroeder said there are concerns shifting winds could carry the anhydrous cloud. Some people have been allowed to return to their homes briefly to get medications or to care for animals. They were accompanied by officials who monitored the air to ensure their safety. Larry and Christine Bucy stopped home to check on their chickens. The couple didn't evacuate their home until about 6 a.m. Tuesday when they woke up and saw a text from a neighbor suggesting they leave the area. Emergency responders came to their door the night before, but they slept through it. "We're such sound sleepers, we didn't hear them knocking," Christine Bucy said. The couple and several of their neighbors spent Tuesday night at a hotel just across the Missouri River in Onawa, Iowa, paid for by Magellan. Magellan shut off pipeline valves on either side of the leak and spent Tuesday emptying it of the remaining anhydrous, Heine said. The company had detected a loss of pressure in the system at about 9 the night before. Neighbors and friends described Hennig as a good man who was involved in the community, his church and 4-H. "It's a loss to the whole area," said Matt Connealy, a Burt County supervisor and former state senator. "This shows us we have to be very careful and figure out why this happened, so it never happens again." Heine offered condolences for Hennig's family and community. "There are no words I can give you that overcome the loss of a life. a gentleman lost his life last night that was near or in the cloud of vapor that was created from a release on our pipeline system," Heine said. "All the men and women who are here today have a heavy heart. Last night was a sad event for us. Today is a sad day and we're grieving with the family." The Magellan pipeline provides fertilizer in several Midwestern states. It starts near Borger, Texas, and travels through Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, with a branch that extends into Minnesota. The majority of the pipeline, including the rupture, is underground, although it does come above ground near where the leak happened. Anhydrous evaporates into a pungent gas with suffocating fumes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It causes rapid dehydration and severe burns when it combines with water in the body. Symptoms include burning eyes, nose and throat from breathing even small amounts. Higher exposure causes coughing or choking and death from a swollen throat or chemical burns to the lungs. This Predator MQ-1B crashed while trying to return to Camp Lemonnier, the U.S. military base in Djibouti, on May 17, 2011. It landed in a vacant lot near a residential area of Djibouti city, about 2.7 miles short of the runway. These photographs, taken by Air Force investigators, were released as part of an unclassified Accident Investigation Board report into the crash. May 17, 2011 This Predator MQ-1B crashed while trying to return to Camp Lemonnier, the U.S. military base in Djibouti, on May 17, 2011. It landed in a vacant lot near a residential area of Djibouti city, about 2.7 miles short of the runway. These photographs, taken by Air Force investigators, were released as part of an unclassified Accident Investigation Board report into the crash. U.S. Air Force As Predator drone missions have escalated from Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, so have the number of accidents. Since January 2011, five Predators have crashed while trying to return to the base. Drone strikes by the CIA and the U.S. military have become a critical component of the administrations counterterrorism strategy. Drone strikes by the CIA and the U.S. military have become a critical component of the administrations counterterrorism strategy. This is the third of three articles. Around the clock, about 16 times a day, drones take off or land at a U.S. military base here, the combat hub for the Obama administrations counterterrorism wars in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. Some of the unmanned aircraft are bound for Somalia, the collapsed state whose border lies just 10 miles to the southeast. Most of the armed drones, however, veer north across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen, another unstable country where they are being used in an increasingly deadly war with an al-Qaeda franchise that has targeted the United States. Camp Lemonnier, a sun-baked Third World outpost established by the French Foreign Legion, began as a temporary staging ground for U.S. Marines looking for a foothold in the region a decade ago. Over the past two years, the U.S. military has clandestinely transformed it into the busiest Predator drone base outside the Afghan war zone, a model for fighting a new generation of terrorist groups. The Obama administration has gone to extraordinary lengths to conceal the legal and operational details of its targeted-killing program. Behind closed doors, painstaking debates precede each decision to place an individual in the cross hairs of the United States perpetual war against al-Qaeda and its allies. Increasingly, the orders to find, track or kill those people are delivered to Camp Lemonnier. Virtually the entire 500-acre camp is dedicated to counterterrorism, making it the only installation of its kind in the Pentagons global network of bases. Secrecy blankets most of the camps activities. The U.S. military rejected requests from The Washington Post to tour Lemonnier last month. Officials cited operational security concerns, although they have permitted journalists to visit in the past. After a Post reporter showed up in Djibouti uninvited, the camps highest-ranking commander consented to an interview on the condition that it take place away from the base, at Djibouti's lone luxury hotel. The commander, Army Maj. Gen. Ralph O. Baker, answered some general queries but declined to comment on drone operations or missions related to Somalia or Yemen. Despite the secrecy, thousands of pages of military records obtained by The Post including construction blueprints, drone accident reports and internal planning memos open a revealing window into Camp Lemonnier. None of the documents is classified and many were acquired via public-records requests. Taken together, the previously undisclosed documents show how the Djibouti-based drone wars sharply escalated early last year after eight Predators arrived at Lemonnier. The records also chronicle the Pentagons ambitious plan to further intensify drone operations here in the coming months. The documents point to the central role played by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which President Obama has repeatedly relied on to execute the nations most sensitive counterterrorism missions. About 300 Special Operations personnel plan raids and coordinate drone flights from inside a high-security compound at Lemonnier that is dotted with satellite dishes and ringed by concertina wire. Most of the commandos work incognito, concealing their names even from conventional troops on the base. Other counterterrorism work at Lemonnier is more overt. All told, about 3,200 U.S. troops, civilians and contractors are assigned to the camp, where they train foreign militaries, gather intelligence and dole out humanitarian aid across East Africa as part of a campaign to prevent extremists from taking root. In Washington, the Obama administration has taken a series of steps to sustain the drone campaign for another decade, developing an elaborate new targeting database, called the disposition matrix, and a classified playbook to spell out how decisions on targeted killing are made. Djibouti is the clearest example of how the United States is laying the groundwork to carry out these operations overseas. For the past decade, the Pentagon has labeled Lemonnier an expeditionary, or temporary, camp. But it is now hardening into the U.S. militarys first permanent drone war base. Centerpiece base In August, the Defense Department delivered a master plan to Congress detailing how the camp will be used over the next quarter-century. About $1.4 billion in construction projects are on the drawing board, including a huge new compound that could house up to 1,100 Special Operations forces, more than triple the current number. Drones will continue to be in the forefront. In response to written questions from The Post, the U.S. military confirmed publicly for the first time the presence of remotely piloted aircraft military parlance for drones at Camp Lemonnier and said they support a wide variety of regional security missions. Intelligence collected from drone and other surveillance missions is used to develop a full picture of the activities of violent extremist organizations and other activities of interest, Africa Command, the arm of the U.S. military that oversees the camp, said in a statement. However, operational security considerations prevent us from commenting on specific missions. For nearly a decade, the United States flew drones from Lemonnier only rarely, starting with a 2002 strike in Yemen that killed a suspected ringleader of the attack on the USS Cole. That swiftly changed in 2010, however, after al-Qaedas network in Yemen attempted to bomb two U.S.-bound airliners and jihadists in Somalia separately consolidated their hold on that country. Late that year, records show, the Pentagon dispatched eight unmanned MQ-1B Predator aircraft to Djibouti and turned Lemonnier into a full-time drone base. The impact was apparent months later: JSOC drones from Djibouti and CIA Predators from a secret base on the Arabian Peninsula converged over Yemen and killed Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born cleric and prominent al-Qaeda member. Today, Camp Lemonnier is the centerpiece of an expanding constellation of half a dozen U.S. drone and surveillance bases in Africa, created to combat a new generation of terrorist groups across the continent, from Mali to Libya to the Central African Republic. The U.S. military also flies drones from small civilian airports in Ethiopia and the Seychelles, but those operations pale in comparison to what is unfolding in Djibouti. Lemonnier also has become a hub for conventional aircraft. In October 2011, the military boosted the airpower at the base by deploying a squadron of F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, which can fly faster and carry more munitions than Predators. In its written responses, Africa Command confirmed the warplanes presence but declined to answer questions about their mission. Two former U.S. defense officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the F-15s are flying combat sorties over Yemen, an undeclared development in the growing war against al-Qaeda forces there. The drones and other military aircraft have crowded the skies over the Horn of Africa so much that the risk of an aviation disaster has soared. Since January 2011, Air Force records show, five Predators armed with Hellfire missiles crashed after taking off from Lemonnier, including one drone that plummeted to the ground in a residential area of Djibouti City. No injuries were reported but four of the drones were destroyed. Predator drones in particular are more prone to mishaps than manned aircraft, Air Force statistics show. But the accidents rarely draw public attention because there are no pilots or passengers. As the pace of drone operations has intensified in Djibouti, Air Force mechanics have reported mysterious incidents in which the airborne robots went haywire. In March 2011, a Predator parked at the camp started its engine without any human direction, even though the ignition had been turned off and the fuel lines closed. Technicians concluded that a software bug had infected the brains of the drone, but never pinpointed the problem. After that whole starting-itself incident, we were fairly wary of the aircraft and watched it pretty closely, an unnamed Air Force squadron commander testified to an investigative board, according to a transcript. Right now, I still think the software is not good. Prime location Djibouti is an impoverished former French colony with fewer than 1 million people, scarce natural resources and miserably hot weather. But as far as the U.S. military is concerned, the country's strategic value is unparalleled. Sandwiched between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, Camp Lemonnier enables U.S. aircraft to reach hot spots such as Yemen or Somalia in minutes. Djiboutis port also offers easy access to the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. This is not an outpost in the middle of nowhere that is of marginal interest, said Amanda J. Dory, the Pentagons deputy assistant secretary for Africa. This is a very important location in terms of U.S. interests, in terms of freedom of navigation, when it comes to power projection. The U.S. military pays $38 million a year to lease Camp Lemonnier from the Djiboutian government. The base rolls across flat, sandy terrain on the edge of Djibouti City, a somnolent capital with eerily empty streets. During the day, many people stay indoors to avoid the heat and to chew khat, a mildly intoxicating plant that is popular in the region. Hemmed in by the sea and residential areas, Camp Lemonniers primary shortcoming is that it has no space to expand. It is forced to share a single runway with Djiboutis only international airport, as well as an adjoining French military base and the tiny Djiboutian armed forces. Passengers arriving on commercial flights there are about eight per day can occasionally spy a Predator drone preparing for a mission. In between flights, the unmanned aircraft park under portable, fabric-covered hangars to shield them from the wind and curious eyes. Behind the perimeter fence, construction crews are rebuilding the base to better accommodate the influx of drones. Glimpses of the secret operations can be found in an assortment of little-noticed Pentagon memoranda submitted to Congress. Last month, for example, the Defense Department awarded a $62 million contract to build an airport taxiway extension to handle increased drone traffic at Lemonnier, an ammunition storage site and a combat-loading area for bombs and missiles. In an Aug. 20 letter to Congress explaining the emergency contract, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said that 16 drones and four fighter jets take off or land at the Djibouti airfield each day, on average. Those operations are expected to increase, he added, without giving details. In a separate letter to Congress, Carter said Camp Lemonnier is running out of space to park its drones, which he referred to as remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), and other planes. The recent addition of fighters and RPAs has exacerbated the situation, causing mission delays, he said. Carters letters revealed that the drones and fighter aircraft at the base support three classified military operations, code-named Copper Dune, Jupiter Garret and Octave Shield. Copper Dune is the name of the militarys counterterrorism operations in Yemen. Africa Command said it could not provide information about Jupiter Garret and Octave Shield, citing secrecy restrictions. The code names are unclassified. The military often assigns similar names to related missions. Octave Fusion was the code name for a Navy SEAL-led operation in Somalia that rescued an American and a Danish hostage on Jan. 24. Spilled secrets Another window into the Djibouti drone operations can be found in U.S. Air Force safety records. Whenever a military aircraft is involved in a mishap, the Air Force appoints an Accident Investigation Board to determine the cause. Although the reports focus on technical questions, supplementary documents make it possible to re-create a narrative of what happened in the hours leading up to a crash. Air Force officers investigating the crash of a Predator on May 17, 2011, found that things started to go awry at Camp Lemonnier late that night when a man known as Frog emerged from the Special Operations compound. The camps main power supply had failed and the phone lines were down. So Frog walked over to the flight line to deliver some important news to the Predator ground crew on duty, according to the investigators files, which were obtained by The Post as part of a public-records request. Frog was the alias chosen by a major assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command. At Lemonnier, he belonged to a special collection of Navy SEALs, Delta Force soldiers, Air Force commandos and Marines known simply as the task force. JSOC commandos spend their days and nights inside their compound as they plot raids against terrorist camps and pirate hideouts. Everybody on the base is aware of what they do, but the topic is taboo. I cant acknowledge the task force, said Baker, the Army general and highest-ranking commander at Lemonnier. Frog coordinated Predator hunts. He did not reveal his real name to anyone without a need to know, not even the ground-crew supervisors and operators and mechanics who cared for the Predators. The only contact came when Frog or his friends occasionally called from their compound to say it was time to ready a drone for takeoff or to prepare for a landing. Information about each Predator mission was kept so tightly compartmentalized that the ground crews were ignorant of the drones targets and destinations. All they knew was that most of their Predators eventually came back, usually 20 or 22 hours later, earlier if something went awry. On this particular night, Frog informed the crew that his Predator was returning unexpectedly, 17 hours into the flight, because of a slow oil leak. It was not an emergency. But as the drone descended toward Djibouti City it entered a low-hanging cloud that obscured its camera sensor. Making matters worse, the GPS malfunctioned and gave incorrect altitude readings. The crew operating the drone was flying blind. It guided the Predator on a dangerously low glidepath, Air Force investigators concluded, and crashed the remote-controlled plane 2.7 miles short of the runway. The site was in a residential area and fire trucks rushed to the scene. The drone had crashed in a vacant lot and its single Hellfire missile had not detonated. The Predator splintered apart and was a total loss. With a $3 million price tag, it had cost less than one-tenth the price of an F-15 Strike Eagle. But in terms of spilling secrets, the damage was severe. Word spread quickly about the mysterious insect-shaped plane that had dropped from the sky. Hundreds of Djiboutians gathered and gawked at the wreckage for hours until the U.S. military arrived to retrieve the pieces. One secret that survived, however, was Frogs identity. The official Air Force panel assigned to investigate the Predator accident couldnt determine his real name, much less track him down for questioning. Who is Frog? one investigator demanded weeks later while interrogating a ground crew member, according to a transcript. Im sorry, I was just getting more explanation as to who Frog is that a person? Or is that like a position? The crew member explained that Frog was a liaison officer from the task force. Hes a Pred guy, he shrugged. I actually dont know his last name. The accident triggered alarms at the upper echelons of the Air Force because it was the fourth drone in four months from Camp Lemonnier to crash. Ten days earlier, on May 7, 2011, a drone carrying a Hellfire missile had an electrical malfunction shortly after it entered Yemeni airspace, according to an Air Force investigative report. The Predator turned back toward Djibouti. About one mile offshore, it rolled uncontrollably to the right, then back to the left before flipping belly up and hurtling into the sea. Ive never seen a Predator do that before in my life, except in videos of other crashes, a sensor operator from the ground crew told investigators, according to a transcript. Im just glad we landed it in the ocean and not someplace else. Flying every sortie The remote-control drones in Djibouti are flown, via satellite link, by pilots 8,000 miles away in the United States, sitting at consoles in air-conditioned quarters at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada and Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. At Camp Lemonnier, conditions are much less pleasant for the Air Force ground crews that launch, recover and fix the drones. In late 2010, after military cargo planes transported the fleet of eight Predators to Djibouti, airmen from the 60th Air Force Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron unpacked the drones from their crates and assembled them. Soon after, without warning, a microburst storm with 80-mph winds struck the camp. The 87-member squadron scrambled to secure the Predators and other exposed aircraft. They managed to save more than half of the high-value, Remotely Piloted Aircraft assets from destruction, and most importantly, prevented injury and any loss of life, according to a brief account published in Combat Edge, an Air Force safety magazine. Even normal weather conditions could be brutal, with summertime temperatures reaching 120 degrees on top of 80 percent humidity. Our war reserve air conditioners literally short-circuited in the vain attempt to cool the tents in which we worked, recalled Lt. Col. Thomas McCurley, the squadron commander. Our small group of security forces personnel guarded the compound, flight line and other allied assets at posts exposed to the elements with no air conditioning at all. McCurleys rare public account of the squadrons activities came in June, when the Air Force awarded him a Bronze Star. At the ceremony, he avoided any explicit mention of the Predators or Camp Lemonnier. But his narrative matched what is known about the squadrons deployment to Djibouti. Our greatest accomplishment was that we flew every single sortie the Air Force asked us to fly, despite the challenges we encountered, he said. We were an integral part in taking down some very important targets, which means a lot to me. He did not mention it, but the unit had gotten into the spirit of its mission by designing a uniform patch emblazoned with a skull, crossbones and a suitable nickname: East Africa Air Pirates. The Air Force denied a request from The Post to interview McCurley. Increased traffic The frequency of U.S. military flights from Djibouti has soared, overwhelming air-traffic controllers and making the skies more dangerous. The number of takeoffs and landings each month has more than doubled, reaching a peak of 1,666 in July compared with a monthly average of 768 two years ago, according to air-traffic statistics disclosed in Defense Department contracting documents. Drones now account for about 30 percent of daily U.S. military flight operations at Lemonnier, according to a Post analysis. The increased activity has meant more mishaps. Last year, drones were involved in a string of near mid-air collisions with NATO planes off the Horn of Africa, according to a brief safety alert published in Combat Edge magazine. Drones also pose an aviation risk next door in Somalia. Over the past year, remote-controlled aircraft have plunged into a refugee camp, flown perilously close to a fuel dump and almost collided with a large passenger plane over Mogadishu, the capital, according to a United Nations report. Manned planes are crashing, too. An Air Force U-28A surveillance plane crashed five miles from Camp Lemonnier while returning from a secret mission on Feb. 18, killing the four-person crew. An Air Force investigation attributed the accident to unrecognized spatial disorientation on the part of the crew, which ignored sensor warnings that it was flying too close to the ground. Baker, the two-star commander at Lemonnier, played down the crashes and near-misses. He said safety had improved since he arrived in Djibouti in May. Weve dramatically reduced any incidents of concern, certainly since Ive been here, he said. Last month, the Defense Department awarded a $7 million contract to retrain beleaguered air-traffic controllers at Ambouli International Airport and improve their English skills. The Djiboutian controllers handle all civilian and U.S. military aircraft. But they are undermanned and over tasked due to the recent rapid increase in U.S. military flights, according to the contract. It also states that the controllers and the airport are not in compliance with international aviation standards. Resolving those deficiencies may not be sufficient. Records show the U.S. military is also scrambling for an alternative place for its planes to land in an emergency. Last month, it awarded a contract to install portable lighting at the only backup site available: a tiny, makeshift airstrip in the Djiboutian desert, several miles from Lemonnier. Over a seven-day period this month, five Australian workers were killed in a series of shocking incidents in construction and transport. Initial reports suggest that these fatalities were avoidable. On October 6, Ashley Morris, 35, and Humberto Leite, 55 were crushed between two 9-tonne concrete slabs while working in a construction pit on a $37 million stable development at Brisbanes Eagle Farm Racecourse. The men, both fathers, were already dead when Queensland Ambulance Service personnel arrived on site. A construction trade union spokesman told the media that the slabs may have been poorly braced by a sub-contractor, but he declined to name the firm involved. He said three of four slabs had been placed in the hole when one fell to the ground. The union revealed that two workers had walked off over safety concerns before the incident. One worker reportedly said someones going to die here. The primary contractor, Brisbane-based Criscon, has refused so far to comment on the deaths. Unsafe conditions in the construction industry were further laid bare on October 10. Marianka Heumann, 27, died when she fell 60 metres down a ventilation shaft from the 15th floor of the 38-storey Finbar and Hanssen luxury apartment construction project in East Perth, Western Australia. The young German woman was on a working holiday and had been employed on the site as an unskilled labourer for only three months. Heumann was applying silicone to ceilings. She finished the job set for the day but returned when she noticed a small area she missed. She had reportedly already removed the safety harness she was wearing during her shift. Hanssen Construction managing director Gerry Hanssen told the media that each new worker gets a safety induction before they start, on the site. However, one of Heumanns co-workers told reporters that while the German woman was a careful worker, many times we worked without protection. Moreover, the industry safety watchdog WorkSafe reported it had received five complaints about safety on the project since construction commenced in late 2105, and issued two improvement notices to the companyone for edge protection and another for excessive debris on the site. In 2008, Hanssen Construction was fined $174,000 by the Federal Magistrates Court in Perth over its treatment of overseas workers in relation to pay and conditions, and was found guilty of 21 breaches of the Workplace Relations Act. Heumanns death reignited questions about inadequacies in training and induction of inexperienced backpackers and young workers in one of the countrys most dangerous industries. Anyone can easily obtain a White Card qualification to work on a building site, just by paying a small fee and completing a short online course. Previously, applicants were required to attend one-day courses. In the transport sector, two truck drivers, Chris Blake, 46, and Peter Cardilini, 50, were killed on October 6 in the Sydney suburb of Erskine Park. A prime mover owned by the A.K. Group and driven by Blake swerved onto the wrong side of the road, colliding with a loaded Austral Brick truck that had just pulled out of the companys yard. Both vehicles instantly exploded on impact. Police investigating the crash said they found evidence of poor fatigue management by the A.K. Group after searching the companys premises and reviewing driver logs. Eight defect notices were issued for two trucks on the site, including for mechanical and brake issues as well as oil and fuel leaks. Several other trucks were taken to a Roads and Maritime Service facility for closer inspection. More workers die in the transport, postal and warehousing sector each year than in any other industry. Safe Work figures show that 48 of 184 workplace deaths in Australia last year were in this sector. Only agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 46 deaths, had a comparable toll. With increasingly cut-throat competition for contracts, transport companies seek to slash costs by cutting back on vehicle maintenance and placing pressure on drivers to meet shorter delivery deadlines, leading to fatigue, speeding and the overloading of trucks. Such conditions are becoming the norm. In a 2015 survey of more than 1,000 trucking businesses by statutory authority Safe Work Australia, 20 percent admitted they broke safety rules to complete work on time. One in five agreed they consider minor incidents a normal part of daily work. So far this year, there have been 132 industrial-related fatalities in Australia. Of these, 42 were in the transport, postal and warehousing sector and 21 in the construction industry. The deaths, many of which are preventable, stand as a damning indictment of the capitalist system and all its political servants, who put profits above the lives of ordinary working people. Successive governments, Liberal-National and Labor, have backed corporate restructuring and deregulated safety, including cutting spending on regulation and sharply reducing the number of safety inspectors. In the wake of every industrial death, the trade unions ritualistically feign concern for safety. Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) national secretary Dave Noonan said the union would provide grief and trauma counselling for the construction victims co-workers. This is a high-risk industry. We lose too many lives in these types of accidents, he said. However, the unions are wholly complicit in the undermining of conditions. For decades, they have worked to contain opposition by workers to the relentless elimination of jobs, the removal of safety practices, the imposition of longer shifts and around-the-clock working, all in the name of making employers competitive. The ongoing workplace deaths are the deadly consequence of this process. The offensive by the US-led coalition to retake Mosul continued Tuesday, as leading participants acknowledged the fighting could take months, and aid organizations issued dire warnings of the impact on the more than 1 million civilians living in Iraqs second largest city. Since ground operations were launched at dawn on Monday by the Iraqi army, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters under the control of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) and various ethnic-based irregular militias, advancing troops have captured 20 villages from Islamic State (also known as ISIS). Peshmerga forces captured part of the road connecting Irbil, the KRG capital, to Mosul Tuesday. The US-led military operation is preparing the ground for a war crime of enormous proportions. An assault is to be waged on a city with an estimated population of 1.3 million, including 600,000 children, by some 30,000 ground force, backed up by aircraft from the US and other imperialist powers, among them France, Britain, Germany and Canada. For those lucky enough to survive the initial onslaught, virtually no plans have been made to deal with the 1 million expected to be turned into refugees, let alone how Mosul and its ethnically diverse surroundings will be governed following its recapture from ISIS. US President Barack Obama made his first public comments on the Mosul offensive yesterday, acknowledging at a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi that Mosul will be a difficult fight and there will be advances and setbacks. Ignoring the destruction wrought by previous anti-ISIS operations, such as the sieges of Ramadi and Fallujah, which left both cities largely in ruins, he remarked blandly on the impact on civilians, Executing will be difficult and no doubt there will be instances where we see some heartbreaking circumstances. Its hard when you leave your home. The wall-to-wall coverage in the Western media about ISISs use of civilians as human shields conceals the fact that the humanitarian catastrophe developing in Mosul is of the imperialist powers own making. The US-led invasion of 2003 and Washingtons subsequent fomenting of ethnic divisions between Shia and Sunni cost the lives of hundreds of thousands and created the conditions in which ISIS could flourish and claim to be liberating Sunni areas of western Iraq. The US and its coalition allies are now dropping leaflets on Mosul urging civilians to flee under conditions where the Iraqi government is said to be suspecting any male aged 14 or over leaving the city as a potential ISIS supporter. Beyond Iraq, the US-led intervention in Syria and the Saudi-led military operations Washington has backed in Yemen have deepened regional conflicts and plunged the Middle East into a bloodbath that threatens to draw in the major powers in a wider war. These conflicts are being exacerbated by the Mosul offensive. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Syrian army sources charged the US-led coalition with planning to enable thousands of ISIS fighters based in Mosul to flee across the border into Syria. Noting that the west of the city remained unguarded, Lavrov warned that Russia would be forced to adopt political and military measures if this eventuality came to pass. As far as I know, the city is not fully encircled, Lavrov said. I hope its because they simply couldnt do it, not because they wouldnt do it. But this corridor poses a risk that Islamic State fighters could flee from Mosul and go to Syria. While other sources have reported that Shia militias kept out of the offensive due to the fear of sectarian reprisals have been deployed to the west of Mosul to cut off the escape route, it can by no means be excluded that the US has reached such an arrangement. Washington worked closely with Islamist extremists in 2011 to topple the Gaddafi regime in Libya, and many of these elements were later transported to Syria with the help of the CIA before going on to form ISIS. Moreover, the Obama administration has shown its readiness to collaborate with Jihadi forces in the five-year civil war to oust the Assad regime in Damascus. As well as potentially inflaming the war in Syria, the retaking of Mosul threatens to deepen already bitter ethnic, regional and religious divisions within Iraq itself. Many of the ethnically based militias that have been armed and trained by Western powers engaged in bloody sectarian fighting in the wake of the 2003 US invasion and are pursuing antagonistic interests that could well result in the ethnic partition of Iraq, which would have devastating consequences for the already desperate population. Even commentators in the bourgeois media have been compelled to note that the retaking of Mosul will resolve none of the problems that have led to Iraqs essential partition into Kurdish, Shia and Sunni enclaves and could in fact prepare a new wave of bloodletting. David Gardner writing in the Financial Times observed that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadis hope that Iraqis would unite around the capture of Mosul was optimistic. He described the various militias involved in the offensive as being at each others throats and warned that the battle for control of the region, which is rich in energy reserves and is home to an ethnically diverse population including Sunnis, Shia, Kurds and Christians, could be explosive. The Peshmerga fighters, who have previously been accused of atrocities against Sunni villagers, are to be kept outside of Mosul in a bid to avoid ethnic violence, but the KRG is determined to use their involvement in the offensive to strengthen its position with the central government in Baghdad. This was the message contained in an interview published Tuesday by al-Jazeera with KRG Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir. We have a stake in Mosul, he stated when asked about the role of the KRG after its recapture. Mosul is important and has a direct impact on Irbil and Dohuk, and the KRG as a whole, in terms of security, the economy, a social impact. Therefore, we need to be there. He also left no doubt that the KRG would give little quarter to civilians fleeing the fighting because everyone would be suspected of carrying ISIS sympathies. Having talked about IDPs [internally displaced persons] coming in, we have a security concern, Bakir told al-Jazeera. Those who have lived under ISIL come with baggage. Some have been recruited, therefore we have to be able to distinguish between real and genuine IDPs and those who come in disguised as IDPs. Sharp divisions also exist between Baghdad and Ankara. The Turkish government has deployed roughly 700 troops to the northeast of Mosul and also trained a local Turkmen militia to support it. The Shia-dominated Iraqi government has denounced Ankaras presence, and a demonstration of several thousand supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was held in front of the Turkish embassy in Baghdad yesterday. Some of the Shia militias, which are heavily backed by Iran, have vowed to fight a Turkish intervention. Turkey has refused to back down, insisting that it has a right to participate in the Mosul operations and subsequent talks over its final status. In so doing, it is aiming to restrict the activities of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq and extend Ankaras influence in Sunni areas. Noting Turkeys 350-kilometer border with Iraq, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday, We will not be responsible for the negative consequences that will emerge from any operation that doesnt include Turkey. We will be involved both in the operation and at the [negotiating] table afterward. It is not possible for us to stay excluded. Primary responsibility for the disastrous state of affairs in Iraq lies with American imperialism, which laid waste to the country in its reckless pursuit of regional and global hegemony. But the involvement of all of the major imperialist powers in the region will only exacerbate the sectarian conflicts and increase inter-imperialist rivalries. Alongside approximately 5,000 US special forces involved in the onslaught on Mosul, troops from Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Italy are also deployed to Iraq. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who has been at the forefront in charging Russia with war crimes over its involvement in Aleppo over the past month, announced a planned meeting jointly hosted with the Iraqi government October 20 to discuss plans for Mosuls future. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in China yesterday for a four-day state visit seeking a massive boost to his countrys economy from Chinese aid, loans and investment. In the lead-up to the trip, he bluntly told the media that he was intent on reconfiguring foreign policy away from the United States and towards China and Russia. Beijing is certainly laying out the red carpet for Duterte. He will meet with top Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and National Peoples Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang, as well as representatives of the Bank of China. The Philippine president is travelling with an entourage of more than 400 business leaders, including some of the countrys wealthiest tycoons. The Philippine Star cited trade secretary Ramon Lopez as saying that the visit to China will deliver up to $3 billion in loans and grants. Duterte, a fascistic populist, will be seeking billions of dollars in Chinese investment in infrastructure projects, including rail. He declared in a speech last week that he had a good feeling that China really wants to help us in a big way and promised hospitals and schools. The visit marks an abrupt shift. The previous Philippine President Benigno Aquino functioned as the point man in South East Asia for the Obama administrations pivot to Asia, aggressively pressing Philippine territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. With US assistance, he mounted a legal case in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to challenge Chinas maritime claims. Relations with China deteriorated markedly as Aquino strengthened military ties with Washington including the signing and implementation of a new basing arrangementthe Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which has already opened up five Philippine military bases to US forces. Since coming to office in June, Duterte has called US military ties into question, ended joint US-Philippine naval patrols in the South China Sea, called for the removal of US troops from Mindanao and initiated a review of EDCA. He has also delivered several tirades against Washington over its growing criticism of his murderous anti-drug war that has claimed more than 3,600 victims in extra-judicial killings by police and vigilantes. Most recently Duterte told President Obama to go to hell in response to critical US remarks. Duterte has signalled that he is open to closer military ties as well as economic relations with China and Russia. He told Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television on Monday that he would consider military drills with China or Russia. I have given enough time for the Americans to play with Filipino soldiers, he said, reiterating that recent joint exercises with the US would be the last. The Philippine president also said that he would seek to buy military equipment from China during his visit, though not in large amounts. He said that he wanted small, fast-attack boats to fight terrorism. In an interview with Chinas state-owned Xinhua news agency, Duterte set the stage for beginning negotiations with Beijing over the South China Sea disputes. There is no sense in going to war, he said. There is no sense fighting over a body of water. It is better to talk than war. We want to talk about friendship, we want to talk about cooperation and most of all, we want to talk about business. Resolving the longstanding territorial disputes will not be straightforward, however. Beijing is acutely sensitive to any mention of the ruling by The Hague court in July which overwhelmingly favoured Manilaand thus Washington. Any reference to the legal decision will undoubtedly take place behind closed doors. One of the key issues is the status of the Scarborough Shoal which China has effectively controlled since 2012 after the Philippine navy attempted to eject Chinese fishing boats from the area. Both countries claim sovereignty. Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio warned last week that conceding the Philippines rights in disputed waters would be grounds for the presidents impeachment. In a bid to fend off domestic critics, Duterte declared this week that he would not sell-out to China. I will not bargain anywhere, we will continue to insist that is ours, he insisted. Dutertes tilt towards Beijing has provoked growing fears in Washington that he is undermining both the US diplomatic offensive and military build-up against China across the region. The Obama administration had clearly been hoping to ratchet up the pressure on China after The Hague decision and is relying on Philippine bases to intensify its military operations in the South China Sea. More broadly, the US is concerned that any move by its long-time ally and former colony into the camp of China would encourage other strategic partners and allies to follow suit. Andrew Shearer, an adviser at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told the New York Times this week: If China succeeds in peeling the Philippines away from the United States, it would be a major win in Beijings long-term campaign to weaken US alliances in the region. It will feed fears that the right mix of intimidation and inducements could influence other partners to distance themselves from Washington. Bonnie Glaser, another CSIS adviser, pointed out that a downgrading of the alliance with the Philippines could damage the US if it was no longer able to fly its military surveillance planes out of Philippine bases. However, in remarks to the Guardian, she pointedly added: I just dont think the people in the Philippines are going to support an end to this alliance or a weakening of our cooperation. The comment, which undoubtedly reflects the closed-door discussions in US military and intelligence circles, is a thinly-veiled threat. Glaser is not referring to the Philippine people in general, but to sections of the military, the state apparatus and corporate elite with close ties to Washington, which are quite capable of engineering Dutertes removalthrough one means or anotherif he seriously endangers American interests. Theres a bit of a nanny state in the city of Hong Kong. The government is quick to issue advice and admonitions about all matter of hazards high ocean waves, food waste, incense burning during the annual grave-sweeping festival. One night in late 2014, amid a standoff during the massive democracy protest that rocked the city, a police official squawked through a bullhorn: do not swear. The response was a lusty spasm of curses. Still, many residents were surprised when government officials posted a note online on Oct. 11, the day before the new session of the citys Legislative Council, saying lawmakers of the officially (but not always truly) autonomous government were required by constitution to swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China. China exercises sovereignty over Hong Kong, but agreed to let the former British colony function under a separate system until at least 2047. The notice warned that a lawmaker who failed to state the oath as written, or who altered the wording to make it inconsistent with the written ordinance, shall vacate office or be disqualified from entering. To government opponents, the warning must have sounded like an invitation. The territorys government, which maintains cozy ties with Beijing, has scrambled to deal with a new breed of political opposition. Weeks before the legislative elections in September, the elections bureau asked every candidate hoping to appear on the ballot to pledge that the territory was an inalienable part of China, an unprecedented requirement that launched an uproar. The city barred several pro-independence candidates from running; two have filed court appeals. If their petitions succeed, a court would likely overturn the election results in those districts, requiring new balloting there. The men and woman struck from the ballot urged residents to stand up to Beijing, a message that swayed many voters. On election day, Sept. 4, one-fifth of a record 2.2 million people who cast ballots chose candidates who either advocated independence or wanted voters to choose the territorys future government, a right they currently lack. A growing number of city residents say Beijing has whittled down their constitutional rights, despite assurances made in 1997 when Britain handed its former colony to Beijing, that a one-country, two-systems arrangement would preserve Hong Kongs rights for 50 years. By law, and before they can start their jobs, all 70 Hong Kong lawmakers must repeat a phrase swearing loyalty to the Peoples Republic. Yet several new members had run on platforms pledging to wrench Hong Kongs independence from China, or to fight for a referendum to let city residents choose such a path. How could they pledge fealty to a government they hoped to divorce? On Oct. 12, some chose to recite their own vows. Eddie Chu, a land rights activist, gave the required pledge, but added: Democracy and self-determination. Autocracy will die! Secretary-General Kenneth Chen, who administered the oaths, allowed him to take his seat. But Chen scolded newcomer Yau Wai-ching from deviating from the official text, as the 25-year-old member of upstart political party Youngspiration unfurled a large blue banner that declared Hong Kong is not China. I will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong special administrative region of the Peoples Refucking of Shina, she read, hurrying through the lines twice more, as if she expected to be pulled off the floor. (The term Shina is considered derogatory, and was used by Japanese during the occupation, although some scholars have noted earlier uses.) Youngspiration founder Sixtus Leung, known as Baggio, wrapped himself in the anti-China banner and, fingers crossed, changed his pronunciation of China. Later, he told reporters that his accent was to blame. Secretary-general Chen barred both Yau and Leung from taking their seats, and voting for the bodys new president. That prompted the chambers youngest member, newly elected democracy advocate Nathan Law, to argue that his colleagues should not be censored. Absolute and autocratic powers will not live forever, the 23-year-old said in a nod to Mahatma Gandhi. There should be democratic self-determination and there will be continuous struggle. Excluding two of the bodys most radical members both who favor Hong Kongs independence from their new roles has riled residents and democracy advocates. Their words offended many, and some readers commented online that the young politicians should just pledge as required, then get on with the hard work of governing. Lawyers are debating whether oaths are valid if someone mispronounces certain words or amends the statement, says Wilson Leung, convener of the Progressive Lawyers Group, which includes 90 pro-democracy lawyers. The dicier question is how the government will work with officials who believe Hong Kong is not part of China. The day before the ceremony, the Beijing government issued a warning in two Hong Kong newspapers friendly to Beijing, Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao. If the disbarred lawmakers appealed in court, and judges could not determine if the oaths met the citys constitutional standard, Chinas legislature, the National Peoples Congress, will weigh in. Yau and Sixtus Leung will get another chance on Wednesday to affirm their loyalty to Beijing. Newly elected Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said that if the two Youngspiration party members refused to follow their lines, he would consult with the chambers lawyer. The law mentioned removal, but I dont want to take this step, he said. After days of censure by city residents, Leung indicated the two would consider compromising but insisted they had done nothing wrong. Days earlier, Leung said hed make no promises about concerning his pledge. We will see, he said, what else we have in our arsenal. Whatever happens, its clear that the bodys newest, most cantankerous members will carry on their battle with the mainland, in ways both large and small. ANTHONY WALLACE/GETTY IMAGES By Venus Wu HONG KONG (Reuters) - The Hong Kong government failed in an unprecedented legal attempt on Tuesday to halt the swearing-in of two newly elected lawmakers seeking to push for independence for the autonomous region. High Court Judge Thomas Au rejected its last-ditch request for an injunction against a decision allowing the two lawmakers to re-take their oath of office at Hong Kong's Legislative Council on Wednesday. Au did approve the government's request for a judicial review of the case, which will take place early next month. By that time, they could already be serving in the legislature. Yau Wai-ching, 25, and Baggio Leung, 30, were initially barred by legislative authorities last week after pledging their allegiance to the "Hong Kong nation" and displaying a "Hong Kong is not China" banner when they first attempted to take office. The pair's oath-taking was an early test of their determination to push independence issues into mainstream Hong Kong politics. It also showed the depth of the pro-Beijing establishment's anger at the challenge they represent. Chinas representative office in the city issued a statement last Friday expressing "great indignation and strong condemnation" over their statements last Wednesday. Pressure has mounted since then from pro-Beijing groups and politicians, who said they were outraged by the derogatory terms for China and swear words they said were used. The pair denied using such language. The topic of independence was once regarded as taboo in the former British colony, now governed under the "one country, two systems" principle since its return to Chinese rule in 1997. But some young people have started demanding greater autonomy, ranging from self-determination to independence, after months of pro-democracy protests in 2014 failed to secure any concessions from Beijing. Government lawyers were specifically challenging a decision by the legislature's new president Andrew Leung to allow the pair to re-take their oaths this week. The government's writ stated Leung had no power to re-administer the oaths to the pair as, given their actions, they were disqualified from taking office under the law. "Leung and Yau have manifested an intent ... that they did not intend to make the Legislative Council oath or be bound by it," the writ states. The oath requires legislators to swear allegiance to the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China." Andrew Leung said earlier on Tuesday that he was opposed to the government's move and had instructed the legislature's lawyers on the matter. In refusing the injunction, Judge Au said barring the newly elected lawmakers would "result in the confusion of the public" and harm the "sanctity and solemnity" of the legislature. Yau said afterwards that the government was destroying the vital separation of powers between it and lawmakers while Leung said: "Hong Kong can't afford to lose this case". Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying said last Friday that the pair's statements "seriously affected the relationship between Hong Kong and mainland people." The rise of independence debates has sparked concern among some senior government officials and judges that Beijing might pressure Hong Kong to pass tough new laws to explicitly outlaw any such discussions, or invoke rarely used powers to tweak Hong Kong's mini-constitution known as the Basic Law. The document codifies Chinese sovereignty, but also guarantees extensive freedoms for Hong Kong people, with a separate legal system and autonomy for its government. (Reporting by Venus Wu; Writing by Greg Torode; Editing by Tom Heneghan) Mexicos festivities for the annual Dead of the Dead holiday (Dia de Muertos in Spanish) will kick off in less than two weeks, which means now is the perfect time for some travel tips. If you havent made any plans, consider this a guide for a last-minute getaway or for a Day of the Dead 2017 trip planned well in advance. Click here for the 7 Best Destinations in Mexico for Day of the Dead 7 Best Destinations in Mexico for Day of the Dead (Slideshow) But first, a little background. Each year, the Day of the Dead is celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 across Mexico. Traditionally, on the first day (All Hallows Eve), altars are prepared for the angelitos (spirits of dead children) to return for a visit with the living. The next day, Nov. 1, is All Saints Day, which is for the adult spirits. And Nov. 2 is All Souls Day, when families go to cemeteries to decorate the graves and tombs of their deceased relatives. Symbols and tokens of the holiday include the widespread use of marigolds, colorful sugar skulls, cardboard skeletons, tissue paper decorations, incense, fruits, nuts, and other traditional foods and decorations. The exact offerings at each tomb vary based on the personality of the deceased, as loved ones will often bring their favorite foods and drinks, poems, photos, toys, and other memorabilia. Its also important to sweep or otherwise clean up the graves during this time. Despite the somewhat morbid themes, all the traditions are not somber. In fact, in most places, enormous parties and celebrations are thrown, involving musical and theatrical performances, parades, dances, and other activities. The exact rituals, however, can vary from town to town and city to city, and this article will break it down for seven different locations around Mexico. */ 7 Best Destinations in Mexico for Day of the Dead The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants is bringing its awards ceremony to Melbourne, Australia, next year following a successful celebration in New York City earlier this year. The event will be hosted at the historic Royal Exhibition Building on April 5, 2017. The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants is partnering with Tourism Australia for the festivities, according to a release. 25 Best Restaurants in Australia 2015 Slideshow After 14 years hosting the awards event in London, we decided to take The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants on a global tour, kicking off in New York in June 2016, said William Drew, group editor of The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants. Now we could not be more thrilled to be moving to Melbourne, one of the great food cities of the world, in 2017. Come April next year, Australia will undoubtedly be the place to be for those passionate about great food and inspired restaurants. In partnership with Tourism Australia, we will also take the opportunity to highlight the countrys unique produce, brilliant wines and dynamic dining scene. The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, one of Australias most internationally-acclaimed gourmet celebrations, has aligned its dates (March 31April 9) with that of The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants 2017 (April 17). The festival will include a MasterClass series celebrating the awards. FREMONT An Arlington woman has pleaded no contest to a charge related to the death of a patient who was burned after falling asleep near a fireplace. Anne T. Pavlik, 23, entered a no contest plea to a misdemeanor charge in the death of 82-year-old Bernard Batten at a Fremont memory care center. Investigators determined Batten awoke early on Feb. 12 and eventually sat in a chair. Pavlik, who was the only staffer on duty, didn't notice he then pulled his chair near a burning fireplace and fell asleep. She later found Batten was badly burned. He died the next day at a hospital. An autopsy shows he died of natural causes and burns. Pavlik will be sentenced Nov. 29 and faces up to a year in prison. The Daily Beast STRINGER/ReutersVideo footage shows pedestrians attempting to sway an Indian suspension bridge in the moments before it catastrophically collapsed, leaving at least 141 people dead as of Monday.Rescuers expect the death toll to continue to rise after the bridge fell apart in the western state of Gujarat on Sunday. The majority of those killed were women, children, or elderly people, a local official told the BBC. Almost 180 people were successfully rescued, however, in an overnight operation inv (Corrects paragraph 9 to say fertilizer companies will pay higher Alberta emitter tax, not a new carbon tax) By Rod Nickel and Alastair Sharp WINNIPEG/TORONTO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Canada's plan to price carbon emissions may weaken the farm sector in one of the biggest grain-shipping countries, raising farmers' costs and discouraging investment in fertilizer production, industry groups say. Ottawa this month promised a price on carbon emissions by 2018, and will let provinces choose a tax or cap and trade system. Carbon pollution will cost C$10 a tonne in 2018, rising gradually to C$50 in 2022. At C$50, it would raise fertilizer prices C$2 per acre for farmers, and some experts peg the total farm cost at C$6 an acre, according to CIBC bank. "Everyone is paying attention to this, especially in a downtime for the economy," said Robin Speer, executive director of Western Canadian Wheat Growers, which has gathered 2,500 petition signatures opposing the price. Reduced soil tilling and more fuel-efficient machinery have made farming more environmentally friendly, and crops absorb carbon from the air and leave it underground, Speer said. Agriculture accounted for 10 percent of Canada's 2014 total greenhouse gas emissions, according to Canada's environment department. Nitrogen fertilizer producers, among major polluters in western provinces, are leery of a carbon price. Higher costs will discourage expansion and shift production elsewhere, said Garth Whyte, chief executive of industry group Fertilizer Canada. Provinces should instead credit fertilizer makers for reductions in nitrous oxide, a production byproduct, he said. Agrium Inc and CF Industries will not be subject to Alberta's new carbon tax of C$20 per tonne when it takes effect next year, but the separate emitter tax that fertilizer companies pay will rise to C$30 per tonne of carbon from C$20 per tonne, according to Fertilizer Canada. It will be replaced in 2018 by another regulation that charges a carbon price. Story continues Fertilizer producers can justifiably argue they need provisions to stay competitive, and farmers should also receive support, said Keith Brooks, programs director at Environmental Defence. "You want the price to influence everyone's behavior but we don't want it to mean farmers can't make a living," he said. At a committee meeting on Tuesday, Liberal government legislators rejected an opposition motion to study how the carbon price will affect the farm sector, Conservative legislator David Anderson said. Ottawa's carbon price does not directly impose costs on pollution from farm vehicles or their fuel, and the government lets provinces choose how to use carbon revenue, said Caitlin Workman, spokeswoman for Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall on Tuesday pitched an alternative approach to carbon pricing, focusing instead on clean energy technology and renewable power. British Columbia gives farmers an exemption from its carbon tax on farm fuel purchases. Alberta plans to do the same. Ontario's emissions cap does not cover agriculture. (Editing by Peter Cooney and Matthew Lewis) Two Missouri moms claim that they found worms in their Similac formula during the same two-week span. Taylor Seyler, of Kansas City, is a breastfeeding mom who has been using Similac for supplementation when she is not with her 2-month-old son Keighan. On one particular September day, however, she says she found something shocking in her babys bottle after Keighans great-grandmother had already fed the child two ounces of the milk while Seyler was away. Read: Critics Blast 6-Month-Old Water Skier: 'That's a Pretty Sick Way to Exploit Your Baby' A week earlier, Seyler claimed she had read a Facebook post about another woman who found worms in her milk, so as soon as she noticed something undissolved in the bottle, she dumped it out to check. When I noticed it, I figured it was the same exact thing, Seyler told InsideEdition. Me and my grandma started to pour out and filter it out so we could filter the maggots. There [were] five or six on the paper. Seyler said she was mad that it happened to her because when she saw the post she said she thought it was a rare occurrence. She later posted her own findings on the social network. The company who produces Similac, Abbott Laboratories, released a statement about the incident claiming they reviewed the photos taken by Seyler and determined what was in Keighans formula was Indian meal moth larva, and that they entered the package after it left their facility. Indian meal moths do qualify as worms and are typically found in kitchen pantries, flour, cereal. We take all concerns about product quality an safety seriously. Parents can be confident that Similac infant formulas are safe. Our products pass rigorous safety and quality checks, including numerous steps to check for foreign objects and ensure proper packaging, the statement read. Megan Mallory, however, a mom from Gower, told InsideEdition.com that later that week she saw Seylers Facebook post about the worms and was on the lookout. Story continues She was making a bottle for her 4-month-old daughter Myla when she noticed certain particles in her formula werent dissolving. Upon inspection, she said they looked similar to the photos she had seen. She contacted Abbott, who told InsideEdition.com that what she found were not worms. Weve spoken with this mom and looked into her complaint. Our lab analysis of the photos found what appear to be small clumps that are consistent with product clumps, Michelle Schott, a spokeswoman for Abbott, told InsideEdition.com. They refunded Mallorys money, but she doesn't agree with the company's findings. I know what clumps looks like. And how to solve the problem. That was not dissolving at all, she said. She claimed she even took one out to try and make it dissolve with her hand, but it did not. Im more freaked out and I was like I cant let my daughter be eating this. She could get sick and I dont want that, Mallory. Doctors say that a childs stomach will usually dissolve the bugs before it can do any harm, but its more about the principle for these moms. Read: Parents Wed at Baby's Hospital Bed Before Living Apart For Life-Saving Treatment I will never feel comfortable or safe feeding him this crap again, said Seyler. In 2010, Abbott Laboratories recalled up to 5 million containers of its powdered Similac infant formula after finding evidence that it was contaminated by beetles. Watch: Mom Charged With Homicide After Her Baby Girl Was Found Dead From Salt Poisoning Related Articles: On Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga talks with Yahoo News Chief Washington Correspondent Olivier Knox. The two preview tonights final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, examining what each candidate needs to do with their performance to solidify their base and appeal to voters beyond their core supporters. Yahoo News Now Special Edition: 2016 The Choice Every weekday until the election, well be coming to you live from the Yahoo Studios in New York City, bringing the latest information and analysis of the days most compelling storylines in the race for the White House. With more than $1 trillion assets under management, Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) prides itself in having more than 2,000 professionals across 33 offices worldwide, since its inception in 1869. GSAM offers financial services including investment and advisory solutions along with expert risk management to institutional and individual investors throughout the globe. With its global multi-product platform, this renowned financial management company offers its clients innovative investment solutions that working with a large firm calls for. Below we share with you three top-rated Goldman Sachs 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 Goldman Sachs mutual funds, their Zacks Rank and past performance. Goldman Sachs Large Cap Value Insights A GCVAX invests in securities of companies having market capitalization within the range of the Russell 1000 Index. GCVAX invests in securities of domestic and foreign firms that are traded in the US. GCVAX may also invest in fixed income producing securities. Goldman Sachs Large Cap Value Insights A returned 7.8% over the past three years. GCVAX has an expense ratio of 0.96% as compared to the category average of 1.15%. Goldman Sachs Bond C GSFCX seeks total return consisting of capital appreciation and income. GSFCX invests the majority of its assets in bonds and other fixed income securities such as those issued by the U.S. government, corporate debt securities, fixed rate mortgage loans, asset-backed securities and high yield non-investment grade securities. Goldman Sachs Bond C returned almost 3% over the past three years. Jonathan Beinner is one of the asset managers of GSFCX since 2006. Goldman Sachs Large Cap Growth Insights A GLCGX invests a large portion of its assets in a broadly diversified portfolio of equity investments in large-cap U.S. issuers and non-U.S. issuers traded domestically. GLCGX seeks long-term growth of capital. Goldman Sachs Large Cap Growth Insights A returned 11.4% over the past three years. Story continues GLCGX has an expense ratio of 0.96% as compared to the category average of 1.29%. To view the Zacks Rank and past performance of all Goldman Sachs mutual funds, investors can click here to see the complete list of funds. Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (GSFCX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (GCVAX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (GLCGX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Many investors like to look for momentum in stocks, but this can be very tough to define. There is great debate regarding which metrics are the best to focus on in this regard, and which are not really quality indicators of future performance. Fortunately, with our new style score system we have identified the key statistics to pay close attention to and thus which stocks might be the best for momentum investors in the near term. This method discovered several great candidates for momentum-oriented investors, but today lets focus in on Hallador Energy Company HNRG as this stock is looking especially impressive right now. And while there are numerous ways in which this company could be a great choice, we have highlighted three of the most vital reasons for HNRGs status as a solid momentum stock below: Short Term Price Change for Hallador Energy A great place to look for finding momentum stocks is by inspecting short term price activity. This can help to reflect the current interest in a stock and if buyers or sellers have the upper hand right now. It is especially useful to compare it to the industry as this can help investors pinpoint the top companies in a particular area. With a one week price change of 2.2% compared to an industry average of -1%, HNRG is certainly well-positioned in this regard. The stock is also looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the four week price change compares favorably with the industry at large as well. Longer Term Price Change for Hallador Energy While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. That is why looking at longer term price metricssuch as performance over the past three months or year-- and comparing these to an industry at large can be very useful. And in the case of HNRG, the results are quite impressive. The company has beaten out the industry at large over the past 12 weeks by a margin of 60.1% to 4% while it has also outperformed when looking at the past year, putting up a gain of 5.8%. Clearly, HNRG is riding a bit of a hot streak and is worth a closer look by investors. Story continues HALLADOR ENERGY Price HALLADOR ENERGY Price | HALLADOR ENERGY Quote HNRG Earnings Estimate Revisions Moving in the Right Direction While the great momentum factors outlined in the preceding paragraphs might be enough for some investors, we should also take into account broad earnings estimate revision trends. A nice path here can really help to show us a promising stock, and we have actually been seeing that with HNRG as of late too. Over the past two months, 1 earnings estimate has gone higher compared to none lower for the full year, while we are also seeing that 1 estimate has move upwards with no downward revision for the next year time frame too. These revisions havde helped to boost the consensus estimate as two months ago HNRG was expected to post earnings of 59 cents /share for the full year, though today it looks to have EPS of 60 cents for the full year now, representing a solid increase which is something that should definitely be welcomed news to would-be investors. Bottom Line Given these factors, investors shouldnt be surprised to note that we have HNRG as a security with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and a Momentum Score of A. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. So if you are looking for a fresh pick that has potential to move in the right direction, definitely keep HNRG on your short list as this looks be a stock that is very well-positioned to soar in the near term. Confidential from Zacks Beyond this Tale of the Tape, would you like to see Zacks' best recommendations that are not available to the public? Our Executive VP, Steve Reitmeister, knows when key trades are about to be triggered and which of our experts has the hottest hand. Click to see them now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report HALLADOR ENERGY (HNRG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The alcohol market in the U.S. has expanded significantly over the past few years on the back of strong demand. Moreover, improvement in the U.S. economy, especially solid growth witnessed in the labor market, played a vital role in boosting the outlook for the alcohol industry for the upcoming months. The industry is also poised to benefit from the upcoming holiday season. In this encouraging backdrop, selecting potential stocks from the domain may prove to be a profitable investment option. Alcohol Industry in Good Spirits Though data from Euromonitor showed that global alcohol consumption declined last year, it increased in the U.S., which is the second biggest consumer of alcohol. The report cited that alcohol consumption in North America grew at a pace of 2.5% in 2015. It indicates the growing popularity of three major segments within the domain beer, spirits and wine. Though beer has the largest market share among the three, spirits continued to see gradual increases in market share. Spirits' market share increased to 35.4% in 2015 from 35.2% in 2014. While volume at the spirits segment grew 2.3% year on year, revenues increased 4.1% year over year. Within the spirit segment, whiskey has seen robust growth over the past few years. This is especially true as high-end premium and super-premium bourbon and Tennessee whiskey brands saw revenues surge 50% and 155%, respectively, between 2010 and 2015 in the U.S. alone, as per the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. The Irish Whiskey and Single Malt Scotch industries are also growing at a rapid pace. These segments registered year-over-year growth rates of 19.9% and 13.5%, respectively. Factors Boosting the Alcohol Sector Among others, the spirits and wine market is significantly benefiting from favorable demographic trends. The baby-boomer generation remains at peak spirits and wine consuming ages both in Europe and the US. Younger generations are also consuming more spirits. Separately, the surging popularity of high-end and super-premium spirits is also helping the sector to register healthy growth over the past few years. It is speculated that favorable consumer confidence levels and encouraging labor market conditions have aided the sector over the past few months. Story continues Recently released initial claims data showed that the number of jobless claims now stands at more than a 40-year low level, indicating improving labor market conditions. Moreover, consumer confidence touched its nine-year high level of 104.1 last month. Retail sales rebounded in September, increasing by 0.6% last month after declining slightly in August. Meanwhile, the data showed that sales at beer, wine & liquor stores witnessed year-over-year growth rate of 3.3% in August. Favorable Outlook A Morgan Stanley study showed that most of the alcohol distributors in the U.S. are optimistic about the industrys progress in the coming six months. The survey showed that 53% of the distributors, who were interviewed during the survey, looked confident about the outlook for the industry over the next six months. This was significantly higher than 40% registered in April. Among the top brands, over 90% distributors predicted that Jameson, Remy Martin and Woodford Reserve are poised to witness healthy growth in the coming six months. The study cited low oil prices, uptick in consumer confidence and encouraging labor market conditions as the main reasons behind this favorable outlook. The report highlighted: "The majority of respondents are optimistic about the outlook for their businessThis should provide a solid base for the U.S. beer and spirits markets to continue to grow strongly in the second half of the year." Moreover, the upcoming holiday season is also expected to give a boost to the alcohol industry. 4 Alcohol Stocks to Buy Banking on this encouraging environment, investing in financially strong stocks from the alcohol industry might be a prudent option. Hence, we have selected four alcohol stocks that carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) as stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 are poised to be good investment options. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Constellation Brands Inc. STZ is one of the largest multi-category suppliers of beverage alcohol in the U.S. The company expects earnings growth rate of 18.3% in the current year, compared with the industry average of 5.1%.Its earnings estimate for the current year improved 1.4% over the last 30 days. Constellation Brands has an expected revenues growth rate of 12%forthe current year. Craft Brew Alliance, Inc. BREW is engaged in the business of brewing, marketing and selling of craft beers in the U.S. The company has an expected earnings growth rate of more than 100% for the current year. Its earnings estimate for the current year surged 23.8% over the last 60 days.The company has an expected revenues growth rate of 5.9% for the current year. Molson Coors Brewing Company TAP is one of the worlds largest global brewers with a broad portfolio of over 40 brands. Its earnings estimate for the current year improved 2.4% over the last 30 days.The company has an expected revenues growth rate of 46.8% for the current year. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV BUD is the leading global brewer and one of the world's top five consumer products companies. Its earnings estimate for the current year improved 3.8% over the last 30 days.The company has an expected revenues growth rate of 4.1% for the current year. Zacks' Best Investment Ideas for Long-Term Profit Today you can gain access to long-term trades with double and triple-digit profit potential rarely available to the public. Starting now, you can look inside our stocks under $10, home run and value stock portfolios, plus more. Want a peek at this private information? Click here >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report MOLSON COORS-B (TAP): Free Stock Analysis Report ANHEUSER-BU ADR (BUD): Free Stock Analysis Report CONSTELLATN BRD (STZ): Free Stock Analysis Report CRAFT BREW ALLN (BREW): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off in the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday and that is either a good or bad thing. It could be a good thing because itll be one more chance to actually see whether they come out on the issues, which is, after all, the reason that there are debates in the first place. The Commission on Presidential Debates has announced that the topics of their final face off will be debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and fitness to be president. It could be a bad thing because, if the first two debates are any guide, its unlikely that viewers will come away thinking this has been some great, informational exercise in democracy. Rather, the debates so far have been so full of outlandish moments that are a goldmine for Saturday Night Live and late-night satire. Just the presence of fitness to be president among the topics all but invites acrimonious exchanges between Clinton and Trump. Last time the pressing drama was whether Trump would bring up Bill Clintons past (he did); this time, hes already suggested that shes been taking performance-enhancing drugs. Will he challenge her to take a drug test on the spot? Heres what to look out for at the debate, which begins at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday and airs live from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Chris Wallace. For the first time, a Fox News personality will be moderating a general election presidential debate. Undoubtedly, progressives will keep a close eye on what questions he asks and the extent to which he fact checks. If people say, it was a great debate and I dont remember you being there, I will have done my job, said Wallace told Fox News this week. But despite efforts by the progressive group Media Matters for America to get the commission to reconsider him, Wallace actually has a history of aggressive followup questions to Trump and Clinton. Expect plenty of outcry from either side if Wallace is a mere shrinking violet. Story continues Rigged Election. Trumps claim that the election is rigged against him, and that there is a media collusion with Hillary Clinton to hand the election her way, has triggered alarm that were he to lose, he would not concede, or that there will be disruption on Election Day. President Obama on Tuesday mocked Trumps attacks on the voting process, while plenty of journalists have pointed out just how difficult it would be to organize a conspiracy to game the results, and how relatively few cases there have been recently of voter fraud. If Wallace doesnt ask the question, Clinton probably will, in keeping with her strategy to question Trumps temperament. But this also will be a national platform for Trump to spread that message, as he has at his campaign rallies, as he pursues an increasingly us-against-them strategy, even if it means characterizing non-partisan government institutions as being part of the corrupt elite establishment. The Emails. At the first debate, Clinton gave a succinct apology over her handling of State Department emails. At the second, she went into a bit more detail over what she knew about classification. Its likely that it will come up again, what with the FBIs latest release of interview notes from their investigation into her use of a private server. What has triggered alarms is the use of the phrase quid pro quo in the notes to describe a State Department officials request to the FBI to declassify one of the emails on her server. Trump has cited the document as proof that her campaign was in collusion with the State Department and the FBI to avoid prosecution although there is no evidence of that. The FBI and the State Department deny that some kind of exchange was ever even offered. The Clinton campaign has characterized it as a relatively common dispute between two government bureaucracies over classification. Still, the onus will be on Clinton to explain that in a simple way as well as to respond to almost certain Trump attacks based on the steady stream of WikiLeaks releases from hacked emails from her campaign. Climate change. The past few days have seen a flurry of groups lobbying for their questions to be asked in the debate, and a topic that so far hasnt been broached is any query about climate change. Given the priority it has been with the current administration, itd be a glaring oversight, particularly since there are wide gulfs between the Clinton and Trump positions. One group, the Open Debate Coalition, pressed the moderators of the second debate, Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, to draw from a list of debate questions that were submitted and voted on by the public. Although Raddatz asked one of their questions, about a WikiLeaks release, they did not ask their top question, Would you support requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales? Undaunted, two of the coalition members, Adam Green and Grover Norquist, visited Wallace last week to urge him to ask the top queries. The Audience. At the second debate, Trump not only invited four of Bill Clintons accusers to sit in the audience, but he also held a pre-debate press conference with the women 90 minutes before it was to begin. Several news outlets reported on Tuesday that Trump would be bringing Obamas half brother Malik, a Trump supporter, to the third debate. The announcement came just hours after Obama said at a press conference that Trump should stop whining. I have never seen in my lifetime or in modern political history, any presidential candidate trying to discredit the elections and the election process before votes have even taken place, Obama said. Itll be another stunt, and perhaps part of Trumps legacy whether he wins or loses new attention to who participants invite to the debate, whether to throw off their opponent or to make a point during the event itself. As for the rest of the audience viewers the question is whether this debate will approach the hefty numbers of the first two. There was a big drop off in ratings from the first debate to the second: 84 million viewers to 67 million, according to Nielsen averages. In 2012, the audience for the debates between Obama and Mitt Romney gradually dropped off, from first to third. But that was a relatively tame race compared to this one, and a significant fall off in ratings could signal just how much Americans are turned off by the hyper negative campaign. This may be the last debate between Clinton and Trump, but it wont be their final meeting before the election. On Thursday, they are both scheduled to attend the Al Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York an event that has in the past been an opportunity for presidential candidates to engage in some friendly quips about the other. Well see how that comes off this time around. Related stories Julian Assange Has Internet Cut Off After Clinton Email Leak People Magazine: 6 Others Corroborate Writer's Story of Trump's Attack Helen Mirren Dismisses Donald Trump: 'Enormous Body, Small Head' Damascus (AFP) - Around 620 rebels and their families began evacuating a besieged town southwest of the Syrian capital on Wednesday under a deal with the government, a local official told AFP. "The buses of rebels have begun moving," said Hassan Ghandour, a member of the local committee overseeing the deal in Moadamiyat al-Sham. He said the buses held rebels as well as their family members and would head to Idlib province, northwest of Damascus. Moadamiyet al-Sham has been under a devastating government siege since early 2013. Syria's government has championed such local deals -- which typically see rebels evacuated in exchange for an end to their encirclement -- as a way to bring stability to the war-ravaged country. Another member of the local reconciliation committee who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity said the evacuees -- rebels and civilians -- numbered 2,100 people. Any remaining rebels would hand themselves in to Syrian authorities "to have their status regularised," the member said. "Then, the Syrian army will enter the town and state institutions will return to it. Infrastructure like water and electricity networks will be repaired beginning on Sunday," the member added. More than 300,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. Michelle Obama is going out with a bang sartorially speaking, that is. During the final state dinner hosted by the Obama White House, for Italy, the first lady dazzled in a fireworks of a dress. Custom-made for her by Atelier Versace, the rose gold gown is made entirely of chain mail and features an off-the-shoulder strap as well as bodice ruching and flattering draping. The Versace gown isnt the only amazing gown FLOTUS has worn at state dinners. Throughout the nearly eight years she has been in the White House, the Obamas have hosted 13 events for foreign dignitaries, with the first lady making a fashion statement at every single one. Abbott Laboratories ABT is an Illinois-based company focused on bringing a diverse line of healthcare products to the market. Abbott Labs reports its diversified business in four segments namely Established Pharmaceuticals Division (EPD), Medical Devices, Diagnostics and Nutrition. The company has reshaped its portfolio through strategic acquisitions/divestitures in recent times. It has also been taking strategic steps to expand its footprint in the growing geographies and investing in R&D, which has resulted in numerous new product launches across its businesses. In Feb 2015, Abbott completed the sale of its branded generics pharmaceuticals business in developed markets. Realignment of the EPD division through acquisitions in Latin America and Russia, along with business divestitures in developed markets, has positioned the company well for the coming quarters. However, unfavorable movement in foreign currency rates is affecting the top line adversely. Abbott Labs has an impressive track record as the company beat estimates in the last four trailing quarters with an average positive earnings surprise of 3.11%. ABBOTT LABS Price and EPS Surprise ABBOTT LABS Price and EPS Surprise | ABBOTT LABS Quote Currently, Abbott Labs has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), but that could definitely change following the companys earnings report which was just released. We have highlighted some of the key stats from this just-revealed announcement below: Earnings: Our consensus called for EPS of 58 cents per share, while the company reported EPS of 59 cents (from continuing operations excluding one-time items). Revenue: Abbott Labs posted revenues of $5.3 billion, in line with our expectations. Key Stats: The recent launches of FreeStyle Libre and MitraClip have boosted the performance. Foreign currency exchange rate movements negatively impacted sales by 1.1%. The company expects 2016 earnings per share in the range of $2.19 per share to $2.21 per share (excluding specified items). Check back later for our full write up on this Abbott Labs earnings report later! Confidential from Zacks Beyond this Analyst Blog, would you like to see Zacks' best recommendations that are not available to the public? Our Executive VP, Steve Reitmeister, knows when key trades are about to be triggered and which of our experts has the hottest hand.Click to see them now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ABBOTT LABS (ABT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. EXCLUSIVE: The 2016 financial thriller feature Equity is headed to the small screen as a drama series, which has landed at ABC with a script commitment plus penalty. The adaptation hails from The Strain executive producer Regina Corrado and film and TV producer Amy Pascal. Sony TVs TriStar Television is the studio. Written by Corrado, Equity is set in the cutthroat world of investment banking. It centers on Naomi Bishop played in the movie by Anna Gunn a Wall Street banker who is navigating a world where big money and high-power reign, and women have yet to break the glass ceiling. With an aggressive prosecutor on her heels, and a strained relationship with an ambitious junior executive, Naomi is forced to reexamine the male dominated world in which she lives. Corrado executive produces with Pascal Pictures Amy Pascal and Rachel OConnor and the movies producers Alysia Reiner and Sarah Megan Thomas. Equity stood out when it premiered at this years Sundance Film Festival. Written, directed and produced by an all-female team, Equity featured main players who were all women while being set in a world heavily dominated by men, Wall Street. The auspices behind the TV series adaptation also are all female. The film, directed by Meera Menon and written by Amy Fox, was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics shortly before its Sundance premiere and was released this past summer to solid reviews. (watch a trailer below) The series adaptation was developed with Corrado at TriStar TV, which has female-centered shows as one of its focus areas. (TriStars first series since the labels revival is Amazons upcoming drama Good Girls Revolt, about young women working for a news program in the 1960s who fight against sexual discrimination.) It was TriStar TV head Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs who brought the project to Sony-based Pascal Pictures. Corrado is coming off a tw0-year stint as executive producer on FXs The Strain, working alongside executive producer/showrunner Carlton Cuse who also recruited her as a writer-producer on his A&E drama series The Returned. Corrado, whose resume is dominated by testosterone-heavy series, started her career on David Milchs Deadwood and John Fran Cincinnati and also worked on FXs Sons of Anarchy for four seasons. She is repped by WME and Zero Gravity Management. Story continues Also at ABC, Pascal Pictures and Sony TV have multi-generational soap American Heritage, from writer Taylor Hamra, which too has a script commitment plus penalty.. Reiner and Thomas of Broad Street Pictures are reped by CAA, which also handled the sale of the movie to Sony Pictures Classic. Related stories ABC Nabs Legal Drama From Shondaland & 'Scandal' Writer With Big Commitment ABC Developing Family Comedy From Eva Longoria & 'Telenovela' Creators ABC To Stack All Episodes Of This Season's New Series Milan (AFP) - Cameroon forward Vincent Aboubakar hit a brace as Ricardo Quaresma-inspired Besiktas ended Napoli's dreams of making Champions League history with a 3-2 win at the San Paolo on Wednesday. Napoli welcomed the Turkish champions knowing a third consecutive win in Group B, along with a draw between Dinamo Kiev and Benfica, would secure their entry to the last 16 with three games to spare and set a new competition record. But despite a promising start, Maurizio Sarri's men were wasteful in front of goal and paid the price for a glaring Jorginho blunder that saw 24-year-old Aboubakar give the visitors a 2-1 lead by the 38th minute. Napoli clawed their way back when Manolo Gabbiadini, demoted to the bench after 3-1 defeat to Roma last weekend, struck the leveller on 69 minutes after Lorenzo Insigne had missed from the spot shortly after the restart. But Napoli failed to capitalise on further chances and paid the ultimate price when Aboubakar headed Quaresma's delivery past Pepe Reina four minutes from the end. Besiktas' first group win since 2009 kept them in second place to sit just one point behind Napoli, whose next game in the competition is an away trip to the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul next month. Coach Senol Gunes said: "It wasn't east paying against the top team in the group. They have such a strong attack, so we made a few tweaks and worked really hard on our defensive game. "Napoli played well but we did well to score first and then we played on the counter-attack. It's a great win, I'm very happy." Napoli will have to wait longer than anticipated before booking their place in the knockout phase, and Belgian forward Dries Mertens, drafted in as a replacement for injured Poland striker Arkaduisz Milik, was among the most disppointed. "It's horrible to lose like this. We left everything out there, but we were unlucky," he told Premium Sport, "Physically and mentally we were fine... but they had three chances to score and put them away. Missing Milik wasn't the problem. We had plenty of chances." Story continues Mertens was handed a rare start in the striker's role and although he was their biggest culprit he soon vindicated Sarri's decision to leave Gabbiadini on the bench with a series of early chances, notably firing just over from 12 yards. But Besiktas breached the Napoli net after just 12 minutes when Adriano powered through to fire Quaresma's superbly-weighted ball past Pepe Reina. Mertens went on to miss three times in succession to pull the hosts level, notably glancing a header wide from Lorenzo Insigne's smart delivery on 29 minutes. Th Belgian finally made good a minute later when he powered past his marker to meet Callejon's perfectly-weighted delivery from the right to sidefoot past Fabri from close range. But eight minutes later Aboubakar pounced on an incredibly poor passback by Jorginho to beat Reina for a 38th minute lead. Wasteful in open play, Napoli were also off target in dead ball situations. When Fabri fouled Mertens in the area the referee pointed to the spot, but the Besiktas 'keeper recovered to stop Insigne's tame effort four minutes after the restart. Gabbiadini replaced Insigne on 65 minutes and four minutes later coolly stepped up to show his club-mate how it is done, beating Fabri from the spot after Caner Erkin had fouled Mertens. Napoli could have wrapped up a great comeback win but Gabbiadini was ruled offside after beating Fabri at the second attempt and Mertens fired a sizzling shot wide of the far post after outfoxing his marker. The hosts paid the price in the 86th minute when Aboubakar rose at the far post to meet Quaresma's delivery to beat Reina for the second time. PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / October 19, 2016 / Wearing a seatbelt is required by law and is just good common sense. If you're involved in a car accident the chances are very good that the seat belt may prevent injuries or reduce their severity. If you choose not to use one, are involved in an accident and injured, different states handle the issue differently when it comes to lawsuits so you'll need advice on what to do from Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear. Pennsylvania and New Jersey take different approaches but in neither state does a failure to wear a seat belt prevent someone injured in a motor vehicle accident from filing a legal claim for compensation for injuries, but it may effect the outcome of the claim. In Pennsylvania, by state statute, whether or not a person in an accident used a seat belt is not relevant and has no impact on the case. Evidence of a person's failure to use a seat belt can't be used as evidence in a civil case. It's more complicated in New Jersey, says car accident attorney Spear. There is no New Jersey statute spelling out how the situation should be handled so that's been left up to the state's courts to decide. New Jersey is a comparative negligence state so even if a person is partially responsible for an accident and/or injuries, that doesn't prevent him or her from obtaining damages (money awarded as compensation for injuries and their effects). The fact a person wasn't using a seat belt can't be used as evidence when a judge or jury decides liability (or who is to blame for the accident) but it may be used as evidence when damages are calculated. Depending on the circumstances and the evidence produced at trial damages may be reduced. That's why it's so important to have a car accident lawyer on your side. The defendant has the burden of producing evidence the plaintiff was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The defendant must next show which injuries were caused by the accident and which ones were caused or worsened by the fact a seat belt wasn't used. It would be up to the defendant to show first collision injuries, which are injuries that would have happened whether or not the injured party used a seat belt. Story continues Second collision injuries, or add-on or enhanced injuries, which are those that the use of a seat belt may have prevented or reduced. If there is sufficient evidence to allow a judge or jury to divide a victim's injuries and damages by isolating the second collision or seat belt damages, they would have to decide the value of those damages. This could be a complex challenge and an accident injury attorney may utilize accident reconstruction experts laying out how the accident occurred, what forces impacted the plaintiff's vehicle, where and how strongly, as well as how the plaintiff struck the interior of the vehicle, and medical experts testifying on which injuries resulted from the initial collision and which ones would've been prevented or lessened if a seat belt was used. If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident, weren't using seat belts and were injured in an accident you should still seek legal advice about how to protect your legal rights. If the accident happened in Pennsylvania, seat belt use is not an issue. If it occurred in New Jersey damages may be reduced but if the other party is found liable you might still be awarded damages. If you or a family member were injured in a motor vehicle accident in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, contact Philadelphia car accident lawyer Rand Spear today at 888-373-4LAW or through his website for a free consultation. You can discuss what happened, how the law may apply and your best options for obtaining compensation for your injuries. source: http://randspear.com/2016/10/17/accident-no-seat-belts-need-speak-car-accident-lawyer/ SOURCE: Rand Spear via Submit Press Release 123 The ACLU of Michigan has sued Flint Community Schools, the Genesee Intermediate School District and the Michigan Department of Education over what it claims is inadequate service for students in the wake of the Flint water crisis. After 30,000 children were exposed to lead in Flint, the ACLU of Michigan says schools have violated the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by not providing adequate screenings and referrals for children with learning disabilities. Lead exposure can lead to such disabilities, as well as developmental delays and behavioral problems, CNN reports. The lawsuit notes 11 families with children who suffer from learning disabilities but were not evaluated for special education. It also claims such children often face suspension or expulsion instead of treatment. The governors office, Genesee Intermediate School District and Flint Community Schools all said they do not comment on pending litigation, although both school districts superintendents said they were committed to helping students and families. The governors office pointed out that increased funding had allowed the districts to hire more school nurses and open an early childhood program. The Michigan Department of Education declined to comment. [CNN] BERLIN, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Activist investor Petrus Advisers on Wednesday criticised a 25 euro per share offer for German roof tile maker Braas Monier from U.S. rival Standard Industries as too low in an open letter to Standard Industries owner 40 North. * "40 North's offer is a mistake," London-based Petrus writes in a letter to 40 North, published on its website. * Standard Industries' offer for Braas Monier values it at about 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion) including debt. The German company has rejected the offer as too low. * The Petrus letter says that "25 euros per share substantially undervalues Braas Monier even before taking into account the synergies 40 North wants to reap". * Petrus holds a little less than 3 percent of Braas Monier, a source close to the matter said. It would have to declare its stake only when it passes the 3 percent threshhold. * Petrus said it will not tender its shares at 25 euros and sees a price of between 28.50 euros and 31 euros as acceptable. (Reporting by Alexander Huebner; Writing by Victoria Bryan; Editing by David Goodman) GRAND ISLAND The Hall County Board of Supervisors has approved a nearly $75,000 settlement with a former county corrections department employee who accused jail managers of sexual harassment and unfair treatment of female employees. A lawsuit filed on behalf of Sgt. Debb Rea in May said her civil rights were violated by former Corrections Director Fred Ruiz and Assistant Director Jimmy Vann. The suit says female employees were subjected to harsher discipline, referred to in an offensive manner, directed to engage in conduct for the director's sexual enjoyment and denied promotions to qualified female employees while promoting unqualified male employees. Ruiz and Vann were fired by the County Board in August 2015 after Rea sent a letter to commissioners outlining her concerns and the county hired an attorney to investigate the jail. The letter was submitted after she was "constructively discharged" in 2015 after working at the jail for 30 years. The lawsuit asked for her to be reinstated, along with back pay and additional compensation for emotional and punitive damages. A county response to the lawsuit said Rea was offered her job back soon after Ruiz and Vann were fired, but she declined the offer. She later asked for a jury trial but was denied because she was not entitled to one based on her claims, according to the county. Hall County Attorney Jack Zitterkopf said the settlement includes a nonadmission clause, meaning Ruiz and Vann don't admit any wrongdoing. "Basically this agreement resolves all claims among those four parties up to the date that the agreement becomes effective," he said. In an effort to further streamline its global insurance operations, American International Group Inc. AIG has entered into strategic agreements with Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. This leading global property and casualty insurer and reinsurer will take on American Internationals local commercial and consumer insurance operations in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela and Turkey. American International will also sell to Fairfax renewal rights for the portfolio of local business written by its Central and Eastern European (CEE) operations in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Fairfax will also take over AIGs CEE operating assets and employees. This agreement will make Fairfax the main strategic multinational network partner serving AIGs global clients in these countries. Fairfax will however leverage on American Internationals expertise, claims handling, and reinsurance capabilities. The total cash consideration for the deal is nearly $240 million. AMER INTL GRP Price AMER INTL GRP Price | AMER INTL GRP Quote American International will not be directly involved in this deal but will provide world-class capabilities and outstanding service to its global clients in its key countries via Fairfax. This agreement is yet another effort made by American International to simplify its business structure by shedding assets. Last month, sources reported that Ascot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., the Lloyds of London insurer tied to American International Group Inc. will be bought by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The deal, valued at $1.1 billion, would fetch American International $240 million for its 20% share in business and ownership of a related unit in the deal. The company has undertaken several divestures in a bid to make the company leaner. American International, which was a victim of the financial crisis in 2008, and was rescued by the government has generated funds more than $90 billion in funds by selling assets and businesses since then. Story continues The companys restructuring initiatives gathered steam in recent months after its CEO, Peter Hancock came under attack by the investor Carl Icahn last year November, via a letter in which he created pressure on the former to slim down the massive company by dividing it into three parts property and casualty, life and mortgage insurance. According to Icahn, these three businesses were so diverse that they together provided little or no synergistic effect. Also, the companys mammoth size acted as a hindrance in its own path to progress as evident by its underperformance from the past several years. Though the company has taken numerous divestures since 2008, it could not generate the anticipated returns. The company has therefore taken a series of steps since Nov 2015, after Peter Hancock was threatened to be replaced from his job. In the beginning of 2016, the company announced that it will return $25 billion to its shareholders over two years. In view of this, in August, the company announced that it will sell its mortgage insurance unit United Guaranty Corporation to Arch Capital Group Ltd. ACGL for $3.4 billion. Also, last month, the company completed the sale of its Taiwan unit. In May, the company also completed the sale of Advisor Group to investment funds affiliated with Lightyear Capital LLC. Other steps taken recently to drive up returns from the company include the announcement of a new share buyback plan to authorize the repurchase of additional shares with an aggregate purchase price of up to $3.0 billion. Prior to this, in Feb 2016, it authorized an additional $5 billion in share repurchases. The company also raised its quarterly dividend by 14%. Moreover, the company formed a new Executive Leadership Team structure comprising 10 heads all veterans in their respective fields to work toward attaining the strategic priorities of the company. Several jobs were slashed, including those at senior positions in the company in order save cost. Currently, AIG carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-placed stocks from the same sector are MGIC Investment Corp. MTG and Prudential Financial Inc. PRU. Prudential is expected to report third-quarter earnings on Nov 2. It has an Earnings ESP of +0.40% and carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here . MGIC Investment with a Zacks Rank # 2 reported third-quarter earnings of 25 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 17 cents. Confidential from Zacks Beyond this Analyst Blog, would you like to see Zacks' best recommendations that are not available to the public? Our Executive VP, Steve Reitmeister, knows when key trades are about to be triggered and which of our experts has the hottest hand. Click to see them now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AMER INTL GRP (AIG): Free Stock Analysis Report MGIC INVSTMT CP (MTG): Free Stock Analysis Report PRUDENTIAL FINL (PRU): Free Stock Analysis Report ARCH CAP GP LTD (ACGL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Airbnb On Wednesday, Airbnb released a new set of rules to guide homesharing in New York City. But with the bill that could cap Airbnb's business in the city sitting on Governor Cuomo's desk, Airbnb's move could be too little, too late. Airbnb, the homesharing platform worth around $30 billion, says its new rules go further to regulate homesharing in New York than its rules in any other city, and it touts them as "comprehensive reform" that brings housing regulations into the 21st century. Airbnb's global head of public policy Chris Lehane even goes so far as to compare what Airbnb is doing to the rise of the automobile, which outpaced existing laws. But now that the Airbnb bill has been called to Cuomo's desk and the governor has until Oct. 29 to veto it, sign it, or do nothing which would effectively sign it into law Airbnb's new rules might be a "Hail Mary" pass to save itself at the 11th hour. The law The proposed law in question arrived on Cuomo's desk on Tuesday, meaning that the governor now has 10 days to make his decision. The bill passed in both houses of the New York State Legislature in June. AP395425175864 The bill is a follow-on to a 2010 law that bans rentals of less than 30 days in a multi-unit building if the tenant is not present, which was aimed at cracking down on illegal hotels. The 2016 bill bans the advertising of such rentals, meaning that hosts could not list a full apartment for rent on Airbnb for less than 30-day increments. Hosts caught listing their unit would be fined up to $7,500 more than most hosts in New York make in a year. The reaction Airbnb claims that the law is harmful to the middle class and would impose harsh penalties on its hosts, 96% of whom are hosts with one listing who rent their space 41 nights a year on average, Airbnb says. "Its baffling to us in this time period of economic inequality that folks would be looking to impose fines as high as $7,500 on a middle class person looking to use the home that they live in to help make ends meet," Lehane said during a call with reporters on Wednesday. "Those who want to be on the right side of history really need to understand whats at stake here." Story continues But proponents of the new law have argued the opposite, saying that Airbnb is responsible not only for gentrifying neighborhoods, but for contributing to the city's lack of affordable housing. Advocates for the bill say that commercial operators are listing vacant apartments for short-term rentals on the app, rather than making them available to tenants for long-term leases. In June, a report titled "Short Changing New York City" was released, which stated that rental rates are rising most quickly in neighborhoods where Airbnb is popular, and that Airbnb is responsible for gentrifying predominantly minority neighborhoods. The study was commissioned by advocates for affordable housing. At the time, Airbnb pushed against that report, saying it had taken down 2,233 listings within the last year that appearded to come from hosts listing multiple homes that "could impact long term housing availability." The report states that Airbnb removed 1,585 listings in Manhattan, 464 in Brooklyn and 126 in Queens. The new rules Airbnb is introducing five new rules in its proposal, which the company titled "Sharing for a Stronger New York": One host, one home Starting Nov. 1, Airbnb is rolling out new technology that will prevent hosts from listing more than one home in the city. Simple, mandatory registration Airbnb plans to create an online registration system for its hosts similar to its system in Chicago. Airbnb says the mandatory registration process in San Francisco is "an onerous, paperbased registration system" and the New York system would be quick and straightforward. Making home sharing work for all Landlords will be able to use part of the revenue from an Airbnb rental for building maintenance. Good neighbor rules Airbnb will implement a "three strikes" rule that would bar hosts from renting their property if they violate city or state laws Pay tourist taxes to support affordable housing Hosts in New York would pay all local and state lodging taxes, which Airbnb estimates would generate $90 million per year in New York State. Airbnb already collects taxes in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The rules are aimed at making it tougher for commercial operators to list their available apartments on the site and to ensure that those listing their homes are regular, middle class people "just trying to make ends-meet." So why is Airbnb publishing these rules now, when they could have done so earlier on, perhaps avoiding this government scuffle? "Any number of the policies that are represented here on this document are policies that weve been talking about for some time in New York," Lehane said. "We put them all on this one piece of paper here so folks can see them and package them together. These are all things that we can substantively solve for." Chris Lehane But the bill's sponsor, Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, told Bloomberg that the new rules are a last-minute attempt to negotiate a better deal. "Airbnbs entire business model is predicated on breaking the law," she said. "At the 11th hour theyre desperate to change the narrative, and we do not negotiate in newspapers, in the press, and especially with the lawbreakers." What's next Airbnb has threatened to sue the state if the bill is signed into law, writing in a formal letter to Cuomo in September that it "would have no choice but to immediately file suit against the State of New York and ask a court to declare the statute invalid and unenforceable as well as to award any damages and fees as appropriate." Josh Meltzer, head of public policy in New York, said Wednesday that Airbnb will keep working on the problem, whether the bill is passed or not. "Regardless of the outcome, our work on this issue continues," Meltzer said. "We look at this bill as not really addressing the problem here, which is making sure that regular New Yorkers who are sharing their home occasionally to make some extra money to make ends meet are protected while we target enforcement at the commercial operators who are really running illegal hotels and taking housing off the market." It's unclear how much Airbnb stands to lose if the bill passes, but New York is Airbnb's second-biggest market. As of June 1, there were 41,373 total active listings in New York's five boroughs and 22,253 of those were entire homes, which are not legal, according to the 2010 law. If those homes can no longer be listed on the app if the bill passes, Airbnb could stand to lose half their listings in New York. Since the company makes as much as 15% off each listing between 6% and 12% from guests and 3% from hosts this could be a significant financial blow to the company. But for now, Lehane seems unconcerned about the hit Airbnb might take in 10 days. The company is successfully regulating its hosts in cities around the globe, he said, and is confident that lawmakers and advocacy groups in New York will accept Airbnb's new rules, too. "At the end of the day, if Havana, Cuba, can figure this out, it seems to me that New York City ought to be able to figure this out," Lehane said. NOW WATCH: A popular 'Westworld' fan theory tries to explain the identity of the 'Man in Black' More From Business Insider By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Airbnb promoted a series of policy proposals on Wednesday that the home rental company said would address concerns raised by officials in New York and San Francisco over how the company operates. Lawmakers in both cities have accused Airbnb of exacerbating an affordable housing crisis by encouraging property owners to remove long-term rentals from the market. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is currently considering a bill that would fine hosts $7,500 for listing units on the site that run afoul of local rental limits. He has until Oct. 29 to approve the law or veto it. San Francisco passed an ordinance earlier this year that would fine Airbnb and similar services $1,000 each time they process a booking from an unregistered host. Airbnb asked a San Francisco federal judge to strike down that law, and a ruling could come at any time. In a statement released on Wednesday, Airbnb touted a company policy that allows hosts to register only one home on the platform. The platform will automatically prevent hosts in New York and San Francisco from listing multiple units starting Nov. 1. "This will help to ensure that home sharing does not remove permanent housing from the rental market," the company said. Additionally, Airbnb proposed establishing a "three strikes" policy that would bar a host from the platform if they repeatedly violate local regulations. Airbnb also said it has worked with several cities and states around the United States to collect lodging taxes, and proposed that online platforms be authorized to collect and remit taxes from guests on their hosts' behalf. (Reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Bill Trott) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f252951%2f916a6c953c294b5f9f0139649495e549 On Wednesday night, the United States (and the world) will be subjected to one final presidential debate, the 26th debate overall of a long, exhausting, trying election cycle. SEE ALSO: 11 things to watch instead of the final presidential debate And, no, that's not a typo. There have been 26 debates in this election cycle and it was almost even longer thanks to a few primary debate cancelations. All told, there were 12 GOP primary debates, 10 Democratic primary debates, three presidential debates and 1 vice-presidential debate spread across 440 days. And there are still 20 days to go until Election Day. Here at Mashable, we've covered the election in a variety of ways but as the grueling process comes to an end, it's a good time for reflection. And with there being as many debates as there are letters in the alphabet, using words (the best words!) to describe this election cycle is the surest way to get our feelings across. A is Alt-Right The long toiling members of the alt-right have found in Trump a man they can embrace for his anti-immigration stance and his willingness to indulge in conspiracy theories (like the ones about Hillary Clinton's health). Will they continue to have a voice going forward? Sure, the internet indulges racist conspiracy theorists but a movement that embraces a cartoon frog probably doesn't have much of a chance for long term success. B is for Billy Bush Who in a million years would have thought that Billy Bush would be the member of the Bush family that would derail Trump's presidential campaign? With Trump already reeling from a poor performance in the first debate with Hillary Clinton, the tape of the vulgar 2005 conversation between Bush and Trump was another blow to an already teetering campaign. Story continues C is for Cinco de Mayo Never forget the most famous taco bowl ever consumed on top of a photo of an ex-wife. Happy #CincoDeMayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics! https://t.co/ufoTeQd8yA pic.twitter.com/k01Mc6CuDI Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2016 D is for Deplorables Even though Trump's behavior means Hillary Clinton should probably be way ahead in the polls, she's occasionally gotten in her own way, like when she insulted Trump supporters by calling them "deplorable." The insult has been embraced by Trump's Twitter troll force and thrown right back at her millions and millions of times. E is for Emails The ongoing controversy with Hillary Clinton and her email services has been a major storyline, particularly for Trump. While Bernie Sanders didn't give a damn, Trump has made it one of the pillars of his attacks on Clinton, even saying that if he were president, Clinton would be in jail because of it. F is for Ferns As in Between Two Ferns, the popular Zach Galifinakis web series. It's hard to top President Barack Obama's previous appearance on the show but Hillary Clinton's Sept. 2016 appearance, in the midst of her campaign, was pretty darn good. Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: Hillary Clinton from Funny Or Die G is for Giuliani One of Trump's most notable surrogates has been former New Yorker mayor Rudy Giuliani. Whether it's forgetting 9/11, forgetting Hillary Clinton was in New York after 9/11, getting owned in TV interviews, or giving an animated convention speech, he's been a noteworthy sideshow to the Trump circus. H is for hands There's nothing wrong with those tiny hands. Trump wants you to know his hands are plenty big and he definitely does not have any problems with anything small. Everything is yuge. Donald Trump knows what you mean when you say he has small hands and he says there's no problem. Nope. #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/7eJzbRDcvJ Mashable News (@MashableNews) March 4, 2016 I is for ISIS Battling ISIS has been at the core of Trump's platform, though his history on the terrorist organization is, at times, lacking. Not only did he insist Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton co-founded ISIS but he also tried to ding Hillary Clinton for fighting ISIS "[her] whole adult life." ISIS was founded in the early 2000s after the invasion of Iraq. J is for Jeb! If Donald Trump is your drunk uncle and Bernie Sanders is your college professor, then Jeb Bush is your awkward dad who pretends to be mad at you about breaking curfew but, deep down, just doesn't have the energy to give a damn, really. K is for Ken Bone Ken Bone, the red-sweatered undecided voter who captured America's attention during the second presidential debate, learned real quick it's a short fall from "America's sweetheart" to "unsavory fellow." pick up the phone baby you know im ken bone baby pic.twitter.com/eS0o0NVakG Hoodie Allen (@HoodieAllen) October 10, 2016 L is for 'Locker Room Talk' In the fallout from the release of that 2005 tape between Trump and Billy Bush, the Trump campaign has attempted to downplay the incident, insisting it was just "locker room talk" but many people who spend their careers in locker rooms beg to differ. Try again, Donald. M is for Melania While Melania Trump, wife to Donald, has raised eyebrows lately with her fashion choices and stance on online bullying, it will be hard to top the insanity that ensued following the revelation that her GOP convention speech featured passages that seemed cribbed from a speech by First Lady Michelle Obama. N is for the New York Times When the New York Times published the story of two women who accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct, Trump fired back, threatening to sue the legendary newspaper. But the newspaper wasn't just going to take Trump's shots. Oh, no. They, instead, turned to the newspaper's attorneys for a legendary clap-back at a man who has made a thing out of frivolous lawsuits. The response of the New York Times to Trump's lawyers' demand for a retraction and their threats of a libel suit, is magnificent. @nytimes pic.twitter.com/VbgmFfFxwe Alex Andreou (@sturdyAlex) October 13, 2016 O is for Obama After years of being the vocal leader of the so-called "birther" movement, who insist President Obama wasn't born in the United States, Donald Trump finally reversed course, but not without getting a few things wrong along the way. An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that @BarackObama's birth certificate is a fraud. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2012 P is for Pussy Trump is no stranger to the inappropriate use of this word. While most voters will forever remember the aforementioned 2005 tape and Trump's vulgar statement about women, there was also the incident in February 2016 when Trump, still fighting off challenges from other GOP candidates, repeated the word used by a rally-goer to insult opponent Ted Cruz. Truly a new course in crass rhetoric. Q is for (Avenue) Q The cast of Avenue Q probably got pretty close to how most of us feel about Election 2016 with the little ditty called "Donald Trump makes me wanna smoke crack." R is for Robot Rubio Oh Rubio. Poor, poor Rubio. You tried so hard but then you short-circuited under those hot debate lights. 2020 is your year. Really. S is for Skittles One of the sideshows of this election cycle has been the children of Donald Trump (shout out to Tiffany!). Most notably, Donald Trump Jr. made waves when he shared a meme that compared refugees to Skittles. It wasn't only statistically incorrect, but it was made up of plagiarized claims and photos. Additionally, Skittles was not amused, marking one of the rare cases in which a candy has denounced the words of a presidential campaign. T is for Trump In case you forgot the man who was the GOP nominee, Trump's appearances at the convention that coronated him left little doubt. U is for (Trump) University There was a university named after Trump and it turned into a mess and then a legal mess that's still lingering and Trump doesn't think much of the judge who's been presiding over the whole mess. V is for Vladimir Trump has no connection to Russia or its president Vladimir Putin, whom Trump is quite a fan of, at all. Nope. None. Zero. Zilch. Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow - if so, will he become my new best friend? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2013 W is for Wall The alpha and omega of the Trump 2016 campaign: the wall that he wants to build between the United States and Mexico. Nobody wants to pay for it, surprisingly, not even Mexico who, Trump insisted, would pay for it. That said, Trump's plan for the "impenetrable... beautiful" wall sounds just a dragon-filled moat short of a ten-year-old's dream. X is for Xenophobia What's a better way to really get a campaign going then by singling out entire races and religions? As if calling Mexican immigrants rapists weren't enough, Trump announced a plan to ban Muslims from entering the United States. He's walked the proposed ban back since its debut but it came up again in the second presidential debate. The internet then battled back against the xenophobia spreading throughout the campaign with humor. I'd like to report a creeper who stalked a woman on the debate stage tonight. #MuslimsReportStuff Fasiha Khan (@fasihalim) October 10, 2016 Y is for YUUUUUGE When will the Oxford English Dictionary add it? Z is for the Zodiac Killer How much more absurd can you get than the meme accusing Ted Cruz of being the Zodiac Killer that got so big that wife Heidi Cruz had to actually deny it in public? Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte doesnt normally do hats. That said, he has cap firmly in hand during his first official visit to China, where the 71-year-old is engaging in a none-too-subtle attempt to cadge economic concessions from the Asian superpower. The only hope of the Philippines economically, Ill be frank with you, is China, Duterte told the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV in an interview released Wednesday, while describing his visit as the defining moment of my presidency and claiming that a fourth of our population are Chinese descendants. Duterte was elected by a landslide in May polls upon promises to purge the Philippines of crime and corruption within six months. Three months in and more than 3,600 suspected addicts and dealers have been killed, victims of an extrajudicial bloodbath meant to rid the country of drugs. The wave of violence has chilled relations with historic ally Washington, with Duterte unleashing a torrent of expletives at U.S. President Barack Obama as well as senior figures in the U.N. and E.U. in response to criticism of his human-rights record. This is the start of the souring of our relations with America, Duterte told CCTV. China, by contrast, has expressed support for Dutertes war on drugs, seeing an opportunity to mend relations with the nation that had, under former President Benigno S. Aquino III, stood up to Chinas expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, where both nations squabble over ownership of rocks and reefs. Duterte, however, clearly sees economic benefits in softening his nations stance on the disputed islets, flying to Beijing with a phalanx of 250 Philippine business figures. Though his erratic behavior has previously caused the Philippine market to slump, the bourse rallied slightly on Wednesday as news of the Beijing charm offense reached investors. I would say that China deserves the kind of respect that China now enjoys, Duterte told Chinese state news wire Xinhua in an earlier interview. Story continues Whether China will be so easily swayed remains to be seen. He is insightful, down to earth, he could really serve his people, posted one user of Chinas Twitter-like microblog Weibo. Others werent so convinced: We cant rely on him, because he will follow anyone who gives him money, he is good at making use of the relationship between China and America, he bargains everywhere. Duterte, for his part, is pulling out all the stops, telling CCTV, Maybe because Im Chinese, and I believe in sincerity. (His grandfather reportedly hailed from China.) He is certainly sincere about wanting Chinese cash, even beseeching Chinese President Xi Jinping via CCTV to help build a Philippine railroad, saying: If you can find it in your heart to give it to us. With reporting by Yang Siqi / Beijing OMAHA Six rounds of layoffs will reduce the workforce at the Omaha Public Power District's Fort Calhoun nuclear plant to as few as 300 employees. There are currently 570 employees on site. The layoffs will occur over the next 20 months as part of the decommissioning of the plant, which will permanently cease power operations Oct. 24. The first round of cuts is scheduled around Nov. 1, and the next round is set for the first quarter of 2017. The first group of layoffs will be about 60 employees. After the layoffs, the plant will enter Safstor, which is a longer-term decommissioning method where facilities have closed up but not cleaned up until a later time. Mary Fisher, senior director of decommissioning for Fort Calhoun, told regulators Tuesday that employees are aware that layoffs beyond 2017's first quarter could happen sooner or later than called for in the preliminary plan. Fisher said OPPD's policy for the affected employees involves placing them into a career transition workshop, where employees can attend job fairs, receive resume help and gain access to recruiters. Fred Lyon, employee of NRC's Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, said the workshop can help maintain morale at a plant getting ready for permanent shutdown. "If I were a member of the Fort Calhoun staff, I wouldn't want to learn driving into the station while listening to the radio that my job was being eliminated," Lyon said. The decommissioning process includes disassembly and decontamination of equipment, which can take decades. For Good Girls Revolt creator Dana Calvo, it was never a question of whether the story of a band of magazine research girls suing for equal employment opportunities in the 1960s would be relevant. But Calvo couldnt have anticipated some of the developments that would make her series a vital part of a national conversation, like the Republican presidential nominee being accused of sexual misconduct by an increasing number of women. Twenty-seven months ago, it was more like, Amy Schumer was just busting out of the comedy scene and everyone was making noise about hiring more women directors, Calvo told Variety at the Good Girls Revolt premiere event on Tuesday evening in New York City at the Joseph Urban Theater at Hearst Tower. But this toxic campaign tenor has, in a way, provided this relief map for the stories were trying to tell now. Star Anna Camp had a similar reaction. Its definitely super weird, she told Variety. We didnt know Donald Trump was going to make this more relevant and thats not a good thing. Good Girls Revolt is Amazons latest original series, from TriStar TV and Amazon Studios. Its based on the real-life tale of the women of Newsweek in the late 1960s. At Newsweek, researchers put together reporting files for their reporters, who then wrote the stories. Reporters were exclusively men, until a group of female researchers, spurred on by civil rights activist and lawyer Eleanor Holmes Norton, demanded the same opportunities as their male counterparts. They sued Newsweek and won. The kind of discrimination faced by the women of Newsweek in 1969 is still around, Camp continued. Im always reading great scripts where there are, like, seven awesome parts for boys, and two parts for girls, and both of them are half-naked, she said. But perhaps worse still, Camp said, was realizing we now live in a society where the man who could become the leader of the free world feels comfortable spewing some of the lewdest things Ive ever heard anyone say. Story continues Camp co-stars with Erin Darke, Genevieve Angelson, Hunter Parrish, Chris Diamantopoulos, and a host of others. But its not only actors names that might sound familiar to viewers, as some of the characters are plucked straight from real life Grace Gummer plays Nora Ephron and Joy Bryant plays Eleanor Holmes Norton. Reflecting the monochromatic news magazine environment of the late 60s, Bryant is the only member of the main cast whos a person of color. Bryant told Variety shes used to that. I mean Ive always been one of the few, she said. But thats part of this story: The fact that these white women who are privileged and middle class had no idea that they were part of this fight. And it took a sister to let them know that. If it feels at times like were not so far removed from those days of de rigueur sexual harassment and unequal employment, though, Calvo has some words of comfort: I think its growing pains, she said. Whenever you expose things, its painful, but lets shine some sunlight on this. It just takes a regular person standing up for themselves and living with integrity. All 10 episodes of the first season of Good Girls Revolt will debut on Amazon Prime Video on Oct. 28. Related stories Garth Brooks Inks Exclusive Streaming Deal With Amazon Music 'Bosch' Renewed for Season 4 by Amazon Mipcom: Netflix, Amazon Now Rank Among TV's Giants, IHS Markit Says (EXCLUSIVE) After exploring the OJ Simpson trial and its intense media coverage and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the third season of Ryan Murphy's anthology will focus on the famous Italian fashion designer's murder in 1997, US TV network FX has announced. Although its second season is yet to be filmed, "American Crime Story" has already been renewed for a third season. What's even more unusual in the world of TV, is that the theme of the true crime anthology's third 10-episode stint has already been unveiled: the murder of Gianni Versace. The founder of the Italian fashion house, Versace, was found dead July 15, 1997, in front of his Miami villa, with two bullet wounds to the head. Gianni Versace was the last of the five victims murdered by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. The police were never able to establish his true motives, however, as the killer took his own life eight days after the event. The Versace/Cunanan affair will be filmed in Los Angeles and Miami in spring 2017, at the same time as the anthology's second season, focusing on the damage caused by hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in August 2005. The second season is due to air in 2017, one year ahead of season three, due to land on FX in 2018. Ryan Murphy is currently in the process of casting this third season. The series creator, who's also set to direct the first episode, is searching for actors to play Gianni Versace and his sister Donatella, who has a major role in the upcoming dramatization. British novelist Tom Rob Smith ("Child 44") will pen the script, with the help of Vanity Fair journalist Maureen Orth's book "Vulgar Favors." "American Crime Story" launched on FX in February this year, and proved a TV hit with its first season tackling the trial of OJ Simpson and the surrounding media frenzy. Cuba Gooding Jr, John Travolta, David Schwimmer and Courtney B. Vance starred in the 10-episode debut season, which scooped nine Emmy Awards in September, including "Outstanding Limited Series." Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f252087%2ftrumpthumbdebate What surprises will Donald Trump have in store for us during tonight's debate? Only time will tell, but in true Trump fashion the Republican candidate is bringing yet another surprising and somewhat confusing debate guest, Barack Obama's Kenyan-born half-brother, Malik. SEE ALSO: Trump invites Obama's half-brother on stage, but nobody knows why Trump made waves during the second debate after he was accompanied by three women who had accused former president Bill Clinton of inappropriate sexual behavior Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick along with Kathy Shelton, whose alleged rapist was defended by Clinton in the past. Many find Trump's debate guests puzzling, considering the fact that his opponent is in fact Hillary Clinton, and not her husband Bill or President Barack Obama. Also perplexing is that Trump's selection of debate guests has the sole purpose of causing provocation. In the past, these guest spots have been used for family members and prominent supporters. Following the latest news, Americans are joining in. In the latest game of political trivia, Twitter users are deciding who Trump should throw into the mix on Wednesday night. Some people are suggesting Trump invite his brother from another mother, Russian President Vladimir Putin. His favorite person in the world - Putin in the front row glaring at Clinton #TrumpDebateGuests Steven Nelson (@stevennelson899) October 19, 2016 He should just bring Putin & be done w/ it. He can run to the audience when Hilary's speaking & give Putin a neck massage #TrumpDebateGuests Helena Baptiste (@sumbodysbabygrl) October 19, 2016 #TrumpDebateGuests His close friend and ally Vladimir Putin Lori Pope Luther (@LoriPLuther) October 19, 2016 Others feel he should extend an invite to Julian Assange to help bring more attention to Clinton's email scandal. Julian Assange carrying a box with Hillary's missing 33,000 emails & destroyed Blackberry pieces #TrumpDebateGuests Alex Jordan (@alexmjordan) October 19, 2016 And in keeping with Trump's trend, many people are simply suggesting additional figures who play no major role in this election. Cop who wrote Hillary a j-walking ticket in 64'...#TrumpDebateGuests SomeAssNamedCarl (@RealCarlHardt) October 19, 2016 The Hawaiian doctor who remembers President Obama's mom wasn't there when he was born. #TrumpDebateGuests Nicole (@NicoleMT16) October 19, 2016 #trumpdebateguests Chelsea's best friend from kindergarten's mom's ex-boyfriend Arthur Goldman (@AdolfDorf) October 19, 2016 That person who insisted peas in guacamole was a good thing. #TrumpDebateGuests MHarvey (@mharvey816) October 19, 2016 Charles Manson via Skype. #TrumpDebateGuests Glenn Mann (@yourdamnnews) October 18, 2016 A Nickelback cover band #TrumpDebateGuests Crutnacker (@Crutnacker) October 19, 2016 In addition to Malik Obama, reports indicate Trump will also be bringing Patricia Smith, the woman who accused Clinton of "murdering" her son, Benghazi victim Sean Smith, to the debate. Whatever happens, it's bound to be an interesting night. Two Americans were killed and three wounded in an attack by an Afghan soldier at a military base near Kabul on Wednesday, in what appears to be the first such attack since April 2015, when an Afghan soldier killed an American soldier and wounded two more at the governors compound in Jalalabad, Nangarhar. If the shooting is confirmed to be an attack by an Afghan soldier on coalition personnel also known as green-on-blue attack, after the color coding assigned different forces it would recall a particularly dark period in the 15-year U.S. and NATO effort there where such attacks were commonplace. It would also spark fears that a situation military advisors had thought was a relic of years past may return. The attack took place at an ammunition supply point next to an Afghan base in Kabul after U.S. forces arrived for an inspection, Brig. Gen. Charles Cleveland told Foreign Policy on Wednesday. The incident is under investigation, but we think one gunman (who was killed) was involved in the attack, Cleveland said in an email. Among the dead were one U.S. service member and one civilian, while another service member and two other U.S. civilians were wounded but are currently stable, according to a statement from the U.S. military command in Kabul. Gen. John Nicholson, commander of the 7,000 U.S. and 5,000 NATO troops in the country, said that despite the attack, the coalition will continue to pursue our Train, Advise, and Assist mission to help our partners create a better Afghanistan. The Long War Journal has kept an ongoing tally of green-on-blue attacks, which peaked in 2012 when 44 attacks were responsible for the deaths of 61 members of the U.S.-led coalition. The motives for the attacks have varied widely, from assaults carried out by Taliban sympathizers, to soldiers with relatively simple grievances over issues like pay, leave, or disciplinary actions. Other deadly attacks on American and NATO forces have been over perceived failures of American forces to punish Afghan officers guilty of child rape and abuse. Story continues In one case in particular, three unarmed Marines were killed by an underage boy at an outpost in Helmand province in 2012 after an Afghan police officer who had a history of pedophilia was allowed back on the base by U.S. forces. In August 2014, an attack by an Afghan soldier at a training base in Kabul killed Maj. Gen. Harold Greene, the highest-ranked American officer killed in combat since 1970 in the Vietnam War. Photo Credit: WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP/Getty Images By Sudarshan Varadhan (Reuters) - American Express Co raised its 2016 adjusted earnings forecast and reported better-than-expected third-quarter revenue on Wednesday, sending its shares up 5.8 percent in extended trading. The credit card issuer, which has historically catered to upscale consumers, said it plans to increase spending on digital marketing, a strategy that helped it add 1.7 million new card members in the United States this quarter and expand globally. The company raised its full-year adjusted earnings forecast to $5.90-$6.00 per share from $5.40-$5.70 and reaffirmed its 2017 forecast, driven by faster than expected progress on its cost cutting initiatives. Analysts on average had expected the company to earn $5.50 per share in 2016, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. AmEx, which cut total costs by about 3 percent this quarter, wants to save $1 billion by the end of 2017. The year-to-date progress gives us greater confidence to substantially increase our investment spending during the remainder of the year and, at the same time, raise our 2016 earnings guidance," Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Chenault said in a statement. AmEx said it would renew emphasis on its Platinum cards, typically used by wealthy consumers, and on programs meant for customers outside its traditional base. The company has "successfully" shifted towards non co-brand card members who produce good returns although they have a slightly higher write-off rate, Chief Financial officer Jeffrey Campbell said on a conference call with analysts. The company ended a lucrative co-branded contract with Costco Wholesale Corp earlier this year. The portfolio accounted for about 8 percent of the spending on its cards in 2015. Total revenue, net of interest expense, fell 5 percent to $7.77 billion in the three months ended Sept. 30, beating the average estimate for only the third time in the last two years.. Revenue, net of interest expense, rose 5 percent when Costco-related gains were excluded from the third quarter of 2015. Net income attributable to common shareholders fell about 10 percent to $1.11 billion in the third quarter. On a per share basis, AmEx earned $1.20, beating analysts' average estimate of 97 cents per share on revenue of $7.71 billion. AmEx shares, which have fallen 13.6 percent this year, were trading at $64.71 in extended trading on Wednesday. (Reporting By Sudarshan Varadhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Don Sebastian and Grant McCool) steve case AOL founder and current venture capitalist Steve Case has words for Silicon Valley: you won't be the only game in town for much longer. "Last year 75% of VC went into 3 states, California, New York, and Massachusetts, and that's not going to be the case 10 years from now," Case told Business Insider in an interview at Vanity Fair's New Establishment Summit, where he is speaking. The reason: it's no longer enough for a young tech company to specialize in software alone. To thrive, tech startups need to partner with a wide range of companies with specific expertise in the areas they want to conquer, he believes. "This next wave of entrepreneurship, what I call the third wave, is going to require more partnerships," Case said. "The Facebook-Snapchat-Twitter wave is basically about the software and virally spreading it. But if you're trying to impact health care, education, food, energy, transportation, smart cities, driverless cars, they're all going to require partnerships." Those partnerships are more likely to happen in cities with companies that already compete in these industries. As cities to watch, Case pointed out: Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, and St. Louis, Missouri, for farming and agriculture tech . "St Louis is particularly interesting because Monsanto is there, it's now in the process of doing a big merger, I'll bet you there'll be dozens of people, maybe hundreds of people, who leave and do some startup thing, and St Louis will be a hive of activity around ag tech." Albuquerque for water technology. "They have some national labs there, Sandia and Los Alamos, so some of the technology transfer [will be] coming out of those labs." New Orleans for educational tech. "They restarted their school system post-Katrina it's all charter schools, so much more open to innovation. It's attracted a lot of young people, Teach for America people in particular. Some stayed and are now opening up companies that are focused on improving learning in K-12." Pittsburgh for self-driving cars, thanks to Uber. "Uber started in San Francisco, but they're kind of betting their future on Pittsburgh. Partly because of Carnegie Mellon, partly because Pittsburgh is the steel capital making stuff, that's part of their legacy and culture and history." Story continues He also pointed to the example of Florida-based virtual reality startup Magic Leap, which has raised more than $1 billion in venture capital, as an example of how big tech companies no longer need to be started in traditional tech hubs like Silicon Valley. "The conventional wisdom was you could never build an engineering-centric company in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, you had to do it in Silicon Valley, or maybe you could do it in Boston. They've proven that wrong," he said. "Talent is ready to move, capital is ready to flow, we just need more of these tentpole breakout stories that will help accelerate." NOW WATCH: Solve one of these 5 problems to become a billionaire More From Business Insider By Dan Freed Oct 19 (Reuters) - In the latest apparent spoof on a U.S. securities regulator's online filing system, a Chicago-area artist with a fondness for inspirational quotes claimed to have acquired about $88 billion worth of Bank of America Corp shares on Wednesday. The filing did not appear to influence the stock price of the second-largest U.S. bank, which joins companies including Avon Products Inc, Integrated Device Technology Inc and Berkshire Hathaway Inc to have had fake filings attached to their ticker symbols on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Edgar system. While the SEC did not respond to a request for comment and Bank of America declined to comment, securities experts said there was no doubt the filing was a hoax. In it, a company called YNOFACE Holdings Inc purportedly run by Antonio Lee said it had acquired 798.4 million Bank of America shares in an exchange on Aug. 15, and purchased another 4.2 billion common shares and 100 million preferred shares on Sept. 22. The common shares alone would represent nearly half the bank's total market cap. Bank of America's largest shareholder, The Vanguard Group, has roughly 610 million shares, a stake of less than 6 percent. In an earlier filing, YNOFACE said it had implausibly raised over $1 trillion for an art fund. A quick Google search for Lee found several promotional sites describing him as a "world renowned artist, and YouTube celebrity specializing in acrylic painting." A YouTube account characterizes YNOFACE as a company that "acquires, markets, and holds original art as a capital appreciation investment based off the fundamental metrics." Lee's Twitter posts showcase colorful paintings of a beach, elephants in love and a naked person with a bird's head, along with quotes like, "When an artist follows their intuition & dreams, society can only benefit." Its avatar is a painting of a man with a big red question mark over his face. Reuters' attempts to reach Lee were unsuccessful. Story continues While Bank of America appeared unscathed by the apparent scam, past phony filings have had real world consequences. Last year, Avon shares soared 20 percent on a filing about a fake takeover bid. The alleged fraudster was arrested earlier this year. The SEC's vulnerability to phony filings has attracted the attention of Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who wrote to the regulator last year to express his concern. The YNOFACE filing is so bizarre it is more likely a prank than a scam intended to generate profits, according to Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida. "Serious scamsters aren't so amateurish," he said. (Reporting by Dan Freed in New York; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Andrew Hay) EXCLUSIVE: Kris Thykiers Archery Pictures, Iain Softleys Forthcoming Films and Michael Mahers Start Motion Pictures are joining forces to develop Icarus, a feature film about legendary British-American astronaut Mike Foale. K-Pax and The Outcast filmmaker Softley is set to direct the project, which follows the story of Foale and his real-life space adventure in the 1990s during which he overcame a series of crises aboard the Mir space station to become one of NASAs most highly-respected astronauts to date. Story is based on the book Way Station to the Stars, written by Foales father Colin, and first-hand personal accounts of events. Forthcoming and Archery have acquired film rights to the book and exclusive rights to Foales story. Thykier, Maher and Softley will develop and produce. Softley will work with Hunky Dory and Lady Grey writer Laurence Coriat on the current draft of the script, which was adapted from the book and Foales personal recollections by Hilary Thompson. As well as being a close friend, Ive been a great admirer of Iain Softley for my whole working life and Im thrilled to have the opportunity to work with him on Icarus, said Thykier. The story is inspiring, touching and particularly resonant for an audience today. Michael Maher has proven his taste and acumen in his latest feature Passengers, with Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, and I feel honoured to be working alongside of him. Softley said: I have been fascinated with Foales extraordinary story for many years and feel privileged to be working in such close collaboration with him on it. Its combination of the heroism of a space survival adventure with a deeply moving story of love and tragic loss will make for compelling cinema. Im delighted to be working with such experienced and talented producers as Kris and Michael and screenwriters Hilary and Lawrence. Maher added: Mike Foales story is remarkable. Im thrilled to be working with Kris and Iain to bring it to the screen. Story continues Archery is currently in post on John Maddens Miss Sloane, starring Jessica Chastain, which EuropaCorp is releasing in the U.S. on December 9. Its also producing Sky Atlantic Cote dAzur crime series Riviera, written by Neil Jordan, and Peter Kosminskys new four-part drama. Mahers Start Motion Pictures is currently producing Morten Tyldums Passengers for Sony Pictures and is also producing and financing Sean Durkins Janis, starring Michelle Williams. Meanwhile, Forthcoming Films, founded by Softley and producer Sarah Curtis, is currently in development on Daisy Ridley and Naomi Watts starrer Ophelia. Related stories Archery Pictures Sets Sail With 'Four Mums In A Boat' UK Producer Liza Marshall To Exit Archery Pictures 'Miss Sloane' Trailer: Jessica Chastain Takes On The Gun Lobby In Political Thriller Buenos Aires (AFP) - Dressed in black, thousands of Argentines took to the streets Wednesday to protest the brutal rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl, the latest case of violence against women to shock the country. The protesters -- mostly women, but also some men -- marched in memory of Lucia Perez, a high school student who died on October 8 after drug dealers allegedly raped her and impaled her on a spike. "If you touch one of us, we all react," said signs carried by many of the protesters, who staged an hour-long strike starting at 1:00 pm (1400 GMT). It was the latest in more than a year of mass marches to protest violence against women in Argentina, where according to government figures domestic violence kills one woman every 36 hours. Perez's killing was just the latest horrific episode. Last year in June, protests broke out nationwide over a trio of gruesome killings: a kindergarten teacher whose estranged husband slit her throat in front of her class; a 14-year-old girl whose boyfriend allegedly beat her to death because she got pregnant; and a woman whose ex-boyfriend stabbed her to death in broad daylight at a Buenos Aires cafe. "The case of Lucia Perez acted as a trigger to demand justice for all women who suffer sexist violence," said one protester in downtown Buenos Aires, Gabriela Spinelli. Organizers said the goal was to condemn not only Perez's killing, but a culture that values women less than men -- which they said can be seen in statistics such as the unemployment and poverty rates. Brutal rapes are the product of a society where boys are not raised to respect women, said demonstrator Karina Munoz. "A rapist isn't a monster. He's not sick. He's a healthy child of this system, which produces men who don't respect it when women say no," she told AFP. Despite a rain storm that likely dented turnout in Buenos Aires, demonstrators managed to block off several avenues in the capital, as supporters applauded from office buildings. In Spain, hundreds of women protested in solidarity in Madrid and Barcelona. Demonstrations were also held in various cities across Latin America, including Lima and Mexico City. (Reuters) - An Arkansas man suspected of robbing a bank and arranging ahead of time to purchase a used motorcycle for a getaway ended up behind bars after he was arrested by the person who managed the sale, a police officer in uniform, police said on Wednesday. Hunter Chafin, 19, was arrested on Friday on suspicion of stealing $3,350 in cash from a bank in Eureka Springs. After the robbery, he took a taxi about 40 miles (65 km) to Bentonville, where he had arranged before the robbery to buy the motorcycle from a young man, police said As Chafin arrived at the home, so did local police Corporal Steve Vera, who was in uniform and helping his son, who owned the Honda motorcycle, make the sale, police said. Police said Chafin paid for the taxi with $150 in cash taken from the robbery and bought the bike for $2,900 in cash. He had negotiated the price down from $3,200 originally sought by the seller. A few minutes after the sale was complete, Vera received a call that Chafin was a suspect in a bank robbery, and arrested him about 4 miles (6.5 km) from his house, Bentonville Police spokesman Gene Page said. "It was a series of bold steps that really did not pan out for the suspect," Page said. There was no lawyer listed for Chafin in online arrest records. No one was injured in the robbery and police said the remaining $200 he had left in cash from robbery was recovered on the suspect as well as a note used in the robbery. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Frances Kerry) gladiator Black Monday was 29 years ago on Wednesday. When people refer to the events of that October day, they're quick to cite the shocking 508-point plunge or the fact that the three-digit number translated to a 22.6% drop. But those numbers alone don't quite convey the fear that investors and traders felt at the time. In his latest note, veteran trader Art Cashin, the director of floor operations for UBS Financial Services at the New York Stock Exchange, shared what he remembered about the mood on the floor as Black Monday went from bad to worse. He details the frenzy among traders and even recalls a broker soberly alluding to the mythical gladiator's salute, immortalized by Roman historian Suetonius. Via Cashin: "At the time, I was running the floor for PaineWebber. Monday morning I got up well before dawn and saw that Hong Kong was down about 10% and other markets were looking equally weak before their openings. I headed for the NYSE to check on our systems and staffing. I reached out asking the team to get in early. Once I had checked out the systems and verified staffing, I went with a partner up to the Luncheon Club for a quick coffee. With markets around the globe all down about 10%, I didnt know if wed get to a coffee or anything else after we opened. We sat about two tables away from a table where NYSE Chairman John Phelan sat with several directors and some staff. Every ten minutes or so, someone would rush up to Phelan and slip him a note or whisper in his ear. It was evident that things were deteriorating. As I headed for the floor, I went past Phelan's table, put my right arm across my chest and said 'Nos Morituri Te Salutamus Esse'. It was the gladiator's salute to the Emperor 'We, who are about to die, salute you'. Phelan nodded without a smile. [...] Shortly after the opening, as it became clear that this would be a very special and very dangerous day, several NYSE directors met in Chairman Phelan's office. They checked around the street to gauge any new trends in the selling pressure. They were also on the phone with the White House via former Senator Howard Baker, who was White House Chief of Staff. Story continues Meanwhile, back on the floor, the situation felt more unreal. Orders flowed in faster and faster and the tape ran later and later. (The tape was linear and the human eye can only recognize a certain number of symbols per second, 900 I think. To run faster than that would make the tape an unreadable blur. Traders can trade faster than the maximum reading speed so the tape ran late.) One broker said it was like a bizarre dream sequence nothing seemed real." "It was an incredible time and the financial system was within hours (and a few phone calls) of an absolute collapse," he added. "It was a time I'll never forget." Still, remarkably, the stock market didn't die and gross-domestic-product growth never went negative that year. NOW WATCH: Wall Street's unbelievable secret history More From Business Insider From Cosmopolitan Ashton Sachs, 22, was ordered on Friday to spend the rest of his life in jail after he last month pleaded guilty to the murder of his parents and attempted murder of two of his siblings, CBS News reports. When Sachs was originally charged with Andra and Brad Sachss highly publicized deaths in 2014, he maintained his innocence for years; his recent plea change marked another shocking twist in an already-shocking case. Andra and Brad Sachs were real estate and technology moguls who lived in a multi-million-dollar San Juan Capistrano, California, home with their three other children Landon, 8, Lana, 9, and Alexis, 17. Ashton, who was 19 at the time, and his older brother Myles, now 23, were both living in Washington to attend college and manage one of their parents properties there. Originally, both Myles and Sachs provided alibis - and a list of angry former business partners who mightve had motive to commit the crime - for the night of February 9, 2014, but soon after the murders, authorities found a military-style assault rifle in the trunk of Sachss car, leading them to name Sachs as the main suspect in the case. They eventually determined hed driven 18 hours through the night to his parents home, snuck into the house wearing a beanie and gloves at 2 a.m., and shot them each at least 10 times in the face and body. Some of the shots were taken at point-blank range, the OC Register reports. After shooting his parents, Sachs moved on to his siblings. He did not shoot at Lana, who was on a different floor, but he shot at Alexis, who remained unharmed because he missed. He shot Landon in the spine - the boy is now permanently paralyzed. Sachs was back at his home in Washington by the time he and Myles got the noon call that their parents had been killed. Photo credit: CBS Days later, Sachs spoke beautifully at the funeral, according to CBS, saying I really do believe that both their energy is alive and they will continue to guide me throughout life. As a kid I just always thought I have pretty awesome parents, I dont know how or why to sum up how they were perfect parents other than that everything they did was always for their children. When he was arrested, he countered all the things hed said during the eulogy, telling investigators he was angry at his parents for not taking a previous suicide attempt of his seriously and because he believed he was their least favorite child. At that time, he was still maintaining his innocence. Story continues Its unclear what happened last month that prompted Sachs to change his mind, but he called an unexpected hearing in which he changed his plea to guilty to his charges of special-circumstances murder and attempted murder. When asked by the judge if he understood the rights he was giving up and that he would never be released from prison, Sachs responded: Yes, I do. Photo credit: CBS According to the OC Register, pleading guilty to special-circumstances murder mandates life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sachs was sentenced to four lifetimes in jail (two of which are without the possibility of parole) and an additional 100 years for the use of his firearm. He has since shown little emotion (prosecutors alleged in court he is a sociopath) or offered any more explanation as to why he committed the crimes. 48 Hours reports none of Sachss siblings attended the sentencing, but his aunt on his fathers side Lisa McGowan did and she spoke to the courtroom and addressed Sachs directly: I am told by friends and family to forgive you Heres my choice: I cant forgive you. Follow Tess on Twitter. You Might Also Like DECATUR -- Steve Chace has worn the same T-shirt and jeans for days, ever since a cloud of noxious anhydrous ammonia chased him from his home north of Tekamah late Monday night. The overwhelming smell of ammonia woke him that evening just after 9 p.m. He looked out the window and in the moonlight saw a white plume of gas billowing 30 to 40 feet into the air. The misty fog was heavier than air, hugging the ground, rolling downhill and pouring through trees west of his home. It was pungent, overpowering. One breath of it, and you cant breathe anymore, he said. Chace, who works as for an environmental engineering firm that responds to chemical spills, knew exactly what it was. The anhydrous ammonia pipeline a couple hundred feet from his home had ruptured. And he knew both he and his neighbors needed to get away. He made a series of rapid phone calls to 911, to the pipeline owner Magellan Midstream Partners, and then to people whose homes were in the path of the cloud. The break in the 8-inch pipeline spilled 294,000 gallons of liquid anhydrous ammonia, a commonly used fertilizer, which turns into toxic gas when released, reported Magellan Midstream Partners, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One man, 59-year-old Phillip Hennig, lost his life when he drove into the plume. Local emergency responders evacuated about 40 people living in the 23 homes within a two-mile distance of the spill. On Wednesday, U.S. 75 between Decatur and Tekamah remained closed in both directions for the ongoing work to repair the pipeline. At the Decatur City Hall on Wednesday, Magellan spokesman Bruce Heine told a gathering of evacuees that the timeline for getting them home was being pushed back to Thursday evening. What were trying to do is the right thing to get you home safely and returned to your normal lives as quickly as possible, Heine told the crowd. The worst thing we could do is to let you go home and have to re-evacuate you again. The air quality in the area and at each home will be tested before people are allowed to return, he said. *** Friends of the farmer who died said they believe he may have been trying to help his neighbors when he drove into the anhydrous ammonia cloud. He heard a noise or he smelled it, and he went to see if he could help. That was Phil, said Mary Kahlandt, who lives down the road and was one of those evacuated. Its who he was. Chace, the man who saw the cloud and left his own house to seek safe ground, saw the lights of Philip Hennigs pickup as it drove into the cloud, then heard a crash as it hit a ditch. It took rescue workers hours to reach Hennig because of the danger posed by the fumes. Nebraska State Patrols HAZMAT team, working with Tekamah Fire and Rescue, finally reached his body about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. Philip Hennig had three younger siblings, said his brother Alan Hennig, who also lives near the leak and had to evacuate. Since he was the oldest, a guy always looked up to him, he said. We all grew up on the farm, and he continued farming. Alan Hennig said it would have been in character for his brother to be looking to help. Philip Hennig was a family man, a regular at church and active with his children in 4-H. He liked to collect motorcycles and recently helped his 18-year-old son, Thomas, restore an antique Farmall tractor, Alan Hennig said. His wife, Sandra, works at a farm supply store in Tekamah, and they have four children. Funeral services are pending through Pelan Funeral Services in Tekamah. *** Magellan first noticed a drop of pressure in the pipeline system just after 9 p.m. Monday. The company worked to shut off valves on either side of the break and then further isolated it by blocking a portion of the pipeline with machinery. On Wednesday, crews were purging the remaining anhydrous ammonia, allowing it to bleed out of the section by pumping it full of air, said Cody Annis, Magellans area supervisor. Once that is done, the broken pipe, which is buried 5 feet deep, will be dug up and replaced, Annis said. The broken section will be evaluated by experts to determine why it ruptured. The Magellan pipeline starts near Borger, Texas, and runs through Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. The 1,100-mile section that runs through Nebraska was built in the late 1960s. Its one of two anhydrous pipelines in the United States, said Heine, the Magellan spokesman. Independent experts are monitoring the air quality in the area and at the site of the leak. Interstate pipelines are regulated by federal officials. U.S. Department of Transportations Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were on site Wednesday. A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said a preliminary report would be released once investigators have had a chance to evaluate the situation but declined to say how long that would take. Completion of a full report could take a year or longer. The evacuated area is rural farmland. Some people were allowed to go back briefly Tuesday and Wednesday, escorted by safety experts with air monitors, to care for animals or grab medications. Kim Fleischman returned to his farm just after noon Wednesday to feed his cows and dogs. Where the anhydrous cloud touched grass, he said, it turned black. I looked up and 30-foot evergreens were brown. Alfalfa that used to be green was yellow, he said. No animal deaths have been reported, although Kathy Fleischman wondered about the long-term effect on cattle and wildlife. We sell that beef to people for meat. Would you want to buy it, she said. I feel like Im living through an apocalypse. Magellan has pledged to pay all costs incurred by evacuees, emergency responders and local governments due to the pipeline rupture. Several community members on Wednesday at the Decatur City Hall questioned the safety of the pipeline and past leaks. They asked when the company had last evaluated it for safety. Answers were not readily available. Chace and several others of those evacuated said theyre impatient to get home but understand Magellans decision to be cautious. Many of those evacuated are staying with friends and family, although Magellan also is paying for several families to stay at a motel across the Missouri River in Onawa, Iowa. I understand the delays. I dont have a problem with that. Ive been wearing the same clothes for three days. Id like to get home, but its going to be another day, Chace said. A student who graduates with $30,000 in debt could take years to pay it off, or may not pay it off at all, falling into default. According to the Institute for College Access & Success, that is the average amount for students who graduated in 2015. For some students, the problem was much worse: Nationally, about seven in 10 (68%) college seniors who graduated from public and private nonprofit colleges in 2015 had student loan debt, a similar share as in 2014. These borrowers owed an average of $30,100, up four percent from the 2014 average of $28,950. At the college level, average debt at graduation ranged from $3,000 to $53,000. ALSO READ: Cities Where You Don't Want to Get Sick Debt fell into two categories, with one usually better for graduates: Carrying nonfederal loans can significantly affect borrowers ability to repay what they owe because such loans typically have higher costs than federal loans and provide little, if any, relief for struggling borrowers. Debt figures reported by colleges suggest that almost one-fifth (19%) of 2015 graduates debt is comprised of nonfederal education loans, similar to recent years. And debt levels varied substantially by state. In New Hampshire, the figure was $36,101. In Pennsylvania it was $34,498 and in Connecticut, $34,773. At the other end of the debt amount list, Utah was at $18,873, New Mexico at $20,893 and California at $22,191. According to the Department of Education, default rates are very high, according to its Federal Student Aid division: Secretary King announced that the FY 2013 national cohort default rate is 11.3 percent. MarketWatch came up with slightly different numbers, but still alarming: The total outstanding student loan debt in the U.S. is $1.2 trillion, thats the second-highest level of consumer debt behind only mortgages. Most of that is loans held by the federal government. About 40 million Americans hold student loans and about 70% of bachelors degree recipients graduate with debt. The class of 2015 graduated with $35,051 in student debt on average, according to Edvisors, a financial aid website, the most in history. One in four student loan borrowers are either in delinquency or default on their student loans, according the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Story continues While $30,000 may not seem like a huge sum, it is to the one has to repay it. Related Articles PARIS/SAO PAULO, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Irish aircraft leasing company Avolon is suing Brazilian airline Avianca Brasil and its parent company for an alleged default on a lease for an Airbus jetliner, leaving more than $4 million in unpaid rent, U.S. court documents show. Avolon is also suing both the airline and its parent, Synergy Aerospace Corp, for breach of contract over the two-year-old lease for an A330 jet and is seeking $5 million in damages, according to a complaint seen by Reuters. Dublin-based Avolon declined to comment. A spokesman for Avianca Brasil said the company was not aware of any court case and would not comment on confidential contracts. Synergy Aerospace did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The lawsuit comes as the airline considers options for a possible international partner to help it to weather Brazil's worst recession in decades. Avolon is owned by China's HNA Group, which has expressed interest in acquiring both Avianca Brasil and Panama-based sister airline Avianca Holdings, Reuters reported in June. Both of the airlines are controlled by Bolivian-born entrepreneur German Efromovich's Synergy Group. Delta Air Lines and United Continental Holdings are also seen as potential suitors. Avianca Brasil's chief executive, Frederico Pedreira, said last month that there were no clear signs of Brazilian air travel demand rebounding by the end of this year. The lawsuit was filed on Avolon's behalf by a bank trustee in the southern district of New York on Oct. 14, the same day as Avianca Brasil celebrated taking delivery of its first Airbus A320neo jet. According to court documents, Avolon says it leased the larger and longer-range A330 jet to the airline in June 2014 for $849,000 a month in rent, plus other costs, under a 10-year contract. "Over time, the lessee fell behind on its payment obligations under the lease," Avolon's complaint alleged, adding that as of Oct 11, the airline owed $4.6 million plus interest. (Reporting by Tim Hepher and Brad Haynes; Editing by David Goodman) Azealia Banks is calling on her fans to "make Azealia great again" following an alleged clash with actor Russell Crowe at a party in his Los Angeles home over the weekend. "These past few days have been rough," the Harlem rapper wrote in a private Instagram post on Wednesday (Oct. 19). "I want to thank the kuntbrigade so much for being there for me. Although this situation was beyond my control, I promise you all that This is the LAST time I will be in the news for anything negative." She continued in the lengthy caption, "Somewhere along the way I got sucked into this neverending war with the media that I quite honestly don't have the energy, patience or care to keep fighting. I GIVE UP! And I give in. I love you all tremendously. If you would all please join me in spreading the hashtag #makeazealiagreatagain On all of your AB related posts and comments." She also teased that she would be dropping a "So Ghetto" freestyle today. NEW AZEALIA BANKS SONG: WILL BE RELEASED LATER TODAY!!!!! STAY TUNED pic.twitter.com/LmX61wyF3i - K A M I (@nakkkami) October 19, 2016 In other Banks-related news, TMZ reports that the "212" hitmaker has allegedly called off her deal with Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, who invited her to Crowe's party. Last week, she revealed that she had landed a record deal with the rapper/producer/musician. Her rep says that a press release containing her statement will be sent out later today. Bilboard has also reached out to RZA's rep for comment. Usually, when people talk about Donald Trump reaching new lows these days, theyre referring to his personal conduct, but as the presidential race nears its November 8 climax, Trump is finding new kinds of depths to plumb -- namely, his miserable poll numbers. That Democrat Hillary Clinton is winning the election is no longer really in doubt. She leads by an average 7.1 points in the Real Clear Politics polling average, and leads in every reputable individual national poll except for one, conducted by the Los Angeles Times, which has been consistently out of step with the rest of the industry all year. At the state level, she is ahead, often substantially, in most of the states traditionally considered battlegrounds and is gaining on Trump in some places, like Georgia, that were never expected to be competitive in the first place. Related: Debate Night: Get Ready for Donald Trumps Last Political Reality Show But for Trump, the humiliation goes deeper than just the top line numbers in the national polls. In the past weeks, his offenses against common decency and common sense have piled up: the sexual assault scandal, his intemperate Twitter attacks on fellow Republicans (and random beauty queens), his insistence that a vast global conspiracy exists to deny him the presidency. And as they have, traditionally loyal Republican voting blocks have been renouncing Trump in droves. A Bloomberg poll out today tells a story familiar in much of the recent national polling. Unsurprisingly, Clinton leads Trump by 17 points among women in general, but she is also leading the GOP nominee among a more reliably Republican subset of the female vote: white women prefer Clinton 46 percent to 45 percent. Until recently, Trump has been able to count on majority support from men, but now even that is in question, with Bloomberg showing Clinton with a 46-44 lead. Related: From Obama on Down, Democrats Are Just Trolling Trump Now Trump has, for most of his campaign, at least been able to count on the votes of non-college-educated whites. But the Bloomberg poll finds that even they are now abandoning him. What had been an 8 point cushion for Trump is now a two point Clinton advantage. Story continues The most shocking shift of the campaign, though, has been how college-educated white voters have repudiated Trump. Whites with college degrees have supported the Republican presidential nominee for president in every election for the past 60 years, usually by double-digit margins. Trump, however, has so alienated that demographic slice of the voting public that Clinton is now the one with a double digit lead -- 13 points, according to Bloomberg. Trumps across-the-board decline is even more impressive when you consider that his opponent remains one of the most unpopular major party presidential candidates in U.S. history. Clinton, according to Real Clear Politics, has an average favorable rating of just 43.1 percent, while her unfavorables are at 52.5 percent. That 9.4 percent hole would be a massive liability if Clinton were not running against Trump, whose numbers are much worse. Related: John Kasich: If the Republican Party Doesn't Evolve, It's Going to Die Trump is viewed favorably, at this point in the race, by little more than one-third of the electorate: 34.8 percent. A much higher percentage, 61.1 view him unfavorably, for a stunning 26.3 percent gap, unheard of in presidential politics. The big question at this point in the race would seem to be whether Trumps plunge will continue. There is plainly a hard core of support at some level, mainly the voters who gave him a plurality of the votes in the Republican presidential primary. But with the revelation that Trumps strategy for the final debate tonight involves bringing guests like President Obamas estranged half-brother into the venue, we may find out just where Trumps basement is. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: After stepping outside the J. E. Cauthen & Son store advertising arms, art and collectibles in Fredericksburg, Texas (population 11,000), where historical rifles were priced from $10,000 to $100,000, I made another mental note about what an unusual town this is. Located an hour and a half north of San Antonio, Fredericksburg retains the character of an authentic 1800s-era Texas Hill Country settlement. Yet, sprinkled throughout are an unending number of surprising discoveries such as the world-class National Museum of the Pacific War, and the Texas White House and ranch of former President Lyndon B. Johnson. Add in a plethora of one-of-a-kind mom-and-pop boutique food, art and antique shops, a wildflower seed farm, a celebrated German heritage in the middle of Texas, a predominant golden limestone architecture, and the result is evident. This is a destination worthy of a multi- day visit, and that is even before you learn about the 30 vineyards and tasting rooms nestled in the surrounding hillsides. At the National Museum of the Pacific War (U.S. Admiral Chester William Nimitz, the commander in chief, United States Pacific Fleet in World War II, is a hometown hero), the epic conflict is chronicled through a myriad of galleries. Interactive displays are interspersed with authentic Japanese and American aircraft, a Japanese two-man submarine and one of the five original casings made to hold the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the war. There is so much to see, tickets are good for two days. About 18 miles outside of town, the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park is where the 36th president spent almost one-fourth of his time in office, making 72 trips there totaling 490 days. For me, it is like refueling a car, he remarked. A self-driving tour includes a visit to the home that became known as the Texas White House, and the bedroom where he died. Johnson is buried on the ranch in the family cemetery, not far from where he was born on the property. Texas Herefords descended from the original presidential herd still roam the pastures of what is still a working ranch, and each displays the LBJ brand on its horns. At the end of a mile-long landing strip, the small jet that brought LBJ to the ranch, nicknamed Air Force , can be visited. Shopping in Fredericksburg is as varied as in a large city. More than 20 art galleries and 150 unique shops line Main Street (which is five lanes wide so a team of eight oxen could be turned in the 1800s). At Quintessential Chocolates, visitors can stand next to the production line and wait for tastes while employees finish a batch of liquid-center chocolates, which will contain one of over 150 beverages such as Kentucky Bourbon. The products of Fischer and Wieser Specialty Foods are sold throughout the United States, but the firm still maintains a one-room hometown store in Fredericksburg where its now-famous Raspberry Chipotle sauce was introduced. May through July, local teenagers sell peaches from a stand in front of the shop, freshly picked from the 40-acre orchard behind the store. Outside town, the 217 acres of flower fields at Wildseed Farm add intense colors to the landscape from spring through the first frost. Owner John Thomas wont let visitors leave with just any seed packet unless included varieties are matched for the climate where they will be planted. While there are several franchise hotels (a strict sign ordinance makes them difficult to spot), many accommodations are one-room guesthouses that trace their origin to immigrants arriving from Germany in the mid-1800s. Settling on ranchland outside of town, they built Sunday houses in Fredericksburg to use on weekends. Copying the Sunday house tradition, more than 800 one-room guesthouses operated by more than 500 different owners cater to tourists. We also have 12 bed and breakfasts and 1,100 hotel rooms, says Ernie Loeffler, president of the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau. A strong German culture remains in Fredericksburg, which was named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. The phrase Willkommen is frequently encountered on doors, and friendly residents or store employees are eager to tell visitors about their own German roots. In fact, the town is home to Texas German, a dialect spoken by first-generation settlers who refused to learn English. The best place to get a panoramic view of Hill Country is a short but strenuous half-hour climb 420 feet to the top of Enchanted Rock outside of town. The pink granite dome appears as though it was a mammoth moon rising from the horizon. Hearty climbers are treated to a well-earned, 360-degree view of one small hillside after another and are the origin of the hill country moniker. Plans are underway for a large resort spa, and 20 more wineries are seeking permits from the state, Loeffler says. Visitors should head to Fredericksburg soon, before the small-town charm changes and while the big-city attractions and unique shops are still uncrowded. VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia intend to triple annual spending on arms and military equipment to $670 million by 2018 from 2014 due to fears of Russia following its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region, an IHS Markit report said on Thursday. By 2020, it said, the combined overall defense budgets of the three Baltic republics will reach an estimated $2.1 billion, more than double that when the countries entered NATO in 2004 and the fastest such growth in any region worldwide. "We have seen political confrontation between Russia and the West in the past 2-1/2 years escalate to military assertiveness and we do not see this ending anytime soon," said Alex Kokcharov, principal analyst in the country risk division of IHS Markit, a prominent research and analysis firm. "This confrontation will likely include elements of military intimidation, making immediate Russian neighbors concerned." Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 after the outbreak of World War Two, but regained independence when the Communist colossus disintegrated in 1991, and are now members of both NATO and the European Union. The IHS Markit report, which gave no sources, said Latvia and Lithuania would account for the biggest increase in military spending through 2018. After Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Latvia and Lithuania agreed to raise military spending to reach NATO's informal target of 2 percent of GDP by 2018, something that Estonia has already achieved. The three Baltic republics each host detachments of about 150 U.S. soldiers, who were deployed immediately after Russia annexed Crimea. The Americans are augmented by occasional rotations of troops from other NATO allies. Deployments will grow to about 1,000 soldiers per country next year. Lithuania protested at Russia's transfer of nuclear-capable missiles to its western Baltic outpost of Kaliningrad this month, calling it an aggressive move against the whole of Europe. The Kaliningrad enclave is sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland, both NATO and EU members. (Reporting by Andrius Sytas; Editing by Simon Johnson and Mark Heinrich) President Barack Obama's time in the White House may be coming to an end, but his legacy will forever be remembered -- including his always classy style! POTUS hosted his 14th and final state dinner, honoring Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, on Tuesday, with his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, by his side. As always, all eyes were on the adorable couple, who snapped a series of sweet photos. WATCH: Michelle Obama Stuns in Sparkles at Final State Dinner -- See the Pics! Dressed in a metallic rose gold Atelier Versace dress, Michelle truly shined as she held the commander in chief's hand during their grand entrance. Barack looked dapper himself, clad in a black tuxedo and bow tie. Getty Images It's clear that nearly eight years after taking office, Barack is still madly in love with the first lady, perhaps even more adorable than ever before. Getty Images WATCH: Blake Shelton Goes Formal to Sweetly Support Gwen Stefani at White House State Dinner Back in November 2009, the Obamas hosted their first state dinner, greeting then-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and his wife, Gursharan Kaur. For that get-together, FLOTUS donned a strapless gown by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan, proving her classy, elegant fashion would only get better with time. Her husband wore a similar suit to the one he sported on Tuesday, accessorizing with the same sweet smile. Getty Images And who could get forget the stunning, red silk Alexander McQueen gown Michelle wowed in during a state dinner honoring Chinese President Hu Jintao in January 2011? Getty Images RELATED: Jerry Seinfeld, Frank Ocean and Other Celebs Turn Out for the Obamas' Last State Dinner Or this delightful, Vera Wang off-the-shoulder dress she rocked in September 2015, which received a well-deserved thumbs-up from her adoring husband? Getty Images Following Tuesday's state dinner, which featured a performance by Gwen Stefani and her boyfriend of a year, Blake Shelton, fans took to Twitter to gush over the Obamas, many who exclaimed they are "already missing" their presence in the White House. Story continues WATCH: Michelle Obama Gives Emotional Speech About Raising Her Daughters in the White House I'm legit going to shed a tear when the @POTUS Barack Obama and @FLOTUS Michelle Obama leave The White House. Vince B. Aries (@Vince_Aries) October 19, 2016 Give me a man that looks at me the way Barack Obama looks at Michelle. Claire (@earthtoclaaaire) October 19, 2016 Ima really miss Michelle & Barack Obama!!! It'll never be a family in the white house like them T (@ThereGoTeee) October 19, 2016 @BarackObama You are magician. You have done a really good job, with having your hands tied ! We will miss you and Michelle Nancy Stapor (@wnstapor) October 19, 2016 Any First Lady after Michelle Obama is a downgrade pic.twitter.com/by9UYtrazL Danni (@dopexteen1) October 18, 2016 Michelle and Barack Obama are real life goals (@AmerikkkaTheG) October 19, 2016 Michelle & Barack Obama are seriously so beautiful I want to cry. LeAnne (@ThisIsLeAnne) October 19, 2016 Last month, Barack and Michelle appeared on Essence magazine's October issue, and in the accompanying feature, the powerful couple got candid about their time in office. "I can unequivocally say that America is better off now than we were when we came into office," Barack exclaimed. "By almost every economic measure, we're better off. But having said that, we still have a lot of work to do." Related Articles By Andrei Makhovsky MINSK (Reuters) - Sergei Galtsev, a Soviet army captain at the time, lost his right arm in an explosion on a military firing range when his son, Oleg, was four years old. Almost three decades later the 53-year-old Belarussian became the first tester of a prosthetic arm designed and made by his own son in the basement of his apartment building. "We wanted to create a simple and affordable prosthesis," said Oleg, a 32-year-old software engineer. Two years ago he teamed up with engineer Sergei Arefyev to develop an artificial arm. The video of its final tests hit almost a million views on YouTube, with the partners making all the designs and software available on the internet for free. "We did not patent it as it made more sense to spend money on development," Oleg said. "It's like Lego, designed for people who are not at ease with electronics: just put the parts together. If I managed it, then others can do it, too." In a country better known for its Soviet-era collectivized farming and run by President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994, the software industry is thriving. Belarus's 54 universities turn out 4,000 software engineers every year. The prosthetic arm was created in a small workshop in the basement of a residential building in Minsk. Some parts were created using a 3D-printer, some were bought on the internet. Galtsev and Arefyev say their design is 10 times cheaper than $15,000 mechanical prostheses from big manufacturers, although it lacks sensor controls. Sergei Galtsev says his world was turned upside down by the accident which befell him when he was 26. It ended his military career and he took his wife and two children back to the home town of Chechersk in what is now Belarus. His new arm has brought new possibilities within reach. "It is a very good thing, and it can help so many people," he said after testing the device at his house in the country. "I sawed wood, mowed the lawn, did some other work around house". (Editing by Alexei Kalmykov/Richard Balmforth) - A Los Angeles jury dismissed a civil lawsuit brought against Derrick Rose by a woman who claimed she had been gang-raped by the New York Knicks star. Jurors in the federal court deliberated for less than four hours before returning with their verdict and rejecting allegations from the woman, who sought $21 million in damages. The woman had filed her case after claiming that Rose and two friends, Ryan Allen and Randall Hampton, had raped her repeatedly at her apartment after drugging her in 2013. Rose had denied any accusation of wrongdoing, claiming that the sex which took place was consensual. AFP "Medications & the Elderly" will be the topic for this month's caregivers meeting presented by the Caregiver Education Group and Saint Paul United Methodist Church. It will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 25) in Room 155 at Saint Paul UMC, 1144 M St. The program will be given by Ally Dering-Anderson, Clinical Assistant Professor for the University of Nebraska College of Pharmacy. Dr. Ally, from KFORs Problems & Solutions Show, will present information on questions often asked by older patients. She will provide information on talking with health care providers and answer questions. Brussels (AFP) - The head of the Belgian region of Wallonia on Wednesday said he still refused to sign off on a EU-Canada trade accord and asked that a visit by Canadian premier Justin Trudeau be delayed. Paul Magnette, the head of government of Wallonia, spoke a day after he received an ultimatum of Friday to allow Belgium's federal government to endorse the huge trade deal, known as CETA. "We cannot sign by Friday. That is not reasonable," a combative Magnette told RTBF radio after EU ministers asked that he reverse course in time for a discussion on trade by European leaders set for Friday. "I think that it is reasonable to delay indefinitely the meeting (with Trudeau set for October 27) because it's better to avoid what would seem like a confrontation," Magnette added. "It's not because the Canadians are our friends that we must accept everything," said Magnette. But in a sign that a breakthrough might be in the making, a spokesman for Magnette said Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland met the regional leader in the Walloon capital of Namur on Wednesday. - 'Unravelling' - Magnette later met with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem and Belgium's pro-CETA Foreign Minister Didier Reynders in Brussels. Magnette warned the commission, which handles EU trade talks, that his demands could only be met by reopening negotiations with Canada that were formally concluded two years ago. "The treaty is already unravelling," Magnette said, citing concessions agreed with Germany, which was allowed on Tuesday to kill the deal if the German constitutional court should later decide against it. Later an EU Commission spokesperson called the talks "constructive". The issue will be discussed later by European leaders, the EU's executive arm said expressing the hope that "a solution is reached soon so that CETA can be signed during the EU-Canada Summit on 27 October". Story continues While Magnette cited progress in his talks with the EU, he said differences remained too wide on a contested investor protection system that has become a hot-button issue for the anti-CETA movement. A senior EU diplomat told AFP that the signature with Trudeau would need to be confirmed by Monday. "Wallonia's deadline is Monday morning, otherwise Trudeau will not come," the source said. The EU fears that the delay of CETA would be fatal to the deal and send a bad signal to the world that it is difficult to reach trade accords with Europe. "I still believe that we can find a way forward and we can get it through," said European Commission vice president Jyrki Katainen at a news briefing. Magnette has drawn big support from opponents to CETA, including Greenpeace and Foodwatch, that see the Canada deal as a Trojan horse for a far more ambitious trade accord between the EU and US, known as TTIP. Both deals threaten environmental and consumer protection and offer big benefits to multinationals, the groups say. By Philip Blenkinsop and David Ljunggren BRUSSELS/OTTAWA (Reuters) - The premier of the Belgian region that is the main impediment to a planned EU-Canada free trade agreement on Wednesday advised postponing a summit next week to sign the deal and taking a few more months to fix outstanding issues. Walloon's Paul Magnette spoke as pressure mounted on him to drop opposition to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which would be the bloc's first trade accord with a Group of Seven country. Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland flew to Belgium on Wednesday for last-minute talks with Magnette and other European leaders. A spokesperson for Magnette confirmed he held separate meetings with Freeland and EU trade commissioner Cecelia Malmstrom on Wednesday. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and EU leaders are due to formally sign the agreement on Oct. 27. Almost all 28 EU governments now back the deal. EU leaders meet this Thursday and Friday, but Magnette said he would not be pressured into accepting the deal this week. Belgium's center-right coalition government is in favor of the pact, but the country's governmental structure means it cannot sign without backing from all five sub-federal administrations representing its regions and linguistic communities. "I think it would be reasonable to postpone the summit to an unspecified date," Magnette told Belgian radio station La Premiere. Magnette said discussions with Canadian officials had yielded some useful guarantees but not removed all concerns. "There are lots of problems. ... This treaty affects the lives of 500 million Europeans and 35 million Canadians for years and years," he said. "There's no urgency. We can take a few weeks, a few months to analyze the problems and overcome them." Failure to strike a deal with such a like-minded country would call into question the EU's ability to forge other agreements. CETA's supporters say it will increase bilateral trade by 20 percent. "We are working hard with our European partners so CETA can be signed this fall and implemented next year," said Freeland's spokesman Alex Lawrence. "If Europe is incapable of signing a progressive trade deal with a country like Canada, this will send a very clear and unfortunate signal," he added. Wallonia's key concern is over a planned investment court that would allow foreign companies to challenge countries over decisions affecting their investments. Critics say the system gives multinationals the chance to dictate public policy. Magnette said he had received assurances that governments would not have to compensate companies if they brought in new regulations, such as tightening environmental standards. But he remained concerned about the system of arbitration courts, and questioned a special safeguard allowing Canada to restrict agricultural imports if necessary, a right Europe would not have. Bulgaria is also dragging its heels. The government in Sofia said on Wednesday it would not support the deal until it received guarantees all its citizens could travel to Canada without visas. In Ottawa, an official working for Immigration Minister John McCallum said Canada was working with Bulgaria on visa-free entry but added no decision had been made. (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels; Editing by John Stonestreet and Leslie Adler) Brussels (AFP) - Belgium summoned the Russian ambassador to Brussels on Wednesday in a spat over Moscow's claim that Belgian jets killed six civilians near Syria's Aleppo. The diplomatic summons was issued after Russia said two Belgian F-16s from the US-led coalition had been identified in the region where the deadly air strike took place Tuesday. The Russian envoy will be called to appear at the Belgian foreign ministry on Thursday, ministry spokesman Didier Vanderhasselt told AFP, as Brussels issued a fresh denial of involvement in the incident. "No Belgian Air Force aircraft have been operating over the Aleppo province over the last few days. These accusations are therefore totally groundless and unsubstantiated," Foreign Minister Didier Reynders and Defence Minister Steven Vandeput said in a joint statement. "Belgium deeply regrets that no prior consultation has taken place with a view to establishing the facts, before accusations were made in public." Russia's defence ministry said two of Belgium's F-16s fighting Islamic State jihadists in Syria had been identified in the area where the deadly strike took place. "Six people were killed and four people injured to various degrees as a result of bombing that destroyed two homes" in the village of Hassajik in the Aleppo region, it said in a statement. - 'Errors' in targeting - Belgian defence ministry spokeswoman Laurence Mortier earlier denied the country's air force was active in the area at the time. But responding to the Belgian summons, Russian defence minister spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Moscow was confident of its information. "Russia has effective air defence capabilities, allowing it to carry out 24-hour monitoring of air activity practically over the whole territory of Syria and beyond its limits," he said. "We would like to remind you that for the countries of the international coalition that Belgium is part of, such errors in designating targets are not at all something impossible and unfortunately are happening regularly," he added. Story continues Moscow had announced on Tuesday that the Russian and Syrian air forces had stopped bombing Aleppo to pave the way for an eight-hour truce on Thursday. Russia said Wednesday it was extending the eight-hour truce in Aleppo to 11 hours to allow civilians and rebels to leave the city's rebel-held east. Moscow also said its planes and Syria regime jets were keeping 10 kiloetres (6.2 miles) away from Aleppo. The government offensive against rebel-held eastern Aleppo -- which has destroyed hospitals and other civilian infrastructure -- has plunged Syria into some of the worst violence of the five-year war that has claimed over 300,000 lives. The West has accused Russia of potential war crimes over its bombing campaign in Aleppo in support of the regime offensive. The US State Department voiced scepticism regarding Moscow's planned truce while welcoming a halt in the bombardments. President Vladimir Putin is set to face Western pressure over the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine at international talks in Berlin on Wednesday as Russia comes under increasing criticism over its support for Damascus. WITNEY, England (Reuters) - Larry Sanders, elder brother of former U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie, was pressing the flesh in his own campaign on Tuesday as he took to the streets ahead of an election this week in rural Oxfordshire, central England. Sanders, 81, is standing as a candidate for the left-leaning Green Party in Witney, an affluent seat left vacant by the resignation of former Prime Minister David Cameron after June's EU membership referendum. The vote on Thursday will be the first electoral test of his successor Theresa Mays Conservative government. Brooklyn-born Larry Sanders, an academic who has lived in Britain since 1969, is the Greens' national spokesman on health affairs and has been the leader of the county council's Green group for the past eight years. He faces a daunting task - the Greens have only one seat in Britain's 650-seat parliament and Cameron won over 60 percent of the vote in Witney at the last general election in 2015. But he admits the Sanders name helps. "It opens the doors," he told Reuters. "People think this guy exists, we know about him, he has some place in the world. Green Party candidates don't always get that advantage." The genteel campaigning in one of Britain's wealthiest countryside areas is very different from that his brother, a U.S. Senator from Vermont, experienced. "The Bernie experience is mass politics, meetings with 25, 30,000 people, all of whom know his policies because he had a year and a half to explain them," he said. "Here it's a few weeks and it's very much retail politics, person by person." But the issues, he feels, are not so different. Many people, he said, are fed up with not having a decent place to live or a decent health service. "People are angry about that," he added. Sanders spent 12 weeks on the U.S. campaign trail with Bernie, and says his younger brother connected with millions of Americans. Bernie Sanders finally endorsed former rival Hillary Clinton for president after a hard-fought campaign that surprised many with his success. Larry says he will also reluctantly vote for Clinton on Nov. 8 to keep out her Republican rival Donald Trump. (Reporting by Stuart McDill; writing by Stephen Addison; Editing by Richard Balmforth) By James Regan SYDNEY (Reuters) - BHP Billiton (BHP.AX) (BLT.L), the world's biggest diversified miner, said on Wednesday it was finally detecting indications of a commodity market turnaround, giving its most upbeat assessment in about five years. A recovery would be a particular boon for the global miner which has kept production humming through a multi-year collapse in commodities markets, although it cautioned that raw material supply was still outpacing demand despite stronger steel consumption in China. "We have seen early signs of markets rebalancing," Chief Executive Andrew Mackenzie said in releasing BHP's September quarter production report and guidance update. "Fundamentals suggest both oil and gas markets will improve over the next 12 to 18 months. Iron ore and metallurgical coal prices have been stronger than expected, although we continue to expect supply to grow more quickly than demand in the near term," he said. BHP beat analysts' estimates for iron ore and petroleum production and just missed projections for output of metallurgical coal - three commodities leading the resurgence. "This is probably the most positive assessment by BHP in five years," James Wilson, an analyst for Argonaut Securities, said. Most forecasters earlier in the year were calling for Chinese steel production and consumption to contract as its economy recoils, prolonging the pain for mining companies like BHP. Morgan Stanley estimates that China's implied apparent steel consumption in September rose 12.5 percent from a year ago and 2.8 percent from the previous month. That is good news for mining companies looking to China to turn around otherwise sluggish demand. China's iron ore imports climbed to 93 million tonnes in September, the second highest on record. Spot iron ore last stood at $58 a tonne, the highest in over a month. Metallurgical coal prices have more than doubled since January to around $230 a tonne, while nickel (CMNI3) has gained 16 percent. Story continues BHP said it was on track to meet its fiscal 2017 production guidance for iron ore of 265 million to 275 million tonnes versus 257 million last year after posting a modest 1 percent decline in output to 67 million tonnes in the September quarter. Guidance for copper production was under review following a power disruption this month at the Olympic Dam mine, but otherwise BHP stuck with earlier estimates for its other businesses. Fellow Australian miners Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) (RIO.L) and Fortescue Metals Group (FMG.AX) are scheduled to release operations data and updated guidance on Thursday and are also expected to deliver more upbeat business outlooks. (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Richard Pullin) Facing up to 10 years behind bars and millions of dollars in fines on three felony charges of second-degree aggravated indecent assault, much-accused Bill Cosby and his attorneys are now brazenly trying to get public opinion on his side as his 2017 trial date in Pennsylvania looms. The Commonwealth admits that it wants to try [Cosby] for 40- and 50-year-old accusations, many of which were raised for the first time in press releases and on talk shows, and that have never made their way to any courtroom or police station in this country, said the actors lawyers yesterday. The statement came in reaction to a scathing response from Montgomery County D.A.s office on the latest attempt by Cosby to dismiss the only criminal case in the country against him. If our justice system is allowed to be distorted and abandoned for Mr. Cosby, none of us are safe, Cosbys lawyers said. This comes as a series of potentially pivotal hearings starting November 1 could determine whether the expected June 2017 trial of the 79-year-old Cosby goes forward. Part of those pre-trial motions will likely determine whether some of the more than 50 other women who have gone public saying the actor assaulted or drugged them over the decades will be allowed to take the stand. The hearings also will evaluate whether jurors can hear a deposition by The Cosby Show star from a decade ago in which he admitted having drugs for the purpose of having sex with women. seal He is an individual who has used his fame and fortune for decades to conceal his crimes and hide his true nature, said D.A. Kevin Steeles office earlier in a 26-page rejection of the dismissal motion (read it here). Late last year, the newly elected Steele charged Cosby with the 2004 rape of then-Temple University employee Andrea Constand just before the statute of limitations expired in the Granite State. Cosby is now out on $1 million bail. He is not entitled to a dismissal now that the law has caught up to him, the D.A.s response adds, noting the revelations of Cosbys use of drugs on women in that 2006 deposition in the Constand civil case that was made public last year. Dismissing the other sides contention that Cosbys right to due process was violated by the decade-plus delay in arresting him, the response also notes the reopening of the Constand matter as a criminal issue a previous D.A. had declined to prosecute in 2005 was partially based on more accounts by women that defendant had sexually assaulted them like he did the victim in this case. Story continues Then the Montgomery County D.A.s office really takes off the white gloves, so to speak, and goes for what it calls Cosbys unclean hands. Defendant blames his current legal situation on everyone from a federal judge and the Commonwealth to Gloria Allred and the media, the October 18 filing says, slamming Cosby with some of the bluntest language yet in a case that has seen many a harsh phrase from both sides. But he overlooks one person himself. He has unclean hands. He has persistently attempted, since as early as 2005, to conceal the deposition testimony that triggered the renewed investigation. His attempt to repackage the years he successfully kept the deposition hidden into a pre-arrest delay claim is as bold as it is fundamentally flawed. The law does not, and should not now, permit such gamesmanship. A reader need look no further than the first few sentences of the Commonwealths brief to see its true agenda, Cosbys team replied yesterday with loaded language of its own. Civil rights, human rights, and constitutional rights are abandoned. Whether the strategy from Cosbys recently newly retained lawyer Angela Agrusa of LA and New York firm Liner Llp gets anywhere with Judge Steven ONeill will be revealed next month. However, it sure looks like a long shot, with the Norristown, PA-based judge rejecting every other move by Team Cosby to shut the case down as have higher courts in the state. Meanwhile, numerous civil cases of defamation and more are pending against Cosby nationwide, despite the actors efforts to halt them to concentrate on the criminal case. Related stories Bill Cosby Again Tries To Get Pennsylvania Criminal Case Thrown Out Emmys 2016: The Categories You Did Not See Bill Cosby 2004 Rape Trial Could Start In June 2017; His Attorneys Respond - Update TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / October 19, 2016 / Morphogenesis, Inc., a biotechnology company headquartered in Tampa, FL, announces its plans to raise up to $20 million from the sale of its common stock to accredited investors. The company is not only embracing new securities industry rules, it is launching what it hopes to be a uniquely efficient capital raising process made possible by the confluence of social and technological changes. "We couldn't be more excited about this offering!" says Dr. Patricia Lawman, CEO of Morphogenesis. "Rather than pages of hardcopy, we have created an interactive digital offering that allows for easy access to pertinent information with informative videos and animations throughout." Morphogenesis, a privately-held biotechnology company specializing in cell and gene therapies, has developed multi-indication immunotherapies which educates the patient's own immune system to attack tumor cells throughout the body without damaging normal cells or tissues. "We decided that since Morphogenesis is a high tech company in all aspects of its business, why not take advantage of the multi-communication channels digital marketing provides to create a free-flowing, non-linear, cross platform investor experience," says Dr. Lawman. "Our intent is to leverage our experience, knowledge and relationships in the evolving digital environment so that we can focus less time on capital raising and more time ensuring that our innovative technologies are made available to millions of cancer victims worldwide." Morphogenesis' wholly-owned subsidiary, Veterinary Oncology Services, Inc., (www.veterinaryoncologyservices.com) provides IFx-VET (www.ifx-vet.com), a personalized form of ImmuneFx, to veterinarians across the U.S. for dogs, cats and horses with many different types of cancers. The immunotherapy will soon be in trials for human patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma and melanoma, with future plans for pancreatic and breast cancer trials. The funds being raised through this offering will be used for these human trials and for the launch of its direct injectable cancer vaccine, IFx-VETDirect, into the veterinary market. The digital offering can be found on the homepage of Morphogenesis (www.morphogenesis-inc.com) under "Invest in Morphogenesis" or you can email a request to invest@morphogenesis-inc.com for more information. This release is not intended to be an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk, and requires high risk tolerance, low liquidity concerns, and long-term commitments, such that investors should be able to bear the loss of their investment. SOURCE: Morphogenesis, Inc. The Blacklist: Redemption, NBCs upcoming spinoff series from The Blacklist, has tapped former Castle showrunner David Amann as executive producer/showrunner. The planted spinoff episode of the mothership series, which introduced the new characters, was written by The Blacklist creator/executive producer Jon Bokenkamp and exec producer/showrunner John Eisendrath. Amann will handle day-to-day showrunner duties on Redemption, serving as executive producer alongside Bokenkamp, Eisendrath, John Fox and John Davis. On Redemption, which has an eight-episode order, undercover operative Tom Keen (Ryan Eggold) joins forces with Susan Scottie Hargrave (Famke Janssen), the brilliant and cunning chief of Grey Matters, a covert mercenary organization that solves problems governments dont dare touch. As they team up to employ their unique skills and resources in a dangerous world of deadly criminals, Tom begins his own covert mission to find out more about his shadowy past. The cast also includes Edi Gathegi and Tawny Cypress. Amann, whose hire on Redemption was first reported by TVLine, previously served as executive producer/showrunner on the seventh season of ABCs Castle. Related stories 'Chicago Fire': [Spoiler] Exits Regular Cast 'Saturday Night Live' Draws 7M Viewers For Third Episode With Host Emily Blunt & Donald Trump Parodies - Update Gwen Stefani Rejoins 'The Voice' As Coach For Season 12, Miley Cyrus Will Be Back In Season 13 BURLINGTON A rural Burlington man is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing in November after reportedly stealing more than $500 worth of Red Bull on July 27. Richard J. Spiller, 35, of the W300 block of Potter Road in the Town of Spring Prairie, reportedly stole a shopping cart filled with Red Bull from the Burlington Walmart, 1901 Milwaukee Ave., according to a criminal complaint. Spiller reportedly was pushing a shopping cart in the store when he came across another cart filled with Red Bull that was waiting to be placed on the shelves. He then allegedly left his original cart, took the cart filled with Red Bull and left the store without paying for it. Employees noticed Spiller because, according to the complaint, they believed he was connected to previous thefts at the store, including one the day prior to the Red Bull incident. In total, Spiller is accused of stealing $530.37 worth of Red Bull, according to the complaint. A warrant for his arrest was issued Aug. 1, court records inidcate. Spiller faces a felony charge for retail theft. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 3 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. Spiller remained in custody as of Wednesday night at the Racine County Jail, online records showed. From Popular Mechanics Now that the naming competition is over, Boaty McBoatface is ready to do some actual science. The British long-range autonomous submersible vehicle, famously named as the result of an internet poll gone viral, will traverse 1,500 miles across the Arctic ocean. While nuclear submarines can make that journey, the trek is unheard of for a battery-operated vehicle like Boaty. The online poll that caught the internet's eye wasn't for the submarine, but for a boat (hence Boaty's name). But after the British Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) saw the results, they decided to split the difference. They instead named the actual scientific vessel after famed documentarian David Attenborough, and the small yellow submersible received the honorific, crowd-sourced Boaty title. The submersible, which can go down to depths of almost four miles, will be diving to the bottom of the Southern Ocean in order to understand how currents work at their lowest levels. It will then move on to the North Sea where it will explore how and why carbon dioxide is buried offshore. When it finally gets to the Arctic, Boaty will blaze a trail for self-steering vehicles, attempting to pilot itself through an ecosystem buried below ice-all without GPS. "One of the things we're going to do is teach Boaty to read a map," Prof Russell Wynn, from the National Oceanography Centre, tells the BBC. "You give it a map of the seabed in its brain and then as it travels it uses sonar to collect data that it can compare with the stored map. This should tell it where it is. It's a neat concept but it's never been tested over thousands of kilometers before." Story continues Boaty McBoatface could soon make history...again. Source: BBC You Might Also Like Bobby Shmurda was officially sentenced to seven years in prison in Manhattan Supreme Court this morning (Oct. 19). The sentence comes five weeks after accepting a deal to plead guilty to 4th-degree conspiracy to criminally possess a weapon and 2nd-degree criminal weapons possession, which concurrently carry a seven-year sentence. Shmurda, born Ackquille Pollard, appeared alone at the court hearing this morning, separate from his co-defendants Chad "Rowdy Rebel" Marshall and Nicholas McCoy. With his sentencing today and time served, Shmurda could be released around this time in 2021. As part of accepting the plea deal, he waived his right to appeal. "I was forced to take this sentence, I did not want to take this sentence," Shmurda told the court. "I was forced by my attorney to take this plea." On Sept. 9, days before jury selection for his trial was scheduled to begin and almost two years since the arrest, Shmurda accepted the prosecution's "global plea deal," which reduced his, Rowdy's and McCoy's maximum possible sentences from 15 years. A further five years of post-release supervision is also part of the deal. But in court today, Shmurda appeared upset, at one point saying, "They lied to me" as Judge Abraham Clott denied a request for adjournment. The rapper's lawyer, Alex Spiro, had asked for a delay on official sentencing, citing that Shmurda had not been interviewed prior to sentencing because on the scheduled date the jail was on lockdown, and also citing comments made to the media recently of which he had only recently become aware. After the hearing, the 22-year-old's mother, Leslie Pollard, said she was disappointed, but not surprised, by the judge's actions. "You don't have any rights in that courtroom," she said. "It's heartbreaking. It's disappointing." Shmurda and Spiro have long condemned the case against the rising rapper, who was held on $2 million bond that prevented his record label, Epic Records, from being able to bail him out. Speaking with Complex after accepting the plea deal, which came as a surprise after so many delays and hearings, Shmurda again pointed the finger at the court system. Story continues "If we made bail, I would've beat the case," he said. "We look guilty in these orange jump suits. If you put Al Sharpton in a orange jumpsuit and accuse him of having a gun, he's going to be found guilty. They just look at our skin color, and look at where we're from. I didn't get caught with anything on me and the cops lied, saying they seen me with a gun in my hand. I explained the whole situation to Epic and they were behind me all the way. We had big-money lawyers and they still couldn't do nothing because of the judge, who looked at us like black thugs." He also explained why he accepted the deal at all. "I did it for Rowdy. They offered me five [years] and offered Rowdy 12," the "Hot Boy" MC said, explaining the terms of the prosecution's global plea deal, which was contingent on all three (Rowdy, Shmurda and McCoy) accepting the same offer. "They said the only way they'll give him seven is if I took seven, too. So, you know, I had to take one for the dawgs." Addressing those complaints made in the media, Spiro said they were fair and in line with his long-held concerns about the case's location being moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan; about what he saw as an excessively high bail; and that Shmurda, as part of a wider conspiracy arrest, had been over-charged. Many of the original charges against Shmurda were dismissed as part of the plea deal. "My client is clearly frustrated," Spiro told the court, and said about the comments in the media, "I can't fault him for those. I understand why my client is frustrated." Ms. Pollard said afterwards that she had not been told about the plea offer beforehand, and was in Miami when she found out that her son had taken a deal. "It was a whole setup," she said, noting that her son had wanted to go to trial. "The judge doesn't know my son. He doesn't care." Spiro declined to comment following the hearing. The court appearance officially brings to an end the long-running legal battle that has enveloped the young Brooklyn rapper since his Dec. 17, 2014 arrest at Manhattan's Quad Studios alongside a dozen others. Shmurda, Rowdy Rebel and others said to be in a gang called GS9 were hit with a wide-ranging indictment that included weapons, drugs and assault charges, which rose to murder and attempted murder for several defendants. What Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, and the hard men who served under them knew by early 1864 was that their armies were going to have to break the popular will of the Confederate people, not only in the present, but also for the future, or the North was not going to win the war. Ironically, Jefferson Davis in his carping memoirs understood this reality. At the commencement of the year 1862 it was the purpose of the United States Government to assail us in every manner and at every point. . . . The usual methods of civilized warfare consist in the destruction of an enemys military power and the capture of his capital. These, however, formed only a small portion of the purposes of our enemy. . . . Thus, while the Executive was preparing immense armies . . . with which to invade our territory and destroy our citizens, the willing aid of an impatient, enraged Congress was invoked to usurp new powers, to legislate the subversion of our social institutions [i.e., slavery], and to give the form of legality to the plunder of a frenzied soldiery. In that sense, the Civil War was the harbinger of war in the twentieth century. Without the destruction of the deep feeling of national identity for which the enemy was waging war, there would be no peace. It was, therefore, a war against the Souths white population as well as its armies, a course that the great wars of the twentieth century followed. Thus, the war represented not some peculiar American approach to conflict that emphasized sledgehammer blows, but the political reality that only war waged against the very idea of a Confederate nation would break the nationalistic fervor the French Revolution and its successors had called forth. In the American Civil War, moreover, the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution came together in a fashion that allowed for the mobilization of great armies in both the North and the Confederacy and the maintenance and projection of Northern military forces over continental distances. Excerpted from A Savage War: A Military History of the Civil War by Williamson Murray & Wayne Wei-siang Hsieh 2016 by Princeton University Press. Reprinted by permission. Photo credit: Amazon.com Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f252180%2fhillaryclinton College newspapers normally like to show off their successful alumni except if that alumnus is Donald Trump. This week, Hillary Clinton picked up two notable endorsements, one from her alma mater, and one from Donald Trump's. It's no surprise that ultra-liberal liberal arts school Wellesley used their paper, The Wellesley News, to endorse Clinton. But it just added salt to Trump's wound that The Daily Pennsylvanian, the newspaper from The University of Pennsylvania, endorsed his opponent. SEE ALSO: 11 things to watch instead of the final presidential debate The two schools published their endorsements in a joint statement: "This well-received protest speaks to the Penn communitys general consensus that Trump fails to represent the current Penn student body and its values," the paper wrote. "Penn students reflect a diverse, eclectic mix of interests and beliefs, but above all they seek to respect and understand these differences. Detaching ourselves from the candidate who shares our alma mater is both necessary and natural." Over 3,800 Penn students recently signed a petition stating that, "You [Trump] don't represent us." Additionally, on Oct. 11, a University of Pennsylvania student group called "We Are Watching," staged a feminist art protest to promote voter registration and separate themselves from the Trump campaign. In a July 11 speech in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump flaunted his degree from the Wharton school of business. Story continues "I went to the Wharton School of Finance Im, like, a really smart person," Trump said. Trump has struggled to win endorsements this election cycle, even from such traditionally conservative outlets newspapers like The Arizona Republic, The Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News and The San Diego Tribune. Don't they want a really smart person? BONUS: One woman's journey to becoming a state representative An 11-year-old New Jersey boy walked into his house and came face-to-face with an intruder, police said. Allan Shneyderman had just come home from school when he walked inside and put down his backpack, home surveillance video shows. Read: No Gouda Deed: Teen Steals Shipment of Cheese Worth $160,000, Cops Say He goes into a room off camera, then is seen walking back and out the front door. But minutes before he arrived, a man is seen walking through the house and looking around. I hear a noise someone shuffling through a paper or something, or hes trying to look through drawers, the boy told WCBS-TV on Monday. Then when I look around the corner theres this man with a hoodie, black shirt, black jeans, and yellowish shoes standing there just looking at me, he said. My heart immediately started pounding, he said. When he saw me, he took off. The boy ran to his neighbor, who called police. Gail DeGraaf asked if Allan was OK. He said, No. theres a stranger in my house, she told the station. The Wayne Police Department asked for the publics help in locating the burglary suspect, posting an image of him from the home video. Read: Old-And Busted! Trio of Elderly Family Members Honored for Taking Down Home Burglar Thomas Coughlin, 23, was later arrested in his Pompton Lakes home, police said. He was charged with theft and burglary and held in lieu of $50,000 bail. I was so happy I caught him before he stole anything, the sixth-grader said, though the intruder did make off with the boys cell phone, he said. He also was happy that his grandmother, who had just stepped outside, was not in the house when the man entered through a sliding glass door. I mean I wish that he would just be a normal person and not decide to steal things, and be civilized, the child said. Watch: Alleged Burglar Caught Stealing From Family Who Evacuated for Hurricane Matthew Related Articles: Brasilia (AFP) - Brazilian police on Wednesday arrested Eduardo Cunha, the driving force behind former president Dilma Rousseff's impeachment, in a new escalation of a corruption probe shaking Latin America's biggest country. "We can confirm that (Cunha) was detained in Brasilia," a police spokesman told AFP. Cunha was later flown under close guard to Curitiba, where the probe into a sprawling embezzlement and bribery ring at flagship state oil company Petrobras is based. Cunha, nicknamed Brazil's Frank Underwood after the scheming main character in the dark US political television series "House of Cards," has been accused of taking some $40 million in Petrobras-related bribes, laundering money and hiding funds in secret Swiss bank accounts. Cunha, 58, denies all the charges. "This is an absurd decision, without motive," he said in a Facebook post. In addition to his detention, the authorities ordered the seizure of eight cars, including two Porsche Cayennes, along with other assets amounting to nearly $70 million. Top anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro said the detention was necessary because of risks to "public order, as well as a concrete possibility of flight given his access to hidden resources abroad, as well as double nationality," the justice department said. Part of Brazil's growing conservative evangelical movement, Cunha has long been a consummate wheeler-dealer and became the architect of Rousseff's removal from office in August on charges that she broke government budget laws. Rousseff, from the leftist Workers' Party, was replaced by Michel Temer, from Cunha's own center-right PMDB party. But Cunha's triumph was short-lived as the corruption allegations caught up with him. He was stripped of his congressional seat in September, losing his parliamentary legal privileges. - Lula next? - Cunha's downfall signals that the Petrobras corruption probe headed by Moro is far from over. Story continues Dozens of politicians -- from the Workers' Party but also numerous figures on the right -- as well as business executives have already been charged or convicted in the embezzlement and bribery scheme. Rousseff's presidential predecessor, the leftist icon Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, faces three corruption-related court cases, and speculation is rife that he may also be placed in pre-trial detention. "Now it will be Lula's turn. He's next," said Alberto Almeida from the Analysis Institute in Sao Paulo. There is also speculation that Cunha could turn on old allies and strike a plea bargain with prosecutors, fueling a new wave of corruption cases. He has already said he is writing a book. Analysts say that Temer's government will be nervous about fallout. "The political consequences will depend on how long he remains in detention," Almeida said. "He has a lot of information on Dilma's government, on the house of deputies, different parties." Temer, who has seen several of his ministerial choices targeted in the Petrobras inquiry -- dubbed Operation Car Wash -- rejects suggestions that he is seeking to curb the probe. Even behind bars, Cunha is likely to continue fascinating and scaring the political elite. A master at maintaining influence even as his legal troubles piled up, Cunha used multiple stalling tactics to impede his eventual ouster from Congress. The process dragged on for almost a year, the longest in Brazilian history. The authorities cited that proven skill as one of the reasons for ordering his detention. "Although the loss of his mandate probably represents some loss of power," Moro wrote, "this was not totally exhausted, since the total extent of the ex-deputy's criminal activities and of his circle of influence are still unknown." ZURICH, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Switzerland has given Brazil access to the bank accounts of Brazilian politicians and executives at Petrobras that could shed light on allegations of corruption at the state oil group, the Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said. Switzerland's highest court, the Swiss Federal Court, rejected a last appeal by some of those involved after a lower court had allowed the transfer of documents. A Brazilian investigation into Petrobras has uncovered systemic corruption at multiple companies and at the highest levels of government. Allegations of bribes and political kickbacks in the case have triggered protests across Brazil. Last year the OAG widened the Swiss part of the investigation to include Latin America's largest engineering company, Odebrecht SA, and its subsidiaries. The latest release of documents comes "in the context of the Petrobras-Odebrecht case", an OAG spokesman said on Wednesday. Swiss prosecutors have said they have received reports of about 340 suspicious banking relations in the case, opened about 60 inquiries and frozen roughly $800 million since 2014. Swiss authorities have requested documents relating to more than 1,000 accounts from more than 40 banks. The owners of the Swiss accounts are "senior executives of Petrobras and of its suppliers, financial intermediaries, Brazilian politicians and directly or indirectly Brazilian or other foreign companies", the OAG has said. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Louise Ireland) RACINE A Racine County jury on Tuesday found a Pennsylvania man guilty of felony forgery and theft in a scam in which he and two other men reportedly tried to sell people fake, dyed money. Samba Soumare, 26, and Malcom T. Nimley, 21, and a third man, all of Pennsylvania, were arrested by Racine Police on April 29 after officers reportedly found them trying to execute a black money scam at a furniture store in the 1600 block of Washington Avenue. In a black money scam also known as a black-dollar scam or a wash-wash scam con artists try to convince victims that piles of banknote-sized paper are actually currency notes that have been dyed to avoid detection by authorities. Victims are then persuaded to pay fees and purchase chemicals to remove the dye, with the promise of a share in the proceeds. Police who arrested the three suspects in April allegedly found evidence of the scam inside the store and in a vehicle in which the suspects arrived. According to online court records, jurors found Soumare guilty on Tuesday of both of the counts he faced in connection with the crime: forgery-uttering and theft-false representation, $5,000-$10,000. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 20. Nimleys case is slated to go to trial in November. There were no records found regarding formal charges for the third suspect. Nairobi (AFP) - Somalian security forces have arrested a British journalist working for Al-Jazeera, the Qatari news channel said Wednesday. Hamza Mohamed was arrested in Mogadishu on Tuesday along with a driver, fixer and cameraman. He had been in the country for a week on a reporting assignment. Al-Jazeera said it had been in touch with Hamza Mohamed since his detention and was "hoping ... that he will be released without further delay". Somali authorities had informed Al-Jazeera that they had detained the journalist but that he had not yet been charged with anything. Hamza Mohamed had frequently travelled to the country over the past few years from where he had reported "with accuracy and integrity", Al-Jazeera said in an online report. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), meanwhile, said Hamza and his colleagues were arrested on their return from a trip outside the capital, during which they were suspected of visiting territory controlled by the radical Islamist group Shabaab to interview senior Shabaab leaders. "We call on the Somali authorities to immediately free Al-Jazeera correspondent Hamza Mohamed and the two cameramen, who have been held by the intelligence services since yesterday (Tuesday)," RSF said. "Journalists are constantly caught in the crossfire of the war between government forces and Al-Shabaab's armed militants. They are either the victims of deadly reprisals by the militants or they are arrested by the authorities on suspicion of collaborating with Al-Shabaab." The men's detention by the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) was also confirmed to Radio Dalsan by Abdifatah Halane, a spokesman for the government of Banadir, the region that includes the capital, RSF said, adding that their equipment was also seized. A British foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP: "We are looking into reports that a British national has been detained in Somalia and we are ready to provide consular assistance if needed." Shabaab fighters are trying to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu. In December 2015, at least 20 people were killed and 120 wounded in an eruption of violence between rival militia groups from Puntland and Galmudug that forced more than 90,000 people to flee. LONDON (Reuters) - British banks are calling for the government to phase out an extra tax on profits at a time of significant upheaval following Britain's vote to leave the European Union and its potential hit to London's financial dominance. In January the government imposed an extra 8 percent tax on bank profits above 25 million pounds ($30.8 million) to run concurrently with an additional levy on their balance sheets. "Banks are firmly committed to paying our fair share but we are now at a tipping point that threatens UK jobs and growth," Anthony Browne, chief executive of the BBA, the UK's largest bank lobby group, will tell a conference on Thursday. "It is essential that the UK remains a competitive place to do business for international banks," he added in remarks released ahead of his speech. Bankers have warned they will have to start moving operations out of London as early as next year if Britain loses access to the European Union single market. [nL8N1CI0N9] Britain could safeguard London as a top banking centre by scrapping the levy on bank's balance sheets and surcharge on profits, or drastically reducing both if this was not politically possible, think-tank Open Europe said in a report earlier this week. ($1 = 0.8130 pounds) (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Keith Weir) Getty images bruce springsteen donald trum is going to lose Bruce Springsteen thinks Donald Trump is "toxic" though he predicts he won't actually make it to the Oval Office. "He's going to lose," the New Jersey rocker told UK's Channel 4 News of Trump's presidential run. "And he knows that. He knows he's going to lose. And he's such a flagrant, toxic narcissist that he wants to take down the entire democratic system with him if he goes." "He simply has no sense of decency, no sense of responsibility about him," Springsteen continued. Springsteen is referring to Trump's claims that the election is "rigged," a message he has doubled down on since his vulgar comments about women in an "Access Hollywood" tape recently surfaced. "[Trump] does have a lot of people's ears," Springsteen said. "I don't think he's going to go quietly, gently into the good night. I think he's going to make as big a mess as he can. And I don't know what that's going to mean, but we'll find out shortly." Springsteen echoed similar concerns in a September interview with Rolling Stone, in which he called Trump a "moron." "Well, you know, the republic is under siege by a moron, basically," he told the magazine then. "The whole thing is tragic. Without overstating it, it's a tragedy for our democracy." Watch the clip from Springsteen's interview with Channel 4 News below: Hes such a flagrant, toxic narcissist. That's Bruce Springsteen's view of @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/jHNrLZIXQr Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 18, 2016 NOW WATCH: 6 witnesses are corroborating a womans claim that Trump sexually assaulted her More From Business Insider By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - BT (BT.L) said there was a "strong case" for the group to invest more in fibre-optic broadband networks, but the numbers would not add up if it was forced to spin off its Openreach network division. Chief Executive Gavin Patterson also warned that splitting up the British telecoms company - an option that the government says remains on the table - would require a long, difficult and costly separation of the group's pension liabilities. Patterson said investment in Openreach, which is used by rivals such as Sky (SKYB.L) and TalkTalk (TALK.L) as well as BT's retail customers, had increased 30 percent in the last two years, providing a service that balanced speed, price and coverage. "The case for more investment is quite strong," he said at the Broadband World Forum. "There is going to be no shortage of opportunities to invest, the challenge for us as a company is to make sure the investment cycles are reasonable and we are able to make a return from them." He said the case for further investment stacked up if Openreach was held within the wider group. "If you are only looking at the wholesale side, the Openreach side, then some of these investments are going to be challenging business cases to make," he said. He also said BT's pension scheme, already under increasing pressure from falling bond yields, would be further endangered by a "value destructive" split. Britain's telecoms regulator Ofcom is approaching the end of a long-running review of the market that has been dominated by the question of whether Openreach should remain part of BT. Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone (VOD.L) say an independent Openreach would deliver better networks and service, while BT argues the opposite. Matt Hancock, the minister for the digital economy, said splitting up BT remained "on the table". "My goal is clear: I am focussed that we get (fast fibre-based) connectivity," he said earlier at the event. "The route to that connectivity, both in terms of market structure, in terms of technology, in terms of the details along the way are of course very complex. "(But) I think you can see from what I've said today and the measures we are putting through, our absolute determination to get that and we are not going to let anybody get in our way." (Editing by James Davey and Louise Heavens) NAIROBI (Reuters) - President Pierre Nkurunziza signed a decree on Tuesday for Burundi to quit the International Criminal Court, after parliament voted overwhelmingly last week to remove the country from the court's jurisdiction. The move is unprecedented in a continent whose leaders often complain that the court disproportionately targets Africans. On Oct. 12, only two lawmakers voted in favour of staying under the jurisdiction of the Dutch-based ICC, while 94 voted against and 14 abstained. In April, the ICC opened a preliminary investigation into Burundi, focusing on killings, imprisonment, torture, rape and other sexual violence, as well as enforced disappearances. Burundi's government was infuriated last month by a U.N. report that named officials accused of orchestrating the torture and killing political opponents. Since then, Bujumbura has banned three U.N. investigators from its territory and condemned a U.N. decision to set up a commission of inquiry to probe the violence, which began last year after Nkurunziza decided to seek a third term in office. Opponents said his candidacy violated the constitution and a peace agreement that ended a civil war in 2005. The opposition mostly boycotted the polls and Nkurunziza won a third term. The ICC said in April that political violence had killed about 450 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee. Earlier on Tuesday, the head of its governing body, Sidiki Kaba, said he was concerned that would undermine "efforts towards the objective of universality" and called on Burundi to "engage in a dialogue. Since it was set up under the 1998 Rome Statute, the court based in The Hague has focused on prosecuting such politically-motivated crimes as genocide and crimes against humanity. Most of its investigations and indictments have been of Africans, stirring criticism from many governments on the continent. Nine out of 10 situations under investigation by ICC prosecutors are African. All five verdicts have dealt with African suspects from Congo, Central Arican Republic and Mali. The decree signed by Nkurunziza, published in the presidency's website, said the decision would "come into immediate effect". (Reporting by Aaron Maasho, Editing by Angus MacSwan) Older homes offer a host of opportunities for customization, blended with character and history, which is why many people love them. But the flip side is that the older they are, the more likely they are to come bundled with unpleasant surprisesincluding some you might not even have heard of. Fixing them is sure to be expensive, but knowing what to expect can help you prepare your budget. Heres what to look for in an old home, depending on when it was built. 1900s A home that is more than 100 years old might seem like a sweet deal, especially if youre fond of classic architecture and This Old House, and dont mind a healthy dose of down-and-dirty DIY. But buyer beware: These gorgeous antiques can make The Money Pit seem like a documentary of your life. It is somewhat inevitable that many of these older homes will have some type of settling, so you will see floors that look like they are leaning slightly, says Kevin Lawton, a Realtor in Bordentown, NJ. Often, tilting is nothing more than a cosmetic annoyancebut it could indicate expensive-to-fix foundation issues. Unrenovated homes might also have knob-and-tube wiring, the early electrical systems that were common until the 1930s. Ceramic knobs and tubes run through the floor joists or wall studs, carrying electricity throughout the home. However, the rubber insulation can degrade and create a fire hazard. And without GFCI outlets (ground-fault circuit interrupters, which trip the circuit if there is a surge in current), the system isnt grounded. Fixing it is pricey, so get readyand start working on getting estimates from some good electricians. knob and tube wiring Laura Scudder/Wikipedia CC 1920s Balloon framing was invented as an inexpensive alternative to traditional timber framing, and was used frequently from the late 19th century through the 1920s and early 30s. Instead of complicated joinery to keep post and beams well-connected, balloon framing utilizes really, really long boards. And nails. Story continues Sketchy as it all sounds (balloon was originally a derogatory term indicating that the frame might just blow off in the wind), the structure itself is relatively sound. But the framing can be a tremendous fire risk. Unless the gaps between the planks are filled or well-insulated, basement or crawl-space fires can rocket upstairs. Balloon framing Wikipedia CC 1930s Homes built in the 1930s and earlierand the occasional 40s hometypically used clay sewer lines. Tree roots can invade every type of sewer line, but the clay kind are particularly vulnerable because terra-cotta, the material they are made of, is brittle and liable to break. And because plumbers typically cobbled together shorter pipes to form the line, they might separate over time, causing leakage and soil contamination. Philadelphia, PA, interior designer Larina Kase had a 40s house with clay pipes, and encountered this problem. Roots grew into it, and we had a sewage flood, she says. Newer homes use PVC pipes, which is what we replaced it with. Clay isnt your only potential sewer problem: Your water main and sewage line may be installed too close together to meet modern standards. Most municipalities require at least 10 feet of separation. While no one will make you dig up your existing lines, the regulation can greatly increase the cost of a replacement if either line breaks. During repairs, many cities will require moving the line to meet code. 1950s Clay lines arent the only troublesome sewage system. Cast-iron sewer lines, popular from the mid-20th century to the 80s, can corrode or crack, with a replacement cost in the many thousands. Buyers might also find ungrounded outlets, especially if the home hasnt been sold since its construction. Expect an expensive update to ground your system and mitigate your fire risk. At the very least, GFCI outlets will need to be installed. 1960s Feeling a little chilly in your Mid-Century bungalow? Check inside the walls. 1960s homes were not built with an emphasis on insulation, says Kershan Bulsara, a manager with Roofmaster in Ontario. Energy prices were much lower, so preventing heat loss was not a huge concern for builders or homeowners. Luckily, unlike replacing a sewer system, improving insulation is an easy DIY. Rent an insulation blower from your favorite hardware storeexpect to spend about $50 per dayand your home will be toasty long before wintertime. 1970s Expect to find fewer outlets per room and fewer circuitswhich means all your electronics could trip a fuse. And if you find single-strand aluminum wiringcommon during the copper shortage of the late 60s and early 70sbe prepared to replace the system. Faulty connections overheat the wiring, creating (surprise!) a fire hazard. Of course, you cant ignore the No. 1 problem of homes built in the 1970s: the decor. Shag carpeting? Avocado walls? Fake wall paneling? Ugh. Fortunately, you dont need a home inspector to suss those out. 1980s By the 80s, builders had figured out how to build a mostly modern home. But there is one quirk to look out for: PB (polybutylene) piping. Prone to rapid degradation and subsequent bursting, these gray-colored water pipes cost homeowners millions of dollars in water damage. Most PB has long been replaced, but if youre unlucky enough to score a home that still has the faulty piping, budget for a replacement. Even if you dont care, your homeowners insurance company may decline to cover you until a change is made. Count yourself lucky if your old home isnt rife with problemsbut not too lucky. One of the joys of home ownership is knowing that something will always go wrong. But even when it inevitably does, dont panic. Everything is fixable. The post Busted: Common Problems in Older HomesBroken Down by Decade appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. (Updates with more details about the criminal investigation, background on scandal) By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The California Attorney General's Office has launched a criminal investigation into Wells Fargo over allegations it opened millions of unauthorized customer accounts and credit cards, according to a seizure warrant seen by Reuters. Attorney General Kamala Harris authorized a seizure warrant against the bank that seeks customer records and other documents, saying there is probable cause to believe the bank committed felonies. The probe marks the latest setback for the bank in a growing scandal that led to the abrupt retirement of its chief executive officer, monetary penalties, compensation clawbacks, lost business and damage to its reputation. Wells Fargo spokesman Mark Folk did not immediately provide a comment in response to requests from Reuters, but was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying the bank is "cooperating in providing the requested information." A spokeswoman for the California Department of Justice said she could not comment on the probe. The bank's downward spiral kicked into high gear last month. The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other regulators ordered the United States' third-largest bank by assets to pay $190 million in fines and restitution to settle civil charges that its branch staff created as many as 2 million accounts without customers' knowledge in order to meet internal sales targets. The CFPB said that high pressure sales tactics and financial incentives fueled the fraud, which was largely carried out by low-level branch employees. About 5,300 of those employees were fired. Shortly after the civil settlement was made public, CEO John Stumpf was called to testify before Congress. Observers have widely criticized his performance, with many saying he appeared ill-prepared to deal with tough questioning by lawmakers including Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who called for his resignation and accused him of him "gutless" leadership. Story continues Last week, Stumpf resigned and was replaced by Chief Operating Officer Tim Sloan. This is at least the second criminal probe to be opened into Wells Fargo since last month. In September a source told Reuters that federal prosecutors are also looking into the matter. An affidavit filed by Special Agent Supervisor James Hirt with the California Department of Justice reveals that interviews with possible victims of the fraud have already started. One victim, identified only as "Ms. B," told the investigator that she had declined a request by a Wells Fargo teller in late 2011 or 2012 to open new accounts. But sometime in late 2013 or early 2014, she started to receive notices that she and her husband "allegedly owned on three life insurance policies held by the bank," the affidavit says. She also told the investigator that Wells Fargo often claimed that her accounts had to be closed and reopened because of "problems" that it could never fully explain. The constant changes, she added, sometimes caused her to incur fees because her checks would bounce. Another alleged victim, identified as "Ms. C," told the investigator she noticed the bank was transferring money from her checking account to her savings account in amounts that grew over time, from $50 to $150. The bank claimed the transfers were done as overdraft protection, but it refused to provide her bank statements when she asked to see them. The seizure warrants by the state are seeking a variety of documents from Wells Fargo, including a list of all unauthorized California customer accounts created between May 2011 and July 2015. It also seeks information about fees, charges and other costs that were incurred and the identity of all Wells Fargo employees that may have opened the accounts. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Chris Reese and Alan Crosby) By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The California Attorney General's Office has launched a criminal investigation into Wells Fargowill@cvradio.com
Telehealth technology has arrived at Logan Regional Hospital and the Budge Surgical Service Clinic. It is a service that connects patients with specialists at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.
Budge Clinic Assistant Operations Officer Kris Larsen explains the process.
There is a large computer monitor in the room where the patient sits, said Larsen. The provider in Murray has the same kind of set up. One can see the other via a webcam and microphone.
High-definition cameras, audio equipment and televisions are used to complete the connection into private conference or examination rooms.
Currently the service is connecting patients with infectious disease specialists at Intermountain.
This is very effective in situations like follow-up visits where previously you would have to drive to Salt Lake City for a 5-10 minute appointment. Now that can be done with this technology and you never leave the valley.
Limited access to specialty care is a challenge hospitals in rural communities have always dealt with. But since patients get sick everywhere this service provides the possibility severe infections can be identified in every facility, even those without an infectious disease subspecialist.
Larsen said the program also helps provide oversight and support for antibiotic stewardship, a top concern for the UN and World Health Organization.
Update: According to The Verge, Facebook has verified the authenticity of the screenshot below.
In what appears to be an internal Facebook post, Zuckerberg defends his company's ongoing association with Peter Thiel Facebook investor/board member and major donor to white-supremacist/pro-rape presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Zuckerberg's defense echoes that of Y Combinator boss Sam Altman, who said that a truly inclusive business can't afford to write off a candidate supported by millions of Americans.
Presumably, they feel the same way about the millions who believe in the ideology of Osama bin Laden.
Mark Zuckerburg comments on Peter Thiel controversy regarding Trump donation [Hacker News]
(via Dan Hon)
(Image: Mark Zuckerberg South by Southwest 2008, Jason McELweenie, CC-BY)
Researcher Yarden Katz scraped the database of Intellectual Ventures, a giant business that buys up patents, but produces nothing but lawsuits (previously), and discovered that IV claims ownership of nearly 500 patents that were created at public expense by researchers employed by public universities, and another 100 or so patents filed by the US Navy.
The research comes as more than 100 universities have pledged not to sell their patents to trolls.
Both the University of California and Caltech signed the 2007 statement, yet IV now owns tens of patents from these schools that were filed after 2007. For instance, the IV portfolio includes a Caltech patent filed in 2010 (granted in 2011) and University of California patent filed in 2008 (granted in 2014). Other universities that signed the statement, such as Stanford, Harvard and MIT, did not have patents in the portfolio. Apart from universities, IV's portfolio includes nearly 100 patents from the U.S. Navy, as well as patents from weapons manufacturers such as Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. In addition, some notable computer scientists and software developers are listed as inventors on patents owned by IV, like Danny Hillis and the developer of Linux, Linus Torvalds.
Universities have turned over hundreds of patents to patent trolls
[Yarden Katz/Medium]
Inside Intellectual Ventures' Portfolio: Nearly 500 University Patents
[Elliot Harman/EFF]
Since the death of Uzbekistans President Islam Karimov in early September, signs have emerged of a thaw in relations between Uzbekistan and its neighbor Tajikistan. In the years since independence, bilateral relations have been plagued by mistrust, disputes over water resources and outright hostility. Both sides have adopted a series of punitive measures against each other. Although acting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has expressed interest in resetting relations with Tajikistan, any improvement will be tempered by the ongoing conflict over Tajikistans planned hydropower plants.
BACKGROUND: Once part of the Soviet Union, both countries host large ethnic Tajik and Uzbek minorities, cut off from their titular homelands by the Soviet border delimitation. Responding to the threat posed by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which was based in Tajikistan at the time, Uzbekistan started mining the border with Tajikistan in 1999. In 2001, it introduced a visa regime for Tajik citizens.
In recent years, tensions have centered on access to water resources. Seventy five percent of the Amu Darya, Central Asias largest river, originates in Tajikistan. Uzbekistan, the worlds sixth largest cotton producer, relies on water from the Amu Darya to irrigate its land. Agriculture constitutes an estimated 20 percent of the Uzbek economy and employs a quarter of the countrys workforce. In its bid to become energy independent, Tajikistan has built dams in the tributaries of the Amu Darya. With the support of Russia, the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric plant began producing electricity in 2008. The Iranian-backed Sangtuda-2 opened in 2011.
The Rogun dam, which at 335 meters would be the tallest in the world, is the main source of tension with Uzbekistan. If completed, the dam would produce 3,600 megawatts of power. The project, which began during the Soviet Union, is expected to cost US$ 4 billion, around half of Tajikistans GDP. Rogun has become an important symbol of Tajikistans independence and lynchpin of Rahmons plans for developing the national economy. Billboards with slogans such as Rogun is our national idea and Rogun is the key to victory can be seen across the country. According to Uzbek officials, the reduction in the flow of water whilst the reservoir for Rogun is formed will last for up to ten years and cost the Uzbek economy US$ 20 billion. President Karimov claimed in 2011 that without upstream dams, irrigated land in Uzbekistan would increase from 4.3 million to 10 million hectares.
In the years before Karimovs death, a few signs emerged that relations between the two countries were improving. Karimov visited Dushanbe in September 2014 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, his first visit in seven years. In June 2015, Uzbekistans Minister of Internal Affairs Adkham Akhmedbayev visited Tajikistan, becoming the first interior minister to visit since 1998.
Since Karimovs death, additional indications suggest that the relationship is improving. Rahmon was one of only three heads of state to attend Karimovs funeral in Samarkand on September 3. Whereas in previous years Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov had used his speech at the UN General Assembly to chastise Tajikistans plans to build Rogun, this year he was more reserved, focusing on the ecological disaster of the Aral Sea instead. Visiting Dushanbe on September 29, Kamilov expressed interest in resetting relations with Tajikistan.
IMPLICATIONS: When he became acting president in September 2016, Shavkat Mirziyoyev could have openly provoked Tajikistan in an effort to unite Uzbeks behind him. Instead, he has cautiously offered to improve relations. Uzbek foreign policy decision making remains shadowy and identifying the reasoning behind the friendlier stance is a difficult task. It could be that Mirziyoyev wishes to reduce the countrys tensions with its neighbor in order to allow him to prioritize the consolidation of his power domestically.
Although the rhetoric coming from Mirziyoyevs regime is certainly less confrontational, it remains to be seen how relations between Tajikistan and post-Karimov Uzbekistan will develop in the long term. At present, the improvement in relations exists as a series of statements rather than concrete actions. The resumption of transport links and easing of visa regulations would certainly improve the lives of border communities, and benefit Tajikistans ailing economy in particular. In recent years, Tajikistans economy has suffered as a result of punitive measures adopted by Uzbekistans government.
Tajikistan remains dependent on Uzbekistan for energy links and transport all of Tajikistans rail connections with the outside world run through Uzbekistan. Uzbekistans government has used this position to pressurize its neighbor. In 2008, the government of Uzbekistan started seizing railroad cargoes bound for Tajikistan. In late 2011, all railway traffic was halted after what Uzbek officials called a terrorist attack damaged the line near the border. Of the 16 border crossings between the countries, just two remain open. As a result, bilateral trade fell from US$ 300 million in 2008 to just US$ 2.1 million in 2014. Responding to the blockades, both sides have started building railroads that avoid each others territory. In February 2016, Uzbek officials opened the Angren-Pap railway line, running from Tashkent to the Fergana Valley, bypassing Tajikistan. President Rahmon opened a new line between Dushanbe and Qurgon-Teppa in August 2016, bypassing Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan has also used its position as energy supplier to put pressure on Tajikistan. In 2009, Uzbekistan withdrew from the Soviet-era power grid, through which it had supplied electricity to Tajikistan. In 2012, Uzbekistan stopped supplying natural gas to Tajikistan, claiming it needed to fulfil contracts with China. This compounded the energy crisis in Tajikistan. Dependent on glacial meltwater to replenish its reservoirs, the government of Tajikistan limits electricity supplies to the population during winter months.
Although it is clearly in both parties economic interests to find an amicable solution to the ongoing disputes, tensions will remain strong so long as both sides maintain their stance on hydropower. Rahmon has made the stakes very clear, stating that Rogun is a symbol of the life of our nation, a symbol of life and death of the Tajik state! A 2014 feasibility study conducted by the World Bank found that the dam will fit within international safety norms. The Tajik government is pushing ahead with plans to construct the dam, although it remains unclear how it will fund the project. In July, the government offered the contract to construct Rogun to Italian firm Salini Impregilo. In August, Rahmon visited Rogun, insisting that the dam will serve the Tajik nation for centuries to come.
Despite the change in leadership, it is unlikely that Uzbekistan will abandon its opposition to Rogun entirely. Such a move would constitute a serious loss of face for a president still consolidating his position in power. Recent diplomatic communications suggest that the disagreements are ongoing. After the government of Tajikistan gave the construction contract to Salini Impregilo in July, then Prime Minister Mirziyoyev sent a strongly-worded letter to his Tajik counterpart Kohir Rasulzoda. In the letter, he stated that the Rogun hydropower plant is associated with the huge threats to the entire Central Asian region. Clearly not all Tajik officials read the letter closely. A few days after it was sent, the Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmon Usmonzoda claimed that Uzbekistan had no opposition to Rogun. The Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with an August 1 statement declaring that, never and under no circumstances, would they support the project.
A lasting improvement in relations will require a compromise from both sides. Although Tajikistan stands to gain most from improved relations, it has appeared less willing than its Uzbek counterparts to compromise. Uzbek officials have suggested that Tajikistan can become energy independent without drastically altering the water flow and environment of the river basins if it builds more, smaller dams. These plants could be installed more quickly than Rogun and are unlikely to cost more than the mega-dam. Even though the Tajik government has the most to gain from improved relations, it remains committed to building Rogun. The mega-dam has become more than just a dam; it a symbol of the Tajik nation and its achievements. Without a change in attitude, the prospects for a change in policy remain slim.
CONCLUSIONS: Although foreign policy making in Central Asia remains opaque, there is reason to expect a slight improvement in relations between the governments of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the coming months. These are less likely to be revolutionary changes than small improvements in areas not directly linked to hydropower, such as the resumption of direct flights between Tashkent and Dushanbe, or the simplification of visa restrictions. In the end, rebuilding energy and transport links is in the interest of both governments. But mistrust and tensions will remain. Neither side looks set to climb down from their entrenched position on hydropower, the primary source of the conflict between the two states.
AUTHORS BIO: Edward Lemon is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Harriman Institute, Columbia University.
Image source: www.bultannews.com, accessed on October 18, 2016
Belgian resistance scuppers the EU's CETA agreement
Published on October 19, 2016
Story by euro topics Translation by: euro topics
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The EU's trade ministers postponed signing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on Tuesday after failing to reach an agreement. The strongest opposition comes from the French-speaking part of Belgium, whose consent the federal government needs to approve the agreement. Are the Walloons spoiling a major opportunity for Europe or are they the voice of the people?
If not with Canada, then with whom? - Hospodarske noviny, Czech Republic
Hospodarske noviny is aghast at the prospect of CETA falling through after seven years of negotiations:
"After the Brexit decision the EU wanted to show that 27 countries can also move forward together. But the shameful dispute over CETA shows that they are unable even to reach a consensus over the liberalisation of trade with Canada. The Walloons and a few other troublemakers have turned everything on its head. But this is not just about Walloonian farmers who are frightened of GM fruit from Canada. This is about the pan-European protest of people who feel that the globalization train has set off and are unwilling to wave goodbye to the world as they know it, even if it is falling apart. Who else will we be able to do trade deals with in the globalized world, if not with Canada, which shares our cultural values?" (19/10/2016)
Shape globalisation instead of blocking it - Neue Zurcher Zeitung, Switzerland
The Neue Zurcher Zeitung also voices disappointment, pointing out that the agreement was negotiated very much in the EU's interests:
"[Canada] supported the EU's idea of investment tribunals for settling conflicts between foreign investors and the host state. This overcomes the weaknesses of the private arbitration courts that have been used until now. All this is very far removed from the distorted image spread by the opponents of the deal, who portray CETA as a dictatorship of big business which will undermine the rule of law and democracy. Those who can't stop globalisation but want to have a say in what it looks like, need precisely such agreements until multilateral progress is made in the World Trade Organization. Those who reject CETA must ask themselves whether they are not in fact against any liberalisation of trade, and therefore want to further the interests of economic nationalists. If so, they must be willing to accept the negative impact on growth and employment." (19/10/2016)
Populist Walloons ruining everything - Jyllands-Posten, Denmark
Jyllands-Posten fears that Europe is squandering an important opportunity:
"In times when the key players - among them the two presidential candidates in the US - are moving towards protectionism, when global trade is stagnating and global economic growth and the labour market are suffering as a consequence, trade agreements are more important than ever. Since World War II free trade has hoisted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty by creating economic growth and jobs. It would be intolerable if a handful of populist Walloons were able to destroy a far-reaching free-trade agreement like this one, from which the great majority of true Europeans stand to benefit." (19/10/2016)
CETA gets to the heart of the Europe debate - De Morgen, Belgium
De Morgen defends the Walloons against all the criticism:
"'What do they think they're doing?' people across Europe are saying. We heard the same thing after the Ukraine referendum in the Netherlands, and after the Brexit vote... Clearly representing the people is regarded as a threat to democracy... The row over Ceta gets to the heart of the debate about European democracy. Should a member state - or part of a member state - say no when 'Europe' has already said yes? ...Whether the Twitter economists like it or not, such 'classic' agreements are no longer supported by a growing section of the European population. The opposition to mega-treaties comes from all kinds of groups, from eurosceptic right-wing populists to red-green voters... Either legitimate criticism continues to be suppressed or the day will come when the European project really is torpedoed at the polls - as was already the case in England." (19/10/2016)
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30 Countries, 300 Media Outlets, one press review. euro|topics presents the issues affecting Europe and reflects the continent's diverse opinions, ideas and moods.
Story by euro topics
Translated from EU-Kanada: Wallonen wehren sich gegen Ceta
In Rich do not rise early: spatio-temporal patterns in the mobility networks of different socio-economic classes, a group of transportation engineers analyze an open data-set about the commutes of people in the Colombian cities of Medellin and Manizales, concluding that the rich and the poor commute the furthest distances, but that the rich have much shorter commutes, thanks to private transport and superior routing, which translates to substantially more sleep for the wealthy.
Sleep deprivation is well-understood to cause cognitive impairment and physical illness. Poor commuters in the study leave their homes later, and return later, than rich ones, suggesting that their livelihoods are at odds with their ability to sleep.
In addition to these spatial patterns, the authors are also interested in temporal patterns. So they look at the times of day when people in the different groups are likely to travel. The researchers were surprised to find that the timing of movement is also closely linked to socioeconomic status. They saw that as socioeconomic class increases, every morning's peak transit time moved to later and later in the day. So people with the lowest status had peak morning transit times around 5AM or 6AM, whereas those with higher incomes didn't peak until nearly 7AM. The authors conclude that higher socioeconomic status allows people to buy more time to sleep or engage in leisure activities in the morning, so they can leave their homes later. In contrast, people with less economic capital tend to leave their homes earlier because they utilize slower and less reliable modes of transit, such as walking or taking public buses.
Though this study was meant to probe the importance of socioeconomic status in human mobility, it also shows another important point: wealth allows people to buy a more comfortable life. This is sobering because it suggests that possessing wealth is a self-perpetuating state. The poor, who spend more time stuck in transit, have less opportunity to increase their income. The poor may also be unable to afford the luxury of sufficient sleep, which influences their ability to pull themselves out of poverty.
Rich do not rise early: spatio-temporal patterns in the mobility networks of different socio-economic classes
[Laura Lotero, Rafael G. Hurtado, Luis Mario Floria, Jesus Gomez-Gardenes/Royal Society Open Science]
The wealthy commute later, get to take more direct routes
[Roheeni Saxena/Ars Technica]
(Image: Four-poster bed Casa Loma, Thomas Quine, CC-BY)
Galicia: Journey to the land of disenchanted youth
Published on October 19, 2016
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The Spanish region of Galicia is known for two things: the clothing company Inditex and the famous Camino de Santiago. However, neither of these regional gems offer much for young people hoping to build a future. Many young Galicians leave in the hope of gaining a more global outlook, tired of waiting for opportunities that never materialise.
It's a typical autumn day in La Coruna and the city is bustling with people. Shops open their doors and the steady flow of customers begins. The scent of saltwater fills the air. Judging by its appearance, it seems like the city is thriving. Sadly, the reality is rather different. It's estimated that on a day like today, particularly after the summer holidays, around 84 young people aged between 20 and 34 leave Galicia in the hunt for better opportunities. Nationally, this statistic is only surpassed by Castile and Leon. Behind Galicia, sits Castile La Mancha, Aragon and Extremadura. Many head to Madrid or go abroad to Switzerland and the UK. Nevertheless, some do decide to stay.
Santiago is 27 years old and works as an administrator for a tow trucking company in La Coruna. He feels lucky to have a job, given that "people often spend many years preparing themselves for the future to find that the doors are closed off to them." In his case, unemployment is not an immediate concern, as it is for the 26.6% of young people in the 16-29 age bracket who are out of work. However, his current contract does not give him the necessary stability to truly gain his independence. "The type of contracts you get nowadays don't give you the best working conditions to allow you to move out of your parents' house," he argues. Doris Fernandes, a journalist and translator based in Mos (Pontevedra), is the same age as Santiago, and has found herself in the frustrating situation many young people find themselves in: "by having to accept work that's precarious and unstable, we are unable to enjoy a fulfilling social and personal life.
A worse situation than ever?
In this region, independence from the family unit is not the only type of independence causing debate. Galiza Nova, a youth organisation stemming from the Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG) has gone beyond espousing nationalist sentiments to openly advocating for the region's independence from Spain. "We are in a worse situation than ever," says Alberte Mera, the secretary-general of Galiza Nova, for whom independence is a necessary option. This is an argument that Santiago disagrees with, viewing it as a divisive option, much like Brexit in the UK, and it leaves a lot of questions up in the air. "What we need to encourage is the equal treatment of every region," he says, in reference to both Spain and Europe. He has his doubts about the EU: "the idea of creating a union of European states wasn't a bad thing, the problem is how it's been constructed."
Europe happens to be the desired destination for many of these Galician youngsters. Olalla, a 27-year-old journalist, lives in Berlin. She explains that it would simply be impossible to maintain the standard of living she has in Germany at home in Galicia, and she speaks of migration as a "freedom" that allowed her to leave the vicious circle that Galicia is trapped in. Similarly to Olalla, 20-year-old Yago Grela from Vigo looked for opportunities overseas. For him, the situation feels a bit more daunting, although he thinks that it is inevitable, due to Galicia's awkward geographical placement which leaves it isolated from the rest of the country. When he finishes his studies in Lannion, France (where he has been able to stay thanks to an Erasmus grant), he hopes to move to Madrid to find work. This is something that Beatriz, a young Galician living in London, is still not sure about. "The only option for me if I move back home, is to become self-employed," she says.
"Zara is not a great example to follow"
Since 1981 - the year when Galicia became an autonomous region of Spain following four decades of a centralising dictatorship - the lack of opportunities, emigration, the aging population, the lack of infrastructure and the struggle to keep the Galician language alive have remained hot-button issues in electoral campaigns. Nevertheless, there have not been any dramatic changes in voting patterns in recent years. When you ask young people about the results of the recent regional elections, in which the Partido Popular (PP) [Spain's equivalent of the Conservative Party, Ed.] reigned victorious with an absolute majority, almost all of them express a certain discontentment with the status quo. Only Beatriz sees the positive side to this result: there is a greater sense of energy and anger in parliament than ever before. "It saddens and infuriates me to see that a party steeped in corruption not only has done nothing to clear its name, it's actually come back even stronger," Doris, the young journalist and translator from Pontevedra, sighs. Yago, much like Olalla, thinks that it was a predictable result that evidences a growing generational gap. A party like the PP, supported mainly by the older population in Galicia, controls the direction the region takes, even though it's young people who are most affected by current policies.
While young people are unhappy about the dominant party in their region, they are also not proud of Inditex, the international symbol of Galicia. The biggest textile company in the world and the owner of clothing brands like Zara, Bershka and Stradivarius, is criticised by young people for its factories in developing countries, a company policy that brings no benefits to its local community. "It's a company built upon destroying its competition, which is why I don't think it's a great example to follow," argues Olalla. Yago also criticises the company's production as he believes that Amancio Ortega, the owner of Inditex, "could easily design, produce and make his clothes in Galicia, creating thousands of jobs and improving the local economy. However, he'd prefer to put his factories in China and India, where he can exploit underpaid workers."
"Being Galician is about running away"
Emigration is not a recent phenomenon in Galicia. The previous generation also know what it is like to have to leave home. Luis Castro is 41 years old and is from Santiago de Compostela, where he finished the famous pilgrimage. In the 90s, he was the first of his family to go to university to study engineering. Due to his chosen specialism, he had to move. He had spent eight years away from Galicia, in Valencia, before moving back home to work in Pontevedra. In his eyes, the region has two pressing needs: better quality public services and jobs.
"It is said that being Galician is more about running away than facing up to realities," he muses. "Galicia could make itself the doorstep to Europe from the Atlantic, with Vigo and La Coruna as strategic cities: we could be the new Rotterdam, but to achieve this aim, we need to be better connected." The main artery of the region, the motorway connnecting its three main urban centres (Vigo, La Coruna, Santiago de Compostela), has tolls that complicate commercial trading. With regards to the train network, investment in high speed trains has not managed to reduce the travel time to Madrid to under six hours. The inadequacy of the rail network in the region was clear to see in the aftermath of the 2013 train accident in Galicia, the worst train disaster in recent Spanish history.
Nevertheless, due to the rather unstimulating environment, many young people try to fight against the conformism of Galician society. The prevailing "that's life" attitude is fiercely criticised by authors like Manuel Rivas and Xose Neira Vilas. As Doris explains, Galicia is not only known for Inditex, it's also known for its "idiosyncrasies, its ancestral wisedom, its languages, its landscapes, its food, its countryside, and above all, the successes of its universities, its industry, its social movements, its literature..." The provinces of La Coruna and Vigo now have their own universities, which, alongside the traditional university of Santiago de Compostela, have managed to staunch the outward flow of students of university age. These two cities, which boast the biggest populations in the region, have also built airports to improve their connections with Spain and the rest of Europe, making the region more international.
So, all is not lost. There are initiatives in Galicia that prove that change is possible. An exciting example of this is the street art festival DesOrdes Creativas, which has taken place since 2010 in the Ordes region, which is sandwiched between La Coruna and Santiago de Compostela. During the festival, artists from across all of Galicia decorate the ugliest walls in their village. This has created a domino effect with many Galician towns copying the initative. It's a festival that could have passed by unnoticed, if not for a younger generation that's ready to rebel against their rather bleak backdrop in Galicia. This is a generation that understands that with crisis comes opportunity.
Story by Ruben Rivas de Roca Garcia
Translated from Galicia, viaje a una tierra de jovenes desencantados
| BY Ricki Green |
This years brief line up for New Blood Awards 2017 has just been released. What does this mean? It means that the next generation of creative disruptors can now sharpen their pencils, roll up their sleeves and start tackling the real-world briefs to showcase their talent.
For 2017, D&ADs partners are a mix of returning favourites like John Lewis, Nationwide and BBC as well as some exciting new faces with Amazon, The National Autistic Society and Squarespace signing up this year. Collaborating with the Arjowigginsbrief will be Facebook, Instagram and Sony Music, whilst board game fans can cut their teeth on the Hasbro brief in collaboration with Big Potato Games. (See the full list of briefs here).
The full briefs are available for download from www.dandad.org/new-blood-awards. New creatives will have until 22 March 2017 to submit their entries, with the winners announced at the Awards Ceremony in early July 2017. Winning work will be selected by a panel of judges and awarded a Wood, Graphite, Yellow, White or Black pencil.
Each brief has been designed to set a unique challenge and all are supported by a great range of learning resources and industry insight. This years topics range from the real-world tangibility of paper to the possibilities of big data, food and drink, music and movies, finance to festivals, things to play and places to stay, education and causes to fight for.
All the briefs have been designed in collaboration with industry experts to both reflect the real current business challenges faced by modern brands and develop the creative skills most sought after by industry, ensuring that these ones to watch of tomorrow are ready for the challenge.
Whether its through launching new services or reinventing established brands, inventing crazes or revitalising causes, taking events to the world or bringing purpose to events, the New Blood of 2017 will be storytelling, shifting perceptions, standing out and shaping the future with passion.
Says Paul Drake, D&AD Foundation director: We need new exciting talent in this industry, and year after year we are blown away by the professionalism, ambition and skill of the work that is entered into the New Blood Awards. Answering tough, real-world briefs set by globally-renowned partners, these students show the full breadth of talent that will be entering the industry in the next few years.
As always the 2017 New Blood Awards are designed to be both challenging and demanding. This year they feature a mix of topical ideas and craft-based briefs, encouraging creatives to hone their skills, test their abilities and show why those already in industry need to be looking over their shoulder.
Open to any young creative aged 23 or under, in addition to current students and those within two years of graduation, the New Blood Awards offer tomorrows creative superstars a chance to tackle real briefs, set by real clients and judged by top industry creatives.
The 2017 Brief Partners:
Adobe
Amazon
Arjowiggins in collaboration with Facebook, Instagram and Sony Music
BBC
Crowne Plaza
Desperados
Hasbro in collaboration with Big Potato Games
John Lewis
Monotype
MUBI
Nationwide
Pearson
Respect for Animals
Squarespace
The British Army
The National Autistic Society
What some of this years returning New Blood Awards Brief Partners said about the experience:
Says Emma Bryson, digital media marketing manager, Adobe: What we enjoy most about setting a D&AD New Blood brief is getting to see the passion come through and the magical things these students can create with our products.
Says Ana Saenz-Castellano, manager creative, brand creative, John Lewis: Working with D&AD New Blood we gain creative insight. I enjoy the wealth of creative talent and the incredible quality of the presentations.
Says Timothy Cryer, design lead, Nationwide: What I enjoy the most about New Blood is the breadth of creativity and original thinking. As a brand, setting a New Blood brief is a fantastic way to gain insight into this demographic and also to hear their ideas, importantly in their tone of voice.
This years D&AD New Blood Awards 2017 creative campaign is being designed by The Beautiful Meme, more information on this to follow.
| BY Ricki Green |
Frost*collective has appointed Graham Humphreys as head of Frost*Design for its brand and design division. The position has been newly created to support the business recent spate of high profile project wins and a growing team. UK-born Humphreys has relocated from San Francisco vacating a VP, director client services position at fuseproject.
Humphreys has a 20-year international career in cross disciplinary creative consulting where he has led teams of diverse talents, disciplines, sizes and cultures. He has extensive experience in strategic innovation, brand positioning, creative development and marketing strategy as well as product design, environmental design, integrated digital programs, site design and e-commerce.
Says Vince Frost, CEO Frost*collective: We couldnt be happier that Graham has joined us as our new Head of Frost*Design. His impressive expertise and depth of understanding of the creative process and approach to business challenges, in combination with his proven leadership and strategic thinking, are all assets that are consistent with Frost*collectives service offer and future strategy.
Over the course of five years and 250 assignments at fuseproject, Humphreys and his teams have delivered global rebrands including Nivea and Paypal, and product innovation for Sodastream and Samsung amongst many others. He can lay claim to building a globally recognised Integrated Design Management discipline and playing a major role in doubling the size of the studio. Humphreys earlier career included senior roles at Dare London, Agency.com (in London & San Francisco) and Zenith Media with clients ranging from British Telecom, the UK Government, Wells Fargo, Toyota, Barclays Bank, Visa and Capital One.
Says Humphreys: Im driven by the opportunity to harness design thinking to solve problems for people, businesses and institutions. Vince has built Australias leading brand and design agency with clear purpose and vision, and there was a perfect synergy from the start.
Im passionate about the power of design to improve any of lifes experiences, large and small this is exactly what Frost*collective delivers. Im impressed with everything the agency has achieved, excited about the future, and privileged to join such a talented team.
| BY Lynchy |
DIRECTORS THINK TANK director Rajay Singh has just completed the latest ALLIANZ film for Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia. In a break from category conventions, Allianz Malaysia is choosing to inspire rather than arouse sympathy in this latest campaign.
Courage Never Fails is the Malaysian interpretation of the global platform, Dare to. Were with you.
The centrepiece of the campaign is Sisters, a film that gives audiences an intimate view of the struggles of two orphaned sisters. But through it all they face adversity with a sense of hope, grounded in the legacy their parents left them. says Tan Chee Keong, Group ECD at Ogilvy Malaysia.
What I love about the campaign is how we made the global platform relevant to Malaysians on a personal level. We took inspiration from real stories and put together a powerful and poignant story that represents the feats of courage the regular Malaysian goes through every single day, says Susan Ong, Chief Market Management Officer at Allianz Malaysia.
More than five months in the making, Ogilvy Malaysia made the deliberate decision to have the campaign rooted in real Malaysian stories to create personal and relevant stories that could resonate with its audience.
We went out in search of real stories from everyday Malaysians and ended up with a pool of rich and textured stories that really felt worlds apart from the overly scripted stories the category is known for. says Alicia Hew, Copywriter at Ogilvy Malaysia.
But it was a close collaboration with Directors Think Tank that finally brought the film into a space that felt both fresh and genuine.
Working with Jay is always a scary experience. In a good way. We never know where the script will be taken to, how it will be dissected or where the story can be elevated to. But that free-flowing collaboration is what we love about it, says Adam Chan, CD at Ogilvy Malaysia.
What we hope is that people dont just watch the spot, but that they be inspired and bring about change, says Gavin Simpson, Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy Malaysia.
Courage Never Fails was launched yesterday.
Credits:
Client: Allianz Malaysia
CMO: Susan Ong
Agency: Ogilvy Malaysia
CCO: Gavin Simpson
Group ECD: Tan Chee Keong
CD: Adam Chan
ACD: Jarrod Reginald
Copywriter: Alicia Hew
Art Director: Amanda Kok, Chu Khong Liang
Managing Partner: Shireen Peterson
Business Unit Director: Frederick Aloysius, Liew Wai Sim
Account Manager: Kelsey Rabindran, Bowie Tiong
Head of AV: Eric Yan
Producer: Seng Tuck
Traffic: Julie Saw
Production House: Directors Think Tank
Director: Rajay Singh
Producer: Tek Nam
DOP: Andre Francis Nenezes
1AD: Kelvin T
2nd Unit Director: Wei Peow
Music Studio: Two AM
Editor: Raja Affendi
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 12:12AM
It was bound to happen and now it has indeed. US law firm McCuneWright has filed a lawsuit against Samsung over the Galaxy Note7 recall. The plaintiffs claim the recall has left them without phones for weeks. They seek reimbursement of cell phone service fees and are also look for class-action status. According to a post by McCuneWright on its site, While Samsung has offered consumers replacement phones or a refund, it has failed to reimburse consumers for monthly costs associated with owning an unusable Note7. CNET reached out to Samsung and they said they wont comment on pending litigation.
"It will take a great deal of work to undo the public's perception of the Canberra Liberals as too socially conservative, but that work must be done if we want to see a change of government in 2020."
"We now have a situation where the major parties have not only made back the entire cost of their campaign, but are now in a position to profit off any additional donations, potentially from vested interests," he said.
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